Cultural Shock: Salamanca Libraries

So, I know I'm breaking my own rules right now (because I told myself I couldn't blog until I got all of my work done that is due Friday/Monday) but I just have to get this out!! These past few days I have suffered cultural shock: Salamanca library style-- and I can't take it anymore!!!

Let me just lay it out simply. Firstly, I have never heard of such awful library hours in my life. All of the libraries here in Salamanca are only open:

M-F 8:30am-8:30pm (Oh, and by the way, some close during the lunch hour from 2 til 4pm)

Sat 8:30am-1:30pm

Sun CLOSED

My question is... WHERE DO PEOPLE GO TO STUDY ON THE WEEKENDS?? Because seriously, who wants to go to the library that early on the first day of your weekend!? And what happens if your apartment isn't the ideal place to study in because you get distracted/cold/can't concentrate because there are loud construction noises going on below?

Continuing on.... never in my life have I heard of a library...

1. that will not let you bring purses, bags or any other "carrying devices" into a library with you.

2. that won't let you bring your OWN BOOKS in with you!!

3. that makes you leave all of those things in a locker

In my specific university department's library here in Salamanca, you are only allowed to bring pieces of paper/notes, pens/pencils and laptops with you... Ok, I guess it may not so bad... but trust me, after a few times it really starts to drive you crazy!! Especially with the following example:

Yesterday, it was absolutely pouring in the morning, so instead of leaving my umbrella in the locker, I decided to try and sneak it up to the second floor with me (successful! ha ha- soooo sneaky!!) Well, unfortunately, I forgot it and realized it just as I was headed out the door into the rain again. So, with my coat, hat, scarf, gloves and purse on, I decided to run upstairs quickly to get it--OR NOT-- not even 5 steps into my descent of the stairs I was getting yelled at! I tried to explain that I had simply left my umbrella upstairs and I was on my way out the door (as she could clearly see by all of my layers!) but she told me that it didn't matter and that I had to put my purse in the locker-- it seemed so ridiculous to me!! Grrrr!

Other frustrations with my library (which I have heard of in other libraries before, but just because it adds on to the list it makes me more frustrated):

1. You can't bring in food or drinks (not even water)

2. There are not very many tables close to outlets to plug in a laptop

This second point is what finally has drawn me to write this blog post... the University of Salamanca is quickly approaching the undergraduate exam week, therefore, there are WAY more people in the library than normal. Because of that, I decided today that I would eat lunch earlier than the normal Spanish hour (so I ate before 2pm) so that I could arrive to the library when everyone else was eating and find a good place to sit. Well, boy, was I wrong! When I arrived, I'm not kidding, absolutely every table that had a plug next to it had papers and books sprawled out all over them and no one there... again, I couldn't believe it! Everyone had gone to lunch and left their stuff there!

I ended up bumping into Rebecca (the only other American in my masters program) who was also in the same predicament as me... no where to sit with our lap tops. For the mean time, we worked with the battery of our lap tops, but after an hour passed we decided that the tables with the papers on them were fair game. (Please correct me if you think we were wrong, but we both discussed that in any library we have every studied in in the U.S., people usually do not leave everything on a table if they are going to be gone for more than a 1/2 hour). That gives you enough time to go to the bathroom/take a quick walk to clear your mind/or have a coffee break... but anything longer than that and there's no sympathy for you...

Apparently here in Spain, that is not the case. When the girl showed up, whose "seat and table" I had occupied, she was not very happy. Actually, she was a little mad and said "I can't believe you moved my things and sat in my spot". I immediately apologized, but tried to explain that there was no where else for me to go with my lap top and since there hadn't been anyone there for over 2 hours I didn't think it would be a problem. I thought in this case she would maybe say, "Ok, well I guess since I don't need to use a lap top, I can move..."-- but I was wrong again! At this point, I was just so frustrated with this library that I decided to leave (since it was almost 4 o'clock and I knew the other one would finally be opening shortly). The disadvantage to the other one is that I do not have access to the WiFi there because I am not a student of that school... UGGGHHHH!

It just felt like one thing after another these past few days... I feel like I have no ideal place to study and do my master's work! I am really missing the Nazareth College library right now, where I was able to bring in as many bags as I liked, along with my own books, and even a huge coffee and food if I wanted to! *Sigh* Time to take a deep breathe...

I know I will survive... it's just really hard sometimes to get used to things that you don't want to get used to... in the mean time, I guess I better get back to work. I'm back at my apartment, and it's actually not seeming like such a bad place to study now, ha ha :)

M.I.A.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 2010!!! Can you believe it is a new decade!?! I feel like it wasn't that long ago that we welcomed in the new millennium!

Anyway, sorry I've been M.I.A. for over a month now. Just reporting in to say that this is my last week to turn in projects for the first semester. After I've turned them all in I'll be sure to write about the amazing 18 day vacation Brendan and I took around Spain, including a visit to my former home, Valencia (and a Rotary presentation), then we went on to Jumilla (Murcia), Granada, Córdoba and Sevilla.

(Unfortunatley, I had to do a little bit of homework on trains and buses during the trip) Here's the proof! ha ha! Will write soon! I promise! :)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Yep, it's official-- Christmas is on it's way! I wanted to share all of these beautiful pictures with you of Salamanca all decorated for the holidays. This is the first weekend they have lit them all up at night, since it is what they call "un puente" which literally means "a bridge" but it refers to a long weekend, since Sunday was "el Día de la Constitución" (Constitution Day) and today (Tuesday) was "la Inmaculada Concepción" (the Immaculate Conception). I think I would kind of relate this weekend in Spain with our long Thanksgiving weekend. Both seem like the official kick-off of the Christmas season, complete with busy stores and Christmas shoppers. Brendan came here to spend the weekend with me, which was really nice because we were able to get our Christmas shopping done and enjoy the lights around the city. Unfortunately now, it's back to reality for me... Last Friday was my last day of classes for the semester (whoo hoo!) and they have given us this full week off to study and to start projects and papers that are due in January. Next week I have my exams. Wish me lots of luck (as I am very nervous)!

La Plaza Mayor

Pretty side street next to la Plaza Mayor

View of "la catedral" from la Calle Rua

My Rotary Counselor's business (a former palace) all decorated!

Calle Toro

The street right next to where I live (Calle Zamora)

La Puerta de Zamora

Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving in Spain was a success! :) On Saturday afternoon, Brendan and I along with Rebecca from my master's program and her friend Alison hosted the traditional feast in my apartment. It was such a great experience because the other six people that we shared the dinner with had only ever seen or heard about Thanksgiving in American movies. First time "Thanksgiving'ers" were my roommate Esther (Spanish), my Rotary host counselor's daughter, Eva (Spanish), and friends from class: Maribel (Spanish), Cristina (Greek), Elena (Estonian), and Mohammad (Iranian). One of my favorite parts about the meal was when they all said that they felt like we were in a movie and they all added how they never thought they'd be a part of a Thanksgiving dinner. I could tell that they really all felt so happy to be sharing the day with us and I for sure felt thankful that they were all there. The dinner could not have happened without the help of everyone.

Getting ready to "give thanks" (in 3 different languages, by the way: Spanish, English and French)

Pictured from left to right: (Brendan, Rebecca, Alison, Elena and Cristina)

Pictured from left to right: (Mohammad, Maribel, Eva and Esther)

I think this is my favorite picture of the whole day because it captures the true essence of Thanksgiving- everyone talking and passing around the food :)

Brendan's plate, complete with turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, vegetables, cheddar biscuits and cranberry sauce! Yum!

Dessert time: Estonian apple pie made by Elena (top), traditional pumpkin pie made by Rebecca & Alison (bottom right) and No-bake pumpkin pie made by me (bottom left)

Brendan and I happy to be together and to have some pumpkin pie! :)

Elena and Cristina enjoying the dessert

Rebecca and Alison- super happy to be eating pumpkin pie! Look at those grins!

Oh my gosh, we were so stuffed! What a good day!

My Rotary host counselor's daughter (Eva) and I

My roommate Esther and I

Pretty fall leaves (just starting to turn colors here)

My friend Maribel (from Murcia, Spain) and I

And to finish up, below is a little video that Brendan took of our Thanksgiving dinner (please take note that he is speaking Spanish!!) :) ha ha- Yay! I'm so proud of him!

Gone Turkey Hunting in Salamanca (Spain that is)

Yep, that's right! Even though I am far away from home, the tradition will go on!!! :) I am very sad to not be at home with my family, but I'm not going to let that keep me down. Brendan, along with Rebecca (an American classmate from my master's program) and Alison (an American friend of Rebecca's) and I will be sharing this most wonderful feast with my two roommates and a few friends from the master's program in my apartment this Saturday. In preparation for the Thanksgiving dinner, I knew I had to go out "hunting" as soon as possible for the most important part of the feast: "el pavo" (the turkey). The thing is, I knew turkey existed here, but I knew it wasn't quite as popular as "jamones y embutidos" (hams and sausages) (which are an essential part of this region of Spain's diet). In any case, I was lucky enough to get the help of my Spanish friend, Maribel, who said she wouldn't mind coming with me to "una carnicería" (a meat shop) to scope out the situation. In the end, we decided to go straight to "el mercado" (the market) which sells fresh vegetables, fruits, meat and seafood everyday. It turns out, that out of ALL of the vendors there (and there are MANY that sell meats and poultry) that only one place sold turkey!! I was getting a little discouraged at first seeing stand after stand with only ham and sausages hanging from the ceiling, but finally we found what we were looking for :) The sad part is that it had to be the only one with rabbits hanging from the ceiling, complete with all their fur, ready to be sold as dinner... while all I could think was how I see those little guys romping around my backyard at home and they are so cute! :( Needless to say, with the thought of Thanksgiving in my mind, I pressed on.

Once it was my turn to order, Maribel and I told the butcher that we wanted a turkey in order to do a traditional American dinner on Saturday. Unfortunately, the butcher told us that he doesn't usually sell the whole bird, as I noticed right away because he only had turkey breasts. I'm not gonna lie though, the thought of cooking the whole bird here sounded a little overwhelming to me, so I was completely fine with the idea of buying the turkey breast all nice and clean and ready to cook :) ha ha! Anyways, he was very nice and informed us that he gets a fresh order of turkey on Wednesdays and Fridays so it would be better for us to come back Friday, and that way I could also buy a few turkey legs if I wanted, too. Maribel and I both agreed, as we did not like the idea of having raw turkey in the fridge for 4 more days. Mission accomplished! :)

Now, all that's left to do is start planning who's going to prepare what of all the other important dishes. Thanks to my mom and Brendan's mom, we will be able to have two pumpkin pies, stuffing and cranberry sauce, and Rebecca has also volunteered to make her amazing version of Red Lobster's "Cheddar Bay Biscuits." Oh my gosh, I seriously can't wait-- my mouth is already watering!! I'll be sure to take pictures to document it all and I'll write about it in my next post!

Alright... I better get back to planning this feast (oh yea, and I guess I should probably study and do my homework, huh? ha ha!) But before I do, I wanted to wish you all a very

¡FELIZ DÍA DE LA ACCIÓN DE GRACIAS!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I'm so thankful to have such wonderful friends and family, and soon to be family- the Shea's :) For my parents and brother who I love so much because no matter what, they have always been there for me-- I miss you so much! For Brendan, the love of my life, who didn't even think twice to follow me half way across the world-- I don't know what I would do without you. Also, for Rotary for allowing me the amazing opportunity to live and study in Spain. And last but not least, even though it may sound a little silly, I am thankful for Skype which has allowed me to stay connected with my loved ones and always feel just a little bit closer to home.

Hello to Rotary District 7120

Here is a little 4 minute video of me talking a little bit about Salamanca, my masters program and my experiences so far with Rotary. I will let you know, there are a few times when I lose my train of thought-- so I apologize, as I realize this is not the best speech I have ever made, ha ha. The truth is, I am surrounded by Spanish so much that I do find it hard to speak and think in English at times. Also, I will admit that it made me nervous speaking in English with so many people walking by me and staring (probably thinking.... hmmm... what is that girl doing?) ha ha! Anyways, I hope this video helps to give you a little bit of an idea of what my experience in Salamanca is like so far. Enjoy!

P.S. I had my first dream in Spanish two nights ago since being here in Salamanca (the last ones I had were 3 years ago when I was in Valencia! :) (I've always heard that once you start dreaming in a foreign language, you know that's when you've really got it!) So excited!

Life around the "piso" with 2 Spanish girls

I've been meaning to write this post for the longest time! I know many of you are probably curious to hear about my living situation, so here it finally is!! I live in a 3 bedroom apartment in a very centric part of the city with 2 Spanish girls, Esther and Ana (pictured below). I feel so fortunate to have been put in contact with them through my Rotary host counselor's daughter, Eva, because they are a pretty good match for me. (The only thing I wish was that Spain saw smoking cigarettes a little more like we do in the U.S.) In any case, we really get along so well! There are many times that we will eat meals together, we joke around a lot together, and whenever they have friends over they always invite me to hangout with them. Besides being good company, one of the best parts is that by living with two Spanish girls I am even more exposed to the Spanish language, so it has really been great in helping me improve my Spanish (both listening and speaking skills!)

Here is a picture of the three of us having lunch together in our kitchen one afternoon.

Above is a picture of Esther. She is from Santander (the north of Spain), 22 years old, Senior Psychology student at the private University of Salamanca

Above is a picture of Ana and the lunch she made us. She is from Badajoz (Extremadura), 22 years old, Senior Education student at the private University of Salamanca.

This is Bolita (which means "Little Ball") Ana's hamster who we play with a lot :)

A view of the closet in my bedroom, and of course, pictures of home taped on :)

Where I do all of my hard work and studying!

Rotary flags on display!

Refrigerator (a little small for 3 girls) and microwave

Washing machine and sink

NOTE: (Dishwashers are not common and neither are clothes dryers)--

2 things I REALLY REALLY miss!

Gas stove and oven

Our retro style kitchen :)

Bathroom

Gotta love the olive green tiles- ha ha!

Hallway

Entryway to the apartment (I really love the mirror- typical Spanish!)

Living Room- The girls really like classic Hollywood movies (as you can tell from the posters)

Living Room