Hi All!
Its been a long time since I have written! My laptop has passed away to a better place...the hard drive went south, so now I have a really old paper weight in my room!
I have been to Segovia, and Toledo with my whole OSU group since I wrote last...it was awesome! They were awesome old Roman cities and I bought lots of touristy stuff for my family and friends! Tomorrow, I am going to Portugal for the weekend to relax since this week was full of tests and whatnot. Things are finishing up and I cannot believe it! 2 months have really flown by, and I am excited to get some last minute traveling in and come home! I am exciting to come home for Christmas and hang with my fam, and hang out with my cars! haha!
I will probably get a chance to write more next week since its going to be lots of review! Portugal should be awesome, and I get to fly there! I love flying!
Talk with vosotros muy pronto!
-Sr. Esteban
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Monday, November 5, 2007
Barcelona and Andorra
Hi all!
So, I was going to go with a group from the University to Barcelona and Zaragoza, but it was canceled 24 hours before the planned departure. Very quickly, I planned a trip by car with my friend Joe and two of my German friends to Barcelona and Andorra. Since it was a holiday, there were not rooms available over the internet, so we arrived in Barcelona without accommodations. Starting at 9 in the morning on Thursday, we traveled to Zaragoza en route to Barcelona. We saw alot of the main buildings there including the Aljafería Palace and the Pilar Virgen. After driving for 4 more hours, we arrived in Barcelona without a place to stay. After three hours of searching and driving, we found a hotel in the north of the city. We stayed in two rooms. Joe and one of the Germans were in a single, and I shared the honey moon suite with the other German.
We ate some wonderful Chinese food and ended the night early...
Friday morning started early with visitations to Barri Gotico and the Cathedral near Las Ramblas. Then, we saw the arch of triumph and the Sagrada Familia. This is a church that has been under construction for the past 120 years. It is a product of Gaudi and is very interesting to see. After, we went to the Olympic stadium at Montjuïc and to the built castle at the top of Montjuïc. During our second night, we planned to have a party at our flat because we had an awesome patio, but people did not want to come! Instead, we went to Las Ramblas and hung out with Angela, Megan, Michelle, Alex, and some very lovely French people I had met.
Saturday morning began at 8 and we first went to Park Guell then went to the Tibitabu at the highest Mt. in Barcelona. We left Barcelona midday, and drove through the picturesque mountains to Principality of Andorra. My host mother described Andorra as two streets with lots of cheap things. Andorra was exactly this; lots of shopping and stores between two streets. The surrounding mountains were very beautiful and there was some snow near the boarder with France. We waited two hours to enter France because of boarder "security" that was nothing more than police only watching the cars go by. We drove through the French Pyranees, through San Sebastian, and finally we arrived in Santander around 3:30 in the morning on Sunday. This trip was very fun, and I learned alot about Catalonia independence, German music, and sneaking 4 people into hotels and flats made for 3!!
So, I was going to go with a group from the University to Barcelona and Zaragoza, but it was canceled 24 hours before the planned departure. Very quickly, I planned a trip by car with my friend Joe and two of my German friends to Barcelona and Andorra. Since it was a holiday, there were not rooms available over the internet, so we arrived in Barcelona without accommodations. Starting at 9 in the morning on Thursday, we traveled to Zaragoza en route to Barcelona. We saw alot of the main buildings there including the Aljafería Palace and the Pilar Virgen. After driving for 4 more hours, we arrived in Barcelona without a place to stay. After three hours of searching and driving, we found a hotel in the north of the city. We stayed in two rooms. Joe and one of the Germans were in a single, and I shared the honey moon suite with the other German.
We ate some wonderful Chinese food and ended the night early...
Friday morning started early with visitations to Barri Gotico and the Cathedral near Las Ramblas. Then, we saw the arch of triumph and the Sagrada Familia. This is a church that has been under construction for the past 120 years. It is a product of Gaudi and is very interesting to see. After, we went to the Olympic stadium at Montjuïc and to the built castle at the top of Montjuïc. During our second night, we planned to have a party at our flat because we had an awesome patio, but people did not want to come! Instead, we went to Las Ramblas and hung out with Angela, Megan, Michelle, Alex, and some very lovely French people I had met.
Saturday morning began at 8 and we first went to Park Guell then went to the Tibitabu at the highest Mt. in Barcelona. We left Barcelona midday, and drove through the picturesque mountains to Principality of Andorra. My host mother described Andorra as two streets with lots of cheap things. Andorra was exactly this; lots of shopping and stores between two streets. The surrounding mountains were very beautiful and there was some snow near the boarder with France. We waited two hours to enter France because of boarder "security" that was nothing more than police only watching the cars go by. We drove through the French Pyranees, through San Sebastian, and finally we arrived in Santander around 3:30 in the morning on Sunday. This trip was very fun, and I learned alot about Catalonia independence, German music, and sneaking 4 people into hotels and flats made for 3!!
Monday, October 29, 2007
Pictures
Here is a link to the silliest/cooolest pictures that I could get online.
Link to Pictures
I went to Salamanca this weekend on Saturday. It was 5 hours of driving each direction, because we decided to see all of Spain by car...on accident haha... Salamanca is a Roman city, and was worth seeing! It was beautiful! I drove about 4 hours on the way home because my friend got tired...it was so much fun!
I found out that I am secretly German! At the toll booths on the autopista, they thought I was German because apparently I speak Spanish with a German accent. So weird. I finally have a sense of ethnic identity!! haha
In other news; I went to an Evangelical Church last night; it was awesome! I had been going to Catholic mass since I thought there was nothing else here, but my German friends invited me! It is located at the Plaza, on the same street! Its funny to see a Church at the location of so much drinking and other un-church like activities. My laptop hard drive failed as well, so I spent a few hours backing up my data to my iPod. I got my hard drive back up, and I think I am going to use my iPod as the book device, or maybe I will just live without a computer for a while...who knows. I just hope my iPod hard drive does not fail because I have several Gigs of photos on it. For now, my laptop is working, but I am not sure how much life is left in it...
Next Weekend; Barcelona from Thursday morning until Sunday!
-Stephen
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Exams +Life update
I do not have an appreciation for Art. I went to the Guggenheim in Bilbao this weekend, and I found that modern art is almost a joke to me, but I am really happy to see that some people are way into it. I saw some people staring at a blank blue canvas for about 10 minutes in deep conversation of its significance. I dont think I will ever understand how they think! But anyways!
The city and the architecture of the building is amazing and beautiful! I was there for just the day, but it was perfect!
On both Friday and Saturday, I went out to "The Plaza" to hang out with friends. This is one of the coolest places in the world! If you arrive before midnight, nobody is there. At around 1am, and until 4am, there are hundres of people sitting around and having a good time. All the dance clubs are located around the Plaza as well Both evenings ended past 6am...but it was so worth it because I talked in Spanish ALL night and I met so many people. I know half of the people that go to the Plaza now!!! I love it!
This weekend I might stay around here and relax, but I am probably going to go to Salamanca to see a very Romanic town and to see the old university. I am not sure yet! I will for sure be at the Plaza on Saturday night!
My exams ended up going very well. I also had an interview today that went well (the interview was the midterm fro my conversation class.) I need too on my grammar class grade, especially since I have a super quiz this Thursday.
Tomorrow is an excursion with the OSU group to some small pueblos around Santander, then I have to study study study!
That is all folks,
Stephen
The city and the architecture of the building is amazing and beautiful! I was there for just the day, but it was perfect!
On both Friday and Saturday, I went out to "The Plaza" to hang out with friends. This is one of the coolest places in the world! If you arrive before midnight, nobody is there. At around 1am, and until 4am, there are hundres of people sitting around and having a good time. All the dance clubs are located around the Plaza as well Both evenings ended past 6am...but it was so worth it because I talked in Spanish ALL night and I met so many people. I know half of the people that go to the Plaza now!!! I love it!
This weekend I might stay around here and relax, but I am probably going to go to Salamanca to see a very Romanic town and to see the old university. I am not sure yet! I will for sure be at the Plaza on Saturday night!
My exams ended up going very well. I also had an interview today that went well (the interview was the midterm fro my conversation class.) I need too on my grammar class grade, especially since I have a super quiz this Thursday.
Tomorrow is an excursion with the OSU group to some small pueblos around Santander, then I have to study study study!
That is all folks,
Stephen
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Examenes, Shopping, Madrid
Hello all!
Madrid was awesome, and I think I saw more police than I did actual people! I was out until 5am on la dia de hispanidad dancing and having a great time with Mexicans, Italians, and Germans who were in the group that I went with. I spoke no english the entire trip, only for about a hour when I saw an old friend from high school at the Palacio Real in Madrid, how random!
I saw the Museo del Prado and the Spanish Parliament as well Both has super tight security, but there have been terrorist attacks across Spain, so its worth it.
It was nice to talk with the Mexicans from the group because they speak without the vosotros and without the weird Spanish accent. They also speak much more clear and slow! I also picked up some Italian over the weekend, I think it would be fun to go to Italy now and try it out since it is similar enough to Spanish!
This week, I have two exams, one is a midterm. After tomorrow, I am going to get a massage at my gym, then I am going with OSU this weekend on a day-long excursion to some Gothic churches to check out the architecure and the style. I am going to Bilbao this weekend with some friends too to see the Gugenhiem. There have been terrorist attacks there, but I will be careful :-)
I am going to Barcelona on the 1st of November with the samegroup that went to Madrid! I am so excited for that!
Hasta luego,
-Esteban
Madrid was awesome, and I think I saw more police than I did actual people! I was out until 5am on la dia de hispanidad dancing and having a great time with Mexicans, Italians, and Germans who were in the group that I went with. I spoke no english the entire trip, only for about a hour when I saw an old friend from high school at the Palacio Real in Madrid, how random!
I saw the Museo del Prado and the Spanish Parliament as well Both has super tight security, but there have been terrorist attacks across Spain, so its worth it.
It was nice to talk with the Mexicans from the group because they speak without the vosotros and without the weird Spanish accent. They also speak much more clear and slow! I also picked up some Italian over the weekend, I think it would be fun to go to Italy now and try it out since it is similar enough to Spanish!
This week, I have two exams, one is a midterm. After tomorrow, I am going to get a massage at my gym, then I am going with OSU this weekend on a day-long excursion to some Gothic churches to check out the architecure and the style. I am going to Bilbao this weekend with some friends too to see the Gugenhiem. There have been terrorist attacks there, but I will be careful :-)
I am going to Barcelona on the 1st of November with the samegroup that went to Madrid! I am so excited for that!
Hasta luego,
-Esteban
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Basque Country + life update
My lovely mother reminded me that I had not updated this in a while, so here it goes!
Last weekend, I went to San Sebastian with Andee and with some other students from OSU. It seems like a very different country over there! It was a 2.5 hour bus ride, and it was beautiful! It is like a mix between the Columbia river gorge and the Oregon Coast. All the signs are in both Basque and Spanish, and we saw ETA banners and parades all over the place. It was somewhat scary, but I was ore worried about drowning in the rain...It rained over 6CM while I was there! The first day we were there, Andee and I walked through the rain and saw some cool things...then decided that we didn't want to go swimming after...so we played some cards and met some cool guys from Wales. It was interesting because Wales has been trying to get independence (sorta) like the Basque region. Wales has its own parliament-type structure now, like Scotland.
Later that night, I went out with Andee, 12 or so guys from Scotland, a gal from Canada, and two dudes from Florida. It was a great mix of people, and I ended up going home past 6am (once again!) I met a guy at one of the discos; and I began to tell him how much I loved Spain. He quickly replied that he was not Spanish, but rather he was Basque. We talked in Spanish for about an hour about their Independent movement (he lead the conversation) and how there needs to be Peace in all the world. It was interesting to say the least!
The monsoon stopped the next morning, and Andee and I walked around the city and saw how beautiful San Sebastian really is. We walked up to this huge Jesus statue that looks over the city, and saw everything, it was awesome! Then, we met back up with the Scottish guys in an Irish Pub and watched England vs. Australia Rugby (Go Aussies!) We left San Seb at 5pm, and made it home safely.
The others who left San Seb the next day had some issues in Bilbao because there was a ETA attack there on Sunday. The security was very tight for them and they were stopped on the autopista by the military and were searched!
I kicked butt on my grammar test today, but I think I didnt do too good on my Culture test last week because I ran out of time . The first page is an A+! :-)
I am going to Madrid this weekend with European Erasmus students to see the King of Spain and to "party" in the capital because Friday is the biggest holiday in Spain, la dia de hispanidad. I get to see Madrid twice, and Burgos as well, but I get to practice my Spanish and I get to meet new people!
Song of the moment: Drowning (If you know who sings this song, let me know...because this is a test!)
Choa,
Esteban
Last weekend, I went to San Sebastian with Andee and with some other students from OSU. It seems like a very different country over there! It was a 2.5 hour bus ride, and it was beautiful! It is like a mix between the Columbia river gorge and the Oregon Coast. All the signs are in both Basque and Spanish, and we saw ETA banners and parades all over the place. It was somewhat scary, but I was ore worried about drowning in the rain...It rained over 6CM while I was there! The first day we were there, Andee and I walked through the rain and saw some cool things...then decided that we didn't want to go swimming after...so we played some cards and met some cool guys from Wales. It was interesting because Wales has been trying to get independence (sorta) like the Basque region. Wales has its own parliament-type structure now, like Scotland.
Later that night, I went out with Andee, 12 or so guys from Scotland, a gal from Canada, and two dudes from Florida. It was a great mix of people, and I ended up going home past 6am (once again!) I met a guy at one of the discos; and I began to tell him how much I loved Spain. He quickly replied that he was not Spanish, but rather he was Basque. We talked in Spanish for about an hour about their Independent movement (he lead the conversation) and how there needs to be Peace in all the world. It was interesting to say the least!
The monsoon stopped the next morning, and Andee and I walked around the city and saw how beautiful San Sebastian really is. We walked up to this huge Jesus statue that looks over the city, and saw everything, it was awesome! Then, we met back up with the Scottish guys in an Irish Pub and watched England vs. Australia Rugby (Go Aussies!) We left San Seb at 5pm, and made it home safely.
The others who left San Seb the next day had some issues in Bilbao because there was a ETA attack there on Sunday. The security was very tight for them and they were stopped on the autopista by the military and were searched!
I kicked butt on my grammar test today, but I think I didnt do too good on my Culture test last week because I ran out of time . The first page is an A+! :-)
I am going to Madrid this weekend with European Erasmus students to see the King of Spain and to "party" in the capital because Friday is the biggest holiday in Spain, la dia de hispanidad. I get to see Madrid twice, and Burgos as well, but I get to practice my Spanish and I get to meet new people!
Song of the moment: Drowning (If you know who sings this song, let me know...because this is a test!)
Choa,
Esteban
Monday, October 1, 2007
en classe ahora, mas o menos!
So, class today was cancelled (my 2 hour grammar course,) So I am planning travels for next weekend and catching up on emails. Apparently, all hell broke loose at my house in the USA because the internet died. Not too sure what is going on there, but I have helped as much as I can....
The rest of today should be pretty normal. I have conversation, culture, and then work out at my gym, followed by lots of eating and sleeping because neither of those happened much this weekend.
The highlight of my weekend, after getting lost in the mountains, was staying out until 6am at the local discotech. I met some people from England, and I saw lots of my local conversation partners...it was fun! There was this guy who fell over and hit his head on the cement out in the plaza where all the youth hang-out, and nobody called an ambulance until I went over there and examined him. He also was puking on his own vomit from over-drinking. It was interesting because I tried to explain to everyone that I knew what I was doing, but I was not a doctor...haha.
The dude ended up having no permanent injuries, but the medicos said that my skills greatly prevented his risk of serious injuries. I felt great afterwards, and there were a bunch of people who wanted me to drink with them. I politely declined J
I hope everything in the USA is going well. Please pray for the Monks in Burma. The violence there is terrible, and with the help of the UN and other international pressures, the Burma Junta will fall!
Peace to all,
Stephen
The rest of today should be pretty normal. I have conversation, culture, and then work out at my gym, followed by lots of eating and sleeping because neither of those happened much this weekend.
The highlight of my weekend, after getting lost in the mountains, was staying out until 6am at the local discotech. I met some people from England, and I saw lots of my local conversation partners...it was fun! There was this guy who fell over and hit his head on the cement out in the plaza where all the youth hang-out, and nobody called an ambulance until I went over there and examined him. He also was puking on his own vomit from over-drinking. It was interesting because I tried to explain to everyone that I knew what I was doing, but I was not a doctor...haha.
The dude ended up having no permanent injuries, but the medicos said that my skills greatly prevented his risk of serious injuries. I felt great afterwards, and there were a bunch of people who wanted me to drink with them. I politely declined J
I hope everything in the USA is going well. Please pray for the Monks in Burma. The violence there is terrible, and with the help of the UN and other international pressures, the Burma Junta will fall!
Peace to all,
Stephen
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