My Friends,

As this Is the last blog I will post while in Madrid, I thought it may be interesting to you to hear a collection of thoughts that I have jotted down over the course of the last three months.  These ideas and concepts are random (as my thoughts frequently tend to be), but straight from my heart to yours.  I have enjoyed all of your comments and thoughts of my blog, and I feel as though you have been here with me all along.  Thank you for traveling with me, I think of each of you often.  Please enjoy the photos, and Rajesh and I wish you all the very best!

Sarah

     Rajesh and I were given intercambios (exchange language partners) that spoke to us in Spanish.  They took us to different places in Madrid, and we learned so much Spanish, and spent a great deal of time with them.  

I got the opportunity to see the Temple Debod in Madrid.  First built in Egypt then transferred to Madrid, it is one of the many prides of Spain. 

Madrid’s famous Retiro Park is 350 acres of scenic gardens and walkways.  Many athletes that live in Madrid and workout in Retiro on a weekly basis.  I had a goal to get lost in Retiro with a good piece of Spanish literature.  What a lovely day I had! 

My first ride on the METRO. 

     As I descended the cold cemented staircase to the bowels of the Metro station at Ciudad Lineal (where I live), every fiber of my being was in turmoil.  We were going underground.  (My dear mother can attest that Sarah being underground can never result in anything positive).  I was in a black dungeon under the earth full of vast tunnels and ear-piercing whistles.  I felt like Harry Potter entering platform 9 3/4, invisible, but there at the same time.  The whistle disturbed me and I felt a whoosh of wind at my face and back. On the vagón (train car) the stoic faces of the fellow riders around me confirmed that I was indeed riding to my doom.  For the first time, I understood how moles feel.  I clung with all my might to the bars on the inside of the vagón as we whizzed away.  We were in utter darkness now, flying through a tunnel.  After arriving, I again climbed a vast staircase and suddenly I was on land again.  Upon my emergence, I saw the sun again and I was reminded that I am still on planet earth, and all is well.  The people of Madrid have this experience every day. 

     The English influence in Madrid is quite obvious.  In Fact, I have strolled through many shops and large supermarkets, signs and products are frequently in English first then in Spanish.  I can understand how many Americans can visit Madrid and never speak in Spanish.  Our Spanish teacher challenged us on the first day of class to speak, watch tv, and read only in Spanish.  She said the most effective immersion happens when you are taken from what is familiar.  She was right.  She also challenged us to find hidden places that tourists don’t visit.  In these areas, you are likely to get lost easier and to only speak in Spanish.  We have no idea why anyone would want to do that J 

     I suppose when I return, one of the most common question I might get from people is “so are you fluent now?”  I am closer than I have ever been. 

The Fulbright event

Rajesh and I were invited to a Fulbright event because of winning the Benjamin A. Gillman Scholarship.  There were mostly students that were currently involved in the Madrid Fulbright Program so we had the opportunity to meet lots of ambitious master’s students from all over the United States and Europe.  The event consisted of 5 key speakers

The United States Ambassador of Spain

The President of Aspen Institute (Madrid)

2 directors of the Spain Fulbright program

The United States Ambassador of Spain was my favorite speaker.  He encouraged us to challenge ourselves academically.  He talked about the low percentage of students that chose to study abroad.  I was very excited about this particular topic.  When Rajesh and I return to our Community College, we will be hosting a workshop to encourage students to consider studying abroad. 

     Yesterday Rajesh and I took our final exam, and said goodbye to all of the wonderful people that made our program a great success.  I couldn't believe how attached I had grown to all of them.  Today we packed and cleaned our quaint little home, and had apartment inspection.  As we fly out tomorrow, I realize this is my last blog in Madrid.  How time flies.    

Walking through the halls at school

A photo with the Director of Madrid USAC Program, Alvaro 

A sad goodbye to our Landlady, Loli 

Gabriella- Housing Director of Madrid USAC.  She is a wonderful lady!

Our roommates with Gabriella

The dreaded Gaping mouth of the Metro

Passengers waiting to meet their doom

Rajesh's Birthday night

A night out

Tapas

A Spain specialty-Bread.

Shopping in Gran Via

Korean Ingredients

A walk in Retiro

The Crystal Palace

If you ever come to Madrid, come to the steps of the Crystal Palace, and bring some good Literature to read.  

Mussels!!

Bea, a grad student headed to New York on a Fulbright Scholarship

Intercambio Amalia and I visiting the Templo Debod

A lovely park- excellent for strolling!

Near the Ruins

More Korean Ingredients

A Korean Thanksgiving dinner

Mushrooms with a sweet pear sauce

Fried Rice

In the end of October, Rajesh and I joined our fellow colleagues for a four-day field study. We went to Galicia, seven hours northwest of Madrid.  Just saying that name makes me emotional/sentimental.  We had a fantastic time, and got very close to the people that led us around.  We had the USAC director Susan, two tourist guides Carmen and Pedro, and our bus driver Paco.  We left early on the 22^nd and probably traveled a total of twenty hours combined.  Our director wanted us to be well informed of the history that we were going to see, so weeks before our study began we were given extensive homework. 

After six hours of travel on Monday, we arrived in O Cebreiro for lunch and some sight-seeing.  As this was the first town we stopped in, Rajesh and I stepped off the bus and literally stood dumbfounded for what seemed like minutes. 

We were surrounded by sky and mountains.  O Cebreiro is neatly tucked into the side of a monstrously, high mountain; the view is spectacular at the top.  The city was made of all stone and there was a northern October chill in the air.  The trees were fiery red and orange.   The falling leaves looked like falling flames and crunched beneath my feet as I walked.   A mixed scent of the famous Galician soup Caldo Gallego and campfire was wafting from a tavern down the cobble stoned road.  We were back in time. 

The awe that I felt reminded me of a quote from John Steinbeck in his book travels with Charley.  He saw the great redwood trees for the first time and said,

The redwoods, once seen, leave a mark or create a vision that stays with you always. No one has ever successfully painted or photographed a redwood tree. The feeling they produce is not transferable. From them comes silence and awe. It's not only their unbelievable stature, nor the color which seems to shift and vary under your eyes, no, they are not like any trees we know, they are ambassadors from another time.
― John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley: In Search of America

These words of Steinbeck ran through my mind as I stood looking at those mountains.

My father once told me, “When you live in a beautiful place your whole life, it is not beautiful anymore, it is normal.  One has to come from somewhere else and remind you that there is substance and beauty in the place you reside.” 

The Gallegos (Galician citizens) that live in the mountains of Galicia wake up every morning in the most beautiful scenery.  Perhaps if they came to my home in Toledo, OH they would be able to point out some beauty I have never noticed before. 

Over the course of four days, our group lodged at an eco-friendly cabin in the woods.  We were hidden away from the world, near the top of a mountain.  Each evening and morning, we were served excellent breakfast and dinners by the Gallego cooks that work for the lodge.  USAC provided us with entertainment in the form of a Galician dance class, a cooking class, and travels to the famous city of Santiago de Compostela.  We also visited Lugo, Pontevedra, and O Grove.  One day, we boarded a Galician fishing boat and were taught about mussel fishing.  As Galicia is the number one supplier of seafood in Spain, (and many other parts of the world), it was fascinating to learn all about how mussels are harvested.   

We had a whirlwind of activities in a short period of time.  I think I will remember Galicia in one simple word: magic.

Enjoy the photos!

Galician Pottery

Caldo Gallego Soup

Cabbage lettuce and potatoes!

The view from O Cebreiro

A perfect place for journaling!

Some of our USAC colleagues

We stayed in this eco  friendly cabin while vacationing in Galicia

The recycling rules were very important

The Cathedral at Santiago de Compostela

The oldest hotel in the world

Cooking class included a class on how to make fresh squeezed apple cider

Mashing apples

Mary, a colleague sifting the cider

We decorated an empanada with all the icons of Galicia.  The scallop of the Pilgrims, ocean waves and ivy leaves

On our boat adventure, we learned about mussel fishing

Our boat-The Pelegrin

Rajesh shot this photo in Lugo.  A gorgeous place

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Travels in Chinchón and La Mancha

Rajesh and I took a day trip to La Mancha last month and I wanted to share some pictures and experiences.  We first stopped at a small village called “Chinchón.” This village is famous for some of the best garlic in Spain and also for small pastries.  We toured a beautiful catholic church and walked around the gardened, outer edges.  The weather was a perfect 64 Fahrenheit and the sky was a deep blue.  Standing at the highest point of Chinchón, I felt a deep connection with the people that made Chinchón their home.  The town (or Pueblo) is exposed and not very guarded, but the landscape around it is breathtaking.  When I first arrived, I wondered why anyone would want to live there (It is very flat). But then I saw the view from the church… and I knew.  They stay because it is tranquil and peaceful.  The city is back in time.  All is “still” throughout.  We walked to a small, street café for coffee and tender, chicken pieces rolled in breadcrumbs.  Our tour guide, Camila, bought a long braid of garlic and said the people of Chinchón had never had to deal with vampires. J  I laughed along with Camila because I didn’t know if she was being honest or joking.  When one is learning a foreign language, it is best to laugh when they laugh, cry when they cry, and ask questions later.  It is easy to offend with a simple facial expression.

We arrived at a tavern outside La Mancha and enjoyed a tasty lunch.  A custom that Rajesh and I are still not adjusted to in Spain, is the waiting period at restaurants.  By the time our vision is beginning to blur from hunger, a camarero (waiter) arrives with two water glasses and a basket of freshly, sliced bread.  (I am quite sure I look completely American because I eat two large pieces.)  Then when we cannot eat anymore bread, the camarero arrives with a plate of what I hope is cheese and pisto manchengo (bowl of tomatoes and peppers).  We partake feeling somewhat queasy.  Maybe we ate too much bread we wonder.  Then the cheese and vegetables have been taken away and we sit at the table wondering if it is the end of the food or if there is more to come.  We wait.  And wait.  And wait some more.  We begin to gather our things because it has been at least ten minutes and were not hungry anymore.  As we stand to leave,  in comes a camarero with a huge tray of papas fritas (French fries) and a leg of meat so huge, it looks like it belonged to a horse.  Yes my dear friends.  We sit back down and eat with all the will power we have.  I have always done my best to fit in with the customs of whatever country I am in, and usually manage pretty well.  My only hope is that the waiters did not see the look on my face when they entered with all those trays of food.  This is exactly what happened at the tavern outside La Mancha.

When we reached the famous windmills (from the book of Don Quixote), I was surprised by the size of them.  They looked so strange lined up on a mountain top with nothing but desert all around them.  We took lots of pictures and got to tour the inside of one of the molinos de vientos (windmills) and the nearby Castillo de La Mancha (castle in La Mancha). 

Coffee Break!

Our team walking through Chinchón

Chinchón near the Catholic Church

Nearby castle

The view

In La Mancha

The castle next to the windmills

 USAC Rajesh and friends taking a break near the windmills

Enough said.

We learned how the windmills worked

Plan of how windmills were made

Rajesh loved the view!

La Mancha has wonderful goat cheese

Pisto manchengo

I hope you all enjoy the pictures!