February, Where Did You Come From?

Buenas tardes!
         How is it already February? I am normally so aware of the passage of time, but this semester is
flying by! I can only imagine how quickly this month will go by, however it is a leap year. I feel as though I just returned from Sevilla, and next weekend I will be in Lisbon, Portugal! My classes are challenging but I am learning so much. I feel positive about my New Years Resolutions as I have just booked a flight to Frankfurt, Germany with my two good friends (Ms. Erika Pradillo and Ms. Sierra Meszaros). Some other exciting news, is that my Mom is coming to Europe! Her and my little brother Jimmy will be visiting my Granddad in Cardiff, Wales and I am desperately searching for flights from Madrid to see them. I think I'm going to get whiplash from all the sight-seeing I've been doing.
       In other news, I have just figured out one of the fundamentals of public transit: taking the bus! All this time I have been racing out of the house and walking to school, when low and behold, there is a bus that runs adjacent to my street and the route stops just outside Tienda Verde (a local sandwich shop) about 5 minutes from SUMC! I am a little embarrassed at how long it took me to figure this out, but I am just grateful for the extra time I now have to sleep in.
           It has been hard to stay focused in my classes, when all I want to do is day dream about all the places I could go. I have kept myself grounded by sticking to my hobbies and school work. I have finished another book, (I'm trying to read a book a week, because I am truly an unfortunately slow reader) "Will Grayson/Will Grayson" by John Green & David Levithan and give it five stars. John Green is turning into one of my favorite authors. My next reading excursion is "The Portable James Joyce", because ever since my English 102 class read Joyce's short story "Eveline", I have been captivated by his unique writing.
Hasta luego my devoted readers!
Jenny

Everything Is New Again!

           I believe my favorite holiday is New Years Day. Certainly, the adjustment period of learning to correctly write the date on homework assignments and notes can be frustrating but the possibilities that the New Year bring are worth that small annoyance. It may sound trite, but New Years Eve and the days leading up to it are great days to be introspective and to reevaluate your goals.

            I love New Year's resolutions, probably because I know everyone else seems to hate them. What I do to stay inspired in achieving my goals is to start by picking resolutions that are fun, who says they have to be serious? They are my resolutions and I will resolve them as I please. My New Years resolutions revolved around devoting more time to my hobbies. I can fall into routines when I return to work or school and tend to neglect doing the things I love because I feel “too bogged down”. I resolved, in no particular order: 1) to take more photos and learn to master film photography 2) Read all the books I brought with me to Spain 3) Travel while I can 4) Learn to play a musical instrument.

              Just to make myself feel better in relation to my progress I have: 1) brought three film cameras with me to Spain and have already finished four rolls of film 2) Finished reading two novels since arriving in Spain and 3) Planned where I intend upon spending my spring break with my friend Erika.

Unfortunately for resolution 4, I have yet to find a collapsable guitar or piano for travel purposes. I may have to wait until summer to resolve that one.

            Since I have returned to Spain I have had one major new years relization. My epiphany moment came when my friend Erika and I sat down to plan out the places we would like to see in Europe over the break. As I stared down the map of Europe I realized that I am not done with Europe. I haven't seen enough and I haven't done enough. This semester I wanted to figure out where I would be next year and it was no question, I picture myself here.  

       Adios amigos, 

                               Jenny

Feliz Navidad!~End of semester festivities

Feliz Navidad!

Hola readers,
         Finals are over and I am home with my family in good old Massachusetts! Despite being sick for the past week, (perils of traveling) I have managed to see everyone in my immediate family and my close friends. It is so bizarre to feel culture shock from your own culture! I drove again for the first time in 4 months and I can't say I missed it too much!
       Over the course of the semester I have kept in touch with my family in Europe. My Grandfather in Wales, U.K. said I could spend the three week break at his house, but as much as I would have liked to have a holiday in the United Kingdom, it was important for me to come home to the United States. The first year away from home is tough for any college student and I knew coming to Spain meant that I would be thousands of miles away from my family. I never anticipated how much I would miss my relatives and the quirks of my hometown. I am never sentimental and I have never been homesick before, but in Spain I found myself being reminded of my family and friends everywhere I went. When I saw an old tapas bar in Granada, with driftwood tables, I thought of my father's driftwood table. When I went to El Rastro (the infamous flea market) I reminisced times spent at Todd Farm, the flea market in Rowley, MA, where I dutifully spent my Sunday mornings in search of trinkets and lost treasures. I could not walk into a pharmacy in Madrid without conjuring images of my part-time job at Rite Aid Pharmacy and my friendly co-workers. Those who stayed in Madrid while the majority of us at SUMC went home are very brave and lucky to have time to travel Europe commitment-free.
         While it is nice to be back with my family and reconnecting with friends, I do miss Madrid. Coming home was a relief for me; I believe it reaffirmed that coming to Spain was the best decision I made. Instead of Skyping with friends from Boston, I am now Skyping the friends I made at SUMC! I have bought tickets to Lithuania for March 22nd-25th and have confirmed a trip to Paris, France with my friend Caitlin Cataldo in February to celebrate her birthday. Traveling is important to me, and I intend on visiting as many places as I can next semester. I am so excited to see the new faces of students in January and the adventures the new year will bring.

Feliz Navidad, Happy Christmas, Linksmų Kalėdų!!!
Have a great holiday season!!
Adios, 


Jenny Usovicz

Waitlisting Does Pay Off!

Hello!

I have news! I made it to Granada! I went to the school at seven am and found that many students opted out of the trip to Granada to focus on impending deadlines. I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel to so many places in Spain. Barcelona, Santiago, and now Granada! My favorite trip so far (including London) has been Granada. I loved the diversity and clash of cultures in Granada. It has a huge Moorish influence and many Moroccan restaurants and stores.

The first day there we walked uphill and got an incredible view of La Alhambra and then were left to explore independently until dinner. I got some great Christmas presents/souvenirs for my family in Granada and everything was reasonably priced. Dinner was at a Moroccan restaurant where we were served exotic lemonade and sweet tea with desert. Our meals were gigantic plates of couscous topped with either vegetables or chicken (I had the vegetables). The interior of the restaurant was beautiful. I took some photos of the indoor fountains and stained glass lights. I felt like I had entered a passage to another country! Being in Granada made me desperate to travel to Morocco and made me even more jealous of the students traveling there this weekend (you know who you are..)!

The next day we actually went to La Alhambra and saw as much of the inside as possible. The detail was extraordinary. My favorite part however, was the gardens. I think because I associate gardens with vacations in Cardiff, Wales, where my Granddad lives. He takes great pride in his vegetable garden and rose bushes.

The last day everyone went to the bathhouse and got massages. Exhaustion got the best of me and I decided to save my energy for visiting the Cathedral in the afternoon, and slept through the bathhouse visit. I have to say the hotel in Granada was the best hotel I have ever been to in Europe. Breakfast was so nice in the morning it reminded me of the United States in some ways, waking up to a traditional American breakfast. I got lunch with Amy McAllister (head of student activities in Madrid) that day and I asked her about how she learned to speak Spanish so clearly. Amy replied that when she met her husband it gave her the encouragement to use the language constantly. But she also said that she is always learning new words and that her Spanish vocabulary is still growing. I wondered how I could apply that same tactic to my Spanish speaking and have actively sought out friends like Soraya to encourage me to only speak in Spanish to her.

Every time I travel somewhere new, I realize how much I love traveling and how much of the world I have not seen. Being in Europe where everything is so much closer has changed my perspective on the United States. My friend Caitlin Cataldo and I have begun planning trips to New York City and Chicago for when we return to the United States during winter break. There is still so much of the United States that I have not seen. Caitlin and I have resolved to correct this at once by spending time in each other’s hometowns and showing off the best things they have to offer during our winter break.

View

La Alhambra/view

At the Moroccan restaurant

Maggie liked the Garden

Moroccan restaurant!

Vintage Flamenco!

Modern Flamenco!

This place reminded me of my Dad, I think it was all the drift wood.

Tortilla Sandwich

To my American readers, Have a great Thanks Giving! To my Madrid readers, have a great weekend! 

Jenny

A Weekend in London

London!

Hello!

I got back from London on Sunday, and I was so happy to be home. That was when it struck me. I now consider Madrid, and my host-household my home. I never thought I would get used to city life, navigating the metro, or constantly overhearing conversations in Spanish and wondering what the conversation was about, but I have. While I was in London I would feel a smile form across my face when I overheard Londoners make comments about the Spanish, who surprisingly, they had a lot to say about. I glanced back at the women speaking Spanish on the street, searching their faces for some familiarity, but mostly received raised eyebrows in return. I am beginning to associate a small part of myself with Madrid.

I have also noticed my Spanish improving. My host-mother and I usually keep our comments to each other brief, because she speaks no English, and I barely speak Spanish, but lately we have been able to converse with ease. I am by no means fluent, but I aspire to be. I have been making an effort to practice in my spare time.  

Chinese Food, right next to the Hostel

The first day in London, we ate and went promptly to sleep. The next day we woke early and set off for Shakespeare’s Globe Theater and took a guided tour of the inside stage. We also went on the London Eye, a major tourist attraction that takes you up above London and gives you a bird’s eye view of London. Unlucky for us, it was foggy of course, so beyond the clouds, we were lost in the fog.

Shakespeare´s Globe Theatre!

Nurse´s Costume in The Globe

Young Maiden Costume

Queen´s dress for The Globe

Memorial to Veterans

Ahh, London

Interesting Graffiti we turned into a photo-opportunity!

However much I associated with Spain, I also felt that my trip to England was a chance to get in touch with my roots, since my mother was born in London, England. London was not at all what I expected, but that isn´t a bad thing. It was just different from what I assumed. I thought the city would be a constant source of entertainment, people crowded in the streets, cars and busses whizzing by, but what I found was all that and more. Yes, in Piccadilly Square and Oxford Square, there were busses, cars, and people all threatening to run you over, but there were quieter places, peaceful places where I found I fit right in. We visited a lovely park and took pictures in the gold and scarlet fallen leaves. The entire trip the only tea I drank came from the watery kettle in the hostel bar.

 I hope the next time I write you, it will be about my wonderful surprise trip to Granada (I am on the waiting list right now). Have a great weekend!

Off to London!!

Hola!

Today in just a few hours I will be leaving for London! I am so excited to be getting in touch with my British roots. My mother, who was born in London, is ecstatic. The other day I went and exchanged my Euros for Pounds so now I am all set for England! I am interested to see how England will live up to or disappoint my expectations. I have never stayed in a hostel before and this is my first time leaving Spain since I got here in September. I hope that this is the beginning of many positive travels to come.

Wednesday was a holiday here in Spain, Our lady of Almudena, (a local holiday in Madrid) so everyone had the day off from classes. My friend Chi and I decided to walk around Sol and the surrounding areas that afternoon. We were surprised to find hundreds of people gathered in La Plaza Mayor and several film cameras documenting the event. We stayed for a few moments to listen, but unfortunately we were so far away from the microphone and speakers it was difficult to hear. We decided to grab some lunch on the way back to Sol. While we were sitting down to eat, we noticed a parade started to form in the street. There were flags, elaborate costumes, and instruments. We gathered around the windows and the workers filed into the street to watch the parade. The men who worked there explained that the holiday was for the Virgin Mary, and that the holiday was hundreds of years old. Both workers said that the holiday had lost meaning for them, because neither of them was religious. Chi and I took photos and admired the costumes but I could not help feeling sorry for the men who worked there. It seems that Franco´s influence has not evaded the people of Spain. I think because Franco made them ashamed to be Spanish, and because he supported a religious Spain as opposed to the atheism of communism. I tried to explain this to my older sister, Emma, via Skype, but she did not understand. She even asked me, “Who is Franco?” leaving me shaking my head. It is a huge reminder of the benefits of an education abroad. I have learned so much about Spain by just being here, that I would have never learned in the United States. It solidifies in my mind that Suffolk, Madrid was the best place for me to start my freshman year.

                 

A Band!

Various Flag

You thought I forgot a food picture! (Provolone salad with tomato and vinaigrette)

Have a wonderful weekend! I will tell you all about London next week! Hasta luego!

Back from Barcelona, on to London!

Hello!

                Yes I am back from Barcelona! Barcelona was my favorite place I have visited in Spain (so far). We saw lots of architecture, from Gauí including: El Dragón de Parque Güell, la Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló, y Casa Milá. The architecture of Gaudí and other modernists is such a big part of Barcelona. My camera died once again before I could take photos of these amazing places, but I luckily had my film camera, so when those develop I will put them up as soon as possible. Barcelona is one of those places you can´t visit just once. I want to plan a trip there for next semester to explore the city and the places I didn´t have time to see.

                Next weekend, I am excited to announce, I will be in London. It is mind-blowing to me to think of all the traveling I have gotten to do in just a few short months, as well as all the traveling I hope to accomplish. Today before classes I spoke with my Lithuanian cousin, Asura, and I have now begun planning a trip to Kaunas, Lithuania! I will be the first person in my family to do so, even before my half-Lithuanian father! Living here in Madrid has made me want to take advantage of how close I am to other European nations and encouraged me to get in touch with my family overseas. I have mailed letters to my Nana in Ireland as well as my Granddad and Aunt in Wales. I hope that in February I will be able to visit them as well!

                Today, my fellow blogger Soraya and I decided to write to each other in blog form! Here is what Soraya had to say:

Hi Jenny!

How are you? I hope you are very well! Do you remember Barcelona? It was amazing wasn´t it? The thing I liked the most was Batlló´s house. Gaudí´s style and lack of straight lines caught my attention. I loved it! What did you like the most?

I hope we have the chance to travel together again! Take care.

Best wishes,

Soraya

Want to see what I wrote back? Read Soraya´s blog and find out…

http://www.madridistheone.blogspot.com/

p.s. I passed all my Midterms! Yippee!!

 Have a great weekend,

Jenny