Ya estoy lista!

 

When I feel like

And can’t concentrate on anything school related, but still want to learn.

When every other minute I get sucked in by some meaningless distraction.

 Then it's time to fix a snack

And remember that I live in

 

And that here the day doesn't end 'till we let it! It's technically Saturday, and now I'm ready for my Friday night!

¡Pásalo bien!

Psyche!

 

Although we may all feel like this poor guy sometimes, don't worry, - it's not gonna happen.

The human brain consists of about one billion neurons. Each neuron forms about 1,000 connections to other neurons, amounting to more than a trillion connections. If each neuron could only help store a single memory, running out of space would be a problem. You might have only a few gigabytes of storage space, similar to the space in an iPod or a USB flash drive. Yet neurons combine so that each one helps with many memories at a time, exponentially increasing the brain’s memory storage capacity to something closer to around 2.5 petabytes (or a million gigabytes). For comparison, if your brain worked like a digital video recorder in a television, 2.5 petabytes would be enough to hold three million hours of TV shows. You would have to leave the TV running continuously for more than 300 years to use up all that storage.
 
- Paul Reber, professor of psychology at Northwestern University

I love my brain <3

Catorce brasileños y una noruega fueron a Marruecos...

My first travel to Africa. My first travel to an islamic country. Some things reminded me of Guatemala. Others of Vietnam and Cambodia. And a few things reminded me of Granada, - logical, thinking how much Andalucia has been influenced by Arab culture. So many things were completely new and strange to me. Having to wear long pants and preferably a scarf when the temperature easily reaches 35 degrees during the day, was absolutely different from what I'm used to. Luckily I've had a few months in Spain to get aclimatized to warmer weather.

Before I went to the airport in Madrid with Mariana, I knew we were going to travel with two more Brazilians I know from Valencia, Maria&Mário, and furthemore 2-3 friends of Maria's from Uni in Madrid. I was right and wrong... We ended up being a group of 15. Exchange students from Bilbao, Madrid, Barcelona and Granada, and the mother of a friend of some of the girls on the trip.

Now, I can't say that I am a particular fan of travelling in big groups, and believe me when I say that being the only Norwegian in a huge group of Brazilians isn't always as fun as it might sound. Mostly because eu não falo o português! Which I repeatedly told them, but which didn't always have much effect, - and they would keep talking in portuguese. But in spite of our differences in culture, travel experiences and, most importantly, language, I had a great time! And according to them I'm almost a Brazilian now ;)

We stayed in a nice hotel situated in the heart of Marrakech, right by the big square Djemaa el Fna, one of the most famous market places in all of Africa. Here seen from the roof terrace of our hotel, where breakfast was served.

 

One day we went to a small city at the coast, Essaouira. It was good to get a break from busy and noisy Marrakech. And for me it was indescribably wonderful to see and smell the ocean again! I can never get used to not living by the ocean.

Then, the next day, we went in the opposite direction, - further east and south, to spend a nigth by the outskirts of Sahara by Zagora and the Dunes of Tinfo. We payed for a 2days (in a tiny minibus) & 1night (in a huge tent) - package which included dinner and breakfast, camel back riding, and a very friendly driver.

The camel back riding was really a lot of fun, for ten minutes. Then for the last 80 it was a pain in the butt, - in the most literal way...

 
 But dinner was amazing. The starry night sky like nothing I've ever seen before. The sunrise beautiful. And the ride back in the morning, just as painful as the first...

  

I wanted to try, taste and do as much local stuff as possible and sometimes had a hard time keeping my opinions to myself when some of the others ate at KFC or MacDonald's. But I too ordered Coca Cola to almost every meal, - following the advice of mi amiga, Kristin, who never lets me forget that once travelling with her family, she was the only one drinking Coca Cola and the only one not to get sick... And look! It's Arab Coca Cola!

 

And I got a henna tattoo. For 52 € less than the woman initially asked for, and around 13 € more than a henna tattoo is worth, I got a pretty flower pattern on my left foot and hand which I was promised would last four weeks and which now is barely visible. Partly my fault seeing that I went to a Hammam and treated myself to a body scrub and massage on my birthday, before we went back home.

Oh well... I enjoyed being a tourist on vacation! 6 days with the perfect balance between relaxing and travelling.

Bonus pic!

It's time for Africa!

Just a short update! That's all I have time and internet capacity for right now,- in Marrakech!

Together with Mariana I left Granada 19.00 pm on Wednesday. 6 hours by bus later we arrived in Madrid and hurried on to the airport, where we met up with Maria & Mario and 5 other Brazilians. After 4-5 cold and sleepy hours in the waiting hall plus 2 unconcious hours in the airplane, we landed in Africa! More specifically: Marocco and Marrakech.

We found our hotel, which is perfect! Small, clean, cheap and with a huuuge breakfast included. We fed and slept before strolling across the Djemaa el Fna and on to the market place, taking it all in.

We are still trying to plan the next 5 days, - so far we're thinking about spending a night in the desert and maybe take a day trip to either Casablanca or Essaouira. Tuesday will be my birthday! So I'm planning on spoiling myself by spending the day at a spa...

More to come, with pictures, when I get home in the middle of next week!

Gracias!

I want to thank this guy for giving me the opportunity to enjoy one year abroad as an international student.


All the places I get to see.


All the things I get to do.


All the people I meet.


Yeah, yeah, sure... I know he didn't actually have anything to do with the programme I'm part of today. But it's his name on the money I'm spending!


And what good it does me...

Coño! Cómo vuela el tiempo!

Today is my 51^st day living in Spain, - yes, I'm counting. Soon I will have spent two whole months meeting new people, learning a new language, a new culture, new food... I think time has come to see what changes I may have gone through.

*Distraction* What's the point in shooting up fireworks when it's bright outside? Oh, well... After all, it is Spain's National Day. Not that people seem to bother much...

So where was I... Changes! Let's start with the most obvious physical and behavioural ones:
I'm more tan. Thank's to the sun, I'm quite rubia. I'm never on time anymore (then I would have to wait at least 10 minutes anyway). I walk more slowly. I'm more patient, - especially when it comes to waiters and service personal in general. I have no trouble sleeping untill 2 pm. I drink beer practically every day. Reading this I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear I've gained weight (let's hope that one isn't too obvious!). I eat dinner between 2 and 4 pm. I hardly ever watch television.

And then there're the more sublte, interesting and important ones:
My brain is reorganizing itself. I can feel it! Shortcuts, bridges, highways, fast lanes... Not only am I learning yet another language, I'm also little by little learning how to dance not one dance, but three (very similar, but nonetheless!). Furthermore, I have classes at the Uni where my brain have to work a double shift both understanding the Spanish speaking teacher and getting a grasp of the different themes in the psychology subjects I'm taking (neuropsych., psychoendocrinology, psychopathology and psychogerontology). Daily siesta is a necessity!

Needless to say, I'm getting painfully accustomed to being a noobie without a clue. Concentrating hard on almost everything I do. However, I'm also getting used to the feeling of pure happiness I get just from being able to learn and study. 16 hours ago you would have found me sitting by myself at the bar in the Barrio Latino with a smile and an expression of content and curiosity on my face. I was watching all kinds of people coming together for a night of no worries and no hard feelings, just dancing, smiling and laughing. I also felt the kind of happiness only intense gratefulness will give you. I was grateful that complete strangers actually wanted to dance with a novice like me, and take the time and effort to teach me. This is the place Roberto took me and the brasilieñas to, as I told you about in an earlier post. Roberto being the local guy who came up to us in the tapas bar more than 3 weeks ago. He has just started giving salsa classes himself in this bar.

I'm enjoying to the fullest getting to understand and know this people and culture. Of course I miss my friends back home, and I sometimes miss my old and known routines. But instead of wanting to go home, I want my friends and family to come here and have the same awesome experience as me!

PS: Don't try to translate the first word of this post's title. The Spanish are big fans of palabrotas...

Semejanzas y diferencias...

...entre estudiar en la facultad de psicología en UGR y en Dragvoll, NTNU:

- Ambos están muy lejos del centro y en la cima de una colina.
- Los autobuses que puedo coger casi siempre están llenos, en ambas ciudades.
- En ambos lugares hay mucha gente con dread locks.

Este es mejor en Dragvoll en Trondheim:
- Podemos tomar café en las clases!
- No tenemos que ir a todas las clases, como es nesesario aquí en Granada.
- Los profesores hablan lenguajes que puedo entender sin problema.
- Los asientos en el auditorio son cómodos, y la mayoría de los profesores no se importa si queremos hacer una siesta durante la clase.
- Podemos tomar café en las clases!

Este es mejor en la fac. de psico. en Granada:
- Hay asignaturas de psicología!
- Una tostada cuesta 0,80€ / 6,5 NOK
- No creo que el techo tiene goteras, como en Dragvoll, pero nunca llueve, así que no puedo estar segura.
- Hay mucha gente de todo el mundo.
- No nesecitamos comprar los libros. Fotocopiar es más barato!
- Está en Granada!!!

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