This is just one of the many "orange" trees that lined the sidewalks, parks, and plazas of Andalusia. Their bright color formed gorgeous images and stuck out between city buildings and endless stone. I was at first surprised that they all seemed to be full of oranges rather than picked bare for their fruit. I have been told by my senora that this is the best time for oranges and that people all over spain are eating lots of them now. So why then were these oranges left untouched? My first thought was, "Well is it legal?" My second thought was, of course, "Let's try one!" I peeled the orange rapidly and tore off a peice. The first bite was juicy and sweet as I had expected, but the few seconds that followed were not. Suddenly the sweet flavor turned to a sour after taste that lingered long after it was welcome. This must be why these trees are not bare. Quickly, debate amoung the other students began. Everyone was trying to explain why the orange trees planted here were not the orange trees that produced the sweet fruit we were use to. In the end the most accepted answer, because the student seemed to have the most knowledge and seemed very assertive, was that these oranges were grown to be sold to Scotland to produce marmelade. Throughout the trip, no matter what group of students we had met or were talking to, these orange trees were discussed. One student studying in Seville offered that the king had requested these trees be crossed with limes in order to produce a poor flavor. This was the way to alleviate people from eating the oranges and leaving orange peelings all over the roads and sidewalks. This too seemed like a good story! Back in class on Thursday I asked my professor about these tales and the truth behind the infamous orange trees. After a small giggle she said only that these are oranges and not "lamoranges" as we had become accostumed to calling them and that they were exported to Britain. What I find striking from this narrative is the amount of build up around the trees. They seemed to have formed somewhat of a cultural icon for southern Spain and have a fair amount of folklore for a tree! While I am glad that these are not the oranges used for my glass of fresh OJ every morning, its neat to see what they represent. I do still have lingering questions: who picks the oranges, who planted them, does the government make money off public orange trees (that sure beats taxes). But I guess there are some things we will never know.

This video records some of the Flamenco performance that I was able to see in a restaurant in Granada. Flamenco is a proud part of all of Spanish culture but has been most significantly developed in the Spanish region Andalusia. The namesake of the dance has been debated for years and it is likely that an answer will never be produced. The word flamenco can mean "Flemish" or "flamingo" and many researchers point to past Gypsy cultures. Despite, all debate it is clear that Flamenco started in the lower classes and as far back as 900 years ago. In fact, it wasn't until the 1980's that it began to be formally recognized by the dancing world as an art. To some extent this has lead to its unique style and also the ambiguity of its history. Until the last two decades, only people surrounded by the dance, rather than official scholars, recorded much of its development.
I was surprised at the combination of grace from the upper body and the speed and technique of the feet. The music played along with the dancer were also unique, even to the extent that a specific flamenco guitar is used. Because the dance developed through the lower classes and was inspired by moorish influences, to me it captures a lot of the skill and grace of the Spanish people. It developed without the international pressures for the structure of dance and remained constant through the transfers and conquests of power in the Iberian Peninsula. In many ways, it is a cultural icon because until very recently, it was purely Spanish.

This image is one of the many pictures I took while at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. This particular image is important because it reflects the intricate work that covered the entire palace. Carved in the stone walls were Arabic says and beautiful designs that must of have taken years of labor. The Arabic writing reflects the style and era called Mudejar in which Muslims ruled the Iberian Penisula during the 9th-11th centuries. These Muslims allowed the christians who lived there to practice their faith, but in most cases dominated other areas of the culture including archetecture and art. Furthermore, the Arabic language, seen in part here, influenced the language of the people. The presence of the Muslims and their influlence on the culture and development of the Peninsula also reflects the unique history of the Iberian Penisula and Spain as compared with more centrally located European nations. There were several locations within the Muslim Palace where it was clear later, christian influences had covered the orgival work. In some examples this was mosaics of latin writing and in others it was a ceiling with Roman archetecture and figures which stuck out from the surrounding walls and decor. Even the musuem on location displayed several pictures of exit of the Muslims from the palace and their mournful faces as they packed their things. Because of its geographical location, this peninsula has been held and conquered by a number of different cultures and didn't unify for the first time until the 15th century. The beauty of the Alhambra proved to be an example of the rich history and the influence of past conquered cultures to create the unique blend of modern day Spain.

The cow pictured here is, of course, one of the many cows throughout Madrid. All are decorated differently, some for political propogation, some for artistic value, some just for fun. As we all know, the concept is similar to the horses in Kentucky and the Pandas in Washington D.C. What is most strinking about the cows is there ability to transcend cultural differences. On one point you see people from every background taking pictures with the cows. In another you see the cows decorated in every type of style or message. Furthermore, the concept that different cultures profit from the same idea or concept of expression is a concept that shows "People are people" despite the differences in culture or tradition we seem to share similar emotions and joys. These cows show that idea on several different levels - not to mention they are just fun.

This image is from a path just out the city. To me it is extremely beautiful. It is like the rest of the city made of stone and antique. To me it contrasts sharply with the buildings and the cities from Kentucky, small or large. Even Madrid, I have written to those in the US that it was a beautiful city, with parks and fountains and plazas. All the windows have balconies and are made of stone or brick. That they have different colors and don't seem as monotonius as those in American cities, where everything is made of metal and class. To me the stone is warm and more charming. However, just as Madrid and the cities of Spain seem as such a novelty to me, it also appears that maybe the grass is just greener on the other side. Several times as I have been talking to my Senora she has mentioned that she thinks New York and its metallic skyline are gorgeous and even magnificent. In fact, once she said, "I don't care to see anymore stone!" What is amazing to me is that no matter your culture its easy to take for granted what you have to offer. Also, maybe it is human nature to like a little bit of change; to see something new.

Between homework and travel planning one of the other things I have enjoyed most about Spain is the opportunity to run. This picture was taken on one of my runs and is a path that circles around the Castle. What has impressed me so much is truly how beautiful the area is. Of course, this is only one image and can not capture the senses of touch, smell, and hear, it does provide an example of what Segovia has to offer. What I enjoy so much about study abroad is the opportunity to be a part of that community/culture. As a tourist it is also possible to see the sights and learn about the history. However, it doesn’t always allow a person to find some of the little things that make the place special. It is said that there is the history and the inter history. The history being the big picture and landmark events and the later the individual moments and stories within or beneath the momentous occasion. This study abroad experience allows us that. I enjoy the running because I get to see places like this path in and around Segovia that I would miss as solely a tourist.

Buisness Abroad
These are our tickets to the Real Madrid vs. Racing de Santander Futbol game. It goes without saying that soccer here is much more than an element of entertainment here, but rather a significant part of the Spanish culture. I myself, have played on soccer teams and was looking forward to seeing a game in Spain. there are many things to note about the game itself, the fanes who were there, and etc, but that is not all. For me these tickets had an especially important contribution to my experience in Spain. Within the first week of being in Spain, groups of students, including myself, were crowded around computers searching the interenet for tickets and information from a number of sites. Tickets for a Real Madrid game are obviously expensive. A friend and myself found a website that sold tickets from other people which allowed the prices to be more affordable. We read the fine print put in our credit card number and bought the tickets. After the game, in the height of our enthusiasm and fun, I received a call which popped my bubble immediately. The tickets we had bought were so nice because they were season tickets and we needed to return them immediately to avoid my credit card being charged for the remaining games. Our niave mindset that we had received all the information about the tickets before we bought them was wrong. In America, we have all heard the stories about the hot pickles in McDonalds or fallen products in Wal-Mart and the lawsuits that go along with them. As I spent the next few days trying to clear the mess that resembled something of a gambler avoiding paying his debts, I kept thinking, “This would never be allowed in the U.S.” The story ended happy, but the moral was that doing business abroad isn’t like the U.S. It’s easy to be complacent, but dealing with new concepts of business are one of the other many things to learn about a new country.

Definition of Art?
This picture to me has several interesting elements about Spain. Some of them I have already mentioned, like the abundant snow or the amazing stone wall. What makes this specific image special is the graffiti on the door. Such graffiti isn’t limited to vandalism here but is abundant throughout Segovia and Madrid. I have seen images and words on everything from common buildings or structures to places I would consider historically monumental and irreplaceable. Nevertheless, graffiti prevails, and it seems that different my American mindset which labels this as vandalism has failed to recognize what graffiti may mean to the culture. Of course, some of the most famous murals in the world occur in South American and pervade through the Spanish culture. It seems that the graffiti here is also an art. In fact, in one instance in Madrid I saw it utilized as a method of advertisement. The look of the graffiti certainly isn’t different than that from the US, the difference is its acceptance. Maybe a person painting this door wasn’t so much an act of defacing, but rather a way of expressing themselves and making their mark in the city.
Although at second thought, I am now reminded of a rock quarry on Kentucky Lake near TVA which is frequented by boaters year round. The landscape itself is beautiful, but character is added by the hundreds of images spray painted over the rocks. Cultures a part but there are always small marks that tie us together.