Tuesday, February 26, 2013

What a Trip


Hello my International Friends,

I am so sorry that I have not written in a few weeks.  I have been super busy with studying and homework.  How are all of you doing?  I hope that all the AFS students who may be reading this blog are all enjoying the second half of their stay! Enjoy it guys, because it goes really fast after you reach April.  Trust me.

So, this post is going to be a long one! **Stay tuned for all my pictures that I took whilst on my mini trip to Washington, D.C.  I have such an awesome time walking around the city with my family.  We visited almost every monument.  And we did it all by foot.  Safe to say that I had quite a few blisters on my feet by the end of the weekend.

We spent 4 and a half days in D.C and that wasn't nearly enough time to fully experience all that it had to offer.  I really can see myself studying in a city like this.  It's international, cosmopolitan, and you can really feel a certain hum in the air.  At the same time, it's also very clean, and the people are extremely nice.  Now, being from the Midwest, I am used to everyone being polite on the streets.  I have heard the rumors about people on the east coast not being quite so personable; however, in Washington, D.C that was not the case. Perhaps it is because of the fact that it is full of diverse people with different customs from around the world that everyone behaves to decently toward one another.  Perhaps they are just happy to live in such a great city.  Either way, I enjoyed my time there.  The weather was sunny and it wasn't too cold.  In addition, I never had a bad meal.  

While I was there, I also had some business to which I needed to attend.  Touring Colleges!  I visited George Washington University, American University, and Georgetown University.  Each university had their own atmosphere and special aspects that separated each one of them.  George Washington has two campuses, one located in downtown D.C (Foggy Bottom) and another farther away from the city, past Georgetown called Mount Vernon.  American University, is located on top of a hill right up the road from the Embassy lane.  American was more enclosed and separated from the hustle and bustle of the city; however it is a well organized campus and easy to navigate.  Georgetown was the last college we visited.  It was a gusty, sunny, yet crisp, winter day when we made our way up to campus.  Georgetown is truly another world.  Quaint town houses line the colonial inspired blocks.  There are tons of shops and restaurants.  Not to mention, the University buildings are absolutely gorgeous.  What an institution!

In all it was a lovely weekend to explore the city and visit a few Smithsonian Museums. We got completely lost a few times in the subway, and also above ground.  I was so grateful to be able to visit my nation's capital and appreciate my nation's history.   

Thanks for reading!  And I will also be taking another small trip up to the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul) to visit St. Thomas University.  I have a special connection with this area because my mom is from St. Paul, or more specifically, Whitebear. Should be great! Stories and Pictures to come.

Stay tuned for another announcement.  I have another AMAZING TRIP planned with my family! And now, enjoy the pictures from around Washington, D.C!!

Adios,
Kate

Hola a todos mis amigos internacionales,

Siento por no haber escrito una entrata por mucho tiempo.  He estado muy agobiada con mis estudios y tal.  Como vais? Espero que todos los estudiantes intercambios de AFS estén disfrutando estos últimos meses de sus estancias.  Después de abril, todo va a un ritmo muy rápido. 

Esta entrada es algo diferente porque es el primero viaje en que he embarcado desde que me había vuelto de España.  **No perdáis las fotos abajo! Las he tomado en Washington, D.C mientras mi pequño viaje.  Me lo he pasado genial!  Mi familia y yo caminabamos por todos lados en la ciudad.  Visitamos los monumentos, museos, y tres universidades.  Vimos La Casa Blanca, y hemos cenado en unos restaurantes deliciosos.  

Hemos estado allí por 4 y media días y aún yo quería quedar para más tiempo.  He sentido muy comoda en D.C. Puedo verme estudiando en unas de las varias universidades que hemos visitado.  Sientí que la atmósfera tenía un aspecto muy especial. Las tres universidades a que he visitado eran: George Washington University, American University, and Georgetown University.    

El tiempo fue perfecto. Bueno, como es invierno allí también, lo más agradable que podría ser.  Hacía sol pero había mucho viento.  Fuera del sol, era frío.  

En unas semanas me voy a los Twin Cities en Minnesota que esta a lado de Wisconsin. Visitaré sola una universidad, St. Thomas.  Pero esa area es muy especial porque mi madre viene de allí.  Subiré las fotos que tomo mientras estoy en St. Paul.  Después mi viaje a The Twin Cities, os contaré sobre otro GRAN VIAJE que tengo planeado. Gracias por leyendo mi blog.  Disfrutad a las fotos abajo! 

Adios,
Kate 

**Remember that if you click directly on the first picture, they will format into a slide show type shuffle.  Then you won't have to scroll continuously.
**Haz un click encima de la primera foto. Es más facil ver las fotos.  
Flying over Lake Michigan
Volando sobre Lago Michigan 

George Washington address.  Only a few blocks from the White House. 

Inside the admissions center.
Dentro el centro de admisiones.

The Marvin Center: Foggy Bottom

Mount Vernon Campus at GW

Elliot School of International Affairs 

George Washington University

Georgetown University

Georgetown

A view of the Potomac River from Georgetown

American University - International Affairs Building (I didn't take this picture)
The White House from the South Lawn. 

Right outside my future office.  JK.

Isn't my sister, Maggie, adorable?
Mi hermana 
Civil War Memorial
Memorial de La Guerra Civil  
At the corner of Alexander Hamilton and 15th St.  
I like this building.
North Lawn of the White House


 Michelle Obama's 2009 Inauguration Gown


My dad giving a Presidential Speech inside the Smithsonian Museum of American History.


Henry Clay's Senatorial Chair
(One of the great politians in American History)




A British military uniform from the Revolutionary days.

A 1950's Lunch Counter where many "Sit-In" protests took place.
Dorothy's Ruby Slippers from the Wizard of Oz!

A diamond necklace from the inside of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.

I'm not sure what building this is, but it's beautiful.
What a lovely day on the national mall. The Lincoln Memorial.


Maggie decided to join a few people doing jumping-jacks.



The Washington Monument from far away.

Inside the Lincoln Memorial
The Vietnam War Memorial

The Washington Monument completed in 1884.

The Capitol. I think this is a great picture for an Ipone5 :)




An areal view of  Washington, D.C and the Potomac River 



Hope you liked the pictures!
Espero que haya gustado las fotos! 




Friday, January 25, 2013

Málaga, España

Hello all!

I have been freezing for the past couple of days here in Milwaukee.  The bone-chilling winds, gray days, and slippery roads have really put a damper in my spirits.  That's why I have been dreaming about Málaga.  It's cold there too right now, but not as cold as it is here.  I especially miss the summer and lounging by the beach.  Here are some pictures of around my home away from home to warm you up if you're cold just like me.  

I leave for Washington, D.C on the  6th of February and I could not be more excited!  Have a great weekend :)  

Adios,

Katie 

Hola a todos!

He estado congelando estos días pasados aquí en Milwaukee. Es muy frío y no lo puedo aguantar ni un día más! Ultímamente, he estado soñando sobre Málaga y las playas allí.  Yo echo de menos tomando el sol y saliendo por la calle con mis queridos amigos españoles.  Os traigo unas fotitos para que nos calentamos un poco.  Que las disfruteís! 

Yo salgo para Washington, D.C el 6 de febrero y estoy super emocionada!  Pasad una buena fin de semana :)

Adios,

Kate




La Malagueta is just a boardwalk along the beach in downtown Malaga.  
This is Nerja. Such beautiful Waters. Una playa en Nerja. El agua es preciosa, no?
Calle Larios in Downtown Malaga. This is where I love to go shop and hang out with my friends. Calle Larios en el centro de Malaga. Aqui es donde voy de compras y quedar con mis amigos. 


This is a beach  in Fuengirola down the coast, it's still located in the province of Malaga. Una playa en Fuengirlola.



I'll leave you with this picture.  It's beautiful and relaxing. I really want summer to come!
Os dejo con esta foto.  Es bonita y super relajante.  Solo quiero que el verano llegue ya! 
                   

Sunday, January 6, 2013

New Year

Hola!

(Sorry for not writing for so long, but nothing very exciting has happened to me lately.)

How is everyone's new year? I cannot believe that it is 2013! These past two years have been a roller coaster, with planning my exchange to Spain, going, returning, re-adjusting.... This year is huge too! I finally will leave the nest for good. I got a little taste of independence last year; however, this fall, when I go to college it will be completely different!

The holidays passed me by in a blur.  It also was my first White Christmas in 3 years! I was so happy to feel the Christmas spirit. I didn't do anything really exciting on New Year's Eve, but that doesn't matter because I will be so busy this year in the upcoming months.

I have really exciting news for all my travel junkies.  My family and I will be going out East to visit colleges! Our trip is in a few weeks but I could not wait to write you guys. Since I applied to three schools in Washington D.C, that is where we will be.  I am so very excited to go back and see Washington D.C, again. I cannot wait to sight see and take campus tours.  I will take pictures and upload them here.

My first big trip since I have been home.  I can't wait!

Adios,

Kate

Hola!

(Siento por no escribir en tantas semanas, pero es que nada muy interesante me ha pasado últimamente.)

Que tal el año nuevo? No me lo puedo creer que es 2013! Esos 2 años pasados han sido interesantes y muy  divertidos. Con planeando mi viaje a España, yendo, regresando, re-acustombrando.... Este año es enorme también! Por fin saldré de mi casa. Yo he experimentado un poco con la independencia y la libertad el año pasado.  Pero sin embargo, este otoño cuando vaya a la universidad sera completemente diferente. 

Me han pasado las fiestas muy rápidas.  Pero este año por fin vi a nieve.  Hace tres navidades desde que vi a nieve, y este año no me ha decepcionado.  

Tengo unas noticias super excitante por ustedes... Mi familia y yo hemos planeado un viaje a Washington DC, la capital de EEUU.  Yo he enviado mis apps a tres universidades allí, entonces, lo vimos más apropriado ir a Washington en lugar de NYC o Philadelphia.  Washington DC es una de mis ciudades favoritas en todo el mundo.  (Pero la primera tiene que ser Roma) Yo tomaré fotografitas y subirlas para enseñaros.  

Es mi primero gran viaje desde que he vuelto a casa! Qué emoción :)

Adios,

Kate 

Thursday, November 22, 2012

What do you know about Spain?

Hello everyone,

When you think of Spain, what comes to mind?
I lived in Andalucia where its hot and the landscape is bare. And as you move south to north, it goes from desert to dense, green forests. To me, Malaga and Sevilla are home. However, I have seen the lush forests in the north. I was browsing on the National Geographic website and stumbled upon beautiful photos of Spain. I just wanted to share them with you. I miss being there so much. But today is Thanksgiving and I am super thankful that I am home for the holidays! Even though Thanksgiving is celebrated in America, everyone should give thanks for what he or she has. Happy Holidays!


Hola a todos,
Quería compartir unas fotos de España.
Vivía en Andalucía, y a mi, Málaga y Sevilla son mis hogares. También vi los bosques en el norte y me pegaron. Estaba navegando por el internet cuando encontré unas fotos tomados en España y son impresionantes. Quería enseñarlas a vosotros. Echo mucho de menos a España. Pero hoy es Thanksgiving y estoy súper agradecido por mi familia y mis amigos que viven en todos partes del mundo. También me hace mucha ilusión de estar en mi casa por los navidades. Ya lo sé que se celebran El Día de Acción de Gracias en EEUU, pero creo que es muy importante dar las gracias por lo que tienes. Ni importa donde vives. Happy Thanksgiving! 


A torrero stands with cape at the ready in a bullfighting ring in Spain. The ancient sport draws crowds across the country, and bullfighters attain celebrity status.

Photo: A group of men in a bar
Men meet in a bar in the Triana neighborhood of Sevilla. The capital of Andalusia, Sevilla shines as the stronghold of culture and art in southern Spain.
Photo: Vehicle lights blur in front of an ornate building at night
Headlights blur past the Metropolis Building, a Madrid landmark. The Spanish capital is also its banking and business center.
Photo: Children practicing flamenco dance
Children practice the art of flamenco at a fair in Barcelona. Quintessentially Spanish, flamenco echoes the rhythm of medieval ballads sung by Muslim minstrels.
Photo: An ornate church
Antoni Gaudí’s Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família in Barcelona is still unfinished more than a century after construction began.
Photo: Windmills in a row on a hill
La Mancha’s windmills were famously captured in Miguel de Cervantes’s Don Quixote, when the bumbling knight of the title rushes the windmills, thinking they’re giants.


The Canary Islands lie northwest of Africa and have five distinct environmental zones, ranging from sea level to snowcapped peaks. 


During Seville’s Semana Santa, members of cofradias, or lay religious brotherhoods, walk through the streets in complete silence, wearing voluminous tunics and tall conical hoods that were originally designed to hide the identity of the penitent. 


Toledo’s distinctive twisted streets and covered passageways evoke the city’s golden years as part of the Arab Empire. El Greco, the flamboyant Greek painter, spent years capturing the beauty of the city and its occupants.


Bilbao was just a small industrial town overflowing with immigrants—until it built the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, designed by Frank Gehry. Now it’s a bustling tourism center, an inspiration for mayors around the world hoping for a “Gehry effect.”


A small bridge spans a stream near the village of Rodellar in northern Spain, a region renowned for its climbing. And the canyons of the Sierra de Guara offer superb canyoneering.


Valencia’s arts and science complex is dominated by L'Oceanogràfic, the largest aquarium in Europe, with ten different underwater habitats. The complex also has Europe’s largest planetarium, an IMAX theater, and an opera house.


Customers wait in a busy shop in a market in Palma, Mallorca. The island is one of the four major Balearic Islands—the others are Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera—and it was colonized by the Romans in the second century B.C. 


Calella de Palafrugell is one of several fishing villages turned resort on Catalonia’s Costa Brava, which means “rugged coast.” Many fishing towns became resorts after Generalissimo Francisco Franco began encouraging tourism in the 1950s.


The city of Salamanca is best known for two things: majestic cathedrals and the many students attending one of three universities. The University of Salamanca was founded in 1218, which makes it the third oldest university in Europe, after Bologna and Oxford.

I hope you enjoyed them! Isn't Spain beautiful?

Espero que hayais disfrutado! España es impresionante, no? 

This is the link to the photos:
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/spain-photos/#/spain_6028_600x450.jpg

Disclaimer:
I am not affiliated with these photos.  I did not take them.  I do not own them.


Adios,

Kate