Peloponnese Field Trip

So much time has elapsed since I last wrote, and for good reason: I spent the last 4 days in the Peloponnese, the large peninsula of southern Greece. It is good for me to review the itinerary, since I learned so much information in just a few days. Overall, the field trip was equally thrilling and exhausting. You’ll see why as this post goes on and on and on…

This post begins where the field trip began, on our first stop to the Corinth Canal. The Peloponnese peninsula was separated from the mainland by its construction  in 1893. The size of the canal is hard to comprehend, even when you are standing directly above it. See for yourself in the photo:

The canal is is 8 meters deep, 21 meters wide, and 6343 meters long. The walls stretch 79 meters above the level of the sea.

Next, we visited the archaeological site of Mycenae. The Mycenaean civilization was the first major civilization of Greece (and Europe, in fact). The citadel we visited was inhabited during the Bronze Age and, at its peak in 1350 BC, the citadel and area outside the walls was occupied by 30,000 people. The famous “Lion Gate” is the main entrance into the fortified walls, which are built in the Cyclopean style, called such because the stone blocks are so large they could only be moved by a cyclops.

Each site we visited was covered with spring flowers. Here is a flower from Mycenae.

On Thursday we visited Mystras, a fortified city near Sparta. The city was built in 1248 AD.

Panagia Hodegetria – one of many churches in the walled city of Mystras.
Churches with domes often have a Pantokrator – an icon of the all powerful Christ. The word ‘pantokrator’ means all powerful. This particular Pantokrator is a fresco surviving from the Byzantine period.

On Friday, we went to Pylos and visited the Palace of Nestor. This was another Bronze Age Mycenaean palace like the first one I described. Here, 1000 tablets written in Linear B were found. Linear B is a syllabic type script and is the earliest form of the Greek language. These tablets were used to record receipts and business transactions, not specific people or events. In fact, these tablets are usually wiped clean after a month and used again to record more business transactions. The reason so many tablets were found at the Palace of Nestor was because the palace was burned down in 1200 BC and the clay tablets were essentially ‘fired’ like clay in a kiln and the script remained until 1939 when the tablets were discovered. After visiting the palace we went down to the city and had lunch.

Lunch on the sea in Pylos. This sort of view is what one imagines when one thinks of Greece!

On Saturday, the last day of the trip, we visited Olympia. Here, of course, is where the very first Olympic games took place. I got the chance to run a foot race through the original Olympic stadium. I did not win, which means no statue was erected in my honor as it was for ancient winners. Near the entrance of the stadium was the “Hall of Shame.” When an athlete cheated in their sport, they were forced to pay a hefty fee. This money was used to erect a huge statue of Zeus with the cheaters name inscribed underneath it. In this Hall of Shame we saw the bases of twelve Zeus statues. Poor guys, still being publicly shamed 2500 years later.

Here is the original starting line of the Olympic games. The stadium did not have stone seating except for the few seats seen in the far left which were reserved for officials of the games; everyone else sat on the grass.

That’s all for now. We visited many more sites and museums than I could include in this post, but I wrote about my favorites. Each place was more interesting than the last (except the olive oil museum which was an alternate plan since we got rained out…they didn’t even sell olive oil there!). Regardless of the rain, we had a very busy week. Now I must get back to work, as mid term exams are about to begin. Did you forget that I’m also taking classes? Me too. With memories of the sea and the wide open spaces I suppose I can endure one week of classes until our next field trip to Delphi on the 17th. Three cheers for the CYA and their wonderful field trips!

Cuenca, I Love You

This just in: I have found my new favorite city. For this weekend’s adventure 12 of us headed to Cuenca, a city located south of Quito. It took about 8 hours to get there, but it was well worth it. Right away I knew I was going to love it there. The city is filled with colonial architecture, there are incredible cathedrals everywhere, and the general vibe of the city feels very laid back. There was one night where I was sitting in the main plaza with three of my friends, watching some breakdancers and enjoying the beauty of the city around us, and we talked about how different Cuenca is from Quito. Cuenca is just more relaxed than Quito, where it’s more crowded and where it has more of a large city feel. Also, fun fact: thousands of Americans retire in Cuenca because it’s cheap and such a wonderful city. That was actually kind of strange seeing so many Americans and hearing a ton of English. After my weekend in Cuenca though, I totally understand why they go there and who knows, maybe I’ll join them someday.

Our first day in Cuenca was spent sight seeing around the city. We went to a lookout point above the city, visited various cathedrals, admired the architecture as we walked down the cobblestone streets, found some ice cream of course, strolled down the riverwalk, and soaked in the culture of Cuenca. In one of the churches we were able to go to the top of the building and see the entire view of the city. Exploring the city without a strict plan was one of my favorite parts of the trip because it allowed us to live in the tranquil culture for the weekend.

The next day we went to Cajas National Park, definitely a must see if you get the chance to go to Cuenca (which you should, seriously I love it). We chose to take the three hour hike through the park which ended up being perfect. It was raining a bit while we were out there, making it harder to hike because there was a ton of mud. A lot of people were slipping (miraculously I didn’t, which if you know me you are probably in awe right now), but it was still such an amazing hike. We walked through a forest straight out of a fairytale, saw incredible views of the mountains, and passed a bunch of small lakes. This was my favorite hike so far because it wasn’t too difficult for me and it brought some of the most breathtaking sites.

The rest of the trip was pretty much spent eating, resting, and exploring the city a little more before we had to head back to Quito. Like I said, I am in love with Cuenca and wish that I had more time to spend there, but I have hope that I’ll be back someday. This next weekend I’ll be staying in Quito for some field trips, but stay tuned because everyday is truly an adventure here.

Reviews of the Rainforest

Well this past weekend was one for the books! We went on an IES trip to the Amazon Rainforest, yes THE Amazon Rainforest. Not many people have the chance to get there and now I understand why because it is pretty hard to travel there, so I feel extremely grateful for this opportunity. We did a lot while we were there, but I’m just going to do some highlights of our trip (if you want more details, talk to me about it! I’d love to tell you more!)

  • Traveling day: Getting to the Amazon, as I said, is an adventure in itself. It took three different buses (including an open air bus), two boats, and one airplane to get there, a total of 11 hours of traveling. It was a long day, but actually really fun and exciting. The whole day I never felt sick of traveling, but rather was enjoying the new surroundings and kept thinking about how remote our location was going to be.
First boat ride of the day.
  • La Estación de Biodiversidad Tiputini: We stayed at a research center in Tiputini which is located within Yasuni National Park, one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. We lived in screened in cabanas, didn’t have wifi, and only had six hours of electricity per day. Living simplistically was actually refreshing and was one of my favorite parts of the whole experience. I didn’t have to worry about my emails or what was happening on social media, instead I got to focus on everything that the Amazon has to offer.
Hammocking at the research center.
  • Hiking: We went on several hikes throughout the weekend where we saw flora and fauna that were new to us. I was able to see 3 different types of monkeys (10 types live in this region), unique birds (including a toucan), poisonous insects, peccaries (sort of like a wild pig), snakes, and an endless amount of incredible trees and plants. On one hike we got to take a canoe ride through a lagoon that was apparently filled with piranhas and other not so nice wildlife. On our hikes sometimes we would walk through ankle deep water, trek across broken bridges, and we did it all in the humidity of the rainforest. On our last night we took a hike which was definitely eerie, but so cool! Keep in mind that the previous night we listened to a presentation about all of the animals in this region that come out at night, including deadly spiders, creepy anteaters, and everyone’s favorite: the jaguar. The whole time we were hiking I thought about that presentation and was a bit paranoid, but it was sweet to see and hear so many species that come out at night (and there are a lot that’s for sure). I truly loved the hiking here though and was able to observe so much during those times.
Canoe ride in the lagoon.
  • Swimming: Tiputini is located on the Río Napo, a tributary of the Amazon River, and we were able to swim in it. We wore lifejackets of course and would swim around in the currents. One of the best parts of the trip was when we were able to float down the river ourselves. We took a boat down the river for a while, then jumped off and let the currents take us back to the research center. It took about an hour to float back and it was filled with a lot of laughter and some good views of the forest around us. No worries, the piranhas don’t really hangout outside of the lagoons (at least that’s what they told us…).
Exploring the river before jumping out to float back to the research center.

Overall, the Amazon was the trip of a lifetime and makes me feel thankful that there are parts of the world with so much biodiversity that is pure and untouched. Even though we didn’t spot any jaguars (maybe thankfully?), after this adventure, I can now say that I’ve eaten ants (they tasted like lemons strangely enough), hiked with monkeys swinging above me, and have been able to witness the beauty of the Amazon Rainforest.

Un día típica

I’ve had four weeks of classes so I’ve had time to establish a routine for school week. Although each day usually brings something new and unexpected, I have a general routine, so here’s a snapshot of a day in my life in Salamanca.

Desayuno

I wake up around 8:00am to get ready for the day and have a light breakfast. A couple of pieces of toast with jam, a cup of coffee, and a glass of orange juice is what my host mom sets out for me. Breakfast is usually very light and could also include a fruit or something small. My first class is at 9:00am, and I’m in class most of the morning. If I have time before lunch I will usually do some work at the IES center or stop by a café but I make sure I’m home for lunch around 2:30pm. In Spain, lunch is the largest meal of the day and we will usually have one plate that consists of soup or pasta or something else, and then a second plate which could also have meat and salad or a vegetable. For dessert we have either fruit or yogurt, I usually alternate between an apple or an orange.

After lunch, depending on the day, I will either have a few minutes to rest before going back to class or else I’ll have time to take a real siesta. The siesta is a wonderful part of the culture here, because it’s time built into the day to take a nap before getting back to work. If I don’t have class in the afternoon I will rest for a while and then usually go to a café to do homework. The café I have been frequenting is called “Manolita” and it has lots of seating and couches and great coffee. It’s frequented by university students, and I’ll usually run into other IES students when I’m there.

At Café Manolita

Whatever I end up doing during those after lunch I go home around 9:15pm for dinner. We usually have something lighter for dinner, like pizza or soup or a “tortilla de patatas” (my favorite Spanish food, a potato omelette which tastes great with some peppers or cheese or by itself). Again, dessert is a yogurt or fruit. After dinner I take time to finish up with my homework, talk to people from home, and relax.

One of the best things about studying abroad for a full semester is that it’s not just a trip, I’m actually living in one place for four months. This helps me better understand life in Spain and make more long lasting relationships with people. I still won’t ever be confused for a native, but I’m getting there!

Birthday Weekend & Clean Monday

“Happy Birthday!”

When you are quite young, it is not unusual to imagine what your milestone birthdays might be like. Will I get a car when I turn 16? (Definitely not.) Will I have newfound freedom when I turn 18? (No.) Will I party til the sun comes up when I turn 21? (Ha! Still no.) When I was young, I could not have imagined that I would spend my 21st birthday in Athens, Greece. Secondly, I would have never imagined that my sweet aunt Malari would fly all the way from Portland, Oregon to celebrate my birthday weekend.

The celebrating began before that, even, on Thursday night when my entire Greek class met at the home of my Greek professor, Lida. We watched a Greek film called Πολίτικη κουζίνα and ate traditional Greek food. Lida was so kind and got cake and ice cream to celebrate two birthdays: mine and another student’s birthday which happened earlier that week. My professor gifted me a small book of children’s short stories in Greek. She handed it to me saying, “Maybe you will be able to read this when our class is over…” At least I can enjoy the pictures, right?

On Friday, when my aunt arrived, we took advantage of the warm and sunny day and hiked up the Acropolis to see the Parthenon.

On Sunday, my birthday, we went to a traditional taverna to enjoy the very last evening of the Carnival season, which is three weeks long. There was traditional Greek music and Greek dancing. Since I had (poorly) taken one (short) Greek dancing class, I thought I had what it took to join a group of women dancing. Many of you have come to me and said you actually read this blog, so it is with much hesitation I share this video of my dancing skills. Anyway, here goes (feel free to only watch a few seconds):

The weekend concluded with Clean Monday, the first day of fasting in the Orthodox calendar. Clean Monday is celebrated by eating special Lenten foods like unleavened bread and octopus. Traditionally, kites are flown on this day as a symbol of the soul being lifted up. My aunt and I climbed to the top of Philoppapou hill to watch the kites and enjoy the view. The hill is directly across from the Acropolis hill and offers a great view of the Parthenon. Here is a view in the other direction looking out over Athens. The very large green space in the left portion of the photo is the National Garden.

The view of Athens from Philopappou hill.

This week begins the 40 day Lent period. Since 95% of the population of Greece is Eastern Orthodox, it is a unifying time of discipline and increased devotion. I will fast alongside them in preparation for Easter, the biggest celebration in Greece! With the conclusion of this day, my fun birthday weekend/family vacation comes to an end and I am back to being the student I came here to be. I could have never envisioned my 21st birthday to be in Greece, but I am so happy it was.

Twelve Hours in Sevilla

This weekend I took my first non IES sponsored trip, and I went with two friends to Sevilla! We decided to take the six hour bus trip to Sevilla and back in the same day.

On Friday, our bus left at 1:20am from Salamanca and we arrived in Sevilla at 7:35am. After getting our fix of coffee at the bus station, we walked along El Rio Guadalquivir towards downtown. The first monument we passed was La Torre del Oro, a watchtower that was originally built for defense purposes next to the river.

La Torre del Oro

At 9:30am we visited El Real Alcázar de Sevilla, a palace built by moorish kings. The detailed architecture inside was incredible, but my favorite part was the gardens. I entered the gardens and then they just kept going, they included fountains, ponds, plants, a labyrinth, and more!

El Real Alcázar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After finding our way out of the gardens we stopped for a quick sandwich and then went to La Catedral de Salamanca. The most impressive thing about this building is the outside full of detail and overlapping parts. Inside the cathedral is huge and filled with art, areas dedicated to many saints, and Christopher Columbus’ tomb. We also saw one of the most famous landmarks of Sevilla, La Giralda, the belltower of the cathedral which was originally a minaret for a mosque.

La Catedral de Sevilla

The next place we went was La Plaza de España, which features a section for each Spanish city. This area of a park also includes an enormous fountain, a small manmade river for rowboats, and horse and carriage rides. By this time of the day it was sunny and warm, and we sat for a while soaking in the sun, eating snacks, and taking in the amazing plaza.

La Plaza de España: Salamanca

After a traditional Spanish lunch of paella and sangria, we visited El Metropol Parasol (a sculpture near Sevilla’s plaza mayor), the outside of La Plaza de Toros (the bullfighting ring), and wandered until it was time to catch our bus ride home. At 8:30pm we hopped on our bus back to Salamanca and arrived at 2:45am the next day.

It was a surreal 24 hours of travel. I got to see some of the most cherished landmarks of Spain on a beautiful sunny day, so the total of twelve hours on a bus were worth it.

Thoughts from a Coffeeshop

As I sit here in one of my favorite coffeeshops near my apartment at 5:51 on a Wednesday afternoon, I’m having a hard time coming up with something to write about. Not because I have nothing to say, but more so that I don’t have the right words to sum up my thoughts about my semester thus far. Studying abroad is truly such a strange thing to do. Why would I want to put myself in a place where people have a hard time understanding me? Why would I leave the life I was so comfortable in and was loving? Why throw myself into a situation that I know is going to be difficult and that will be challenging for 4 1/2 months? These kinds of questions were at the front of my mind leading up to my semester abroad and even in the first weeks here, but oh man have these questions been answered. So I guess that’s what I’m going to attempt to do in this post, but trust me when I say that you truly can’t fully understand these answers until you are outside of your comfort zone and are doing the things that you never thought you could do.

A lot of people in my life that I spoke with about studying abroad constantly gave me this look of “you’re going where…?” when I told them about where I’d be living for the next few months. I can understand those looks, after all I am living in a third world country. These looks were slightly discouraging and worried me a little, but now that I’m here, now that I’m fully immersed into this culture, I can honestly say that I LOVE it here. Ecuador is an incredible place and I highly recommend that everyone gets here A.S.A.P. There is beauty in the mountains, parks, lakes, beaches; basically anywhere you go is surely going to provide you with the best views. Even more than that, the people here are special. They are kind and are interested in knowing some of your story. Most of the time when I take a taxi the driver asks me where I’m from (it’s pretty obvious that I’m not Ecuadorian as you can imagine) and what I’m doing in Quito. The family relationship here is also unique. Families care for one another deeply, for example my host mom’s sons come over for lunch every day even though they have their own families now. They love hard here and it is a really heartwarming thing to see. I do see the poverty and the hardships that the people face, but they face these things with strength and with a heart for change.

About the language barrier, yeah it is challenging. I am still struggling with expressing every thought in Spanish, however I am improving in various aspects of the language for sure. It was intimidating in the beginning, but I’ve learned that the only way to get better is to practice and to learn from the many mistakes I make. It’s really great to see myself growing in my understanding of the language and in being able to humble myself in my weaknesses.

I have learned far more about the world, myself, and life in general in my almost two months here than I ever could have imagined. I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to live in another country for a semester (thanks Mom & Dad) and believe that everyone should experience a new culture. Whether it’s spending a semester abroad or traveling or doing missions somewhere new, go out and immerse yourself in the world! There is no better way to learn and to understand others than by experiencing cultural differences and accepting the newness that they bring. Get outside of your comfort zone and the results will be life changing. Yes it’s challenging, but oh so rewarding. I could go on and on about the importance of stepping into these experiences, but this post is long enough. Ecuador, you are a new home and I can’t wait to see what the rest of this semester brings!

A Typical Weekday

I cannot believe I’ve been in Paris for over a month; the time has flown by and there is still so much to see. This post is long overdue thanks to cold and flu season. Thankfully I got by with lots of hot tea and Ricola cough drops, and my cold is finally gone.

Since I’ve been resting lately, I thought I would describe a usual weekday for me in Paris. Each week is different: sometimes we have class trips, excursions, etc., but here is what I do on most days:

Each morning I have breakfast at the apartment. My host mom provides breakfast for me and my housemate which is usually tea, toast, and fruit. Then I grab my books and head to class. The IES Center where I take classes is about a 20 minute walk from the apartment (or a 15 minute bus ride if it’s cold, rainy, or I’m running late).

On Monday and Wednesday mornings I get up earlier because I have a 9 a.m. class. On Tuesdays and Thursdays my first class starts at 10:45, but I like to arrive about an hour early to finish up homework and catch up with friends.

My classes include the Maghreb and the Arab World, Poetics and Politics of Gender in France, French Women Writers, Immigration and Diversity in Paris, and French Language and Context. During breaks I get lunch from a nearby boulangerie. They have typical French pastries but also pasta dishes, sandwiches, and soups for under 6 euro.

After class I usually grab a snack from the same boulangerie. Depending on how much homework I have I’ll either study at my homestay or at a café if I really need to focus. There are also plenty of beautiful libraries.

This is just a brief overview of a usual weekday. Some days I’ll go sightseeing in the afternoons as well. There are so many things to see in the city and a semester somehow feels like not enough time. In March I have trips planned to Ireland and Spain as well as more excursions with the program. It seems far away but I know I’ll be traveling before I know it!

 

 

 

Meteora: understanding beauty in the middle of the sky

Hello readers!

If you have ever seen a tourism brochure of Greece, the cover was probably a picture of stunning rock formations, like the ones you will see in the photos below. On Thursday evening my roommates and I decided we would like to see this place for ourselves, so we planned our visit to Meteora, which is the name for the rocks on which six Orthodox monasteries are perched. On Friday we boarded the early train to Kalambaka – the small town that sleeps in the shadow of the rocks. After four hours on the train we arrived in the lovely town for an evening of peace and quiet. On Saturday morning our tour bus picked us up and, to our surprise, we were the only three on the tour. Our tour guide, Dimitris, was born in Kalambaka but worked in Romania for many years. He was a botanist and was very successful, but realized money alone could not make him happy. He returned to Kalambaka and decided to multiply his love for the land by sharing it with others, like us! With every fact he told us, and every feature he illuminated, I could not help but be in awe of the beautiful combination of geography and religious life. Look at these photos and see for yourself:

The monastery pictured here is Agios Nikolaos Anapafsas Monastery (14th c.). The word “anapafsas” means something like “the one who rests.” It is called this because the monastery is always in the sun which was a great relief to the hermits who initially lived in chilly caves most of the year. We went inside this monastery to see the frescoes by the 16th-century Cretan painter Theophanes the Monk. Today only one monk lives there; our tour guide told us he is very tall and only became a monk because he could not make it in basketball. Haha!
The building behind my head is the only convent atop the rocks and is called Agios Stefanos. The nuns were very kind and the chapel inside had an entire wall devoted to icons of female saints. I had read many of their stories before and was happy to see the familiar faces- they were very beautiful.
This is the third monastery we visited – Megalo Meteoro. It is called this because it is the largest and it is on the highest point. This monastery was founded in the 14th century but has been renovated and repaired many times. There were several friendly cats in this monastery.
Even the outside walls of the monasteries are decorated with icons. These were in Megalo Meteoro.
The monastery behind us is called Agia Triada or Holy Trinity. It is the most isolated, as you can see, because it sits atop a rock that is entirely disconnected from the others. (Trivia: part of the James Bond film ‘For your Eyes Only’ was filmed in this monastery.)

After spending the afternoon visiting ornate chapels, hearing monastic chant, and viewing the vast landscapes, I couldn’t help but think of the others before me who made the journey up and never came down, choosing instead to devote themselves to the religious life. The beauty of Meteora is not isolated only to the landscape, but is also found in the reverence and devotion that are practiced here. This beauty elevates us to a heavenly realm, and it is impossible to receive this gift and not thank God.

Museums in Madrid

On Saturday, IES sponsored a day trip to Madrid to visit the museums. We arrived around 10:30am and immediately went to El Museo del Prado, one of the most important art museums in the world. We went on a guided tour to see the most important works of art, including art by El Greco, Francisco de Goya, and Diego Velázquez. It was amazing to see the art I’ve studied in Spanish classes for so many years in person. My favorite painting in El Prado was “Las Meninas,” a painting by Velázquez.

El Prado

After El Prado, we were given free time to eat lunch and explore a little bit of Madrid. I went with some friends to El Parque del Buen Retiro, a huge park near to the city center to eat our sandwiches.

El Parque del Retiro

There was so much to explore, and we saw everything we could before we had to meet back with the group. My favorite part was the glass palace installment, and there was also a section of the park where lots of people were spending the sunny day on rowboats. On our way back to meet the group we stopped at Nutellería Madrid, a small café/restaurant that serves Nutella on everything! I had a Nutella milkshake and it was fantastic.

 

Nutella!

When we met back with the group, we walked over to the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid’s museum of contemporary art. Featured artists here include Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso. We learned that the era of contemporary art is defined by the year when Pablo Picasso was born, which is crazy because he essentially came into the world and redefined the timeline of art. The most important piece of art in the museum is “Guernica”, a painting by Picasso created as a statement against the violence of the Spanish Civil War. This painting was my favorite in both museums because it conveys the pain and injustice that the country experienced during the war, and my favorite touch is that Picasso also painted a flower as a symbol of peace and hope amongst the torment.

Painting by Pablo Picasso

It was a great day in Madrid, and I’m so excited to keep exploring Spain!