Last weekend, Valencia saw some violent clashes between demonstrators and police. Teachers and students were protesting the education budget cuts, and I guess the protests turned into demonstrations against all the extreme spending cuts. The heating was shut off in schools, during the out of the ordinary cold temperatures we had in February. There are some very disturbing videos that show the police pushing and becoming violent with students (and these not adult-students! they're middle school and high school students). Later in the week, there were other demonstrations (peaceful, thank goodness) for both cuts and the violence.
So something else that I should mention- the other day in class, a classmate (we'll call them R) started ranting about the Valencian system, which is ostentatious and wasteful. Millions of euros are spent on the famous Fallas, on events, organization, mascletas, falleros, and the elaborate dress. Apparently when the annual Fallera is selected, which is a kind of a princess of the Fallas, it's not her talent, beauty, intelligence, or community service that matter but solely the amount of money paid by her parents. And here I was thinking that there would be some kind of pageant with talent competitions. Furthermore, the actual falleros, which are huge elaborate sculptures that ridicule political figures or provide some caustic social commentary, are burnt at the end of the Fallas in a huge bonfire, and the most expensive one cost more than 1 million euros last year. These are sponsored by companies I believe and not the government, but hundreds of thousands of euros is quite a bit of money that could be used in many different ways. So ironically, the kids sitting in class don't have heating yet so much money is "burned" in Fallas. Needless to say, like all institutions there's a very wide variety of opinions and complaints. Within a few weeks, I'll see and decide for myself!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
trusses, xocolate y xurros: valencia in 48 hours
I was ecstatic to receive my friend from UCLA, Dennis in Valencia earlier this week! It was a completely spontaneous trip (Dennis went to France to go skiing with his family in the Alps, and bought his ticket to Valencia from France about 10 days before arriving) but everything worked out smoothly and we both had a great time. It felt reeeeally nice to be able to talk about UCLA, Westwood, Engineers Without Borders, our Nicaragua project, and of course gossip. I've been so deprived, not of the English language but just of that part of my life which one year ago took up the majority of my time.
So Dennis arrived on Sunday afternoon, and after picking him up from the airport we headed to Colón and Barrio del Carmen. We climbed the Micalet (Cathedral's watchtower), saw two Sunday masses, and also went to a flamenco bar. Climbing the 200+ steps of the Micalet is one of those must-do's of Valencia but it was my first time. Also it was my first time going to Valor Chocolate, an extremely popular and famous brand of Spanish chocolate. This was obviously the place to be on Sunday afternoon, because there was a line outside, but we waited for about 10 minutes and it was absolutely worth it. We shared a classic chocolate con churros, and also a sampler of 4 types of chocolate that came in tiny espresso glasses (there was 53% dark chocolate, white chocolate, iced chocolate, and the classic). Also, I should clarify- in Spain, "chocolate en taza" means literally liquid chocolate in a cup and has nothing to do with American hot chocolate (milk with chocolate powder). After our indulgent snack, Dennis and I vowed to have more chocolate.
Monday morning, Dennis and I started the day off at the beach. Luckily the weather was amazing and Dennis even stuck his toes into the Mediterranean.
Then we walked around the port, and the City of Arts and Sciences, had an extremely huge lunch, and I headed off to class. This was Dennis' opportunity to explore and get lost by himself.
Tuesday, Dennis and I were practically running around trying to fit all of the things I wanted to show him into the few hours left of his time in Valencia. We rode bikes in Turia, and then benefited from the "Day of the Touristic Guide" and attended a free 2-hr tour of Valencia. It was really nice to have a guide, actually, and I learned so much! Just like many other cities in Spain, Valencia was built by the Romans, then taken over by German barbarians for a few centuries, then was Moorish for several centuries, and later taken "back" by the Catholics. Valencia developed into a huge trade port, but then its importance diminished in the 15th and 16th centuries ships sailed for America and Sevilla became more important. La Lonja (the beautiful silk exchange, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site) still has records of the trips and funding for the New World, including some loans that Christopher Columbus took out in Valencia. However, Valencia was actually built around the river by the Romans and was not a port city until hundreds of years later. In the Plaza de la Virgen, there is a very famous fountain that represents Turia, the river, and his 8 tributaries. Even today there's a Water Tribunal, an institution recognized by UNESCO, that still functions; representatives from 8 zones meet every Thursday at noon to discuss and solve problems. Another amazing fact- I haven't seen it yet but the Holy Grail is claimed to be located in Valencia's cathedral. (Really! Even check with wikipedia.) Apparently the king of Aragon gave the cup to the cathedral as collateral but failed to repay his debt and therefore the cup has remained in Valencia ever since. The tour also lead us to the other historical highlights: Calle de Caballeros, the Roman ruins of the city and the central market.
For Dennis' last meal in Valencia (this trip, at least!) I decided that he had to have the most typical and famous local dish: Paella Valenciana. A delicious way to end a whirlwind 48 hours in Valencia with a great friend.
So Dennis arrived on Sunday afternoon, and after picking him up from the airport we headed to Colón and Barrio del Carmen. We climbed the Micalet (Cathedral's watchtower), saw two Sunday masses, and also went to a flamenco bar. Climbing the 200+ steps of the Micalet is one of those must-do's of Valencia but it was my first time. Also it was my first time going to Valor Chocolate, an extremely popular and famous brand of Spanish chocolate. This was obviously the place to be on Sunday afternoon, because there was a line outside, but we waited for about 10 minutes and it was absolutely worth it. We shared a classic chocolate con churros, and also a sampler of 4 types of chocolate that came in tiny espresso glasses (there was 53% dark chocolate, white chocolate, iced chocolate, and the classic). Also, I should clarify- in Spain, "chocolate en taza" means literally liquid chocolate in a cup and has nothing to do with American hot chocolate (milk with chocolate powder). After our indulgent snack, Dennis and I vowed to have more chocolate.
Monday morning, Dennis and I started the day off at the beach. Luckily the weather was amazing and Dennis even stuck his toes into the Mediterranean.
Then we walked around the port, and the City of Arts and Sciences, had an extremely huge lunch, and I headed off to class. This was Dennis' opportunity to explore and get lost by himself.
Tuesday, Dennis and I were practically running around trying to fit all of the things I wanted to show him into the few hours left of his time in Valencia. We rode bikes in Turia, and then benefited from the "Day of the Touristic Guide" and attended a free 2-hr tour of Valencia. It was really nice to have a guide, actually, and I learned so much! Just like many other cities in Spain, Valencia was built by the Romans, then taken over by German barbarians for a few centuries, then was Moorish for several centuries, and later taken "back" by the Catholics. Valencia developed into a huge trade port, but then its importance diminished in the 15th and 16th centuries ships sailed for America and Sevilla became more important. La Lonja (the beautiful silk exchange, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site) still has records of the trips and funding for the New World, including some loans that Christopher Columbus took out in Valencia. However, Valencia was actually built around the river by the Romans and was not a port city until hundreds of years later. In the Plaza de la Virgen, there is a very famous fountain that represents Turia, the river, and his 8 tributaries. Even today there's a Water Tribunal, an institution recognized by UNESCO, that still functions; representatives from 8 zones meet every Thursday at noon to discuss and solve problems. Another amazing fact- I haven't seen it yet but the Holy Grail is claimed to be located in Valencia's cathedral. (Really! Even check with wikipedia.) Apparently the king of Aragon gave the cup to the cathedral as collateral but failed to repay his debt and therefore the cup has remained in Valencia ever since. The tour also lead us to the other historical highlights: Calle de Caballeros, the Roman ruins of the city and the central market.
For Dennis' last meal in Valencia (this trip, at least!) I decided that he had to have the most typical and famous local dish: Paella Valenciana. A delicious way to end a whirlwind 48 hours in Valencia with a great friend.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
and it starts again
After a 4-day break, second semester of the master has started. Here's my class schedule:
Distributed Energy Resources
Analysis and Optimization of Installations
Environmental Impact of Energy Systems
Biomass
Design of Renewable Energy Installations
Geothermic and Other Renewable Resources
Hydrogen
So far it looks like we have less exams than last semester but more projects. And again, some are very theoretical and research-based, like Hydrogen and Geothermic and Other Renewable Resources, while others are more practical (Analysis and Optimization of Installations and Design of Renewable Energy Installations). The point, supposedly, was to put less of a workload on this semester so we could focus on writing the master's thesis. I'm not sure how much progress anybody will make on their master's thesis but a couple of my classmates seem pretty determined to go back to their respective countries and jobs in July, and September at the latest.
On a related note, ¡yay!- I passed all my first semester classes
Distributed Energy Resources
Analysis and Optimization of Installations
Environmental Impact of Energy Systems
Biomass
Design of Renewable Energy Installations
Geothermic and Other Renewable Resources
Hydrogen
So far it looks like we have less exams than last semester but more projects. And again, some are very theoretical and research-based, like Hydrogen and Geothermic and Other Renewable Resources, while others are more practical (Analysis and Optimization of Installations and Design of Renewable Energy Installations). The point, supposedly, was to put less of a workload on this semester so we could focus on writing the master's thesis. I'm not sure how much progress anybody will make on their master's thesis but a couple of my classmates seem pretty determined to go back to their respective countries and jobs in July, and September at the latest.
On a related note, ¡yay!- I passed all my first semester classes
Sunday, February 12, 2012
a Barcelona weekend
My mom and I enjoyed a very chilly yet beautiful weekend in Barcelona. We explored Gaudi's Casa Batlló, where there are no straight lines and the roof is dragon-inspired. It was really interesting learning the techniques he used to create open spaces and reuse materials.
And there was Gaudi's fairy-tale land Parc Güell, originally meant to be a housing complex.
Of course, we paid a visit to Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece La Sagrada Familia. The towering columns are modeled after tree branches, making you feel as if you were in a forest. Gaudi's all about nature and religion, and La Sagrada Familia is the culmination. It's still under construction though- work started in 1882 and is scheduled to be completed in 2026!
And what would a trip to Barcelona be without getting pickpocketed? It's unfortunate, but Barcelona is infamous for its pickpockets. Here's what happened: we were at Parc Ciutadella on Saturday afternoon and my mom told me to take photos for her while she grabbed some bread crumbs from her backpack and left it on the ground behind me. Big mistake. About 20 seconds later, the backpack had disappeared. In California, these things just don't occur to you.
We spent about an hour walking around the park, trying to find the police and half-heartedly looking through the trash cans to see if anybody had taken the money and thrown it away. A very nice man who works for the park helped us (apparently he didn't have anything else to do). After an hour, we did run into the police; they were nice but couldn't do much. It did help me realize how lucky our situation was compared to how it could've been... we were not robbed (by force), we didn't have any documents at all in the backpack, we only had about 20 euro, and we didn't lose anything important other than my mom's prescription glasses (she did have an extra pair). My mom was still extremely bummed out, frustrated, and angry with herself, but what can you do? Anyways, we decided to go to the station to put in an anuncio for the backpack so if it was located, my mom would still get her glasses back. There were 2 British guys there as well as 2 Korean guys (apparently one's wallet was taken from inside his jacket by a team of three, two men and one woman... he had over 200 euros as well as his passport in there). Even though it was apparently a very very short line, we were tired and ended up not waiting to put in the anuncio.
In case you were wondering, here's the scene of the crime:
And there was Gaudi's fairy-tale land Parc Güell, originally meant to be a housing complex.
Of course, we paid a visit to Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece La Sagrada Familia. The towering columns are modeled after tree branches, making you feel as if you were in a forest. Gaudi's all about nature and religion, and La Sagrada Familia is the culmination. It's still under construction though- work started in 1882 and is scheduled to be completed in 2026!
And what would a trip to Barcelona be without getting pickpocketed? It's unfortunate, but Barcelona is infamous for its pickpockets. Here's what happened: we were at Parc Ciutadella on Saturday afternoon and my mom told me to take photos for her while she grabbed some bread crumbs from her backpack and left it on the ground behind me. Big mistake. About 20 seconds later, the backpack had disappeared. In California, these things just don't occur to you.
We spent about an hour walking around the park, trying to find the police and half-heartedly looking through the trash cans to see if anybody had taken the money and thrown it away. A very nice man who works for the park helped us (apparently he didn't have anything else to do). After an hour, we did run into the police; they were nice but couldn't do much. It did help me realize how lucky our situation was compared to how it could've been... we were not robbed (by force), we didn't have any documents at all in the backpack, we only had about 20 euro, and we didn't lose anything important other than my mom's prescription glasses (she did have an extra pair). My mom was still extremely bummed out, frustrated, and angry with herself, but what can you do? Anyways, we decided to go to the station to put in an anuncio for the backpack so if it was located, my mom would still get her glasses back. There were 2 British guys there as well as 2 Korean guys (apparently one's wallet was taken from inside his jacket by a team of three, two men and one woman... he had over 200 euros as well as his passport in there). Even though it was apparently a very very short line, we were tired and ended up not waiting to put in the anuncio.
In case you were wondering, here's the scene of the crime:
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
high-tech hitchhiking: comuto.es
Last weekend my traveled to and from Barcelona via rides found on comuto.es, a Spanish rideshare website. I had used a similar website (mitfahrgelegenheit) in Germany once, and had also used craiglist rideshare once in Los Angeles. I personally have a relatively high level of trust for strangers on a website like this and am not terribly paranoid about getting kidnapped or run off a mountain or anything like that from a rideshare, but I guess it's understandable if others are. I just see it as a good way to travel, share costs, have some company for an otherwise boring trip, and decrease the size of my carbon footprint :). And the people from comuto are never boring!
On the way there, I called Bouzid and he said that at 8 or 9am he would in Valencia... little did I know that the next morning I would receive a phone call at 6am from him, telling me that he was already here! (It ended up being ok, he waited for about half an hour.) Anyways Bouzid was born in Algerian, and has lived in France for quite awhile. His Spanish was really good though, and we chatted about quite a few things. I learned quite a bit from him. For example, I learned that there are 4 words that mean cat in Arabic and also that Toulouse (where he lives now) is known as the Ville Rouge and for the Airbus factory. I'm not sure what he does now, but in the past he worked as a French language teacher. Also, it seems like everybody has something to say about "La Crisis" in Spain. According to Bouzid, the reason why Spain is in crisis was that 20 years ago, they entered the EU and received a lot of aid because they were among the poorer; but of course, not all this money was wisely spent and much of it was pocketed, wasted, etc. After more countries had entered the EU, Spain was no longer receiving aid and couldn't keep up the level of construction that they were doing.
So the ride back had some interesting people as well. One girl, Nuria, was a pastora for a living. She's originally from Barcelona but has lived in the Pyrenees for about 5 years, doing substitutions and taking care of animals. I guess her boyfriend's family needed someone to help out so she started working with them, and then she took a class, and then people were introducing her to other farms that needed help. She also mentioned doing work with olives. Another woman on the ride was originally from Venezuela but she said she had always felt more European than Latina. She moved to Germany when she was around 25 and worked as an au pair, and then after 2 years she worked in Zurich and now she's lived in Spain for about 5 years. She seems quite content now... she lives in a small city and works as an unlicensed dental technician/hygienist.
I've only met about 5 other people through ridesharing websites, and in my experience the girl driver I was with in Germany was the most "normal" or mainstream while the ones in Spain were more diverse or "alternative." The ones in California were definitely the weirdest (one was a conspiracy theorist who had to go to court because he accidentally voted once, and another one was going to visit her chemist boyfriend who experimented a lot... she experimented as well but in different ways to be clear).
On the way there, I called Bouzid and he said that at 8 or 9am he would in Valencia... little did I know that the next morning I would receive a phone call at 6am from him, telling me that he was already here! (It ended up being ok, he waited for about half an hour.) Anyways Bouzid was born in Algerian, and has lived in France for quite awhile. His Spanish was really good though, and we chatted about quite a few things. I learned quite a bit from him. For example, I learned that there are 4 words that mean cat in Arabic and also that Toulouse (where he lives now) is known as the Ville Rouge and for the Airbus factory. I'm not sure what he does now, but in the past he worked as a French language teacher. Also, it seems like everybody has something to say about "La Crisis" in Spain. According to Bouzid, the reason why Spain is in crisis was that 20 years ago, they entered the EU and received a lot of aid because they were among the poorer; but of course, not all this money was wisely spent and much of it was pocketed, wasted, etc. After more countries had entered the EU, Spain was no longer receiving aid and couldn't keep up the level of construction that they were doing.
So the ride back had some interesting people as well. One girl, Nuria, was a pastora for a living. She's originally from Barcelona but has lived in the Pyrenees for about 5 years, doing substitutions and taking care of animals. I guess her boyfriend's family needed someone to help out so she started working with them, and then she took a class, and then people were introducing her to other farms that needed help. She also mentioned doing work with olives. Another woman on the ride was originally from Venezuela but she said she had always felt more European than Latina. She moved to Germany when she was around 25 and worked as an au pair, and then after 2 years she worked in Zurich and now she's lived in Spain for about 5 years. She seems quite content now... she lives in a small city and works as an unlicensed dental technician/hygienist.
I've only met about 5 other people through ridesharing websites, and in my experience the girl driver I was with in Germany was the most "normal" or mainstream while the ones in Spain were more diverse or "alternative." The ones in California were definitely the weirdest (one was a conspiracy theorist who had to go to court because he accidentally voted once, and another one was going to visit her chemist boyfriend who experimented a lot... she experimented as well but in different ways to be clear).
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