joy joy joy

I'd say it's about time for another update, wouldn't you? This week brought some new challenges and an abundance of new lessons and joys, all of which I'll culminate for you on a stomach full of ribs, olive oil, fresh bread, roasted almonds, peaches, and coffee with milk.





We had our first few tests this week at school. Since I'm enrolled in the "Science" program, I have classes such as Biology, Chemistry, and Earth Sciences. The words and concepts are very similar to those in English... So it's fairly easy for me to follow along. For example, in Biology we're learning about Bioelements (bioelementos), including glucids (glucidos), lipids (lipidos), nucleic acids (acidos nucleicos), and proteins (proteinas). I worked my butt off in high school to understand these concepts and this year is proving to be a test as to how much I really retained. Since I've already graduated, my main priority for this year isn't studying and school, but rather learning Spanish. Turns out one of the greatest ways to learn a language is to work through it in textbooks and by taking all the notes the teacher puts up on the blackboard... So I'm studying while acheiving my goal of learning Spanish. It must be paying off, I'm recieving better grades than many of my classmates, which makes us all a little confused and leaves us laughing. Grading systems are a little confusing in Spain, I'm just starting to grasp them. In high school, the year is divided into trimesters. At the end of each trimester, there is an evaluation (literally, la evaluacion). That evaluation counts for 60% of your grade and is a summary of what you've learned the entire trimester. Within the trimester, you take two tests which account for 40%. Everything is graded out of 10 here and a 5 is considered a passing grade. The two tests are averaged at the end of the trimester. So, if you get a 4 on your first test, you need to get at least a 6 on the next test in order to pass that trimester, taking into account the evaluation. I got a 6.5 on my Biology test (the third best in my class), a 5.4 on my Chemistry test, and similar scores on my Philosophy and History tests. My teachers are very understanding about my grammar, because if they had been taking into account gramatical errors, I think I would have scored much lower :)



I'm still flourishing at school in terms of friends and conversation. My only frustration is that sometimes my friends want to improve their English, so they insist on speaking to me in English the whole day... But I don't worry too much about this because I can already see how much my Spanish has improved since I got here. All I can say is that I'm incredibly thankful for the people that reached out to me in school. They absolutely didn't have to, my language restrictions would have made it easy for them to just dismiss me, but they were kind anyways and now we can all laugh and speak conversationally throughout the day because of their patience and good hearts. I talk to new people each day and butt heads with my English teacher on a new concept every day. I never ever correct her, even though she's often incorrect but as soon as I falter in one area (such as the "formal" method of speech which we NEVER use) she's all over my case. I kindly told her the other day that she's a native Spanish speaker, just like I would never correct her on her Spanish I'd appreciate if she wouldn't correct me (the native English speaker) on my English. She's been leaving me alone a little more as of late. My friend Jesus always requests a Smackdown between us and tells me how much Laura (that's my English teacher) has "owned" me. Unfortunately, Jesus can't really pronounce owned so he says "own-head", which in itself makes me laugh. What a kooky crew we all are :)

Yesterday (Saturday, October 24) I went on an expedition to the mountains in Madrid. There are about 20 of us living in the Madrid area and the large marjority of us met and treked up to the highest peak in Madrid. I'm a little disoriented without the distinct changing of seasons, the trees are barely changing colors, and it's still a gorgeous 70 degrees most days. The mountain hike was difficult to say the least, I'm feeling it today but it was entirely satisfying to reach the top above the clouds laughing and completely content with the other exchange kids, all of us looking at the others realizing "We're in Spain. On top of a mountain. What more is there?" The well-being of exchange students is very much dependent on the weather. On days where it is sunny and decent outside, you can always find something to do, the skies are clear-- go take a walk, sit in the park and draw, meet up with a friend for a McFlurry. Earlier this week we had our first bout of nasty weather, overcast skies and drizzling rain, capitalized by cold. Those days were hard for me, I tasted boredom and felt the guilt of being on my computer just a little too much. But I got through those days and appreicate them all the more now. Talking to former exchange students is incredibly helpful, I love hearing stories and encouraging words never get old. We all go for different reasons and we all end up coming away with different lessons learned, but we share a bond of adventure and uncertainty. We all identify with the other in some special way. It doesn't matter how many preparation meetings you attend, how many "tips" you recieve, or any amount of past experience is shared, there are some things about being an exchange student that are just plain hard. But it's weekends and days like mine on the mountain that make you put every bit of the difficulties in perspective and love what you have and love the time you have left and the time that has passed. There are too many things to count that I'm looking forward to, if these months are supposed to be the "hard" ones, I can't wait to see how high I'm going to get the chance to fly. I love Spain and everything it's teaching me. A part of me never wants to leave and I love that, but a part of me is excited to go home, which I also love, because it's an affirmation of how much I appreciate what I have to go home to. But not yet, folks... I have a whole lot of living yet to do in this gorgeous country, and I intend to embrace if fully.

Besos, Sami

ADDRESS

attention, attention, attention

all letters/postcards/packages/anything at all should be addressed to:



Samantha Weaver
Ecuador 12, Bajo B
Majadahonda 28220
Spain

Thank you :)

madrid--- take one

Having lived in the country for the larger portion of my life, and in a small town before that, the shift to a city could have been disastrous. Suddenly nothing is calm, everything is always moving, peace has redefined itself as the presence of only a few crazies on the metro, and quiet assumes that you're taking into account the cars, the honking and murmuring of voices past your window, the din of your upstairs neighbors, and the ever so occasional bird that dares to fly among the smog. I never would've placed myself in a city, I'd have chosen the more piteresque, "postcard" location-- I guess that's why they don't let you choose.

Turns out Rotary actually knows what they're doing :) Despite some of my fellow exchange friends experiences that contrast this impression, I've had nothing but luck and good fortune during my time here. I feel well cared for, but I'm also proud, feeling like I took a lot of initiative towards my own success. I ventured into Madrid two days ago with the other exchange student Jesse who lives in Majadahonda, and we met up with two other exchange girls who are living in various parts of Madrid. They walked us around the city, it was remarkable how well they already know their way in such a giant place. We saw the Royal Palace and the Cathedral that is right next to it. We walked along Gran Via and went to Plaza Mayor and Puerta de Sol. We stopped at a famous bakery and had Spanish pastries (you could almost feel your teeth disintegrating, they were so sweet). We walked through Parks and around street vendors and wacky performers; two of the highlights being a man who played whole compilations using crystal glasses of various shapes and filled with water to various levels and a man who was dressed entirely in sequins besides a goat mask that adorned his head and banged on pots. We sipped Coca-Cola Lights (there's no such thing as Diet Coke here) as we walked past the aritificial lake in the park. The wonder of the buildings here dwarves anything that I've ever seen in the United States, or anywhere else in the world for that matter. The carvings on the buildings are perfected down the the last feature on every angel, saint, rose, horse, and fountain. The city is clean and beautiful, and history radiates from every streetlamp and cobblestone. It's amazing to me how this doesn't seem to affect the people that live and walk among it every day. Then I flipped perspectives and realized that I do the same with the gorgeous, natural beauty that I'm surrounded by in Minnesota.

I'm suffering from a slight cold, my lungs are a little crackly and I'm finding myself blowing my nose into floral scented Kleenex quite often, but I'm sure with the gorgeous (admittedly chilly) weather and being out and about all the time, that will clear up very soon. I've been to two discotecas at this point, both were great adventures. Guys and girls don't dance with each other here, we all sort of just dance together. It's not dirty in any way, everyone is there to just have a good time. On the other hand, the amount of PDA (Public Display of Affection) is totally overwhelming-- it's not unusual to look over and see one of your friends locking lips with someone else for a few minutes, only to return to the group totally unphased. I refrained (and plan to continue refraining) from this particular aspect of Madrid nightlife-- I just don't think I'm Spanish enough for that one, folks.

I'm learning ways to deal with the "overwhelmed" feeling that I sometimes get after coming home from an entire day of Spanish in school, where, if I have both Philosophy and History in one day, my brain can get a little frazzled. More and more, however, I'm finding myself not literally translating everything in my head, I just hear and process, there's not a lot of hoops that the words have to jump through in my head anymore (such as, what tense is this in, what does the verb mean, in the context of the sentence what are they saying, does this person have a lisp?-- oh wait, no, everyone talks like that, etc.) When I do get run down with it all, I watch one of the DVDs that I brought with me in English or I read a book in English-- and I try not to feel guilty about it. I'm submersed in this language, there's no doubt about that... The occasional episode of House isn't going to reverse all of that learning, right? It's strange to think that just by being here, the language is soaking into me. I'm unconciously "learning", without sitting down and studying for hours. It makes me feel constantly productive and thoroughly international :)

Besos y Abrazos, Sami

the world is shrinking

My best friend Sam Estenson who's also on exchange to Japan this year through Rotary posted in his blog today a very short, sweet, and simple statement (a rare feat from my darling Samuel) that essentially says that if there's one thing that having all this free time has taught him, it's that he doesn't want all this free time. I love being able to come home and not have to really stress over anything at all. Being able to just lay around and read a book or watch tv with the intention of meeting up with some friends or hanging out with my family is a much appreciated change for this girl with so much to do that it seemed as if it was too much to do.

I don't know how long I could do this for, however. Certainly not every day for the rest of my life. I took this year to slow down and evaluate, I'm finding that the most learning happens when you're not seeking knowledge.

My friend from my hometown of Northfield, Minnesota (her name is Grayce Forsythe) is here in Madrid through a program where she teaches a family's children English in exchange for room and board in the city. She's here until December 20, so we made a date today to meet up in Madrid. As we were sitting there talking, I mentioned that I'm not actually in Madrid, I'm in the town of Majadahonda right outisde of Madrid. She looked at me in amazement, telling me that's where she was living too. It turns out she's right across the street from me. In all of the world, in all of Spain, this is where our paths crossed. We promised each other not to see the other one too much though-- it would be so easy to become dependent on that familiarity. But hold your hats folks, the world is shrinking.

Life here in Spain is, thrillingly, routine at this point. On Friday night, I actually had to choose between what I wanted to do, I got invited several places, which was an utterly exciting concept. I ended up going out with Bea Friday night into Madrid and with my friend Robi into Madrid Saturday night. Sunday was a very relaxed day, I hung out with the family, and Monday was a national holiday-- a double header because of Colombus Day and El Dia de Pilar (basically celebrating the saint Pilar-- it's sort of like a second birthday for anyone named Pilar).

People ask me, "what are the people like in Spain?" or "what is the school like in Spain?" and I'm finding it harder and harder to answer. People are people, school is school, family is family, no matter where you are in the world. It's hard to put into words what distinguishes European life from American life because the lines are sort of blurring-- the only really obvious difference at this point is the language, but that's getting more managable by the hour.

It's the birthday of several of my friends this weekend so there are parties to go to and memories to be made. I had my first Chemistry test today, it didn't go great, but it went alright, I have a history test on Thursday. Walking to school this morning, I was freezing, fall has officially arrived in Spain. The pictures are of a little outing my family took on Sunday, I wasn't feeling all that well so I couldn't go, but the pictures are beautiful regardless.

Hasta Luego, Sami

fotos fotos y fotos 3

Don't really know if you can ask for a lot more than this...

The Spanish flag

A staple on the Gran Via of Majadahonda (the main drag of my hometown)... You better believe that this bench belongs to these ladies too, you wouldn't see a different group occupying it... They all have their respective places and groups, elderly men and women alike. Absolutely unforgettable

Jacobo snapped this shot at La Escorial in an entryway... The thought of the construction behind this magnificent place is overwhelming within itself, needless to say the history within it... How many thousands of people have walked through that door?

The outside of La Escorial, it stretches far far far in both directions (to the left and the right) as well.

fotos fotos y fotos 2

At La Escorial with Jacobo... If you look closely you can see the statues of the saints on the white pillars above us...

Yet another breathtaking view with Javi and Jacobo

Ana is a big fan of taking pictures when you're not really looking, but I ended up liking this one because of the background

The seat of King Felipe II with Javi and Jacobo

Marta is on the left, Mateo is on the right holding his newly christened baby sister Lola

fotos fotos y fotos

Yet another set of photos.... I agree with Sam Estenson (www.estenson.blogspot.com) in that oftentimes pictures can express a culture better than words; you just have to feel it.

Above is my grandfather and one of my little cousins named Marta. We gather at my grandfather's every week at 2 pm and eat paella and play cardgames and enjoy each other's company.

My host sister Bea and I

At Las Fiestas de Las Rozas with friends

More Fiestas de Las Rozas (I like this picture because it has Bea in it and one of my best friends here named Rocio, the other girl to my left)

This is where everyone buys their books and school supplies in Majadahonda. This tiny shop supplies everything for the entire town, you have to wait about an hour or more to get anything.
Kids here don't rent school textbooks, it's similar to college in that they're all purchased and all pretty expensive (about 30 euros per book).

the house

The pool that's in the center of the complex, or "urbanizacion" where I live.

There are about 6 buildings like the one shown, with the pool and a tennis court and a garden at the center.

This is the entryway to my house... The kitchen is just through the open door. The front door is to your right and the door on the left leads to the bedrooms and bathrooms. And yes, that is a real zebra.

This is a couch and table in the living room, which is combined with the entryway shown above. If you were to turn left from this perspective, you would see another couch and a giant window that looks out onto the pool and garden.

This is my room. My desk is further past that chair and behind the head of my bed is my closet. Facing the bed are shelves and an aquarium. I'm staying in the room of my host brother who is in the United States on exchange right now-- Javi.

This is my building from the back... If you were the one taking this picture, the pool would be behind you. On the bottom floor where you can see the awning is that giant window in the living room that mentioned above, and my room is the next window to the left.

I apologize for taking so long on posting all of this information and these pictures... I'll be posting my address in one of the next few blogs if you want to send anything, I wouldn't say no :)

Con mi amor, Sam

context

I wonder if Father Time ever felt disoriented.... As someone who is operating under his watchful, constant tick tock, I have to tell you that I'm more befuddled than ever over this "time" concept. I have been in Spain for ONE MONTH today. I will be here for some months more. I find myself putting time in all sorts of different contexts, not out of want to go home, simply out of sheer amazement at it's many faces. I have been here for one entire month, I will only be here for a few more. I won't say that it felt like yesterday that I landed in the Madrid Airport, because not only is that cliche, it would be untrue. But that statement shouldn't carry a negative connotation, I've loved my time here, I'm thrilled at the thought of more.

I'm settling into a nice routine after school. I've really gotta tell you how awesome it is not to have to do anything. As the queen of over-scheduling, the girl that had to squeeze in time for precious things like sleep and eating, the concept of coming home and reading a good book or just hanging around with my host brother or walking down to the shopping center with a friend for no good reason are all very much appreciated. My host mother is always apologizing to me for "not having anything to do" and I'll continue to explain to her that that nothingness was my entire reason for coming. To slow down. To breathe. To stop measuring and analyzing and comprehending everything. To just get in touch with what there IS, not with what COULD BE. I'm learning, I'm always learning, but without a giant stack of books at the foot of my bed while I chow down a frozen dinner and weigh out how I'm going to manage a violin lesson, soccer practice, several meetings, and AP testing the next day.

The only thing that I'm expected to do here is be myself. And it's fantastic to figure out a little more each day who that person is. This experience hasn't been completely smooth 100% of the way, I'd be a little concerned if it had. I know there will be tough days. But I also know there will be great days. So I'm seeking the good but embracing the bad. One month in... Doesn't have to be put in the context of anything else.

Besos, Samantha Roma (ps. A lot of my teachers just call me "Roma"... It's my middle name and easier to pronounce with a Spanish accent. I absolutely love it. Oh, and the picture above is at my grandfather's house with two of my young cousins... perfecto)

for the grandmas

I'm finally able to post some pictures of what most would consider the "classic" Spain. I went to La Silla de Felipe II and La Escorial yesterday with my mom, dad, and brother. It's still gorgeous weather in Spain, despite the fact it's "autumn". The best way to describe the autumn here is with a Spanish word-- "precioso" which literally means "cute" but can be interpreted as precious and untouchable. I sort of miss the changing colors of the Minnesota forests, but a break from the cold is much appreciated. The trees are changing slightly but nothing compared to the vibrance back home.

La Silla de Felipe II literally means "The Seat of Felipe II" and is the place where the famous king sat down over his newly claimed kingdom and determined where everything would be placed and declared it his own land. Looking over the land as he did, it was easy to appreciate the immense history of this country, it's age dwarves that of the U.S. There are letters carved into the seat where the king sat marking it as his territory, I sat upon that very throne which overlooks the historic La Escorial chapel and palace and listened to my host father explain all the wonders of what I was looking at, nodding attentively, and actually understanding the majority of it. This was, in itself, a wonder and made me appreciate all the small wonders of everyday living.

We proceeded from La Silla to La Escorial Palace and Chapel, which doesn't sound familiar when you first hear it, but the images should strike a chord. The chords rang rampant throughout the famous church, as we entered during one of the masses and stayed for the duration. It was everything that a Spanish service should be, there was a chanting of the Word with three priests dressed all in green and white. There were attendants and bell ringing and a collection which included a man straight out of Dan Brown's Angels and Demons walking up and down the pews collecting euros. The most incredible part of the mass for me was the singing of the choir and the organ playing. The voices were almost surreal and echoing throughout the giant structure as if they were singing to God and no one else, despite your religious beliefs, their conviction and their chords intermingling with the brassy confidence of the organ once again made it obvious to me how irrelevant language barriers can be. I found out later that the choir was made up entirely of young boys as they later trapsed by punching each other and stepping on one another's robes, which made entirely it's own statement about belief, innocence, and the untouchable wonder that surrounded me.

I couldn't take pictures in the church because it was a Sunday and there was a mass going on-- but this is a picture of the entrance to the church, you can see the saints lining the entrance above, it reminded me of my Grandma Colleen and attending Catholic services ever so often when I was younger, images of my Grandma Roma and her rosaries drifted through my mind as well; it's incredible what can remind you of home in a place that couldn't be farther from it. I was promised that we would return to the quaint town of La Escorial and it's curved, winding, cobblestone streets so that I could take pictures of the inside of the church, so the explination of the sanctuary will have to wait until then, because it literally cannot be described in words.

We moved from the church to the other aspects of La Escorial, including the enormous palace and servants quarters attached. The gardens reminded me of my Grandma Jan in her infinite love for all things flora, they sharply contrasted the rigid architecture of La Escorial, somehow enhancing it's enchantment-- even in a history riddled with oppression and occupations, Spain has forever maintained it's grace in certain aspects, without a doubt in the pure beauty of it's land and it's people. The car ride home was sleepy and content, which could have been due in part to the fiestas that took place the night before and on Friday night. I'm finding my balance in between social life and my responsibilities and family time; though I have to give a lot of the credit for that to my wonderful host family. Bea has provided all sorts of opportunities I'd never have had, my host parents are loving and understanding, and Jacobo forever will have a place in my heart. I can't express enough how lucky I feel to have found my niche, because let's be honest, a lot of this program and a person's success within it is based on luck. And I really, truly hit the jackpot, folks. I wrapped up my Sunday night (and my fourth week, as the calenders here start on Monday) watching Crepusculo-- Twilight-- after a delicious Sunday meal filled with teasing and loving. Bea starts University today; as I've mentioned, kids in college live at home here in Spain, so I'll still see her on weekends but she has class every day from 3-10, meaning our time to hang out on the weekdays will be limited. Fortunately, I've made other connections at school and in the town with friends and there are a lot of exchange students in Madrid or the immediate surrounding areas, so if my brain ever needs a little vacation from this vacation, I know I can always call them. Que Buena Suerte Mis Amigos, what good luck my friends, to have been blessed with this adventure and these people. I'm only about a month in and it's already difficult for me to think about leaving these loved ones and this home. And at this point, I love, above all, that I feel comfortable enough to really call this my home. Thank you Rotary, thank you to everyone at home for your encouragement, and thank you thank you Spain.

Besitos, Sami

WOW

I have never been an optimist. And I've never believed in the idea that everything is a matter of perspective. I think at this point in my trip (nearly a month in) I could write a pamphlet on how incredibly valuable each of these is.

Spain is treating me better than ever. I'm not living in the Spain of "Vicky Christina Barcelona", there are no historic buildings in my town, if you were to be set down in the middle of my main street, you could be in any Spanish-speaking town. I'm close to Madrid, I'm not on the Mediterranean. Originally when I found out that I was living in Majadahonda, I was not incredibly thrilled because it didn't have any of the "typical" Spanish characteristics I was looking for. I envisioned myself sipping Sangria in the darkest of night on a Spanish beach with a flamenco guitar serenading me as a lingering smoke drifted through the air and I slipped into a peaceful siesta. I'm not saying that this is completely out of my range of possibility, but at this point, I prefer the grafitti on the walls, the pamphlets scattered on the street with dirty shoeprints over them advertising discotecas; I choose the less historic buildings that are filled with the people I enjoy being around. I never envisioned myself in Majadahonda and now I can't picture myself anywhere else.

School is moving right along, I'm almost to the end of WEEK 2! I'm at a point in my trip where it's very important to stay busy. I'm comfortable enough now to where I could easily get bored and those are the dangerous times, where your mind has too much room to wander. School has been a nice remedy to this. Today I found myself starting to switch off in class and stop listening and I caught it pretty quickly and snapped out of it. I had to read outloud today in my Spanish class and was absolutely terrified and realized two hours later in English that they all probably feel similar when they have to read outloud in this class with me listening. It occurred to me that just like I don't judge them, it was unlikely that they were judging me, and those who were obviously weren't the sort I'd want to be getting to know intimately anyways.

I'm eating well; there is french bread served with every meal, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, best served toasted covered with olive oil, a tomato paste, and just a hint of salt. This, along with a Spanish coffee and apple or peach, is my breakfast. After school at about 2, I eat a lunch which varies greatly each day and I love every time. So far I have eaten fried chicken, paella, a soup-like dish filled with spanish, swordfish, and water chestnuts, a stew-type dish with beans, blood sausage, potatoes, and carrots, and the list goes on. We eat leftovers or a salad for dinner and we always drink water. To some the food would seem bland, it is not filled with spices or flavoring, but that's just what I love to eat. To put it simply, I'm in my own personal, edible heaven.

At this point, time is passing according to what I have upcoming on my schedule. For example, the month of October is split up by what's going to be happening on the weekends. I'm going to Las Fiestas de Las Rozas (the neighboring suburb) this weekend. Next weekend, my family is taking a trip to Segovia and the historic La Escorial. The weekend after that I got invited to go into Madrid to the discotecas and then I have a free weekend and then HALLOWEEN. My friend Adrian told me at school today to not feel bad if I didn't have anything to do during the weeknights, he explained that in Segundo Bachillerato pretty much everyone just stays at home all week because the coursework is so rigorous. Thus far, I've only had one night where I've had nothing to do, and I spent that watching a soccer game with my host father and reading a chapter in my Philosophy book-- quite satisfying.

My host family has a connection to the Real Madrid Soccer Team-- our cousin is married to one of the lesser-known players on the team (I responded with... WHO CARES IF HE'S LESSER KNOWN WOW THAT'S AMAZING) and so we get tickets to some of the games. Bea went to a game last night and I get to go the next time that we get offered tickets. I could not be more excited for that, let me tell you. I've been helping out the other exchange student here in Majadahonda, named Jesse. I realize that a lot of this program is about luck, and I really hit gold with pretty much every single aspect of my exchange; in terms of my location, my friends, my school, and especially my host family I feel incredibly blessed. Tomorrow Jesse is coming home with me after school and we're all going to eat together with Bea and he'll watch our soap operas with us before we all go out at night for Las Fiestas together.

I'm trying (pretty successfully) to look at everything through a positive lense. This trip is teaching me how to appreciate, how to be my own support system, and who those people are that are truly valuable to me. I'm learning to smile when it gets difficult and accept that sometimes that's the only thing I'm going to be able to do... and that's enough. Time is what you make of it. Sometimes I feel like I'm going to be here forever. Sometimes I wonder if there's anyway I can make forever last longer. I'm teaching myself to stop analyzing time and just let it be what it will be; because as much as I love controlling things (I always was bossy :) I cannot control the wild, free spirit of Spain. And I cannot and have no desire to control time.

Did I mention that Spain is treating me better than ever?

Un Beso, Sami