Impresionante

For Holy Week, my friends and I went to the Eternal City, Rome.  Like everyone in Western civilization, we have been taught about Roman history and its influences in our culture today.  So we took the opportunity to finally go and see the places I’d only seen as pictures in my history books.  It didn’t disappoint.  In the 3 days I was there, I got to see the Roman Forum, Palatine, Coliseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Spanish steps, and Vatican City.  

Before getting into Rome, my friends and I memorized a few phrases in Italian to help us communicate.  The only words I knew in Italian before consisted of food, capiche, and a swear word so learning how to say “Do you speak English or Spanish?” Parle Inglese o Spangnolo was much more helpful.  Waiters and clerks would address us in Italian, we’d ask them if they spoke English, and they usually would.  They would repeat the question, and then we would accidentally answer in Spanish and the waiter would be confused.  More than once we received a raised eyebrow and a “Where are you from?”  Still can’t spit Spanish out in Spain fast enough, but go to a foreign country where you don’t know the language?  All sorts of mental confusion.

Rome was also a little overbearing as well.  Because with a list of places to see, came a list of food to eat……..to quote once of my friends, “If you go to Rome and don’t gain 5 pounds, you did it wrong.”  I did manage to cross off my food goals as well.  I had ravioli, brick-oven pizza, gelato every day, and a canoli.  Canoli’s are apparently Sicilian, which I did not know…

As I look back at my travels, I’m dedicating my trip to Rome to my Grandpa Larsen.  His birthday was April 20^th, he loved history as much as I did and we enjoyed talking about it.  So here’s to you Grandpa, for looking out for me and my travels.  

Islas Canarias

Islas Canarias.....................

     A few weeks ago, my roommate Tracy was having the winter season blues and said “I just need some sunshine.”  It was only a matter of minutes before we decided to plan a trip to the beach, more specifically, Tenerife.  But this was more than just a girls beach trip, we decided to go to a Volcanic island, with black sand, and check out the largest active (the term active is used here loosely, active just means its has the ability to produce lava, not explode at any second) Volcano in Europe. 

     So Tracy, Danica and I went to Tenerife for three days and got to enjoy the beach, sunshine and check out Mount Teide!  We flew in Thursday night and almost immediately fell asleep at the hostel.  Woke up on Friday morning to hippy haven...more than the normal amount you usually encounter at hostels (or so I am told). 

     Friday we tried to layout in the sun, but it was too chilly in the morning with the cloud cover, so we hiked a dried lava hill instead!  Cool view, and strange red rocks, the terrain was dry and sparse and probably looked like the south west of the United States. 

     Finally the sun came out and we got to soak it in!!  However, with the glorious sunshine came the naked Germans..........fine, they want to tan everything?  We’re in Europe, it’s a cultural norm, Ill get over my American prudish ways.  Do they stay on their towels where people can choose to look away from them?  No, the 75 year old men were very much on parade walking or jogging along the coastline with no qualms whatsoever to the cold, wind, water, or innocent bystanders.  I'm still a little scarred…

     Saturday was another great day on the beach, and we met up with Danica's two friends who stayed at the hostel with us.  All 5 of us went out a dusk and found some of the Volcanic caves and watched the sunset from the lava beds.  Her friend could drive a stick shift, so we all decided to rent a car on Sunday and drive from one end of the island to the airport on the other side, to catch our flight home.

The island isn’t very big, and if you rent a car, you can drive up the Volcano!!!  It was huge, and had windy roads cutting through the small towns on the South, and North side of the island.  The south side had a dry, sparse, landscape, whereas the North side became a dense jungle of different looking trees and fruit farms.  The Canary Islands are closer to the coast of Africa than they are to Europe, which made everything about the Island unique and very different from being in a Spanish city.  A very cool trip and a great excuse to get out of the city!  

     Now that I am back at school, its been a crazy week  because we have been setting up displays of my students art work.  We have a cultural week before Easter, where the students all research a topic and create posters, or pictures about our theme, which is world events in the 1800s.  I've been using my Art Ed skills to help the students with their projects and my teachers have given me full reign with the displays!

     Lots to do before Easter, and I have my friend, Leah, coming to stay with me!  I haven’t seen her since she helped me move into my apartment here and I’m looking forward to visiting a friend from college…Hope everyone is doing well too!  Can’t wait to visit this summer!!!