So Sunny May

Wow, I kind of really left this to the last moment. Last day of May and all, but no only that, I put it off the last two days, when I had time to do it. Then I remembered today and said, well I sure can't leave it for tomorrow. So here I am.

This month has been characterized by a few new things. One, sun. Well not really sun in general, we have that here, but warmth, and hotness coming from the sun in large quantities, if you know what I mean. Two, Americans. Literally Americans (and a girl from Canada). This month I have had more contact with Americans and have spoken more in English than probably the last 7 months combined. Three, an increased awareness (by all) that my time here is almost over (at least for this stay).

As for the sun, it kind of explains itself. The sun has officially came out in Spain, and sometimes it is hot and sometimes it is not. But now at least I can wear some shorts, and it's nicer to go out and stay out. The sun is fun.

As for the Americans, well, maybe we should just say Englsih speaking people. Even though most have been Americans.

Fun Fact: Saying that you are "americano" to any person from Spain does NOT mean that you are from the United States of America. It means that you are from the continent of America, which for Spanish people is from Argentina to Alaska. When you "americanos" understand what I wrote, you will probably be surprised. Ummm no, only Americans are americanos. But that's not really at all true, and it all has to do with the different views of what and which land mass is a continent. To learn more about this topic you can go to this article and the Wikipedia page that does have a cool gif even if the content [could] be questionable. 

Okay, back to the Englsih speaking people. A friend of the family, from Canada, came to visit for a few days, and she stayed in out house. During that same time my host mom decided that we could house two more Americans. Well, not house, but feed, they stay in a different apartment. They are two college students from St. John's in Minnesota. They are here for 5 weeks, and are earning all the Spanish credits they will need for college in this month by living and studying here.

Those two aren't the only "kids" from St. John's living and studying in Valladolid. There are about 40 of them, some of whom I have met. Another reason for there being a lot more Americans in Valladolid (and Spain in general) is that in America, a lot of schools are out for the summer and the college semester is over. And Spain is great for vacation, thus, Americans.

Well, as I mentioned before, it is alost time for me to be catching a plane from Madrid to state-side. Only a little more than two weeks are left of this stay in Spain. It won't be last time I'm here, but it brings to conclusion a long period of many new things, learning a language, and being away from home. Things will have changed everywhere, but it's time. Time for me to get back to my family and speak English [regularly] again. I won't say that I want to leave, but it's probably time to say goodbye (for now). Although, I will not be saying goodbye until the last second. (:

FYI: I now have a Facebook, which gets more frequent updates and probably more pictures, although I don't say much on there. If you know my face you can probably find me on Facebook. (;

Un saludo, Miguel Sabol

Paintballing with the friends

Fernando, Pablo, and Miguel Millaruelos's graduation. Only Fernando and a friend from class are pictured. 

A little trip to Madrid 

Pilar Millaruelo graduates from college (for the second time)

Miguel Sabol graduates college!!

Pamplona

March Madness

If this blog comes up and you're looking for basketball or baloncesto, you're in the wrong place, but please, by all means, read on.

March has been a very crazy month for me, and it just so happens that it is named for craziness in the States because of basketball or something, I think. Anyways, let's start at the beginning: el Día de los Reyes Magos, January 6th. I had a strange, across the room conversation with my host mother as, around us the family was having a discussion of some matter, undoubtedly thelack of food in our stomachs at that moment. Well, at the end of that yelled conversation that took place in between me and my host mother, and a few texts later, I had a plane ticket from Madrid to London and a plane ticket from London to Madrid.

As a direct result, on the 3rd of March, when it was still the 2nd of March in all 50 States (3a.m.), I woke up from a two hour nap, and in 30 minutes had left the flat, and I along with my host mother, her best friend, and my host sister, left for the train station, where we would subsequently catch a bus, to the Madrid airport. That is where I used those tickets purchased 2 months before. By afternoon I was breathing the [probably] polluted air of London, England, and I was liking it.

After telling you all that stuff about only the first day, I am not going to elaborte much on how the trip went. It went very well, it was my first time in England, and I am pleased to say that I liked it very much. It was a great experience. As for the things I saw, well, I'm sure I did not see everything but I sure we got pretty darn close with all the walking that we did. We returned the afternoon of March the 6th. I will attach photos. Overall, I give London two thumbs up and a reccomendation (if any of you are willing to take my reccomendation).

March 11: I randomly met, Vincent del Bosque, Spain's international soccer team coach at my school. Well, I guess I didn´t really meet him, but he was there all the same.

March 12: Nothing, regular day.

March 13: for some reason, we kind-of-not-really got punished or something and were supposed to run a 5km race, but we decided to work a stand next to the race instead for the host mother. And take some cool pictures on top of a hill/castle thingy.

March 20: Made it to another Real Madrid match in The Bernabéu. I may even become a fan if we continue like this. Real Madrid v. Sevilla 4-0. 

Holy Week: Holy Week, better known as Semana Santa, is a very big deal in Spain. It is the week during the spring that all Spanish children get off. And it is always on Holy Week. So in the USA we have spring break, but in Spain they have Semana Santa. It is a very big deal, and very, very impressive. It is definetly a thing you should see if you are very into Holy Week or are in Spain at that time. It is a very complicated and long thing to explain but I'll make a short version using only English just for you guys.

Basically they have huge parades, well processions.

But like the people are wearing these habits/costumbres that look like the KKK fell in jars of different paints (you have too look it up to see what I'm talking about). And the only musical instruments played are the horn ones and the drum ones. (I don't know anything about music). And the floats are the giant statues that all the churches have, but they are taken dowen from the church and put on plantforms. Then, men and women grab hold of these platforms and lift them to their shoulders, and they process (parade) around the city, usually at night, for a few hours. Now multiply this by the number of brotherhoods (church denominatiuons that take responsibility for organizing the processions) that there are in the city, and the statues and all Holy Week long. It's a sight to see for sure. the one word I would use to describe it is: impressive.

You can check out these processions by looking up: Semana Santa, Semana Santa Spain, Semana Santa Valladolid (where I live), and Semana Santa Medina de Rioseco (a very impressive series opf processions). And you can just go to YouTube and they should come up. I do not reccomend that you watch them entirely because there are a lot of really, really long ones. But enjoy.


Hahaha I hope some people got confused about why I put March 12 on there like that. Well, the truth is I was just trying to be funny. March 12 was by birthday, I turned 17 years old, or better said: I completed my 17th revolution around the sun. Not bad, not bad at all.It was a good birthday, that for everyone who said Happy Birthday and even everyone who didn't remember, I forgive you, but you owe me a present when I get back. (; My parents said we could have another birthday party when I get home so maybe I'll invite you guys.

Anyways see ya later,

Un saludo, Miguel Sabol

Buckingham Palace: selfie with random strangers

Granada, Francia y Más

Okay I actually forgot about the blog for a bit because of all that has been going on. And now I decided I'd write this post no matter what. Even if I'm in the middle of exams and I should be studying right now. Hahaha and by that I mean "I should be procrastinating about studying" right now. So instead of procrastinating, I'm going to write in my blog, and later I'll study. It might all work out better now that I've put my thoughts into words (and English). Writing does that sometimes.

Well I'll start my story again near the end of January. A fortunate mistake led me and my host family to have a week of vacation on the last week of January near and in Granada, Spain. A ski trip… to southern Spain. I though it was strange at first, and it still is. But then I learned that those mountains are the highest on the Iberian Peninsula (if not however in Spain). So we hit to road, and then, the slopes. Granted it has been a very warm winter (relatively, because I'm still freezing) and so there wasn't exactly a lot of slopes to hit, but we hit all the ones available. We skied for three days straight in Sierra Nevada. Then, went down the mountain to the city of Granada, and explored it. We explored the city, and then the Alahambra (one of the most famous sites in Spain, so go look it up). The city is very beautiful and there was even a nice temperature while we were there. 

Then we went home, sadly, and I was forced to return to school for a week, a week after the week that I had completely missed… aka not fun. But then that Thursday, an opportunity came up. I think it went something like this at 10:30pm "Hey Miguel, want to leave to France tomorrow and go skiing for three days?" And of course I said, "Umm, sure." So there I was Friday night, in France. I went with the club at which I play soccer and (sometimes) study. There were over 30 people in our group and we had a great time in France and on the slopes of Piau Engaly. Which admittedly had [a bit] more snow than those of Granada. And it snowed on the second day (well the night before). It was really fun boarding in all the powder. (Oh yeah I forgot to say, I don't actually ski. I snowboard). The views in the Pyrenees were amazing and the slopes were pretty great. And now I can say I've snowboarded in 3 countries on two comtinents! 

And on the way back, with the club (which is a Catholic club) stopped at Torreciudad, which translates directly to Towercity. It's not really a city, but a church a very big church on a small peninsula in the middle of a man-made lake. The "city" was very beautiful and definitely worth the stop we made there. 

Then we had returned, and once again, I woke up the next day and went back to school. This time to a week of projects, as we had had that Monday and Tuesday off of school for Canaval (Marti Gra?). Then another week of school after than. And then last week we started exams at the end of the week. And they carry into this week. Which should be great fun. Great fun. I'm really starting to like these trimesters with there three exams per year and then end of course exams. Such a great idea Spain. 

Anyways I should probably get back to stuDying. Once again, the valient Miguel Sabol will engage the enemy of all teenagers. Oh and will you look at the time, a great time to start studying. 

Un saludo, Miguel Sabol

Casa Pepe

Sierra Nevada

Granada

France

Torreciudad