#ceas orient

[watchshopro]

[elinaline]

Comment est structurée la recherche académique en France ?

Un post pour essayer un peu d'éclaircir le bazar que c'est après avoir parlé à @nanananerd, en allant de la plus grande structure à la plus petite.

Disclaimer, je suis dans les STIM il est possible qu'en dessous de l'étape "unité de recherche" la façon de travailler et de s'organiser en SHS soit un peu différente.

À la tête de la tête de la recherche on a le gouvernement. Ce sont les ministères qui déterminent des grands axes qui vont orienter la recherche avec des bourses allouées aux différents centres et instituts, mais aussi des bourses sur concours comme les bourses de l'Agence Nationale de la Recherche ou ANR ou encore des fonds hyper spécifiques comme pour l'ordinateur quantique français donné à des acteurs désignés. Tout le monde ne dépend pas du ministère de l'enseignement supérieur et de la recherche non plus ! L'INRAE par exemple est aussi un institut du ministère de l'agriculture.

Ensuite viennent les grands instituts et centres de recherche, mais aussi les établissements de l'enseignement supérieur, car dans "enseignant chercheur" il y a chercheur, et parfois même des établissements privés avec une dimension recherche importante comme Saint-Gobain. L'INRAE, le CNRS, l'INRIA, l'ONERA, le CEA... Il y en a une flopée et tous n'ont pas exactement les mêmes statuts (hé ça serait pas français si c'était simple), mais in fine ce sont eux les employeurs des chercheurs tout grade confondu c'est à dire que c'est avec eux que les contrats sont signés, et ce sont eux qui choisissent de la distribution des fonds ministériels hors concours entre les différentes unités. Je passe toutes les sous-structures que les universités s'amusent à construire en plus entre les UFR, les graduate schools, les départements, les pôles recherche et autres qui dépendent énormément des statuts et donc sont location-spécifiques.

Viennent maintenant ce qu'on appelle communément les laboratoires : les unités de recherche ! Elles peuvent être mixtes, c'est-à-dire avec du personnel de plusieurs instituts ou établissements d'enseignement différents, c'est assez commun d'avoir une UMR CNRS-université par exemple, ou elles peuvent ne dépendre que d'un seul organisme. Là on est toujours dans le cadre légal mais le bordel s'annonce doucement : le labo au sens unité ce n'est pas toujours le labo au sens équipe/bâtiment, les unités peuvent avoir des tailles vastement différentes. L'institut de physique de Rennes par exemple est absolument monstrueux, étendu sur cinq bâtiments avec 120 personnels permanents, alors que le SIMM à Paris s'étend entre deux escaliers d'une grande école et compte une trentaine de chercheurs permanents.

On arrive à la séparation "à la sauce du labo". Généralement les très grandes unités définissent un peu des axes de recherche qui vont permettre aux gens de se reconnaître entre eux, et dans ces axes on trouve les équipes. Les équipes ont encore très souvent une existence administrative, dans le sens où une fois que l'unité a reçu les fonds ministériels, ils sont répartis en dotations annuelles pour chaque équipe, en fonction de leur taille et de leurs besoins (les gens qui travaillent sur les atomes froids consomment souvent un poil plus d'argent que les agronomes par exemple). Une équipe en France c'est un directeur d'équipe + quelques autres chercheurs permanents, qui ont des disciplines ou des centres d'intérêts en commun et qui donc vont pouvoir présenter un projet de recherche au sens large dans les évaluations annuelles, genre "la restauration d'art avec des mousses" ou "la physio chimie des coproduits alimentaires".

À partir de là on passe dans le pas d'existence administrative, tout est plus ou moins officieux et c'est : le bordel. La sous-organisation des équipes va dépendre du nombre de chercheurs permanents, de la présence ou non d'ingénieurs et techniciens de la recherche propres à l'équipe, de la curiosité commune des chercheurs de l'équipe, de la capacité à recruter des non permanents, du matériel présent, de la volonté à partager les bourses sur concours ou pas, ... Mais généralement dans les équipes de recherche on trouve des groupes plus ou moins officieux, qui peuvent être un ou plusieurs chercheurs et leurs subordonnés non permanents qui travaillent sur une thématique spécifique liée au cadre de l'équipe. C'est la partie un peu "à l'américaine" de la recherche française (au sens où les américains ne s'emmerdent pas avec nos quatre étages, y a l'université, et dans l'université y a un chercheur avec SA thune qui constitue SON équipe). Par exemple dans l'équipe Matière Molle de l'IPR il y a un groupe "film de savon".

Dans ces groupes il y a aussi bien sûr des gens avec des projets différents et du coup si on veut on peut encore redécouper mais eh sayer la c'est bon

MAIS ALORS DU COUP EN VRAI COMMENT ÇA SE PASSE CONCRÈTEMENT PUTAIN. Bah du coup un chercheur (ou plusieurs chercheurs en groupe) a une idée, va en parler avec son équipe pour vraiment inclure cette proposition dans les sujets de recherche, puis ça va en parler à l'administration de l'unité pour écrire une fiche de poste ou un sujet de recherche, qui va être envoyé à l'institut pour voir si on peut débloquer des fonds et effectivement ouvrir une possibilité d'emploi, à laquelle les gens vont candidater. La candidature se fait pour être employé de l'institut mais collègue ou subordonné du gars du début qui a écrit la fiche de poste, dans son groupe dans son équipe dans son unité dans son institut au sein du ministère correspondant. Simple, non ?

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Christian Employers Alliance (CEA) won an important victory when a North Dakota federal court ruled that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Health and Human Services cannot force religious employers to pay for or perform “transgender” medical interventions.

The case stemmed from an EEOC decision to redefine and reinterpret “sex discrimination” in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include “sexual orientation” and...

[ashitakaxsan]

When miraculously Treasures return home

On the evening of September 20,Thursay, when Iran’s presidential jet touched down in Tehran, it bought the fourth batch of Achaemenid clay tablets from the U.S., where they had been kept on loan for nine decades.

A total of 3,506 Achaemenid tablets were returned home by the plane carrying President Ebrahim Raisi, who addressed the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly during his visit to New York.

The recovered collection consists of 836 small tablets written in Aramaic and 2,670 large tablets with cuneiform inscriptions in Elamite, CHTN reported.

“Thanks to proper follow-ups by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicraft Organization, the permanent mission of Iran to the United Nations in New York, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the tablets of the Achaemenid Empire, which were being kept in the United States and the Center for East Asian Studies at the University of Chicago (CEAS) for 84 years were repatriated to Iran. The tablets were originally set to stay there for three years for study purposes,” Raisi told reporters upon arrival at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport.

“It is questionable why the tablets were in the possession of Americans. The scientists who worked on the tablets are of Iranian origin, and have been undertaking studies on them for more than 10 years,” he stated.

The Iranian president said the clay tablets will be delivered to Iranian museums to be put on display.

The royal tablets were shipped in nine boxes each weighing 75 kg, the report said. They were reportedly produced during the reign of Darius I, commonly known as Darius the Great, who served as the third King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, reigning from 522 BC until he died in 486 BC.

Earlier in August, Iran’s deputy cultural heritage minister said the United States was set to return over 20,000 Achaemenid clay tablets to Iran within months. “The good news is more than 20,000 Achaemenid tablets belonging to Persepolis will be returned from the U.S. by the end of this year,” Ali Darabi said.

So far, hundreds of those tablets (and fragments), which have been on loan from Iran to the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago since 1935, have been returned home. For example, in 2019, Iran received 1,783 of those important objects being kept at Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History and the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute.

In February 2018, following years of ups and downs, the fate of those ancient Persian artifacts was left in the hands of a U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of Iran.

Archaeologists affiliated with the University of Chicago discovered the tablets in the 1930s while excavating in Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the Persian Empire. However, the institute has resumed work in collaboration with colleagues in Iran, and the return of the tablets is part of a broadening of contacts between scholars in the two countries, said Gil Stein, director of the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago.

They are very important sources of information revealing economic, social, and religious data about the Achaemenid Empire (550-330 BC) and the larger Near Eastern region in the fifth century BC.

Persepolis, locally known as Takht-e Jamshid, was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire. It ranks among the archaeological sites, that have no equivalent, considering its unique architecture, urban planning, construction technology, and art.

Let's just keep in mind that while Alexander the great burned only the palace of Xerxes he didn't hold grudge on the Persian nation .It were the Arabs,on 642 A.D, who burned down Persepolis.

Source:https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/489266/Presidential-souvenir-3-506-Achaemenid-tablets-returned-from

[hannahz-scstudyabroad]

First week in Prague! 02/04/2023

My first week in Prague was fantastic!!!

On January 30th at 4:30 in the morning, my alarm went off and I already knew today was the day that I was heading to Prague from Copenhagen. I honestly was awake before my alarm even went off and had butterflies throughout the whole night. We headed quickly to the airport and went on our flight! Once landing in Prague, there was snow on the ground. First snow I saw of the season and I knew that I was meant to be in Prague. 

It was a super easy ride to get to my apartment. There were CEA representatives at the airport, with an appointed driver, and once arriving at my apartment there were two representatives here as well which made the transition easy. 

The one thing about abroad that I did not know much about were the apartments, I was planning on sharing a tiny box with Ashley while being here but it ended up being the biggest apartment I have ever stayed in by myself. 

Later on during the day, all my other roommates started to come in: Sarah, Magali, and Ruby. I was really nervous because I have not had the best roommate experiences but all five of us clicked right away, it was like we have known eachother forever and I am so happy these amazing girls ended up being my roommates.

Since getting to Prague, CEA had an orientation which both involved walking around the main city and learning the base of both the culture and words of the Czech. I also received a student travel pass which gives me unlimited rides on the public transport in Prague (first city I have ever seen trams in too!!!). The whole system is super easy and Google Maps is the most reliable map system to travel in Prague. Also, Uber is available here and is super cheap! Other than occasionally checking directions, the city has been really easy to get around. 

I have also been grocery shopping a couple of times. I think the main difficulty is that none of the products are in English. If they are, usually they are more expensive as well. It is a little stressful since the population is very homogeneous, with not as many people as I thought speaking English. Even though it is an adjustment, all signs are in English which is nice as well.

I also got the chance to go to the National Museum in Prague with my roommate Sarah. It is only a 10 minute walk from my apartment and explores evolutionary history as well as a section about World War II in the Czech Republic. Both were very drastic topics but overall it was really interesting and I learned a lot from the museum. 

I also started classes yesterday! Had my Czech Culture: Food and Brewing Traditions class as well as my Golden City of Prague class. Both were really fun and not too stressful to be a part of. I even walked around the city of Prague in my Golden City of Prague class and got to see a house that was built in the 12th century! 

I am loving being abroad so far and cannot wait to continue to share my adventures so far!

[bartholomaus]

Cazul Posmus ca si celelalte castele si curii (NU "conace"!, Conace / cule sunt in Muntenia) din Ardeal arata ca istoria Ardealului e complexa, frumoasa, pe alocuri frustranta / dureroasa, dar intotdeauna surprinzatoare precum ...viata.

1. Sa incepem chiar cu termenii si cadrajul ("framing"ul): Termenul potrivit de CASTEL / CURIE ne aminteste subtil ca maghiarii (si sasii) au fost, implicit, grupurile care si ele au pastrat vie mostenirea LATINA / "LATINITATEA" in Ardeal - prin folosirea limbii latine in administratie, biserica, scoala, timp de secole. In tot acest rastimp (de secole), romanii / ortodocsii scriau cu caractere chirilice si la biserica li se vorbea in slavona - pana ce, la insistenta sasilor ptotestanti si a unor nobili maghiari, au fost tiparite carti religioase si manuale scolare in limba ...romana!

BONUS: Termenii de CONAC / CULA sunt si ele f graitoare, ele fiind de proveniente turca / orientala /kula = turn).

CONCLUZIE nr. 1: In Ardeal, latinitatea a fost pastrata etnolingvistic de romani, iar cultural-lingvistic de sasi si maghiari. Elemente de orientalism se gasesc etnic la maghiari, iar lingvistic si religios la romani.

2. Despre CONFLICT vs. COOPERARE intre grupurile constitutive din Ardeal: Intr-o societate ierarhica precum cea premoderna, inegalitatea (nobil vs. iobag; confesiuni recepte vs. tolerate / interzise) si el element constitutiv. Interesant ca si societatile moderne contin elemente constitutive si institutionalizate de inegalitate - in Ardeal sub forma etnocratiei, adica a dominatiei unei limbi si grupari etnice, carora celelalte grupuri 2musai" sa se supuna, pentru ca "altfel va fi bai"! Inainte de 1918 erau maghiarii, dupa 1918 sunt, pana astazi, romanii. A se vedea doar monopolul limbii romane ca singura limba oficiala, a colonizarii de etnici romani in zonele candva predominant nonromanesti cat si a drapelului Romaniei, fara dreptul de a przenta pe cladiri oficiale si alte drapele.

Deoarece istoria Ardealului este complexa, conflictele si cooperarile sociale sau interetnice de la noi au decurs in esenta foarte diferit de cum propaganda naationalista romaneasca le-a prezentat de la 1918 incoace. Astfel,

a.) Au existat si numerosi nobili de origine romana (si germana), nu doar maghiara, la fel cum au existat si iobagi maghiari si sasi, nu doar romani.

b.) In Tara Hategului exista o intrepatrundere deja istorica intre nobili maghiari si romani - prin care se estompeaza si delimitarile etnice clare dintre cele doua etnii - similar cu ceangaii din Moldova, supusi romanizarii fortate si care acuma formeaza o cultura romano-maghiara.

c.) Rascoalele taranesti au fost conduse de maghiari, nu de romani (Budai, Dozsa).

d.) Romanii isi datoreaza majoritatea demografica in Ardeal tocmai celor pe care au fost invatati sa-i urasca: nobililor maghiari. Acestia i-au colonizat in numar semnificativ pe mosiile si in satele lor, iar romanii au preferat sa vina in numar mare ca iobagi la groful ungur decat sa ramana iobagi la boierul roman din Muntenia sau Moldova. Mai ales dupa raidurile destructive ale lui Mihai Patrascu (zis si "Viteazul" - care, by the way, NU a unit ABSOLUT NIMIC, ci doar fusese temporar voievod in MT, MD si TS), deci dupa ale sale raiduri, jefuri si maceluri prin zonele sasesti si unguresti ale Ardealului, numeroase sate si mosii nobiliare / maghiare au devenit subit majoritar romanesti, in urma influxului de romani, adusi chiar de nobili, pt a relua productia agricola. Exemple notorii sunt satele de pe Valea Muresului in amonte si aval de Alba Iulia cat si in Campia Transilvaniei. Prin sporul demografic superior, romanii, la 1918 avea sau aiba acel procentaj de 4-10% in plus fata de nonromani (55% vs. 45% din totalul populatiei) - pretext "suficient" pentru Antanta si Guvernul Roman aflat a Iasi de a inscena la 1 decembrie 1918 la Alba Iulia acea reuniune a 1228 de reprezentanti ai romanilor care sa declare (unilateral) "unirea" cu Regatul Romaniei, omitandu-se astfel organizarea unui REFERENDUM care referendum f probabil NU ar fi produs o majoritate pentru "unirea" cu Romania.

CONCLUZIE nr. 2: Pentru a ascunde toate aceste adevaruri incomode despre cat de fraudulos a fost pasat Ardealul, Banatul si parti din Ungaria de Est ("Crisana") Romaniei, istoriografia romaneasca a inventat conflictul etern (in realitate unul foarte punctual si sporadic) dintre romani si maghiari.

QED.

[umichenginabroad]

Madrid Week 18: Ultimate Guide to Madrid

Hola a todxs!! 

Foreward to this super ultimate epic guide: I started this when I was in Madrid. I’m finishing the blog now, over a month later. Is my memory as sharp? No, but maybe that’s a good thing — only the most memorable things will make the list :). Hopefully this guide helps, even in its immensity! Onwards.

______________________________________________________________

Introduction

I think this post may be one of the most useful ones to any prospective study-abroaders who end up choosing Madrid as their destination. I hope that it's equally as useful to someone who might want to travel there for vacation. I wanted to pour as much of my knowledge of Madrid into this post -- a kind of all-encompassing guide, if you will. Of course, this will be nowhere near all-encompassing, because Madrid is an incredibly large city with endless things to do.

Nonetheless, I did my best to capture things I’ve experienced and learned from living here for 5 months, from January to June. This guide will be separated into sections/lists, and it will be long af (what’s new).

Also of note, I’ll mention “CEA” a few times in this post, which was the study abroad program I was involved with in Madrid. This guide still applies if you’re not with CEA, and it still applies if you’re not studying there. 

By no means is this post meant to be read from start to finish, but the information is all here so you can pick and choose what to focus on yourself. Let’s jump in.

Notes About Culture

Generally, Spaniards tend to live life at a slower pace than Americans. Mealtimes are later and longer, people value rest and time with loved ones very highly, and punctuality isn’t as important (in social situations). In general, this follows suit with the Mediterranean lifestyle, similar to Italy and Greece (my roots <3). Of course, it’s hard to say exactly what it would be like living in Spain as a real person instead of an exchange student studying there for 5 months, but I really loved Spanish culture.

Moving to Spain will certainly come with a culture shock, but many things are very similar to the USA — both are ‘Western’ cultures, so you won’t be flipping your entire way of life upside down (maybe just sideways). Anything I could say, you’ll find out yourself firsthand (most of the big differences will be explained in a study abroad orientation anyways). 

Adapting to and learning how to exist in this new culture was one of the most enjoyable and rewarding things I experienced in my time in Spain. Embrace the discomfort of it all and be kind to yourself, and I think you’ll experience the same!

A couple things I thought of randomly that I wish I knew beforehand:

You pay for your grocery bags. Don’t accidentally steal them and get called out by the cashier (embarrassing) (who would make that mistake…)

Madrid’s tap water is incredible (the locals will make sure you know that). Don’t pay for bottled water, ask for agua del grifo (tap) or un vaso (glass) de agua.

Public Transportation

One of my favorite things about Madrid? Its metro system. It is extremely well connected (and reliable), so much so that you’re never more than a 30 minute trip away from almost anywhere you could want to go around the city center. Combined with its pedestrian focused urban planning, this makes Madrid extremely walkable, which really improved my quality of life and happiness here (do better, US cities). Trains come really frequently, and the system is intuitive and easy to use.

Past the metro, Madrid also has a bus system and a regional above ground train system called Cercanias. I used the Cercanias to get to Leganes and Getafe, where UC3M’s campuses are located. The Cercanias are also very reliable, usually running on time and as expected. The buses are a tiny bit less reliable, but honestly I didn’t have to use the buses that often — metro covers most of the city.

Important things to know about the public transportation: 

It costs 8 euros (!) a month for adolescents under 25. This works for all public transportation in Madrid (not just the capital city of Madrid, the entire region). You need to have a special metrocard for this with your identity on it, which you can get by making an appointment with the metro company. More info here. Many study abroad programs (CEA included) will do this for you if you give them the right information in time.

The metro runs from 6 a.m. to 1.30 a.m. It’s very safe at night. Be aware of pickpockets at all times, especially on crowded metros.

The Cercania runs from 5am to 12am. Careful taking the Cercania alone at night when you’re far out from Madrid’s city center, the farther away you are from Madrid city center the weirder the people get (speaking from experience).

The buses run all day, and less frequently at night. Ditto on weird people on night buses, especially far out.

Settling in & Shopping

Where do you buy the essentials to get set up in Madrid the first week or so? Two recommendations:

Primark: Huge department store, they have a home section with a bunch of cheap stuff with pretty much anything you might need to get set up (towels, bedding, homey stuff, etc). Probably not the best for the environment but very good for your bank account.

El Corte Ingles: Corte Ingles is another huge department store common in Spain. The stuff here is a bit pricier, so I wouldn’t recommend getting things like linens here. It is great, however, for electric appliances (hair dryers, electric razor, straighteners —  Do NOT plug your appliances from the USA into the wall [don’t bring them], the voltage difference will fry your shit [rip my razor]), school supplies, etc. Some Corte Ingleses also have grocery stores in them — maybe on the pricier side, but still relatively very cheap compared to USA.

How do you set up your phone to work in Spain? There are plenty of options, but the one that I chose was an eSim from Holafly. If your phone is newer, you can download the Holafly app and get a new sim card digitally. Holafly is great if you anticipate using unlimited data -- you can get unlimited data that works across Europe (not just Spain) for $90 for 3 months.

Also, check out City Life Madrid and Smart Insiders. These organizations offer help/resources for internationals in Madrid. Check them out if you’re looking for housing, community, financial/legal guidance, etc. They have a ton on their websites.

Los Barrios

Madrid, much like many other cities, is split up into barrios (neighborhoods). Each one has a distinct vibe, but it all feels really cohesive (unlike Barcelona, which I talked about in a previous post). Madrid has their own website with great information, but here I’ll provide some more personal takes about each one. This isn’t all encompassing — there are more barrios that I didn’t mention!

Sol: The historic city center. This is where you’ll find all the most typical touristy stuff, which is awesome and definitely a must see. I lived directly in the Puerta del Sol, which is smack dab in the center of it all. Sol gets really crowded on the weekends, especially during tourist season, so it’s best to explore during the week or at odd hours. My best recommendation for exploring the area? Rick Steves tour! He does an amazing job, per usual, and I highly recommend it. Check out the listen tab and scroll down a bit for the audio tour and the map (free). The streets surrounding Sol are a bit pricier and more touristy, but there are still a ton of great options for nightlife and food (especially tapas).

Gran Via: The main street in Madrid, with all your big brand name stores. Some of the most beautiful architecture is there. Super busy big city vibes. I <3 the Schweppes sign.

Malasaña: Trendier neighborhood. Tons of thrift stores, cool bars, sweet cafes, tight streets, and generally great energy. Plaza dos de Mayo has great vibes at night too.

Chueca: Right next to Malasana, they are really similar. Chueca has a bit more shopping. It’s also the gay neighborhood of Madrid, you’ll find many queer-friendly shops and bars here.

La Latina: Probably my favorite place to walk around in the city, feels very open. La Latina has a ton of terraces, bars, and cute restaurants, perfect for a springtime outdoor meal. To me, it feels less trendy and more like, ooh yeah Spain. If that makes sense. El Rastro happens here.

Lavapies: A really pretty neighborhood. Very hilly with colorful houses, nice plazas, and cute cafes. Lavapies is a predominantly immigrant neighborhood, and consequently they have great African and South Asian restaurants.

Las Letras: Another great neighborhood for an evening stroll. Kind of feels like a mix between Malasana and La Latina, tight streets but still a ton of terraces. There are words on the ground with some cool history behind them too.

Salamanca: Little bit more high end neighborhood. Newer too, so there’s a grid system (makes it feel a bit less walkable, but it’s still nice). Didn’t spend too much time here, but there are some good restaurants and fancy shops to be found.

Madrid Rio: South of the city. Some really pretty walking paths. The place to be if you rollerblade.

Moncloa: Moncloa has a ton of chill, cheap bars. It’s right next to a ton of universities, so you’ll find a ton of young people hanging around here. Good vibes.

Chamberi: A really lovely vibe. Very chill, older and more traditional architecture, with some authentic cafes and bars for some tapas. Great for a walk (as well).

Attractions

Here is a non-exhaustive list of some of the major attractions to see/do in Madrid. Like I mentioned above, the Rick Steves tour gives a great overview the the most obvious stuff around the center.

See also the related google maps list: Cool Spots in Madrid 

Royal Palace: The Royal Palace of Madrid is the largest palace in Western Europe, and is 100% worth it to see the inside — it’s extremely ornate and beautiful. Make sure you book tickets pretty far in advance, because they do sell out (and you don’t want to wait in an extremely long line). I’ve had friends also book group tours which they said were worth it.

Puerta del Sol: See ‘Sol’ in the neighborhoods above. The literal center of the city (and country). You can’t miss it. 

Gran Via: Also see the section above. Also can’t miss it. But so beautiful. Definitely see it at night and day, all the buildings are lit up at night and the signs are so iconic.

Plaza Mayor: Old square. Very pretty. Look a bit closer at the walls to see the paintings, they’re underrated.

Retiro: The biggest park in Madrid. More on this in the parks section. Fantastic vibes year round.

Faro de Moncloa: Not enough people know about this! A huge tower in Moncloa that gives you panoramic views of the entire city. Very cheap and worth seeing once.

Chocolatería de San Ginés: Historic Churro restaurant, must try. Bomb af. Lines get long at peak hours. Open 24 hours on weekends (check their hours beforehand), which is so clutch after a late night out.

El Rastro: Huge flea market in La Latina. Happens every Sunday morning to afternoon. A good amount of touristy stuff, but a ton of great thrifting, artisans, and antiques as well!

Mercado de Motores: Huge market/fair that happens once a month in the train museum of Madrid — art, thrift, food, concerts. I never got to see it because I didn’t plan ahead — it happens infrequently so look it up in advance if it’s something you want to see.

Flamenco (Tablao las Carboneras): Flamenco is a must see while in Spain, IMO. Totally improvised, epic rhythms, very unique and exciting. Tablao Las Carboneras is the venue I went to — they rotate out the dancers and are very authentic. CEA takes you to one (for free!). Bonus points if you see Flamenco in the Andalusia region, where it originated.

Bull Fight (Las Ventas): Another incredibly unique cultural experience in Madrid. I went to one at Las Ventas arena, and I’m not going to sugarcoat it — it was brutal. 6 bulls get killed at a show, and it’s really sad to see it happen. Simultaneously, the whole experience was unforgettable. Bull fighting is kind of like a look into the past. It’s one of the few remaining blood sports that is still accepted and celebrated in the world (by some — many people protest it), and the entire event is rooted in centuries old tradition. The event I went to was nearly full, and seemingly all Spaniards. Not something I would go back to, but something I’m glad I experienced.

Templo de Debod: An Egyptian temple reconstructed on top of a hill in Madrid. The temple is cool, but the sunsets at the park that surrounds it are cooler. Every night, people gather here to watch the sunset go down over a beautiful view of the city & the Royal Palace. There is always great energy, buskers, and people singing/dancing. In the warmer months tons will bring a blanket and some food for a picnic. 10/10 vibes.

Catedral de Santa María: Another cathedral in Europe (you will see many). Right next to the Royal Palace. This one’s not a must see — but it’s free to enter and the stained glass / painted ceilings have a really colorful modern look to them that’s pretty unique out of the many cathedrals I saw in Europe.

Santiago Bernabeu Stadium: Real Madrid’s stadium. I never visited, but people say it’s epic. You can book tours there. Real Madrid games are really expensive, but if you can snag tickets (look ahead for cheaper games), the environment is insane.

Food

I won’t go into too much detail here either. The classic dishes can be found all across the city (and country), and you’ll get to know them quickly.  I loved the food in Spain, and the tapas lifestyle never got old. A couple notes:

Spanish food puts emphasis on the ingredients that make up the dish and shies away from using a ton of spices.

Spanish food is highly regional. Depending on the city/province you’re in, you can find very different specialized dishes. Look them up beforehand, and try the specialties!! They’re always better in their region of origin.

Spanish ham is the best ham. They feed the Iberian pigs acorns

Tortilla in spain is not a flat flour yummy thing. It’s more like an omelet. Better with onions.

Spaniards don’t really do spice. The normal takis (the purple fuego ones) you buy in the USA are labeled as the EXTREME MAXIMUM SPICE level in Spain. The other flavors with less spicy levels are still pretty good though.

Here’s a google maps list of restaurants and whatnot that I tried out when I was in Madrid (and some other Spanish cities): Restaurantes de España

Mercados

Madrid has a ton of great food markets that are nice for a friendly hangout, a grocery run, a lunch, dinner, etc. Each has a distinct vibe and some awesome food.

Mercado de San Miguel: This is probably the most famous market in Madrid. It’s really old, cool example of cast iron architecture, and will top many lists of attractions in Madrid. It’s right next to la Plaza Mayor in Sol. This is definitely the most expensive and touristy food market of all the ones on this list, but the food there is really good, and there’s a ton of awesome traditional Spanish options. I’d recommend going at an off time — otherwise you won’t find a seat. Look out for the giant severed fish heads sitting on ice in the corner.

Mercado de la Cebada: El Mercado de la Cebada is right in the heart of La Latina, and has a much more laid back, local vibe when compared to San Miguel. You can get quality meats and cheeses here, along with other ingredients you might be looking for. It’s also huge, and has as many restaurants as chill bars where you can grab a drink with friends.

Mercado de San Ildefonso: San Ildefonso is around the Malasaña area, and totally fits that vibe. The space is a lot more industrial, and has plenty of seating and tons of great food options (some spanish, some international — it’s kind of like a gourmet food court). The options here don’t sell groceries/ingredients, only meals.

Mercado Anton Martin: Similar vibe to la Cebada — a mix of (some really cute) restaurants, bars, and ingredients, but much smaller. The space itself isn’t dressed up as nice as San Miguel or San Ildefonso, but that brings some of its charm. Great if you want to buy some ingredients without feeling overwhelmed with options.

Yatai Market: An asian street food market near the center of Madrid. There are options here from a ton of cultures, and while I wasn’t blown away by the food, it was good, and the vibes were nice. If there’s a specific Asian dish you’re missing from home, they probably have it.

Cool/Iconic Landmarks

Madrid in itself is iconic, but there are a couple of memorable landmarks that I think are worth seeing (and whose image will be etched in my mind for eternity).

Palacio/Fuente de Cibeles: My favorite building in Madrid, with the fountain right in front. The palace bathed in golden hour light is required viewing.

Puerta de Alcalá: Right next to Cibeles/Retiro, a massive gate. Super cool. Also great in golden hour.

Metropolis: One of the most iconic and recognizable buildings, right at the entrance of Gran Via. Very photogenic.

El Oso y el Madroño: A sculpture of a bear and a strawberry tree in Puerta del Sol, representing the coat of arms of Madrid. Very cute.

Schweppes Sign: Yes, it’s just a billboard, right on Gran Via. But I liked it a lot. Wait for night and it lights up in fun colored patterns.

Tio Pepe: Another billboard, in Puerta del Sol. But an old billboard (Tio Pepe is a brand of wine). You can’t miss it.

Palacio de Cristal: Deep in Retiro Park, a glass “palace” that faces a lake. You’ll have to look for this one.

Las Ventas: Even if you don’t go to watch a bullfight, this building is really beautiful to visit! A bit out of the way, something you’ll probably only see if you seek out.

Puerta de Europa: A less visited part of the city for tourists, but worth seeing if you have the time and energy. This is located in the Financial District north of the city, which doesn’t have too much else except cool buildings, but the buildings are very cool. This was a stop on a rollerblading route I took once — highly recommend visiting it on wheels.

Museums

Madrid has a ton of amazing museums. The most important thing to note upfront? Many of them offer free entry for students. Do your research beforehand to make sure you’re not paying when you don’t need to! For almost all of these, I would recommend reserving tickets in advance to avoid lines, unless you’re going on a weekday in the offseason. Some museums also have periods of time where they let everyone in for free. Avoid these times — lines get insanely long, and you will probably wait a few hours unnecessarily.

Museo del Prado: Classical art, one of the big three in the “Art Triangle”. A beautiful building that has tons of super iconic paintings, especially from Spaniards (Goya, Velazquez, El Greco, Bosch, more). I liked it a lot. Reserve online beforehand, especially if visiting on a weekend. The area around the museum is also very beautiful, I recommend exploring.

La Reina Sofia: Modern Spanish Art, with a big focus on Dali and Picasso. In the Art Triangle. I’m not a huge fan of either, so the museum wasn’t my favorite, but I still think it’s worth seeing if you have time. The museum also has a cool cafe and an epic library that’s open for students to study in (if you register, for free). Highly recommend if you like quiet spaces.

Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza: A massive private art collection in the art triangle. I never got the chance to visit, but I have friends that say it was their favorite. It has a wide range of art throughout history with a focus on later centuries.

Museo Sorolla: One of my favorites. Sorolla was a very influential impressionist Spanish painter in the 1800s, and this museum is set inside of his house. It takes you through his most important works of art while you tour through his studio, living room, garden, and more. The house and the art were beautiful, and the museum is small. It’s very cheap for students. I recommend going on a nice sunny day so you can enjoy the private gardens to the max.

Matadero: Matadero resides in an abandoned slaughterhouse, and was repurposed into a cultural center. The space is quite industrial, and has a classical architectural style at the same time (really cool). Exhibits are constantly rotating in and out, from live performances to multimedia art pieces. They also have free screenings of movies for students, and an epic cafe. Worth exploring. 

I never visited the following museums myself, but I heard great recommendations for friends — worth checking out.

Archaeology Museum: Apparently, a very impressive collection.

Naval Museum: Self explanatory. My friend swore by this one.

Museo ABC: Drawing/illustration. The architecture of this space is really unique.

Royal Collection of Art: Classical stuff at the royal palace.

Museo La Neomudejar: Another more cultural center kind of vibe. Very modern, very chic, very industrial space. Apparently there’s room to study, too?

Parks

Madrid’s parks are top tier. You’re never far from green space, and “park culture” is also very strong — you’ll always find enjoying the parks with you, especially when it’s nice weather! One of my favorite things about this city.

Parque del Retiro: Absolutely massive and beautiful park next to the center of Madrid, and a must see. It used to be the private garden of a king. You could spend an entire day exploring — green space, running trails, a museum, a lake (with boats you can rent), fountains, monuments, the list goes on. An absolute vibe for any day of the week, especially a Sunday.

Botanical Gardens: Huge, beautiful, and worth checking out. They have a huge variety of plant species here. The greenhouse is my favorite part!

Casa de Campo: Even bigger than retiro. Less infrastructure/people, but more space and miles of trails for biking and running. There’s a pool here too that you can reserve spots for online for those hot days.

Parque de San Isidro: A nice park farther outside the city center. Notably, the Festival de San Isidro happens here on and around May 15th — a huge ‘county fair’ type setup, with rides, games, and free concerts. A huge botellon gathers here as well in the evenings, which is fun for a pregame.

Parque del Oeste: Equally as beautiful as retiro, but much more of a chill vibe, in Moncloa. It doesn’t get as crowded here, and is fantastic to set up for a peaceful picnic.

Parque de la Quinta de los Molinos: The place to see Madrid’s cherry blossoms when they bloom in the spring (February/March).

Parque Madrid Rio: A great development on Madrid’s river in the south, fantastic for walking, running, chilling, etc.

Cafes & Cafe Culture

Cafe culture in Madrid is quite different than it is in the USA. In Spain, there are two types of coffee. The first: regular coffee, which is a not so carefully crafted shot of espresso, with or without milk — kind of the equivalent to a pot of coffee you might get at a diner in the USA. Quick, easy, functional. You can find it at a more traditional spot, or at your university’s cafe. 

Then there’s “Specialty coffee”. Think of a nice cappuccino or cortado with that perfectly steamed milk, the beans freshly roasted, etc. The cafe itself will probably have a cute vibe too that’s nice for studying, meeting friends, etc. 

Because my university was far away from the city center, I did most of my studying in cafes like the one above — but this is a bit trickier than it might seem. Presumably because Spanish culture values social connection very highly, it’s really difficult to find cafes to study in on the weekends. Most will prohibit the use of laptops to preserve a vibe, which I simultaneously really appreciated and found quite inconvenient. Always check the website or call the place you want to go to before setting out — you may show up and find a “no laptops” sign on the table you sit at.

With that said, there’s no shortage of awesome cafes with great coffee and awesome vibes, for studying or hanging out. I visited over 20 and that’s barely scratching the surface. Below I’ve listed some of my favorites.

Rut Cafe: Very small, cute vibe, good wifi. The best thing about it? It’s one of the rare cafes that lets you study/do work every day of the week. Grinded here for my finals, very clutch. Also, I’m pretty sure it’s family owned <3

La Bicicleta: A very popular coworking space in Malsana, which is great if you don’t mind sharing a table with someone. The coffee here is quite good, and you can also get great food (and natural wine!). Study only on weekdays.

HanSo Cafe: Most notable for their brunch options. They make really good food (along with coffee), and have some really interesting japanese style options. Cool vibe inside too, study only on weekdays.

La China Mandarina: Less of a cafe, more of a bar — but a great vibe to work (in the afternoons, not in the evening, to preserve the vibe) if you want to switch things up a bit (trade a coffee for a vermouth? Yes please)

Ambu Coffee (Las Letras): Super tiny shop. Not the best for studying, but a very intimate space with bomb coffee (probably my favorite cortado) for a journaling sesh or a (friend) date?

Faraday: Never tried it, but looks so awesome. It’s a record shop with a cafe inside. Laptop restrictions definitely apply, so don’t try it on a weekend or in the evening (I got turned away :( )

Here’s a google maps list with these and more: Cafe de Madrid 

Communities

“Communities” is a very vague category. I would argue that solely living in Madrid comes with a feeling of community. I really felt a sense of connection and belonging to the city, which I believe stems from the culture of Madrid's vibrant city life (again, thank you walkability). 

Everyone can find their community in Madrid, as long as you actively seek it out. Here are some examples:

Rollerblading/skating: 

Integrating into Madrid’s rollerblading community was one of the highlights of my time there (I wrote a blog about how I got involved). There is a truly massive amount of people who blade/skate in Madrid, and people love getting together to go on routes around the city.

If you already love and practice rollerblading/skating, I promise that you will not regret bringing your skates (pack them in your carryon = no weight restriction). However, even if you’ve never tried it before, there’s a place for you in the community! Community members will regularly host lessons for all skill levels at the explanada (a big flat piece of asphalt covered ground, the rollerblading Mecca for Madrid) and lead routes through Madrid nearly every night of the week of varying speeds, distances, and vibes. 

The larger community also hosts Madrid FNS (Friday night skate), which is a very well organized route through the city with police assistance for road closure and an impressive attendance (try 500+ people!). Everyone I met was really welcoming of me as a newcomer and foreigner, and by the end of the semester I would see someone I knew at every event I went to. Speaking Spanish is a plus, but it’s by no means required — many people speak English (and some are looking for opportunities to practice!).

So, how do you get involved?

Follow @madrid_fns on Instagram — they post information (when, where, how, etc) about the big monthly skate nights. These are a blast, and a great way to meet people.

Follow @madridrollernight on instagram — basically the same event as Madrid FNS, just a different name.

Follow @rollerbirra on Instagram — they post some events and cool rollerblading videos of Spaniards.

Click on the link in @rollerbirra‘s bio (or right here) and join the Telegram group, nearly 2000 members strong. Telegram is a messaging app, similar to Whatsapp. In this group, people post information about lessons, city routes, and other rollering events in the city. Some will ask rollerblading/skating questions as well. Pick a route that corresponds to your skill level and go, no invite needed! From there you can meet people, who might add you to sub-groups, and maybe sub-sub-groups, where there are even more opportunities to meet up.

Follow @roller.secret.society on instagram and join their Whatsapp/Telegram group, links in their bio. Yet another group that posts about meetups, routes, etc., but a little smaller.

There are about a million more accounts and groups that you can find with a little bit of research. Getting involved was really intimidating for me at first, but all it took was getting to one event. From there, I felt welcomed and encouraged to attend many more throughout the semester. I hope you can get involved and have as much fun as I did.

More Communities!

La Bicicritica: I blogged about this too. Madrid’s version of critical mass, on the last Thursday of every month. Basically a party on wheels, more bike focused, a fantastic time.

Salsa, Bachata, Kilombe: There’s a ton of bars where people go to practice latin dance, and there are a ton of events that are free if you know where to look! Many venues hold weekly lessons/free dance events, and many of the same people will show up on a weekly basis. A friend of mine got heavily involved into the community of @mymo_latindance (the people there are really good!). This Whatsapp group posts flyers for events all week, many of which are free.

Couchsurfing Madrid: Madrid has a very vibrant couchsurfing community! If you don’t know couchsurfing, it’s basically a way to meet cool people and get free housing when you’re traveling (I wrote about my experience couchsurfing in Amsterdam). People also host a ton of great events for members of the community, and Madrid has a very strong one! The people there are a bit older, but all super dope and well traveled — I had a lot of fun at the events I went to. They’ll host bar nights, game nights, watch soccer games together, go to fun city events… the list goes on. Worth checking out! Just set your location to Madrid and browse.

Sputnik Climbing: Climbing may be huge in the USA, but it’s pretty big in Spain, too. Sputnik Climbing is a gym that I went to, and they have a bunch of locations throughout the city. Would recommend, great way to meet people.

ESN Madrid: I mentioned this in the UC3M blog I posted previously. Erasmus Student Network is basically an organization that hosts events for international students. There’s probably one for your university, and if there isn’t, you can join events from another Uni (they’re pretty open). Another good way to meet people — and go on some awesome cheap trips around Spain, too!

Social Rugby: I met a british guy at the bicicriti once, and he added me to the whatsapp group for their team. I never ended up going, but if you love rugby (or have ever wanted to try — no experience necessary), here ya go. It’s a very open, international group of people, and they have weekly practices and frequent matches. I would follow and DM them on instagram @madridlionsrfc and ask to join their whatsapp group. Alternatively, show up to their pub and see what’s good.

Alfar de Lavapies (Ceramics): I never got a chance to practice ceramics in Madrid, but this was the closest studio to me. They offer classes, but you can also just work in the studio — send an email and someone will respond to help you get set up (like they did for me).

Nightlife

Madrid’s nightlife is top tier. People are out and about every season, and you can find a party to go to nearly every day of the week. Things start late (club is empty at 12am) and end late (6am is a normal closing time), and there are seemingly endless options for things to do based on your preference. I wrote a blog about Madrid’s nightlife (another blog? go figure) with lots more details on the timing of things, the typical sequence of events, and drinking culture (+ a healthy amount of self reflection :P). 

There are two categories for recommendations I’ll make here: Bars and Clubs. Both of these are on the google maps list: Nightlife in Madrid 

Here are some highlights with more thoughtful descriptions below:

Clubs

The biggest, I repeat, biggest piece of advice I can give to anyone who wants to have a good night out clubbing in Madrid is to follow @mucho.fomo on instagram. This instagram account is goated. Basically, they post about every single electronic music event happening around the city, for every day of the week. All of that information can be found on their website. They’ll also frequently post lists you can sign up for to get into events for free. With this account/website, you’re golden for electronic music.

Another great resource for clubbing that is used around the world is Resident Advisor. Promoters list their events on RA Madrid. Similar to @mucho.fomo. 

Almost all club parties require buying tickets, either at the door or in advance. I’ll assert that all of my recommendations come from my personal preference in music and vibe, so take all of these with a grain of salt. These clubs/promoters are more well known in Madrid. There are countless lesser known events that are incredible and have fantastic music (and will still be listed on @muchofomo)!

Laster Club: The place to be if you like purist type techno. The biggest names in techno get booked here (Rodhad, Rene Wise, Luke Slater, Marron, DVS1, Oscar Mulero, etc). The sound system in Bassement is very good, and the club is pretty intimate. The crowd, while a little commercial, gets hype, I met really cool people there. Buy tickets in advance!

Mondo: Another one of the more famous clubs in Madrid, with a little more of a fun/light vibe and less of a dark/serious vibe when compared to Laster. Big names come here, maybe a little more mainstream than Laster. The club itself has great sound and an awesome open dancefloor.

Fabrik: The most insanely massive club in all of Madrid. At peak, it has 7 stages, all with huge sound systems and elaborate decorations and tons of people. Generally very intense, and can be overwhelming. It is quite far outside of the city center (look into their shuttle service), and going is a commitment. Events they host are less like parties and more like festivals (check out the CODE event for techno), and they get some big names. A good time if you’re in for a proper rave with thousands of people.

Goya Social Club: Great venue if you like house, deeper and groovier. Good DJs are always booked there on the weekends.

Laboratorio Octogon: Never got to go but it looks so sick. Look up @octogon360 on instagram to see what I mean. All kinds of music gets played here.

Also:

Kapital: This spot is really hyped up (7 floors, 3 stages, etc), but if you go there expect a transplantation of American party culture into Madrid — not necessarily a bad thing, but not an intercultural experience. Their disco ball was very pretty though.

Fucking Mondays: Same thing as above; It’s pretty much only tourists that go here. It is on a Monday though and almost always sells out, which is cool. If you want to go, get tickets pretty far in advance, or better yet, join a bar crawl (shoutout our guide Ben from pubcrawl! This was fun).

Bars

For every club in Madrid, there are even more bars. You can get a huge range of vibes depending on where you go. Bars open earlier and end a bit earlier (3 am ish) than clubs. Here are some recs:

La Vía Láctea: Super cool rocker type bar, with a pool table and generally great vibes and interior. Also historical — this was one of the main venues of La Movida. The crowd here is pretty international. Sometimes they have a DJ spinning vinyl old school bangers, and people bust down. Would recommend, get there early on weekends to avoid a line.

El Chapandaz: Being in Moncloa, Chapandaz gives much more of the college bar type of vibe. It gets really fun and rowdy, and the crowd is pretty local (There are also tons of other bars in Moncloa to grab a cheap drink beforehand). The inside looks like a cave (cool). Try their leche de pantera, but be careful — it sneaks up on you FAST (like it did on me). Get there early on weekends to avoid the line.

Jack’s Library: Cocktail speakeasy. There’s literally a secret password to get in (look it up online), it’s super fun. The cocktails are a bit pricier but very bomb af. Sit down chat vibe with amazing interior decor. Get there early on weekends to avoid a line.

Sala Equis: Bar that is located in a previous porno theater. The space itself is really chic and industrial looking — high ceilings, ivy, seating everywhere — great vibes. They also host events here frequently, and have live bands on Sunday during the day!

La Gílderia: Nothing too special about this place, but they specialize in vermouth and have a nice seating area in- and outdoors. Vermouth (Vermut) in Spain is a must try IMO. Spaniards drink it solo on the rocks with a little olive or orange peel and it’s just a great vibe. One of my favs, you can get it everywhere.

Haircuts

Just wanted to shout out Yolanda @yolbecool at Corta Cabeza (Barcelo), she did me so well and was sooo nice. They do edgy cuts well (i got a… mullet). Speaks English but is more comfortable with Spanish. Let her know Niko from USA recommended you if you go to her, and if not, they have tons of other talented stylists.

School/University

I already wrote about my experience going to university in Madrid at UC3M. Read on here!

Travel Within Spain!

Spain is an incredible country with a huge diversity of cities, natural beauty, and culture. A well connected train system makes travel around the country accessible and cheap. Here are some ideas:

Day Trips

Madrid is located smack dab in the middle of the country. Combined with the amazing public transportation, there are tons of day trips you can take!! CEA organizes a bunch of these, I recommend hopping in on the (free!) trips whenever you can, they’re well worth it and the staff is awesome (tell Dana and Miguel I miss them <3). The following descriptions are short blurbs, with my most recommended listed higher up in the list.

Toledo: A must see. Epic cathedral, tight streets, chill vibes.

Segovia: Roman aqueduct, amazing food, cool palace.

Valencia: Vibey town, nice beaches, modern museums, good paella.

Cuenca: Historic moorish city, with hanging houses.

Salamanca: Beautiful college town.

Cercedilla: Great hiking in the mountains outside of Madrid.

Ávila: Medieval vibes, walled city.

El Escorial: Palace, monastery, etc.

Alcalá de Henares: Birthplace of Miguel Cervantes, with a cool university.

Valley of the Fallen: Monument commemorating deaths of those in the Spanish Civil War. Has a huge cross.

Parque de Atracciones: Theme park. Very close to the city, and I heard that it had some pretty good rides.

Weekend Trips:

First, I would highly recommend checking out tour groups for trips within Spain and around Europe/Africa. The two that I know of are City Life Madrid and Smart Insiders, which I also listed in the Settling In section. I did a trip to Northern Morocco with Smart Insiders, and it was great — cheap price, well organized, awesome itinerary, and a fun/young group of people. Super nice to forget about the planning and just follow along for a change.

Of course, planning trips yourself is awesome too, and Spain has an incredible array of destinations. I could have spent every weekend traveling somewhere new, and regret not seeing more of the country. Big cities in Europe will always be easy to get to, smaller Spanish destinations not so much — take advantage! Here are some more noteworthy cities in Spain that deserve a weekend trip, again with my highest recommendations up first in the list:

Barcelona: Self explanatory, a must see (I compared Barcelona to Madrid in this post)

Costa Brava: A nice extension to a Barcelona trip. Mediterranean coast, small towns.

Sevilla: There’s so much to see here! The capital of Andalucia. CEA does a trip here as well, don’t miss it.

Granada: La Alhambra alone makes Granada worth visiting. Lots of Moorish influence.

Córdoba: Close to Granada, can see both in one trip if you plan it right.

Málaga: Big beach city on the southern coast.

Basque Country (San Sebastian/Bilbao): Basque country and language (Euskera) is very distinct from the rest of Spain. Super interesting, beautiful cities (and coastline), and incredible food. 

Mallorca: Island beach vibes. Palma is the biggest city, and parties a bit more — it would be worth checking this out and then one of the smaller towns for a more peaceful vibe.

Canary Islands/Tenerife: Ditto on the above. More tropical, and a bit calmer. People that went to Tenerife said they were joined by a lot of old British tourists.

Ibiza: Island beach vibes, but party to the max.

Picos de Europa National Park: Incredible national park in Spain. The mountain landscape was amazing and unique, and the small towns that surround it are charming. If you love nature, I wouldn’t miss this park.

Galicia: Galicia is a region, not a city. Regrettably, I never got the chance to go, but a trip to Galicia provides a chance to experience another unique Spanish subculture (and language — they speak Gallego). I hear that the coast is incredibly beautiful. The Camino de Santiago stops here, too, in Santiago de Compostela.

Lists

I made a lot of google maps lists during my travels, which is a hobby/impulse of mine, for better or for worse.  An important note about those — they contain all the places I’ve been, not just ones that I like. Make sure you check out my notes, because not every single one has a good review 🙂. Here’s all of them in one place, some of which were included in sections above, some of which were included in previous blogposts:

Madrid

Nightlife Madriz

Café de Madriz

Spots Guayes de Madriz 

Places to Try (things I didn't get to in Madrid) 

Spain

Restaurantes de España (mostly Madrid)

Sevilla 

Granada 

Barcelona (+ Costa Brava) 

Northern Spain (Picos de Europa, San Sebastian, Bilbao) 

Europe

Italy (Milan, Rome, Florence, Bologna, & more) 

Amsterdam

Berlin  

London 

______________________________________________________________

So, here ends my incredibly long and (hopefully) comprehensive guide to Madrid. If you get even one thing out of it, I’ll consider that an incredible W. I loved my time in Madrid, and the idea of helping others get the most out of their experience there too brings me a lot of joy. Let me know if one of my recommendations led you to an awesome experience, I would love to hear it :)

Don’t hesitate to reach out with questions, comments, or recommendations for how I could make this guide better — I’m always open and willing to talk! Have an amazing rest of your day, wherever you are in the world!

Ciaooooo,

Niko Economos

Aerospace Engineering

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

Madrid, Spain

economos@umich.edu 

P.S.: This post is on substack too, which is a bit easier to share because you don't need an account to read on mobile. Read here.

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Global Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) Market, By Test type (Molecular Tests, Serology Tests), Product Types (CD66a, CD66b, CD66c, CD66d, CD66e, CD66f), Gender (Male, Female), Application (Gastrointestinal Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer, Thyroid Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Others), End-User (Hospitals, Diagnostic Centers, Cancer Centers, Research, Academic Institutes) – Industry Trends and Forecast to 2029.

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Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (U.S.)

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Lee BioSolutions (U.S.)

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Boster Biological Technology (U.S.)

 Browse More Info @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-carcinoembryonic-antigen-cea-market

With the help of credible Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) market analysis report, businesses can make out the reaction of the consumers to an already existing product in the market. The report includes estimations of recent state of the market, CAGR values, market size and market share, revenue generation, and necessary changes required in the future products. A wide-ranging competitor analysis helps build superior strategies of production, improvement in certain product, its advertising or marketing and promotion for the business. Exhaustive and comprehensive market study performed in the wide ranging Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) market report offers current and forthcoming opportunities that put light on the future market investment.

Key questions answered in the report:

Which product segment will grab a lion’s share?

Which regional market will emerge as a frontrunner in coming years?

Which application segment will grow at a robust rate?

Report provides insights on the following pointers:

Market Penetration: Comprehensive information on the product portfolios of the top players in the Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) Market.

Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on the upcoming technologies, R&D activities, and product launches in the market.

Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of the market strategies, geographic and business segments of the leading players in the market.

Table Of Content

Part 01: Executive Summary

Part 02: Scope Of The Report

Part 03:  Global Market

Part 04: Global Market Size

Part 05: Global Market Segmentation By Product

Part 06: Five Forces Analysis

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Gobierno Estatal responde a las familias con distribución de agua gratuita

San Luis Potosí SLP.- La Comisión Estatal del Agua (CEA), atiende a las familias potosinas con la distribución de agua potable gratuita a través de camiones cisterna en las colonias capitalinas al sur y oriente de la capital, afectadas por la nueva falla en El Realito y ante la inoperancia de organismos operadores de agua. El director general de la dependencia estatal, Benjamín Pérez Álvarez,…

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"101st CEAS Anniversary"

Issue #10 by Allana Andrea Malto & Nicole Ericka Rivera

After several months of preparation, the 101st year of the CEAS department was finally commemorated on February 3-4, 2023 at National University Manila. It was a 2-day of fun and CEASzling celebration where students of the CEAS department enjoyed all the exciting and mind-blowing events. The activities that were prepared showcased various talents and skills which has shown the competitive side of the students where they showed their sporty side in Basketball, Volleyball, and Table Tennis, their wittiness competing in Spelling Bhie and Chess, their amazing talents in Zumba Work Out, and with their courage and confidence joining the battle of minds in the very first debate competition in CEAS Department.

One of the highlights of the CEAS Week was the Battle of Minds held at National University Manila Function and Social Hall. The event started with Debate Orientation and Briefing on the Day 1 of the CEAS week from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM while the official elimination of the competition started at 1:00 PM and ended at 5:00 PM. The event was joined by 3 competitive teams who participated in the first-ever CEAS debate competition; the team of Adrian Olfindo, Patrice Villaruz, and Joshua Tesoro; the team of Lovely Joy Nedic, Nathan Antazo, and Justine Malaborbor; and the team of Jannah Martos, Vhon Ventura, and Ceejay Bebis. 

The event progressed to the first two team debaters who conquered the stage with confidence and filled the room with tension, while students that were watching felt the excitement. When their topic was being announced, the captain of each team picked their side to begin the first debate topic, "Resolve that ROTC be made mandatory for college students'', where the team of Joshua had the affirmative side while the other hand, the team of Justine opposed it as they had picked the negative side. The debaters were given 30 minutes to prepare their topic speech and argument as CEASSC Vice President, Feejay Nario, introduced the panel of judges: Mr. Leeroi Christian Rubio, Ms. Susan Gopez, and Mr. Daniel Francisco Del Rosario, before finally welcoming all the students who attended the CEAS debate competition. 

The first debate topic was fueled by a heated exchange of speeches and rebuttals between the two debate teams, especially with the first two speakers, Patrice and Lovely. Since Patrice's argument goes around how ROTC is a necessity that focuses on emergency response rather than military preparedness, Lovely suggested that the government should focus more on improving the education system. She also put an emphasis on defending academic freedom, firmly laying out Article 3 of The 1987 Constitution Of The Republic Of The Philippines, because she believes that ROTC as a necessity is out of context and mandating it would take the students’ freedom.

The first topic exchange was ended by Justine who stated that “learning cannot take place where terror is present,” followed by her closing remarks where she mentioned the Mark Welson Chua case in 2001 (an ROTC cadet at the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) found lifeless in Pasig River) and the PUP hazing incident last 2014.

The second topic, “Resolve that the government bans schools and universities (public and private) from mandating students on wearing gender-normative uniforms,” was then introduced. Justine’s team chose the affirmative side, while Vhon’s team decided to negate the topic. The topic advanced with Lovely’s steadfast speech about schools and universities that mandates gender-normative uniform, she stated that it denies the students the opportunity to freely express themselves. “No person shall be deprived,” Lovely spoke, but Jannah countered it saying that it would be too harsh and hasty to make. It could also be ineffective and could be harmful, which is why Jannah tried to propose an alternative and appropriate solution. She stated that educating the youth about inclusivity (about LGBT and SOGIE in general) would be for the greater good rather than a band-aid solution that allows cross-dressing.

However, Nathan’s speech consistently defended his team’s side. “[It is] a stepping stone for the Philippines,” the speaker said, but it was countered in the rebuttal where Ceejay asked him “What is the sense of allowing students to cross-dress if it cannot be allowed in the corporate world?” This argument ignited and was intensified by Vhon’s speech where he clearly stated his reasons why his team is not in favor of the government banning schools and universities from mandating students on wearing gender-normative uniforms. First, the SOGIE Bill is still on house reading. Second, most corporate companies do not allow cross-dressing because they must have a proper representation of self and the company. Vhon continued his speech by talking about if schools and universities, especially universities that are supposedly training students of the corporate world, allow gender-normative attire, it would easily defeat the purpose of training students to be an actual professional.

The rebuttal between the last two speakers was heated but both sides were unbelievably calm and enjoying their exchange of rebuts. In the closing remarks, Justine did not waste any time and restated her team’s claim to let the students express themselves by banning schools and universities from mandating students on wearing gender-normative uniforms. Whereas Vhon sticks with his team’s claims and states, “The school’s purpose is to prepare the students [for the] corporate or professional field.”

The first day of the Debate Elimination ended with a banged where students were clung and left hanging to the results of the elimination, eager to find out who will move forward to the final round on the 2nd day of the competition as it was the scheduled day for the announcement of who among the three competitive teams will proceed to the finals round of the competition. The three teams gave an amazing and knowledgeable debate that made all the students who watched the competition applaud loudly as they can no longer wait for the final round to give another heated but meaningful debate. Though the three of them already won in the heart of the students, only two of the debaters can proceed to claim the title of champion of the first-ever CEAS debate competition. But just before the final round happened on the scheduled date, the College of Education, Arts, and Sciences made an announcement that there will be no more debate for the 2nd day of CEAS Week, February 04, 2023.

The cancellation of the debate championship was due to a very short-noticed cancellation of one team this morning. The team was unable to participate in the championship round due to the illness of one of its members. Additionally, the other team expressed their intention to forfeit their participation on the evening of February 3, leaving only one team to attend. The event carries on with the announcement of winners for all the events to conclude the 2-day celebration of our department. As a result of this sudden and unexpected turn of events, the organizers of the debate championship had no other choice but to cancel the event. It was a difficult decision for the organizer, but they felt it was necessary in order to ensure the safety and well-being of the participants. The organizers of the debate championship would like to thank all the teams and participants for their enthusiasm and commitment to the event. They hope to be able to organize a successful debate championship in the future.

The CEAS 101st anniversary was surely a success as the students both enjoyed and learned something meaningful that they will treasure. All the efforts that were made were acknowledged, not only by all the participants but also by those students who helped make the events happen. They ensured that the next events will be even more interactive and successful.

[hannahz-scstudyabroad]

A New Adventure: 1/26/2023

Ahoj! I am Hannah. I am a Junior at the University of South Carolina and am very excited to share my journey throughout the study abroad experience for Spring 2023. Currently, I am in all the feelings right now about this next experience in life… I am writing this on January 25th, 2023 and I am leaving the United States this Friday and flying over to Europe. 

Overall, I am excited to study abroad and ready to delve into Czech culture. I do have independent travel experience, as I went to South Korea by myself last May. Having that previous experience has also made me less nervous about the whole travel experience itself. I am also going with a fellow Gamecock, Ashley Saltzman. I am very excited and comfortable about my travel journey knowing I have a buddy with me throughout my travels. 

However, I am definitely feeling the jitters too. Although excitement is definitely the main emotion, I am also sad because I won’t be able to see my friends, boyfriend, and family for a while and although, yes I have traveled independently before, it has not been for this long of a duration. Ever since I was little, I had bad anxiety when it came to sleepovers and being out of my house for a while. At this point, home are the people I am leaving behind but I am happy to have a little bit of home with me, through Ashley, which will help with my jitters.  

To prepare to go abroad, I had to complete two separate applications: USC and CEA. CEA is the third-party program that I used for my study abroad experience. After working through the online portions, I had to run around all of Columbia in order to get all the materials needed for a Czech visa. This needed to be done back in October as a precaution if the Consulate takes a while to review. After gathering the materials and miraculously getting my student visa approved in two weeks, I only had to book my flights.

The issue with traveling to Europe is the expense of getting there. Direct flights to Prague from New Jersey were over $900 one way. In order to make sure that both Ashley and I can adjust to the time zone as well as saving hundreds of dollars, we decided to fly into Copenhagen, stay for the weekend, then take a flight from Copenhagen to Prague the day we are set to arrive in Prague. Not only will we have some extra funds, we are also going to be able to experience a new country for a weekend before orientation next week. This transitional weekend will not only prepare our minds for this next semester, but it will also help us prepare for what it is like to be in Europe. I am even calling this weekend the “teaser trailer” for my next few months in Prague. 

Experiencing butterflies for this next chapter in my life. It is like jumping into the unknown, and I am so excited to see what Prague has to offer!