spanish semester

Sorry I haven’t been writing at all. I’d say I’ve been extremely busy, but that’s not entirely true. I did take a trip to Madrid the first weekend of October, but that only accounts for about 4 days. The truth is, after Madrid, I was tired. Classes started that Monday and I was marginally busy, but I was mostly figuring out my new schedule. But I’ve had the last three workdays off and I really haven’t been all that useful. I think it’s fair to say that I’ve been going between not having enough time to write, and having unlimited free time to write, in which case, what’s the point? Such is the nature of my constantly-rationalizing and slothful mind.

First item: Madrid. Madrid really was fantastic, but I’m going to cop out and primarily post pictures to relate the experience. Madrid is a lively place. It’s Gran Vía (roughly our Broadway) was truly a spectacle. I’ve never been to New York City’s Broadway, but I know how it’s laid out, and the Gran Vía was quite similar. There were plenty of theatres and huge marquees everywhere: very glamorous. I imagine it feels very much like New York without all the angry people. The scale of Madrid impressed me the most. It’s also curious to me that the cultural, financial and political centers of the country are in the same city in the majority of European countries. At first it seemed downright foolish to me. It would’ve been nothing short of insane if the founding fathers had decided to set up the legislature in New York City. A country that’s already weak and ripe for invasion becomes all the weaker and riper when you can knock out the political, financial and cultural foundations in one fell swoop. But of course, each country grows up in distinct circumstances. I just think it’s cool that you can see a country’s history in the complexion of its cities.

My classes are alright too. One class is about the European Union. I’ve learned a good deal about the meat-and-potatoes function and structure of the EU at school, but learning from a member of the EU and seeing the other side is incomparable. It helps that our professor is intelligent, engaging and has worked for the Ministry of Economics and now sits on a number of panels and groups that advocate bridging the gap between Europe and the Middle East. But that’s the real highlight of my schedule. Everything else is unbearably dry and or boring. The good news is it’s all easy, so a successful semester, academically speaker, is all but assured. And that’s really all you’ll hear about my “classes.” I am not here to study, I’m in Spain to learn the Spanish language, observe the culture, travel and have fun. All of those things take place outside of a classroom.

What’s really been occupying my mind lately is AMSTERDAM. It’s my first journey that has been planned and will be executed independently. The best part is I’ll be traveling with my girlfriend. We’ll be celebrating our 1-year anniversary in the Netherlands with boat tours, a private dinner with locals and other various cultural visits (i.e. Anne Frank house plus the multiplicity of museums/galleries that Amsterdam has to offer).