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Published: February 26th 2008
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Some random plaza in Ronda
This city is about an hour and a half from Malaga, and from what I hear is one of the oldest cities in Spain. Well...it feels like it has been a long time since I have done this, so it may be a little short because I can't really remember everything that has gone on since the last time I wrote for the blog.
So, I had another class start last week, photography. I am actually really excited by this class and it seems super easy. The teacher seems really nice as well. There are two girls from my group in the class with me, and the teacher definitely knew we were American or at least foreign and she had patience with us which was very nice. Really the only things we have to do is show up to class, have a portfolio of at least five pictures by the end of the semester, and take a twenty-question final examen. Other than that practicum isn't required, but reccommended and I can get 15 percent extra credit just by going to some art exhibits. It's a pretty sweet deal. It also seems like we get to learn a lot about photography in general, which I need; all the technical stuff. And I get to work back in the darkroom and I only have to pay
This place is full of beautiful views.
The city actually sits on a high plateau. for film and paper.
I also had my first essay due this week. It was only 600 words and I got to write about a favorite photographer of mine, so it was pretty easy. However, my host dad just got done proofreading my paper, and I received a shrug and a "it was okay." Not very encouraging, especially when I thought that I had done really well. I definitely feel more confidant writing the language than understanding and speaking it. I really feel like most of the other students here are ions ahead of me in the spanish game. I don't know, I just feel like I am missing so much most of the time; and I have the occasion misunderstanding. For example, about two weeks ago I bought a pop randomly and finished it when we had dinner. Well, I think that my host mom took that as Coke was my favorite and I drink it all the time, because she has given me a Coke for every meal since then. I only drink pop on occasion, but I feel bad telling her that I don't really want it, because she is buying them especially for me. It's
Still pretty...
even though it was cold and raining on and off that day stuff like that that you have to watch out for. By the way, funny story, or comment really, I was talking to my host parents about the previous students that they have had and I guess one time a girl they were housing through a fiesta in their apartment while the they were gone for the weekend on vacation. Yeah, she might have gotten away with it too, had she not forgotten that my host mom's two sisters live in the two apartments above theirs; and believe me within this building you can hear everything. I always think someone is in the house randomly, when it is actually the people upstairs. It's kind of creepy sometimes, and I can't sing in the shower anymore.
Anyway, my last class, literature starts this week, so I will let you all know later how that goes. This past weekend we had a planned excusion to Ronda which is just a little ways away from malaga. It is a really old city that sits on a plateau in the mountains. It is really pretty from what I saw, but it was also cold and raining off and on the whole time we were
there. And then one of the places that we were going to tour was closed, so we ended up stopping at the wine museum. That stuff was a little much for me, and I you can see by the pictures, I had more fun capturing their color than their taste. Some of the other group members however were feeling pretty good by the time they left (all in the name of learning, right?). It was still pretty fun.
This weekend a couple of the girls and I are going to Morocco. It is a perfectly safe, guided trip, and we get to stay at a four star hotel. We are also touring a lot of cities: Tanger, Ceuta, Tetuan, and more (I just can't remember their names). It should be a pretty sweet trip, and of course I will take a ton of pictures. So be looking out for another blog entry sometime early next week. This is a holiday weekend for us, so we wanted to take advantage of the time off.
Well, I can't really think of anything else exciting or even unexciting that has been going on, but I will keep you updated.
Oh!
Caroline and Rhea
A picture of a picture being taken. They got one of me earlier, so I only thought it fair that I do the same. Wait! I just remebered something. So, not to freak my mom out or anything, but I witnessed three automobile accidents in the space of two days (back to back). I mean the people here are crazy drivers, but really what are the odds. I was walking home when the first one happened, some car cut off a moped/motocycle and the guy on the motorcycle stopped right in the middle of the street, got off his bike and started screaming at the other driver. I wish I understood everything that guy was saying. Later that same day, my bus was hit by a minivan. Yeah. I don't really know how the driver of the van didn't see us. I mean the city buses here are big and bright blue. That one was interesting and it made me late getting to the university. Then the day after that, a more serious accident happened. I was walking along one of the main roads with my ipod on when I heard a really loud crash. I turned looking for a hit car, but I couldn't find one because it was a moped. It was horrible. I think that a car sideswiped this little moped
and it crashed into a really big median, sending the driver flying half on the sidewalk and half on the street. It was crazy, but I think that the driver of the moped was okay. They all where helmets here so that is definitely a good thing.
So now I think that I am done. Those are my stories for this week. Wait! I have one more. So, my host family is only supposed to feed me two meals a day, and as a result I wanted to get some easy lunch items to make myself. I, of course, bought rice. Well, today was attempt two on the rice and I still haven't gotten it right. The first time, I guess I didn't make it right, and of course my host dad had to come home right at that time to see me make a fool of myself. Luckily, this time no one was around, and this time I don't think that I used enough water. It did taste a little better, though, so I think that I am on the right track. Perhaps three is the magic number on rice making attempts. I'll let you know if and
when I find success.
NOW, I am officially done. I hope everyone is doing well, and I want to give a shout out to the newest member of my family, little Delia Sitze. My cousins Casey and Jake just had their second daughter, so congratuations guys!! Well, that's it for now, I'll be back next week hopefully with some wicked pictures of Morocco.
Chao!!!
P.S. I finally figured out the video posting, so check out the video on the previous entry of el botellon, as well as the video with this one of my spanish host family saying hi to everyone. Enjoy!!!
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