1) Palacio Real (Metro stop: Opera, Line "R" or Plaza de Espana, Line 10). The former Royal Palace is one of Madrid's major sites, and is very close to the site of the modern-day Senate. There are citywide bus tours offered by different companies (you will have to register for them) that start from the Palacio Real. There is also a garden with statues of famous Spanish rulers situated around the perimeter, so even if you do not go on the bus tour, you can appreciate a stroll around the neatly trimmed greenery.

2) Parque del Buen Retiro (Metro stop: Retiro, Line 2). This large park, located in the middle of Madrid, attracts thousands of people every day. It's a perfect place just to relax and take in scenery. There are running trails for people who want to get in a morning workout, monuments as well as statues of historical or artistic importance for history buffs and public gardens for nature lovers. Visitors can rent boats and take them out on a lake in the center of the park. Artisans and "street" artists line the walkways of Retiro, selling their creations. One of the artists I saw did "splash art" with spraypaint, and, only using the paint and different cut-out shapes of paper, managed to create paintings that look like they were done with oil paint on a canvas. These "starving" artists certainly have talent, and the average cost of a painting was 10 euros. Even if you don't buy anything, it's still fascinating to watch the process of how a painting is made.

3) The Madrid Zoo (Metro Stop: Batan, Line 10). Located in the Casa de Campo, this zoo (which I blogged about earlier) has almost every type of animal imaginable. It also has an aquarium with live dolphin and sea lion shows and attractions for the kids. For those Rhode Islanders reading this blog, I would say it is like a mix between Sea World and Roger Williams Park Zoo. Definitely something to do on a "low-key" day.

4) Plaza Mayor (Metro stop: Sol, Line 3). What happens in Plaza Mayor varies from day to day. From having bull fights in a specially-constructed ring (usually imported from Navarra or the north of Spain, as outside of that region, bullfighting is not popular in Spain) to horse shows to fashion shows or displays of artwork, there is usually some new project being constructed for some show at Plaza Mayor. However, even on days when the square is bare, it's a beautiful piece of architecture and the perfect place for an afternoon stroll.

For food, Madrid has any number of restaurants. Although it's a bit pricey, La Paella Real, next to El Palacio Real, is a wonderful restaurant that's well worth the cost. Plus, the traveler gets to sample the customary Spanish dish: paella, or rice with vegetables and your choice of meat. Be warned--to show the freshness of the food, Spanish restaurants serve seafood like shrimp with the heads still attached! You'll just have to shell the shrimp yourself.

VIPS, which is like a mini-CVS, is the store where you can buy almost everything. It also has a VIPS restaurant, which serves burgers, chicken and more "American"-style food. The VIPS on Calle Velazquez (Metro: Avenida de America), near my school, also had two additional restaurants, including an Italian eatery, in the basement. The food is reasonably priced at all VIPS establishments.

And if you don't feel like that, you can always avail yourself of one of the many tapas bars around Madrid. Usually set up like small taverns, these bars serve alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and tapas, or reasonably-priced appetizers ranging from Spanish omelette (potatoes and eggs) to jamon serrano (pieces of cured ham). Most of the places will have a sign outside advertising "tapas."

For a good dessert or snack, go to the Chocolateria San Gines, located in the alley off of Calle Arenal next to the Church of San Gines, where you can order churros, or long strips of fried bread, with chocolate. The chocolate comes in cups like hot chocolate, but has the consistency of a thick pudding.

Try them--they're delicious! And you can also justify indulging yourself, because you'll burn the calories by just walking from place to place through Madrid.

For souvenirs, there are many stores around Sol with good-quality, cheap goods. You can also buy souvenirs at pricier stores in the areas of Serrano and Colon, if you want. Some people choose to buy items off of street vendors, and you can--but be aware that not all vendors are the same, and some will try to cheat you, especially if you stand out as a tourist.

For nightlife, the bars and clubs tend to be concentrated in Sol or along Gran Via, a major artery in Madrid. The neighborhoods of Alonso Martinez and Chueca also have great club life and bars ranging from "hole-in-the-wall" places to posh Manhattan-style lounges. Kapital, located in Atocha, is a popular seven-story club with a different style of music on each floor. It can be pricey, but is a guaranteed night of fun if you do go. On Sunday, while you recover from staying out late, you can sleep in, or, if you're an early bird, you can head over to El Rastro, a huge flea market where almost everything from clothes to snack food is on sale. The streets around La Latina and the Plaza de Cascorro, where the vendors set up their stalls, are packed every week.

If you do go to Madrid, don't stress about trying to see and do everything. The attitude of the average Spaniard is much more relaxed than that of most Americans. If you don't see something or get somewhere, there is plenty to do to occupy your time, and you can always re-attempt your endeavor at a later time. Above all, enjoy! As they say in Spain, "no pasa nada."

The zoo has animals from every continent, and each continent has its own designated area of the park. The zoo reminded me of Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, but had some animals that you don't usually find in Rhode Island.

However, our relaxing day soon became a bit stressful, as both my father and I tried to get a picture of the elusive red panda, or firefox. Red pandas like to climb trees and hide in the branches, and despite their bright red fur, they are good at camoflauging themselves. Every time we walked past the section designated for red pandas, one would be in the tree, hiding and with its back to us. All of our attempts to capture the animal on film were thwarted. After about 12 failed shots from every angle imaginable, I was ready to jump the fence and go after the red panda, but patience eventually paid off and I got the shot I wanted.

Got ya (finally)!

Here are some of the other animals we saw:

This is a meerkat, the animal that served as the basis for the character Timon in "The Lion King." In real life, meerkats move really fast and like to burrow through the dirt. Think of them as the hyper and overactive children of the savannah.

This picture didn't come out so well, because the koalas were behind glass. They may look cute, but there's a reason they're behind glass--koalas have sharp claws and short tempers. They can be some of the fiercest animals in the world!

This is a tapir.

A wallaby, similar to but not exactly like, a kangaroo.

A kudu. This one has a target-shaped mark around its behind, which is kind of ironic considering it probably attracts the attention of hunters even more, instead of camoflauging the kudu.

This is a nilgo.

To summarize, the zoo at Casa de Campo is certainly one of those "family fun" places to visit in Madrid. Although it can be a bit difficult to find, turn left once you exit the Metro station and keep walking. You will start seeing signs that will direct you to the zoo's entrance. Disfrutate! (Enjoy!)

As we left our tents and headed out of our camp and into the dark morning, we were surprised to see a pack of 40 or so camels seated on the ground. Our program director had told us we would "wake up early and see the sunrise." But she didn't say anything about mounting any animals. Some of the camels were chewing cud or some leaves when we approached, which didn't make me very comfortable, since I know that camels can spit very far (which they love to do). Most of the AU students were eyeing these "horses of the desert" suspiciously. One by one, the Berbers began taking students and plopping them on top of the seated camels. There were five camels seated in a line in front of me; I sat down on top of the third camel and waited for further instructions.

The saddles on top of the camels were these large, triangle-shaped contraptions draped across either side of the camel, with a metal "T" mounted in the front. The saddles were covered by blankets or mini-rugs. I could see some desert shrub leaves and greens shoved in between the blanket and the saddle of the camel in front of me. The leaves provide extra padding and can also be used to feed or persuade a stubborn camel to keep moving ahead, if needed. Some of the camels were already acting up when we arrived, so I kept wondering whether we would need to resort to "carrot on a string" tactics to urge along these restless beings.

After everyone mounted their camels, the Berbers then went down the lines of camels. They tapped the first camel in our mini-caravan to signal that it was time to rise. The camel rose, hind legs first, and Liz, the first in our line, went flying up into the air. Luckily, she held on tight. Then, the camel rose on its front legs until it was perfectly upright. Then Marissa's camel rose in the same manner, and then mine, until all the camels were upright and all five AU students were holding on tight. And it was necessary to hold on tight. If you've never ridden a camel, you should know that it feels like riding on a rocky boat. Nobody got motion sickness, but every step the camels took in the soft Sahara sand was another lurch forward. Going downhill was worse. When the camels reached the dunes and started trudging downhill, I fell against the metal "T" and felt like I was losing control. My camel also had this bad habit of wanting to run ahead of the other camels in front of it (Just my luck that I get the camel who wants to win the Olympic 100-meter dash). But since all the camels are tethered together, this complicates things. Fortunately, I didn't fall off and my camel seemed content to just poke its nose into the saddle of the camel in front of it and slightly molest Marissa. No harm, no foul. I eventually relaxed and just tried to enjoy the desert in the dark, lit only by the stars. It was fun, and I eventually got to sense when and in which direction my camel was going to move as I rode.

Here is a picture I borrowed from Marissa, showing us in the camel caravan.

And this is one borrowed from Jessica that captures some good silhouettes of us against the early morning sky, riding our camels through the desert.

Just before the sun rose, we stopped at a very tall dune and, one by one, dismounted, starting with the first camel (front legs first, followed by hind legs) and continuing down the line. There, we climbed up the dune and watched the beautiful sunrise. It was fun running up the dune, but it was very steep and I still found it difficult (though less so than my fellow participants) to run through the sand despite having run cross-country for many years. I would like to see a state meet cross-country course on a sand dune. Now THAT would be a challenge!

After staying there for about an hour, we trudged downhill and mounted the camels once more before returning to our camp. I really liked riding the camel, but I think I prefer more modern forms of transportation, which can at least ensure a smooth ride and prevent "saddle soreness" from setting in afterward.

But what struck me most about this situation with ETA is that it has stirred up a lot of "anti-nationalist" sentiment. I use "anti-nationalist" in quotes because it is really more in opposition to Basque or Catalonian nationalism, or anything that does not adhere to mainstream Spanish "Castilian" culture. The extent of this anti-minority, pro-Castilian feeling seems to be escalating, much like isolationism and nativist sentiment have been awoken by the recent debates in the U.S. over the Dubai port deal and immigration from Latin America.

I was a bit unsettled by the emergence in Spain of this nativist sentiment. One of the host brothers from our program, Danny, said that after the March 11 attacks by Al-Qaeda, there was a resurgence of anti-Basque sentiment, due in part to the fact that the government kept insisting (despite evidence to the contrary) that ETA was behind the attacks. Danny said that he heard some people start shouting anti-Catalonian slogans, even though there was no logical link between the Catalonians (who have been very peaceful in their quest for independence) and the Basques, let alone between the Basques and the train bombings. It apparently didn't matter to those people: they voiced their hate for the Basques and decided that, while they were at it, they could also voice hate and make violent threats against other non-Castilian groups. And this is why I think the re-emergence of this form of nationalism is so unsettling.

Anyone who studies Spain's history knows that for many years, Spain was ruled by Francisco Franco, a dictator who tried to form a unified, fascist Spain where non-Castilian national identities were almost completely eliminated. Spain's political and economic position from the end of the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s to the 1950s, when the borders and markets were opened to foreigners, also exacerbated the situation, resulting in a very homogenous culture. These elements have contributed to a strong pro-Castilian nationalism, but hostility towards Basque, Catalonian or Galician nationalism. It also carries over in other ways: for example, there is a lot of prejudice against Moroccans or North Africans due in part to Spain's history under Muslim and North African rule and to the desire of some people to ignore Spain's African roots in order to establish a "European" Spain that is largely Castilian and Roman Catholic, and nothing more. This has been exacerbated in recent years by increased immigration from North Africa and tensions between native Spaniards and those immigrants.

Not all Spaniards share these sentiments, just as not all Americans express anti-immigrant feelings. But I think that both societies still have much progress to make in the way that they deal with minorities. One of my classmates lent me a very interesting book on race in America, entitled "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?" It was very informative and hit the nail on the head regarding some of the issues we talk about (or don't talk about) concerning prejudicial attitudes in America. Reading that book, seeing the immigration debates in the U.S. on TV and the Internet, and hearing and seeing the Castilian "purists" in the news certainly started me thinking about the rhetoric we use towards minority groups, whether they be racial, religious, ethnic or defined by some other social construct.

These issues have also caused me to think about one of my friends. An Asian-American studying abroad in Spain, she is enjoying herself, but is shocked at the often prejudicial attitudes or comments she will receive from ordinary Spaniards on the street. She is Korean, and is tired of being referred to as "china" (pronounced "CHEE-na") or Chinese. I will grant you that there are very few Asians in Spain, especially when compared to other countries, and some of these comments or gestures (such as slanting their eyes) may just be ignorance due to a lack of exposure. The people doing this may not even know or understand how hurtful their attitudes can be. My friend, though offended, is open-minded and tries to understand the social context in which most Spaniards are operating. And, as I mentioned before, there are others who do not make the comments or gestures who just treat people as people.

Regardless, I do think some discussion of these issues is warranted. In fact, by comparing the social situations in Spain, or the United States, or in any other country, we may even be able to single out what certain countries or cultures do things better, and where they fall short. Either way, it would be a lot more constructive then playing the "blame and stereotype" game that usually occurs when such issues are discussed. It also keeps us grounded in reality: as much as we might not want to admit it, we (as in human beings) still have much to learn in the way of tolerance. This can be applied to any social construct, whether racial, ethnic, religious, or even in terms of lifestyle or others' political affiliations (for example, a liberal being open-minded towards a conservative's ideas or beliefs).

But life does move on, and not all is bleak or hopeless. My friend and I are enjoying our time in Spain, we are taking the good with the bad and are looking forward to more exciting adventures and experiences.
Until I write again: hasta luego.

One of the other things I noticed while in Morocco was the extent of poverty in some of the cities we visited. Near the tourist attractions, Moroccan children surrounded us and held out their hands for money or other tokens. Our group gave them ballpoint pens, which are expensive for Moroccan children to buy when attending school. The children would run at top speed to snatch the pens from our hands or the hands of others who were too slow. Although it was difficult for some members of our group to see so many children begging on the street or following us around, I think the contrast between the places we visited and the wonderful treatment we received in the hotels or at the Berber outpost made us realize how fortunate we are to have this opportunity. It was a humbling yet gratifying experience. I never would have thought I'd be able to travel to Africa, let alone ride a camel in the middle of the Sahara. I am grateful that American University's study abroad program has allowed me to take advantage of these opportunities.

Morocco is a beautiful country, and has many diverse landscapes, ranging from the desert to the mountains to lush, green fields to cool, shady oases. The temperature varies throughout the day, from baking hot to freezing cold, especially in the desert regions at night.

Moroccan food generally consists of steamed vegetables, spiced meats, flavored jams and pastes and couscous or rice. With the exception of one day, I luckily managed to avoid getting sick from the change of diet and was careful to not to drink unfiltered water. Some others in the group had a little more trouble adjusting to the food, but for the most part, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

I think traveling to Morocco also shines some light on parts of Spanish culture, especially those elements that were of North African or Muslim origin. For example, in Spain, people are very individualistic and there is less emphasis placed on group work. This idea of rugged individualism is understandable if you consider that Moroccans or other desert peoples who crossed into Spain in the 8th century came from a culture where they had to brave the sun and the elements, without help from anyone else. In places such as Cordoba or Granada, where Muslims built fountains or designed gardens filled with running water, you can see why the presence of potable water was almost like a godsend for them. After spending a couple of hours in the midafternoon in Morocco, especially in the desert, it is easier to understand why they constructed such places as shrines to this valuable natural resource.

This is a view of Ourzazate from above.

When we arrived in Avila, the first thing we noticed was "La Muralla," a massive wall along the perimeter of the city. Nobles, soldiers and members of religious orders, like the order of Carmelite nuns to which Saint Teresa belonged, would have lived inside the wall, while peasants and farmers lived outside.

This is a view of Avila from a hill outside La Muralla.

My friend Sunny liked the statue of this lion. There are stone statues lining the streets around churches when one enters Avila.

This is a view of the roof of a gothic church from the outside.

And this is the inside, where many paintings and statues of religious figures or scenes from the Bible are displayed.

While inside the different churches and buildings in Avila, we saw a painting of Jesus being crucified while wearing a skirt, which is more common in certain Latin American indigenous cultures' depictions of Jesus. So, our guide concluded, the artist was probably Latin American and shipped the painting to Avila to display in the chapel of the church. Many in our group were either shocked to see this, or thought it was funny. It just goes to show that cultural norms and styles differ from place to place.

We then went into a room with artifacts that belonged to St. Teresa. We were not allowed to take photos, unfortunately. But the most shocking thing was that in a display case was a finger. Yes, you heard me correctly, a real, decaying FINGER enclosed in airtight glass. The locals say it is St. Teresa's index finger. Now, I realize the woman had masochistic tendencies due to her mystic beliefs, but somehow taking her finger and enclosing it in glass for all to see seems a little extreme. I only wish I could have taken a picture. It's one of those things you just have to see.

Leaving the chapel of the nine-fingered saint, we then climbed a stone walkway that snaked across the tops of buildings in Avila. From there, we could see spectacular views of the city.

After leaving Avila, we traveled to nearby Segovia, which is much smaller. Segovia's prime tourist attractions are the Roman aqueduct and the palace known as the Alcazar.

Here is the aqueduct. Local folklore ignores the presence of the Romans and says that the aqueduct was built by the devil when he made a bet with a local woman to give him her soul in exchange for finding an easier way to transport water instead of carrying it back by hand. The legend says that the woman then tricked the devil and he ended up building the aqueduct, but failing to win the woman's soul.

This is a close-up of the aqueduct. Our program assistant Cristina said the Spanish flag was draped across the statue of Mary and the Baby Jesus in remembrance of the two-year anniversary of the March 11, 2004 subway attacks committed by Al-Qaeda.

This is one of many gothic-style churches and cathedrals throughout Segovia.

The Alcazar served as a palace and residence for the kings of the Castille region. Each new monarch added new parts to the building, transforming it into a massive palace and fortress.

This is a view from the Alcazar, surveying the land below. The Alcazar stands more than 1000 meters tall.

According to news sources, ETA vowed yesterday to lay down arms and start a ¨permanent cease-fire¨ starting Friday at midnight. According to the statement released by ETA and read aloud by three masked ETA operatives on a videotape sent to Spanish media outlets, ¨the aim of this decision is to promote a democratic process" in the Basque country. CNN has a translation of the statement up on its website. You can go here and read it.

Reactions to the news have been mixed. While most people are hopeful and excited at the prospect that this form of domestic terrorism will end, government officials are advising caution. ¨Cauteloso,¨ or cautious, is a word being thrown around by every politician and news reporter. In the past, ETA has promised to lay down arms and has broken those promises, or the ¨cease-fire¨ has ended prematurely. The longest truce between the government and ETA lasted for 14 months, starting on September 18, 1998. Some people are wary of anything ETA says, especially because their past actions do not seem to indicate a desire for peace or democracy.

What is clear is that President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero´s PSOE (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) has been trying to negotiate with ETA in order to combat terrorism. Members of the conservative Partido Popular have been critical of Zapatero´s links with ETA, even though the former PP-controlled government under Jose Maria Aznar had also tried to negotiate with ETA in order to restore a state of normalcy so that Spanish citizens would not have to worry about being attacked. However, the PP later adopted a hostile attitude towards the Basque separatists.

After the terrorist attacks of March 11, 2004, which killed 192 people, the Aznar government tried to link the attacks to ETA, even though all the evidence pointed to radical Islamicists tied to Al-Qaeda. As a result of the government´s rush to judgment (and opposition of fellow conservatives, moderates and liberals to Spain´s involvement in the Iraq war), Zapatero the PSOE were elected to power three days later. Many PP politicians and sympathizers still say that ETA was tied to Al-Qaeda, but have been unable to provide evidence to back up those claims. Clearly, though, accusations by government officials only further strained relations and the possibility of peaceful settlements with ETA, which is why Zapatero has been pushing hard for such a cease-fire.

If this cease-fire is successful, it could very well serve as Zapatero´s crowning achievement during his presidency, which has been marked by criticism from the left (who believe he is not being progressive enough) and the right (who are upset about his policies, especially concerning social issues such as gay marriage and the attempt to separate the Catholic Church from state affairs).

Hopefully, ETA is serious about their promise to lay down arms and stop terrorist attacks. People should be cautious and wary, as ETA could rescind the truce if they are not granted certain concessions, ranging from the release of ETA members from prison to a complete withdrawl from Spain and the establishment of an independent Basque nation. However, in a culture where national identities are often looked down upon by other Spaniards (there is much prejudice towards Catalonians, Basques, Morroccans, and other ethnic groups due partly to Spain´s history of isolationism and Franco´s reign and attempts to homogenize Spanish culture), it is clear that conservative elements within the country also need to be willing to extend the olive branch, or else they could risk further alienating the Basques, causing them to end the cease-fire and setting the peace process back for decades. I am sure there is a way to find push forward the peace process without forcing the Spanish government to captiulate to every one of ETA´s demands, but it´s going to require hard work and willingness to compromise--not stubborness or strict adhesion to personal ideologies--on both sides.

Will ETA stop its terrorist attacks permanently? Only time will tell.

We live near the Casa de Campo, which is a large park that spans for miles along the southwest border of Madrid. It reminds me a lot of Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. The Casa de Campo has hundreds of entrances along its perimeter, with trails inside that are good for running, biking or taking a stroll. Many housing developments have sprung up near the Casa de Campo in recent years. There are also basketball courts, tennis courts and playgrounds that have been constructed in the area. Below, I have some pictures I have taken of our neighborhood and some of the things that my housemate Jeff and I see every day when we walk down our street to the Metro station.

This is the wall along the perimeter of the Casa de Campo. There are many "tags" and pictures or murals along the length of the wall.

I think this view is beautiful. What do you think?

One reason why there has been a resurgence of nationalistic pride in recent years is due in part to the rule of Francisco Franco, the dictator of Spain from 1936 to 1975. In order to create a single, unified culture, Franco outlawed the public use of any language besides Castellano, or the traditional Spanish dialect. He was especially repressive toward the Basque, Galician and Catalonian people. Even today, there is a divide between people in those areas who identify as "Spanish" and those who identify as some other nationality.

My teachers in seminar and Basque country classes stress that understanding these differences is essential to understanding Spain. In order to fully "know" the country, one has to investigate and study the country's different regions, as well as the individual cultures in each area. For example, some parts of Spain, including the city of Toledo, have served as centers of Christian, Muslim and Jewish culture as the result of hundreds of years of Muslim rule (from approximately 711 to 1492) prior to the Reconquest and the Inquisition, led by "The Catholic Monarchs" Ferdinand and Isabel.

Enter American University students.

Toledo is about an hour outside of Madrid by bus. The long, winding roads cover mountainous terrain. As we entered Toledo, our bus paused and we were able to get out and take photos of the view.

In Toledo, there were many examples where one could see a mixture of Arab, Jewish and Christian culture. One such place was St. Mary's Synagogue. Once a Jewish place of worship, the synagogue was taken over by the Muslims. Later, it was turned into a church. This changing pattern of ownership was quite common in many parts of Spain, especially in Toledo or places like Andalucia, or the southern part of Spain that borders the Mediterranean. The walls and columns are covered in geometric patterns and there are many Arabic-style arches, in keeping with the Muslim tradition of not drawing pictures of living beings (and especially of the prophet Muhammed), since only Allah, or God, can create life.

Here is a picture of the inside of St. Mary's Synagogue:

Even though the inside of the synagogue was dark, if you look closely at the picture, on either side of the cross, there are geometric tile designs, and the supporting arches of the synagogue are ornately decorated.

Since the three major cultures were distinguished from one another by their religious practices, there are appropriately many religious sites throughout the city. Here are some of a Catholic cathedral. Inside the cathedral is a mural painted by El Greco, a famous artist in Spain known for his religious art.

Our group also explored a monastery during our visit. What surprised me the most, though, was that there was an orange tree growing in a protected pavillion inside the monastery. First, I was not expecting a live garden in the middle of the monastery courtyard. Second, I was shocked to see full, ripe oranges growing in February in central Spain, which is known for its cold winter temperatures, aridity and blustery winds.

We also got to see the carvings that monks had made over time in the walls of the monastery. While most were tasteful and of artistic merit (usually those depicting saints), there were some others that proved that even monks had sick senses of humor.

That's right. It's a monkey having a bowel movement on a chamber pot. Lovely.

In spite of all the religious-themed sites, the streets of Toledo were thin, cobblestone walkways going past rows and rows of gift shops and eateries. More than once, our group was surprised by cars driving through the streets, forcing us to squeeze by the moving vehicles and other pedestrians blocking the way. It's a good thing nobody tried to drive an SUV through!

And, because it is situated in the mountains, Toledo had some amazing scenic views of the surrounding area.

I took this last picture of Paul, a fellow AU student, because it's somewhat of a funny story. We were surveying the cliffs overlooking the river from behind a metal fence, when Paul realized there were dirt paths leading down to the edge of the cliff. So, he took his camera and JUMPED over the side of the railing, walking down the paths. As soon as he did that, Cristina, our program assistant (who is experiencing her first semester as a coordinator and chaperone), nearly had a heart attack. And, of course, did the other program participants stay still? No! They decided that they should follow Paul down to the cliff's edge. The rest of the group then started joking with Cristina, saying they were going to come back on their own free time and re-visit the cliff. Cristina just said, "Don't call me if one of you falls. I don't want to know." Luckily, there were no accidents or mishaps, though I think Paul likes tormenting Cristina by keeping her on her toes. At least no one can say our group outings are dull and boring!

Hasta luego!

My hosts are the Hernandez family, made up of Marichu, the mother, Marichu, the daughter, and 12-year old Rocio. My classmate Jeff and I both have our own rooms in the house. The Hernandezes have been kind and open to us, and are always willing to talk, so we get a lot of practice perfecting our Spanish. In turn, I also can help Rocio with English, since she takes language classes every day after school.

One of the most interesting things about Madrid is that the daily schedule is so different from the routine in the United States. For example, most people wake up later, go to work in the mid-morning and leave after dusk, and some younger people even go out after dinner (usually about 9-10 p.m.) and go to bars or clubs.

On the weekends, Madrid seems like a city on the go. People are constantly moving, constantly going somewhere, from the mid-afternoon until the wee hours of Saturday and Sunday morning. The average time when people begin leaving the clubs on weekends is about 6 a.m.! Imagine if that were the case in the U.S.!

And here are the four troopers who decided to tough it out and stay up for the full experience on "International Night" at a local club:

Photo courtesy of: Jessica Pfleiderer

Another difference in the lifestyle here is that most people are laid back. The attitude of "no pasa nada," which, roughly translated, means "think nothing of it/It doesn't matter" is like an unwritten rule. If you accidentally bump into someone on the Metro, and say "I'm sorry," people will often smile and will literally say, "No pasa nada."

As part of the semester, we have planned field trips to different cities in Spain. Already, we have traveled to Toledo and Barcelona, and have visited El Retiro, a large park inside Madrid where many Spaniards pass Sunday afternoons. I will have to fill in details in my later posts, but, for now, I will leave you with a taste of what's to come:

Hasta luego!