http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/KelseyRamage/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from KelseyRamage en-us Sun, 23 Nov 2008 09:33:14 UTC Sun, 23 Nov 2008 09:33:14 UTC home back to Minnesota and off to school tomorrow. the flight home was fairly uneventful although really long...Its strange to be back home and makes me realize how much I loved Spain. I wish I could have stayed longer but was so happy to see everyone here at home.I had a wonderful last 2 weeks with my grandmother Mama June my Aunt Margee and my cousins Sara and Hannah. We saw some amazing thing http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Minnesota/Winona/blog-313960.html ...is not enough Some friends and I took the overnight train last Friday to arrive in Barcelona Saturday morning. We were incredibly fortunate to know people in the area. Molly's Aunt's foreign exchange student from when she was in high school and his wife. Their names are Jos Luis y Raquel and they are amazing they actually met us at the train stations helped us find our hotel showed us the http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Spain/Catalonia/Barcelona/blog-306010.html Three weeks from today I'll be on a plane home to the US Although I miss home thinking about leaving Spain makes me incredibly sad. I wish I had at least another two months I feel like I am really just getting the hang of things really getting comfortable here and now I have to leave. One of the main reasons I would love to stay longer is to practice my Espaol ms. It certainly has gotten b http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Spain/Andalusia/Granada/blog-303106.html The song for the festivel of San FerminUno de enero dos de febrero tres de marzo cuatro de abril cinco de mayo seis de juniosiete de julio SAN FERMNUno de enero dos de febrero tres de marzo cuatro de abril cinco de mayo seis de juniosiete de julio SAN FERMNA Pamplona hemos de ir con una media con una mediaa Pamplona hemos de ir con una media y un calcetn.This past weekend http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Spain/Navarre/Pamplona/blog-299546.html nothing too out of the ordinary happened this weekened we went out friday night with some friends from France and Spain. Our rational was celebrating the 4th of July. The two high school boys that are living with me planned this huge dinner with typical Independence Day food to try and share the culture with our family. We made potatoe salad ribs that was interesting corn on the cob had w http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Spain/Andalusia/Granada/blog-297434.html si es la verdad.last night we went out after dinner to have a few drinks and meet up with some friends. My roommate Sarah is gone now but another girl from our program her compaera also went home lives across the street so we walked around together. Anyway...we hung out at a Caf with a fairly large group of people from WSU and also from our school here including a group from France here st http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Spain/Andalusia/Granada/blog-295221.html Spain is the champion of EUROPE YEAH Last night Spain beat Germany 10 in the finals This is the first time in 44 years and only the second time ever I have never seen anything like what I saw last night...it was just LOCURA madness anyway we had lots of fun celebrating...the game itself was actually not terribly exciting. Torres 9 scored in the 30th minute and that was the only goa http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Spain/Andalusia/Granada/blog-293475.html I have now officially been to 4 continents I doubt I got the full scope of Africa but it was a start. At the beginning on Friday we left Granada around 130 in the afternoon to drive to Algeciras where we caught the ferry to Ceuta. Ceuta is right across the straight of Gilbralter we saw the Rock and is technically still Spainish territory. Interesting Factoid about Ceuta it is where Franco http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Morocco/Tangier-T-touan/Chefchaouen/blog-291643.html So finally I have my whole address. Some of you have asked for it and I kind of forgot..oops.Here it isMatilde Fernandez RomeroPara Kelsey RogersCL ANDREA NAVAGIERO 6 1C Edf. ELVIRA18006 GranadaGRANADA ESPAAThe first name is my host Mom. Its basically care of but you can't use C O because in the address there is CL which is very similar but means calle or street. So if you put CO the http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Spain/Andalusia/Granada/blog-289178.html On Sunday I had the amazing opportunity to see Alhambra the old red castle that looks over Granada. The best part is that I went through my school and it was completley free It was a 3 hour tour with a profesora and she was rushing us. It is huge I had nowhere near enough time to absorb it and I can't wait to go back Sadly the Lions are being restored and weren't there. There usually is http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Spain/Andalusia/Granada/blog-288011.html So I don't know if any of you have heard about the strike going on here. The fishermen and the transportistas are on strike right now due to the insane cost of gas. In essence all the truck drivers semi have parked there trucks on the highway and are picketing. For this reason the grocery stores are running out of food I am not kidding here. Fruit fish milk and other products that come fre http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Spain/Andalusia/Granada/blog-286836.html On Sunday me and three other chicas went to the beach We showed up at the bus station in Granada and to decide which beach to go to there are many we just bought tickets for the next bus We ended up in Motril. It was a bit rocky but a lot of locals hardly any tourists which was good. It was a beautiful hot and sunny day It was well worth the bus ride through the mountainsThe view was gr http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Spain/Andalusia/Granada/blog-285742.html Ok first today I went hiking up the mouth of the fish. cool right Before that however I went out for Tapas with a few amigas. Two of them are Spanish and its a good exchange I think. Anyway amongst many other things they told us the origin supposedly of Tapas. Tapas are just free appetizersfood you get with drinks at bars Originally a long time ago when people got a drink they also got http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Spain/Andalusia/Granada/blog-284726.html Hola TodosIt's really warming up here Mid80's hoy. Yesterday I went running for the first time I went in the evening but it was still very warm. The cool thing was that I ran along the river dry river bed really and found a park much like ones in the States. It had paths and trees and bences and evern water fountains. There were alot of other joggers and walkers so I didn't feel weird anymor http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Spain/Andalusia/Granada/blog-284354.html School is still going well segundo dia and today I actually had Literature. It is getting very hot here in Marid at least 26 degrees C. Apparently it can get to 40 in July whew Thats over 100 degrees FTonight the US is playing Spain we think and we're going to watch I'm very excited. Ironically we're going to an Irish pub just down the street for the game on tv Its literally on th http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Spain/Andalusia/Granada/blog-283769.html Classes rock never thought I would say that... I have Spanish Culture Spanish Literature and Spanish grammar. Spanish Culture will be cool and I really like our profesora. We are only covering 1936present. That covers the entire Franco regime. Que interesante Literatura was short today because our professor's son is sick. The best part is my intensive spanish language class is two hours http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Spain/Andalusia/Granada/blog-283346.html Well the first day of school is over kind of.. We took a placement test this morning and we go back this evening to check our class schedule for tomorrow. So I guess really the first day is tomorrow. Last night Mati again showed us Sarah and I where the school was but made us find our own way back so we for sure knew how to get there. Shes really a sweetheart but in a mother hen sort of w http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Spain/Andalusia/Granada/blog-282855.html Matilde is the name of my Seora but has asked to be called Mati how familiar for me Noone yet has been able to get my name right..thanks Mom and Dad just kidding. It is difficult and usually comes out sounding like Kelly or Casey. I think I might just give up on the pronunciation. As for mi espaol its comuing along. Its gettin easier to speak but still difficult to understand. Today M http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Spain/Andalusia/Granada/blog-282184.html We made it here and boy was it an exciting trip Well not terribly exciting but between the gates switching between terminals twice and then storms in Granada we arrived late but with few problems. I made it to my Seora and its actually her grandaughter who lives with her she is sixteen and I havent met her yet. This is an internet cafe so I have to run but internet will be free at school http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Spain/Andalusia/Granada/blog-281870.html So I have discovered a new love for coffee. Espresso with lots of steamed milkmmm. during our exploring today we found the Plaza Mayor which was beautiful and also an enclosed garden of some sort. We're not sure of its significance but it had beautiful walls and rose arbors. We didn't wake up until 11 in the morning so I think we took care our Jet Lag and we were still able to see Madrid. After t http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Spain/District-of-Madrid/Madrid/blog-281464.html