El Castillo

The first thing I saw in photos when I found out I was going to be living in Alicante was the castle. "Oh cool," I thought, "that will be fun to go see one day." Well turns out I see it everyday. The castle over looks the city on a huge mountain. It is a sacred place for the people of Alicante even though it is also a huge spot for tourists to go. 

One can either spend the good part of an hour (or more, I wouldn't know) to climb up the stairs to the castle, causally passing by the moat and old castle doors or one can take the elevator that has been strategically placed in the center of the mountain. Castillo Santa Barbara over looks the entire city of Alicante. 

The city, the mountains, and the Mediterranean Sea.

 

There are cool archways, passages, and walkways that were originally built by the Moors, but the palace has been extended since it was forst built in the 10th century. The castle boasts cannons, a palace, dungeons, a moat, the ruins of a small church and a look out tower over the Mediterranean.

The bull ring in Alicante. 

My host mother, Dani (the Faroese exchange student also living with us), and me!

 The streets of Alicante, and a large blue cupola.

Embarrassing Things that Happen to Me at School

I know it has been a while since I posted, but I have been SO busy! But here's a quick story about my school, which seems to be where all the interesting things occur. Probably because it is a place that doesn't have toilet paper, soap, lights that work all the time, or teachers that come, or students that show up for that matter. But don't get me wrong, it is a good school, the teachers are for the most part interesting, from what I understand.
About a week ago we had a test in my history class. I had a particularly tough time with the test as you can imagine, but I powered through it and did my best, even though I have the vocabulary of a small child (as my art history teacher has told me word for word - well duh, I'm just learning, it's like I AM a small child, lady, come on!). Anyways, when we got our tests back everyone had to read their grade aloud so the teacher could mark it down in her book, which fyi she had already done. I think this was a way to make those who did not do well embarrassed. It works.
As the class read their grades (scale of 0-10, and 5 is passing) some giggled, others scoffed, but I sat their in utter fear. There was not even a number written on my test, all it said was "Bien," -- what was I going to say? By the time the teacher read my name I had calmed myself down and was able to say that I did not have a number, she looked puzzled, but then remembered, oh yeah this girl is clueless, and asked what it said at the top of my paper, "bien," I said. The class laughed at me, oh that exchange student, how hilarious, she doesn't even get a grade. To make it worse, my teacher laughed too.

Another incident that occurred later that week was in my Castellano class (equivalent to an english class), when the teacher decided to ask me what the word "eslogan" meant.
"Well, its any phrase that represents a business or group, so that you remember their product," I said (in spanish) and was very proud because the class looked shocked and my teacher looked pleased.
"Please give an example..." my teacher responded.
"Well, shit," I thought,  "I don't know any spanish slogans!"...."Well, for example, the slogan for Mercadona (spanish super market) es 'Mercadona, mercadona'" I sang in the voice of the loud speaker voice that plays the super markets trademark song.
The class erupted in laughter. I giggled too, it was funny, yes, but they didn't stop. They are still singing the Mercadona song when they see me.