Hola,
Thanksgiving in Spain is just another day, unless you are an American! Denis and Matt, two assistants in A Coruña, organized a Thanksgiving that we celebrated this past Saturday. It was fantastic! There were approximately 25 of us. Just like a traditional Thanksgiving we had turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, deviled eggs, pumpkin pie, apple pie, fudge pie, pistachio marshmallow, and so much more. Also in traditional style we had so much more food than we needed. Two turkeys were ordered because it is not common here to eat turkey and you can't find it easily in the markets. Two were ordered because we were told that they would be a bit smaller than in the United States. Well, it turned out they were about the same size and we had more than what was needed.
It was a festive occasion, one that will be remembered for a lifetime; new friends, excellent food, and fun had by all. Much thanks to Denis and Matt for organizing this event.
I will be thinking of all of my family and friends state side that will be celebrating today. Enjoy the food, the football, the company, all of it. I wish I could be there. Speaking of being there... I am coming home for the Holidays! (Christmas and New Year's) I am so excited to see all your smiling faces again!
This marks the beginning of the Holiday Season, so why not start on a festive note; listen to Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas" Here is a link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXQViqx6GMY&ob=av3n
Happy Turkey Day!
Until Next Time,
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Halloween in Madrid
Hola,
I went to Madrid for Halloween weekend. It was a 5 day weekend since I have Fridays off and Monday and Tuesday were free days because of the holiday. I stayed with two other English assistants, John and Liz. They were fantastic hosts and took me out several times. Going out in Madrid is a bit different than in A Coruna. We would go to a friend's house and have a few drinks, take the last train downtown, then go to a plaza near the bars we were going to, and then to the bars and clubs. This made for some long nights and days filled with sleep.
Sunday we didn't go out, so Monday was a normal day. We went to the big park, Parque Buen Retiro, and had a picnic. Then Liz and I went and looked at art at the Museo de Prado. Halloween night was so much fun! I dressed up as a cook! One night, I can't remember which, Gabriela cooked us a fantastic dinner. I had a fantastic long weekend in Madrid. Thank you to my new friends: John, Liz, Sarah, Glen, Chris, Luis, and Gabriela.
I did take some photos in Madrid, but my camera has decided that it does not want to work anymore. This will be the end of photos until I am able to find a replacement.
An especially big Thank You to John and Liz for hosting me and being such amazing people!
Until Next Time,
I went to Madrid for Halloween weekend. It was a 5 day weekend since I have Fridays off and Monday and Tuesday were free days because of the holiday. I stayed with two other English assistants, John and Liz. They were fantastic hosts and took me out several times. Going out in Madrid is a bit different than in A Coruna. We would go to a friend's house and have a few drinks, take the last train downtown, then go to a plaza near the bars we were going to, and then to the bars and clubs. This made for some long nights and days filled with sleep.
Sunday we didn't go out, so Monday was a normal day. We went to the big park, Parque Buen Retiro, and had a picnic. Then Liz and I went and looked at art at the Museo de Prado. Halloween night was so much fun! I dressed up as a cook! One night, I can't remember which, Gabriela cooked us a fantastic dinner. I had a fantastic long weekend in Madrid. Thank you to my new friends: John, Liz, Sarah, Glen, Chris, Luis, and Gabriela.
I did take some photos in Madrid, but my camera has decided that it does not want to work anymore. This will be the end of photos until I am able to find a replacement.
An especially big Thank You to John and Liz for hosting me and being such amazing people!
Until Next Time,
Friday, November 18, 2011
Video of the Week - Coldplay "Paradise"
Hola Amigos,
This is one of the best videos I have seen in a while! I had a smile on my face the whole time and everytime since. "Paradise" is off Coldplay's fifth studio album titled Mylo Xyloto, released October 2011.
Here you will find links to her Wikipedia page and there video on Youtube:
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coldplay
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G4isv_Fylg&ob=av2e
Until Next Time,
This is one of the best videos I have seen in a while! I had a smile on my face the whole time and everytime since. "Paradise" is off Coldplay's fifth studio album titled Mylo Xyloto, released October 2011.
Here you will find links to her Wikipedia page and there video on Youtube:
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coldplay
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G4isv_Fylg&ob=av2e
Until Next Time,
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Betanzos & The River
Hola amigos!
Recently I went hiking with my roommates. We hiked along a typical Galician river and then went to a small town called Betanzos for lunch. The river was beautiful and so green! Betanzos is a quaint village. Lunch was fantastic! We ate at one of the restaurants in the city. It won an award for its Tortilla Española de Betanzos; like traditional Tortilla Española except more liquid. Our lunch was fantastic! We ate family style and had four courses.
Until Next Time,
Recently I went hiking with my roommates. We hiked along a typical Galician river and then went to a small town called Betanzos for lunch. The river was beautiful and so green! Betanzos is a quaint village. Lunch was fantastic! We ate at one of the restaurants in the city. It won an award for its Tortilla Española de Betanzos; like traditional Tortilla Española except more liquid. Our lunch was fantastic! We ate family style and had four courses.
Until Next Time,
Friday, November 11, 2011
Video of the Week - Rihanna "We Found Love"
Hola Amigos,
Rihanna. You all know her music. She recently became the fastest solo artest to reach 20 top 10 songs on the Hot 100. The record was previously held by Madonna. Amazing! "We Found Love" is from her sixth album, Talk That Talk, which is expected later this month. Excellent video! I think Americana when I watch it. This song is very popular here; I hear it several times a day.
Here you will find links to her Wikipedia page and her video on Youtube:
Until Next Time,
Thursday, November 10, 2011
The Death Coast & Malpica
Hola Amigos!
These are called horreo, they are used to store corn. They are raised to prevent the rats and other animals from entering.
I went hiking with my roommates and a teacher from my school; Julia, Txemi, and Antonio. We went to the Death Coast which is very treacherous, for boats. We had great weather and the views were fantastic! We went to Malpica to see the fish market and to have a coffee. It was an excellent day with new friends.
These are called horreo, they are used to store corn. They are raised to prevent the rats and other animals from entering.
We hiked near the village called Laxe.
Julia, Txemi, and me.
The Malpica Fish Market.
People buy an entire crate of fish to sell in their stores.
The Malpica Fish Market.
They have wonderful beaches here.
Until Next Time,
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
A Coruña!
Hola!
I've arrived in A Coruña! Well I've been here now for nearly a month. Spain has been wonderful; warm, sunny, and the people have been fantastic.
About A Coruña and my new adventure:
It’s a small city on the Northwest coast of Spain. I'm living with a teacher from the school I am teaching at and her husband, Julia & Txemi. They are two of the nicest people I have met so far. The School I teach at is outside of the city in a town called A Laracha. It takes about 30 minutes to get there by car an hour or more by bus. Usually I travel with a teacher from my school.
The school has about 400 students and the level is secondary school, which is grades 7 to 12. The grades 7 to 10 are compulsory and 11 and 12 are optional. The last two years are preparatory for studying at a University. I teach the equivalent to grades 9, 10, and 11. I teach in English classes mostly, but also Gym, Art, and Music (all taught in English and Spanish/Galego).
Galego is a local language that is a mix of Spanish and Portuguese. This makes learning Spanish, true Spanish, a little difficult because people here switch between Spanish and Galego naturally and this makes it more challenging. In A Coruña, most people speak Spanish, but occasionally use Galego.
The Spanish schedule is quite different from the United States. My work day (Monday thru Thursday) schedule starts at 7am. I have a coffee and read, then get ready and leave the flat by 8am. I then travel to school and work until 2:30 in the afternoon. After the car ride, I get home at about 3 or 3:15pm. I make "lunch" and then go for a run, go to the market, run errands, or tutor students. Later at night I might meet a friend for a beer or coffee (about 7 or 8). Dinner is typically between 9 and 10pm. Since I have to get up early I push my dinner earlier, usually between 7:30 and 8pm. Then I might socialize with my roommates, watch a movie, surf the internet, etc. I try to be in bed between 11 and 12. That is my typical work day.
On the weekend I will go out at least once. In Spain you don't go out until much later. You might go for Tapas for dinner (9 - 10pm), and then stay out for the night hoping from bar to bar, and then disco to disco. The clubs don't open until 11pm and close about 4am. Most people don't show up until 2am. And there are clubs to go to after the disco's close, yes they open between 4 and 5am! Then you go to bed between 6 and 8am. Sleep all day and then go out again. Well, this might not be every night, but this is what I have been told. I have not stayed out this late yet. Time will tell.
Here are a few pictures from my first few weeks in A Coruña:
I've arrived in A Coruña! Well I've been here now for nearly a month. Spain has been wonderful; warm, sunny, and the people have been fantastic.
About A Coruña and my new adventure:
It’s a small city on the Northwest coast of Spain. I'm living with a teacher from the school I am teaching at and her husband, Julia & Txemi. They are two of the nicest people I have met so far. The School I teach at is outside of the city in a town called A Laracha. It takes about 30 minutes to get there by car an hour or more by bus. Usually I travel with a teacher from my school.
The school has about 400 students and the level is secondary school, which is grades 7 to 12. The grades 7 to 10 are compulsory and 11 and 12 are optional. The last two years are preparatory for studying at a University. I teach the equivalent to grades 9, 10, and 11. I teach in English classes mostly, but also Gym, Art, and Music (all taught in English and Spanish/Galego).
Galego is a local language that is a mix of Spanish and Portuguese. This makes learning Spanish, true Spanish, a little difficult because people here switch between Spanish and Galego naturally and this makes it more challenging. In A Coruña, most people speak Spanish, but occasionally use Galego.
The Spanish schedule is quite different from the United States. My work day (Monday thru Thursday) schedule starts at 7am. I have a coffee and read, then get ready and leave the flat by 8am. I then travel to school and work until 2:30 in the afternoon. After the car ride, I get home at about 3 or 3:15pm. I make "lunch" and then go for a run, go to the market, run errands, or tutor students. Later at night I might meet a friend for a beer or coffee (about 7 or 8). Dinner is typically between 9 and 10pm. Since I have to get up early I push my dinner earlier, usually between 7:30 and 8pm. Then I might socialize with my roommates, watch a movie, surf the internet, etc. I try to be in bed between 11 and 12. That is my typical work day.
On the weekend I will go out at least once. In Spain you don't go out until much later. You might go for Tapas for dinner (9 - 10pm), and then stay out for the night hoping from bar to bar, and then disco to disco. The clubs don't open until 11pm and close about 4am. Most people don't show up until 2am. And there are clubs to go to after the disco's close, yes they open between 4 and 5am! Then you go to bed between 6 and 8am. Sleep all day and then go out again. Well, this might not be every night, but this is what I have been told. I have not stayed out this late yet. Time will tell.
Here are a few pictures from my first few weeks in A Coruña:
Of course the first thing I do is go to the beach!
Plaza de María Pita.
The next four photos are of the protest on October 15, 2011 in
Plaza de Pontevedra.
The view from my apartment!
The living room.
Until Next Time,
Friday, November 4, 2011
Video of the Week - Gusgus "Over"
Hola amigos,
Hey there! I was in Madrid this past weekend and I found the name of this band in a local paper. I imagine their concert would have been fantastic, but I missed it by a few days. This band is from Reykjavik, Iceland. The song "Over" is from their eigth studio released album, Arabian Horse. Faboulous video! Enjoy.
Below you will find their Wikipedia and Youtube video:
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gusgus
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K703vlIgens
Until Next Time,
Hey there! I was in Madrid this past weekend and I found the name of this band in a local paper. I imagine their concert would have been fantastic, but I missed it by a few days. This band is from Reykjavik, Iceland. The song "Over" is from their eigth studio released album, Arabian Horse. Faboulous video! Enjoy.
Below you will find their Wikipedia and Youtube video:
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gusgus
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K703vlIgens
Until Next Time,
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
New York, New York
Hola Amigos!
I recently traveled to New York City (at the end of September) to visit my dear friend Alicia. The city moves so fast, at least Manhattan. Brooklyn is way more chill. I traveled as much as my feet would allow. Exploring so many neighborhoods: Tribeca, Upper East/West Side, Chinatown, Little Italy, SOHO, Chelsea, and so many others. I saw some of the main attractions: Wall Street, Central Park, Time Square, Union Square, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, etc.
My favorite part was visiting Alicia. We went and saw a fantastic musical called "Anything Goes." I highly recommend it if you have the chance to see it. The best was the picnic we had one night in Bryant Park near Grand Central Station. We went to Murrays Cheese Shop in the market in the basement of Grand Central Station for our dinner. On our picnic was exquisite! We ate fantastic goat cheese from Vermont, baguette bread, and olives.
New York was a fantastic experience and I will definitely be back. A few or my pictures:
The view of Manhattan from Alicia's roof!
Yeah Bikes!
Exploring Brooklyn.
Chinatown.
Little Italy.
New York by Frank Gehry! An Incredible Residential Building.
Wall Street.
And of course the protest.
One of the World Trade Memorials.
A new building at the World Trade Center site.
Yeah green space!
My favorite building at night.
Central Park!
The Castle.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Back in Brooklyn at a community garden.
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