PIRE I
Reflection
It has been a bit over a week since I landed back in the Unites States after my adventures in Granada. This last week as given me time to catch up with friends, family, and take time to reflect on this amazing opportunity. As I look back on the past two months I...
As everything comes to an end
This last week has been filled with testing. For my last week of testing I was able to schedule 11 participants. Unfortunately, due to the end of classes and preparing for finals I had 4 last minute cancellations and 1 no show. I still have two more participants...
Updates on Testing and a Beach Trip as the last Hurrah
So far testing the end of last week and this week has been going pretty well/ I have been emphasizing the importance to not blink or move around during the experiment and I think the participants are understanding the significance to our data collection. Although...
The Beginning of the End
As I sit here in lab, it dawns on me that this is my last Monday in Granada. I have some mixed feelings, but I'm predominantly sad to be leaving and surprised that this trip went by so quickly. Its hard to believe that just next week I'll be back in my house, sleeping...
FINALLY GETTING INTO THE ALHAMBRA
That's right, I have tickets to go see the actual Alhambra palace tonight at 5:00 and I am super excited! In other news, our presentations on Tuesday went very smoothly. Our audience had very good questions, critiques and comments that shed some light on points where...
Participant testing and a weekend excursion to Barcelona
Testing has gone pretty well that last couple weeks. So far I have nine useable files out of the first 15 tested participants, yay! I have been having a few problems with some of the electrodes and lowering their impedances as well as making sure that the participants...
Last week in Granada
This could possibly be my last blog post to describe my PIRE experience. I have a lot of mixed emotions about getting ready to leave on Sunday. First, the past 8 weeks absolutely flew by, but if I really think about it I have made so many memories and met so many...
I have been so pleased with the amount of participants I have been able to run these past two weeks. I needed Native Spanish Speakers and L2 Spanish Speakers for my research study and I was beginning to worry about finding enough L2 speakers. The best way is to...
A quiet weekend in Granada
Rachel and I made a lot of plans for this weekend...and we did none of them. In all seriousness, our lab presentations are tomorrow and we spent the weekend preparing and exploring our city. I´m pretty nervous for this presentation tomorrow, but everyone keeps telling...
Simplicity is key!
My last blog post focused mostly on the cultural experiences and learning I'm having here, but I also wanted to give an update with where I am research-wise! With only one week left to spare, I have finished running my participants- all 43 of them! I have been in...
A weekend in sunny, abandoned Tangiers
My mother came to visit for a few days and we went to Tangiers for the weekend (last weekend? They're blending together) Overall, this city was not what I expected at all. Considering its proximity to Spain (you can literally see the Spanish coastline), I was...
Difficulties breaking #30
As I write this, I am awaiting the arrival of my 30th participant. This news is bittersweet because he actually should have been the 34th. At this point, my research is teaching me a good lesson in patience and people skills. I've never been stood up this repetitively...
We Found a Pool to Escape the Granada Heat
This last week along with the Monday and Tuesday of this week has been filled with testing participants. Although my recent days have consisted of nine to ten hour days in the lab, because each session takes three hours, I am really excited to be testing at a regular...
Learning Experiences
I know this blog post is a little late, but that is because I spent half of last week with my family in Ireland. We had such a great time together and it was wonderful seeing them! Ireland is a very special place for my family and I. We are very Irish and I spent 12...
Sunny Days!
Well I finally understand why dinner is enjoyed so late in the evening here in Granada. This Spanish heat is serious! I am definitely feeling thankful for our landlady for giving us some fans to enjoy in the apartment. I have to give myself a pep talk before I walk...
Some music, roses, and cave exploration make for a great weekend
This past week in the lab I was able to test a couple participants and their testing went really well! Within the next two weeks I plan to increase my testing amount per day and hopefully have a total of 20 participants tested by the week of June 20th. My recruiting...
I had three participants today who cancelled
I am very dissapointed that I did not get to test any participants because today would have marked the big number 30. Now that we´re on the topic, I suppose I should mention how smoothly my experiment has been running. Although there are some differences in the...
Debit card is on the way
In case my readers (my fans, my groupies, etc.) were worried, the Federal Credit Union will be sending a replacement debit card to my house, at which point my father will send it to Spain. So, things are looking up in that arena. In other news, we are concluding week...
Language and Culture
This week, one of the undergraduates from Ponoma College arrived and it has been great getting to know her, showing her around the lab, and welcoming her into our daily routines. Over the past few weeks, I've become quite familiar with the city. It's nice walking...
Corpus Christi Holiday and Celebrations
This past weekend the city of Granada celebrated Corpus Christi –the catholic holiday that honors the body of Christ in the holy water. Although the holiday is celebrated throughout all of Andalucía, it is most famous in Granada since the holiday combined with the...
Corpus Christi and Horses
I feel so lucky to be able to say that I was in Granada, Spain for the celebration of Corpus Christi. What an exciting weekend! Every time we turned around we were seeing, hearing, smelling, or tasting something new. The first thing I noticed was the BEAUTIFUL dresses...
Corpus Christi Celebrations
This week has been all about celebrating Corpus Christi. The energy and enthusiasm is alive and well here in town and I have loved being part of it. The lab was closed on Thursday and Friday because of the holiday, so we took advantage of it by going to the Feria....
We only have one month left?
This was what I asked myself when someone pointed out that I am no longer "here in Spain for two months" anymore. I only have one month left. Almost four weeks have gone by and I can't believe how quick they felt. I'm maneuvering little side streets of Granada,...
Grilled Cheese and the Alhambra
Today I tested my first participant, yay! Although there were a multitude of problems –from a lack of sound connection to the response box not working –I was able to complete the first testing session here in Granada. I definitely would not have been able to get...
Update: They still haven’t let us into the Alhambra
We made it into Generalife and saw the gardens, but that's as far as they let us go. But I'm sure the fourth time will be the charm, right? We also went to the playa at Almunecar (I don't know how to get accents on the PIRE keyboard) on Sunday and got roasted by the...
Into the Groove
Two weeks in and I feel like I have settled into a routine here in Granada. Its nice to feel comfortable with my surroundings and not get completely lost while walking around the city. I feel like a real local now with my bus pass. All I have to do it hop on the bus...
The sisterhood of the rolling suitcases….
Another week already gone and I feel like I have been really busy between running my participants and exploring this large and beautiful city. I’m so happy that my fellow undergraduates have arrived and together we’ve been having so much fun! I call us the “sisterhood...
first week in beautiful Granada
Yay! After so much anticipation and preparation throughout the semester we are finally here. I had two days after finishing up my finals to unpack, do a million loads of laundry, and repack for my 8 week adventure. It didn't really seem real that I was really headed...
We went to the Alhambra twice and they still won’t let us in
It’s been a week. Ok, it’s been a little more than a week, I just don’t want to admit that I completely forgot about writing this blog. Day 1, Rachel Joy and I arrived at the Lorca-Jaen airport and, what do you know, it’s freezing rain and windy. It basically looks...
Travels and the first week
On Tuesday I was leaving home to go to the Philadelphia airport where I would start my Spanish adventure. I was definitely a little nervous but also excited by the novelty of a new country and curiosity of what my research might result in. After saying goodbye to my...
The first few days
I can't believe I've already been here for almost a week! I have been so busy and having fun at the same time which has made this week pass by so quickly. I arrived in Granada last Wednesday and I was so exhausted from the flight. After getting settled and catching up...
Canada Day
During my trip to Milan, I lived in a phenomenal hostel with great roommates and a courteous staff. Air conditioning was available for the first time in weeks and I had access to breakfast every single day. The weather has gotten much warmer and being able to sleep in...
Last Day at the University
There is no better adjective to describe myself other than empowered. Today is my last day at this wonderful university, because I have scheduled my last participant for this afternoon. It's a truly wonderful feeling, hitting that magic number of 50. I woke up feeling...
Goodbye to Granada
Today is my last day. I’ve decided that (overall) I am sad. Don’t get me wrong; I am really excited to see everyone back home. But I just said goodbye to the man who makes my coffee everyday and I almost cried. It sounds stupid, but I’ve seen this guy nearly every...
Delaney: Wrapping Everything Up
All of my equipment is packed up and removed from the lab, my keys are turned in, and I am ready to focus on coding. I ended with a total of 24 participants, only one short of my secondary goal. My 25th participant was a no-show on Friday and emailed me...
Delaney: Barcelona: The Man with 5 Tigers
On Wednesday night, Annie, Angie, Haoyun and I took a late plane to Barcelona for a language conference. We arrived around midnight and caught a cab that was to take us to our hostel. . . He took us near-ish our hostel and said it was good enough and he wasn't sure...
Delaney: Skype Calls and London Adventures
I thought I would be done with participants by now, but I am not. It happens. I have three more until I reach my initial goal and 8 more until I reach my secondary goal. Segmenting data is taking longer than I thought and I foresee me spending much of summer “break”...
Forza Juve
With the third week of my trip coming close to an end, I have the pleasure of knowing that progress is being made with my project and that I have a good number of individuals lined up in the coming days. It brings great satisfaction that data is slowly building itself...
Delaney: 3 Countries in 3 Days!
Okay. It’s been a few days; I'm sorry. Also, shoutout to Annie for choosing the title of today's post. While I plan on writing extensively on participant experiences and the different trips we’ve done over the past two weekends, I want to start with the serious stuff....
Doce días en Granada
There is something special about the city of Granada. I'm not sure if it's the architecture or the people here, but as I walk down these streets in the middle of the night, I feel this sense of newfound freedom and happiness. I feel liberated from the chains of my own...
Delaney: I’m (Kinda) Halfway There! (Plus Weekend Adventures)
Hola! As of right now I have 2 participants tested and another 8 scheduled. So I'm halfway there...Or at least I will be once I have them tested. My first testing session did not go very well, but everything worked out in the end. Right at the beginning, my...
Start of the Adventure of a Lifetime
This past first week has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life. So now let me start from the very very beginning. The plane ride to Europe! I have to admit, planes are not my favorite things in the world even though I've been flying to South America...
Delaney: Bait and Switch from the Witch and Other Happenings
Alright, so I am no longer alone in the apartment. Angie arrived on Sunday and Felix arrived on Tuesday. It’s nice having people in the apartment; I feel much less paranoid. Angie and I have spent hours (over the course of two days) putting up flyers to find...
Delaney: Weekend Adventures and Brain Workings
¡Hola! So, the university is not open on the weekends, but we went to Málaga over the weekend. Adventuring ensued. I should start out by saying that, while I enjoyed Málaga, I definitely like Granada better. There are so many tourists in Málaga. I know, I know. I am a...
Delaney: A Pleasant Walk, Meeting with Teresa Bajo, and the First Lab Meeting
Walk Yesterday evening, I decided to take a walk. I’ve been doing this most every day, since it’s nice to just get out and look at the city. Especially after trying to work on logistical stuff and paperwork for what feels like ages. Today, unlike all of the other days...
Delaney: Language Collisions and Lab Orientation
As I am writing this, I am sitting at the café at the Universidad de Granada and looking out over the city and surrounding countryside and drinking freshly squeezed orange juice. Be jealous. I know that I keep reusing the word ‘picturesque’ to describe how beautiful...
Delaney: The Honeymoon Stage and Meeting the Lab
I remember taking a cultural anthropology course during my first semester of college. During this course, we talked about culture shock. A lot of people know what this is, but for those who don’t, it is a sense of disorientation that occurs when people experience when...
Delaney: A New Adventure
Hello from Granada! I apologize in advance because this post is going to consist of ramblings from the trip over and my introduction to Granada. The Flights Annie, Jon, and I arrived safely at 1:30 p.m. (Granada time) yesterday, May 2, and I can...
Coming Home
by Kyra Leigh Krass Here it is- the post I've been dreading writing- the last post. I've finally completed my research here in Granada, and I don't want to leave! My flight leaves tomorrow morning, so I'm all packed and ready to go. This experience was so great, and...
The Final Countdown
by Paige Nicole Elinsky In my last entry I signed off talking about my upcoming weekend Morocco trip. Kyra and I took a bus from Granada to Sevilla, then transferred to a different bus from Sevilla to Tarifa, then transferred to a ferry that took us across the...