Penultimate Thoughts

The greatly anticipated last week of classes has finally descended. Oddly enough, the campus library and computer labs are quieter this week than last, even though next week is finals. I am in the process now of trying to have my blog posted to the Boston campus website so as to continue blogging through the summer and into next semester when I attend the Boston campus. This past weekend was a giant celebration throughout Spain. The Real Madrid soccer team won the King´s Cup, later driving over it in front of national television and hundreds of fans, and the processions that accompany Holy Week. Though the processions are more elaborate in the south of Spain, such as Malaga and Seville, I was impressed with the hundreds of Spaniards in the streets in Madrid on Thursday and Friday. Though many of the processions were delayed due to rain, several proceeded in-between downpours. The final library newsletter of the semester is in its editing stages as well, and I can hardly believe that this is my penultimate post for the semester. The family of one of my roommates is in Madrid for two weeks and will be coming to dinner at our house tonight, so I´m looking forward to a small taste of the United States while they are here. It seems like there is hardly enough time to finish everything before I pack and leave for the U.S.

The Beginning of the End

Study, study, study! That is the very drumb rythym that every student at SUMC has been playing this last week. Even those who are more confident about their acadmeic prowess are spending mroe time with their notes and workign longer hours on their papers. The library, which is usually comofrtable during the semester, is now constantly packed with people researching topics via the databses, plannign projects, or reveiwing notes. As I enjoy a short break from my endeavors, I went to the Prado Museum to revisit some of my favorite paintings. I read that the museum is free most weeknights from 6 to 8. I arrived early and found an enormous line, almsot along the entire building with people waiting for the opening. I too entered the line, but it was scarcely 15 minutes and I was inside. I visited Las Meninas, Las Majas, the Mona Lisa ( yes, The Prado has one too) as well as the Rubens. My break over, I spent Sunday rewriting a final paper which my FlashDrive lost due to contact with magnets. I need to learn not to entirely rely on technology. As a salute to spring, I decided to take a walk in the Casa del Moro as well as in the Sabatini Gardens. Both were magnificent with lush foliage and early tulips and roses blooming. The commencement ceremony and banquet are on the  5th of May and shortly after I go home. Only 18 days left to finish savoring Madrid.

A Bit of Everything

Palacio Real, Evening

View from my bedroom, Sunset

This week’s post is a smorgasbord of thoughts from this week… time keeps rolling, I can´t believe that I´ll be DONE with finals this time in 3 weeks! Free book days starts tomorrow, and I cannot wait. This work week is half over, and the weekend is upon us again. With some free time I plan to work on my English project, and STUDY STUDY STUDY! I am also excited because my older sister was just accepted to a Study Abroad program with her University, where she will be studying in Scotland this fall. I cannot wait to have time home with the family, if only for the summer. As a major in Global Business and Marketing, studying abroad in my junior year is almost impossible, so I am now investigating Travel Abroad Seminars through Suffolk. For about a week and a half, Suffolk professors take a group of students to business centers around the world to study the country´s business and culture. There are seminars to Italy, France and Belgium, India, and China. I have always been fascinated with the Orient, and so, hopefully, I will be going to Beijing and Shanghai next summer. I am looking forward to being back in New England for the summer, but am also dreading having to say goodbye to the amazing faculty and staff I have come to know at SUMC.

Before the Storm hits...

I can hardly believe that in 4 weeks, as of this Wednesday evening, I will officially be done with my final exams for Spring 2011.  Similar thoughts are xx around campus. Papers are coming due, final projects are in the works (or should be), and I am eagerly reviewing semester materials in preparation for exams. I spent this weekend resting and studying after discovering an old 1940´s movie called THE BAT, taken from a play by Mary Roberts Rinehart, one of my favorite fiction authors. My roommate Leah was off to the Canary Islands with her Astronomy Class and my other roommate Daniele was in Berlin. During the weekend I decided that, in the next few weeks, I will post a list of "must haves" when studying in Spain, or anywhere in Europe, and another list of useful information for living in Madrid that I found out on my own. I hope these posts will help anyone considering Madrid for their study-abroad.The weather is increasingly warmer, and some students, desperate for summer, are now wearing shorts. The Student Council is currently selling handmade paper cranes as a fundraiser for Japan relief, and we have seen an exciting response from the SUMC community. In other news, Spain just played host to the Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall who visited Madrid and Granada. There is so much work to be done in these next few weeks, though I am sure they will go by too quickly.