Semana Santa

Hola from Espana once again! As we progress into our 11th week, I'm still plugging away here in Granada.

To say that I was exhausted after the first week of our internship is a complete understatement. My brain felt like mush because of all the active thinking I'd had to do. I was certainly ready for our spring break that was scheduled for the next week. I needed a rest! We started the weekend off with a perfect event for relaxing, a picnic with sunbathing at our friend Petra's house! She introduced me to a new yummy Spanish cuisine called Gazpacho. It's a tomato based soup that's traditionally served cold and is quite delicious! The afternoon was filled with good conversation and soaking up some warm Vitamin D.

Karrie and I had to end the picnic a little earlier because we had a soccer game to attend! During the week at my internship, Mariano, my tutor, asked me if I liked futbol. After I replied with yes, he proceeded to ask me if I wanted tickets to the game which just happened to be the upcoming weekend. I think my energetic, resounding, "SI!!!" was enough to confirm that I'd love to go. So that next day Mariano presented me with two tickets for the game that Saturday. It was definitely a great memorable experience! Karrie and I had initially planned on riding a bus to the stadium, but we weren't sure which bus to take, so we ended up catching a taxi. After getting through the gates, we attempted to look for our seats, to no avail. Absolutely NOTHING is labeled in the stadium. So after roaming around aimlessly and asking various people, we decided just to walk down as close to the sidelines as we could, find two open seats, and grab them! We ended up getting to second row. Our plan to avoid any stern ticket checkers was to bat our eyes and smile. That's always a solid plan, right?! Good thing the Spaniards are ridiculously relaxed because we had no trouble at all. It was a scorching afternoon but that didn't stop the fans from screaming their heads off or the players from giving the fans a good game. I'm surprised I didn't have ringing in my ears for the next couple of days, hearing the uproar of the crowd after Granada would score. The Spanish definitely love their soccer! I remember leaning over to Karrie saying that I kind of wanted an injury to take place, just so we could see what it was like. Well, luck was on my side, because there was a fantastic collision between two of the players that resulted in one of the Granada team members to be taken out on a stretcher, in which we later learned was a definite broken nose. It was cool to see and I was most definitely 'that person' standing up to get a better view while I also took pictures, haha. Granada still ended up winning 2-0 and I'm so glad I got to go!

Our Semana Santa ("Holy Week") spring break began that following Monday with me working at my internship for the first half of the week. Slowly but surely my Spanish is improving. Speaking a different language involves accessing a completely different part of your brain, one that's pretty rusty in my noggin'. But the gears in my head are gradually getting greased and I'm starting to be more conversant with everyone instead of being that awkward kid in the corner. My coworkers and I have begun to establish a relationship, telling one another about our lives outside of the clinic. I told them that I really enjoy theatre and singing even though that that is something quite different from Athletic Training. I probably should've kept my mouth shut because after numerous attempts of nagging, I told them I would sing for them. So, one afternoon, I swallowed my nervousness and whipped out the only Spanish song I know from church, 'Pescador de Hombres' for Mariano. No words, no music, just me. I guess he must have enjoyed because just yesterday I had to sing for everyone in the clinic including the patients. Despite being super nervous it was great to sing again because I haven't been able to since being here in Granada, and that's just too long.

The rest of the week was finished out with some visitors, Karrie's aunt Tia and grandma Sonja! We had fun touring some new tapas places, discovering a great pizzeria that is close to our apartment. The ladies and I also attended a flamenco show, which was outstanding to see. The passion and focus involved with both the singing and the dancing took my breath away. It was so refreshing to watch a performance similar to a theatre production! Those that I know that are involved with dancing and the arts (all my theatre geek buddies) would certainly appreciate because the dancing is along the lines of extreme tap dancing. So cool!

We also took part in spectating some of the daily processions that take place in the streets of Granada during the entire Semana Santa week. These processions are a huge tradition in which large amounts of people dress in full robes, carrying crosses and candles while different women are dressed in all black as a symbol of mourning. They process through the streets with these massive floats of scenes from Jesus’ life and death. The floats, beyond extravagant and complete with gold décor, are carried by 25+ men and I’m told each of them hold about 30-40 kilograms while they walk. Bands play a processional type of music while hundreds gather to catch a glimpse of all the hulabaloo. The girls and I got a front row seat, not once but twice during two different processionals! The first was while we took Karrie’s grandma and aunt out for tapas. We were enjoying our meal when all of a sudden music and massive amounts of people started advancing towards us. On Easter Sunday, we decided to wander around the city a bit and we ventured into the large cathedral. Not ten minutes are we’d been there, we once again heard the sound of music (you like how I got that one in there?!) getting closer and closer. We turned toward the giant doors and a float, this one of Jesus being resurrected, was being carried in by all the men on their knees!!!!! They carefully maneuvered it until setting it in place towards the back of the church. This was all followed by a loud, well-deserved round of applause. It was definitely something spectacular to see!

Apart from wandering the city, Easter weekend was pretty low-key. On Saturday, Karrie made us Sloppy Joe’s from the recipe and ingredients that her grandma had brought over with her. Oh, were they good! That night we had a movie night and watch a chick flick, “Love and Other Drugs.” We all got the chance to talk to/Skype with our parents who were celebrating Easter with our families. I was so happy to get the chance to Skype with my Dad’s side of the family at grandma’s house. I’ll admit I was definitely homesick that day, but getting to say hello to all of the cousins, aunts, and uncles really put a smile on my face.

As all vacations do, Semana Santa ended way too early and before I knew it, I was back to my full schedule with class and my internship every day. Not only that, but this past week I had my first exam of the semester in Biomechanics! Eeeeeekkk! I had no clue where to even begin studying, so I went to a café about a block away from our apartment. I then attempted to translate all of my notes into English so I could remotely understand what in the world we might be tested on. This made for pretty much double the amount of studying I had ahead of me because I had to decipher my notes between two different languages. Whew. One good thing though, was this little treasure trove of a café I found. It’s called ‘Café Picaro’ and is just the cutest little nook! It has an older piano inside, along with a lot of antique 30’s Swing Era décor. To top it off, they were playing such things as Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, and the ever classic Ella Fitzgerald while I studied. This soothing music warmed my heart because it reminded me of when I go to visit you, Tutu and Jim! I will be back to this place more than once before I depart for back home. Not real sure how the exam went, but we'll find out soon enough. At least the professor knows we're not fluent so maybe he'll take pity on 'los Americanos.'

Still missing everyone back home. I think about you all on a daily basis and while I am truly enjoying my experience here, it will be nice to be surrounded by family and friends.

BESOS!

Getting ready for the futbol game!

Check out this crowd!

Post-collision.

Yes, I took many more pictures.

Woman dressed in black to portray mourning.

The costumes were quite elaborate.

Look at these floats!

Gazpacho!

Paella! Another Spanish cuisine: a rice mixed with a special paella spice

complete with calamari, shrimp, and mussel.

 The start of the flamenco show! I'll try to post a video on here, because pictures don't do it justice.

The cathedral.

Enter the massive float! At this point the men are still carrying this thing on their knees.

This thing is huge.

Ahhhh, Barrrtttthhelona

After coming down from the high of having visitors for a week, we were quickly gearing up for our next rendezvous. We’d booked flight tickets back in February to take a weekend trip to Barcelona April 7-10, so after Thursday’s classes we headed to the Granada airport to start our first airplane trip! We got through security and discovered that our 9:55 PM flight was delayed an hour. This wasn’t at all a problem because we passed the time by striking up a conversation with a guy who lived in Michigan and traveled worldwide for his business. He not only knew where Sleepy Eye was, but he’d been there!!! He had to travel to Del Monte foods for one of his business trips, just another example of how small this world can be! An hour-ish later, we boarded the plane and an hour and ten minutes later we landed in Barcelona. After taking a bus to the city center and a taxi to our hostel, we finally arrived in our temporary humble abode at about 2 AM. I think I crashed as soon as my head hit the pillow.

We awoke the next morning around 9 because we wanted to have plenty of time to find the tour we were going to take. Jen’s brother told her about a tour called the Flat Tire Bike Tour which takes place only in four cities in the world, Barcelona, Berlin, London, and Paris. For 20 euros, you get a bike and ride around the city for about 4 hours with a tour guide, stopping at various local attractions all while getting the historical details about the buildings and the city. This was twenty euros well spent! We made stops at the Barcelona city center, bullfighting ring, cathedral, Arch of Triumph, and Goudi’s La Sagrada Familia just to name a few. I did not realize the amount of history that was involved in the city of Barcelona—simply amazing! Following the bike tour we met up with a few of our friends that visited us in February and were studying in Barcelona. Together we walked around the city and strips like Las Ramblas, stopped in little shops and just all around experienced the culture. I got to taste ‘patatas bravas’ for the first time which is fried potatoes with a spicy red cream sauce that is a common Spanish tapa to be served at restaurants.  I just couldn’t get over how huge this city was.

We made plans the following day to visit the family that was hosting Carli and Lexie, then soak up some rays! In order to get there, we had to take the metro. Now, this lady from lowly Sleepy Eye was definitely a rookie at this whole riding the metro thing. Ride somewhere underground? What? Who does that? After buying our day pass, going the wrong way for a few stops, getting off, walking to a different station and switching metro cars we finally made it to the stop we needed to be (better late than never, right?!). Carli and Lexie met us and showed us the home they’d been living in for the past semester. After a quick tour and introducing us to her host father, we headed to the beach for a few relaxing hours. The other girls had already bought tickets to the Barcelona soccer game, so while they did that, Jen, Karrie, and I decided to hike up to Parc Guall. This is an area constructed by the architect Goudi who had the vision of building these large apartments and houses for a residential area. The idea never really caught on because the buildings, while immaculate to look at, weren’t exactly what a Spaniard would want to live in. I think our tour guide put it best when he said, “It seemed like Goudi and his friends took a bunch of acid and decided, hey, let’s create these crazy buildings for people to live in!” Since no one had any idea as to what to do with the place, the city turned it into a museum. Let’s just say that Goudi is definitely artsy and out there.

Our flight left at 7:30 AM on Sunday morning so it was an early one for us as we flew the short hop, skip, and a jump flight back to Granada. We were exhausted from lack of sleep and used that Sunday to catch up. While it was a short trip, I am so glad that I went because being able to see all of the historical monuments and attractions up close and in person is really something. Nothing against the United States, but I feel like the European history is just so much more rich than our own. I guess that’s what we get for being the rookie “New World.”

The long weekend in Barcelona was going to be our last hoorah for a while because that following Monday we were set to start up our internships. As I said in the previous blog post, each of us three girls would be at separate rotations, working 4 hours a day in the afternoon, observing how the fisiotherapists did things here. Karrie and I found out that our internships were a 30 minute walk away and the buildings were only about a block away from each other. So we left with plenty of time to find the joint and parted ways at around 3:45. As I neared the block where I thought my internship was supposed to be, I felt like a kid who was starting school for the first time, not knowing anyone or anything. I mean, I’m not a shy person by any means and can strike up a conversation with virtually anyone and do just fine. However, it’s a whole ‘nother ball game shooting the shit with someone in Spanish. That was just one of the bazillion things running through my mind as I was finishing my walk and felt like I was about to jump off of the end of the plank. Well, I had about ten more minutes to freak out because I arrived at 3:50 and the door and gates were still locked and shut, I mean, why be there on time? Finally, after what seemed like eternity, someone walked up and unlocked the gate and went to open the door. He noticed me, but I just stood there like the awkward kid who’s just been said hello to by his childhood hero. To make myself even mortified, I just continued to be awkward and follow him into the building. Wow, I felt like a creeper. Anyway, I handed one of the guys my letter and introduced myself, saying that I was here to do my internship. I at least looked smart for 30 seconds before he opened his mouth and started speaking rapid fire Spanish to me. After rambling a few sentences off, he went to get who I now know is Mariano, the owner of the clinic. He came down the stairs and began to fire off more Spanish at me. The blank stare on my face must have given it away because he asked, “Entiendes español?” “Mas o menos,” I replied. Aaaaannnddd, let the brain usage begin. I’ve had to actively listen and speak Spanish for at least 4 hours a day. Between that and the 30 minute walk there and back, I was absolutely exhausted upon arriving home at the day’s end. Despite being completely overwhelmed, I feel like my Spanish has improved in the mere week that I’ve been at the internship. Clientele that frequent the Clinic range from older people doing post surgery treatment from an injury or accident, dancers, to the professional indoor soccer players treating various injuries. My daily duties involve anything from setting up people on various modalities like Shortwave diathermy, laser, ultrasound or massages. They put lots of faith and trust me even on the first day because I was setting patients up on machines I’d not only ever used before, but all the directions were in Spanish. No one died however, so I think I’m in the clear. I’ve been slowly getting to know the patients that come in on a daily basis and have been learning the new vocabulary that goes along with anatomy and different injuries. I’m hoping to do more Athletic Training related things and learn more about general injuries as well, but time will tell. One thing for sure is that my Spanish will improve without a doubt. I think that the learning apparatus will kick into high gear once I get the vocabulary down. So despite that it’s been a long, busy, and involved week, I consider it a successful one nonetheless. Even with the language barrier, I’ve formed friendships with those I work with and the patients I see. One in particular that I’m hoping to develop is with a 25 year old woman who tore her ACL a few months ago comes in to do rehab a few times a week. Her name is Alma and she also speaks English (funny how I seem to just gravitate towards the bilinguals!). She’s very interested in what Athletic Training is and also in learning English, so she and I have an agreement to help each other and have good conversation whenever she is in doing her rehab. It can’t get much better than that!

While I’m certainly having the experience of a lifetime, I am definitely missing all those dear to me back home. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of you all. The countdown to having Sara and Patrick visit in May and my family visit in June has already begun. And to think of all of the hugs I get to give out and get upon my return home is enough to get me through the rough days. Thanks for all of your messages and e-mails and please don’t be offended if I don’t get a chance to respond. I’m all of a sudden busy and have a schedule (which seems unheard of in Spain).

LOVE AND HUGS!

Cathedral in Barcelona

Arch of Triumph

My new ride.

Active bullfighting ring

Goudi's "La Sagrada Familia"

Our fun bikes!

The Aussie tour guide, Buddha. He was fantastic!

Apartments built by Goudi.

Parc Guell

Goudi wanted people to live here. Really?

Up at Parc Guell overlooking the city.

These types of characters were all over the city. They stood still until you put some change

in their jar then they'd perform a little routine of sorts!

Mas Aventuras

The week following Alicante, I got to experience a few local events special to the city of Granada. We were invited by Racquel, our academic advisor, to a special concert put on by the University of Granada symphony orchestra. My school department, the Facultad de Ciencas de Actividad Fisica y Deportes was hosting this in honor of the person that founded this particular department. So, on Thursday evening, the girls and I got all dressed up and attended the orchestra concert. I must say, it was really nice to be in a musical atmosphere again. While it may not have been a musical, I was still smiling the entire time. The concert consisted of pieces from Mozart, Hindemith, and Dvorak and all the compositions performed were outstanding. 

The next day/evening, you could feel the excitement in the air around the city because Friday was game day. No, not American football. The Spain soccer team, which won the most recent World Cup, was playing in Granada! Tickets were waaaay too pricey, but we were told that he games were going to be played in parks for free all around the city. So around 10 pm, we ventured down to an area by the river where we were met by hundreds of people watching the game on a large jumbo tron outside. The atmosphere surrounding us the entire game was nothing short of intense. These people, both young and old, LOVE their soccer and they're not afraid to show their pride. From boos and hisses complaining about bad referee calls to screaming and jumping about after a goal, the crowd said and did it all. Spain ended up beating the Czech Republic 2-1 and thank God! For a while I was worried we might have to duck out early in order to avoid a riot. But all ended well. :)

That Sunday we were greeted by one of our Athletic Training professors, Cordial Gillette and her husband. Cordial got a grant to visit Spain to see how the first year of our grant program was going. Since at that point we had still heard no word on our internship yet, we had plenty of time to be tour guides. She came to one of our Spanish classes and we took her to our Facultdad, where she sat in our Biomecanics class, and met Racquel, who gave us all a tour of the Facultad campus. In addition, Cordial seemed to be the good luck charm that we needed because we received word that our rent is paid in full and we now have our internships squared away! We start on April 11th and will be doing 3 different rotations, the Sports Clinic, a women's Clinic, and an athlete rehabilitation Clinic. I will start at the Sports Clinic and I could not be more excited! While nerves are obviously a part of my emotions, I'm excited to be out on my own, hopefully learning a bunch of new things.

The girls, along with Chuck, Cordial and I decided to take a couple days and head down to Nerja, Spain on the coast. It was fabulous to soak up some rays for those two days, despite the fact that we all got burned. Red color is better than no color, right?! The mini road trip was definitely time well spent in the good company of Chuck and Cordial. They left early Saturday morning and I was sad to see them go! 

Missing all of you, mucho!
Besos,
Christiane

I have no idea what kind of fish this was and he was staring back at me, but I still tried some of it!

Churros con chocolate!

The beach of Nerja, Spain.

Cool flower!

Traditional style homes of Nerja at sunset.

My Spanish boyfriend.