Meet the adventurers!
- Joy Phillips (Nursing/minor: Spanish)
- Veronica Sierra (Elementary Education)
- Jaqueline Quinones (Spanish )
- Lina Cervantes ( Spanish )
- Alejandro Barba (Spanish)
- Melinda Clopton ( Spanish )
Chicago State University Study Abroad in Spain takes place at the University of Castilla-la- Mancha in Toledo during the summer for a 5-week intensive program in language and cultural explorations. Our blog will give you regular information about our whereabouts, our studies, discoveries, and even hardships!
The summer program accepts students at any level of language. It includes: academic program, class materials, medical insurance, two learning tours, cooking competition, certificate and diploma, Spanish film and dance, two excursions(Segovia and Madrid). Housing in the university residence or with a family.
Yikes!!!! I don't know how to work this thing!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is gonna take a little practice!!
ReplyDeleteGreat job. Continue
ReplyDeleteOkay companeros - Solamente cinco dias!!!! Cinco mas dias de trabajo - cinco mas dias de anticipacion!!!! Wow! It's really gonna happen!!! Little tidbit I just found out today visiting my dad for fathers day. 52 years ago, on his way home from Germany, upon completing his term in the U.S. army, my dad passed through the naval base in Rota, Spain! It's the first I ever heard of it. Okay - Time to sleep!!! Buenas noches.
ReplyDeleteahora tenemos solamenta un dia. Estoy nerviosa
ReplyDeleteNuestra aventura comienza hoy! Creo que todos estamos un poco nerviosos. Ahora mi mayor preocupacion es el hecho que no puedo usar la ropa apropiada para las temperaturas extremas como en Toledo. Soy una chica gordita. No voy a usar lo que Dios no me dio el cuerpo para usar. Caliente e incomodo e avergonzado juntos no es un buena mezcla! Aparte de eso, estoy muy emocionado!!!
ReplyDeletei am gettin a bit frustrated - i´ve already done this twice- same thing happened to aleks at the hotel. don´t know why it keeps kicking me out.
ReplyDeleteYay!!!!!! I got it!!! Okay, hoy es martes. Tuvo dos dias completas sin usa de un computadora. Lo siento! Recibimos nuestras clases hoy y los calendarios de las actividades. Now we can plan our personal weekend adventures accordingly. Like the spanish to english switch? Yeah - I´ve been here too long. Didn´t even go home for lunch. Any who ------- Tengo una host senora muy buena. Tiene una casa hermosa con la piscina y un patio central muy buena. No vive muy lejos de la ciudad de Toledo. Es muy caliente!!!! 102 grados! So far, everything is great. I´m not gonna lie though. I did suffer some separation anxiety and I did cry after leaving la fiesta de bienvenidos a lunes. I missed my classmates. AS of now we have no communication with each other when we´re off campus. We need to purchase phones - hopefully we get that straightened out pronto. Este noche voy a ver poquitos sitios con profesor Chierico. Necesito dejar por ahora. Necisito agua!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteClarification - I meant I was at the computer too long because it kept kickin me out. Not that I´ve been in Spain too long.
ReplyDeleteHola! Hoy es miercoles en Toledo. Melinda y yo esperan por la clase de baile - flamenco specificamente. Muy, muy caliente aqui! Siento muy cansado solamente porque de calor. Yikes! Nunca bebo tan mucho de agua como he bebido en los dos dias pasados! Camino por el bus solo hoy - no muchas problemas. Los buses son muy bueno a dentro. A color de verde brilliante. Profesor Chierico nos mostro la seccion judeo comercial. Es circa el RUF, el edificio de residencia donde se pone actividades. Las clases son muy facil ahora - mucho repaso - pero, tal vez necesito eso. No puede dolerme. Este fin de semana, vamos a un viaje de Segovia. Deberia estar muy interesante. Necesito preparar una presentacion de alguien famosa de Espana. Necesito pensar en eso. Hasta la proxima vez -
ReplyDelete!Dios mio! Siento MUY, MUY emocionada ahora - Melinda y yo ahora mismo hemos recontrado desde una visita del Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes. I am absolutely beside myself! Just wanted to say that in english because I don´t think it translates the same in spanish. Este sitio es tan increible - aunque mas de que ya crei a hacer verdad. Todos de los fotos que he recojido - pude recrear con mi propia camera. Sintio como un dueno - muy surrealista. Para ver en realidad un edificio tan classico, tan historico, es una experiencia es mas alla las palabras. This is my place! I was inspired when I researched and presented on it, and was anxious to see it in person - and the photos, although fabulous - just cannot compare to the real thing. We did get kicked out unfortunately, because they were closing. So we will have to return to get pictures of the upper clausto - most definitely worth another trip. I took so many pictures - that Ferdinand and Isabella were quite proud of themselves, for sure! Their initials are an intricate part of the design - son in muchas partes. !Artesania muy impresionante! It retains its old world charm and prestige - meaning, no fancy new paint jobs or anything like that - it looks old without looking decrepid. !!!!!!WOW!!!!!! So much detail in the carvings of the walls and ceilings and the statuary. I am truly crazy for this building right now! It is really hot out here too, by the way. hasta manana
ReplyDeletethat´s "claustro" - a typo - honest
ReplyDeleteHoy es domingo. Tuvimos dos viajes este fin de semana - uno ayer a Segovia - muy muy hermosa!!!!!!!!!! Visitimos la catedral de Segovia - muy grande y tan manifica!!! Solamente problema - no se permita fotos. Tambien vistimos la Alcanzar de los Reyes Catolicos - estuve un castigo para una gordito como yo para subir todas las escalaras!!!!!!! Senti como tenere un problema con mi corazon. Vale - otra vez, es una sitio muy, muy hermosa y interesante - con todas las cosas de los Reyes - manificos!!!!!!!!! La mayor problema estuve que uno por uno nuestras cameras estuvieron descargaras. !!!!!Yikes!!!!!!!! Not gonna lie, we were a little mad, to say the least. We missed a LOT of photo opportunities!!!!!!!! Mr. Pit was ultra peeved, to say the least. However, I did find a nice book with a lot of pictures so I bought that to make up for what I missed. Love, love, love the organ in the cathedral!!!!! Love it !!!!!!! The whole thing was so beautiful. We had a little time to buy souvenirs - Segovia is really beautiful. I am so glad I didn't miss it.
ReplyDeleteOkay, let's talk about todays trip to Candeleda. Very much more exciting than I personally thought it was going to be. We saw the caves of Aguila - so much more beautiful than I expected. It was actually a very spiritual experience- one that would have been nice to spend more time just sitting around there and feeling the essence of the whole thing. I thought caves were scarry and this was not that way at all. It was full of natural elemental protrusions and encompassed carcassas and it was just very interesting to imagine what it would have been like to live there. Then we went to the river. Beautiful. Not a secret that I refuse to don a bathing suit, but I still had a wonderful time. It was just beautiful scenery and very comfortable surroundings and really a wonderful day overall. Next weekend we have plans to go to Granada. Probably gonna "wing it" for all intensive purposes. Look at me, acting like a crazy college student at my age!!!!!!! Love it!!!! We are in SPAIN!!!!!!!!!!! It is sometimes hard to believe - still - that we are really here!!!!!!! Fabulous, fabulous, experience so far!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!Ciao!!!
ReplyDeleteSenor Pit tuvo un bien tiempo hoy tambien. Las chicas de Nebraska y una chica de Armenia quisieron fotos con el. Tuvo poco de roja en la cara!!!!!!!!!!!! Se gusta la playa de Candeleda y tambien se gusta el almuerzo tan mucho. Estuvo un bien dia para Senor Pit. !!!!!!Adios!!!! I'm just havin a little fun, okay!!!! I kid you not - the ladies love Mr. Pit!!!!!
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ReplyDeleteOkay - !Vale! You hear that a lot here. Hoy es martes, cinco de julio. Feliz dia de la independencia todos las personas a hogar en estados unidos. Ahora, mi mayor queja es que no vivimos mas cerca del uno a otro. Es muy dificil para hacer cosas juntos en la tarde porque tenemos los autobuses diferentes y no corren pasado de deis o deisimedia. La fin de semana es diferente, pero hasta hoy no tuve un telefono movil. Well I have one now so hopefully that will help. It´s funny how drained you feel over here because of the heat. I am pushin on and pushin on because I just don´t want to miss anything and I´ve already spent a couple of nights wandering around by myself because I could not get in touch with anyone. Ah well ...... it´s not ideal, but I don´t want to stay home!
ReplyDeleteHoy, trabaje en clase con una chica y un hombre brazilianos. Es muy interesante como es possible escribir una cuenta entre tres personas que no hablan igual. En serio, nuestro dialogo no fue exactamente, pero, estuvo un experiencia muy satisfecho. I thanked them for working with me. It was interesting to say the least. Honestly, it must be hard for the instructors in this program to devise a lesson plan that takes into consideration the grand variation of experience of the students. All these different countries - they do make it interesting though. I´m feeling a little bummed right now because I´m by myself at the library. I am totally missing the bar scene so far!!!!! I´m grown - I can check it out just once!!!! One of my greatest joys right now is seeing Lina and Veronica and Aleks at school, because I can´t be exactly sure when I will see them next. Funny, isn´t it? I miss them pretty quick. Don´t have to miss Melinda anymore. She has moved into the same house as me. Wonderful lady, for sure. Cannot complain at all about her, her beautiful home, and how thoughtful she is. She calls me ¨nina¨. I think she´s 59. I´m 50. Yep, she calls me ¨nina¨. Last night we were sitting outside on her patio, the three of us, and she said that at her age she could never imagine herself doing what I´m doing right now - going to the United States, for example. Maybe she thinks I have guts. Don´t know. I definitely took it as a compliment, though. And we miss Dr. Chierico!!!!! Hi!!!!! I did not do anything wierd or have any mishaps today!!! Promise!!!! Monce (not sure if I´m spelling that right) told me today that my host mom´s little grandson has a crush on me. He likes my tattoos!!!! Cute little stinker!
ReplyDelete!Vale! Necesito hablar sobre las cosas academicas. Hoy, tuve poco tiempo en el edificio Gregorio para completar un papel por una presentacion proxima semana. Necitamos eligir una persona famosa de Espana, de Toledo o tal vez una cuidad de Espana. Elije por hablar sobre Juan Ruiz, El Arcipreste de Hita, porque siento como estuvo una personal muy valiente y talentoso por su epoca. Aunque tuvo pensamientos contra las creencias aceptable de este epoca, no estuvo miedo a explicarlos en una manera creativo. Well, I hope I do well with it anyway. Last night when I was wandering around, I took a different street through el barrio judeo and ended up right in front of my place, El Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes, but at a higher level. Score!!!!!!! More photos!!!!! I still must return to get photos of el claustro superior, but I can´t possibly have enough!!!! I really do love this place!!! I stood there looking at it thinking, yeah, I live across from a bar; after living most of my life in the south suburbs, that´s really different and it´s definitely pretty cool; but I can´t imagine living across the street from this place; seeing it every day! Do they know how lucky they are? Does the novelty wear off living in una cuidad antigua como Toledo? We have been here for one week and I still kinda feel like I´m dreaming.
ReplyDelete!Feliz dia de la independencia, folks at home!!!!!! No tuve aceso de la computadora ayer. Entonces, ?que mas? Aparece que recibimos complimentos de Monce por nuestro compartimiento amable y extrovertido y mientra el viaje de Candeleda en domingo. Yay us!!! Well, we did have a fabulous time and her boyfriend and cousin actually know about professional wrestling, which is wierd because no existe en Espana and people don´t even know what it is. They are John Cena fans!!!!! I had to talk with them!!! No, that was nice that she complimented us for being sociable and what not - Aleks, Melinda y yo. Tambien ella dijo que puede traerme a encontrar unas monjas para comprar el mazapan mayor para mi madre. !!!!!!!Ella tiene conecciones!!!!! Son poquitas de las chicas que darme abrazos o saluda con sus manos cuando verme. No soy tan fantastico, pero estoy haciendo muy bien aqui. Didn´t find that prince charming on the motor bike yet that Ms. Ebo was talking about. No importa .... todavia tengo tres semanas!!!!! I got some good shots today of La Puerta de Bisagra. Really wanted to do that, you know, when I wasn´t rushing to get somewhere else. Necesito sacar fotos de La Puerta del Sol. Pienso que Aleks tiene ya; necesito tambien. It is another world. I am in love with the big, thick wooden doors. No aluminum siding up in here. Not even in the more modern developments. And I do pass through a couple of those when I go home. More modern in styling perhaps, but constructed with the same materials, or at least, materials that look the same. Stone and bricks and mostly ceramic looking curved roofs. There´s probably a better term for it, but I don´t know what that is. Little variation from the basic adobe looking textures and earthtones like sand colors and deep orange colors as far as the paint. On one of our bus trips Aleks and I did notice a housing development with flatter roofs that were a dark color. Think that was on the way to Segovia. You just don´t know until you get here that you can´t take enough pictures of doors, apartment windows, and narrow streets. I imagine that when I show these to people they will be like, ¨Yeah, another tiny street; what else you got?¨ You gotta be here - it all is really THAT exciting. Surrealismo. For sure. I detect a bit of rambling going on here .
ReplyDelete!Vale! Es tiempo para dejar. No quiero que estas aburrido con mis escritos, y mas escritos, y mas, y mas y mas!!! !Hasta luego!
!Hola! Hoy es miercoles. Perdimos una actividad a ver el museo de ejercito. Aleks y yo esperemmos mas de treinte minutos por el grupo, pero nunca venieron. Truth is, we were there too early. No importa - we can catch it again next week or maybe just go on our own.
ReplyDeleteNice to toss a few hellos and comments to friends on Facebook, but make no mistake, I am soooooo glad that our time here is passing slowly. Not in a hurry to get back home!!!!
ReplyDeleteOne really different thing is the absence of streetlights. Certain street areas are marked as a crosswalk, with a sign and on the street itself. Cars just know they have to stop if pedestrians are there. It´s a little freaky to wonder if you should trust them, but you look like such a tourist if you stop walking. Takes some getting used to.
ReplyDelete!Wow! So much has happened since my last post? ?Donde debo empezar? Alguien robo mi camera en la barra. !Boo hoo!!!!!! Aleks is pretty sure a couple of guys were working together and set me up when he stepped outside. Perdi muchos fotos; un poquito triste, pero no de importancia mayor. Entonces, necesito tomar las fotos otra vez. So, yeah, live and learn. It wasn´t money; it wasn´t my identification; not the worst thing that could happen. Otra cosa; Melinda y Aleks y yo viajemos al Granada el proximo fin de semana. !Dios mio! !Que hermosa y interesante! En serio, we could have spent a week there. Quedemos en un hostal muy muy bueno en una calle central cercana de muchas tiendas y restaurantes muy muy buenas. La primera noche, por el adviso de una propetoria de una tienda, caminemos a un sitio muy alta para observar una vista de la Alhambra - tan emocionada. The one thing we love so much about Spain is the whole concept of crowds coming out at night to gather at the local plaza, enjoy the weather, relax, hang out, whatever. Families, people with babies until two in the morning. It´s not a thing of suspicion like it would be in Chicago; it is THE time that people gather and enjoy their town. We met a few people from other countries in this particular gathering place - Australia, Belgium, the U.S.. Aleks hit it off quick with a professor of gypsy background - a few years older than myself - a very, very intelligent and intersting guy. We and our two new friends - two Belgium girls - hung with him - had some interesting conversations. He was eager to share with us what was probably one of his favorite spots - a gyspy flamenco bar. Dr. Chierico, we partied with the gypsies!!!!!! Okay, not as wild as it sounds; but it was a good time. Despues Melinda va a dormir, Aleks y yo caminemos a fuera por las tiendas hasta cuatro en la manana - todavia personas a fuera y poquitos de las restaurantes abiertos. Muy emocionada para ver un estilo de la vida tan diferente de nuestras. En sabado, vimos a la Alhambra; un sitio de magia - truly impossible to see or comprehend in just one day. We really could have stayed there for an entire day too. Then we spent our five hours on the bus to Madrid and arrived at the bus terminal with eight hours to wait for the next bus. Sounds crazy and boring? We are adventurers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No importa. En el proxima fin de semana vamos a Barcelona - tal vez Valencia. VAmos a ver. Esta la semana trecera - no problemas. But we agree that it will be hard to leave here. I´m just glad it is not flying by. !Adios!!!
ReplyDeleteHoy es jueves. Es un poco dificil para tener aceso del internet si no tiene en su casa. Ahora, la biblioteca cierra en los dos; no suficiente tiempo por nosotros a hacer nada despues las clases. Supongo dejar instantamente en la una media por la casa para comer. Vale.
ReplyDeleteEl tiempo he cambiado un poco aqui. Ha tenido un poco la bresa en la noche y en la manana tambien; muy comodo. No quedo en la casa despues la comida de la media dia; siempre dejo otra vez por la ciudad de Toledo, si solamente caminar alrededor y ver cosas. Me gusta mucho y pienso que, puedo dormir despues; quiero sentir la experiencia de Toledo tan completamente como yo puedo mientras estoy aqui. No quiero perder nada. Anoche, fui otra vez por mi sitio - el Monastario de San Juan de los REyes, para tomar mas fotos. Tengo tan mucho amor por esta lugar. No puedo explica.
!Treciento cincuenta fotos no pueden estar incorrecto! Es magnifico. En martes visite la catedral - si, magnifico tambien - espectacularisimo, sin duda. Perdi mi respiracion a ver el altar mayor,¨dripping¨ con oro. Es un gran inspiracion. TAmbien, me gusto mucho la capilla de Santa Teresa, my patron saint. Pero senti la mayor emocion en los ojos de la escultura de San Juan de Bautiste. He was there, I´m telling you. His eyes were real. And I have no distinct affinity to him as a saint, but that sculpture is so well done that I could really feel his presence. It was fantastic. I had to go back to see it a few times. Naturalmente, senti un atraccion fuerte por la altar mayor - I cried a bit, not gonna lie. As soon as you walk in and see el coro y la altar mayor in the center, you know you have to look at everything else first because if you don´t, you just won´t see anything else. It is that breathtaking, that spectacular. The sheer size of it makes you think about how much closer to God they must feel simply to be in its presence every Sunday. But as beautiful as the cathedral is, I still feel a personal connection with the monastery. I just love it. In both places, I am blown away by the architectural detail. These guys were NEVER, EVER done. There is stuff on top of stuff on top of stuff and then detailed with more stuff. There are images above images, below images, and embedded in images. Nothing less than spectacular.
Vale. Necesito dejar por comer la cena de media dia. Tengo hambre. Esta noche, necesito regresar por un intercambio, como yo comprendo, con un estudiante que vive aqui en Toledo y quiere aprender ingles. La chica que trabaja aqui, me pregunto - pienso en esta lunes, si tengo interes en este tipo de intercambio. Podre dar mas detalles cuando tengo. Yeah, I cheated - had to use my verb book for ¨poder¨future tense. Anyway, it isn´t Monce, it is the other girl - I forget her name. She called me out specifically so ´- I don´t know - I´ll find out this evening. A good student knows that they are never done learning - am I right? Y por eso, soy optimista y lista por las experiencias nuevas. !!!!!Ciao!!!!! La proxima fin de semana, Aleks y yo tenemos planes por visitar Barcelona o Valencia. Necitamos ver. !No preocupa! !Escuchare sobre cualquier sitio eligimos!! !!!!ME GUSTA ESPANA!!!!!! ........... !!!!VOY A REGRESAR!!!!!!
ReplyDelete!Dios mio! No puedo expicar como siento en este momento. Esta pais en tan interesante; tan marviloso - las personas aqui muy amable y paciente con los estudiantes/las turistas como nosotros. En el ultima fin de semana, Aleks y yo tuvimos nuestra aventura de Barcelona. Con la ayuda de algunas ciudadanos locales amables, miramos sitios de tres dias en solamente un dia. Yes, we were beat, but not beaten. We were tired by the end of the day, but happy and pretty amazed at all we were able to see in such a short time. Plus, we had time for a few beers before catching our overnight bus and had no problems catching a few zzzzzzzz's during the bustrip. It was way beyond fabulous!!!!
ReplyDeleteHoy es viernes, nuestra ultimo dia completo aqui en Toledo. Muy muy triste. Despues dos dias de las fiestas con nuestros amigos nuevos, de muchos otras paises del mundo - es muy dificil a pensar en la verdad; que es el fin de nuestra experiencia aqui. Tuvimos un gran fiesta en miercoles - hosted by los brazilanos. Alex and Lina and myself did some mad partying that night - nothing short of a blast!!!!! Anoche fue la fiesta final de esta programa y una fiesta en los discotecas. Por Melinda y Lina y Alex y yo, un otro noche spectacular. ?Esta posible a beber y bailar demasiado mucho? No pienso!!!!!!!!! Aunque los profesores fueron a esta fiesta!!!! Todos de ellos son muy amables y muy pacientes. Props to all of them. It must be so difficult to teach a class with students from so many different backgrounds, but they all seem to be so loved by their students. Muchas gracias a todos por una experiencia tan increible and by far the most unforgettable ever. I cannot say enough about how this has changed my life - how fantastic it has been - yeah, I am starting to cry right now. You will never understand unless you do it yourself. Trust me. I wish it could go on and on. It is my intention to return next fall and I haven´t kept that a secret. It makes you wonder how in any stage of your life you can suddenly become so immersed in something - without warning and maybe even without a an obvious logic - that it changes your goals completely. Yep, I will be back.
ReplyDeleteDespues una semana en la casa, es increible como perdido que siento todavia en mi vida normal. Si, tengo muchas cosas a hacer - por mi empleo, por mi casa, por este semestre, etc. Tengo los planes por cambiar trabajo, aunque es posible cambiar residencia. Pero todas las cosas son dependientes en la posibilidad de regresar a Espana como una maestra estudiante - por ensenar y aprender. Necesito ver que pasa. Es la experiencia de la vida, sin duda. Son muchas cosas que puedo decir, pero la mayor importante es esto.
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