Lasting Memories

Lasting Memories will be my last blog post abroad.

I just wanted to take the time to thanks those who have allowed me to come here, those who helped me get here, and those who made this place unforgettable! So this post is for my Coach Enzo and teammates who push me to be a better player and person, Sami Sonks from UW-Platt Abroad, The Chipres family (directors of SAIIE), my host mother Charo and her family for every excellent meal and all they do, my teachers, the whole SAIIE staff, my coach Javi and my teammates from Triana, my peers who i've had a blast getting to know and explore our world with, and most importantly my family and roommate Cesar, without my family I would not have been able to have this chance to play soccer, study abroad, and travel through Europe. To my roommate Cesar, without you I know for a fact this semester could have gone upside down. From our first day, where I knew no Spanish and couldn't communicate with my host mom, to all of our practices helping me understand how drills go and what not, while at the same time teaching me bits of Spanish all semester, always answering my question how do you say "..." or what does "..." mean. You even helped me order food, I mean like common I would have starved without you G. You helped make every adventure great wether we were at Utopia type festivities or across the world. #softpost.

In my life I have now lost two teammates to death, I feel that if i'm taken too early as well, I could die a happy man who lived life. It was an honor to know you guys, see you when I see you Patty and Glynn.

I won't ever forget this place and the friends i've made hopefully I will be able to see you all in the states again or on another Adventures!

Fería

We started our 2nd Spring break two weeks after Semana Santa to celebrate the Festival in Sevilla, but before we hit the fair we visited Málaga and went to the beach for the weekend. In Malaga we found a Taco Bell! It was surprising because there are none in Sevilla. One thing I miss back home was some spicy food. The beach was fun, Cesar and I played so footy and laid out in the sun. We arrived back in Sevilla only to go to Madrid to watch the Real Madrid play against Wolfsburg in the Quarter finals of the Champions League. Madrid was losing 0-2 aggregate from the first leg game (each team gets to play a game at home). In the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, 

Ronaldo scored a big Hat Trick to seal the game 3-0 making Real win the quarter final with a 3-2 aggregate lead, advancing them to the semi- finals. Cesar was really excited as the team he supports advanced, but I went to the game hoping Real would win the match, but lose the aggregate score. All in all as a fan of futbol, you can’t watch that game without still loving it no matter whose team you support. I also got to see another friend from back home who studies in Madrid. We got another taco bell in Madrid as well haha. Volvemos a Sevilla por la Fería!(We return to Sevilla for the fair). We went to the fair for the next couple of days and got jarras de rebujitos which was white wine and sprite, a special drink for the fair. The were also carnival rides and other types of rollercoasters/ rides. We spent our last couple of days relaxing and we watched a corrida de torros (running of the bulls). The tradition of bull fights during the fair is very important to the spaniard and i'm glad that I was able to see one, but I could go the rest of my life without watching a bull die again. 

4/20/16

Semana Santa

Now that I'm blogging again, i'll try to be more frequent on writing, well just at least till the end of my semester. Well we had our first Spring break called Semana Santa which is like easter for us back home. Cesar and I traveled to Rome, Italy initially. We are obviously very organized and always plan ahead haha, but we didn't book any hotels. SO the first night we were there, luckily some of our peers went to Rome as well and we were able to crash on their floor. That night we all went out to explore the city and We saw the Trevvi Fountain, The Pantheon
we had pizza in rome cuz ya know

The next morning we had a train to florence and we spent the night there, so we found a cheap hostel and hit the plaza with statue of david.

the next morning we went to venice and just walked around, to save some money we booked an over night train back to rome. That day we were able to see the collessium and the sistine chapel in the vadikin city. I wish were were able to see the basillica, but time only had 24 hours in the day. Luckily for me I have been there once before.

That next morning we had a flight to Athens and walked up to the acropolis, unfortuantly we weren't able to access the top as it was closed that day :( and we had a flight booked already back to rome that night. #sorrymom, If I told you we allegedly hopped a fence and tried to climb to the top, got a cool view briefly before getting caught... before we went to jail, haha, we were able to talk our way out of it, ya know being tourists and all. Remember all this is alleged. After that we ran to grab some beers.

Our flight back home was late at night and we were meeting the bros early in the morning at the airport to catch our next adventure in Paris, France, so the only obvious choice was to pay for a hotel to catch some sleep for less than 4 hours or to sleep on the streets outside the airport till 4 ish in the morning for check-in. So I was homeless for a night no bigggy we still got 6 hours in France.

In Paris we had just enough time to see the Eiffel tower and grab some chocolate and banana crepes, I did however forget to get a beer from France, which makes it the only country I visited and didn't try their loggers. Then back to Sevilla for Semana Santa parade floats and easter.
4/19/16

Matches or Partidos

The big thing in Spain is that there are many great futbal clubs and major matches that i've always wanted to see live. Luckily for me I've been able to watch Sevilla FC verses Molde FK; Real Betis vs Rayo OKC and Real Madrid vs Wolfsburg. I hope to be able to watch Real Betis vs FC Barcelona (My team is Barca) We tried to visit Barcelona for El Clasico, but ticket weren't available.

Yes, its been 3 months../ Games 1 and 2

Hey so, I haven't blogged since January and a lot has happened we have had a couple games, Semana Santa, Fería, and I have been blessed beyond measures being able to travel, and watch some very great futbal. Ok, lets get to it. In the first game we traveled to Circulo Civico C. Palmete's home field and Cesar and I each had a goal in the first half! We ultimately tied 3-3, but we had friends cheering us on from our school the whole time which was very cool and I know we appreciated it and them. 

In our Second game we traveled to Espartinas home field and they were a very good team! Very tactical and physical. They all knew the game very well and it felt like the spaniards always knew where each teammate was or was going to be, but we had a breakthrough and I had an assist on our first goal allowing us to go into the Break at 2-1, After the Break, everyone wanted to score. We went down 1 more, but came right back and one of our teammates hit 2 cracking goals in the 90th minute and the game was all tied up! We were very excited, we played well I thought, but in the end we gave up a foul and they made us pay. 4-3

All in all as my final practices in Spain are coming to an end, its been a great growing experience and I wish we had one more game at home, but i'm excited for what's next! Hope you are all well and i'll see y'all soon to swap stories.

I posted a link below for both games, if you would like to read what our Sports director Sean wrote about the games. Thanks to him, we also have photos!
4/18/16


Game 1 Link:    http://www.saiie.com/373-soccer-match-spring-photos
Game 2 Link:    http://www.saiie.com/375-spring-soccer-students-match

The Pad and Futbol

Hey everyone!

Just got back from Soccer, man these spaniards are good! Cesar and I are playing well though, keeping up. Boy would I be lost without him. when I need him to translate, he pulls through. I'm not understanding most of the Spanish at practice, but when the drills start I catch on quick. The Spainsh here in Sevilla is weird though, they abbreviate words like buenos dias, they say buen dia; gracias is gracia; adios is adio. One of my teammates said he even has problems understanding his friends sometimes and that his mom can't understand the slang around here.

Today we played on an all dirt field and i'm glad we did, I got to experience playing on what most spaniard grew up playing on. It was really difficult to control the ball and move around, but I did start to get it and actually had a chance to score... it went wide... but all in all i'm learning.

Its a friendly bunch out there!

Talk soon! Hope all is well!
Adios!
1/21/16

 Quick look of our Place

 Yes we Bring Pete around

 PVille Takes Espana

Comida es buenisimo

In the Beginning

Hello everyone, bear with me now as my writing skill are probably not even above average. I've now spent a little over a week in Sevilla and let me tell you, its a bit warmer than Wisconsin. Surprisingly it gets very cold at night, I wrap myself in blankets and turn on the space heater for the night. Last night I had my first Soccer practice with TRIANA C.F. (http://www.trianaclubdefutbol.es/) look em up. My skill level was around the middle of the pack as there were players who were better and worse than myself.

I've meet some cool people here at SAIIE, from the U.S. My Spanish is lacking slightly, well ok a lot. I'm starting to understand my host mother at all meal times. Boy oh boy is the food good here. The times are different around here, not only are we 7 hours ahead of home, but the day doesn't start till 10, mid day is 2pm and people are out till 2 in the morning normally and if they went to a club, they might not get back till 5 or 7 in the morning. Drinking is a norm around here, they don't drink to get drunk, its more about tasting the drinks. People go to the bars most day and grab a drink and a tappa, which is like an appetizer, some unique to each bar.

School is going well so far, its a little hard to understand the professors english as their native tongue is spanish. Its weird, when your professor doesn't know a word in english they can try to explain it to you in spanish and if you can somewhat understand their point in spanish then you can sometimes give them the word they are looking for in english.

Thats all for now adios,
time for a siesta
1/20/16