12.Febrero.2009.
So I actually wrote this yesterday but most of it was deleted before I could upload it. I will try to remember all I wrote before.
After Ronda, I was not looking forward to starting school the next morning, but considering that I only have class Monday through Wednesday, I think I can suffer. Our school is located in what was formerly a tobacco factory. It is reminiscent of Hogwarts (and just as confusing). The building itself is nice with open air patios instead of common areas. Normally they have fountains and/or Romanesque statues hanging around. The only problem is the patios afford smoking space and so it's always a bit hazy. Inside the school, the ceilings are high and lit with chandeliers and the natural light from the windows. Everything echoes and someone always seems to be whistling.
My first class is Historia del Arte Moderno de Andalucia (History of Modern Andalucian Art) which covers architecture, paintings, and sculptures from the Renaissance to the twentieth century. The professor is a frumpy older man who sits and speaks down at his desk for the lecture. Sometimes there are slides to demonstrate which building he is talking about. A lot of the local students end up talking when he does. We learned very quickly we needed to sit in the front row if we were going to hear anything. He also books it right after class lets out like his feet are on fire. We had to chase him down to ask if we could take our final exam early.
Next I have Textos Literarios II which begins with Don Quixote. We will study Gongora and a few others as well. I'm excited to study it in Spanish for once. I have before in English but I expect the translation might lose something. However, the certain edition I need for the class is already sold out at the liberia. Sigh. Nothing is simple here. Also, the professors do not give you a syllabus; you have to buy it at a copisteria (school supply store) or they tell you it is online. Where online exactly is a mystery to me. Onward.
My last class at the University is Comedia Espanola: Lope which focuses on the works by Lope de Vega. He has a bunch. The professor is extremely hard to understand and I was worried after the first two days of class when I was pretty sure I had only gotten about 25% of what she said, but on Wednesday we started going over a sonnet and I can somewhat understand the point. It is going to take some serious active listening. Another adjustment we have had to make is taking notes in Spanish and listening to Spanish at the same time. It's harder than it is in English because it's a second language. The professors do not write on the boards or use Power Point presentations to give the information either, so spelling someone's name becomes guesswork.
My class at EUSA is only two nights a week and focuses on Spanish literature from 1700 to the present. Our teacher, Coro, is an eccentric but she speaks slowly for us to understand her. I have heard the class is a lot of work but for two nights a week, I can handle it.
So Wednesday night was big for Spain: the soccer match between Spain and England. Since Monday we had noticed more Brits strolling around (and you can definitely tell they are not Spanish) the streets. They flew here in hopes of buying tickets but the tickets sold out on Monday so many of them ended up watching the game in bars outside of the stadium (like we did). We were not lucky enough to get tickets in time but we still wanted to participate in the festivities. The stadium is so close to our apartment you can hear the cheers from inside. All day, people were dressing up with red (the colors of the Spanish flag are red and yellow).
We went off in search of a bar to watch the game after we ate dinner. We found one just outside the stadium but the bar was so packed, we instead had to watch the TV through the window with the rest of the crowd on the street. We met a British guy who works for a company writing travel tour guides for sporting events such as these. He was friendly and bought us all three rounds of drinks. We did not complain.
Oh, it was so much fun to watch the game and cheer with the Spaniards! They all wear their bufondas(scarves) or wear the Spanish flag like a cape. Some had their faces painted. One of the singing cheers is very simple: Yo soy espanol, espanol, espanol (I am Spanish) and repeat. Another fun one is started by one guy who says Camarero (Waiter) and the crowd responds Que (what) and that is repeated once more. The guy leading the crowd then interjects whatever he feels like and everyone sings it clapping. There are others but I have not figured out the words yet.
Obviously, Spain won (2-0) and the streets went nuts. I did see one Englishman wearing a battle helmet and the big red cross down his front. Interesting. Their accents are so heavy they sound like they are not speaking English.
After, we decided to go back because I was going to wake up at 3 am to get Dad to Skype me the UNC/Duke rivalry game. Anna and I both set alarms to go off at 2:30 am but we ended up sleeping through them. We got a phone call from Anna's sister, Meghan, at a quarter to four. She said she heard screaming in the background but couldn't make out what her sister was saying. I asked if it was good screaming or bad screaming. She said she did not know. The mystery remained until the morning when I logged on and saw that Carolina whooped Dook 101-87 after they had even given up their first half lead. Apparently, Ty Lawson decided that would not do and shredded through their defense. I saw pictures of the Franklin Street celebration and people jumping over fires. I was there in spirit.
Well, I have loved having the long weekend. It lets me relax, go for runs when I want to, and do my homework early. Tomorrow is the Strait of Gibraltar and should be pretty fun. I'll definitely post some pictures of the monkeys.
love you and miss you all
Elle
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