Más o Menos: Settling In, And Some Other Fun Stuff

As per usual, I’m still loving my study abroad experience in La Coruña. Although it’s very difficult to be away from family, friends, and Holy Cross for one year, I’m really enjoying my time here and I wouldn’t change it for anything. I know that I always mention it, but I’m so lucky to have the opportunity to live and study in Coruña. The dynamic of the city is truly incredible since it’s small (which allows for you to get to know it easily) but there’s a little bit of everything: a cosmopolitan, hustle-bustle downtown, a relaxing, wave-crashing beach, and an impressive, awe-inspiring port. Whaddup parallel structure, maybe I’m not forgetting how to speak English (as my fellow study-abroaders and I always wonder)! The city is even home to a soccer team: Real Club Deportivo; unfortunately Depor got bumped down to the second division, so Madrid, Barcelona and the other big-time teams won’t be making the trek to Coruña. Last Saturday, Pablo (our house director) took the group to a Depor game against Tarragona. Although they tied, we still had a blast and are really looking forward to the next home game!

Now that school is picking up, I’ve definitely started to develop a daily routine, one that is becoming centered around school and comida, also known as lunch. I know that it sounds whacky, but my fellow Coruñeses can attest to the fact that our days revolve around comida. As I mentioned in an earlier blog post, everyone stops their day at two in the afternoon to head home for lunch, a tradition that I find really nice, and actually quite healthy. Speaking on the topic of food, the gastronomy of Coruña is dangerously delicious, so it’s probably a good thing that I’ve joined a gym. I’m still looking for a good glass of sangria though! Aside from the university, comida, the gym, and hanging out with my awesome host fam, I’ve also added something very exciting to my daily routine: tutoring. Shout out to Kendra for setting me up with two of the most adorable kids I’ve ever met, Marta (8 years old) and Manuel (6 years old). Every Wednesday night I’ll be tutoring them, which should be a lot of fun and a great way to make some extra cash!

Yesterday, Pablo took us to Santiago de Compostela, the capital city of the Community of Galicia, or better known as the finish line of the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James). For those of you who don’t know, the Camino is literally a spiritual journey; it’s a pilgrimage route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, home to the remains of the apostle St. James. There are many routes of the camino, but the most important is called the Camino Francés (the French Way), which begins in Saint Jean Pied de Port and continues all the way through the northern part of Spain, finally ending in Santiago; it’s amazing how two months can become full circle, since when I was in Pamplona, I visited this tiny French town and now I made it to the finish line. Aside from taking in Santiago’s rich history, as per usual, we really enjoyed each other’s company and had a great time just walking around the city. Below are some pics from the Depor Game and Santiago!