Category: Blog

On Monday I went to Cordoba for a day trip. I studied in Cordoba this past spring, and was excited to see my host parents again. We ate tortilla and, for dessert, oranges with honey and cinnamon, which is my favorite.

After seeing my host family, I went to the Plaza de Tendillas to pick up a few things that I needed and to meet up with my friend. I love how Tendillas is always bustling—full of shops and places to meet up.

After browsing around a few stores, we had a drink at my favorite café, El Mundo de Alicia. It’s based on the story of Alice in Wonderland, and the décor is appropriately wacky and colorful. It was nice to get out of the heat and sit with a cold drink for a bit.

After that, we headed to the Juderia and walked around. The Juderia is my favorite part of Cordoba, as it is close to the river and the Mezquita. I also love the small and winding streets and buildings of the Juderia. My host father once told me that the Moors purposefully built the buildings close together to create more shadows during hot weather. This was something I was thankful for on Monday, as the weather was very hot. Still, Cordoba is beautiful in the spring: it always looks golden in the sun, the city is filled with flowers and there is always some sort of festival happening.   

This past weekend I went to Madrid (the city that never sleeps). I fell in love with the architecture, the monuments, the city itself. As I walked through the city I could feel the weight of history, thousands of years, in the buildings, on the streets and in the art. I went with a friend and we took the tourist bus.

I got to see the Palacio Real, Museo del Prado, the Retiro, Plaza de Cibeles, Puerta del Sol, Puerta de Alcala, Plaza Mayor and Plaza Castilla. My favorite sites were Palacio Real, Museo del Prado and Plaza de Cibeles. In the Museo del Prado I saw artwork by Goya, Velazquez, and many more and the dates shocked me because they were painted as early as the 1300s! At Plaza de Cibeles the white castle-like building was enchanting.

Something else I found interesting was the number of fountains in Madrid (there were a lot!). My favorite was the Fountain of Neptune. I also saw two events that were out of the ordinary. The first was a procession of naked cyclists and the second was an enormous protest against the monarchy. All in all, it was the most amazing experience, one that I will never forget. I love Spain!!!!

   

This past weekend I traveled to Iznajar, which is approximately one hour and fifteen minutes from Cordoba. The drive was beautiful and I was able to see a lot of olive trees and snow-covered mountains. The vistas were nothing short of breathtaking. The village of Iznajar is pretty tiny and consists of a sea of small white houses. From the top of the village you can see the largest river in all of Andalusia. On my return trip to Cordoba I couldn’t resist the pull of the beach, so I turned around and headed to la playa for the day. I drove to Nijar, which was approximately two additional hours by car. The beach was absolutely spectacular! I had the opportunity to have lunch at a beautiful restaurant on the water. It was glorious to sit down and relax and hear the waves break. I would definitely suggest this spot, if you are looking to get away one weekend. The drive is totally manageable. Until my next trip…

Hoy empezamos una serie de posts para entender más sobre el idioma inglés. Esta serie se llama “Inglés en un tris tras.”¡Que disfrutéis! 

Los “false friends” son definidos como palabras que suenan como si tienen traducciones exactas en inglés, pero eso no es la verdad. Hemos puesto una lista abajo de unos de los “false friends” más comunes: 

1. Assist – esta palabra es muy parecida a asistir, pero significa “ayudar.”
2. Attend – esta palabra, que suena como atender, significa “ser presente.” 
3. Embarrassed – ¡si estás embarazada, no hay que sentir embarrassed! Esta palabra significa “avergonzada.” 
4. Bomber – aunque es muy similar a bombero, esta palabra describe un tipo de avión militar. 
5. Actually – esta palabra parece que significa actualmente, pero de hecho significa “en realidad.” 
6. Sensible – esta palabra significa “sensato.”
7. Sensitive – esta palabra significa “sensible.” 
8. Support – esta palabra, que es parecida a soportar, significa “apoyar.” 

Si conocéis otros “false friends,” no dudéis en publicarlos en los comentarios. 

¡Hola! Me llamo Helen Buse, y soy una estudiante estadounidense de Nicasio, California. Estoy estudiando en Córdoba este año, y voy a ayudar en la Academia durante el mes de enero. Aquí hay algunas cosas sobre mi. Mi color favorito es el morado, toco el piano, J.R.R. Tolkien es mi autor favorito, y me encanta cocinar – sobre todo hacer tartas, galletas, y magdalenas. ¡Me hace mucha ilusión veros por la Academia!