During our excursion to Santiago de Compostela
The last night in Salamanca
19 de julio de 2009
16 de julio de 2009
Santiago de Compostela
Yesterday we took a break from classes and traveled to Santiago de Compostela. Santiago is the capital of Galicia, and is most famous for being the final destination of the "camino de santiago." That is, a pilgrimage stretching hundreds of miles ending up at the cathedral in Santiago, where the remains of St. James are said to be buried. Some people continue to do this walk as a religious pilgrimage, but others do so for recreational reasons.
We decided, of course, to take the more modern route and hop on a train yesterday morning. The train ride is a little under an hour, and we arrived in Santiago around 10:30. In the morning, a guide took us through the cathedral and parts of the old section of Santiago. Santiago is a beautiful city, with some amazing views of the cathedral. Parts of the cathedral are constructed in Baroque style, and thus are extremely ornate. The main altar absolutely gleams.
After our tour, we went to "Galicia Digital," a digital/virtual museum. They have different 3-D shows that explore Santiago and other parts of Galicia. The students were able to get a feel for what its like to swing the incense in the cathedral, and to drive a car through the streets of Santiago. This was all done through the use of computers, etc.
The families packed lunches for the students (many of which consisted of about four sandwiches, five pieces of fruit, two drinks, and more), so we took some time to eat lunch and have a bit of free time to explore a little more or do some shopping. When we all met up again, we walked over to a nearby pack for some more incredible views of the cathedral. The park also had a sculpture exhibit that we were able to check out.
The train brought us back to Pontevedra at 7:30 where the families were waiting. FYI, next year is a holy year for Santiago de Compostela. In case anyone wants to start prepping for "el camino".........
We decided, of course, to take the more modern route and hop on a train yesterday morning. The train ride is a little under an hour, and we arrived in Santiago around 10:30. In the morning, a guide took us through the cathedral and parts of the old section of Santiago. Santiago is a beautiful city, with some amazing views of the cathedral. Parts of the cathedral are constructed in Baroque style, and thus are extremely ornate. The main altar absolutely gleams.
After our tour, we went to "Galicia Digital," a digital/virtual museum. They have different 3-D shows that explore Santiago and other parts of Galicia. The students were able to get a feel for what its like to swing the incense in the cathedral, and to drive a car through the streets of Santiago. This was all done through the use of computers, etc.
The families packed lunches for the students (many of which consisted of about four sandwiches, five pieces of fruit, two drinks, and more), so we took some time to eat lunch and have a bit of free time to explore a little more or do some shopping. When we all met up again, we walked over to a nearby pack for some more incredible views of the cathedral. The park also had a sculpture exhibit that we were able to check out.
The train brought us back to Pontevedra at 7:30 where the families were waiting. FYI, next year is a holy year for Santiago de Compostela. In case anyone wants to start prepping for "el camino".........
14 de julio de 2009
The first week in Pontevedra...
Tomorrow marks the one week anniversary of our arrival in Pontevedra. For some, the adjustment was easy, but for others took a little more time. At this point, everyone seems to be settling in to life in Pontevedra. We have class in the morning, followed by an hour (or so) at the gym. Then the students are picked up by their families and head off for various activities. Many families in Pontevedra spend their time during the summer at the beach.
The classes last week we a little different than normal. The first day of class, last Thursday, was an introductory sort of day. The students completed a diagnostic "test" so we could see what they knew, and then we played some Spanish games. We also spent some time going to the tourism booth in the center of the city to get a map of Pontevedra for everyone. They all immediately began making marks on their maps to indicate where everyone lived. Luckily they made marks to indicate school and gym too, so that was encouraging haha. The second day we were divided into only two groups, instead of the intended three. Finally, yesterday, we were able to have a normal class schedule: three different groups, meaning three different classes a day for the students.
The time spent at the gym is about an hour, give or take. In addition to using regular gym equipment, students can choose from two classes offered each day. Yesterday and today we had a capoheira (spelling?) class and step aerobics. The first class is a type of Brazilian martial arts. Those who participated seem to really enjoying trying all the different kicks and flips. The step-aerobics class is also a lot of fun. I can attest to this because I've done it for two days now with some of the girls and we're having a great time.
Pontevedra has given us pretty pleasant weather lately. Sunday was cloudy and rainy, but the other days have all been sunny (at least in the afternoons). Waking up to chilly mornings is probably welcomed by most in the group, who may still have nightmares about the 44 degree centigrade heat in Sevilla. Personally speaking, I love the heat, but I may be in the minority in this one.
The kids get a break from classes tomorrow. We're taking them to Santiago de Compostela for the day. Then its back to the regular routine on Thursday. More on the excursion after tomorrow. Hope all is well back home. And like always, feel free to email us if you have any questions or comments!
The classes last week we a little different than normal. The first day of class, last Thursday, was an introductory sort of day. The students completed a diagnostic "test" so we could see what they knew, and then we played some Spanish games. We also spent some time going to the tourism booth in the center of the city to get a map of Pontevedra for everyone. They all immediately began making marks on their maps to indicate where everyone lived. Luckily they made marks to indicate school and gym too, so that was encouraging haha. The second day we were divided into only two groups, instead of the intended three. Finally, yesterday, we were able to have a normal class schedule: three different groups, meaning three different classes a day for the students.
The time spent at the gym is about an hour, give or take. In addition to using regular gym equipment, students can choose from two classes offered each day. Yesterday and today we had a capoheira (spelling?) class and step aerobics. The first class is a type of Brazilian martial arts. Those who participated seem to really enjoying trying all the different kicks and flips. The step-aerobics class is also a lot of fun. I can attest to this because I've done it for two days now with some of the girls and we're having a great time.
Pontevedra has given us pretty pleasant weather lately. Sunday was cloudy and rainy, but the other days have all been sunny (at least in the afternoons). Waking up to chilly mornings is probably welcomed by most in the group, who may still have nightmares about the 44 degree centigrade heat in Sevilla. Personally speaking, I love the heat, but I may be in the minority in this one.
The kids get a break from classes tomorrow. We're taking them to Santiago de Compostela for the day. Then its back to the regular routine on Thursday. More on the excursion after tomorrow. Hope all is well back home. And like always, feel free to email us if you have any questions or comments!
13 de julio de 2009
A week later...
Hi parents! Sorry it has been so long since the last blog post. Did you think we forgot about it? The internet here in our apartment in Pontevedra has been pretty unreliable lately. We are getting ready for class right now, but as soon as the internet cooperates we'll write an update of the past week or so!
5 de julio de 2009
Fotos!
Outside the Prado Museum in Madrid
In the Alcazar in Sevilla
Traditional Flamenco dancing in Sevilla
Dos días en Madrid
Happy late 4th of July! We spent our country's independence day in American style.....at the Hard Rock Cafe! After a long bus ride from Sevilla to Madrid, we arrived in Spain's capital city around 4pm. To celebrate being American, we decided to put Spanish cuisine aside for a day, and eat some burgers and fries (or chicken fingers, ceasar salads, etc). Everyone seemed to have a good time, especially the very rowdy group that shared the room with us. Surprisingly, our group was the quiet group! After dinner, we went to "La Puerta del Sol," an area near the Plaza Mayor, for dessert and/or a little shopping.
Today was basically a day of enjoying what Madrid has to offer. The students were divided into three groups, and each group chose how they wanted to spend their afternoon. At 4pm, we all met up again to go to the Prado Museum, home to many famous painting by artists like Goya, Velázquez, and El Greco. Although we spent two hours in the museum, there is no doubt we could have spent more time in there, because of its large collection of pieces.
We had a quick dinner, and went back to the Plaza Mayor area for another hour or so. But it seemed like many of us were fading fast....it was a LONG day. We all had tickets for the Madrid Vision tour bus, so we were able to see some more sights in Madrid while on our way back to the hotel tonight.
Tomorrow it's off to our last stop of the travel portion. Salamanca is home to the oldest university in Spain, and is a great place to end a very full ten days.
Today was basically a day of enjoying what Madrid has to offer. The students were divided into three groups, and each group chose how they wanted to spend their afternoon. At 4pm, we all met up again to go to the Prado Museum, home to many famous painting by artists like Goya, Velázquez, and El Greco. Although we spent two hours in the museum, there is no doubt we could have spent more time in there, because of its large collection of pieces.
We had a quick dinner, and went back to the Plaza Mayor area for another hour or so. But it seemed like many of us were fading fast....it was a LONG day. We all had tickets for the Madrid Vision tour bus, so we were able to see some more sights in Madrid while on our way back to the hotel tonight.
Tomorrow it's off to our last stop of the travel portion. Salamanca is home to the oldest university in Spain, and is a great place to end a very full ten days.
3 de julio de 2009
Un repaso de Caceres y Sevilla
The past few days have flown by. On Wednesday, we spent a large portion of the day touring Cáceres and nearby Trujillo. The morning began with a walking tour of the old section of Cáceres. This section of the city is enclosed by a "muralla," which is a large stone wall. These walls were constructed to defend the city from attacks. Our tour guide explained the history of Cáceres, and we were able to see some of the ancient constructions, like cisterns and palaces.
After lunch we all traveled to Trujillo, which is a bus ride of about 45 minutes. By the time we got to Trujillo, it was almost 4pm......still a very hot time of the day in Spain. The heat was definitely a turn-off for some of the students, who would have very much preferred to stay in the hotel at the pool. Nevertheless, they braved the heat and explored parts of this very old city. Trujillo is most well known for being the place from where many of the 15th and 16th century explorers came. There is a statue of Pizzaro in the town's main square. Our guide discussed the different palaces and some of the architectural complexities, which are interesting, but the highlight of the tour may have been the ice cream store at the end. After a hot day the students were ready to head back to the hotel, relax, have dinner, and get ready to head to an even hotter city: Sevilla.
Our first day in Sevilla was fairly relaxing....although many of the students started freaking out when we arrived and passed a temperature reading of 44 degrees centigrade (do the math.....it's HOT). Luckily, our hotel has a pool, so we had some siesta/swim time before heading out the Plaza de los Venerables, one of the many plazas in Sevilla. Here we had about an hour free time to get some tapas, ice cream, soda, etc. At 9pm we enjoyed a traditional flamenco show. The music and dancers were incredible. It certainly takes years of practice for a person to move their feet that fast. After the show we had a late dinner and went to bed, in preparation for another full day.
This morning we went to two of the most important locations in Sevilla: the Alcazar and the Cathedral. The Alcazar originally was an Arabic fort (built during the time of Arab rule in Spain) but was later reconstructed (and reconstructed, and reconstructed, etc) to become the palace that it is today. Most of the major constructions were completed during King Pedro's rule in the 14th century. The Alcazar is so interesting and beautiful because a majority of it was built in "el estilo Mudejar," a combination of both Christian and Arabic ideas. The intricacies in the construction are amazing. The Alcazar is actually where the current royal family of Spain stays when they come to Sevilla.
After the Alcazar we took a quick tour of the Cathedral, including the Giralda tower, which was originally built as a Mosque tower, but later converted to part of the Catholic Cathedral. The students climbed the tower, which definitely provides the best views of Sevillla. We walked across a bridge (crossing the Guadalquivir River, the only navigable river in Spain) to the neighborhood Triana, where we ate at an Italian restaurant. After lunch we went back to the hotel to swim and rest, as there is nothing else to do during the afternoons in Sevilla. The locals know that when it is 100 degrees, it is best to stay indoors.
Once it cooled down a little bit (although not much), the kids were divided into three different groups. Each group was to create their own "telenovela," using Sevilla as the background. They were to create a script, and take pictures that would tell the story. This assignment will be finished later in Pontevedra when they'll have some time to put their pictures on the computer and create a presentation. We just got back from dinner a little while ago, and hopefully everyone is packing to prepare to leave for Madrid tomorrow morning. Our bus leaves at 9am.
I asked the students earlier today f they had any message they wanted put up on the blog. I got the same response from many of them: they want their AP scores. I'm sure if they told me a second message, it would be that they miss you.
More to come when we get to Madrid!!
After lunch we all traveled to Trujillo, which is a bus ride of about 45 minutes. By the time we got to Trujillo, it was almost 4pm......still a very hot time of the day in Spain. The heat was definitely a turn-off for some of the students, who would have very much preferred to stay in the hotel at the pool. Nevertheless, they braved the heat and explored parts of this very old city. Trujillo is most well known for being the place from where many of the 15th and 16th century explorers came. There is a statue of Pizzaro in the town's main square. Our guide discussed the different palaces and some of the architectural complexities, which are interesting, but the highlight of the tour may have been the ice cream store at the end. After a hot day the students were ready to head back to the hotel, relax, have dinner, and get ready to head to an even hotter city: Sevilla.
Our first day in Sevilla was fairly relaxing....although many of the students started freaking out when we arrived and passed a temperature reading of 44 degrees centigrade (do the math.....it's HOT). Luckily, our hotel has a pool, so we had some siesta/swim time before heading out the Plaza de los Venerables, one of the many plazas in Sevilla. Here we had about an hour free time to get some tapas, ice cream, soda, etc. At 9pm we enjoyed a traditional flamenco show. The music and dancers were incredible. It certainly takes years of practice for a person to move their feet that fast. After the show we had a late dinner and went to bed, in preparation for another full day.
This morning we went to two of the most important locations in Sevilla: the Alcazar and the Cathedral. The Alcazar originally was an Arabic fort (built during the time of Arab rule in Spain) but was later reconstructed (and reconstructed, and reconstructed, etc) to become the palace that it is today. Most of the major constructions were completed during King Pedro's rule in the 14th century. The Alcazar is so interesting and beautiful because a majority of it was built in "el estilo Mudejar," a combination of both Christian and Arabic ideas. The intricacies in the construction are amazing. The Alcazar is actually where the current royal family of Spain stays when they come to Sevilla.
After the Alcazar we took a quick tour of the Cathedral, including the Giralda tower, which was originally built as a Mosque tower, but later converted to part of the Catholic Cathedral. The students climbed the tower, which definitely provides the best views of Sevillla. We walked across a bridge (crossing the Guadalquivir River, the only navigable river in Spain) to the neighborhood Triana, where we ate at an Italian restaurant. After lunch we went back to the hotel to swim and rest, as there is nothing else to do during the afternoons in Sevilla. The locals know that when it is 100 degrees, it is best to stay indoors.
Once it cooled down a little bit (although not much), the kids were divided into three different groups. Each group was to create their own "telenovela," using Sevilla as the background. They were to create a script, and take pictures that would tell the story. This assignment will be finished later in Pontevedra when they'll have some time to put their pictures on the computer and create a presentation. We just got back from dinner a little while ago, and hopefully everyone is packing to prepare to leave for Madrid tomorrow morning. Our bus leaves at 9am.
I asked the students earlier today f they had any message they wanted put up on the blog. I got the same response from many of them: they want their AP scores. I'm sure if they told me a second message, it would be that they miss you.
More to come when we get to Madrid!!
30 de junio de 2009
29 de junio de 2009
¡Estamos en España!
Hi all! As I'm sure most of you heard, we have made it safely to Spain. After spending too long in airports, we arrived in Avila around 3pm on Sunday. We ate a late lunch and took a tour of the city. Then the students broke into groups and tried some of the tapas the restaurants we offering. Yesterday concluded a 3 day "Avila en tapas" festival, in which participating restaurants prepare some of their best tapas in hopes of being voted the winner. Unfortunately, it was a little rainy, and many of us were still tired from the trip over. Hopefully we all woke up more rested today.
This morning, the students divided into groups and went on a scavenger hunt throughout Avila. Part of the purpose of the scavenger hunt was to learn a little about Avila and Spanish culture in general. But they also had some important tasks to complete, such as making photocopies of their passports and buying phone cards. All of the groups did an excellent job.....they certainly were competitive!
Tomorrow morning we leave for our second city, Caceres. Here we will get more accustomed to Spanish culture (like the Spanish food), and will have the opportunity to travel to Merida and Trujillo, nearby Spanish towns. We'll post pictures as soon as we get the chance!!
This morning, the students divided into groups and went on a scavenger hunt throughout Avila. Part of the purpose of the scavenger hunt was to learn a little about Avila and Spanish culture in general. But they also had some important tasks to complete, such as making photocopies of their passports and buying phone cards. All of the groups did an excellent job.....they certainly were competitive!
Tomorrow morning we leave for our second city, Caceres. Here we will get more accustomed to Spanish culture (like the Spanish food), and will have the opportunity to travel to Merida and Trujillo, nearby Spanish towns. We'll post pictures as soon as we get the chance!!
26 de junio de 2009
¡Salimos mañana!
¿Están listos? Tomorrow is the day we’ve been waiting for. Estamos muy excited to meet you all, and begin what will surely be un verano fantástico. If you have any last minute preguntas for us, you can send them to andrea.vanacore@gmail.com or nathanthornhill@yahoo.com. Have a fun last day in the U.S. See you tomorrow and most importantly….. don’t forget your pasaportes!!
22 de junio de 2009
Where are we going?
We have ten days to explore various parts of Spain before setting up camp in Pontevedra. Here's a quick look at our schedule. (FYI: Andrea loves Sevilla, so get excited)
Avila: June 28-30
Caceres: July 1-2
Sevilla: July 3-4
Madrid: July 5-6
Salamanca: July 7-8
Pontevedra: July 9-27
Avila: June 28-30
Caceres: July 1-2
Sevilla: July 3-4
Madrid: July 5-6
Salamanca: July 7-8
Pontevedra: July 9-27
21 de junio de 2009
casi.....
¡Bienvendios! With our departure less than a week away, we are getting very excited for our return to España. Last summer was amazing, and we have no doubt that this summer will be too. During our trip, we will post pictures and update this blog as often as possible. Parents, you can check out what we're up to over in Spain. Students, you will have the opportunity to contribute to the postings....this will be a blog for the entire group. We hope you are all looking as forward to next Saturday as we are. Enjoy your last week stateside. ¡Nos vemos pronto!
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