Going to college has given me so many opportunities to do and see and try things I wouldn't have otherwise been able to. One of those things is a trip to Granada Spain for a month to participate in an internship related to my major (nursing). Granada has been something myself and my group have talked about for what feels like ages. Its one of those trips that you think will never get here. But now that it is here, Granada feels like a dream come true. The city is beautiful and nothing like anything back home. The streets are narrow and have an old time feel to them. Shops line every single corner and the weather is warm. The people are so nice and any food I've had so far has been so good.
The first day we came to Granada, we got to meet our host family. I got to be paired with my friend Maya, and we are staying with the lovely Isabela and Juan Jose and their children Maria Isabel, Tomas, and Enrique. They have been so welcoming! After getting settled and taking a bit of a nap, Maya and I met up with the rest of the group by the Cathedral. Mike and Cassie, our guides and saving grace, gave us the grand tour of the inside. Holy moly! It was absolutely stunning.
The ceilings were high and open and there were windows lining the tops of the walls. The alter was a beautiful combination of architecture and gold. The stain glass above the alter was intricate and colorful - some depicted the journey of Jesus and the cross, other showed the baptism of both John and Jesus. The organs were massive and attached to the walls on either side of the alter. They were also made of gold and had angels wielding trumpets carved into them. It was a hushed atmosphere, one that demanded respect and quiet. There were audioguides available to listen to with enough information to fill multiple books! My group and I got to explore the other artifacts and stations set around the cathedral as well as a special visit to the royal tomb of Queen Isabel and King Fernando themselves.
That night, we all gathered as a group to celebrate the first day with pizza and ice cream. The pizza came from an Italian shop by and Italian man. His pizzas are special because they are a meter long! It was simply made but so good. Definitely a comfort on the first night.
The next day the Mike and Cassie took the group and I to visit all of our internship places. Austin, Jillian, Brianna, and I get to work at a school for disabled children at the hospital of Saint Raphael (San Rafael) . It is part of St. John of God (San Juan de Dios) which includes the school, hospital, soup kitchen, public showers, clothing exchange, other clinics, and his own church for the community and poor of Granada. As all four of us are part of or related to the medical field, this is a great opportunity to explore and understand what some healthcare outside the USA looks like. There is a different range of people here in Spain - that shouldn't have any effect in the care given but it will be interesting to see how another country/government sets up their system. Caleb and Maya, the aspiring artists of the group, have a bit more complex internship. After the school, we used the bus system (very confusing but hopefully will get a little better with practice) to travel up the Sacromonte Abbey and parts of the College. It is here that the Archbishop started an art restoration program for any art of the city, holy or otherwise. They will also be able to work with a local artist and his wife to learn about new types of art styles and to learn about running an art business.
Afterwards, we again used the bus system to ride back down into the city. Traveling through, there is quite a bit of vegetation - one of the most often seen are the orange trees! For lunch, we stopped at the Inmaculada University. This is where we will be eating lunch after internship and where we will also be taking Spanish lessons. It was busy in the cafe as it was the last day of classes and everyone was excited to be done. After lunch we went separate ways - Austin, Caleb, Maya, and I found ourselves wandering into one of the botanical gardens. After wandering a bit more, the four of us meet up with the rest of the group and Mike and Cassie to talk a bit more about our internships and some of the other activities we will be able to do later in the trip.
After the meeting we got to meet with the Archbishop himself. This was such an honor as he is a very public and respected man throughout the city. He is very sweet and was so happy to have us in his city, working with some of his projects. He told us some about how he went about setting up the art restoration program and a little bit of history of the city. He also told us a bit about one of the angels statues on top of the Cathedral - Saint Michael the dragon slayer. Its not easily seen but if you get the right angle, he bravely stands above all with his sword. As we were saying our adios and mucho gracias, my group and the Archbishop stumbled upon a wedding. I do believe the bride's day was made as the Archbishop made a beeline for her and the groom to say a hello and give a blessing.
That night we all went out for tapas for the first time. The concept of going out for a drink and getting a plate of appetizer like food with it for free is new and interesting compared to back home. But definitely one we all can get behind! I got a glass of sangria and we all decided on a plate of curry chicken. Both were delicious! The curry was almost a sweet sauce and served over warm rice. Then after tapas, Maya and I went back to have dinner with our host family. The children have been gone for the weekend for its just us and Isabela and Juan Jose. We got to watch the news - Isabela and Juan Jose made sure to explain what was happening - with their help Maya and I have been slowly grasping the concept of new Spanish words. They also ask us a lot of questions about the states and its nice to swap stories of cultures.
Saturday Austin, Maya, Caleb and I decided to wander around the area. We ended up just walking around enjoying the sites and sounds and Caleb, Austin, Maya were able to use their professional cameras to take lots of pictures. In one of the many plazas, we found a place to sit and listen to some of the local music. Austin and Maya found a little kiosk that was selling bread. It was sweet and warm and fluffy in the middle. For lunch Maya and I ate with Isabela and Juan Jose. I had trout for the first time with some vegetables and bread. It was surprisingly good and nothing like I expected. After lunch we were back at it again with the intent of wandering. In our wanders we stumbled upon a parade! It was fantastic - filled with gentlemen and ladies dressed in their Spanish finest (men had Spanish suits and women wore flamenco dresses). Some of the horses pulled buggies others just their rider. After the horses there were tons of people walking, also dressed in their finest. Behind them was a giant silver carriage pulled by two bulls. After asking out host mom, we found out we got to see a pilgrimage procession - something that only happens once a year for churches all over Spain. That night, Mike and Cassie took us to a flamenco show with a dancer, a singer, and a guitar player. It was amazing and wonderful to watch. It was set in a little cave like venue off the river. It was echoy and the light dim. The dancing was fabulous.
That's all for now! Ciao till next week :)
