Submitted by Meghan Noury on the 2012 fall semester program in Granada, Spain…
It’s FINALLY feeling a bit like fall/winter (okay let’s be realistic.. fall) here! The Corte Ingles (big Nordstrom/Macys/plus a supermarket and more store) put up their lights which are bright red with white, glowing, snowflakes at night! The only slight problem about this “tis the season” beginning is that I have to get a move on with buying my souvenirs and Christmas/Christmakkauh/Secret Santa gifts! I’ve justified it enough to start the nonstop playlist of Christmas songs!
Last Wednesday was the Centro de Lenguas Modernas championship futbol (soccer) game, and my program, GRIIS, was in the finals! It was a WICKED intense game… people falling, kicking, hip checking, etc. We ended up losing, but we had a blast, and I couldn’t be prouder of mi equipo (team)! Amalia and Teresa took us out for tapas after, always a win! =]
Thursday was …. THANKSGIVING! I mean, Accion de Gracias. AKA, the best holiday that’s NOT celebrated outside of the U.S. You think that would be a bummer, but boy, do we have the best program EVER! Amalia and Teresa set up an entire, authentic, New England style Thanksgiving dinner for us Thursday night. They knew it would be a hard time for us to be away from our families, especially with the holiday season coming up on us fast! But boy, if I couldn’t be with my family, I am so glad to be in Spain with the 40 other people at my Thanksgiving dinner table last week. And hey, it’ll be cool to look back and be able to say, “Remember that Thanksgiving in Granada?!” Amalia brought her two daughters and husband, plus two other professors joined us along with Teresa and the 32 (ish, I don’t even know how many are in our group!) estudiantes (students).
They had EVERYTHING for us. Sweet potatoes and squash, rolls, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts and beans, cauliflower, cranberry sauce, stuffing, apple AND pumpkin pie (straight from Massachusetts, actually!!) and of course, turkey! I was stuffed so I guess you can say it was another successful Thanksgiving! I do wish I could’ve watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and seen my identical baby twin cousins for the first time, but my family here was definitelythe 2nd best option out there. 😉
Things did get emotional, though. At the end of the dinner, everyone got a glass of champagne, as Amalia toasted to all of us, and gave her thanks. We each then proceeded (in English and Spanish) to give thanks for this amazing dinner, these amazing people, and these amazing months in Granada. Oh yeah, you bet this girl was bawling her eyes by the end. I just truly believe this experience has been made what it is because of the people I am with. I can honestly say that I could turn to any one of them, whether it’s just to go for cafe con leche or tapas, or if I needed a deep venting session. I have been so lucky, so blessed, and I am ever, ever so grateful.
We had name tags and assigned seats! How cute! There are two Meghans on the trip (obviously… Meghans are just a thing at Delaware) and so of course my name tag had to have my last initial on it =]
Saturday and Sunday, eight girls on the trip and I took a little 36 hour trip to go visit our backyard neighbor, the Sierra Nevadas! This massive, impressive, gorgeous mountain range that sits in the background of Granada just needed to be visited! We went to this picturesque town for the night, renting an apartment for the nine of us, and had a relaxing girls’ weekend. It was a BLAST! The snow was beautiful (….anddd cold) and it felt like I was back in a winter filled New Englad town! We explored the town, got some churros and chocolate, along with Cola Cao (Spanish hot chocolate.. I want to bring some back to the U.S!), had our own little scavenger hunt, and a few of us even climbed some parts of the mountains! It was fun, relaxing, and I’m glad I got to see Granada from another view (a much higher, colder, view =]).
During our scavenger hunt, my team (Rachel, Meg, and I) finished our findings a little early, so we decided to explore! Being the New Englanders that we are, Rach and I decided.. what the heck! Let’s climb down this part of the mountain! It was a tad dangerous, and we couldn’t reach the river because of a barb wired fence, but hey, we can say that we climbed the Sierra Nevadas!
In more FUN exciting news, my roommate Elena and I are busily preparing and planning our trip this upcoming Saturday to BRUSSELS AND GERMANY!!! AHHHHH! Sooooo excited! Our flight is early from Malaga Sunday morning, so we are leaving Saturday night, exploring Malaga a little, and then staying over in the airport until our flight. We stay in Brussels for one night, and then leave Monday for Germany! We are staying with Max in his apartment, and plan on travelling southern Germany until Friday, where we’re going to Munich for the day, staying over, and have our flight out of Munich Saturday! It’s DEFINITELY going to be an adventure, but I think my roommate and I can handle it. If we don’t come back, it’s because we’ve buried ourselves in Belgium waffles, chocolate, and their famous Christmas markets. =]]]]