I received some complaints about not updating my blog recently, which I actually appreciated very much. I usually assume no one really read it, so its good to hear! Anyway, the reason its been over a week since I added anything was because classes have started. So this new thing called tarea (homework) is cutting into my free time. Here are the classes I am taking:
Advanced Grammar & Usage:
My mandatory Spanish language course. The teacher reminds me of a Galician Señora Ryan and the class even feels like I am back in middle school (we play games and/or listen to canciones (songs) every day).
Barcelona: Cuidad & Historia (City & History):
Self-explanatory. This is one of my classes a UPF, a local university. The class is taught entirely in castellano (what most spanish speakers refer to as Spanish I guess?). I decided to take it pass/fail.
Images of Spain in Contemporary Cinema:
This class will probably be my favorite. It is my second course at UPF. We watch a movie during our Wednesday class and talk about it on Monday, thats it. The only catch is that it is in Spanish (although subtitles were in English, whew!)
Sport & Society in Spain:
This is a sports sociology class. The teacher is British and very funny. I have this class with Julia and it is my earliest (10:15am). So we can help each other get there on time. This is my one course taught in English.
Language, Culture & Communication: Hispanic Perspectives
This is the class I picked up after dropping my third, extremely difficult UPF course. We just discuss language, culture and communication... regarding Hispanic peoples. Can be fun but is mostly boring, thank god Marissa is in the class.
Right now the classes in Spanish require a LOT of concentration, but I am excited because I know my comprehension will improve immensely due to them. Also, after convincing my department head to let Language, Culture & Communication count towards my Spanish minor, I will be able to complete my minor over here.
The classes are only M-Th which leaves plenty of room for weekend trip. So far I have planned trips to Galway, Granada, San Sebastian/Bilbao, and Berlin/Prague/Amsterdam (spring break). My roommate also has family in a small town in France, so we might go there for a weekend in March. All very exciting!
P.S. I put up two new photo albums, check them out! >>>
Showing posts with label Universidad Pompeu Fabra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Universidad Pompeu Fabra. Show all posts
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
How many blondes does it take to...
...figure out the wireless internet in the Hotel Gran Ducat-Barcelona? Apparently three. So now I can update you all on our first two days of living in Barcelona!
All of us made it in one piece, although Kelsey's luggage is still MIA. The hotel is very nice, minus the receptionist speaking about as much English as Brian speaks Spanish and the odd earthquake sensation that occurs about every half hour. To celebrate our first night, we treated ourselves to a pizza and a bottle of cava (Catalunyan champagne) in a restaurant over looking Las Rambles (the central pedestrian street of old Barcelona).
Today, the first full day, was full of educational opportunities. After I checked in, we bought our metro tickets and went exploring. Our plan was to check out everyone's apartment as a way of learning the metro. Mine, being the furthest from the city center, was first. We thought we found it, but my key wouldn't work. With neither cell phones or a working pay phone (it just ate my two euros), we decided to move on to Kelsey's. (Don't worry, after meeting up with my RA I figured out that we were looking at Plaza St. Joaquim instead of Plaza Joaquim Folguera. Oops!). Kelsey's apartment is within walking distance and one metro stop away from mine and borders a beautiful park. Hayley's is in Eixample, the more centralized barrio, where we had our first menu del día (three courses for a fixed priced, muy barato y delicioso!)
After dinner, we headed to our first class, international strategic management. The course is a regular course at the Universidad Pompeu Fabra's business school, ESCI, so it started today, but the rest of the classes don't start for a few weeks. The course is offically taught in english, but the professor and about half of the students are Spanish. Let's just say there should be some interesting stories.
Well, we are off to get something to eat for dinner. Yes, it is 11pm, but we are trying to get in the swing of la vida Español. Adios for now!
All of us made it in one piece, although Kelsey's luggage is still MIA. The hotel is very nice, minus the receptionist speaking about as much English as Brian speaks Spanish and the odd earthquake sensation that occurs about every half hour. To celebrate our first night, we treated ourselves to a pizza and a bottle of cava (Catalunyan champagne) in a restaurant over looking Las Rambles (the central pedestrian street of old Barcelona).
Today, the first full day, was full of educational opportunities. After I checked in, we bought our metro tickets and went exploring. Our plan was to check out everyone's apartment as a way of learning the metro. Mine, being the furthest from the city center, was first. We thought we found it, but my key wouldn't work. With neither cell phones or a working pay phone (it just ate my two euros), we decided to move on to Kelsey's. (Don't worry, after meeting up with my RA I figured out that we were looking at Plaza St. Joaquim instead of Plaza Joaquim Folguera. Oops!). Kelsey's apartment is within walking distance and one metro stop away from mine and borders a beautiful park. Hayley's is in Eixample, the more centralized barrio, where we had our first menu del día (three courses for a fixed priced, muy barato y delicioso!)
After dinner, we headed to our first class, international strategic management. The course is a regular course at the Universidad Pompeu Fabra's business school, ESCI, so it started today, but the rest of the classes don't start for a few weeks. The course is offically taught in english, but the professor and about half of the students are Spanish. Let's just say there should be some interesting stories.
Well, we are off to get something to eat for dinner. Yes, it is 11pm, but we are trying to get in the swing of la vida Español. Adios for now!
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