7 de julio - San Fermín

"Uno de enero, dos de febrero, 

tres de marzo, cuatro de abril,

cinco de mayo, seis de junio,

siete de julio, ¡San Fermín!

A Pamplona hemos de ir

con una media, con una media,

a Pamplona hemos de ir

con una media y un calcetín."

Nuestro primer fin de semana aquí en España fue inolvidable.  Salimos el viernes por la mañana en ruta a PAMPLONA!  Pero primero, paramos un rato en Burgos, una ciudad con mucha historia.  El Cantar de mío Cid, el más importante cantar de gesta de la literatura española se trata Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, un caballero castellano del siglo XI quien fue una figura legendaria en la Reconquista.  Los moros lo llamaban El Cid (del árabe dialectal), y los cristianos el Campeador (por su experiencia de batallas campales).    Burgos también está en la ruta del Camino de Santiago.  Vimos muchos peregrinos en sus viajes a la tumba atribuida al apóstol Santiago el Mayor, que está en una cripta en la catedral de Santiago de Compostela en Galicia.  No pudimos entrar en la catedral de Burgos, que fue declarada Patrimonio de la Humanidad por la UNESCO, pero todavía me encantó. 

Llegamos a Pamplona por la tarde, y muchos de nosotros fuimos de compras para encontrar la ropa necesaria del encierro: camisas y pantalones blancos con fajas y pañuelos rojos.  

Pero porque tuvimos que despertarnos muy temprano el sábado para ir a la plaza de toros, sólo fuimos a ver los fuegos artificiales, y después a dormir.  

Gracias a MLSA, nos compró entrada a la plaza para ver el encierro de toros por dentro en vez de por las calles.  De veras, ¡GRACIAS!  Fue una mañana muy entretenida con músicos y bailes mientras que esperábamos el comienzo.  Habían pantallas muy grandes dentro de la plaza para ver lo que pasó fuera.  Lo que me sorprendió más que todo fue que el encierro dura menos que cinco minutos.  Desde el primer lanzamiento del chupinazo hasta que entran la gente y los toros en la plaza, todo va rapidísimo.  Estaba nerviosa, y ¡yo no corrí!  

Después de que termina todo del encierro, hacen un evento de las vaquillas.  Entran cuatro o cinco vacas bravas y emboladas para que le gente pueda disfrutar y provocarlas.  A mi no me gustó mucho, pero esta parte fue cómica 😜

Después del encierro, fuimos a San Sebastián, una ciudad preciosa, famosa por las playas y la comida.  También tomamos una gira en barco por el Mar Cantábrico.  Desafortunadamente, estaba nublado con llovizna, pero todavía nos divertimos.  

Seguimos a Biarritz, Francia, para un rato en la playa, pero por el frío, decidimos caminar por la ciudad y ir de compras.  Disfrutamos de café y crêpes.  

El domingo paramos en el pueblo medieval de Medinaceli, y Celestino nos enseño de la historia y los hidalgos que vivían allí.  Fue un fin de semana inolvidable.

Our first weekend here in Spain was one for the books!  We left on Friday morning to go to PAMPLONA!  But first, we stopped for a bit in Burgos, a city with a lot of history.  (Really though, what city in Spain doesn't have a lot of history? 🤔)  Cantar de mío Cid, the most famous epic poem of Spanish literature is about Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, a Castilian nobleman from the 11th century who was legendary historical figure in the Reconquista.  The Moors called him El Cid (from dialectal arabic), and the Christians, El Campeador (for his experience as a warrior).  Burgos is also situated on the route for the Way of St. James.  We saw many travelers on their pilgrimage to the tomb attributed to the Apostle James the Great, which is located in a crypt in the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia.  We could not enter the cathedral in Burgos, which was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO, pero it was still amazing to see.

We arrived in Pamplona late in the afternoon, and many of us went to buy the necessary clothing for the running of the bulls: white shirts and pants with red handkerchiefs and belts.  

Because we had to get up really early on Saturday to go to the bull ring, we only went out for fireworks on Friday night before heading to bed.

Thanks to MLSA, because they bought us entrance into the bull ring instead of having to watch the running from the streets.  Seriously, THANK YOU!  It was a really entertaining morning with music and dancing while we waited.  There were large screens in the bull ring so that we could see what was going on outside.  What surprised me most was that the running of the bulls only lasts about five minutes.  From the first blast of the firecracker that lets the runners begin to all of the people and bulls entering the bull ring, everything goes super fast.  I was nervous, and I didn't even run!

After everything with the running of the bulls ended, they do an event called las vaquillas.  Four or five cows, with their horns wrapped to prevent goring, enter the ring so that the people can enjoy taunting them and provoking them to charge.  I didn't like this part, but the video I have is kind of funny.

We went to San Sebastián that afternoon, a precious little city, famous for its beaches and food.  We also went on a boat ride in the Cantabrian Sea.  Unfortunately, it was raining with some sleet, pero we still had a good time.

We went on to Biarritz, France, to spend a while at the beach, but because it was pretty chilly, we decided to just walk around the city and go shopping.  We enjoyed some coffee and crepes.  

Sunday we stopped in the medieval town of Medinaceli, and Celestino taught us all about the history and the hidalgos that lived there.

It was truly and unforgettable weekend!

La Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Aquí estamos las cuatro receptoras de la beca de NSE fuera de la Facultad - Jeanette, Rachel, Claudia y Kim

Creo que voy a escribir mi blog de una manera temática, en vez de en secuencia.  Entonces, el primer tema será las clases.  Pudimos elegir de una lista - de la literatura/la cultura o de las lingüísticas/el lenguaje/la metodología.  Yo elegí todas las clases de las lingüísticas y la metodología porque soy profesora (claro) y me interesan mucho las lingüísticas (fueron una de mis carreras en la universidad).

Nunca voy a quejarme de tener aire acondicionado, pero... hace un poquito de frío en nuestro aula.  Aquí está Claudia calentándose en el sol durante el descanso entre clases 😂

Cada clase dura por sólo una semana.  Tomamos dos por día.  Son de las 9:00 a las 10:50 y de las 11:10 a las 13:00.  Casi todas nosotras en las clases somos profesoras de español, la mayoría en las escuelas secundarias/intermedias.  Me alegro mucho, porque pienso que vamos a aprender mucho entre nosotras también.

La primera semana tomé clases de La enseñanza del español como lengua extranjera: la comprensión y expresión oral y Palabras y diccionarios del español.  Las dos fueron muy interesantes, y me gustaron las profesoras mucho.  Los temas fueron un poco difíciles, especialmente la segunda clase.  Aprendimos tantas palabras nuevas, pero fue trabajo de que tengo mucho interés.

Hay que estudiar a veces...

Esta semana las clases son La enseñanza del español como lengua extranjera: la pronunciación y la ortografía y La literatura como auxiliar en la enseñanza del español como lengua extranjera.  Me encanta la primera!  La segunda... a ver.  Es interesante y el profesor tiene muy buenos ejemplos de literatura y actividades que serían perfectos para los niveles más avanzados.  Pero mis estudiantes están en un nivel básico.  Espero que podemos pensar un poco un cómo modificarlos para servir nuestros estudiantes.

Hay una máquina expendedora de café fuera de nuestro aula.  Es posible que sea mi parte favorito.  Ahora intentamos escribir nuevas letras para la canción del verano, que desde ahora se llamará "Cafecito".

I think I'm going to write my blog in a thematic way, rather than sequentially.  So, the first topic will be our classes.  We chose from a list - of literature/culture or linguistics/language/methodology.  I chose all of the methodology courses (obviously) and linguistics (that was one of my majors in college).

Each class only lasts for a week.  We have two per day.  They are from 9:00 to 10:50 and 11:10 to 1:00.  Almost all of us in the class are Spanish teachers, and the majority of us are at middle schools.  I'm happy about that, because I think we'll be able to learn a lot from each other, as well!  

The first week I took classes on Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language: Oral Expression and Comprehension and Words and Dictionaries in Spanish.  Both were very interesting, and I liked the professors a lot.  The topics were a little difficult, especially in the second class.  We learned a ton of new words, but it was work in which I have a lot of interest.  

This week the classes are Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language: Pronunciation and Spelling and Using Literature to Assist in the Teaching of Spanish as a Foreign Language.  I love the first one!  The second... we'll see.  It's interesting, and the professor has a lot of good examples of literature and activities that would be perfect for more advanced levels.  But my students are at a very basic level.  I am hoping we can think of ways to modify them to better serve our students.

Madrid, siempre buena idea

Creo que nunca se han dicho palabras más verdaderas.  Ya me ha pasado una semana en Madrid, y tomé un rato en empezar de escribir mi blog.  Es difícil sentarme aquí y poner en palabras cómo me siento.  Por años Madrid ha sido como segundo hogar para mí, aunque sea al otro lado del mundo.  Vine a España, por primera vez, en 2004 con el Programa de Honor de Lenguas Extranjeras de la Universidad de Indiana (pero soy graduada de Purdue 😜).  Pasé el verano estudiando el español y viviendo con una familia anfitriona en Ciudad Real.  Tomamos clases de lunes a viernes y fuimos de excursiones a Córdoba y Granada, Toledo, y por todas partes de Castilla la Mancha por los fines de semana.  Mi familia también tenía una casa en Calzada de Calatrava.  De aquel momento, sabía que el español tendría que ser parte de mi vida.  Luego, mientras asistía a la universidad para estudiar el español y las lingüísticas, tuve otra oportunidad de estudiar en España; esta vez, en Madrid.  De enero a julio de 2008, era alumna en la Universidad Complutense de Madrid.  Vivía en Plaza de España, y me integraba en la cultura tanto como fuera posible.  Tomé clases de la composición, la estructura del español, la etnología de México y Latinoamérica, Don Quijote y la enseñanza del español como lengua extranjero (aunque no querría ser profesora al tiempo).  Fue un semestre duro pero inolvidable.  Cuando regresé a Estados Unidos, nunca había extrañado tanto a un lugar como a Madrid.  De verdad, fue un tiempo fundamental en mi vida.  Como he dicho antes, pensaba muchísimo en las varias maneras en cuales pudiera regresar aquí.  Sí, empecé de llevar a los estudiantes aquí para compartir con ellos la maravilla que es la cultura y lengua española, pero querría más.  Ahora, lo tengo.  Es mi tiempo para mejorarme, aculturarme de nuevo y aprender lo más que pueda antes de regresar a la clase en unas tres semanas.  Tengo muchas ganas de ver cómo me cambiará esta experiencia.

"Madrid is always a good idea."  I believe truer words have never been spoken.  A week has already passed here in Madrid, and I took a while to begin writing my blog.  It's difficult for me to sit here and put into words how I feel.  For years Madrid was like a second home for me, even though it was on the other side of the world.  I came to Spain, for the first time, in 2004 with IU Honors Program in Foreign Languages (even though I went on to graduate from Purdue).  I spent the summer studying Spanish and living with a host family in Ciudad Real.  We took classes from Monday to Friday and went on excursions to Cordova and Granada, Toledo, and all parts of Castilla La Mancha on the weekends.  Mi family also had a house in Calzada de Calatrava.  From that moment, I knew that Spanish had to be a part of my life.  Later, while I attended university to study Spanish and Linguistics, I had another opportunity to come to Spain; this time to Madrid.  From January to July of 2008, I was a student at the Complutense University of Madrid.  I lived in Plaza de España, and I assimilated myself into the culture as much as possible.  I took classes on composition, the structure of Spanish, Mexican and Latin American ethnology, Don Quijote and the teaching of Spanish as a foreign language (even though I didn't want to be a teacher at the time).  It was a hard semester, but an unforgettable one.  When I returned to the United States, I had never missed anything as much as I did Madrid.  It truly was a fundamental time in my life.  As I have said before, I thought a lot about the various ways that I could return.  Yes, I began to bring students here to share with them the wonders of the Spanish culture and language, but I wanted more.  Now, I have it.  It is my time to improve, acculturate myself again, and learn as much as I can before returning to the classroom in three weeks.  I'm looking forward to seeing how this experience will change me.

"Madrid"

"Madrid" de Agustín Lara

<<Cuando llegues a Madrid, chulona mía,

voy a hacerte Emperatriz de Lavapiés,

y alfombrarte con claveles la Gran Vía,

y a bañarte con vinillo de Jerez.

En Chicote un agasajo postinero,

con la crema de la intelectualidad;

y la gracia de un piropo retrechero,

más castizo que la calle de Alcalá.

Madrid, Madrid, Madrid,

pedazo de la España en que nací,

por algo te hizo Dios,

la cuna del requiebro y del Schotis.

Madrid, Madrid, Madrid,

en Méjico se piensa mucho en ti;

por el sabor que tienen tus verbenas

por tantas cosas buenas

que soñamos desde aquí;

y vas a ver,

lo que es canela fina,

y armar la tremolina,

cuando llegues a Madrid>>.

El Palacio de Cristal en el Parque de Retiro

Me crucé con este poema sólo pocos días antes de venir a Madrid, y de repente me recordó de todo lo que me encanta en esta ciudad.  Estoy tan feliz por estar aquí de nuevo.  ¡Tengo tantas ganas de ver lo que me espera mientras que esté en esta ciudad maravillosa!

I came across this poem just a few days before coming to Madrid, and it immediately reminded me of everything that I love about this city.  I am so happy to be here again.  I can't wait to see what's waiting for me while I'm here in this wonderful city!

The Land of Fire and Ice

"Better weight than wisdom a traveler cannot carry."

- Hávamál, the Sayings of the Vikings

One of the first things I decided after being awarded the scholarship through NSE was that I wanted to look into a Stopover using Icelandair.  It actually worked out perfectly, because that was also the cheapest flight to Europe that I could find!  So... I did it.  I traveled to a place that I had never been, that speaks a language of which I know zero, by myself.  Me.  The Introvert.  I had so many emotions leading up to my time in Spain, but these few days consumed most of my thoughts.  How was I going to manage?  Would I hide out at my Airbnb all day?  As the time approached, I realized I wasn't packed, hadn't prepared much of anything to do, and I was starting to get a little (a lot, if I'm being honest) anxious about this decision.

Ultimately, I am so glad that I did it!  This was a real test for me to travel alone, putting myself out there in a place that was utterly foreign to me.  But those few days were amazing!  A lot of what I did was simple, but that's true to my personality.  Some of what I did was more outgoing, and that was the personal challenge to myself to go and explore.  It was incredibly rewarding, and I can't wait to go back!  I have a looonng layover in Reykjavík on my way back to the States, so I'm already planning a few things I can do to spend my time!  (I'll also need to go back sometime in the winter to see the Northern Lights!)

For now, I'm reminiscing on those few days.  I am so grateful for this opportunity to travel, learn, and for self-exploration.  Here are a few of my favorite moments!

Day 1: Visiting Hallgrimskírkja, a church that stands as one of the tallest buildings in Iceland.  There is a statue of Leif Erikson outside that was given as a gift by the United States to commemorate the 1,000th (yes, you read that correctly) anniversary of Parliament in Iceland.  I went up to the observation tower to see the beautiful views of the city, the mountains, and the water.  The landscape in Iceland is truly breathtaking.  Then I walked around Skólavör∂ustígur street, did some shopping, and grabbed dinner.  I was able to comfortably stay out late exploring due to the midnight sun that gives Iceland 21-hour long days!

Hallgrimskírkja Church

Views of Reykjavík from the observation tower at Hallgrimskírkja

Café Babalú on Skólavör∂ustígur

Day 2: I packed this day full.  I joined a 9-hour Golden Circle tour though Reykjavík Excursions that took us around to various sites in the south of Iceland.  Thankfully for the midnight sun, I was able to do a whale-watching tour in the evening!  We saw several white-beaked dolphins, some minke whales, a couple of humpbacks, and tons of puffins!  No great aerial feats, but a lot of watching in awe nonetheless.  I was very happy with Elding, a family-owned operation that was the original whale-watching company in Iceland.

Fri∂heimar greenhouses, where they grow tomatoes all year round (thanks to geothermal energy), run a restaurant that is famous for its four types of "bloody" drinks, and breed Icelandic horses.

Geothermal pools

Gullfoss Waterfall, you could hike right up next to it!

A view of Reykjavík and Harpa concert hall from the bay

On the midnight sun whale-watching tour.  It may have been summer, but it was cold!

The Icelandic flag flying off the back of the boat

Strokkur Geyser erupts about every five minutes

Day 3: I had an easy morning, wandering around the city one last time.  It was extremely easy to figure out public transportation, meet locals, and enjoy my time.  I'm looking forward to being back in just a few weeks!

Viajando con estudiantes - Madrid y París

I just had the greatest spring break... possibly ever!  I took students on my third educational trip with EF Tours.  This time we visited Madrid and Paris.  All students that went are currently enrolled in our Spanish or French programs here at Westlane.  This group.  I don't know if I can even adequately describe them.  They are the epitome of the type of students that you would want to take on a trip like this.  They were so eager to learn, always engaged, and immensely fun.  They handled little sleep, stresses of travel, and being taken completely out of their comfort zones incredibly well.

It was an amazing week with the best students, coworker (our French teacher), and my mom!  Sharing my love for Spain, the Spanish language, and travel with all of them is the apex of being a teacher for me.  I was brought to tears many times by the wonder in their eyes, the joy in their laughs, and the excitement they had towards experiencing so many new things.  I was honored to share my "break" with them.  I highly encourage any of you teachers out there that have a similar love for travel (no matter your content) to consider a trip with EF Tours.  This is a real highlight of my career, and I hope many of you get to experience it yourselves!  The sense of wonder and awe about the world that your students will leave with is truly inspiring.

Here are a few of my favorite moments from the trip.

The bird man

Las chicas con el Oso y el Madroño

El grupo con Don Quijote y Sancho Panza

Probando los mariscos en la paella

TOLEDO... nos encanta

Musée du Louvre

Pétanque

Churros con chocolate 😋

And if I weren't excited enough before about my return to Madrid, I literally cannot wait now!  Come on, summer! 😎✈️🇪🇸

Madrid, ¡allá voy!

I have been anxiously awaiting news about the scholarship, and on Tuesday afternoon, it finally came... I'm going to Madrid!  I immediately began to cry happy tears, but no one wants to see that 😂 so instead, I will share with you my happy dance!  Because it's two days later, and I'm still dancing!  

For years I have been thinking about ways to return to Spain in whatever way I could, but I knew it needed to be in some form of education.  I most want to be able to bring back my experiences and share them with my students in the fall.  I knew NSE offered these scholarships, but I never had the courage to put myself out there and try to go after one before this year.  I am so glad I did, but I thought it was a long shot!  

I feel so honored and am extremely grateful to the National Spanish Exam for selecting me as one of their recipients!  I cannot express how excited I am to return to Madrid (a city after my own heart), to take on the role of becoming a student again (a little scary!), and to brush up on those language skills!  #nerdstatus 🤓 

I told my students I applied, because I thought that at the very least, I could be an example of what it's like to accept disappointment while going after your dreams.  Turns out, they get to share in the excitement with me instead!  I have to say, they have been so supportive!  Every day they would ask if I had heard any news, so I was thrilled to be able to finally tell them this week that I was selected!  Each class erupted with cheers.  They are genuinely happy for me and are demanding to see my blog.  I'm hoping they'll remember to actually follow along when the time comes in a few months!  But I have to thank them, because they were some of my biggest supporters.  As they reminded me, "Never Say Never" - Justin Bieber.  And they were right. 

Madrid, here I come! 💃🏽🇪🇸