The new blog

Hey guys! So, I hope you all enjoyed all of my traveling tales on this site. It's been an awesome experience getting to write about my first (of probably a handful) of years abroad. It's also been awesome because I realized how much I enjoy writing about travel. Thus comes a little announcement! I'm retiring Katie's Traveling Tales and have started a new blog which will have more articles throughout the next year (well, actually, hopefully longer!) about not just my traveling tales but some other topics as well. I would love for you guys to check it out and tell your friends about it!

You can find the new site at *drumroll please* katesgypsysoul.com

I know, real domain name and everything, right?! Now, it does say Kate's Gypsy Soul but I am still going by Katie in the non-virtual blog world. I thought there was a better ring to it without that one syllable. And I swear it's not to hop on the Princess Kate bandwagon... kindof... but actually, it's really the syllable thing. Maybe I'm delusional but regardless, Kate it is.

I hope you guys continue to follow me on the new site! So, go check it out! Really, it's up 24/7 so you can totally go right now. Here it is again--> katesgypsysoul.com :)

Besos
xx

Colegio Caja Granada

When you make the decision to study abroad, studying will definitely be just one of the many things you will do during your time. Other activities may include traveling and meeting/becoming friends with the locals. But one of the coolest things you could do while studying abroad is to volunteer in your host city. 

The (amazing, wonderful, incredible, etc.) program that I studied abroad with, Academic Programs International (API), has a relationship established with a local school in Granada, Spain  called Colegio Caja Granada. This is where I decided to do my volunteer work. First, API set up a general meeting for interested students with the director of the school. Afterwards, if we decided we were interested, they assigned us to a classroom of either primary or secondary students. That was when I was placed in a classroom of 27 primary school students, between the ages of 7 and 8. For 6 months, I volunteered around 3-4 hours per week.

Similar to the elementary schools in the States, the kids studied a variety of subjects throughout the day including Math, English, and Religion. I served as a teaching assistant to the main teacher, María Carmen and the other permanent teaching assistant, Mario. I taught Conocimiento del Medio or the Social and Natural Sciences. I taught many different types of things (including things I didn’t even remember or know about in English!). Some of them were:

-        --  The body including the respiratory system, teeth, and the digestive system

-        --  Nature

-        --  Nutrition/how nutrients are absorbed by the body

It was so much fun to teach these kids about these subjects. I put together different activities for each one from channeling my 4^th grade leaf project and bringing in real life leaves to study, to taking an hour to tape string to the end of a straw to teach them about our breathing/respiratory system.

Mi clase!: My class with their teacher, María Carmen

My class and me :)

Throughout the whole school year, the 3 classrooms of primary students worked to prepare a theatre production of the Little Red Riding Hood, entirely in English. It was such a fun way for the kids to learn English. I helped them with the songs and dialogue of the play. There were the main characters while the rest of the kids wore bees, flowers, butterflies, and ladybugs to depict the forest. While the main characters had all the speaking roles, the ‘chorus’ sang songs in between. Let me just tell you, it was the cutest thing ever.

The forest for Little Red Riding Hood

The Lumberjack, Wolf, Little Red Riding Hood, me, the Grandma, and the Narrator

Little Red Riding Hood when she found the Wolf instead of her Grandma

Ta-da! All done their first performance

The day of the production was my last day in Granada so there were already lots of emotions flowing. After seeing my kids up there doing all of Little Red Riding Hood in English, pride was added to that list. It was so great to see all their hard work paying off. It was also very cool to see at my school in Spain because Little Red Riding Hood is such a traditional and common thing to see during the elementary years here in the States. 

So, if you choose to study abroad, don't forget about the great opportunities to volunteer! No matter if you decide to teach or do a different type of volunteering, it'll be a great learning experience and an awesome thing to put on your resumé.

 

Feliz año nuevo!

Happy New Years, everybody!



I just want to say thank you for all of you following my blog during my travels. 2012 has been such a great year, filled with every type of emotion. This first part of the year was my second semester abroad where I made best friends and incredible memories that I won't soon forget. Even though reverse culture shock coming back after studying abroad can be difficult, if any of you are thinking about studying abroad or even traveling, just go and do it. This past year changed my life forever and I couldn't be more grateful. Be active and talk to your study abroad office about making it happen. There are tons of scholarships and choices of subjects to study while abroad that it can fit in almost anyone's schedule. It is SO worth it.


As a quick update, I will be graduating this spring! I am very excited and currently making plans for after graduation that involve moving back to Spain for a little. I am applying to go to the University of Alcalá, outside of Madrid, to receive my Master's in International Education. So, keeping my fingers crossed! 


Hope you had a great New Year's Eve! Here's a little fun fact about NYE in Spain to leave you with: 

On New Years Eve in Spain, they have a tradition where, when the clock strikes 12, every second after that, you need to eat one grape. That's right, 12 grapes in 12 seconds! In the supermarkets they even sell little cans full of exactly 12 grapes for this fun tradition.  


Hasta pronto!
 

Typical Spanish Dishes: Puree de zanahorias

This was one of my favorite cold weather, warm-up dishes. It's pureed carrot soup (though it bears no resemblance to baby food, if that's what you're thinking). My host mom, María José, also made puree de calabacín, my other favorite puree. Instead of carrots, she used zucchini, added a little more pepper, and on special days, we put dates in the soup.

Here, the carrot puree is served with a side of pechuga de pollo con ajo y vino, ensalada, y pan--chicken breast with garlic and white wine, salad, and bread.

Mmmmm. Such great taste memories

Delicious

Happy winter :)

Heading to Pittsburgh, PA?

Hi everyone!

As you can see, I haven't been able to blog in a while due to my super jam-packed senior year starting. During Christmas break, I'll hopefully have some new information up about places to go and things to see abroad!

Meanwhile, you should all check out this new blog that I started for a class of mine! It's full of information about the neighborhoods of Pittsburgh. If you're every over this way, definitely check it out to get the most out of your time in the Steel City! Our project was to organize this information and present it in a different way, so we also have it linked up to a Pinterest board, if you're interested.


http://pittstudentguide.wordpress.com

(Pinterest, which is awesome in general so if you don't have one, you should get one)
http://pinterest.com/pittsburghguide/neighborhoods-of-pittsburgh/



Thanks so much!
See you all with new posts in December :)

xx
Katie

Travel quote of the day

"Travel, like a surgeon, opens you up – mind, heart, and soul – and removes preconceptions, biases, and small-mindedness. In its place it leaves a love for the world and all people; it also entrusts you with a larger understanding of our common humanity and the quandaries we share as a planet."

R. Denning





 

Oh, the places you’ll go! : Ireland

                I was lucky enough to travel to Ireland with my brother when he came to visit. We made it to three different cities and they were all so amazing although we were only there for a day each. We went to Dublin, Galway, and Cork. Even though we were only there a short time, the impression made was a great one. We traveled in between the cities very easily. There were daily buses to take you to the different cities. We didn't plan ahead for this part of the trip but rather just asked the front desk of the hostel we were staying at. They were very helpful and pointed us in the right direction! I loved every hostel we stayed in and only wish that we had more time to hang out at the actual hostels!


Here is a list, by city, of some of the things I enjoyed about Ireland.

Dublin

Where to stay:  Four Courts Hostel

                We flew into Dublin from London and from the airport and it was relatively easy to get there. We used the Hop on, Hop Off bus in order to get there (more info on that following) which we picked up right outside of the airport.  I know a few other people who have stayed here as well and they had an enjoyable experience as well. Although I haven’t done it myself, my friends have reported that this hostel has a good bar crawl and it was lots of fun! It’s also priced quite nicely at around $20-25 a night, depending on how many people are sharing the room.

                There’s a bar right down the street from this hostel that says it’s the oldest in Dublin, so a visit is worthwhile. It’s a very typical Irish pub feel and if you go into the back room, there’s another part of the bar where the walls are covered in currency from different countries which was pretty awesome

What to do:

Buy the Bus Tour

It was recommended by a friend that it was worth it to purchase the Bus Tour and I am passing on that recommendation.  It was definitely worth it. You buy one day and get one day free. It’s hop on, hop off, goes all over the city, and if you so choose to listen, there is information about each stop playing throughout the ride. You can also take this bus from the airport into the city!

                Go to the Guinness Storehouse

This is a MUST. The Hop On, Hop Off bus will take you to right outside of it. Go on the tour here. It’s really impressive how they have set up the whole factory to show how Guinness is made. You also get a free pint of Guinness at the end! They also have an option where you can learn how to pour the perfect pint of Guinness (more complicated than I thought!)

Galway

Where to stay: Snoozles

                Snoozles is specifically one of the hostels I really wish we had more time at. It was such a cool place to hang out. We traveled by bus from Dublin to Galway; this hostel is right next to the bus station. Their accommodations were better than I ever expected with really nice rooms and a private bath for a 6 person room. It has an entertainment area downstairs as well as a patio and kitchen. It’s about a 5 minute walk from the main area of Galway. Priced around $20-30, it’s a great place to stay in Galway.

What to do:

                Cliffs of Moher

This one I don’t know too much about due to time constrictions. If you plan on doing this, be aware that the Cliffs are not in Galway but are about an hour drive away. There are tours that take you there via bus that leave in the morning and come back later in the afternoon.

               

                Just walk around!

Galway is a very quaint little Irish town. The buildings are colorful, some of the streets are cobblestone, and the people are friendly. Take a walk through the town and go down towards the water. It’s a beautiful place to hang out for a bit. 

                Eat at Dail bar

Recommended by a friend, this place was a great place to settle in for a Guinness and some grub.

                The Quays

                                This pub was lots of fun and had great live music.

Cork

Where to stay: BruBar & Hostel

                This hostel was especially cool because it’s inside of a bar. Downstairs is the bar and then once you head upstairs, it turns into a hostel! The rooms were really small but considering we weren’t in the rooms for too long, it didn’t matter so much.

What to do:

                Take a trip to Blarney!

There are buses that go to Blarney where the Blarney Castle is. The grounds around the castle are gorgeous and then, I mean, there’s a real castle. It was so. cool. 

  

 Happy traveling!

May the road rise up to meet you, 

may the wind be ever at your back. 

May the sun shine warm upon your face 

and the rain fall softly on your fields

- Irish Blessing

Typical Spanish dishes: Arroz Cubano

       This dish was one of my all time favorites of Maria Jose's. It is rice with parsley and garlic covered with a sauce that has tomate frito (a fried tomato sauce), beef, white wine, and garlic. A little variation on it would be topping it with a friend egg. And of course, true to my host mom's mentality on lunches (1st plate, 2nd plate, and bread) a small salad was paired with this many times and the wonderful bread to clean the plate with.

Arroz Cubano con ensalada: Cuban rice with salad

Pan : bread from the Pan Man

         Before I left for Christmas vacation, I sat down with Maria Jose and got some of her recipes for these delicious dishes! Arroz cubano was one of them, seeing as it was my favorite. When I returned home for the holidays, I decided to make it for my family. It turned out pretty good (although host mom still always makes it best) although I couldn't find the essential tomate frito so I tried a combination of different tomato pastes and purees. Still a perfection in progress but take a look at the result!

Tomate frito and beef sauce simmering down

Finishing touches!
Maria Jose insisted that when you prepare it, you must pack the rice into a mug (or small cup) first, put that on the plate, and then pour the beef and tomato sauce over it so it looks pretty. So, not to go against the word of a Spanish mom, here's the finished plated food below!

The finished product!
Arroz cubano con tomates y aceite: Cuban rice with tomatoes and olive oil
(And bread, of course)

Photo diary: Street artists and performers of Granada, Spain

An artist sketching on a piece of paper attached to the side of a building in the Albaicín

A festival/procession in the Albaicín that we discovered was about an amputated finger (that was supposedly in the box in the middle of that hut that they're carrying) that was done every year in October

A dragon controlled by people dressed up for the Medieval Festival next to Rio de Genil in Granada, Spain

A couple dancing Sevillana with two men playing guitar in the background at the Mirador de San Nicolas in Granada, Spain

The same two men playing guitars on a Saturday in January at the Mirador de San Nicolas

One of my favorite artists drawing a Sharpie landscape of Plaza Nueva in January 2012
Here's his blog if you are interested: http://thelostphotographer.blogspot.com

The same man sketching the other side of Plaza Nueva in March; He sketched on the ground of Plaza Nueva almost every Saturday and Sunday

Typical Spanish dishes: Sopa de Picadillo

                When I studied abroad with API, the housing options we had were a home stay, a residencia, a shared apartment, or independent living.  I elected living with a family in a home stay during my first semester abroad. This meant that I would live with a Spanish family and my host mom (or dad) would do my laundry once a week, provide 3 meals a day, and cleaning once a week. One of the best things about this option (besides the great daily Spanish practice with a local) is the food. My host mom, Maria Jose, was a fantastic cook. She believed that a proper meal always consisted of a first plate, a second plate, and bread. While I was living with her, I took to habit to take pictures of almost all of our meals. Here, I will share with you some of the typical Spanish dishes she cooked for me!

                To start things off, one of my favorite dishes:  Sopa de Picadillo

The lunchtime spot: the kitchen table of Maria Jose

                This dish has shredded chicken, small thin noodles, carrots, and cooked egg. Sopa means soup in Spanish and Picadillo means mince, such as minced meat. So Sopa de Picadillo means a soup of minced meat. In this photo, the meat is not so much minced as it is shredded. This soup is delicious during colder weather; it’s a perfect pick-me-up! That day, it was served with a side place of an egg, ham, and green bean omelet as well as bread (what I observed as a huge staple in the Spanish diet) 

Sopa de Picadillo

Stay tuned for more pictures and 

information about typical Spanish dishes!

x

Oh the places you’ll go! : Granada, Spain

                I’ve decided to start a little series of post called Oh the places you’ll go! Throughout this series, each post will be focused on a different city that I’ve been to and recommendations that I have about hostels, food, and places to go. 

                I decided it was only appropriate to start with the city that captured my heart and where I have just called home for a year: Granada, Spain. 

                First off, if you haven’t been to Granada yet, you need to go. This is my favorite city in Spain for numerous reasons that would take a whole different post to list. Instead, here is what I consider some of the best food and drink places in Granada that should be visited if you ever have to good fortune of going. Since I was there for some time, some have two choices because, well, it’s like trying to pick your favorite child—you just shouldn’t do it.

Favorite overall café:

 Mundo Manila (Realejo, near the statue of Isabella and Colon)

-          All their food is delicious (yeah, I actually do mean all), the atmosphere is what I would call ‘global relaxation’, and the staff is super nice

-          Placeta de las Descalzas, 3

18009 Granada, Spain

Favorite breakfast place:

Mundo Manila (Realejo, near the statue of Isabella and Colon)

-          Placeta de las Descalzas, 3

18009 Granada, Spain

Hicuri (Realejo)

-          They have great ‘tostadas’ with scrambled eggs, which is a luxury considering the Spaniards don’t normally eat or offer eggs for breakfast

-          They also offer whole wheat bread for tostadas

-          Awesome artwork/décor inside

-          Calle Santa Escolastica, Esquina Plaza Girones 4,

Granada, Spain

Hicuri Restaurant and Bar

One of the paintings inside of Hicuri
Photo credit: Jiela Peyman

Favorite wine:

                La Ermita (Centre)

-          Their semi-sweet white wine is my favorite but frankly, every wine I had there was good

-          They are also the reason I learned to like olives—they’re the best there!

-          Great gazpacho, nice staff, and prime location right next to the Cathedral of Granada. I could sit in that plaza sipping on wine all day long!

-       Cárcel Baja, 1, 18001, Granada 

The view from the plaza where Ermita is located-- can't get much better!

Favorite tapas:

                Bubión

-          My ABSOLUTE favorite tapas bar, ever ever ever

-          Calle Socrates between Calle Pedro Antonio and Camino de Ronda

-          Their Tinto de Verano (half red wine, half lemon Fanta) here is amazing and their tapas are phenomenal. Plus, you get to choose what you want!

-          Favorites?

o    Pechugas de pollo: The chicken and fries with a garlic-lemon aioli sauce

o    Carne en salsa: The meat in sauce

o    Croquetas : croquettes

o    Paella: this is usually a ‘Tapa del día’ but whenever I’ve had it, it’s delicious. It’s a typical Spanish rice dish

Bubión is on the left

LAX

-          Great eggplant with honey among other things

-          You get to choose your own tapa here and they’re all wonderful so it’s a win-win

-          Follow Calle Puentezuelas until you reach Calle Paz and take a left and go all the way down the street

Chicotá (Centre)

-          Great wine and wonderful tapas

-          You don’t get to choose your own tapas but they’re pretty much all good so it’s a safe bet

-          Calle Navas, about mid way down

Photo credit: Jiela Peyman

Favorite fancy coffee place:

                Il Caffe di Roma (Centre)

-          Their normal coffee is fine too but they have a large selection of ‘fancy coffee’ options too that are delicious

-          Plaza BibRambla

Il Caffe di Roma in Plaza BibRambla

Favorite ‘pan’ place aka bakery:

                Name is unknown but I have supplied a picture and directions

-          Their fresh baked loaves of bread are the best thing since, well, sliced bread. Almost  always warm, fresh out of the oven. A great accompaniment to any meal—and only .65 euro cents!

-          They also have a pastry that is like a log donut, covered in sugar, stuffed with Nutella, and then drizzled with chocolate— .95 euro cents and it’s a wonder how I didn’t get one every day

-          The sign says ‘Pizza al tallo, pizza, croissant’

-          The corner of Calle Pedro Antonio de Alarcón and Calle Emperatriz Eugenia

My favorite bakery

Favorite Gelato:

               Heladería Tiggiani (Centre)
                              -       Great gelato, tons of flavors, big portions, and cheap. How do you say no to that?
                              -       Plaza BibRambla


               Los Italianos (Centre)

-          The most famous gelato place in Granada and for a good reason. Although you get a small amount, it’s expensive, and sometimes you feel like you’re in a crowded bar trying to get a drink, it’s worth it to go

-          Don’t get it in a cone… it’s a rip off, trust me

-          My favorite combo: Chocolate and Hazelnut

Favorite bar:

                Tantra Bar

-          Great atmosphere and place to hang out with friends

-          Wander the streets like Calle Elvira beforehand because many times, they have reps walking around giving out deals on beer that are worth it

-          Feel like dancing after? One of the popular discotechs in Granada is owned by the same person. After you get a drink, go up to the bar and ask the bartender for however many free passes to Granada10 and then go off and dance the night away!

-          Calle Álvaro de Bazán, 9, right off of Gran Via

-          Granada 10 is 2 streets down on Calle de la Cárcel Baja

Great hangout:

                Damasqueros (Realejo)

-          Great atmosphere and close to the Center of Modern Languages

-          There are couches indoors and seating outdoors. Great place to spend an afternoon for a drink

-          Follow Calle Sta Escolástica from the statue of Isabella and Colon down and take a left onto Cuesta del Realejo. It’s across the street from where Cuesta del Realejo and Calle de los Molinos meet

Happy traveling and happy 4th!

x