Home Is Where the Heart Is

So, first of all I must express how extremely happy I am to have someone I know in my same time zone!!! Brianna has been in Florence for about two weeks now, and it has been so nice to skype with her. Spain is a full nine hours ahead of California, so it has been very difficult to talk to you all because you’re never online when I am! As I told my mom last night, I am convinced that you should all simply adjust to my time zone for the next three and a half months so that I can talk to you more lol. But I did anticipate this, I suppose, and thank goodness I’m blogging so you can keep up with me and the craziness that is Spain!


This last week has been quite eventful. My roommate, Hanna, was having trouble sleeping in the bunk bed that we shared, and she requested to have a single room. Because of the housing arrangements at my residencia, there was not a single room available for her, so she ended up moving out and into the other residencia. This was a little hard on me because I was basically alone, with one other girl in the residencia, but I have gotten used to having the nice, big room all to myself. The other Spanish students (six in all) moved in on Saturday, and so far they seem pretty friendly. However, I can’t tell you how intimidating it is to sit down to lunch with eight other students all speaking to one another in Spanish at the same time, and attempting to talk a little without sounding like a complete idiot! For now, I’m primarily listening and trying to understand what they’re saying; they speak very quickly and with multiple accents, so it will definitely be a work in progress. The other API students will arrive on Friday, and I believe three or four of them will be living in my residencia, so it will be nice to have some English-speaking companions.

Over this last weekend, seven of the other API students and I went on a little trip to Caceres and Merida, located in the region called Extremadura. Salamanca is in the region of Castilla y Leon, so Extremadura is just south of us. We took a three hour bus from Salamanca to Caceres, and were appalled at what we found when we arrived. Caceres had experienced a major storm just the day before, complete with massive flooding and extremely large hail that wreaked havoc on the city. We walked out of the bus station and on our way to the hostel, I probably saw about fifty dead birds lying on the ground, which was pretty upsetting for me. After about 20 minutes of walking, I realized that the kids didn’t even have a real map of the city, and we didn’t really know where we were going. We stopped a middle-aged Spanish man and asked for directions, but all he could tell us is that we were definitely going in the wrong direction. The other kids just didn’t want to pay the few euros for the taxi, but when you arrive for the first time in a new city and don’t know exactly where your accommodations are, it really is best to pay just for the convenience and security. So I decided that I was going to pay for the taxi and go myself. Everyone else walked the distance totally unsure of where they were going. Let’s just say that I’m sooo glad that I did that trip with my brother in the summer and learned how and how not to travel because I got to the hostel a good half hour before everyone else, picked the bed that I wanted, and watched out the window while it started to pour outside. Everyone was just a little upset, tired, and very wet by the time they showed up. But at least we made it!

It was my first experience in a hostel, and it actually went surprisingly well. The hostel cost 20 euros per person per night, including breakfast, and six of us were able to share one large room together. It was centrally located, clean, and perfectly adequate for our group, and as long as I’m careful, I think hostels will be a viable, inexpensive option for my other traveling excursions. In the hostel, we met a guy from New Zealand who was traveling the Camino de Santiago on foot with two family members. The Camino de Santiago or the “Way of Saint James” is an approximately five week long pilgrimage. Originating in the Middle Ages, pilgrims would walk hundreds of miles from southern France and across northern Spain to pay homage to the remains of Saint James in his namesake city. Today, people still take the journey, some on foot and others on bikes. Some take the journey for religious reasons, others are trying to change their situation by getting away and reflecting on the direction that their life is headed. He told us that he had gotten into some “alternative lifestyle habits,” and although he was a little on the strange side, I thought it was wonderful that he was pursuing such an admirable goal to turn his life around.

The modern city of Caceres is not impressive, but the real treasures lie within the city. There have been settlements in Caceres since prehistoric times, but the city itself was founded by the Romans in 25 BC. The historical center is a completely preserved medieval town with meandering, cobblestone streets, lovely churches, medieval palaces (mostly owned by wealthy conquistadors that returned to Spain), and a stone wall encircling it all. We spent Friday night and most of Saturday walking this area and sight-seeing. And most exciting of all, we bought sweets from the nuns, just like I had read about in my Spain travel book! Convents all over Spain are famous for different sweets and pastries that the cloistered nuns make and sell through little turntables in the wall. We walked into this small room off the street, looked in their display window to pick out what we wanted, and then approached the turntable where a nun peaked out the side to ask for our order. I paid the nun two euros, and after a moment, the table turned and there was a large bag of seven “tortas de hojaldras,” which are a kind of crispy, sugary pastry. It was such a fun, cultural experience, and we took lots of pictures because we were all so excited! Later in the day, we went to a little Middle Eastern restaurant/hookah bar (most people weren’t there for the hookah) called Arabia, and had cold drinks in the vine-covered terrace in the back. It was so quaint, with a Moroccan style fountain, plush, brightly-colored cushions, and mood music. It really inspired me to try and make it to Morocco while I’m here! We had an amazing time just relaxing and talking about how fantastic and lucky we are to be having this experience in Spain together…

That evening we took a train ride to Merida, formerly known as Lusitania, which was the capital of the Roman Empire in the Iberian Peninsula. We found the Plaza Mayor and did some exploring, but came back to our hostel early (for Spain, that is) because we were all pretty tired. This second hostel was not as nice as the first, but for 15 euros a piece, it was perfectly fine. The mattress was a little shabby looking but I wasn’t worried because I used my handy-dandy sleep sack that Jo gave me before I left. In this hostel, we were divided up and two girls needed to share a double bed, and since I’m pretty easygoing, I volunteered. Elisa was my roommate, and she and I had quite a laugh because after a little while, it became very apparent that there was some passionate, LOUD, how shall I say it?…canoodling going on in the room next to us! The next morning, as the rooster crowed (literally) it happened again, and we just laughed it off, but it was kind of weird. Sunday we had a full day visiting the Museo Nacional de Romano and exploring the Roman ruins, which included an amphitheater, another theater, and a large aqueduct. After going to Rome and Pompeii this summer, I knew I would think these were interesting, but I was pleasantly surprised at how impressive the ruins and the giant, reconstructed mosaics in the museum were. We also went to a Muslim fortress, with an amazing passageway that leads to an underground reservoir.

So after a very busy but totally enjoyable weekend, we got on our five hour bus back to Salamanca. As the cathedral spires came into view, I became so elated to be back home in my beautiful little city. But what a funny word “home” is….I’ve only been here for three weeks and yet, this has become my second home, a place where I feel happy, comfortable, and cared for. It’s a lovely feeling, the same kind that I get when I drink a cup of hot chocolate, put on my fuzzy pink socks, and cozy up on the couch for a marathon of old movies. I will always, always be happy to come home to California, but in the meantime, I have learned that home is where your heart is, and right now, my heart is here in this lovely Spanish city.

Living a Dream

I've been in Spain for two and a half weeks now, and I cannot express how in love I am with this city! My dad asked me the other day if I still believe I made the right choice to come here. I said without hesitation that, yes, this was the perfect place for me. There are many beautiful things to experience here – the gorgeous cathedrals, the narrow, winding streets, the way the city looks candlelit at night, and the lovely people. I've done some exploring on my own recently and have seen a whole new side of the city. When I’m with my group of friends here, the city is still amazing but I’ve appreciated its beauty on a whole new level in solitude. I went alone to the Art Nouveau museum a few days ago, and had a lovely time looking at the elegant sculptures housed in the very 1920s style building. They really create an experience there – the building has stunning views of the city, the windows are all stained glass in intricate patterns, they play only 1920s style music, and the little café inside is decorated in a plush red color with furniture from the same period. I’ve seen most of the “tourist attractions” in the city, but my next stops will be the Convento de las Duenas, and I also want to rent a rowboat and enjoy the river with a few friends.


Let’s see, what else? School is going very well. Currently, I am in an intensive month session, taking classes Monday through Friday, four hours a day. My classes are Advanced Spanish Grammar, Spanish Culture, and the History of Spain; my teachers are really experts in the field, but there is one professor I have a little trouble understanding. She is from the Basque country up north, has a very thick accent, speaks quickly, and has a raspy voice, but my understanding has gotten better so I should be ok. Oh, and something else that is interesting about my classes. My professors don’t even attempt to call me “Rachel” or ask if that is what I would prefer to go by. They simply call me “Raquel Sanchez,” no questions asked. It’s fine with me though because I’m used to it, and it’s kind of fun : ). But I did make sure with my API director that on my official transcripts it says “Rachel Sanchez” because I didn’t want to have trouble bringing my units back home!

Miscellaneous things of importance: there were two cockroaches in our residencia today. I am most definitely not a fan, and thank God we have Andrea (from Mexico) who doesn’t mind killing them for Hanna and I. Another exciting thing, I got kissed by a real, authentic Spanish boy! This boy had been flirting with me through the evening at a club and was very sweet. Of course, it wasn’t any big deal, but what’s an American girl to do when a cute Spanish boy is speaking in that beautiful accent and acting all romantic!? But my friends here were very protective of me (and rightly so), and although he really REALLY wanted to walk me home, they told him that it was a nice offer but I was most definitely going to leave with them. It was a fun night, and who knows, maybe I’ll bump into him again…

On Saturday, six of us went to the small town of Avila, which is about an hour and a half train ride from Salamanca. It is a very quaint medieval, fortified city, with the best preserved city walls in Spain. It is popular with pilgrims, as it was Saint Teresa’s hometown and houses the convent she instituted (the Carmelite Order). In the convent, there is even a room with some of Saint Teresa’s personal belongings and relics, including a shoe sole, her Bible, and most shocking, HER FINGER! It’s actually very well preserved and a bit on the creepy side but really cool, with a large diamond and emerald ring still on it. We also visited an impressive cathedral in Avila, had a very authentic lunch, and visited the Monastery of Saint Thomas. In the monastery, they have a room of exotic dead animals that were found on religious missionary trips during the age of exploration, brought back, and stuffed. It really gave me the spooks (I got some major chills) but we took some great pictures! I was fine until I saw some giant stuffed and very ugly bats, and then I pretty much ran out of the room, to everyone’s great amusement. I think it was literally just a little too close to home for me right now! In Avila, we also tried the sweet town-specialty called "yemas," which are made by the local Carmelite nuns. They are egg yolks that have been cooled and sugared; I know they don't sound good but they're actually delicious and everyone has been craving them since we got back.

The festival is still going on in the city, and there is something fun to do at nearly every hour of the day and night. We have been enjoying ourselves immensely, and are starting to plan some more excursions out of the city for the next few weeks. We’re hoping to take a trip to Porto, Portugal in the near future, if we can get our transportation route down (it’s a lot more complicated than you would think). And personally, I am planning my trip to Florence to visit my beautiful, sweet friend Brianna, who I miss like crazy! I’m positive we’re going to have an amazing time together at the end of the month, and I can’t wait to have all the arrangements in order. Right now, I am writing in my usual spot with wonderful views of the city, and I’m looking forward to every new day in Spain as an adventure waiting just for me!

The Cursed Residencia

So, we have been in Salamanca for a week and I feel slightly as if our residencia is cursed...no joke. Although the living arrangement itself is fine, Hanna and I have had some strange adventures here (to put it mildly!). Over the weekend, our landlady was out of town, and so she had the maid come to clean and make us food. Unfortunately, the maid does not know how to lock the front door correctly because Hanna and I were trying to go out at about midnight on Saturday to meet the other students, and WE SERIOUSLY WERE LOCKED IN. But I was quite determined to have my fun, so I did what I had to do: I climbed out the window. So Hanna stood in the window holding the computer chair that I climbed up on, and I went over the bars (which come up to my waist). Although the room is on the first floor, I needed to kind of scale the wall while holding the bars because its a seven or eight foot jumb to the pavement. I then ran around the building and opened the door up on the other side for Hanna. It was pretty much the funniest thing and I wish someone had taken pictures! An older man happened to be walking down that quiet street at this exact moment and let's just say, he gave us some strange looks. I got dust and dirt all over my black pants, but managed to get most of it off. The best part about this is that I've never needed to sneak out of my own house before, and how boring is that?! So at least I can honestly say I've done it now!

On to our next adventure...two days later, Hanna and I were eating dinner in the dining room downstairs, and suddenly we saw something fly past us. It wasn't a bird or pretty butterfly; it was a bat! Our landlady wasn't home again and the maid tried to get it while Hanna and I screamed and ran into the kitchen. The maid couldn't get it, and she left for the night with the bat still there! We realized that there was a second bat in the residencia and when I went out that evening, I was so upset and was almost crying by the time I met up with the other API kids. Later on, our landlady Raquel came home with her boyfriend and he killed one of the bats : ( I didn't really want it dead, but there really wasn't any way to get it out through the window! But they didn't realize there was a second one and of course, it was a little scary thinking it was just sleeping someplace in the residencia. We're pretty sure it flew out somehow because we haven't seen it recently, thank God!

Now on to more pleasant things, this week the annual Salamanca Festival Virgen de la Vega began. It's basically the biggest celebration of the whole year and lasts for about two weeks. The festivities have been going on everyday - concerts, the initiation flower parade, dance shows etc. Every night after dinner, the other API students and I go the casetas set up around town. Casetas are small outdoor bars, which serve you tapas if you buy a drink. So the custom is to go caseta hopping, and try lots of different tapas at each caseta. The group and I have been having so much fun together, and I really adore all of them! I was telling Hanna today that its weird but I kind of feel some separation anxiety if I go a few hours without seeing all of them. We've all gotten pretty attached to the group, and I can't wait to have more adventures with them : )

Currently, I'm headed off to the other residencia to meet the kids for some shopping. We have some essentials to buy at Corte Ingles ( the big department store here), so adios for now!

Here at Last!

So I have made it to Salamanca! It was quite a long journey - mentally, physically, and emotionally, but well worth it.I am now in Spain! I arrived six days ago, and was glad to meet another girl (Michelle) from my program (Academic Programs International - API) on my flight from LAX to Philadelphia. Thank God she was there sitting next to me because, during our hour and a half layover in Philadelphia, I came to the horrible realization that I did not have my wallet! Talk about panic! It had my credit cards, driver's licencse, passport, euros - basically all the most important stuff. So I left my carry-on with Michelle and went running through the airport like the biggest idiot. I rarely loose things, and it was just unbelievable to me that of all things, I would misplace something so vital. I talked to a US Airways employee and told them that I thought I left the wallet in my seat on my last flight. After what seemed like the longest run of my life, I was paged over the intercom and got my beautiful red wallet back just in time to board my flight. Saint Anthony must have interceded on my behalf!
After arriving in Madrid, I met my resident director, Inma, and the rest of the API students at the airport. We spent four days in Madrid and had the most wonderful time visiting the incredible sights. The group of API students and I toured the Royal Palace and Cathedral of Madrid, strolled the gorgeous Parque de Buen Retiro (the Spanish equivalent of Central Park in New York), and visited the world famous Museo del Prado. We also explored the Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol (both historical, central areas of the city for shopping, eating, and meeting people) and of course, enjoyed a little taste of Madrid’s nightlife. We went on two excursions out of the city – one to the beautiful original capital of Spain, Toledo, and the other to El Escorial, which is a royal monastery once used as a palace and fortress. Our four days in Madrid were unforgettable, but I was very excited the leave the city and get to Salamanca. On Tuesday afternoon we took the two and a half hour bus ride to Salamanca. As the cathedral’s spires came into view, I nearly cried I was so happy. How much time and effort had been put into preparing for that wonderful moment!


I have been in Salamanca for nearly three days now, and I cannot express how lovely and different it is from everything I am accustomed to. It is all uniform in architecture because the old parts of the city are made of sandstone and the new parts have been designed to complement the old. The people here are full of life and even the little elderly couples meet their friends on weekday nights in the stunning Plaza Mayor for sangria and tapas. The first day that I arrived I was very overwhelmed and felt quite alone after my roommate, Hanna, and I said goodbye to our new API friends and got settled into our residencia. The API students are all spread out, some living in another residencia and the others in homestays with Spanish families. Our residencia has some essentials to be desired, but overall it is quite comfortable and our landlady (although she speaks no English and it has been a challenge to communicate with her) has been very accommodating and understanding with our language barrier. We took our diagnostic placement exam for Spanish the morning after we arrived in Salamanca, and I was totally panicked that I would not place into Advanced. I must place Advanced here in order for Cal State Long Beach to accept my units when I return home. So, I was so relieved when I found out that I placed into the right level and can definitely bring my units back!

Apart from learning my way around the city and starting classes, I did a little shopping for some necessities in my room. But who knew that asking for household goods could be so complicated! I was trying to ask the saleslady if she had scissors, but instead I asked if she had earth….dios mio! I said “tierras” instead of “tijeras” and that “j” made all the difference. And as we all know, necessity truly is the mother of invention, and I have no doubt that I will improve my Spanish because I seriously have to!

My classes started this morning, and so far so good! The professors are experts in teaching Spanish, and I’m really looking forward to everything academically. In an hour, I am planning on meeting a couple of the API students to take a walk around the city and explore. But right now, I am about a minute away from my residencia, in a little pretty little nook of the city with a wonderful view of the two cathedrals and historic university. The sun is out, the weather is perfect, and I feel so blessed to be in Spain happy, healthy, and loving life!