Although I have already posted about my family visiting in the Lisbon post, I think I should include the rest of the their week in Spain. They arrived Friday afternoon before lunch and we went directly to my host grandparent's home, where we all stayed. My host grandparents live in suburb outside of Vigo called Nigrán. Once we arrived, we ate lunch, napped, and then had a Rotary dinner where my parents were able to meet Sam, Sophia, and my youth exchange officer from my host club. My YEO's wife cooked an awesome sea food paella, which served as the perfect introduction meal to my family's time here.
When we returned from Lisbon the following Monday, we had lunch at the yacht club my host grandparent's belong to in Baiona. We continued our sea food trend and enjoyed a local fish called coruxo, which is large, white, and flat fish. We also tried tortilla and pulpo gallego, two of the most characteristic foods of Spain. We spent Monday afternoon exploring my favorite places in Vigo. I showed my family around our apartment, the park I run in, and the beach closest to my house. On Tuesday, we spent the day in Baiona, where my host grandfather keeps his sailboat. We enjoyed another Spanish staple, chocolate con churros, before setting sail. We sailed around the Ría, the bay Vigo is situated on. Then we went to one of our favorite restaurants for more sea food. We had percebes, which are are local crustaceans that I fondly call monster toes. Although they look a little frightening, they taste delicious! We also tried zamburiñas, which are similar to scallops and my favorite sea food in Spain. To end, we had lobster paella. Yum! We spent the afternoon walking through the Monterreal Castle in Baiona, which started construction in the 12th century. We dedicated Wednesday to exploring the city of Vigo itself. In the morning we hiked one of my host family's favorite routes up a mountain to see incredible views of the Ría. Then we continued to down town where there is a street famous for oysters. The oysters get delivered to the restaurants in the morning and the restaurants set up stands in the streets where you can enjoy the live, fresh oysters. Then, we continued to one of my favorite restaurants in Vigo for lunch. I invited my two closest friends from school to eat lunch with us so that my parents could meet them too. We spent the rest of the day walking through down town Vigo. Thursday we traveled to La Gaurdia, which is a small fishing town cradled by the River Miño, which serves as the Portuguese border, and the Atlantic ocean. In the morning we visited Monte Santa Trega to see the Celtic ruins and museum. We enjoyed more sea food for lunch, which included grilled octopus and centolla, a large crab to be shared between many people. In the afternoon, we toured a vineyard. This region of Galicia is famous for its white wine. We toured my host cousin's vineyard and everyone enjoyed the incredible mountain views. For dinner, we went to my favorite jamón place so that my family could try the real jamón ibérico. Friday we traveled to Oporto, Portugal. I fell in love with Oporto in October when I went with my host family and was so excited to go back. We did all of the typical tourist activities, including visiting Lello Bookshop, the house that is less than one meter wide, and a boat tour. For their final full day in Spain, we took them to Santiago de Compostela. Santiago is the capital of Galicia and famous worldwide for being the resting site of the Apostle James and the finale of the Camino de Santiago. We rented audio guides to listen to as we walked through the museums and cathedral. For our final dinner, my host grandfather purchased camarones from the Ría, which are basically tiny shrimp that are known for being a delicacy in this part of Spain. Overall, it was a fantastic week. I loved showing my parents around my little Spanish life and introducing them to my host family. Connor and my host sister totally bonded and my host parents and real parents enjoyed swapping Megan stories and talking about what it is like to have a child on exchange. We blended together the American culture and the Spanish culture and overall had a wonderful time.
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On March 11th, my family and I traveled to Lisbon, Portugal for the weekend. It was so great to see my parents and little brother again, I missed them so much and nothing feels as good as a hello after months apart. We decided to travel to a new place together for their first weekend visiting me and because of the close proximity and good reviews, we choose the vibrant city of Lisbon.
We got into Lisbon on Saturday morning and after a failed attempt to figure out the metro, took a cab to our hotel. The cab ride was quite the adventure and cabby drivers were a key piece of what made Lisbon so memorable. The taxi drivers all tended to drive rather wild with very jerky turns and lots of slamming on the breaks, we all found it rather funny. After were settled in at the hotel, we walked lunch. We enjoyed two different kinds of cod fish, which is the Portuguese national dish, and grilled octopus. While living here, octopus has become one of my favorite meals and I was excited to have my family try it. Connor loved it! After lunch we walked to the Santa Justa Lift, a vintage style elevator that bring tourists up to a look out platform for beautiful views. Then, we walked through the old district to the Praça de Comércio which is also home to Cais das Columnas. My favorite part about this plaza was the yellow buildings, the sunshine in the sky and the sunshiny look of the structures created a lively atmosphere. The plaza was packed with street performers and people enjoying the views of the Tagus River. Praça de Comércio is also home to a large arch which served as an entrance into the city back during the days when the city was walled. We continued our walk through Alfamas neighborhood, which is the oldest district in Lisbon and home to the Castelo de São Jorge and the Sé. First we stopped at the Sé, which is the cathedral in Lisbon. The Sé is done in Gothic style which has become my favorite type of architecture. What made the Sé unique is that it suffered a terrible fire in 1988, which affected much of the city. Most of the Sé and the city has been rebuilt, but the cloister still remains in ruins. Furthermore, under the cloister archaeological excavations have revealed parts of old Moorish and Roman cities, including house, streets, and sewer systems. After exploring the Sé, we took a tuktuk, a popular method of travel in Lisbon, up to the Castelo de São Jorge. Although the first fortifications on the hilltop that serves as home to Castelo de São Jorge date back to the 2nd century BC, most of what remains today is from the Moorish occupation during the 14th century. What made the castle especially beautiful is its hilltop location, we loved walking through the gardens and up into the towers enjoying views of the sprawling city below. We then continued our walk through Alfamas and enjoyed drinks and cheese before going to a steak place that my Rotary counselor had recommended for dinner. Overall, our first impression of Lisbon was that of a young, bright city that is home to an electric blend of history and modern energy. We started our second day in Lisbon by seeing the modern part of the city. Lisbon hosted the World Expo in 1998 and the area around the expo center boast modern architecture and the largest indoor aquarium in Europe. We started our day at the Oceanarium and saw a diverse display of marine life. Next, we hopped on the gondola to see better views of the expo center, its surrounding buildings, and the Ponte Vasco da Gama, a 17 kilometer bridge that is the longest in Europe. To continue our final day in Lisbon, we traveled to the neighborhood of Bélem. Bélem is home to los Jerónimos, the Torre de Bélem, and the Padrão dos Descobrimentos. First, we enjoyed lunch in an overflowing café before continuing on to the Jerónimos. The Jerónimos is a 16th century monastery that formerly served under the Order of Saint Jerome. The Jerónimos' incredible architecture and intricate stone detail enchanted us all. Then we continued to the Torre de Bélem, which is a 16th century lime stone tower built on the Tagus River that served a key role during the exploration period of Portugal. The fortress was made to protect the river mouth and served for military purposes. Both the Jerónimos and the Torre de Bélem are UNESCO World Heritage Cites. Finally, we walked to the Padrão dos Descobrimentos, which is located next to the Torre de Bélem on the northern bank of the Tagus River. The monument was built during the 1950s and celebrates the Portuguese Discovery Age. Feeling rather exhausted, we cabbed back to the hotel before heading out again for dinner. We took the bell hop's advice and ate a restaurant called Pinóquio just a few blocks from the hotel. We ordered more codfish and a sea food rice to share. Unlike rice dishes in Spain, the rices in Portugal are more reminiscent to a soup as they generally have a lot of broth. Overall, we had an incredible, albeit fast, weekend in Lisbon. I would recommend the city to anyone. It has incredible sites to see, a vivacious vibe, and is very easy to navigate. This past weekend, the city of Baiona celebrated the Arribada. Baiona is a small port city about 30 minutes south of Vigo and was made famous on March 1, 1493 when Christopher Columbus's Pinta arrived in the Port of Baiona with news of a newly discovered America. Today, Baiona is home to just over 12,000 people and famous for its beautiful beaches, narrow streets, and ancient castle that over looks the port. Baiona has also become a popular tourist destination, especially during the summer months. The Arribada is celebrated to commemorate Columbus's arrival in Baiona. It is a weekend long medieval festival through the old parts of Baiona. Local artists set up booths and cafés open street food stands. Many of the artists sell medieval themed jewlery and pottery. There were also performances at a theatre set up on the beach in the port and a petting zoo for the children. I went to the Arribada with Sam and Sophia to spend all of Saturday afternoon. We walked, spent too much money, and ate A LOT of food. Most of the food was easy Spanish food, like tortilla, churrasco, empenada, chorizo, and the sort. Most of the other attendees were dressed up in medieval costumes as well. The whole event was very similar to the Renaissance Festival in Shakopee, Minnesota. This past weekend and week was Carnavales, which is celebrated in Spain and all through out the world. In the United States, Carnaval is known as Mardi Gras. The largest Carnaval in the world is in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil and the largest in Spain is in the Canary Islands. Carnaval coincides with the liturgical calendar and is held starting the weekend before Ash Wednesday and continuing through Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. Historically, Carnaval is a pagan celebration in which the towns people feast, drink, mock authority, and party in the streets. Carnaval is viewed as the final celebration before the fasting and solemnity of the forty days of Lent and celebrations often include costumes, large parades, and public street parties.
In Vigo, we have had Monday-Wednesday of this week off from school. On Friday, local schools held Carnaval celebrations and students dressed up and had a dance during the school day. Unfortunately, the academic rigors of Bachillerato do not allow time for Carnaval, so I celebrated with all my friends on Friday night. We ate dinner at my friend Sara's home before going out. We had purchased costumes online and all dressed up as Sully from Monster's Inc. On Saturday, there was a large parade downtown. The parade was three and a half hours long and boasted twenty eight floats. Floats included elaborate costumes and dance routines. Following tradition, there were two floats mocking politics as well. My personal favorite float was Noah's Arc themed. It opened with Noah himself dancing atop a beautifully created wooden arc and followed by dancers in two-by-two formation each dressed as different animals. Also during Carnavales, bakeries have a dessert known as "orejas" which is essentially a flat piece of deep fried bread covered in sugar and tastes a lot like funnel cake. I really enjoyed learning more about this popular tradition and the luxurious three day break from school. ¡Felices Carnavales a todos! This Sunday the padrino (my host uncle) wanted to show me a small, traditional fishing village located only six kilometers from Pontevedra called Combarro. Combarro is home to just around 2,000 people and a popular summer vacation destination. The word Combarro is believed to come from "la costa con hórreos" which means the coast with hórreos. Hórreos are the traditional Galician silos that were used to store grains and other farm products. They look like small barns on stilts and in the town of Combarro are all located right along the coast, giving the illusion that they are floating on the water.
Aside from the fascinating hórreos, the old quarter of Combarro is famous for its narrow stone streets and incredible seafood restaurants, which boasts fresh dishes such as octopus, shrimp, and scallops directly from the Ría. My favorite part of Combarro was that every street had several small alleys that lead directly to the sea. The granite streets, traditional homes, and friendly locals made for a great rainy Sunday afternoon. 1. Stereotypes.
By looks alone, I am a VERY typical American, all blonde hair and blue eyes. Because of this, people tend to assume I cannot speak any Spanish at all or that I do not understand what is going on around me. We, the other two Americans in Vigo and I, have a joke about being "Englished" when we go out. Sam has dark hair and looks rather Spanish, but Sophia and I are both blonde. It has happened a few times that a waiter will say "hola" to Sam and speak to him in Spanish but then turn to Sophia and I with a "hello." We think it's funny, but being doubted was something I was not used to. Part of being in another culture is that the basis of what is considered general knowledge is different, things that I always took to be true and accepted may not be true here, or I might seem rather unaware because I do not know something that is so normal here. This has taught me a I new kind of confidence, I feel secure in what I know and can laugh off feeling unintelligent. 2. Know yourself. In the past few months, I have been confronted with experiences that are all brand new. I feel like I have stepped out of a bubble I did not even know I was in. Because of this, many of my values and beliefs have been tested in ways like never before. There is something powerful about being questioned and tested that makes you personally question and doubt. I think this process has given me a fresh take on the values that I have always had. 3. Acceptance. My host parents are some of the most nonjudgemental people I have ever met. The Spanish culture is incredibly laid back about things that I had always seen as a big deal. People live their life because that is the way they want to live it. When asking a question it is always "te apetece...." which more or less means means "if you would want to." What this becomes is that people do not have as high of expectations from each other, if someone does something there is no more to their action than that they wanted to do it. 4. Live in the moment. When I first got here I always found myself counting. The months, weeks, days I had left in Spain. Now that I am past halfway and the months, weeks, days that remain are less than what I have done, I have stopped counting. All will arrive in time, I will go home, go to college, see my friends, but right now all I can do is focus on what is in front of me. Putting a number on my days made me stressed, like I had to be doing something all the time, and I began to move through exchange too quickly. These last few months all I want to do is savor every moment and opportunity that I have. Time will always pass I cannot change that, so I will choose, instead, to enjoy how it passes. 5. Don't take your family for granted. This is probably something that everyone goes through when they first move out of the house, but parents are cool! And siblings are like built in best friends! I am so lucky to be apart of a family that has supports and loves me. Thank you mom and dad and I miss you Connor. This past Sunday we drove 30 minutes south to the town of Tui, which is home to 16,000 people on the Rio Miño. My host sister, Ana, had a dance competition in Tui, but we traveled early to explore the charming town.
Historically, the region of Galicia had more provinces than there are currently are today. Tui was once the capital of the province of Tui. Because of its capital status, it is home to a cathedral and a monastery. Also, because of its location the Rio Miña, which is the border between Portugal and Spain, it has an ancient wall protecting the city. Across the river, the Portuguese town has a nearly matching skyline, with a wall and cathedral. The streets of Tui were cobblestoned and narrow. It was a rainy Sunday morning and the majority of the townspeople were gathered in mass in the church on main street. After we walked all of the streets we could find, we went to local restaurant for lunch. We had awesome local cheeses, fresh Galician steak, and homemade desserts. Spain's small town scene always steals my heart, there is something so romantic about the cozy cobblestones and neighborly people. Something I am asked often is what I miss most about home. Obviously my family, my friends, my dog, the basics. But here are 10 goofy things that I miss most about living in the U.S.
1. American sized beds. 2. Not having to guess what my food will taste like before I eat it. 3. Having access to the entire Netflix's collection of movies and TV shows. 4. Stoplights instead of roundabouts. 5. The culture of snacking. 6. Target and Costco. 7. Wearing sweatshirts and t-shirts to school. 8. Chic-Fil-A, Chipotle, Hyvee Chinese, Panera, Riley's, Parlor City, Brewhemia, and drive thrus in general. 9. Neighborhoods and backyards. 10. Coffee to go. This January, I have gotten involved with two new after school activities.
First, I have started volunteering at a church near my house that has a tutoring program for children who need school help. I am teaching English. This week, I worked with two adorable girls from Portugal who moved to Spain two years ago and are learning Spanish as their second language and required to take English in school. We had to find creative ways to communicate and I enjoyed the challenge of trying to explain English in my second language to a child who is learning English as her third language. There are so many pieces of the English language that I have never thought about that I have had to explain. I like that I am learning so much about English while also practicing my Spanish. Second, I have started surf lessons! There is only one surfable beach near Vigo, because the coast is protected by the Islas Cies, which is conveniently located only three kilometers from my host grandma's home. Over winter break, my host uncle took me to the beach to try out surfing for the first time. The beach, Patos, has multiple surf schools and my host uncle is friends with some of the employees at the school Prado. So on Saturday mornings I am pulling on a wetsuit and jumping in to the chilly January Atlantic to try my best to catch some waves. Last Friday, January sixth, was Three Kings Day here in Spain. The legend of this Christamas season holiday is that the Three Kings bring presents to everyone on the night of the fifth and the presents are in the house to open on the morning of January sixth.
Three Kings Day celebrations start in Spain on the afternoon of January fifth. The whole town comes together to put on an enormous parade, and at the end of the parade are the Three Kings themselves. The prade's theme in Vigo this year was dinosaurs. Most businesses in town created a float and the city supports the Three Kings' floats. The entire city was lining the streets downtown to see the parade and collect the hard candies that were being thrown out. The night of January fifth we went to a family friends' home for a larger dinner to celebrate. January fifth is also a popular night for teenagers to go out, like on New Years, so after dinner I met my friends from school and we danced all night long. The morning of Three Kings Day, we woke up to beautiful presents under the Christmas tree and were engulfed in the classic present-opening frenzy. Then, we went to one of my aunt's home for appetizers and more gifts. To end celebrations, we went to my grandparent's home for a large lunch. A traditional food that is eaten on Three Kings Day is called roscon, which is a bread like pastry with whipped cream and candies. Because of Three Kings Day, school only started again this Monday. Returning after the relaxing two and half week break was not entirely easy, but I am excited to tackle the new year and my fourth month of exchange! |