Saturday, May 16, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Mission Accomplished.
I have a list of things that I needed to get done here in San Sebastian before I went home.
I accomplished a ton yesterday.
Weather.com failed me yet again, yet this time in a good way. When I checked on Monday, it said the weather for Monday would be sunny and nice, Tuesday would be rain rain rain, and Wednesday would be super sunny and warm.
Instead, it was SUPER nice on Monday, then later (luckily I was in for the day at this point) it was a HAIL STORM. Yes, it was bright and sunny, kids were eating ice cream, dogs playing in the park, then (while it was STILL SUNNY AND NICE), golf ball sized hail started raining down from the sky along with heavy rain, then there was lightening and thunder. It did this until early evening.
Tuesday was supposed to be terrible, then it ended up being 73 and sunny and cloudless. What!??! Everyone on facebook posted their statuses as "at the beach" "hanging at the playa" "sitting in the sand and soaking up the sun!" It was completely unexpected. To think San Sebastian has NICE weather? I dunno, it sure did surprise me.
And as of now, Wednesday is looking pretty nice too. There are clouds in the sky, but they are wispy and light. Other than that, it is sunny, and it is about 70 degrees.
Anywho, what I am trying to get at is that I got a ton of stuff done yesterday because of the unexpectedly nice weather.
I got to rollerblade around Jesus Mountain, which isn't really called that, but there IS a giant Jesus statue on top. I think it's actually called Mount Urgull or something.
I got to HIKE UP Jesus Mountain. It used to be some kind of fortress back in the 1800's and there are ruins all over the mountain of different stations. There are old cannons, withering stone walls, and lots and lots of greenery. It's also pretty touristy, which isn't what I was expecting. What I mean is not that it was crowded, but that there were signs pointing out what was in which direction, plaques describing what stuff was, and...
When I got to the top where Jesus was, I thought it would just be the statue and stuff. Instead it was a large lookout point with cannons, then some security guide summoned me into this building under the statue and it was a tourist center for the site! You could buy postcards, there was a mini museum of artifacts from San Sebastian, movies playing about the history of the area, posters, maps, etc etc. Up the stairs you could get to the top and see a panoramic lookout of the whole town. It was gorgeous.
After that I went to lunch at this restaurant I've been dying to go to (it was on THE LIST), called La Perla. It is right on the ocean, and there is a fancy restaurant part as well as a cheaper outdoor grill. I got a DELICIOUS cheeseburger with grilled onions and plopped down at a table right on the balcony overlooking the beach. From there I got a wonderful view of the ocean as well as a 65 year old woman tanning topless.
Then I went to La Parte Vieja where I did my last minute souvenir shopping for friends and family. I also got myself a scarf, one of the things here that EVERYONE has.
Finally, I got a "Cookie"-flavored ice cream on the boulevard. That wasn't on the list...but I couldn't resist.
I tried calling up people to do all this with, but as always that failed. Instead I accomplished everything on my own, which was a lot better because I found it more peaceful and fun that way.
Now, all I have left is to get Chocolate y Churros today (wednesday) or tomorrow before I leave for Madrid. It's a super common snack here of rich hot chocolate (basically a liquified chocolate bar served warm) and churros (you know, those fried pastries with cinnamon and sugar...YUM). My host mom recommended a good place to go in Parte Vieja for that, so I am excited.
PS: Sun down here since daylight savings has been around 9:30pm. Like, straight up brightness until 9:30. My parents told me that sundown is like 7pm in the states. That will be weird to come home to.
I accomplished a ton yesterday.
Weather.com failed me yet again, yet this time in a good way. When I checked on Monday, it said the weather for Monday would be sunny and nice, Tuesday would be rain rain rain, and Wednesday would be super sunny and warm.
Instead, it was SUPER nice on Monday, then later (luckily I was in for the day at this point) it was a HAIL STORM. Yes, it was bright and sunny, kids were eating ice cream, dogs playing in the park, then (while it was STILL SUNNY AND NICE), golf ball sized hail started raining down from the sky along with heavy rain, then there was lightening and thunder. It did this until early evening.
Tuesday was supposed to be terrible, then it ended up being 73 and sunny and cloudless. What!??! Everyone on facebook posted their statuses as "at the beach" "hanging at the playa" "sitting in the sand and soaking up the sun!" It was completely unexpected. To think San Sebastian has NICE weather? I dunno, it sure did surprise me.
And as of now, Wednesday is looking pretty nice too. There are clouds in the sky, but they are wispy and light. Other than that, it is sunny, and it is about 70 degrees.
Anywho, what I am trying to get at is that I got a ton of stuff done yesterday because of the unexpectedly nice weather.
I got to rollerblade around Jesus Mountain, which isn't really called that, but there IS a giant Jesus statue on top. I think it's actually called Mount Urgull or something.
I got to HIKE UP Jesus Mountain. It used to be some kind of fortress back in the 1800's and there are ruins all over the mountain of different stations. There are old cannons, withering stone walls, and lots and lots of greenery. It's also pretty touristy, which isn't what I was expecting. What I mean is not that it was crowded, but that there were signs pointing out what was in which direction, plaques describing what stuff was, and...
When I got to the top where Jesus was, I thought it would just be the statue and stuff. Instead it was a large lookout point with cannons, then some security guide summoned me into this building under the statue and it was a tourist center for the site! You could buy postcards, there was a mini museum of artifacts from San Sebastian, movies playing about the history of the area, posters, maps, etc etc. Up the stairs you could get to the top and see a panoramic lookout of the whole town. It was gorgeous.
After that I went to lunch at this restaurant I've been dying to go to (it was on THE LIST), called La Perla. It is right on the ocean, and there is a fancy restaurant part as well as a cheaper outdoor grill. I got a DELICIOUS cheeseburger with grilled onions and plopped down at a table right on the balcony overlooking the beach. From there I got a wonderful view of the ocean as well as a 65 year old woman tanning topless.
Then I went to La Parte Vieja where I did my last minute souvenir shopping for friends and family. I also got myself a scarf, one of the things here that EVERYONE has.
Finally, I got a "Cookie"-flavored ice cream on the boulevard. That wasn't on the list...but I couldn't resist.
I tried calling up people to do all this with, but as always that failed. Instead I accomplished everything on my own, which was a lot better because I found it more peaceful and fun that way.
Now, all I have left is to get Chocolate y Churros today (wednesday) or tomorrow before I leave for Madrid. It's a super common snack here of rich hot chocolate (basically a liquified chocolate bar served warm) and churros (you know, those fried pastries with cinnamon and sugar...YUM). My host mom recommended a good place to go in Parte Vieja for that, so I am excited.
PS: Sun down here since daylight savings has been around 9:30pm. Like, straight up brightness until 9:30. My parents told me that sundown is like 7pm in the states. That will be weird to come home to.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Regalos Video!
My parents wanted to know how my host parents reacted to their gift.
In their own words...
(well, translated)
In their own words...
(well, translated)
iYa esta!
Nik nire klaseak bukatu ditut. Nik nire etsaminak bukatu ditut. Osteguna ni etxera joango naiz. Hala ere, asteaztea nik maletak prestatuko ditut...
I'm done with classes, I'm done with exams. Thursday I go home. However, I'll pack on Wednesday.
Whew, time flew! Especially finals! Well, it helps that they were all ON THE SAME DAY.
But I think I did well. On all the art tests I have been getting A's, and in Euskara our teacher graded the exams so we could know what we got before we left.
I got a 99 on the midterm, a 98 on the final project, a 96 on the exam, and my final grade was a 97. As Natalia (my teacher) said, "ZORIONAK!" I am not sure what that means, but I think it's congrats or something.
And she was so sweet today, telling us that she cannot say "agur" (goodbye) because she'll get too sad. Instead, she says "gero arte" which is "see you soon."
"Agurrik ez, gero arte baizik!"= No goodbyes, but instead a see you soon!
After she told me my grade, she insisted that I continue with the language because I am so good at it. I would love to, but being in Chicago with 3 people who know basque (the three Loyola students in this program), that won't be very likely. I am sure I will say "Kaixo"(hello) and "ongi"(good) a few times, as well as "neska"(girl) here and there.
I am definitely going to miss Natalia, but I plan to keep in touch by email.
And finally I had my Track/grammar exam, which wasn't too bad. I was actually surprised by how easy it seemed, but we shall see how my grade turns out. Looks like I'll be getting a B in that class, but a high B, which isn't too bad.
Aihnoa (my Track teacher) had chocolates and cookies for us at the test, which was a nice treat. We gave her a card wishing her a good summer and an early congratulations for her baby (she is pregnant, and BIG TIME showing...I think august 3rd is when she will "dar la luz" aka give birth). It's gonna be a boy, and she has a name picked out already, but I can't remember what it is.
But wow. The semester is over. Now I have two full days of nothing until Wednesday evening when I catch a bus to Madrid at 7pm. THEN I am waiting there for 5 hours until my 7am flight, then I am off on my long journey home. I wish the travelling times weren't so cruel.
I'm done with classes, I'm done with exams. Thursday I go home. However, I'll pack on Wednesday.
Whew, time flew! Especially finals! Well, it helps that they were all ON THE SAME DAY.
But I think I did well. On all the art tests I have been getting A's, and in Euskara our teacher graded the exams so we could know what we got before we left.
I got a 99 on the midterm, a 98 on the final project, a 96 on the exam, and my final grade was a 97. As Natalia (my teacher) said, "ZORIONAK!" I am not sure what that means, but I think it's congrats or something.
And she was so sweet today, telling us that she cannot say "agur" (goodbye) because she'll get too sad. Instead, she says "gero arte" which is "see you soon."
"Agurrik ez, gero arte baizik!"= No goodbyes, but instead a see you soon!
After she told me my grade, she insisted that I continue with the language because I am so good at it. I would love to, but being in Chicago with 3 people who know basque (the three Loyola students in this program), that won't be very likely. I am sure I will say "Kaixo"(hello) and "ongi"(good) a few times, as well as "neska"(girl) here and there.
I am definitely going to miss Natalia, but I plan to keep in touch by email.
And finally I had my Track/grammar exam, which wasn't too bad. I was actually surprised by how easy it seemed, but we shall see how my grade turns out. Looks like I'll be getting a B in that class, but a high B, which isn't too bad.
Aihnoa (my Track teacher) had chocolates and cookies for us at the test, which was a nice treat. We gave her a card wishing her a good summer and an early congratulations for her baby (she is pregnant, and BIG TIME showing...I think august 3rd is when she will "dar la luz" aka give birth). It's gonna be a boy, and she has a name picked out already, but I can't remember what it is.
But wow. The semester is over. Now I have two full days of nothing until Wednesday evening when I catch a bus to Madrid at 7pm. THEN I am waiting there for 5 hours until my 7am flight, then I am off on my long journey home. I wish the travelling times weren't so cruel.
Mother's Day
In Spain, Mother's Day is May 3rd or something like that.
Yesterday I would have wished you all a Happy Mother's Day, but it isn't Mother's Day yet.
My mom changed it officially until I come back home.
Yesterday I would have wished you all a Happy Mother's Day, but it isn't Mother's Day yet.
My mom changed it officially until I come back home.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Weird French Commercials
Being so close to the French border, we get French TV stations here in SS.
When I was at Peter, Angela and Megan's place the other day, we were watching the French channel because there was a soccer game on.
This Nicole Kidman commercial came on.
And now it is circulating the web as a "what the hell?" moment. I guess French commercials don't have to make any sense at all.
When I was at Peter, Angela and Megan's place the other day, we were watching the French channel because there was a soccer game on.
This Nicole Kidman commercial came on.
And now it is circulating the web as a "what the hell?" moment. I guess French commercials don't have to make any sense at all.
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