La primera noche en Madrid

Once we unloaded our luggage and took a siesta, the group went on a walk on La Calle Princessa and ended at a bar to grab a drink.  After that, our compañeros left us to wander around, so we went shopping for some closed-toed shoes (since it is cold!).  After that, with our group (of 10 IES students) we went to get dinner around 9:30pm--which was apparently much earlier than Madrileños eat dinner.  We ate at an Italian restaurant which was very good.

Later around 11:30, we stopped by a bar that was recommended by a fellow IES student who had been here for a semester before us.  The inside of the bar looks like a cave--even with stalagmites and stalactites! There is a special drink there with milk, spices, several different liquors, and more... sounds horrible but actually looked appealing.  We just grabbed beer to end the night.

In the morning we will be leaving at 8:20am to go get our Metro Passes and then go to the IES center for information sessions and placement tests...

At the cave-style bar close to our apartment

Milk pouring out of the "stalactite" for their signature drink

IES students we have met so far.
Students from Chicago, South Korea, Philadelphia and Austin, TX!

¡Buenos días Madrid!

After roughly 10 hours or travel, we have finally made it to Madrid!  Everything went smoothly, too.  The only change in our travels was that the flight from Dallas to Madrid was delayed about an hour because they had to clean the plane.

We got about 5 hours of sleep on the plane, which really helped out because we arrived at 11:30 am Madrid time.  Once we arrived, it was very easy to navigate the Madrid airport to get to baggage claim. The airport is very industrial-modern looking with a few murals from local artists.  Also, it was very empty!  We were able to find our compañera very easily because she was holding up an IES sign.  From there, she flagged down a taxi and took us to our apartment.  The cab ride was about 30 minutes and cost 45€--hopefully one of the few cab rides we will have to take.  

As for the apartment, it surpassed my expectations!  It is very nice.  There are 4 people total living here--our compañera, Ana, Lindsay, Bria, and myself.  We all get our own room and there are 3 bathrooms, so I am sharing with Lindsay.  The rooms have a twin-sized bed, a closet, a bookshelf, a desk and chair, a couple lights and a few decorative items.  There is a full sized kitchen equipped with everything you could imagine, 2 refrigerators, a dishwasher and a pantry (with spices/basic items).  There is a dining table as well.  To my surprise, there is a washer and a dryer!  I was expecting to hang dry all of my clothes, which I still might do anyways.  The living room had 2 couches, a TV and a coffee table and to top it all off, we have a sunroom for studying/hanging clothes, or whatever else.  The view of the sunroom is amazing.  

Here are some photos from yesterday/today:

In the Dallas Airport waiting at our gate

My bedroom

Bookshelf and closet

View from my room

View from my room

Shower

Sink

Kitchen

More kitchen

Sunroom/study

View from sunroom

Zoom of the view--not sure what this is yet.

Our first meal + legally purchased beer

Funny story about finding our first meal.  We originally walked into a restaurant and everyone was either standing and drinking or sitting and there weren't any tables available and we were just wondering around and attempted to communicate with the wait staff but it just was not working... so we just left and found a different place.  I ordered a dish that I had no clue about what it was and it ended up being a 3 course deal for 9,5€... but it was way too much to eat, and not that great!  On the other hand, Bria and Lindsay got delicious egg sandwiches and we all had an Amstel.  Not bad for our first dining experience in Madrid.  However, we will definitely ask our compañera for some suggestions before we go out next time.

Tonight we are taking a walk down La calle princessa with the students that are living in our complex and our compañeros to scope out the supermercados, banks, and other important places.

One last thing--the weather is far different than what we thought it would be!  It is cold!  All of the locals are wearing boots, pants, coats, scarves... So we may need to buy a jacket and some boots very soon!  The heat is supposed to hit more next month, so I'm looking forward to that.

The Art of Packing

A detailed (perhaps too much) guide for packing that will hopefully be useful to you and at the very least, myself.

For this trip, I will break my habit of overpacking.  Or for a better word, inefficiently packing.  Not only because I will be gone for 2 months, but also because hauling around those 30 extra pounds of shoes and clothes that I never end up using does not sound very appealing aside from the strength training.  Efficient packing is especially important because after studying in Madrid, we will be traveling from hostel to hostel across Spain and hopefully to Paris and back.  If it comes down to it and we have too much stuff to haul around, we will rent a storage space.  However, I don't want to have that mindset because for this trip, I want to embody simple living.  

To the point--learning the art of packing.  From advice and travel blogs, I keep hearing these 2 tips:

1.  Pack basics and mix and match

2.  Don't fold clothes, roll them

The hardest part now is picking out the basics.  I've probably spent way too much time planning what basics to bring and what outfits I can make out of them--but hey, it's a lot better than studying for my 2 finals I have coming up.

I'm justifying spending so much time on style because of several reasons: 1) Spaniards, and in particular Madrileños, are known for being very fashionable and are rarely seen in public looking drab, 2) Fashion is an important part of learning about new cultures, 3) I want to avoid looking American at all costs!  I want the locals to speak Spanish to me and not take advantage of me, and finally, 4) I am hoping for fashion refreshment, inspiration and transformation for myself.  I am definitely burnt out on the typical college wardrobe of nike shorts, leggings, big T-shirts, and tennis shoes.  

I plan on posting some photographs of locals and their fashion throughout my trip.

Summer Basics for Women (~2 month trip):

• 1 plain white t-shirt/blouse
• 1 plain black t-shirt/blouse
• 1 black tank top
• 1 white tank top
• 1 neutral colored button-up dress shirt (casual or dressy)
• 1 neutral cardigan (good to have for museum/church dress code entry)
• 1 pair of nice, dark jeans (forget the destroyed look)
• 1 pair of black pants (or capris/ankle pants)
• 1-2 pair of shorts
• 1 Bathing suit
• 1 neutral colored skirt
• 1 casual cotton dress (consider bringing spandex shorts for underneath for windy days...)
• 1 black dress (versatile for formal or casual)
• 1 light jacket (if possible, use cardigan or shawl instead)
• 1 belt
• 1 set of workout clothes 
• ~5 pair of socks
• Undergarments to last about 10 days
• Sleepwear
• 1 pair comfortable walking sandals
• 1 pair of neutral colored flats
• 1 pair tennis shoes/hiking boots
• Accessories (watch, minimum jewelry, fashion scarf...)

It may look very plain with all the "neutral colored" items, but this allows you to mix and match easily. However, everything doesn't have to be black, grey, brown, or white--especially in the Summer.  Incorporate some color if you wish, just make sure the colors go well together so you can pair those items.  As an example: having the skirt be a green/turquoise color, 1 dress being coral, the button-up being a light denim, exchange either the white-T or the white tank for a cream color... there are many different pleasing color palettes you can use to spunk up an "essentials-based" travel wardrobe.  

An example of some colors that work well together

Just a thought: buy wardrobe accents (fashion scarves, jewelry, hats...) in Spain.  This will allow you to get the colors of the culture so you can sport them there and take them back as a souvenir as well as unique touches to your wardrobe at home.  Which I swear, more than half of the time that I ask where someone got their scarf or shirt... the answer is somewhere in Europe!

Of course, clothes and accessories aren't the only things in your luggage, taking these items into account may have an affect on just how many basics you can bring:

• Folder with important documents and copies
• Make at least 2 copies of passport, one to be kept with you, one with your luggage in a safe compartment
• Before leaving the states, make a copy of any credit cards/debit cards FRONT and BACK and leave a copy with someone you trust incase you need to cancel a card--the credit card companies provide a number to cancel the card...however it is on the back of the card.  Also keep a copy in a safe place in your luggage and one with you.
• Copy of your insurance card/information (medical, traveling, etc...)
• List of important numbers/addresses (make a copy to keep with you incase you loose your phone)
• Maps
• Outlet converters**
• Laptop + carry case + charger + any connective cords (my advise is to back up the computer on an external hard drive before the trip and leaving it at home and either using a flash-drive or emailing yourself important documents.  For photos, immediately uploading your favorites to your social network/blog/image hosting site to ensure that, forbid if anything happen to your laptop or camera, you still have your prized photographs!
• Camera + charger + extra battery + extra memory card + any connective cords/equipment
• Headphones
• Phone (for our program, each student is required to buy a pay-as-you-go cell phone, which they claim is the most cost effective)
• Glasses + case (+ extra pair just incase, bring in carry-on)
• Contacts + solution + case (be sure to bring a bit more than you expect to need incase of tearing, losing. Bring case/solution in carry-on)
• Prescription Medicines (in their original container w/ your name, put in carry-on for flight)
• Other medications/supplements (If you must bring, keep in original container. Most should be available at destination if needed)
• Small basic First Aid Kit (Advil, Tylenol, Pepto-Bismol, Imodium, Benadryl, cold-medicine, antiseptic wipes/cream, bandages, thermometer)
• Cosmetics (suggest bringing in carry-on 
• Toiletries* (in a bag, good idea to pack liquid containers in ziplock bags + some extra ziplocks)
• toothbrush, toothpaste, floss (consider sharing paste with roommate)
• shampoo/conditioner (If you want particular brand, otherwise buy at destination. Share with roommate)
• soap
• deodorant
• razor(s)
• hairbrush
• hair products (or buy there)
• hair dryer (coordinate with roommate)
• hair straightener (coordinate with roommate)
• face wash + moisturizer
• sunscreen
• feminine products
• lotion 
• small container of perfume     

*Make sure that if you are any liquid containers in carry-on meet TSA Standards, otherwise just pack them all in your checked luggage.

• Umbrella (just incase, b/c vendors jack up prices for tourists if/when a downpour may occur)
• Towel (if not provided, this can always be bought at destination as a souvenir)
• Sheets + pillowcase (if not provided--my program requires students to bring their own)
• Backpack (for carry-on, classes, and weekend travel)
• 1 small purse + wallet (preferably a cross-body strap with a zipper for extra mug-protection, especially in Spain right now b/c of high rate of pick-pocketing)
• 1 travel alarm clock + batteries (or use cell phone)

Here is a packing list for studying abroad in the Summer in Madrid to print out and manually check off while packing.

Plans for Travel

Want to do:
1) Flamenco dance lessons
2) Spanish cooking class
3) Weekend trips to Barcelona, Segovia, Valencia...etc.
4) Go clubbing, go to bars, wine tasting
5) See a Bullfight
6) Visit museums, buildings, famous streets, galleries...
7) Go to the beach
8) Tapas
9) Go to Italy
10) Go to France
11) Become conversational in Spanish!

Itinerary w/ Estimates:
5/19   Flight to Madrid
5/20   Arrive in Madrid
          Buy pay-as-you-go phone
5/21   Welcoming Ceremony/Paperwork
          Language Placement Test
          Information sessions
5/22   First day of classes
5/23   Paseo Historico info. session
5/24   Excursion to Segovia
5/25   Parque del Templo de Debod
5/26   Parque del Retiro
5/27   El Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia
5/28   El Palacia Real
5/30   El Museo Prado
5/31   Excurion to Valencia
6/1     Valencia
6/2     Valencia
6/3     Flamenco Class
6/7     Examen Parciales
6/8     Botanical Garden (el Jardin Botanico)
6/10   Cooking Class
6/16   Bullfight
6/17   Flamenco Class
6/24   Flamenco Class
6/25   Flamenco Performance
6/28   Examenes Finales
6/29   Salida del Alojamiento de IES (depart IES), Bus to BARCELONA (~30 EUR/person)
From here, we are traveling around western Europe.

Travel plan:  Spain --> Italy --> Paris --> Spain --> U.S.
Here's our travel for July:

We booked almost all of our stays via airbnb--which I highly recommend because you can find even better prices than hostels!  I will update with how each of our stays are, but so far we have Barcelona, Roma, Cinque Terre (Riomaggiore), and Nice stays booked (including travel).  Now all we have left to book is our travel to Paris, our stay in Paris, and our last stay in Madrid.

Also something that we have to think about is where to leave our larger items in Madrid (since Ryan Air charges you for checked luggage and not a carry on).  Yes--we will be living off a carry on for a month!






       
             
               

A Bit of Research About Spain...

SPAIN - ESPANA

 Oficially: Kingdom of Spain (Reino de Espana)

Geography:  505,370 sq km (Texas is 1.38 times the size of Spain)

Terrain is mainly flat, highest point being 3,718 m on the Canary Islands.

Religions: Roman Catholic (94%), other (6%)

Population: 47,042, 984 (July 2012 est.)

Major Cities: Madrid 5.762 million, Barcelona 5.029 million, Valencia 812,000

Unemployment Rate: 37.9% (ranked 9th in the world) compared to 17.6% (ranked 67) for U.S. 

Government: Parliamentary Democracy--party in power elects the Prime Minister, monarchy is hereditary.  U.K., Italy, France also have this same type of government.

Chief of State: King Juan Carlos I.  

President of Government (Prime Minister): Mariano Rajoy  

Vice President: Soraya Saenz de Santamaria

Political Parties: Two main parties among many

Partido Socialista Obrero Espanol (PSOE) "Spanish Socialist Worker's Party" (left wing) 

Partido Popular (PP) "People's Party" (right wing)

National Symbol: Pillars of Hercules--Mythology behind why the Strait of Gibraltar exhists between Spain and Morocco (making Africa and Spain merely 8 miles apart). One of Hercules' tasks was to tare a mountain range apart--thus creating the Gibraltar mountain of Spain and either the Jabel Musa/Mount Acho Mountains of Morocco. 

Note the same Pillars on the Spanish Flag

Exchange rate:  $1.30 = 1 EUR

$100 U.S.D = 76.82 EUR

$10 = 7.68 EUR

Customs:

• Corrida del Torros/Tauromaquia (Running of the Bulls/Bullfighting)
• Developed as an evolution to the Roman gladiator games.  Toreros (matadors/bullfighters) bait bulls at close ranges--so much that the Torero is at risk of being injured/killed by the bull.  After the bull has been hooked several times by other matadors in the area, the Torero kills the bull by a single sword stab (called an estocada).
• La Siesta (the nap)
• Seeks to balance work with pleasure--around midday, students and professionals return to their home around midday for a few hours of rest and family time accompanied by a big lunch.  However, larger, faster moving cities have moved away from this tradition while smaller cities still practice siestas.  
• Dining Traditions
• Lunch is the biggest meal of the day, making breakfast and dinner small affairs.  Dinner takes place late at night (9 pm or 10 pm).  Many spaniards go out for Tapas.  Tapas are a variety of snacks/appetizers/fingerfood.  They are not really meant to be consumed as a whole meal but rather as fingerfood while conversing and standing around socially.  
• Nightlife
• Spain is known for its nightlife.  Most people don't go out until 11 pm and usually don't come back until the wee ours of the morning.  Bars stay open much later than they do in the states.  
• During the evenings, Spaniards like to take a "paseo" and stroll to 2 or three bars for drinks and tapas.  It is not uncommon to dress formally for a paseo.  
• Attire/Temperature
• During the Summer months temperatures can get up to 113 degrees farenheight (45 degrees Celcius).  For this reason, many market places remain closed during the Summer.  In Madrid, May and July usually have more pleasant temperatures (20-32 degrees C).  With that being said, ideal clothing is loose cottons light in color.  Hats are also reccommended as the sun shines 12 hours a day during the Summer. 

MADRID

Spain's Capital and Largest City

3rd Largest City in Europe (Behind London and Berlin)
3,097 sq. miles (8,022 sq. km)

Location: On the Manzanares River in the center of Spain.  Economic, political and cultural center of Spain.  The monarch and seat of government reside here.
Government: Mayor--Ana Botella (PP)
Landmarks:

Palacio Real de Madrid

• Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace of Madrid)--official residence of the monarch and family (however King Juan Carlos I and his family live in the more modest, Palace of Zarzuela, on the outskirts of Madrid)
• Teatro Real--major opera house that stages around 17 opera titles per year as well as 3 ballets and several recitals. 
• Buen Retiro Park--"Park of the Pleasant Retreat".  Previously owned by the monarch, now one of Madrid's largest public parks.  Filled with gardens, sculptures, monuments, galleries, and a lake.  The park also includes the only public monument of the devil, "Fountain of the Falling Angel", depicting Lucifer falling from heaven.  Other features include Palacio del Cristal, Paseo de las Estatuas, and Bosque de los Ausentes.  
• 19 C. National Library- Biblioteca Nacional de Espana with 26 million items
• Golden Triangle of Art- Made up of three museums in the Paseo del Prado:  Prado Museum (pre 20C art), Museo National de Arte Reina Sofia ( 20C modern art), Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum (historical-contemporary art)
• Paseo del Prado- One of Spain's main boulevards.  Dense with trees and is packed full of monuments, museums (Golden Triangle of Art), and inthe visinity of Madrid's stock exchange as well as Spain's House of Congress. 
• Cibeles Palace and Fountain-- Plaza de Cibeles is a square of marble sculptures, palaces and fountains.  Contains the Bank of Spain, Palacio de Buenavista, Palacio de Linares, and the Palacio de Cibeles.  Loacation is on the intersection of Paseo del Prado, Paseo de Recoletos, and Calle de Alcala.  

Plaze de Cibeles

Museo Nacional de Arte Reina Sofia

Museo del Prado

Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza

Sources:  

"Central Intelligence Agency." CIA. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2013.

Preparation for Spain

I figured I would go ahead and start my first blog for my upcoming trip to Spain to study abroad.  Here I will include my research, to do lists, photographs, and entries for all things related to my trip.  I am hoping this will keep me organized for my trip as well as sharing with friends and family what I am doing in Spain.

I am studying in Madrid, Spain with an Affiliated Study Abroad program that has been doing academic abroad programs since 1950.  I will follow up with a review on the program after my trip.  My best friend, Lindsay, will be my roommate and we are hoping to take at least one class together (probably a Culture class).  She is majoring in International Relations so she has been taking far more languages than myself and her Spanish is at a more advanced level so we will most likely be in different Spanish classes.  She is planning on staying in Europe longer than I am but I'm glad to have her with me during the Summer!  I'm definitely anticipating this trip to be one of the greatest experiences of my life thus far. 

Up until now, I have applied to study abroad through my university in the states, renewed my passport, purchased a plane ticket (with much appreciated help from my and Lindsay's parents), and started this blog to start planning.  I am currently working on the Affiliate program's application as well as scheduling trips/activities do to while we are there.  I will be departing on Sunday May 19th and I am not sure when I will be flying back just yet--most likely early August.  The actual dates for the 2 classes I will be taking are from May 29th - June 29th I believe. 

[Note: This is also my first blog ever, so I am new to this whole blogging thing]