A Breath of Fresh Air

Yesterday I started out February the right way by skiing in the Sierra Nevadas just outside of Granada with about 8 friends. I am terrible about taking people pictures so I don't even have a group photo. I always forget, especially if I am distracted by my surroundings. My program director and one of his friends drove us up for the day.

 As you can tell by the pics below there wasn't much snow but they had done a great job of making snow all season and so almost the whole mountain was open. 

My favorite part of any ski resort is the view from the highest point. And yesterday did not disappoint. A few of my friends had never skied before so I took them to the Bunny hill and gave them a few lessons. But after about an hour or so I was itching to head to the top. So 4 of us left the beginners to practice their technique and headed onward. We got to the very top and we could see the ocean and Morocco. It was insane. I couldn't stop staring at the view. And on the other side was Granada and smaller mountain peaks as far as the eye could see. It seriously felt like a National Geographic special.

The day ended up being pretty expensive but it definitely worth it. It is unbelievable how perfect Granada has been. I love being outdoors and here, the ocean, mountains, hiking, and fantastic views are only minutes away. I am so thankful for my time here and can't believe I still have 4 months to go! 

Mark, Georgia, Zach

Me and Zach at the top of the World

it really was a perfect day

just staring at Africa. no big deal

research center

Look closely. the shiny part in the middle is the ocean, and beyond if you look really hard you can see mountain peaks in Morocco. no joke.

More than Just Words

I am currently in my second week of a 3 week long intensive spanish language course. I go to a class 5 days a week for 4 hours straight with one 15 minute break. It is intense (haha) but so worth it. I feel like I have learned so much in just 9 days of class. But I guess that is the point. The last two days of class have been even more intense than the rest. Mostly because my professor started teaching us how to do and say things like a local person would. Strange sounding, I know. I have been here for about 5 months and somehow i hadn't learned a lot of this stuff.

A language is not just words, it is a culture. To understand the language you almost HAVE to understand the culture. Learning a language is one thing but learning how to use it correctly is an entirely different thing. One of the hardest adjustments for me in learning/applying Spanish is that the biggest difference is the manner in which Spanish people are polite. Let me explain.

As Americans who speak English we put a lot of emphasis on saying things like 'please, and thank you very much, and sir, and ma'am. We use big words and try to dance around being as direct as possible when asking for stuff from somebody we don't know. Not the spanish. They are very direct people. So when you go to a restaurant/bar/grocery store you don't really say 'please' or 'may i please have' you actually mostly use the command form of the words, meaning you are direct and to the point. The 'niceness' comes in the intonation of your voice, not the words you use.  I have been learning about this concept since 8th grade but it wasn't until i was faced with putting it into practice here that I realized just how different that is. I still feel so weird saying things like 'me pone un cafe' or 'me traes la cuenta.' (simply translated into 'bring me a/the_________.) you can say please but not many people do. It is so weird.

It has been such a great experience to studying in Spain. To learn the culture, to understand a way of life very different from my own. And to be able to travel to places I have only dreamed about is pretty awesome.  Honestly never thought i might one day get to lay on a beach in Portugal, swim in the Mediterranean Sea,  stand under the Eifel Tower, eat raw oysters out of ocean off the coast of France, take the sound of music tour, go on a winery tour through the Tuscany region in Italy and so much more. I'm sure some of you are probably fuming with jealousy right now. But I don't apologize :) I am so excited and thankful for this opportunity and the things I have learned so far and the things i have yet to learn/experience.

And to think I still have 5 months left to enjoy of my experience. I feel like the luckest girl in the world right now.

Los Cahorros y Las Alpujarras

I never have school on Fridays and I have been sticking close to Granada the past few weeks so this week I decided to do a little hiking. A 30 minute bus ride from the city that cost 1.30 euro took me here...

Indiana Jones bridge

part of the trail was a single track concrete trail and they had these handholds hammered into the side of the valley to help you along. 

we made 2 frieds that day. This cow and our new Australian friend, Jack.

this would be when we took a wrong turn and got 'lost'

then decided take a break and turn around. none of us had the desire to spend the night in the woods without supplies.

Then today my program took everybody to the Alpujarras. Picturesque mountain villages about an hour outside of Granada. Unbelievably gorgeous. At one point, while tucked far away into the mountains you can see the Mediterranean Sea and if you go high enough, you can see Africa. I didn't see Africa but I saw this... 

my favorite

a local carpet making workshop. pretty cool

The last two days have been just what I needed. And I still have one day left to rest. So amazed by this place in which I get to live for 10 months..

Go Spurs Go!!

As we all know I am a San Antonio Spurs fan. Have been as long as I can remember. I always get made fun of here for being one because no one really likes the NBA so I try not to be too overly obnoxious. I don't like the NBA too much, I mostly just like the Spurs. All growing up I went to game after game after game. Some of my best memories. The announcers are so fun and the Coyote (official mascot) is super entertaining. The music is fun and there are so many cheers to keep the fans involved Also, the Spurs are San Antonio's only major sports team. Literally the entire city loves the Spurs. The team spirit is unbelievable and the AT&T center is pretty much full every game. It is hard to describe the pride I have for them to people who have never been to a home Spurs game. Too me it is even different than loving a college team or having a favorite team in general. It runs deeper than that. Call me crazy but it literally is the team that I have cheered for through thick and thin.

This week I had a different Spurs experience. My friend, Megan, lives in Atlanta, Georgia and is also a huge Spurs fan. We have bonded tremendously over this and other things. In February she asked me if I would like to come to see them play the Hawks in April. I said yes. She then told me I didn't have to buy my ticket. Unbelievable this girl. For two months we had a countdown going, it was hilarious and probably annoying to everyone else.

This week was the big day. I left class on Tuesday and drove from Asheville to Atlanta. Megan and I went to Taco Cabana for dinner. Yep! there is one lone TC in Atlanta that somehow continues to survive. Sometimes I think it is there just for me. Then we headed to the Arena. The whole time I had no idea where our seats were going to be. Megan wanted it to be a surprise and so I let it be one. We walked around for a few minutes before descending towards the floor. I still had no idea where we were going. All of the sudden I heard the words "floor seats" and and I was super pumped. THEN I looked up and realized not only did we have floor seats but they were front row, directly behind the Spurs bench!! I cannot lie. I was literally in shock. Even Megan who had purchased the tickets, was in shock. There is no way to describe it except to say, it was awesome. We were so close.

Close enough to reach out and touch every player (if not for the security guards).

Close enough to read all of their tattoos and to see Manu's bald spot up close and personal.

Close enough to literally be standing up and part of the huddle every time a full timeout was called.

Close enough to rest drinks on their team water cooler (before we were caught).

Close enough to get Tim Duncan to smile at us and George Hill to turn around and stare deep into our souls.

Close enough to see hear Tony's accent and coach Greg Popovich get very angry.

Close enough to personally encourage each player. Especially Tiago..

Need proof? (all photos courtesy of Megan herself)..my camera is still broken

We even had better seats than Danny Ferry! he used to play

for the Spurs.

The night was unbelievable! and one I am sure never to forget. Megan and I had so much fun cheering and laughing and yelling. I apparently was on TV a alot in San Antonio. Several friends told me as much. There were two younger guys sitting next to us who provided just as much entertainment as the game itself.

I have never felt so involved in a game before. I can't even count the number of Spurs games I have been in attendance at but this one pretty much topped almost every single one of them in respect to closeness to the players.

At the end of the game we ran over for high fives. George Hill was the only one who stopped to give us one but honestly, he was the only one we were really hoping for. Perfection.

It was so fun to be there and it to feel like a quasi-night in Texas. Megan is super fun and awesome. I have been to Atlanta twice in the past year and have yet to be disappointed!

It was also very fun to talk about afterwards. I have replayed the whole game and looked at the pictures (all of which were taken my Megan) so many times just to make sure I wasn't dreaming.

So far, it might have been the overall best night of 2011.

Here's to you Megan Hafer!!!

Frontier in June