Friday, March 9, 2012

Sanlucar de Barrameda!

Hello blogging world! I am currently living in Andalusia, Spain in town called Sanlucar de Barrameda, a pueblo of about 70,000 people. Not many people from outside of Spain have heard of this town in the province of Cadiz, however there are several reasons why Sanlucar is important and famous within Spain.

Let's start with the vino! Sanlucar is filled with bodegas (wineries) that produce Manzanilla. This is a special type of fino sherry and is the only region in the world that produces this wine.

What does Christopher Columbus have to do with Sanlucar? Mr. Columbus set sail from Sanlucar to North America, giving Sanlucar an important historical element.

Lastly, I can't forget to mention the horse races on the beach! Every August, annual horse races take place where children bet candy or money on a who they think will be the winning horse. Unfortunately, I will be missing the festivities but I've heard it's an event not to miss (bummer).

There are some other tidbits about Sanlucar.... just google it. You'll easily find other facts and events.

However, I am not here to blog about Sanluqueno tourism. Rather, I am interested in sharing my experiences within the education system in Andalusia, or more specifically in Sanlucar. Having an International Affairs degree, I am constantly looking at the pros and cons of different types of systems. It may sound boring, but it interests me for one reason or another. I want to delve into issues such as aid effectiveness, disciplinary systems, and drop out rates, while at the same time incorporating culture, society, and politics. Additionally, I want to talk about my travel experiences!