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"The Bridge of the Third Millennium", constructed for the 2008 World Expo.

Living in a Time Machine

February 16, 2013 / Emily DeVries / 1 Comment

Just a disclaimer: my inner history nerd may or may not emerge during the course of this post. Anyway, now that you’ve been warned…

Something that will continually fascinate me about Europe is just how OLD it is. As rich as North/South American history is, we were just a baby hemisphere in the 1700s when we were getting colonized and industrialized. In fact, compared to the Europeans, we’re still babies. I don’t mean this in the sense that we were devoid of civilization until the 1700s, because we weren’t. What I mean is that Europe, unlike the United States, is brimming with physical reminders of civilizations past – many of them dating back to centuries, even millennia before even the oldest buildings in the States were built.

Ruins of the Roman theater from the empire of Caesar Augustus.

I consider myself to be more than lucky to be living in a city where this phenomenon is so clearly represented. Zaragoza was founded by Caesar Augustus’ empire sometime between the years 25 and 12 BC as, essentially, a retirement village for war veterans. Throughout the centuries, the name of the city morphed from “Caesaraugusta” to “Saraqusta” (during the Moorish/Arab regime from about the 7th-11th centuries AD) to its current, more Spanish/Catholic name “Zaragoza.” The evolution of Zaragoza’s name is a really fantastic representation of how the city’s culture has also changed throughout time, and it gives me the chills to walk through the Roman ruins with the knowledge that once upon a time, 2000+ years ago, there were people just like me living here. In fact, history points to evidence that Saint James often walked along the banks of the Ebro river and lived in the Zaragoza area. (The landmark cathedral of Pilar, built in the 1400s, began as a chapel/altar built by Saint James after an apparition of the Virgin Mary to him while he was praying by the river.) Call me cheesy, but it really does feel like I’m living in a time machine, or as close to one as I’ll ever get.

The Cathedral Pilar (left), built in the 1400s, on the banks of the Ebro River. It's evolved over time to the impressive building it is now, and began in the 1st century as a tiny chapel built by Saint James.

What’s cool about Zaragoza, though, is that much of its architecture points ahead to the future as well as back to its roots in the past. In 2008, the city hosted the World Expo, which was built around the theme of water and sustainable development. The Expo itself was something of a flop, and didn’t generate as much income for the city as was expected. It did, however, provide Zaragoza with some fascinating examples of modern and futuristic architecture that amplify my little “time machine” mentality even more. In fact, my favorite bridge is named “The Bridge of the Third Millennium”. This city is rooted in a fascinating history, and looks to the future with anticipation. To me, that’s a really cool and very unique juxtaposition.

"The Bridge of the Third Millennium", constructed for the 2008 World Expo.

Los Americanos exploring the Roman ruins!

There aren’t many ways I can describe it accurately and in a way that does it justice, but the fact that evidence from the Roman empire sits on the same riverbank as examples of futuristic engineering is a concept that is endlessly fascinating to me and gives me the goosebumps to think about. It’s something that is unique to Europe (and in this case, specifically to Zaragoza), and sort of serves as a connection to the ever-changing effects of time. No, I can’t go back to the Roman empire, the age of the Crusades, or the Medieval Rebirth. I can’t go back to the Spanish Civil War, and I can’t venture into the third millennium. But exploring all that this city has to offer is a pretty good way to come close.

A Week in the Life of Cambridge

February 12, 2013 / Lauren Zomparelli / 0 Comments

During a typical week in the life of a student studying abroad in Cambridge, my week always starts on a Monday. Granted, my schedule is a bit different from the rest of the students in the house due to the fact that I am neither taking Art nor Global Health meaning I do not actually have any classes on Mondays or Wednesdays. However, every Monday we have to clean the house. Each week we are assigned a different room in the house to clean, or are assigned to make common meal, which means we do not clean that week but go shopping with Nola at Tesco instead. Common meal is a group meal that two people will make each for the entire group. It consists of an appetizer, drink, main meal and a vegetable as well as dessert. So far people have made enchiladas, chicken pot pie stew over biscuits, spaghetti and meatballs, breakfast for dinner and sloppy joes. Common meal is a great time that brings everyone together and allows us as students to have a nice meal at least once a week.

Mondays are usually a good day to recover from a weekend of traveling or do any last minute homework or reading that may have been forgotten while gone all weekend. For food, we are on our own to cook and wash any dishes we make. Tuesdays start off with Theology at 9 in the morning, followed by History. Unlike what many people are used to when they have class, we have class on the top floor of our house and our professors come to us. We also rarely have homework in these classes but will have a paper or exam at midterm and final times. They are all British professors from different universities in town. At 11:45am, History ends and Professor Murphy will drive Rachel and myself across town to Anglia Ruskin University so we will make our 12pm Contemporary Fiction class.

Class at Anglia is much different from class in the house. Where our History and Theology class are both lecture based, Contemporary Fiction is a discussion based class. CF also allows us to interact with British students and hear their thoughts and opinions during discussions which often are different from our own. We do have homework for CF, however. Each week, we are responsible for reading a novel as well as secondary readings, such as different articles that relate to the novel or ideas of the novel. The novels that we have read thus far have been quite different from any book I would have chosen myself, but have brought about very interesting and rewarding conversation and caused me to think about things differently than I would have otherwise.

As of last week, we found a great church with an awesome worship service and bible study that is held at night on Tuesday. If any night, Tuesday nights are usually the nights that we will go out to the pubs or clubs if we choose to. I personally, don’t have any classes or anything I will need to be up for on Wednesday until our house meeting that is usually a noon, so it works out nicely. Though, most nights we stay in we stay up until the wee hours of the morning bonding anyways.

Wednesdays we are really able to do whatever we like after our group meeting is over with. It’s a good day to make sure to get out of the house and go down to the market in town and go shopping. Common meal starts with appetizers at 6:30pm and usually goes until 7:30-8pm depending on how long we converse and eat. After, we usually change into comfier clothes and hang out, watch a movie, or play games. Another popular activity is to plan trips for weekends to come. It may sound easy and fun, but can get very stressful. Looking up flights, hostels and calling to book train reservations can become very overwhelming at times.

Thursday after morning classes are weekend begins. Promptly after classes, we are usually packed and ready to hop on a train and travel to different towns or countries depending on the week. We’ve taken the train to Manchester or Edinburgh, or to London to head to the airport and fly to Dublin or Paris. Each weekend we usually find somewhere new to explore. We will usually always return on Sundays, depending where we are going to. The weekends are the best, exploring new countries and cultures. Seeing places that you usually only see in photos on Google. Next weekend we are heading to Paris and I’m sure seeing the Eiffel Tower will be a completely unreal experience as well.

Musée du Louvre

Soaking Up un Peu de Culture

February 9, 2013 / Emily Hardesty / 0 Comments

Looking at art in the Musée d'Orsay

One thing I did not know about Paris is the large number of museums that can be found here: 204, to be exact! Although I did take a few art classes back in high school, I do not consider myself an art buff. But since I’m here now, why not take in a little bit of art culture while I can?

Of course there are the famous museums that are bombarded with tourists almost everyday, including the Musée du Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, and the Musée National d’Art Moderne in the Centre Georges Pompidou. But there are many other museums that often get overlooked, such as the catacombs, the Musée de Radio France, or the Musée du Vin. Since the weather has been quite rainy since I arrived, I decided that I this is my chance to visit as many museums as possible before the sun returns for good.

I started my quest for art two weeks ago when my program group went on a guided tour through the Musée d’Orsay. This was my first time seeing the museum ever, and I was completely blown away by it’s beauty. While the outside itself is very lovely, the inside is what took my breath away. The Musée d’Orsay resides in an old train station, giving the building a unique quality that makes it stand out from other museums in Paris. The museum’s collection includes artwork from impressionists and post-impressionists such as Monet, Manet, Renoir, and Van Gogh. My favorite piece that I can across had to be Van Gogh’s self portrait. I really enjoyed the group tour and learning about the history behind famous pieces of art rather than constantly guessing what really went on in the world when a masterpiece was created. I can’t wait to go back and see more amazing artwork!

Inside the Musée d'Orsay

Musée d'Orsay

Next on my list was the Musée du Louvre, without a doubt the most famous of all the museums in Paris. Situated in thecenter of the city, the Louvre holds many different kinds of artwork, including ancient Egyptian artifacts, Greek and Roman sculptures, and paintings from the Italian Renaissance. Its most famous piece of art is the Mona Lisa; luckily I didn’t have to wait in a line to see it! The museum is absolutely gigantic, and I succeeded in getting myself lost when I visited the Louvre last week. The building is absolutely georgous and has a triangular glass building for one entrance. It’s even connected to an underground shopping mall complete with a Starbucks and a McDonalds. No wonder it’s the most visited art museum in the world.

Musée du Louvre

Venus de Milo, Greek Goddess of love and beauty

The Mona Lisa

Part of a mosaic that used to be part of the street during the time when the Roman Empire ruled Zaragoza. My favorite piece in the Museo de Zaragoza.

Seek, and You Will Find

February 7, 2013 / Emily DeVries / 0 Comments

The past week has been a little lighter on adventures than my last few weeks have been, at least in the usual sense of the word “adventure”. The weather out here’s been somewhat dreary, and along with that, there have been a few days where my mood has been equally so. It’s gotten to that point where things aren’t as fresh and extraordinary as they were when I first arrived, and I feel as though I’ve found my niche among the day-to-day comings and goings of city life. As great as that is, it also means that I’ve been a little restless, especially on those days when the weather isn’t as great as I would hope and puts limits on my ability to get out and explore.

On one of my “downer” days, I was talking to my parents, and they offered me a piece of advice that I think may stick with me for the rest of my life. Not every day is going to be busy, and not every day is going to be full of fantastical journeys that will rock my world. In fact, sometimes (as is the case with this past week), there will be stretches of time where things couldn’t get any more “normal.” But there are small adventures waiting to be had everywhere you go, and if you seek them out, you’ll find that an afternoon spent having a less conventional adventure may be just as valuable and memorable as an exciting trip or a breathtaking cultural experience.

One of the more eclectic coffee shops I've discovered here, about a 10 minute walk from my apartment.

Take, for example, the abundance of coffee shops here in Zaragoza. You find one on every corner, each with a different ambiance and sense of character. Some have bars, some have extensive bakeries, some serve food, some are modern and some are more eclectic. On the days when I’m sick of bumming around the apartment, I’ll call one of my friends, we’ll meet up at an intersection, and we’ll pick out a new coffee shop to try out. Like tonight, for example, one of my local Spanish friends met up with me to have an “intercambio” chat – he’s learning English and wanted someone to practice with. So he spoke mostly in English and I in Spanish, and we helped one another with some of the trickier parts of our respective native languages. And if I can’t get a hold of anyone to meet with, I’ll grab a book (if I’m feeling really ambitious, I’ll take one of my host brother’s books and attempt to read in Spanish) and spend an afternoon reading, enjoying being surrounded by music and conversation and the smells of coffee and bread. Granted, these coffee shop escapades are not daring excursions or incredible parties, but spending time exploring them is a memorable little experience nonetheless – one that I know I will probably miss once I get back to the States. An adventure in itself.

Part of a mosaic that used to be part of the street during the time when the Roman Empire ruled Zaragoza. My favorite piece in the Museo de Zaragoza.

However, there are days when I’m craving a little bit more of an active experience, and when the weather is poor, it’s difficult to find those opportunities around town. It takes a little bit more effort on my part to encounter those experiences, but they’re usually worth the hunt (and sometimes that’s part of the adventure)! Nothing better than deciding to go shopping, and instead stumbling upon a free art museum that is absolutely packed with intriguing pieces from throughout the centuries. Who knew? I spent a good 2 and a half hours learning about art from the Roman Empire to the Gothic period to the days of Zaragoza’s native classic artist Francisco Goya, and chatting it up with the museum curator about my experiences thus far in Spain. It was one of my favorite days here, and the best part about it is that it was living proof of my parents’ advice to me. Adventure isn’t always going to jump up and hit you in the face. It’s all about perspective, and taking the initiative to enjoy the little things.

There are plenty of other opportunities here for spontaneous adventures and discoveries, they just aren’t as glaringly obvious as some of the other experiences I’ve had so far. Walking around the park and practicing Spanish with another international student. Window shopping. Shoot, I even consider my long-winded, all-Spanish customer service phone call with the train company to be a memorable experience. Granted, I’m going to be doing some of the more conventional adventure things as well – there are lots of “touristy” things that I really want to experience while I’m abroad! But the benefits of searching beneath the surface for my daily adventures are both memorable and enhancing to my overall experience of being part of the Spanish community, and hold a place in my heart that I’m sure I’ll remember years from now.

London, Round 2

February 6, 2013 / Lauren Zomparelli / 0 Comments

London is so magnificent, you can’t go just once. So last weekend (Jan 31-Feb 2) a few of us ventured down to London once more with the plan of seeing the Harry Potter Studio Tour, going on the London Eye and seeing Shakespeare’s Globe in mind. Thursday we headed off into London and hung out a bit, got settled into our hostel and wandered around, seeing the wonderful nightlife sights. Friday was our day in Hogwarts. Now, writing about that day alone would be like a five page essay. It was so unbelievably amazing that anyone who is a Harry Potter fan should make their way to London and to the tour one day in their life.

The moment you enter in, you are walking into the Great Hall at Hogwarts. The tables, chairs, outfits, as well as the head table are all there for you to see. From there on, you walk through the two huge stage buildings that hold all of the sets, props and outfits from all of the different movies. Dumbledore’s office, the Gryffindor common room, Harry and Ron’s room, and even Hagrid’s Hut. You can even learn all about how quidditch was filmed and the magic behind may of the props. Surprisingly enough, some of the props really are magical, such as the sewing needles at the Wesley’s and their iron. From the main stage, you walk outside where you can try some delicious butterbeer, something I would highly recommend, see the famous purple night bus from the third movie, see Privet Drive and the Hogwarts bridge that is featured in many of the movies but never actually mentioned in the books.

Forging on to the second stage is where the magic of the creatures is unveiled. Masks of the goblins fill the shelves and, of course, Aragog from Chamber of Secrets is featured high above. Seeing all of the different characters and how they come to life is such an amazing experience. Diagon Alley is also in the second stage and walking down it really makes you feel as if you truly are in a magical world. After going on the Harry Potter tour in London that shows you where different scenes had taken place and seeing Diagon Alley there, it was truly miraculous to see the real deal. From Ollivander’s Wand shop to the Wesley’s Wizard Wheezes shop, they are all there.

My favorite room, by far, one that in itself makes going on the tour worth it, is the very last room. In this room is where the real Hogwarts Castle is unveiled. Hand created with every brick hand painted and even with lights wired through, is the actual castle used when filming the panning opening shots of the Hogwarts Castle. It is real and it is there and it is an absolutely breathtaking event to see it.

The Harry Potter Studio Tour is definitely one of the highlights of London, but that was not the only place we visited on our journey. Luckily, London is one of the easiest places you will be able to learn to get around in your life and there is always something to do! My personal favorite place in London is Piccadilly Circus. There is always something to do or see in Piccadilly Circus. Need something to do on a Friday night? We did, so where did we go, where else but Piccadilly Circus. Here we were able to watch street performers of all kinds and pick up a comedy show for only £8.

Another place I would highly recommend going though on a Saturday morning would be Portobello Market. Here are miles of stalls (as well as an all antique underground market with more than 40 stalls) where you can buy all different kinds of amazing antiques, fresh fruits and vegetables, clothes, fun little nick-nacks, signs, paintings, portraits and second use clothing, vintage style. For us, the market was much too long to walk while we were there, but it was such an awesome place to experience. There were so many people there from so many different places around the world as well. I would love to go back one day and venture a bit farther through it now that I know what all there is.

From Portobello Market, we made our way to witness the amazing sights of The London Eye. It may be a bit pricy at about £19 but it is worth every second of it. You are able to go around for a half an hour and see everything from up in The Eye. Big Ben and Parliament are so breathtaking from up high, when the entirety of it can be seen. When we were there, we were lucky enough to have a sunny, mostly clear day.

After The Eye, we walked along the river, something else I highly promote doing due to all of the street performers. Walking along you will come across tens of twenties of street performers from a guy playing a tuba that spit out fire, a man sitting on thin air, and Darth Vader talking to Captain Jack Sparrow. Once you hit Millennium Bridge, The Globe is right there. Going through The Globe you learn a lot about Shakespeare’s history and the history of The Globe itself and why it was constructed the way it was. For those Shakespearian lovers, it would be worth your time to tour The Globe and the museum.

The Millennium Bridge, created for obvious reasons for its name, was first built very unstable and would sway with the wind. Several people were actually killed when thrown into the water from the bridge, so the bridge was reconstructed and reopened and is now safe to walk across. From the middle of the bridge, Tower Bridge can be seen, and straight ahead is St. Paul’s Cathedral.

My final suggestion, one that I am so happy I accidentally came across, was walking along the river at night. From the opposite side of the river from The London Eye you can see it light up beautifully blue as well as see Big Ben and Parliament lit. Pictures here are priceless. Seeing London at night gives a totally different effect than during the day. London is an amazing city with so many things to offer and so many sights to see.

Covent Gardens!

London, You Have My Heart

February 3, 2013 / Abby / 0 Comments

I know, I’ve already talked about London once before. However, I went back this weekend and it is safe to say that like the title says, London has completely stolen my heart. To anyone thinking about studying abroad I’m talking to you: I strongly advise you to do it. I have only been here 3 weeks and I still have over 4 months, but I can say with certainty that these three weeks have been some of the best days of my life. So, just DO IT. You won’t ever regret it. Ok, now that I’m off my soap box, back to London.

Picadilly Circus

I went to London this weekend primarily to see the Harry Potter Studio Tour and it was, of course, incredible (and I strongly suggest that if you are ever in London, that you go to it.) But, that’s not what I want to talk about. After the tour, Jess and I decided that since we were already in London, and we had much of the day left, we would make a day of it see what London had to offer. It did not disappoint. We went to the Covent Gardens to look around (and no, there are no gardens, as Jess was disappointed to find out.) Covent Gardens is essentially a huge market place. There are layers and layers of outdoor and indoor market areas, shops, chain stores, cafes, restaurants, and pubs, and just when you think you’re finished, another layer pops up at you. It was so alive with people and street performers, you couldn’t help but get caught up in the happiness of it. I so enjoyed myself. We watched street performers dance to the YMCA with faces of famous people and saw a mime dressed up as an American soldier. We also listened to an opera singer perform. We walked through what was essentially, a huge flea market, as well. After the Covent Gardens, Jess and I found ourselves just wandering the city. I was completely in awe of the beauty and for lack of a better word, hugeness of it all. There was always another corner to turn and another street to walk. Always another beautiful building or monument to admire. It was dark out as well, so all the lights of the city were just beautiful. We just walked around and took everything in. It’ so easy to get caught up in everything around you. I could have walked forever, I was so enthralled with it all. At one point though, we realized we had no idea where we were, and it was a nervous 5 minutes for us until we got our bearings and realized we were just a block away from Trafalgar Square. And let me tell you, Trafalgar Square at night, is just gorgeous. It has fountains that light up different colors and the light from the fountains lit up the Trafalgar Monument in the middle of the Square. We walked around the Square and down Parliament Street past the Horses Guard, past the Prime Minister’s house, past Old Scotland Yard, toward Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Abbey. I am so blessed that I have the opportunity to see all of these things, not just once, but twice.

Covent Gardens!

Along the way we stopped at a pub called The Red Lion, where Charles Dickens got famously drunk at and we had some dinner. We ate a traditional dinner of fish and chips (the best fish and chips I’ve ever had, I might add) and took everything in. We said hi to Big Ben, and it was truly a spectacular sight at night. The clock was lit up and so beautiful against the night sky. The vastness of it never fails to impress me. I will never get tired of seeing Big Ben. We ended our night with a two hour Jack the Ripper walking tour, which was very interesting to say the very least. All in all, it was a marvelous day, and I cannot wait to go back to my favorite city in the world. London, England.
With love,
Abby

La Tour Eiffel

Life in the 14th Arrondissement

February 2, 2013 / Emily Hardesty / 0 Comments

I finally visited the Eiffel Tower!

While my first week in Paris was a little hectic as I was trying to adjust to life in a new city, things have gone much smoother this week. After discovering the cheapest grocery stores in the neighborhood, learning how to use the washers and dryers at the laundry mat, and navigating the metro system successully, I feel as though each day is better than the last. I have heard so many times from my program director that the first week of a study abroad program is the hardest, and I couldn’t agree with her more. If things can only get better from here, I know this semester is going to be as wonderful as I imagined.

When I used to day dream about living in Paris, I imagined myself wandering around the Eiffel Tower on a bright, sunny day, revelling in all that is French. This image was quickly thrown out the door after almost two weeks of consant rain. Literally every day since I arrived here, the sky has been filled with clouds. Although it is a little sad to live in constant gloom, I will not let that stop me from enjoying my time here. Spring will simply be all the more glorious when it returns.

La Tour Montparnasse

After traveling to a handful of the different districts in Paris, I can gladly say that I live in the 14th. Paris is divided into twenty districts (or arrondissements). They are arranged in a sort of clockwise spiral like a snail, starting in the center of the city with the 1st district. The district I live in is far from the tourist hot spots and is quite different than living near the center. Roads are mostly one-way streets and are rarely busy. Instead of designer clothing stores and expensive restaurants, there are smaller shops and cafes where you can try and save a little pocket money. Although nothing is more than a fifteen minute train ride away, life is just a little less crazy than in the center of Paris.

Since my foyer does not have a meal plan, I have to cook my meals in our kitchen if I do not feel like spending money at a restaurant, which happens to be most of the time. While finding a grocery store was quite simple, chosing my own groceries was a different story. Even though I have cooked meals for myself at home, it’s much different when you have to plan on buying every single item you will need for just one meal. Unfortunately, I discovered that I am a terrible cook and will be living off of grilled cheese, noodles, and poorly cooked vegetables for the next few months.

My savior: the boulangerie.

Luckily, there is a wonderful thing called a boulangerie on almost every corner in Paris where you can buy fresh baguettes, croissants, pain au chocolate, and other delicious concoctions that melt in your mouth. Bread in France is absolutely sinful. The crust of a baguette is perfectly crisp, and the inside is incredibly soft. It is simply the best bread I have ever tasted. Bread is definitely going to be my number one food staple while I am here…

Every day I wind up thanking myself for every decision that got me here so far, from choosing to live in a quiet neighborhood to choosing this specific study abroad program. As I learn more about Paris each day and see amazing cathedrals, monuments, and architecture, I couldn’t be happier than where I am now, and I look forward to seeing much more of France and Europe soon.

Fasching Parade

January 31, 2013 / maryanncraft / 0 Comments

It’s a crazy time of year here in Germany: the time of Fasching. Fasching is known by other names such as Fastnacht and Karneval. A name that we would understand it as is Mardi Gras. On Sunday I had the opportunity to go to the town square and watch the parade. I would like to say that the parade was advertised to begin at the odd time of 1:01 in order to keep with the whole craziness of Fasching. There were soooo many people there. Vendors were also there trying to sell food to those that were standing out in the cold. I would have to say that this was the best parade I have ever been to in my life. Normally, a person in a parade walks by you, throws out some candy, and waves. At a Fasching parade, the people in the parade were walking through the crowds and scaring people from behind. They would come up and draw on people’s faces with washable face paint. I myself got my face marked on as well. The characters would even play with your hair and mess it up. I even saw some people being picked up and thrown over a character’s shoulder and taken away. There was one girl that had a fishnet thrown over her and they took her away. There were so many people in the parade that really went all out for it. There were people in witch costumes and some dressed up as wolves. There were many bands that played a variety of music, all with their own group colors that were painted on their faces. This parade was also enjoyable in the fact that each group had their own chant. Sometimes the chants were just random noises that you would yell back at the group. The chants were written on the cards that were given to us when we got to the town center. Not only was this parade very interactive, the thing lasted almost three hours!!! It was well worth it, though. The parade was a nice getaway from the dorms, even for a couple hours.

La Catedral Seo, which was breathtaking.

Locally Immersed

January 31, 2013 / Emily DeVries / 0 Comments

Nothing boosts your ego when you’re abroad quite like that moment when you’re walking home from the store and someone stops you to ask for directions. I know, this probably doesn’t sound like much of an accomplishment, and maybe I’m over-analyzing the

La Catedral Seo, which was breathtaking.

situation entirely. But in my mind, that must mean that I look like I know what I’m doing out here. And the fact that (after apologizing profusely for my broken Spanish) I was able to successfully guide the person to where they needed to go – I’d say that I walked a little bit taller the rest of the way home feeling like I have a place here in this city.

It’s almost been a month since my traveling companions and I arrived in Europe, and it’s pretty surreal to see how far we’ve all come since we were wandering around the Barcelona airport, aimlessly looking for our bus to Zaragoza and wondering how on earth we were ever going to be able to understand the rapid Spanish that we heard coming from the people around us. And yet here we are, able to communicate and finding ourselves walking the line between being tourists and being locals.

Through some trial and error, I’ve found that they key to this achievement has been to participate in “the little things” that are a part of daily Spanish life here. Going to a coffee shop to read the newspaper over a café con leche. Picking up the groceries for dinner from the supermarket. Taking public transportation. Going to a bar with some friends to watch FC Barcelona play against Real Madrid in the Copa Del Rey soccer tournament. And, of course, participating in local festivals and events.

Enjoying our Roscón de San Valero with a delicious thick hot chocolate made for dipping the cake into!

This past Tuesday was the Fiesta de San Valero (the Patron Saint of Zaragoza), and it was hands-down the best day I’ve had here so far. Around ten thousand people pack into the main Plaza in town at 10 AM to eat a piece of the Roscón de San Valero, a giant wreath-shaped cake that is made specifically for the holiday. Among that huge crowd of people was my little group of amigos and I, all international students hoping to engage in the kind of cultural experience that you can only get from participating in such a huge event. Aside from the delicious Roscón, the events of the day include an abundance of street musicians and bands, free access to historical buildings like the gorgeous Catedral Seo (pictured above), and the ever-anticipated parade of the Gigantes and the Cabezudos.

It’s pretty hard to miss this colorful procession. People pack into the street, and the kids climb onto their parents’ shoulders to better see these interesting traditional characters. Cabezudos are people dressed up in costumes with massive (somewhat frightening) heads. They chase the kids around the plaza, and are a big hit among the 5-10 year old crowd. (The kids who looked to be under 5 weren’t quite sure whether to be fascinated or terrified by them!) The Gigantes are massive puppets, probably 15 to 20 feet tall, that are carried down the street, flanked by musicians. There are about 8 of them, and they’re all different (a king, a queen, one that looks like Don Quijote, etc.).

The Cabezudos, and check out that crowd!

After seeing all the sights of the festival, we headed to a local bar to indulge in some delicious tapas and great conversation. There was nothing out of the ordinary about it, but it was such a fantastic way to end the day. There was just something about being part of the local celebration, followed by enjoying some local cuisine, that helped us to feel deeper immersed into the daily life and true culture of Spain. It’s those types of experiences – the little ones that have put me right in the middle of authentic Spanish living, that will stay in my heart long after I leave this incredible country. Consequently, it’s also those types of experiences that, little by little, help to transform Zaragoza from a tourist destination into a place that I’m glad to call “a home away from home”.

Covenanters Prison

January 30, 2013 / Lauren Zomparelli / 0 Comments

While in Edinburgh, Scotland a couple of weekends ago, we learned about The Greyfriars Cemetery on a three hour tour. Inside Greyfriars Cemetery is a prison now referred to as Covenanters Prison where about 1200 prisoners were kept and 1000 were killed within five months in 1679 by a man called Sir George Mackenzie. At this time, anyone who was Presbyterian and refused to change their religion by the wish of the king was sentenced to the prison that was run my Mackenzie.

This was not your typical prison you may think of today. It is outside, and each cell is made of brick and without a ceiling, leaving inmates completely open and unprotected from the outside elements. Mackenzie was especially brutal to inmates. There was a rule that after a certain time at night, no one was allowed to move, and if they did not follow this rule, the inmate next to them would be killed, leaving their cell mates blood on their hands. Mackenzie was known for his pure brutality and has since been nicknamed “Bloody Mackenzie”. When he finally died, he was buried in Greyfriars Cemetery after having so many deaths on his hands, it has been thought that his soul could not rest.

There have been many mysterious acts that have been recorded surrounding Covenanters Prison. Many people have found bruises and cuts, been put into a coma, and even completely lost their mind, after visiting the prison in more recently years. It has been thought that Mackenzie is still haunting his mausoleum and causing all of these mysterious injuries making Greyfriars Cemetery one of the most haunted places on the earth.

I am one of those people who are greatly interested in supposed hauntings and finding out if they are real or not. For obvious reasons, the cemetery is under lock and chain, not allowing people to wander in and out as they please. There are, however, tours that run and bring groups into the cemetery. Those going on the tour do have to note and I believe sign a waiver saying they will not hold the company responsible if anything may happen to their physical or mental health during or after the tour.

I really wish that I had known about the tour before I left Edinburgh because I most definitely would have gone. Because of this new found information, I am determined to return to Edinburgh one day (hopefully soon) and go on the tour to find out for myself if it really is haunted.

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