Between German Intensive and the start of our actual classes we got to enjoy a wonderful 10 day long break. Though a lot of people chose to pursue their own travels, I decided to join the trip that IES had organized, which ended up being a fantastic decision. I met a lot of great people and we had so much fun!
Never in a million years did I expect that my first time would be in Milan.
I am going to be up front and notify everyone that I will never be able to do this trip justice by describing it with just my words and pictures.
I’ve done a number of hikes in my 20 years; nothing compared to the committed mountaineers out there (some of which I’m proud to call my family), but I have become rather friendly with trailheads, summits, and sore calluses.
I could probably write a novel about my experiences and impressions of my time in Spain. For such a short trip, I feel like I was able to experience so much of the culture. I can't believe how many beautiful things I saw and cool things I did. From the magic fountain display in Barcelona to biking around Valencia. From the little boats in the pond in Madrid to the beautiful mountains of Grenada. Fireworks, flamenco dancers, parades, and all of the amazing landscpaes in between. I'm astounded by all of it.
Only two more weeks until I hop on a plane bound for Japan!
Saturday we went to Castiglione del Lago on Lake Trasimeno. The train ride though the Tuscan countryside into Umbria was spectacular. Every time you'd look out the window there was something to see, from the farms with sheep, to little towns tucked away in the rolling hills. We had a quick stop in Chiusi where we had just enough time to explore their little street market and grab a quick lunch from one of the fresh food stands. Another short train ride and we were there.
A League of Their Own? There's no crying in baseball? Get it? Anyway... Why in the world would somebody be upset while studying abroad in Europe? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and you should be excited and enthusiastic since stepping off the plane. Well, this is not the case. After the first week in Amsterdam, I experienced this uncontrollable bliss and happinness of being in a foreign country by myself. I could hardly sleep each night because I was thinking about all the new places and things I would see the next day.
It could simply be the lure of words, the sheer complexity of our language– a brilliant system of dots and lines able to record even the most intangible memories– that attract me to abstract concepts in which words fail to explain. Describing the indescribable. I am fascinated by the sound of a different language, and how maybe if I could understand it, I could apply the same troughs and crests of the Spanish language to my study of English.
Well, last Friday marked the first week of completed classes for 60 American students in Buenos Aires. It may not sound like a huge feat, but let me tell ya, its something to put in the books for us. It's one thing to be taking new classes at a new school with new people, but to navigate around a completely new "campus" (you know, the whole city of Buenos Aires) is pretty cool, don’t ya think?