Lissette – Academia Manhattan

February 2, 2017

Weekend at Belalcázar – Lissette

During my last weekend, I was able to visit Belalcázar. Belalcázar is another town in the province of Cordoba and approximately 50 minutes west of Villanueva. Just like Villanueva, this city was also surrounded by countryside. The first thing that stood out to me was the castle. One of the wonders of Spain is that there are cathedrals and castles throughout many areas that let you see the history of Spain. However, the castle was under construction and we weren’t allowed to enter it. I was also able to visit the Convento de Santa Clara. It was fascinating to see how the designs and paintings were still well preserved. There was also a Roman bridge just like in Cordoba. In other words, just like most towns and cities you can see the Roman influence through the architecture as well as the bridges. The food was delicious too! Since most families have livestock, they usually have really fresh meat. For example, their ham and salchichón is delicious because they make it starting with killing a pig that they’ve raised. The bread and cheese are also very good. These towns tend to have really good food because it isn’t processed and it is all made from scratch. It was interesting to see that most of the habitants of the town were older people. This is due to the fact that most young people leave the towns and go study in the nearest cities. Ultimately, it was a charming town with amazing scenery.

January 24, 2017

Weekend at the countryside in La Carlota – Lissette

I spent my first weekend with some friends at La Carlota, Cordoba. La Carlota is another town like Villanueva located about 20 minutes south of Cordoba. In other words, La Carlota is a warmer town compared to Villanueva due to its location. Just like most Spanish towns including Villanueva, La Carlota is surrounded by countryside. Within my first week I have realized how common it is for Spaniards to have a “parcela” or house in the countryside.

Most families spend their weekend at the countryside. In the countryside they pick olives, feed animals, and go for walks. Most of all, they get together and eat in the countryside on the weekends. I was able to enjoy a Sunday at the countryside with my friend and his family. Even though it was winter, the weather was warm enough for us to eat outside.

It was crazy for me to think that I would be eating outside during winter. We started off with tapas that included ham, cheese, olives, and chips. Most importantly, there was wine and beer. All gatherings in Spain always have alcohol. Then there were grilled sardines. The main dish was migas. Migas is a traditional plate that is usually consumed in the winter. The base of migas consists of fried bread. Additional ingredients that are included in the migas are chorizo (sausage), panceta (bacon), and garlic. The additional ingredients vary among the different regions of Spain. Migas is as traditional as the paella and used to be consumed mostly by people working out in the farms and fields. It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

January 16, 2017

Spain and Futbol! – Lissette

My first days in the academia and Villanueva have been wonderful! Introducing myself and getting to know all the students was a great experience but most of all fun. Through my introduction I was able to let everyone know how much I enjoyed watching futbol. I was also excited to hear that Cordoba would be playing in El Arcangel for the copa d’oro. Only having been in Spain for a week, I was able to immerse myself into the culture and attended the game. Cordoba’s opponent was Alcorcon. Cordoba had been off to a good start this season and was at a higher standing compared to Alcorcon. Winning this game was really important for the Cordobeses because it meant they would move up to quarter semi finals. In other words, if Cordoba were to win this match they would have the possibility to go against better known teams like Real Madrid. Imagine Real Madrid playing in Cordoba at the Arcangel stadium? Everyone would definitely go see that game!

The stadium was somewhat full but there was definitely a lot of energy. The crowd consisted of people from all age groups. Not only were the adults commenting on the game but also their children. Everyone was chanting songs and the team player’s name. Cordoba was able to score in the first half, which made the crowd go wild. We went into the second half still in the lead and ready to win. To our surprise, Alcorcon scored twice during the second half. At the end of the match Cordoba lost with a final score of 2-1.Even though we had lost I still had a fun time experiencing watching a live fubol game in Spain. Futbol is definitely a huge part of the culture here. Ultimately, I am glad that I was able to experience this part of the culture with some friends.