If you read my blog, you know I´m (a bit) loca for Spain! If you´re a good friend of mine, you´ll know I´m really loca for Salamanca. It might have something to do with the fact that it was the first Spanish city I called ¨home¨, where I met my first Spanish amigos, or even that it has the best Plaza Mayor in all of Spain. Whatever it was, Salamanca and I just have a thing for each other, and her golden streets are always calling my name!
In January, I was featured in a newsletter! My friend, Miguel, has a study abroad program GLOBSSS and he asked me to write about my experience Salamantina. While I didn´t study through his program, I´m happy to help his participants find their own love of Salamanca, to make memories and friends that will last para siempre.
Click here to view the newsletter and read my article in Spanish!
For all my English speaking friends, I think the words that follow will mean more to you than the newsletter. I hope you enjoy reading about my obsession with Salamanca!
One would think that writing “what Salamanca means to you” on paper would be easy said and done. But, it’s not. When it comes to Salamanca, words don’t do it justice. It’s about the smell of Salamanca, the beauty of its streets, the friendships I made there… just being there makes me so happy!
When I signed up for a simple summer abroad in 2008, I had no idea how much Salamanca would impact and change my life: forever. It’s now December 2011, Salamanca is just as much a part of me as the “Charro” I’ve worn on my hand since I left that “simple study abroad” in 2008.
Salamanca is a very diverse city, full of international students and people from all different backgrounds. While it is a city of 192,000 people, it feels much smaller because you always find friends or classmates walking in the streets. As cliché as it sounds, I met my best friend, Gina, in Salamanca. (I had to travel to Spain to befriend a girl from New York!) With Miguel’s help, we learned the true Salamanca apart from the touristy spots. We visited the Calixto y Melibea Garden, went kayaking on the Rio Tormes, saw a bullfight, cooked tortilla espanola and sangria, went to a Salamanca futbol practice… and, with the intention of practicing our castellano, we befriended some salamantinos. Little did we know that these friends would be friends for life, as these salamantinos are still some of the best people in my life today.
As soon as I left Salamanca, I was looking for a way to return. I decided to quit playing college basketball and return to Spain for another summer and semester abroad. While my summer in Malaga was nice, it was nothing compared to Salamanca. I counted the days until I was back in Salamanca for my fall semester. I wasn’t sure if I had made the right choice in returning back to Salamanca—I could have picked any city in Spain—but, after stepping out of the taxi and seeing the lights of the Plaza Mayor in all their glory, I knew I was back home.
As one can imagine, leaving Salamanca the second time was much harder than the first, as I knew I couldn’t return to Salamanca as a student. After graduation in May 2010, I returned to Spain as an English teacher in Jarandilla de la Vera, Extremadura. It was comforting to know I could be in Salamanca in about 3.5 hours. This year, I am teaching English in Valladolid, just one hour from Salamanca. It’s incredible to be able to go to Salamanca whenever I want.
Before arriving in Salamanca, I had no idea what to expect; Now, four years later, I can’t imagine what my life would have been had I not gone. For me, Spain is the country where I work, now; Salamanca is the city where I will feel at home, forever.
So here´s to you, Salamanca, and all the good times we´ve shared (and the ones yet to be shared) together. ¡Salud!
In January, I was featured in a newsletter! My friend, Miguel, has a study abroad program GLOBSSS and he asked me to write about my experience Salamantina. While I didn´t study through his program, I´m happy to help his participants find their own love of Salamanca, to make memories and friends that will last para siempre.
Click here to view the newsletter and read my article in Spanish!
For all my English speaking friends, I think the words that follow will mean more to you than the newsletter. I hope you enjoy reading about my obsession with Salamanca!
One would think that writing “what Salamanca means to you” on paper would be easy said and done. But, it’s not. When it comes to Salamanca, words don’t do it justice. It’s about the smell of Salamanca, the beauty of its streets, the friendships I made there… just being there makes me so happy!
When I signed up for a simple summer abroad in 2008, I had no idea how much Salamanca would impact and change my life: forever. It’s now December 2011, Salamanca is just as much a part of me as the “Charro” I’ve worn on my hand since I left that “simple study abroad” in 2008.
Salamanca is a very diverse city, full of international students and people from all different backgrounds. While it is a city of 192,000 people, it feels much smaller because you always find friends or classmates walking in the streets. As cliché as it sounds, I met my best friend, Gina, in Salamanca. (I had to travel to Spain to befriend a girl from New York!) With Miguel’s help, we learned the true Salamanca apart from the touristy spots. We visited the Calixto y Melibea Garden, went kayaking on the Rio Tormes, saw a bullfight, cooked tortilla espanola and sangria, went to a Salamanca futbol practice… and, with the intention of practicing our castellano, we befriended some salamantinos. Little did we know that these friends would be friends for life, as these salamantinos are still some of the best people in my life today.
As soon as I left Salamanca, I was looking for a way to return. I decided to quit playing college basketball and return to Spain for another summer and semester abroad. While my summer in Malaga was nice, it was nothing compared to Salamanca. I counted the days until I was back in Salamanca for my fall semester. I wasn’t sure if I had made the right choice in returning back to Salamanca—I could have picked any city in Spain—but, after stepping out of the taxi and seeing the lights of the Plaza Mayor in all their glory, I knew I was back home.
As one can imagine, leaving Salamanca the second time was much harder than the first, as I knew I couldn’t return to Salamanca as a student. After graduation in May 2010, I returned to Spain as an English teacher in Jarandilla de la Vera, Extremadura. It was comforting to know I could be in Salamanca in about 3.5 hours. This year, I am teaching English in Valladolid, just one hour from Salamanca. It’s incredible to be able to go to Salamanca whenever I want.
Before arriving in Salamanca, I had no idea what to expect; Now, four years later, I can’t imagine what my life would have been had I not gone. For me, Spain is the country where I work, now; Salamanca is the city where I will feel at home, forever.
So here´s to you, Salamanca, and all the good times we´ve shared (and the ones yet to be shared) together. ¡Salud!
Great post! I'm actually going to Salamanca next month, do you have a short list of "can't miss" stuff? Or a really good place to eat?
ReplyDeleteHello Jessica! Not sure if you've been to Salamanca yet or not... but you should definintely check out The Plaza Mayor, Casa de las Conchas, Parque de Calixo y Malieba, Cathedral (3euro to climb to the top!) and the old Roman bridge near the Rio Tormes in the day/afternoon. You can get churros at Valor for an afternoon snack or to Cervantes/Don Quixote Cafe for tapas. By night, when Salamanca is in all her glory, you can head for tapas on C/ Van Dyke (a bit outside the center) or maybe get dinner at Tarrantella (Italian), Bambu (under Burger King), or even some little Mexican tapas/burritos/etc. at Chido's Bar (exit Plaza Mayor to the right, downstairs) - For after dinner, make sure you visit: Camelot/Gatsby/Chupiteria zone (just past Burger King), Paniagua (exit Plaza Mayor back right and go past the Market and it's on a skinny street) and for later in the morning (4am) go to Cubic or Khandavia to finish the night. Leonardo's has great food in the wee hours of the morning or you can get kebabs just off the Plaza/near Ambigu - an afterhour bar! ENJOY!!!!
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