Everyday is an Adventure

Tuesday, May 29 – The highlight of today would have to be going to dinner at El Rinconcillo with Emily and Veronica and our two instructors, Dena and Susan. El Rinconcillo, the oldest restaurant in Seville, was opened in 1670.  It was so nice to have a little one on one time with Dena and Susan so we could get to know each other a little more. Of course the night ended with a little gelato; this was just the beginning of my addiction.

Wednesday, May 30 – Today we took a bus to Cordoba and toured one of the last standing Mosques.  The reason why it survived through the years is because when the Catholics came in to Cordoba, they built a cathedral inside the mosque. It is a bittersweet concept. While in Cordoba, we grabbed a bite to eat at 101 Tapas, which was delicious. Before getting back on the bus we had to do some shopping. Noey, KJ, and I all bought a pair of genie pants.  We are going to bring a new trend back to La Crosse with us. After a short bus ride, we ended in Granada.  After getting settled into our hotel we went on a walking tour through the city, starting at the top and working our way down. It was a breathtaking site seeing the city below us.  Late that night we all went to a place called Granada 10, where I experienced my first going out scene in Spain and first nightclub of my life. It was so much fun to let loose and dance with the locals.

Thursday, May 31 – After a little continental breakfast and a lot of café con leche, we boarded the bus and headed to the Alhambra.  The Alhambra was one of the finalists in the wonders of the world.  It took over three hundred years to build and they are still doing work on it.  It was created as a Moorish palace and fortress.  The detail and beauty that was put into the construction of the Alhambra is absolutely amazing.  Because in Muslim tradition it is forbidden to have a picture of Allah, they use extrinsic, geometric designs.  You can see that there was so much time and detail put into the construction.  One of the first buildings we went in had the most amazing ceiling I have ever seen.  I could have laid on the floor and gaze upon all the stars etched so perfectly into the dome ceiling.  Walking from building to building were majestic fountains and the most beautiful rose gardens.  The view looking out from the top was even more breathtaking than the view the day before.  The Alhambra left me in marveling at its beauty.

Friday, June 1 – After a couple days of travel it felt good to be back in Seville to take it easy again.  I felt like I have been on the go since I got off the plane in Madrid so it was nice to have a day off schedules.  In the afternoon I went out shopping with Jenna and Emily to get out for a bit. We took a little break and ate some tapas and had a glass of wine before continuing on.  I enjoyed taking it easy for a day to stop and smell the vino tinto. 

360 So you want to be a journalist…

After the experiences I have had so far this summer I have now been thinking about the possibility or becoming a journalist. Many people may chuckle that I’m changing my mind again, but my cousin always tells me that the important thing is to have a plan; it doesn’t matter how many times it changes, but at least you are working towards something.  People who know me well know that I don’t make big decisions without putting thought into it so here is how I decided upon looking into journalism.

 First off, I wrote for the Racquet, the campus newspaper, my freshman year and loved it. I am planning on doing it again next year, my junior year. I learn from this position and it is also a great resume builder. Being a journalist gives me the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the world around me and then share what I have learned with others.

Last week we went to Madrid, where we toured COPE, one of the largest radio stations in Spain, and El Pais, a newspaper in Spain. While there we learned the pressures of getting the news out first and delivering it the the public in the proper manner.  Visiting both places on the same day was interesting because they are on opposite ends of the political spectrum.  After interrogating both places about what influences how they tell the news, I felt motivated to be out in the world and share my side of a story.  The director of communication at El Pais stressed that there is a difference between reality and the truth and you must report reality.  I want to report the reality that I experience. 

After learning a little bit about journalism, I have grown a better appreciation for public relations.  From learning to write a press release and discussing  how to create a business proposal, that a public relations professional is supposed to have all the answers.  They must give the business all the information possible about the proposal so that they will hire you.  Then, you must have all the information possible for the public so that they will participate in what you are proposing.  Basically you must lay out all the information for someone to make the decision whether they like it.  It is a challenging job,  but if it’s a job well done the journalists will work with you more.

One thing that worries me about wanting to become a journalist is that many newspapers are going bankrupt because new technology is creating less of a need for printed newspapers.  This is a fact that I have been hearing for a couple years now, but after watching the video, Page One, I realized the severity of the issue.  At this point, major newspapers need to accommodate more towards the media generation where we find everything online.  Because of this problem, I will have to do a little more research to see job potential and if it is something that I really want to go into. I’m only twenty, so I will probably change my mind on my career path a few more times in my life.  

332 Art Museums in Madrid

Walking through the Museo El Prado I noticed several depictions of the crucifixion of Christ.  From afar they looked similar, but when I stood closer I noticed differences between each painting. For example, there is a debate whether there were three or four nails were used. One depiction that I focused on was done by Francisco Goya.  Goya was a Spanish romantic painter and print maker in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Goya’s oil painting of the crucifixion is neoclassical in style and influenced by Spanish tradition.  He follows the Spanish Baroque iconographic rules for portraying the crucifixion.  That is why he used a black background, had four nails, and the feet are supported.  Because Goya followed these rules, his depiction is softer and doesn’t have the drama of the blood. I was very interested in this particular painting because it was done by several different artists and shows the different sides there are to history.

On my last day in Madrid I visited the museum Reina Sofia.  I felt like these two museums were night and day from each other. Yesterday most of the art reflected historical events and religious figures.  Today was more modern with many different forms of media being used.  I walked through a room that was filled with picket signs about elections and other topics that people wanted to voice their opinion for. Then I walked through an exhibit about recorded sound and why it is so powerful.  I remember hearing the recording of the first trip to the moon, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” This is a quote that I have heard many times before, but hearing it in this setting made me think of the impact that these words had on society. How did Neil Armstrong decide what to say when he was up there? Is this his original quote or did someone else put lots of time and thought into it and it was planned?  What if the connection went bad and those words were never properly recorded? Seeing this in a new setting just brought so many questions to mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCt1BwWE2gA

I then became at a loss of words when I was steps before Pablo Picasso’s Guernica. I was just in awe as I stared at this brilliant piece of art, trying to take every piece of it in.  The Guernica was created in response to the bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War.  Looking at this painting you feel the pain, horror, and agony that they people were experiencing. It captures suffering people, animals, and building that were wrenched by violence and chaos. There is so much going on in the painting and many interpretations that try to explain it. I could have sat there all day analyzing it. As I moved around the room and looked at it from a different angle, different parts of the painting stood out to me. One part that sticks in my mind was the mother holding her dead child and screaming out in anguish. That is just heart breaking to me. After I took some time to appreciate Picasso’s work, I found myself in a room with a silent film was playing. I was the youngest person in the room, with the others being at least in their upper-sixties. I don’t think I would have appreciated the comedy if I didn’t have the older company because this is what they grew up with. The video reminded me of The Three Stooges in the kind of comedy. The couple sitting in front of me was cracking up at every little thing and made it such a fun experience.

332: Nonverbal Communication in Spain

The majority of communication is nonverbal.  Nonverbal communication can reinforce, substitute, or contradict verbal behaviors. The meaning of nonverbal behaviors can change depending on the culture that one is in.

Chronemics is the concept of time and the rules that govern its use. The U.S. has more of a monochromic concept of time, which is that time can be gained or lost.  When spending some time here in Spain, I had to adjust a whole new concept of time.  Spain has more of a polychronic concept of time that sees it as circular and more holistic. Time here can never be lost or gained, it just is.  The concept of time is money is not seen in the Spaniards’ eyes, which is refreshing.  I am still adjusting to this new concept of time, but I prefer it to the hustle and bustle back home.  I like that it is expected to sit and chat at a café for hours and focus more on each others’ company rather than watching the time.  Spaniards work in order to play.  That is one concept that I want to take with me when I return; the idea of leisure.

Eye contact is another nonverbal code that I noticed differences between the U.S. and Spain culture.  It communicates meanings about respect and status and often regulates turn taking during interactions.  In the U.S. we understand eye contact conveys that we are paying attention and showing respect.  We have more eye contact when we are listening, but less when we are the one speaking.  However, in Spain, they maintain more eye contact when speaking and less when listening.  Another thing that I noticed about difference in eye contact is that people stare more often in Spanish culture.  The staring took a bit of getting used to, but it makes it easier for people watching in the park.

One last nonverbal behavior that I found to be different between cultures is proxemics.  Proxemics refers to the norms for personal space. This varies culture to culture. Spain is more of a contact culture in which face to face body orientations more often while talking, touch more frequently, and speak in loud voices. American on the other hand is more of a noncontact culture in which people tend to stand father apart when conversing, maintain less eye contact, and touch less often.

It is important to remember that neither culture is right nor wrong, they are just different. After a little time to adapt, nonverbal behaviors will become second nature.

360 Reedsburg Times Press Lead

I was checking out my hometown, Reedsburg’s local newspaper to see not only what is going on back home, but also whether they use successful leads. The story that caught my eye right away was titled, “ELECTION 2012: Signs, signs, everywhere signs.” The title of the article caught my attention right away because it references a popular Tesla song. I felt like the lead was very well written and I wanted to continue reading. It addressed everyone, whether you are political or not. Also, it made it relate-able because it talked about the political signs that everyone sees throughout town. By addressing everyone in town as their audience, they caught the attention and got me wanting to read more.  

http://www.wiscnews.com/reedsburgtimespress/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/article_6cfb4efa-ac3c-11e1-a182-0019bb2963f4.html

Have I really been here a week?

Friday: Zach and I arrived at the apartment just before 8pm. I felt like I just set my bags down when everyone else was walking out the door for the walking tour around Seville. I had just enough time to throw on some fresh clothes on and catch the group before they left. The best way to describe the streets here is a plate of spaghetti. It didn’t take long for me to feel lost and overwhelmed. I just tried to take in as much as possible. Everything here is just beautiful. I feel like I can’t say that enough. The cobblestone, the gardens, the cathedrals, and even the people. We walked two and a half miles through windy streets to get to the school. Then we took another way and were left in one of many plazas to find a place to eat dinner. We all sat down at a place called Republica and enjoyed our first dinner together as a group. I naturally order a burger, my comfort food, to see how it would differ. I love how most places that you go to eat here have mainly outside seating. They try to spend as much time outside as possible. By the time we got back to our apartment we were too tired to even have a glass of wine. A good night sleep felt good after traveling.

Saturday: We had to be up at 9am to get to school for orientation. Everyone at CEA is so friendly and helpful. We went over rules, excursions, and how to deal with cultures shock. It’s difficult to let go of all of my American ways and completely indulge myself in their lifestyle. They took us around the corner to a little cafe to get a traditional breakfast; cafe con leche (coffe with milk) and tostada (toast with oil and tomatoes on top). I thought it was interesting that they serve their hot drinks in  small glasses instead of mugs. After orientation we stopped my Dia, a small supermarket, to stock up on food. Grocery prices are pretty similar to the U.S.. We stocked up on the basics; sandwich supplies, fresh bread, and olive oil. Siesta time is from 2-5 everyday. During this time people go home and have lunch together and get in a quick nap before returning to work. It is important to take it easy during the hottest part of the day. After siesta time we returned to the CEA to go on a bike tour of Seville. Our tour guide was from Michigan and just randomly decided to move to Seville seven years ago. He showed us the most beautiful gardens and parks. We went by SUS, the university, and learned that all the students and faculty are currently on strike because tuition has doubled in price. We biked through el Parque de Marialusa, which was so green and peaceful and felt like a lush forest. We came out of the park and were in front of la Plaza de Espana. The sight took my breath away. I have never seen anything like it. There was a large fountain in the center, with the most magnificent plaza I have ever seen. I found out later that this was a setting in Star Wars Episode 1. All the sights here are truly amazing. Later we all met up for a welcome dinner, which consisted of about six courses of great food. I tried ceviche, mussels, croquettes con mushrooms, fish, and a fruit bowl for dessert. It was great company and great food.

Sunday: This was the most perfect day that I have ever had. We went on an excursion with CEA to Jerez and Conil. In Jerez we toured the famous Tio Pepe winery, learned how wine is made, and sampled some Sherry. The secret to why their wine is so good is that they mix the old wine with the new to create the perfect balance of wisdom and youth. Tio Pepe is the original and largest producer of Sherry in the world. In fact, the name Sherry comes from the British who were main consumers of Sherry and in trying to pronounces Jerez, they came up with Sherry. I bought my first set of wine glasses in the gift shop there. After Jerez we went to Conil to relax at the beach. We soaked up the sun and did as Spaniards do. I couldn’t of asked for a better day. 

Monday: First day of classes. We got to school right at 9am, our professor, Susan, looked at us and said that we should go get breakfast. So the first part of class was at a nearby cafe discussing some of the differences we have noticed so far in the trip. Classes are structured different from a traditional class in order to incorporate the cultural experience. These 6 credits won’t just be book knowledge, but cultural experiences and life lessons. This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. After class Zach and I wondered around the city trying to complete a photo scavenger hunt. It was a great way to get out and see the city, interact with the locals, and the prize for first place is a day at a spa. We got back to the apartment just in time to go out to dinner with everyone. We went to a Tapas Bar that we past everyday to get to school. I love that everyone in that group is very good about sharing so all get something different and pass it around the table so others can try. After dinner a few of us stopped in to McDonalds to check it out and compare it to the one back home for class. The portion sizes are smaller here which is probably due to the fact that they have overall smaller portions compared to the U.S.. Also, they had chicken wings on the menu and the quarter pounder was called McRoyal because they have the metric system here. I had to order the fries, which tasted just like the classic, salty McDonald’s fires that I grew up with. Some things never change.

Tuesday: Today in PR we watched old McDonald’s commercial and discussed how they changed over the years and what we thought caused the changes. When the commercial from the early 90s played I had a childhood flashback of being so proud when I finally got down, “Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun.” I brought back the days of how my dad would take my brother and I to McDonald’s to get Jr Big Macs and it was such a big deal when my brother was old enough to eat his own Big Mac. Since Jr Big Macs only a special offer, we would make our own Jr Big Macs at home and my job was to help my brother make the milkshakes. Then in Intercultural Comm Jesus came in and talked with us about some of the political history and economics of Spain and how it relates to the rest of the world. It was very eye-opening to learn all that is going on around the world that many Americans have no awareness about. 

360: Cathedral Advertising

I picked up the brochure at the cathedral in Cordoba. They used history and facts to build mutually beneficial associations with the public. They used marketing to promote the cathedral to not only people interested in the Mosque, but also the Cathedral. They also printed it in different languages to include a large audience.

Capturing the Experience

When I was planning out my trip I thought that I would take hundreds of pictures and blog almost everyday so I can remember this experience. I’m now one week into my trip and I realize that that is an unrealistic goal for me. I need to get into the habit of blogging more so that I can try to remember all of what I did on my trip, but I don’t have enough free time everyday so as long as I do it a couple times a week. Taking pictures of everything is another problem that I am facing. When I traveled to Japan for two weeks I was camera crazy so I ended up with tons of pictures, but I missed out on living in the moment and focusing on the experience itself. So now, six years later, I have a chance to experience Spain and I don’t want to miss out by being so focused on taking pictures of everything. Everything in life is about balance; I just need to find my photo balance.

Smooth Travels Part 2

            That was a long seven hour flight to Madrid. Our seats were in the exact middle of the plane so stretching out was difficult. To pass the time we played cards, watched The Descendents, and tried to sleep. It was very exciting when there was only about an hour left.

            We finally arrived just before 9am. KJ continued on to her next flight as Zach and I went on a search to find the metro. After a fairly long walk to the other side of the airport (this is where all excitement was lost that my suitcase exactly 50 lb) It was fairly easy to get on the Metro, which is Madrid’s underground subway, and ride it to the bus station. We got tickets for the one o’clock bus and started searching for food. That was when a guy about our age came up and started talking to us. It was nice to run into someone else who spoke English, but I was worried how it was going to end up. After talking with him for a bit we found out that he was also traveling to Seville and was studying abroad with CEA. We found a place to eat and I ordered my first meal in Spanish. I was so excited to have freshly squeezed orange juice. After lunch we waited a bit before our bus arrived. It was cool to have found another CEA student to travel with, but the voice in the back of my head kept me aware of the situation so that we didn’t have any issues.

            It looked like we had an interesting mix of people traveling to Seville on the bus. Some were natives, others travelers, some spoke some English, but many did not. I was worried that six hours on the bus would be long and painful after all the traveling we’ve done before it, but it wasn’t bad at all. We slept most of the way and the bus stopped halfway there to let us grab a snack and stretch our legs.  I noticed many Spaniards were smoking, which seemed very different from what I see in the U.S.

            The scenery was beautiful. Some places there were rolling hill and others it was as flat as Kansas.  One time I woke up to looking straight down the edge of a cliff. We were winding around the mountains. Then, out of nowhere, we were in Seville. The city is so gorgeous. I can’t believe I’m here for four weeks. 

332: Most Profound Cultural Experience

My most cultural experience that I’ve had on this trip would be the bicycle tour through the city. We started just a couple blocks from the CEA and it felt like we rode all over. My favorite part of the tour was biking through the most beautiful park that I have ever seen, looking up, and seeing the Plaza de Espana. 

A picture just doesn’t do it justice. It is so breathtakingly beautiful that you should experience it with your own eyes. If amazing architecture doesn’t get you, then this is also in a scene or “Star Wars, episode I.”

I really enjoyed this bike tour because it made me realize that there are so many amazing places to go all over the city and they aren’t difficult to get to. This bike tour was I real eye-opener to me not only to be a better traveler, but to learn about the history of Sevilla. I believe that it is important to learn about its past so that you can better understand the present.