Erin972

"The Whores Are Back! Let's RAGE!" Lunes de Aguas This past Monday was a holiday in Salamanca, meaning classes were cancelled and stores were closed! There was not a sole to be found in the city, because everyone was heading down to the river to celebrate Lunes de Aguas! This is a curious holiday completely unique to Salamanca. It started back in medieval times when prostitutes were banished from the city during Lent. A week after Easter, students and townsfolk would gather on the banks of the river to welcome the girls back into the city. The rest of the day would be spent eating, drinking, and celebrating by the river. (Hence the name, which literally means “Water Monday”). Alas, only the last part of the celebration continues today. It has essentially become a day dedicated ... read more

Semana Santa: All Fiesta No Siesta During Spain’s Holy Week Spring has sprung, and to Americans that means polishing off those chocolate bunnies and searching for brightly colored eggs. Here in Spain however, Easter week is one of the biggest and most esteemed holidays of the year, and definitely worth checking out. Instead of massive candy sales and feeling obligated to go to church, you’ll find something far more stately, spiritual, and dare I say it, cultural? Semana Santa, or Holy Week, starts on Palm Sunday and ends on Easter Sunday. During this period, Spaniards and tourists alike come out in throngs to watch religious processions take place. On each night of the week, different hermandads (brotherhoods or parishes) take their pasos (floats) with enormous figures of Christ on the Cross, the Virgin Mary, and other ... read more

English Workshops Every Tuesday, Marisa, Emily and I teach an English class at a public school here in Salamanca. Most of the other groups have kids ranging from 8-12, but not us. No, we were blessed with a classroom full of four-year-olds. Why do these little tykes need to learn English so early? Beats me. Regardless, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to make their transition into bilingualness as smooth as possible. But let’s be honest, smooth sailing with four-year-olds is like taking a dinghy out into a storm. A loud storm, filled with crayons and high-pitched yelling in Spanish words you often don’t understand...isn’t teaching fun? In all seriousness though, I do love it. It just gets crazy sometimes. If you have ever babysat or substituted for a class, you know that the biggest obstacle is ... read more

Eric's Visit and Our Trip to Paris I got a very special visit from my boyfriend Eric last week! After two months of not seeing each other, it was indescribable how amazing it was having him here! Of course I took him all around Salamanca, showing him the Plaza Mayor, going out for tapas, getting chocolate and churros for breakfast, and translating for him like a pro! Overall it was just perfect. And to top it off, we went to Paris for the weekend! Paris was spectacular! I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it! We took the bus from Salamanca to the Madrid airport, then flew to Paris. We arrived at night, and unfortunately, after the trains stopped running. This forced us to take a taxi that both induced cringes and left our wallets significantly lighter. ... read more

Madrid and Toledo Just returned from another exciting weekend away, this time from Madrid and Toledo! We left Salamanca early Saturday morning, and drove approximately three hours to Toledo, about 70 km south of Madrid. Toledo: Did you know that the small city of Toledo has over 80 churches?? Hence the phrase “Holy Toledo!” Betcha didn’t know that didya? This medieval city, and the former capital of Spain, invites visitors to get lost (literally) in its labyrinth of crowded streets and ancient history. Toledo had a charming old feel to it, and I really enjoyed walking down the compact cobbled roads and poking into various shops and boutiques. First, we drove up to a hill outside the city to view Toledo from the best vantage point, then came back for a walking tour. We started by ... read more