I’ve Got My Ticket, And I’m Going To Go…

It’s strange…It seems like just yesterday that I had just gotten to Spain, so excited for all the exploration and adventure that was to come…But in less than 24 hours, I’ll be back in Greensboro, N.C. again–not in Europe, not in Spain, and not in Salamanca…

Hence, for the past few days, I’ve been trying to aprovechar (take advantage of/enjoy) what little time I have left here before I go back…

The day before last, I went to the Clerecía…Built in from 1617-1755, it was the residence/college of the Jesuits…Nowadays, it’s the Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca, and it’s not strictly devoted to religious study anymore (although there’s still your fair share of theology students)…

While I had climbed to the top of the towers here the beginning of the semester, I had never actually walked through the place–and so, I took a guided tour (touristy, yes [but it was the only way I could get access to certain areas])…Unfortunately, the guide was rather rude, but other than that, it was quite enjoyable…

And yesterday, we had an awesome catered comida with our professors, filled with good conversation (and good champagne)…Beforehand, we received our little “diplomas” from them, and they all gave a few words, said how much they enjoyed teaching our group this semester, and wished us well in our lives beyond Salamanca…Oh, and sorry if the picture quality is a little sucky–the sun was blaring down on us (hence the glare)…

Afterwards, we chilled in the Centro for hours, singing along to Nick’s guitar playing (I got to display my skills with a rendition of “Slow It Down” by The Lumineers), Internet surfing, and chatting before we had to turn in our keycards to Jav Jav, and leave those doors for one final time (or at least until we visit it again at some point in the future)…

…It says “victor“…In a tradition dating back to the 13th century, those who had completed their doctorate would paint this word with their name next to it–with bull’s blood…Just F.Y.I., no bovines were killed in order to make our little rendition (but maybe humans)…

Finally, for dinner, I got to eat some of my favorite dishes–just to keep the memory of Spanish deliciousness fresh: croquetas, farinato, and arroz con leche…

In case you didn’t get the allusion in the title, it’s a lyric to the song “My Father’s Father” by The Civil Wars (I can’t wait for their new music this summer!!!!)…I don’t know if you could say I feel like I’m returning home–Salamanca’s become like my little niche…However, I am curious to see how the leaves have changed since I left the States…