To Salamanca and Beyond

Vasiljon Cobo
February 11, 2013
The capital on these columns is a Salamanca original, while the well in the middle of the courtyard is a staple in many historic buildings. We were in a bar about to be surprised by the Tuna when I got the chance to steal this picture within a picture from Matt (the person holding the other camera. Here the Tuna of Salamanca (a historical singing group) is serenading a few of our groups ever-so-shy gals. Picture of Salamanca's Plaza Mayor, a beautiful orienting landmark for a newcomer like myself. A view of the Roman bridge from the Garden of Calixto and Melibea, Salamanca's very own Romeo and Juliet. Ever since we landed I've been looking for the perfect picture of a tiny European street; this might be it. At the airport, right before I left, I fortuitously found on display an exhibit from the Constitution Center of which I was a part of, so I decided to take a picture of my mom with one of my submissions. A picture of my mother and my sister with me, minutes before I departed for Spain. As soon as we landed I found comfort in correcting this ad in Spain, knowing full well that it would be I whose language  would be corrected for months to come. My first view o Salamanca was gorgeous, and surprisingly snowy, from the bus window. A shot of Salamanca's beautiful Cathedral. Inside the cathedral we saw many beautiful pieces and altars, but this ornate mudéjar balcony really stole my heart. An altar with the body of Christ, whose lighting work I love for working so well on film. This would be one more example of the beautiful pieces we saw in the Cathedral, an altar which usually was purchased by a rich family for private worship sessions. Of all the things that reminded me of life in Albania (the cars, the electric plugs, the highway-side cows or the over-abundance of cars) what really brought my childhood back to me were these church candles.

This is mostly a gallery of my trip to Salamanca and especially my first week or so there, which was filled with IES activities that allowed us to get familiar with the city. In fact, there are a few pictures of the most famous landmarks in Salamanca such as the Cathedral, the Roman Bridge and the Plaza Mayor. For my next Salamanca-based post I hope to explore the more typical, daily activities of a student’s life in this lovely city.

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Vasiljon Cobo

<p><span style="color: rgb(29, 29, 29); font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(237, 237, 237);">I am a junior at Gettysburg College, double-majoring in Spanish and my very own Individual Study major. My one true love is my team: Juventus and while most days I&#39;m a completely rational being, there&#39;s a 2-hour window during the weekend where I am lost in the joy of fandom. I also play intramural soccer, with semi-finals being the best result so far (fingers-crossed for finals next year!!!!). Always a fan of arguing, I can also be spotted challenging people&#39;s beliefs or stances on a daily basis to spark interesting conversations. Never an avid reader, but more of a picky one, my favourite genre is historical fiction, preferably pre-medieval. Another hobby is singing which I do aloofly around people, so much so that I ended up singing for the Gospel Choir at Gettysburg College, though not being a believer.</span></p>

Home University:
Gettysburg College
Major:
Interdisciplinary Studies
Spanish
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