While we were in Barcelona, Barcelona's soccer team was playing Madrids soccer team in Madrid for the championship. You could tell most of the city was watching the game because the streets were pretty quiet there wasant much traffic at all. I could feel the excitement in the air as I stepped outside to see if I could see any of the fireworks going off I was hearing from my room. Gary our tour guide was glued to the tv watching the game he was going for Madrid because thats where he was from. A couple minutes after I was outside Gary ran outside jumping up and down with excitement he told me "Real Madrid Won were champions". As soon as he finished that sentence he was on the phone with friends in Madrid singing what I think were victory chants that the team sings after wining games.

The next day you could tell most of Barcelona was very disapointed. While walking the crowded Gary "whispered to me look how disapointed everyone looks I wish I had my Real Madrid team flag so I could go running through the streets with it but I wouldn't dare because I would probably get my butt kicked" When I was standing still for a moment I could hear peoples conversations in spanish talking about the game. The things I understood most was how frustrated the people were because Barcelona was leading through out most of the game. Also people were talking about which players are going to be playing again next year and how they thought the team needed to adapt to have another chance at a championship next year.

Another conversation I had and this one was all in Spanish because he didn't speak any english was with the tour guide Gary was training in Madrid our first night in Spain. Im sorry I dont remember his name because he was a nice guy. I sat next to him and Gary at the Museo de Vino and it came up that Gary was cuban like me. Gary told me that his friend had just come back from a trip to Cuba not to long ago. I asked him what his impressions were and if he thought I should go to Cuba.Im glad I understood all of his response in Spanish He told me that Havana where he was staying was very beautiful but that it was a little annoying that there are all these people hanging around the hotels trying to get you to go places they wanted you to visit he said they were very persistant. Also he said that he didn't feel all that safe he was often approached by pimps trying to keep their employees busy and when he wasn't intereted he said they got a little hostel. Im glad he told me this because I would like to visit my distant family in Havana one day and now I have an idea of what to expect if I visit any of the touristy areas which I probably would.

How this travel abroad experience has changed me

The most obvious way this experience has changed me personally is I now have a much greater appreciation for my home the great state of Texas. Within the first week of being gone I was already missing soaking up the burning Texas sun and barbequing poolside at my friend Ken's house. I never want to leave Texas for more than 2 and a half weeks again. Another way I can see that this has changed me is I kind of have an envy for the way Spanish people live. I hate having to be on a schedule and I felt like nobody there was on a schedul. Stores were open when they wanted to be open and closed when they wanted to be closed. Denise told me having to be on schedule was part of growing up but I still dont like it and am going to avoid it. I would see a guys with two or three beautiful girls sitting at cafes sipping coffe and bottled water. Hours later I would pass by again and they were still there relaxing. How Nice! Those people know how to relax maybe a little bit to much,but still I think they have a much better quality of life than we do. I have noticed that after coming home from school I eat lunch and take a 3 or 4 hour siesta like the Spanish do. It's to hot to do anything else anyway.

One thing that I did enjoy even though it meant being on a schedule was all the hands on learning experience. It was much more interesting and rewarding to go see an actual painting displayed in a museum than to just read about it in a book and see a picture that does the painting no justice. Instead of just reading about the spanish and thir culture I got to see what they looked like and I got to talk to some of them. Instead of reading a recepie in a cook book and giving a risky attempt to make it, I could walk across the street and have a professional prepare it for me.

The main way this trip has changed my views on the world is I thought everyone was going to be very cold toward us because we were Americans. Some were but it was only when we deserved it. People would only tease me about being an American in a jokingly way. I loved it when the spanish females would call me Yankee because their accent made the word yankee sound so funny. Within a couple of days I relaized everyone didnt hate us and I felt very comfortable in Spain. I didnt think that there would be so much American Influence in Spain I knew I would see Mc Donalds but I was surprised to see a lot of other fast food chains there as well. I was shocked to hear more songs that they play in America and that Im very familiar with than songs that I wasn't while I was drinking beer in bars or writing and checking email in the cyber cafes.

Im very glad Palo Alto gave me the opportunity to travel to Spain. I am almost certain that if it wasn't for Palo Alto I may have never gotten the chance to visit Spain.This experience has made me want to travel outside of the United States more, just not for three weeks at a time. I hope A.C.C.D. continues to offer their students these great opportunities to enhance there education and lives.

Goya's Third of May 7/8/07

While visiting the Prado in Madrid, we got the chance to view many of Goya's paintings. I had never really heard of Goya before visiting the Prado. I now have a new appreciation for the artist.I even went to go pay my respect and visited his tomb on the last day of my trip. One of Goyas most famous pieces of work titled the"Third of May 1808"painted during the year of 1814. The painting is a piece of art displaying Goya's theme against war. In the painting, innocent civilians are being murdered by Napoleon's troops. Lots of interesting things went into Goya's painting for example one thing that brings your focus to the painting is a man in a white shirt with a look of horror on his face as he is about to be killed. His hands are spread out. Some say Goya did this on purpose to resemble the image of Jesus Christ being Crucified. Also, the image of the white shirt displays the innocence of the civilian. It was interesting that Goya never really showed the face of the soldiers. Perhaps this was done on purpose to illustrate that these soldiers were not human but instead killing machines. Although this painting is very popular, it is not my favorite. During Goya's later years in life, he went deaf.During this period Goya painted a different style and it was labled Goyas dark paintings. I favor these dark paintings because they are more imaginative and gruesome than Goya's early worksof painting royalty and bright colorful pictures. My favorite dark painting is labled "Saturn Devouring His Son",painted in 1819.I liked it because there was such detail in the crazed look on Saturns face and there was lots of gore in the painting. I found it interesting that Goya did not name this painting. It was named after his death by others. Im glad I visited the Prado because it introduced me to new painters that I had not heard of before and probably never would have heard of if I hadnt taken the time to visit the beautiful museum.

How Gaudi breaks from traditional spanish artistic traditions

Gaudi breaks traditional spanish architecture in many ways. First, Gaudi´s work isn´t as pretentious as most of the spanish architecture Ive seen so far. Most of the homes he designed don't take up a couple city blocks such as the Palacio Real I saw in Madrid. Although not as much detail went into the stone work, there is always lots of color and twists and turns in such things as the chimneys. I liked all the different colored tile that make up the homes. It gives Gaudi's work a psychadelic look. I was also very impressed by the Sagrada Familia church, even though I only saw it from the outside. To me, the huge church looks like a royal crown. I have a feeling Gaudi knew he wouldn't live to see it fully completed. The cranes are still there adding to the construction. I wonder when the church is scheduled for completion. I ever make the trip again I would want to see the church lit up at night. I've seen pictures of it in postcards,and the light adds more appeal to the already beautiful church.

Today I´m Indiana Jones

We have arrived in Valencia.What a gorgeous city! A lot of the cities here remind me of Miami. The only difference is that a lot more time,effort and thought went into the architecture. The time qualifications for the Americas Cup sail boat racing is going on along the coast here as I speak. I overheard that the Holy Grail is somewhere in town and one of my favorite movies is "Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade".I feel like I have to find where it´s location is to experience what Indiana Jones was going through looking for such a treasure. It´s not going to be easy, I now know why Indiana Jones never traveled on his excursions with females every store we see they have to go in. Sarah seems excited about the Holy Grail so maybe today I might actually see something besides what the local La Cantera looks like.

I also am having a great deal of anxiety trying to get anyone to want to give me a decent rate to exchange dollars to euros. Yesterday in Barcelona,a middle easterner who spoke perfect English was in line in front of me and he was telling me that the value of the dollar is really falling here. I think I´m ready to just break down and see what I can get.

Almost everyone in Barcelona was very disapointed yesterday. Thier soccer team lost the world championship to Madrid the night before. Fireworks were going off all throught the game because Barcelona was up most of the game and at the end the Madrid fans decided to put on a show too. Gary, our tour guide, is from Madrid and I could tell that he wanted to run the streets of Barcelona with his teams flag but he didnt for fear of not making it back safely to meet us for dinner.

My time is running out at the cafe and my stomach is starting to rumble. I saw a cuban restaraunt and wanted to try it but didn´t because I didn´t want to seperate from the group. Soon you will hear how my expedition for the holy grail turned out.

Why Should you care that Im here

Why sould you care that im here? Ok this is an interesting question that I´m required to answer for class. The main reason I think you should care is I´m a representative of the United States of America. The actions and behavior I display is going to make a lasting impression on the locals.Im affraid it´s too late. I feel that some locals have had very bad experiences with American tourists and despise us when they see us here. I literally am starting to experience how the Mexican Nationals feel when they're in the United States, and I feel like sometimes they are treated badly when visiting their neighbors to the north.I know I have personal grudges against some of them. When I was working at the Gap and groups of up to ten people would storm the store 5 minutes before closing time while the employees were trying to clean up and fold everything .By the time they left it was sometimes 15 to 20 minutes after closing time the store looked like a natural disaster went through it, and they didnt buy anything because we were giving them dirty looks ten minutes past closing time. Im sure the locals here have had simlar experiences of what I have experienced working at the GAP.

Another reason you should care that I´m here is I´m starting to learn a couple things throught this journey. If anybody has the guts to come out here, I can give advice. Ive had some good meals and bad ones. Im starting to learn the subway system in Madrid. I am proud of myself that I havent gotten lost.... ok. i'll admit ive only used one line, but hey, give me some credit its a little intimidating. I know what paintings are in the Prado and which ones arn´t....I was expecting to see some Picassos and didn´if you're looking for them I can tell you which museum is displaying them: The Reina Sofia.

I feel like we just got here and were already leaving Madrid

Yesterday the 12th and13th were our first two days in Madrid. El Palacio Real is probably the most pretentious place I´ve ever seen. Words can´t explain how decadent and detailed the outsides walls are. All the staircases are polished marble and I didnt think that they would put so much effort into a celing so I didn´t bother to look up until somebody did and just said ohmigod Ish look up. There´s paintings on the celings. I have it on my camera as soon as I learn how to post photographs everyone can see it. By the way your not supposed to take pictures inside and dont ask me how I know this so consider yoursleves lucky I got one.