Mudejar: Toledo and Culture Hybridization

This is Toledo, as seen from along the bend of the Tagus River. Toledo is roughly an hour's drive from the capital, so we visited this beautiful city during our orientation in Madrid. An UNESCO World Heritage sight, Toledo's architecture and art demonstrate the hybridization of Islamic, Christian and Judaic cultures that make up the backbone of Spain's rich history.

Entrance to one of Toledo's most popular sights, Catedral de Toledo. 

Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes

 

Far left is the tabernacle in Catedral de Toledo because I'm just crazy about that fantastic cathedral and I went a little crazy with my camera. In the middle and far right; the ceiling of the Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes, and an elegant 12th century synagogue that could easily be mistaken for a mosque. Not that I want to bludgeon you all with the monster that is my inner history geek, but long story short, this unique hybridization of Judeo-Christian and Islamic style is called 'mudejar'. Before the Inquisition and especially during Moorish rule, Jews, Christians and Muslims lived in peace in Spain. Selective adoption of artistic styles created mudejar, a tribute to sincere inter-cultural admiration.

The two photographs above are from the inside of the Catedral de Toledo. This cathedral is like nothing I've ever seen. Construction began in 1226, and it wasn't completed until 1493. These pictures don't actually do this magnificent structure any justice, but I assure you I could scarcely breathe for awe despite the cool air and [very] high ceilings.

Yes, this is a friendly corpse lounging in bikini pose, welcoming visitors  

to the Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes. He is above the doorway to the monastery chapel, but our otherwise long-winded guide strode right beneath him as if leering dead bodies were customary church decor. (It's the random little things like this that I particularly love to discover while traveling.) 

Al Principio: Jet Lag, Madrid and Sequential Small Adventures

I have crossed the pond. I would like to know who began referring to the Atlantic as a pond, because for whatever reason, it is a perfectly amusing and ironic way to describe the staggering cultural barriers and volumes of water one must cross when traveling between the United States and Europe.

                                         

Clockwise from top; quintessentially European architecture, the view from our hotel window, and the unique ceiling in Madrid-Barajas airport (sorry but DIA's tent mountains have nothing on MAD). By some stroke of fate my plane to Miami was chock full of professional athletes who play soccer for Honduras' misleadingly named Real España, who were returning from a match against the Colorado Rapids. I sat between two of them (chicos guapos) and by the end of the flight, everyone within a two seat radius was helping me with my Spanish review packet, laid out on my tray table. While they didn't speak much English and I was embarrassed by my broken Spanish, somehow we managed to communicate and share erratic, yet somehow purposeful conversation. This is my primary goal for studying abroad in Spain; not just to learn the language, but to learn to connect with and communicate with people on a deeper level.

Madrid is so vivid. Pictured above, La Plaza Mayor in the capital city, graffiti in a doorway, a crown above Plaza Mayor, and the Sith invade Spain. At two in the morning I can still hear people streaming through the cobblestone streets below my hotel window. 

This is La Catedral Almudena, late in the evening. I didn't have my camera when we visited during the day, but while getting lost in the city that night, I found myself back here. Although it is exhausting, I'm glad we're having four days of orientation in Madrid; staying busy visiting monuments helps to distract me from the jet lag and homesickness that I know are swimming just below the surface of my excitement. Thus far we have visited the Royal Palace, the world famous Prado Museum, the Plaza Mayor, and still have had plenty of free time to explore the city independently. Today, I braved the metro for a quick trip to the Museo Reina Sofía, where Picasso's Guernica is housed, considered one of the most important paintings of the 20th Century.

Statue in the Plaza Puerta de Sol, and the sixth story view from my room in the Hotel Moderno. I am in love with all of the windows here, like pores for letting the city breathe. These glass structures built over the balconies are also particularly elegant for catching the sun.

Entrance to the metro from Puerta del Sol (in front of the capital building), the beautiful staircase in Hotel Moderno, and a statue of the Virgin and child outside a church I happened upon somewhere deep in the labyrinth of Madrid's city streets. Art and history are intercalated into the vibrancy of modern life here. I think I could wander through Madrid for years and still make new discoveries.

It's a five hour bus ride to Granada tomorrow, and while I have loved getting to know Madrid, I am so excited to meet my family, to arrive in my host city, and stop living out of a suitcase!

Hasta pronto,

Re-Cap: How To Prepare

            Not much English is spoken at this end of MIA, and it is pretty cool. I have a few hours of downtime, so I think I should take this opportunity to get you all up to speed, explain to you folks just how I got to be here in the first place. I don’t have internet just now, so I will post this as soon as I get to the hotel in Madrid.

            Over this past winter break, I took home between twenty and thirty study abroad program catalogues and flyers. The study abroad office coordinates a study abroad fair each semester, in which CSU and CSU affiliated study abroad programs set up kiosks for prospective students to come and get information about each program. Anyway, at home in Denver during my vacation, I sat down with the catalogues and my computer, and slowly went through each potential program. For me, my two biggest selection factors were language and cost. I knew I wanted to go somewhere that I could learn Spanish, and I also knew that I would need to find the least expensive program I could find. When choosing a program, consider the language, your budget, how much you’d like to travel, what kind of classes you’d like to take, and what kind of living arrangement you’re looking for. I chose Academic Programs International in Granada, Spain because I can learn Spanish, travel over my break (I’ve never been to Europe before), take some cool Islamic history classes, and live with a host family, all at a fairly manageable price. To those of you who think study abroad is out of your reach, I say don’t knock it off the table until you have looked at all of your options. Do some research into potential scholarships and loans, and various program-by-country costs. As a low-income student who has worked through school thus far, I can safely reassure you that if you want it enough and are willing to jump through some hoops and make the right sacrifices, you can go abroad.

            Many alumni I’ve met have reported that their semester abroad was less expensive than going to CSU and living in the dorms on campus. While I haven’t found that to be the case for me, I am happy to say that grants, scholarships, a summer job and savings have covered the costs of my tuition and a pricey plane ticket.  But of course, this is to say nothing of how to pay to live and travel while in Europe (not to mention catch a plane home). Honestly, I’m still trying to figure that out as I go, so I’ll let you know how that turns out.

 

Acceptance Letter From My Spanish University - Needed For Visa App!

            To my fellow procrastinators: I’d like to give you a well-meant warning. While I felt that I began the application process early, beginning of spring semester  (I am going to Spain for the following fall and spring), the time crunch became quite an ordeal. Especially for those of you who require a visa for your host country and are going for over 180 days; I wish someone had conveyed to me just how extensive this process is. For Spain, I had to get a medical certificate, a stamped and sealed police record, and an Apostille (a special certification for the police record). The Consulate General of Spain in Los Angeles (whose jurisdiction includes Colorado) require that you apply in person, and only with a scheduled appointment, unless your program offers visa application services, for which you must have all your paperwork together very early. If you are told you need an FBI background check and Apostille of Hague, begin the process right away. It took the FBI CJIS division 9 weeks to process my background check (aka police record) and initially sent it back to me without the appropriate stamp and seal, which you need to get the Apostille from the U.S. Department of State, that normally takes another 5 weeks (unless you have it expedited by a private company). Not that I don’t love expensive, whirlwind trips to Los Angeles, or fretting for months on end about whether I would have my visa and passport back in time to leave for Granada, but if I could do it over again, I would’ve begun applying for my police record in March.

            So, as soon as you decide you want to study abroad, apply for you passport if you don’t already have one, and find out what the entrance requirements for your country and duration of stay will be. If your visa application requires a police record and an Apostille of Hague, get your fingerprints done and fill out an application for your background check immediately. Use a private company to expedite the Apostille of Hague (I recommend Perry International). Make sure you use tracked, certified mail, because the FBI won’t tell you if they received your application until two or three weeks after you send it to them.  

            Other important things you will need to do before leaving include; applying for your program of choice (my professor who agreed to give me a recommendation didn’t get it done for almost three months, and because of that I put off beginning my visa application!), get the classes you’d like to take approved for transfer by an advisor, attend pre-departure orientation, fill out your FAFSA as you would any other year, and register to go abroad with your school. Applying for scholarships and loans is another important thing to get done before you leave. For fall and academic year programs, I found that most scholarship applications are due mid-May, so don’t plan to begin your scholarship search over the summer! In most cases, purchasing a plane ticket needs to be done before applying for your visa, not to mention it is always much cheaper to book months in advance.

            Other than applying for my visa, I think my biggest mistake has been avoiding studying my Spanish all summer, and it is inevitably going to bite me in the bud. I was working full time and taking classes, which seemed like a pretty good excuse to be lazy at the time… but now I regret not having set aside just thirty minutes a day to re-learn rusty vocabulary and grammar. I’m sure most of you are better students than I am, but just in case, let me recommend that you find out what your placement exam is going to require of you, and begin reviewing. Instead of cramming verb conjugations during your flight, ahem, like some of us. Utilize your study abroad office, get your paperwork done early, and stay on top of things! 

Are You Bringing Your Sunshine Pajamas to Spain?

It's Thursday night, around midnight, and I fly out of DIA in 8 hours. My new watch, a cheapie I bought at Target this afternoon, is already set.... it's nearly 8 in the morning in Granada, Spain. Just getting to this point has been a long, tedious journey - no one tells you just how extensive the application and preparation process for study abroad are. I will save a rehash of that whole experience for a later post, so for now, the foremost topic that has been on my brain these last few days: packing.

Some of my crap, exhibited here to convey the sheer quantity of stuff I'm taking.

I'm wearing a pair of extra special, bright banana yellow pajamas tonight that my mum gave me. Unfortunately, however much I'm sure my host family would appreciate them, I am not bringing them along. As a matter of fact I'm not bringing any legitimate pj's; instead, a pair of boxer shorts, a t-shirt, and a pair of leggings will have to make do. I figure the leggings can be worn as pajama bottoms with the shorts, as long underwear in winter, under gym shorts for running outside, and if worst comes to worst, as part of a legitimate outfit. Same goes for almost every other article of clothing in my suitcase:  I tried to pack creatively so that almost everything is multi-purpose.

The shocking truth is that, under any other circumstances, I am a procrastinator packer. Literally, the night before (or even more likely; the morning of) I will throw a pair of pants, some underwear, a few shirts, and a toothbrush into a backpack (or grocery bag) and call it good to go. But this is time I'm proud to say I didn't put off the packing until I was in the airport. In fact, I had begun scouring the web for sample packing lists weeks ago. When I didn't find anything truly comprehensive, I made my own, (along with a parallel list of those things I would need to purchase). Below I have included my list for the benefit of anyone considering living outside the country for an extended period of time, who is in need of a good packing list. Most lists I found forgot to include kind of important things like "Spanish to English dictionary" and "deodorant" so I hope this is offers a little more guidance. In future posts, I will modify this to include notes on what I wish I had (and hadn't) brought.

- backpack for short trips, preferably with built-in laptop case

- sturdy, lockable suitcase

- luggage locks and tags

- fresh Moleskin (in other words, a spanking new journal to fill with love notes)

- pencils/pens and pencil case

- glue stick, tape, wee scissors 

- laptop and charger

- iPod 

- earbuds

- sturdy wallet

- outlet adaptors and power converters (I'm bringing separate adaptors for my camera, phone and computer)

- Euros (I'm bringing almost $300 worth of Euros - you can purchase them from your bank - but that is probably unwise, or at least ridiculous)

- Eurail pass (I balked at the price and usage restrictions and have not yet purchased one offered through my program, but I have heard others say that it is a great way to get around Europe)

- international phone plan or cell (I bought an international phone package with pre-pay minutes, which was much cheaper and less scary than the PicCell contract plan offered through API - I'll let you know how it goes...)

- camera with charger and computer plug in

- battery powered alarm clock, extra batteries

- passport and safety sling

- drivers license, ISIC, student ID, insurance cards

- itinerary

- boarding pass

- debit and credit card

- address book

- post-its

- index cards 

- usb/flash drive

- key chain

- blank CDs

- daily planner

- check book

- envelopes

- Spanish-English dictionary

- Spanish verb dictionary

- pepper spray

- 2 spiral notebook/s 

- gift for host family

- photos of home, friends and family

- 3 sets of photocopies; passport, visa and any other entry requirement paperwork, driver's license, debit and credit card, insurance card, student ID and ISIC card (all back and front and in color when possibly)

- 6 sets of emergency contact list 

- something wonderful to read

- pepper spray

- mini first aid kit (ok well, at least a couple packets of Emergen-C, some Band-Aids and Neosporin) 

- deodorant

- allergy and pain/fever drugs

- prescription medications 

- toothbrush(es) and toothpaste 

- tooth floss

- comb

- hair bands and pins

- razor

- Q tips

- teeny nail clippers

- tweezers

- sunscreen

- lotion

- chap stick

- feminine products

- face wash 

- bar soap 

- shampoo and conditioner 

- wide brim hat 

- warm winter hat

- swimsuit

- belt 

- sneakers

- everyday shoes

- sandals

- 14 pair underwear 

- 7 pair socks 

- everyday bra 

- sports bra 

- pj shorts and shirt

- sweatpants

- workout shorts and shirt

- 2 blouses 

- 3 plain tank tops

- 3 short sleeved T-shirts

- 2 long sleeve shirts 

- 3 sweaters

- 3 pairs of pants

- 1 pair of shorts

- skirt

- dress or some other fancy shmancy outfit for special occasions

- winter coat

- rain jacket or umbrella

- gloves

- scarf

- sunglasses

- watch 

Take note; before packing for Spain I was already a wannabe minimalist (e.g. I am bringing every pair of pants, that I own), I never wear skirts, shorts or makeup, and I will not need a power converter because I'm not bringing any small appliances. Much of what you bring will depend on the climate where you're going, and how much traveling you will be doing outside your host city. In terms of clothing, be considerate of local dress code expectations and do your research! Most of what I've read and heard about style in Europe is that everyday wardrobes are much more formal than what you are accustomed to here, and that flashy brand names across your shirt or butt will peg you as a tourist. 

Everything pictured above (and then some) has been artfully crammed into these two innocent looking articles of luggage. According to the luggage scale we bought for this occasion: 

final weight of suitcase - 48.35 pounds

final weight of backpack - 15.86 pounds

A few final notes on packing based on my experience thus far; roll (don't fold) clothing to conserve space, and save small items like underwear for the end, to fill nooks and crannies. Keep important things (like your itinerary and a copy of your emergency contact list), chargers and converters, a change of clothing, and a toothbrush in your carry on bag. Oh, and a copy of your packing list as a record of everything you are sending under the plane. I've found that Murphy's Law works both ways - if something can go wrong, it probably will, but if you assume something will go wrong and take the necessary precautions, then undoubtedly nothing bad will happen (in other words your suitcase won't get lost). Also, what they say about bring half as much luggage and twice as much money as you think you will need is true. If you can't run to catch a bus or train with all your luggage in tow, it might be wise to travel lighter, lugging a little less.

The Study Abroad Student (or, an expatriate)

My sister Brooke made me this brownie and sweet bread suitcase 

to wish me goodbye and happy travels.

Please note the excellent culinary craftsmanship. 

I think that such precious details of home are what I will miss most.

According to Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, among other definitions ranging from banishment to withdrawn allegiance, “expatriate” is an adjective used simply to describe someone living in a foreign country.

        I recognize that logistically speaking, I have no right to identify myself as an expatriate. I am neither a political dissident nor a Lost Generation artist living in Paris; I’m an undergraduate from suburban Colorado, neither a brilliant student nor a particularly adventurous personality type, going abroad to study and live for just under eight months. So it is with honest intention that I confess I employ (or abuse) the term expatriate because it is just so glamorous, so rich and romantic and full of courage. 

         Next Friday, September 23rd,  I leave DIA at 8 am for Miami, and from there I'll take Iberia airlines to Madrid Barajas airport. It still hasn't completely sunk in yet - I will be over five thousand miles from home, living and studying in a foreign country, in a language I hardly speak. Right now, I'm a mixture of excitement and nerves, and as I come to within a week of my departure, I've begun to think about how much I will miss my family and friends, this country, the comforts of language fluency. But even while my stomach churns in anticipation of the challenge (and the homesickness), I am simultaneously consumed with thoughts of all the things I hope to accomplish with this experience, all the dreams I have for a life of lucidity and exploration. As an amateur logophile, I am convinced that a powerful title like expatriate will bestow interminable bravery upon its wearer, and that's exactly what I need - something to carry with me, to make me feel as dauntless and eccentric as Ernest Hemingway or Salvador Dalí. 

          Now that I have clarified my self-bequeathed title, let me briefly introduce this blog. I am a Colorado State University student double majoring in biomedical sciences and English, and these two semesters abroad will hopefully fulfill a Spanish minor. Somehow, this year abroad has always been a part of my undergraduate plan; go to school, go abroad, graduate.  Jealous of several acquaintances who went for foreign exchange during high school, I went to college with the intention of studying abroad. Freshman year first semester, I attended the fall study abroad fair and amused everyone to whom I explained I was planning to go abroad my junior year (ok, well, come back again in four semesters). The first time I met my academic advisor, we discussed my desire to go abroad and carved junior year out of my four year plan. College has changed a lot of things. I initially applied for CSU thinking I'd like to be a veterinarian; since then I've acquired a liberal arts major, dropped veterinary medicine, and become almost totally lost in a multitude of potential career paths. One thing that hasn't changed is my desire to travel and experience the world: through all this indecision about my major and what I want to do with my life, this at least is a concrete desire that is coming to fulfillment. 

            This blog is a result of two things; a scholarship program that requires a project proposal, and a desire to write. While nothing could deter me from studying abroad, during my selection, application, and preparation process, I was often dazed and confused. Despite the staggering number of glossy catalogues depicting smiling students standing in front of national monuments, I found it very difficult to really get a grasp of what study abroad would be like. Alumni would rave about their wonderful experience to me, but I felt that I was lacking a genuinely comprehensive view of just what study abroad would be like - and how to go about it. So. As part of my Gilman International Scholarship scholar project, I proposed keeping a blog of my experience, so that prospective study abroad students could get a better idea of what living and studying abroad is really about. I'll try my best to sincerely describe the unique experience offered by international education, but I won't leave out any of the gritty details and challenges, either. Ultimately, I hope my stories and advice will be helpful and vivid, not to mention a great way for me to reflect on my personal journey.