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! 

                   

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 

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.

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.

Headlights blur past the Metropolis Building, a Madrid landmark. The Spanish capital is also its banking and business center.

Children practice the art of flamenco at a fair in Barcelona. Quintessentially Spanish, flamenco echoes the rhythm of medieval ballads sung by Muslim minstrels.

Antoni Gaudí’s Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família in Barcelona is still unfinished more than a century after construction began.

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   

 

College Apps 101 for Exchange Students

Hello everyone,

You will never believe what I have been doing today.

Filling out and sending in my college applications!  I have been working on them since the start of school and it's a huge relief to have them sent in.  I couldn't have done it without my mother.

I just wanted to say a few things to exchange students who are applying this year or going to apply to college next year.  Firstly,  you stand out among all applicants so it's important to highlight your study abroad experience. Add it to your activities list, add your foreign high school on your application, and I also expanded on the topic in my personal statement.  Secondly, get started on your college apps as soon as you can! Gather up all your activities, awards, service experiences, and honors and put them into a word document as that will save you loads of time.  Lastly, if at all possible, really get involved in the community while studying abroad.  Do service, take a pottery class, piano lessons, run a race, join a sports club, maybe intern somewhere! Anything helps and it looks AWESOME on a college app.  Trust me.

I hope these tips are going to benefit you! If you have any questions please leave me a comment. Have a wonderful week.

Adios!
Kate

Hola todos,

Sabéis lo que estuviera haciendo todo el día?

Rellenando y enviando mis aplicaciones a las universidades! Comencé trabajando en ellas al principio del Senior year y es un tremendo alivio por tener todo acabado. Muchas gracias a mi madre por su ayuda.

Solo quería decir algunas cosas a los estudiantes intercambios quien están aplicando este año o van a aplicar a las universidades el año que viene.  Primero, tu aplicación ya tiene un aspecto interesante porque has estado fuera de tu país estudiando en otro por un año entero.  Es importante acentuar tu experiencia! Hace falta incluir tu experiencia en una lisa de actividades, añade tu instituto extranjero en tu aplicación, y yo hablé sobre mi año en España en mi redacción personal.  Segunda, comienza rellenando tus aplicaciones lo antes posible.  Tercero, si es posible, haz algo en la comunidad mientras tu estancia.  Ayuda los pobres, tomar clases de cerámica, piano, entrena por una competición, escríbete en un club de deportes. ALGO! Cualquier cosa.  Si hagas algo en un país extranjero, es una buenísima cosa tener en tu aplicación. 

Espero que te haya ayudado. Si tienes preguntas, déjame un comentario. Tengas una buena semana!

Adios!

Kate  

  

Two Langauges!

 Hello AFSers, family and international friends,

I have decided, like my friend Mariam does on her fashion blog, to start doing bilingual entries.  Because English is my first language, it will be first; Spanish will be second.  I will also add a tool to translate my text into other various languages such as Russian, French, and German.  I hope you like my new ideas :)

Also, I will be adding more entries concerning my new encounters with international friends.  And about my interests in other countries and cultures.  And perhaps if I travel, I will write about my adventures and include photos.

If you haven't noticed, I changed my blog title to Katie en España y El Mundo.  I thought it sounded better and better suited the content about which I write.  

Thanks for your support! New entries coming soon :)

Adios
-Katie

Hola estudiantes de intercambio, familiares y amigos internacionales,


He decidido, como mi amiga Mariam hace en su blog de moda, empezar escribiendo entradas bilingües en mi blog. Porque inglés es mi lengua natural, sera primero.  Español sera segundo.  También, voy a poner una applicación para traducir mis entradas a otros idiomas incluso Ruso, Francés, y Alemán.  Espero que os guste mi idea :)    

Además, voy a escribir más entradas sobre mis encuentras con amigos internacionales. Y sobre mis intereses en otos países y sus culturas.  Tal vez, si yo haga un viaje a un país o ciudad interesante, os contaré sobre mis adventuras y os enseñaré fotos.  (Como sabéis, viajar es mi pasión.)  

Una cosa más, espero que hayáis notado que he cambiado el título del blog.  Ahora se llama Katie en España y El Mundo.  Creí que era más apropiado.

Gracias por su apoya!  Mas entradas vendrán pronto :)

Adios 

-Katie

ha sido muxo tiempo

"It has been a long time."

Hola a todos,

How are you my international friends? I have been back since July 1.  So roughly around 3 and 1/2 months.  I think about Spain everyday.  It is hard to let go and after much reflection, I love Spanish culture more than American culture.  Sometimes I understand more here in America, speaking my first language; however, I feel like I belong to something greater while in Spain.  I feel more connected to the people.  Maybe because Spain is so much smaller than the USA.  Maybe because it is my passion to learn and grow in another country.

Even though I am not in Spain currently, the flames of passion within my heart have not been extinguished; I will continue to serve and give back to the global community with my talents and education.

And even though I love Spain so much, that doesn't mean I am not patriotic about my home country.  I still love studying American History.  I want very much to study in college in Washington DC.  I am in love with the fact that so many people from so many different countries, races, cultures, sexual orientations, families, etc., are united under one flag.  I still am moved when I sing the national anthem.  I love knowing that I will be protected.  Nothing, no one person or country will ever be perfect, but I am pretty lucky to live in the United States of America.

My first blog entry EVER has come to my attention lately. I couldn't help but smile when I re-read it a few days ago.  I seem so blissfully unaware of what is in store for me.  I could have never imagined the magnitude of impact this experience has had on me, my family, friends, and community.  I encourage everyone to keep an account of their journeys abroad.   

As the weather here in Wisconsin gets colder and greyer, I am reminded of my first orientation with my friends in Andalucia. I love the nostalgic feeling I get when I look back on my pictures.  Moments I never want to forget.  Strolling the streets in Cordoba.  The cold winter air.  The constant feeling of adventure.  My independence in Europe.

And coincidentally as I was typing this entry, my friend from Sevilla just called me on Skype!  It was such a great surprise:)  I have missed all of them so dearly.  I will continue to talk to them.  And when I return, I will give them all a big kiss.

Even though I had this great experience, my life for now is in the USA.  I can't lose sight of what is real and important.  Reality has set in, but I can always escape back to Spain in my dreams, memories, and pictures.

I have a youtube channel with a few videos of Spanish culture.  Some are from Semana Santa, I have a video from a soccer match, and a video at my friend's house in Sevilla.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from Spain:

Noelle and me in Cordoba :)
I just talked to her yesterday. 

Our AFS orientation in Cordoba

Me, Macarena, y Carolina from Sevilla

La Giralda in Sevilla.  My city.   

Strolling through the streets of Sevilla. 

Class trip to Granada. 

Ally, me and Julian by the Bridge of Eiffel. Yes the same architect of the that famous tower.  

The city of Granada. So beautiful.  

I miss my Iberic ham.  This stuff is so good.  

Overall I miss exploring different cities.  I miss meeting new people from all over the world on a regular basis.  I miss my family in Malaga, my friends from Spain, and all over the world.

But I am happy to be with my family.  I want to treasure this last year at home before I really leave the nest.  

I will post soon!

Adios,

Katie

One Year

One year ago today, I began my Spanish life :) I never left it behind. I am counting down the days until I can return to my home away from home and see my beautiful friends once again. Macarena, Alfonso, Sara my host mom, Manolo, Fernando, Laura, Mariam my best friend, Maria, Barbara, Mariely, AFS students, and everyone else who touched my life this past year :) Os quiero ♥ Besos.

I will return soon with another post about school life here and in Spain. About colleges, and other AFS updates. 

Welcome to all students in the USA and good luck to all students departing to various countries! 

I am truly grateful for everything I was blessed with this year. I never took my life in Spain for granted for one moment. 

Adios, Besos,

Kate