Yo yo yo!
This is my last blog for my spring semester abroad 2011! I'm finally finishing it! Thank you for reading whatever you read! Here it goes: Scotland.
The plan was to go to Switzerland. Brynn and I tried to make it happen, but we ended up spending all our days together in Italy, which I feel was a good choice, because Switzerland is just too darn expensive for just a few days! BUT, I did get there, in a way. Brynn and I left each other in Rome; she went to Uganda for three weeks, and I had a layover in...Switzerland! For a few hours. Haha. So I walked around the Geneva airport and outside it in a random forest--got to smell clear air and see mountains in the distance. And yes, everything was expensive. I lost my boarding passes for about 10 minutes, but thank the Lord, I found them. That woulda been a disaster.
I met up with my friend Max, a Californian whom I met in Spain at the same college. We couch surfed with a couple, Judy and Tavis, in the suburbs of Edinburgh. Now this place is COOL. Towering, grey, gothic-style buildings crowd steeply-stacked streets. The Royal Mile is yes, a mile-long, wide street of shops, restaurants, street duos and trios, pubs, coffee shops, and everything. I remember the weather being pretty chilly and grey, but it was still awesome, and it made the grass look especially green.
Judy and Tavis were awesome. They met at a haunted hostel where they scared people walking by and dressed up in costumes. I think that explains them pretty well. And they like pirates a lot. They were just so quirky and funny, and we really enjoyed our time with them. Tavis is a giant. He reminds me of a slimmer, handsome Hagrid, but with some dreadage going on instead of a long beard. We went to a Chinese buffet with them haha--random! And walking around the city, to a pub, and we took pictures with the Scottish guards standing outside a famous castle (Apparently you're a true Scottsman if you were nothing under your kilt!). We stayed with J&T for two nights on their surprisingly comfy floor.
We JUST BARELY (running like mad) made it to the bus on time the next morning to Inverness, the heart city of the Highlands. We stayed in a cute, fun hostel that I automatically felt comfortable in, because of the people. That same day we took a taxi to the Loch Ness, where, I tell ya, I was on cloud nine. I needed this escape to absolutely beautiful water, pebbley shore, fields and fields of GREEN, yellow buttercups, and woods on a plateau overlooking the water. Magnificent. The sun was so strong, as was the wind, that made it pretty chilly! Max and I explored the woods, walked through an abandoned house, saw a castle-like hotel, and hitch-hiked with a bus driver, David, of a huge, nice bus back to our place. That night we ate haggis. Yup, sounds nasty. But it is the most popular delicacy there, and it was pretty good (sheep guts wrapped in sheep stomach, on mashed potatoes), until I was finished and it hit me that I had just eaten that. We stayed at this pub to watch a bag-pipe and accordion duo perform a rip n' roarin' set, and we danced on the floor!
The next day we ventured out to Ben Wyvus, a mountain we hiked up. And boy was it strenuous--just straight up! And never-ending! Fortunately, it was really chilly and sunny. We spent hours up there and met many different people, but mostly Scottish, to our surprise. Then, to meet our bus on time to go back, we tried running for about three-four miles (bad planning) and got there just in time, to find that the bus was already full. "Can we sit on the floor?" I ask. Nope. He wouldn't have it! Haha so we hitched a ride with two super nice, old men. Thank God. That night, we hung out with the people in the hostel; we played Egyptian Ratscrew with Amile, one of the coolest guys ever. Probably fifty-something, was born in Scotland, but is half Spanish, half Indian. WOW. He was just so fun to talk to, and we still keep in touch! I taught "Heart and Soul" to a drunk Scottish guy on the hostel's piano, played piano for a bunch of them haha, and spoke Spanish with Juan and his friend. It was a good, eclectic night.
Then we were off, back on the bus to Edinburgh the next morning, to stay with Harry Giles for two nights. He lives in a part of the city called Leath, which has the longest gradually declining hill you could imagine. We couch surfed with Harry and his 6 roommates, who all live communally (money pot for food, etc.). Harry likes acting and is really involved in the community. That night, Max and I went to the Jazz Bar, which is well-known and classy. We happened to go on the perfect night, when five of Scotland's best jazz musicians performed (and had never rehearsed before). Amazing. The next day we walked around and hiked up Arthur's Seat, which enabled us to see a great view of the whole city. Later we sat in a coffee shop/restaurant/recording studio/massage place/hair salon/venue/worship hall/art gallery (I'm not even kidding you; this place was awesome) called the Forest, where Harry works. Super cool. On our walk to the Meadow, we spotted a marching, drumming-through-the-city protest, promoting Scotland's independence from Great Britain. Then we met up with Harry, some of his roomies, and friends for a game of ultimate frisbee. The best possible way to end our time in Scotland. I couldn't help but say, "Wow. I never thought I'd be playing ultimate with strangers in Scotland." Incredible. And so much fun. Afterwards, we tagged along with a few of them to watch their friend's band play a set in a FREE venue, and we really enjoyed their music.
And that was Scotland! Such a cool, cool place, from what we saw. The people and their accent made it awesome, especially. I am so happy I went there and that I had a friend to experience it with me.
I am also extremely happy with how smoothly things went...the next morning I flew to London for a layover and then to Sevilla to spend one last night with Guille, my host mom. She fixed up some salmorejo for me (super nice of her), and we had a lovely convo. Gosh, she was good to me. The next day, I gathered my big, red suitcases, lugged them to the airport bus stop, and said goodbye to Sevilla. The flight home was long but enjoyable, as I wrote some jokes, met some really nice people, and had flight-long conversations with some of them. And I DID it! I was nervous about the flight home, but it couldn't have been smoother. I thank God for that.
And I thank God for it all. I will always remember this spectacular semester abroad. :)
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Italy, my love.
Hello!
The last time I blogged, I talked about staying with Pietro near Lake Como in Italy. This was a while back from now haha, so I will try my best to remember (it shouldn't be too hard though!). Brynn and I thoroughly enjoyed our time with Pietro. What a wonderful host he was to us. We were his first couch surfers ever, and BOY did he impress us! So one morning we woke up early, and Pietro drove us to Como, where he goes to school. Well, this was on a regular school day, so he picked up his carpool good friend and before the school started for them, we got to meet a group of his friends on this crisp morning right in front of their school where everyone assembles and chats before the dreaded sound of the school bell. Their school, by the way, is grey and has columns, just like many of the classical architecture you'll see there. Fancy shmancy!
So while Pietro was in school, Brynn and I explored the small town of Como. Fortunately, the weather was gorgeous, perfect for a boatride across the lake. I felt like a golden retriever, smiling and letting my hair just go in the wind. My tongue might as well have stuck out, I was such a happy camper. And on the boat was so much diversity: Korean, Chinese, Canadian, Australian, American, Bulgarian...crazy! Then after walking around this cutey patooty town, we awaited Pietro outside of his school with gelato for him (Brynn's idea). Then we drove back for a lovely rest of the afternoon with him: we baked bread, biked down the hills to a lake by his house where we swam (that bike ride I will remember forever) in a cove surrounded by mountains. So fresh, and it felt like a dream. Then later that evening it was just us kids (the aunt left), and Pietro cooked, mostly. Probably the most memorable of my entire semester: tortellini, ricotta cheese, some soft, green herb, and olive oil, bread, and cheese. Couldn't get my fingers out of the leftover tortellini!
Ok I think I'm mixing up the days here...don't remember what we did the next day, but I do know that his parents came back from Prague that night, so they, Pietro, Serena, Brynn, and I sat around the dinner table and ate. And ate. And ate. And laughed. And talked slowly while the kids translated when necessary (they are VERY good at English!). It was just a fun night, and we liked the warm, funny parents a lot. They really tried hard to speak English; go them.
Onto Cinque Terre, our other favorite spot. Unbelievable. Check out my pics when they get up (some day haha). This place shouted your name, Casey! Again, blessed with beautiful weather. This place is on the western border of Italy, and it consists of five small, hilly towns. Colorful, sun-washed buildings stacked on these hills overlooking the sparkling blue. We stayed in a hostel, and as soon as we stepped in the place, we made immediate friends with Emily and Kate, two Canadian girls our age. Then we met Meredith and three guys and then three other girls...basically, as people checked into the hostel, they just added to our group. It was awesome, we all just had great chemistry from the start. We cooked together one night (of the two we stayed), and Emily, Brynn, and I hiked up the hill of vineyards and randomly-placed homes one afternoon. One day Brynn, Meredith, and I hiked with two other random girls from Colorado, Emma and Melissa. They were really cool. They hiked with us for most of the day, but after a refreshing dip in the ocean after such a hot hike, Brynn and I completed the entire five towns in that one day! I have never been so active in my life! It was a tough hike, too!
But the best night of Cinque Terre, and one of the most memorable of all nights in Europe was the night we went skinny dipping underneath the stars in the Mediterranean ocean. Enough said. Will never forget it.
Brynn and I then headed to Siena for three nights. There, we were blessed to stay with a friend, Davide, whom we'd met during our semester in Sevilla. He lives in an Italian version mountain home that his father built in the country of hilly Siena. Davide took us to see the city of Siena, a black-striped gothic cathedral there, all the shops...and then he had us try his favorite pizza there. It was really cool to take it all in from a local's perspective, just like with Pietro and any couch surfing experience you'll get! Davide also took us to see different microcosmic castle towns in Siena that offered spectacular, paintable views of the rolling hills and Siena's trademark trees (I forget what they are called). His mom was so so sweet; she made us dinner two nights! Again, a fantastic cook. Brynn and I took the bus to Florence for a day. This city reminded me of Paris a lot, with its nice bridges crossing over the river. We did not go to the duomo, but we looked around...I honestly don't remember what we did. Florence for me, I remember liking it, but not until after a few hours haha. Then that night we spent with Davide and his friend; we put pizzas in the oven at his house and had an awesome conversation. I really like Davide and hope to continue being friends, haha, an ocean away.
Rome came next, the end of our traveling together. Call us crazy, but we spent only two days there! Brynn and I realized that we really appreciate the smaller cities better, so we spent more of our time at each of the smaller places. However, we did like Rome; and two days was enough. We got to go to the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica, saw Trevi Fountain, and the Coliseum and the Pantheon (from the outside). We walked around a lot, and we really enjoyed the smaller, hidden streets that were so quaint and cute. We got gelato (actually, a good amount in Italy in general, of course!), and one day we ate Chinese for lunch haha! I know, I know. Our last night in Italy we slept in the airport (way to end the trip, right?), but it wasn't so bad. 'Twas freezing, and we slept an average of two hours, but it was a good experience to have. Why did we do that? Well, Brynn was off to...UGANDA early the next morning! So it only made sense. Parting from her was bittersweet; here we had just had the time of our lives, soaking everything in together. And then she was off. What a good person to have in my life. I know I will see her again (we told her all the time she belongs in Boone! So she's a'comin!).
Well, that about does it for Italy. Can't express how amazing it was. And how thankful I am.
The last time I blogged, I talked about staying with Pietro near Lake Como in Italy. This was a while back from now haha, so I will try my best to remember (it shouldn't be too hard though!). Brynn and I thoroughly enjoyed our time with Pietro. What a wonderful host he was to us. We were his first couch surfers ever, and BOY did he impress us! So one morning we woke up early, and Pietro drove us to Como, where he goes to school. Well, this was on a regular school day, so he picked up his carpool good friend and before the school started for them, we got to meet a group of his friends on this crisp morning right in front of their school where everyone assembles and chats before the dreaded sound of the school bell. Their school, by the way, is grey and has columns, just like many of the classical architecture you'll see there. Fancy shmancy!
So while Pietro was in school, Brynn and I explored the small town of Como. Fortunately, the weather was gorgeous, perfect for a boatride across the lake. I felt like a golden retriever, smiling and letting my hair just go in the wind. My tongue might as well have stuck out, I was such a happy camper. And on the boat was so much diversity: Korean, Chinese, Canadian, Australian, American, Bulgarian...crazy! Then after walking around this cutey patooty town, we awaited Pietro outside of his school with gelato for him (Brynn's idea). Then we drove back for a lovely rest of the afternoon with him: we baked bread, biked down the hills to a lake by his house where we swam (that bike ride I will remember forever) in a cove surrounded by mountains. So fresh, and it felt like a dream. Then later that evening it was just us kids (the aunt left), and Pietro cooked, mostly. Probably the most memorable of my entire semester: tortellini, ricotta cheese, some soft, green herb, and olive oil, bread, and cheese. Couldn't get my fingers out of the leftover tortellini!
Ok I think I'm mixing up the days here...don't remember what we did the next day, but I do know that his parents came back from Prague that night, so they, Pietro, Serena, Brynn, and I sat around the dinner table and ate. And ate. And ate. And laughed. And talked slowly while the kids translated when necessary (they are VERY good at English!). It was just a fun night, and we liked the warm, funny parents a lot. They really tried hard to speak English; go them.
Onto Cinque Terre, our other favorite spot. Unbelievable. Check out my pics when they get up (some day haha). This place shouted your name, Casey! Again, blessed with beautiful weather. This place is on the western border of Italy, and it consists of five small, hilly towns. Colorful, sun-washed buildings stacked on these hills overlooking the sparkling blue. We stayed in a hostel, and as soon as we stepped in the place, we made immediate friends with Emily and Kate, two Canadian girls our age. Then we met Meredith and three guys and then three other girls...basically, as people checked into the hostel, they just added to our group. It was awesome, we all just had great chemistry from the start. We cooked together one night (of the two we stayed), and Emily, Brynn, and I hiked up the hill of vineyards and randomly-placed homes one afternoon. One day Brynn, Meredith, and I hiked with two other random girls from Colorado, Emma and Melissa. They were really cool. They hiked with us for most of the day, but after a refreshing dip in the ocean after such a hot hike, Brynn and I completed the entire five towns in that one day! I have never been so active in my life! It was a tough hike, too!
But the best night of Cinque Terre, and one of the most memorable of all nights in Europe was the night we went skinny dipping underneath the stars in the Mediterranean ocean. Enough said. Will never forget it.
Brynn and I then headed to Siena for three nights. There, we were blessed to stay with a friend, Davide, whom we'd met during our semester in Sevilla. He lives in an Italian version mountain home that his father built in the country of hilly Siena. Davide took us to see the city of Siena, a black-striped gothic cathedral there, all the shops...and then he had us try his favorite pizza there. It was really cool to take it all in from a local's perspective, just like with Pietro and any couch surfing experience you'll get! Davide also took us to see different microcosmic castle towns in Siena that offered spectacular, paintable views of the rolling hills and Siena's trademark trees (I forget what they are called). His mom was so so sweet; she made us dinner two nights! Again, a fantastic cook. Brynn and I took the bus to Florence for a day. This city reminded me of Paris a lot, with its nice bridges crossing over the river. We did not go to the duomo, but we looked around...I honestly don't remember what we did. Florence for me, I remember liking it, but not until after a few hours haha. Then that night we spent with Davide and his friend; we put pizzas in the oven at his house and had an awesome conversation. I really like Davide and hope to continue being friends, haha, an ocean away.
Rome came next, the end of our traveling together. Call us crazy, but we spent only two days there! Brynn and I realized that we really appreciate the smaller cities better, so we spent more of our time at each of the smaller places. However, we did like Rome; and two days was enough. We got to go to the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica, saw Trevi Fountain, and the Coliseum and the Pantheon (from the outside). We walked around a lot, and we really enjoyed the smaller, hidden streets that were so quaint and cute. We got gelato (actually, a good amount in Italy in general, of course!), and one day we ate Chinese for lunch haha! I know, I know. Our last night in Italy we slept in the airport (way to end the trip, right?), but it wasn't so bad. 'Twas freezing, and we slept an average of two hours, but it was a good experience to have. Why did we do that? Well, Brynn was off to...UGANDA early the next morning! So it only made sense. Parting from her was bittersweet; here we had just had the time of our lives, soaking everything in together. And then she was off. What a good person to have in my life. I know I will see her again (we told her all the time she belongs in Boone! So she's a'comin!).
Well, that about does it for Italy. Can't express how amazing it was. And how thankful I am.
Monday, May 23, 2011
End of Spain and more!
It has been a LONG TIME! Haha. So much has gone on! School was coming to an end (hence the busyness)…and now I am SO happy to say that it is DONE. Hallelujah. I couldn’t stop repeating that fact on the last day of school, after I finished my art history exam on a beautiful, sunny day. But here I sit on the bed in the basement of an Italian family’s home in Lecco, Italy. Summer has begun, and boy, is it sweet so far. Brynn, a good friend of mine, has planned our entire Italy trip, and thanks to her, we have hit the JACKPOT. She found Pietro, a 19 year-old guy on couch surfing, and so we are staying with him and his family for three nights. For free! I recommend couch surfing to anyone. He has been so nice, and we’ve just had two of the most wonderful days here. We just got back from a long hike up mountains that Lake Como surrounds. Imagine a huge lake with reddish-roofed houses sitting along the contours of this lake. Beautiful. And the weather—spectacular. Yesterday we walked in the rain around their neighborhood, getting to know Pietro and his lovely 16 year-old sister, Serena. And last night their aunt Rosana, who had come down from Switzerland, cooked us a delicious meal of breaded pork chops, fresh salad, bread, a big block of cheese, and strawberries and ice cream. Yum!
But before we get to into our Italy trip, I want to catch you up on Sevilla and how it ended up. School got busy, but not bad at all. All of Semana Santa, or holy week that leads up to Easter Sunday I spent in Sevilla, which was a good time to get work done while everyone was taking vacations. Also, I got to spend good quality time with Ana, my Spanish friend who is going to App State this fall (!) and my Spanish intercambio (or English learner partner through school), Laura and their friends. Semana Santa is a HUGE deal in Sevilla and in other parts of Spain. There are large, heavy pasos (or floats) that are incredibly intricate, and they are literally carried by strong, stubby men underneath throughout the streets. A band of trumpeters and drummers follow them, along with other Ku-Klux-Klan looking Nazarenos, who walk and carry crosses to supposedly gain penitence for their sins. This entire presentation is practiced during the course of the entire year for just this one week. It is an important part of their culture, especially for the really religious people, as the pasos carry sculptures of Jesus and Mary and are named according to a certain theme of the crucifixion/resurrection scene. It was very interesting to watch among the really crowded people!
Then Mom, Dad, and Mr. and Mrs. Nierste all came to visit me! Or rather, I was their excuse to travel throughout some of Spain and Portugal haha. We had a delightful time. My favorite part was taking a ride through Sevilla with them on a horse and buggy. I had the challenge of translating for them what Ricardo, our “driver” was telling us about the history of the different sites. It was really good practice and such a relaxing ride. We went out for tapas and ice cream, I showed them the street I live on (my favorite street so far in Sevilla), and we saw flamenco at my favorite venue! It was really cool to show them around “my” city and spend time with them.
Morocco came next!! It’s funny; I really never had the desire to see Morocco until hearing multiple times about how cool it was. So Max, Brynn, and I all went during Feria, which I’ll get to later (yet another vacation week off—there’s so much time off in Sevilla for these celebrations!). We flew there and spent two nights (one full day) with a family who is mutual friends of Max. Good people! Three very smart, home schooled kids. The parents are from the States, but have lived and raised kids in Casablanca for the past fifteen years! It was cool to spend time with them over lunch, a traditional meal called tajine, with potatoes, veggies, and chicken, all in a huge pot that you use bread to eat it out of. Also, we got to see a market, and the dad brought us to see a mosque, the second largest in the world! It was beautiful, and so was the weather. Then we were off to Marrakech, which was so so cool. That was quite the cultural experience. Markets swarming with people, Moroccans trying to sell you henna, orange juice, spices, clothes, meals… left and right. From mosques everywhere you can hear prayer calls throughout the day. Vibrant colors of the spices and clothes, crowds, smells of flat bread and spices—this place was busy, stimulating, lively, hectic, and fun. I absolutely enjoyed this place. I recommend it very much! It’s a different world, just a little ways away from Spain!
We came back in time to see a little bit of Feria, and boy was that fun. This holiday has historical roots, mimicking the gypsies of long ago who sold livestock from their homes that resembled tents. So right by my apartment is where this takes place, a huge area of tents that are uniquely decorated like houses called casetas. These are either private or public, and Brynn, Kristen, and I were invited to go into Ana’s private caseta, where her family goes, and everyone orders classic Spanish food and drinks (which we did—delish!). There’s music and Sevillanas, which is their type of flamenco dance that the whole world seems to know from birth. Most people are dressed up, especially the women, who wear long dresses with lots of fabric, long, dangly jewelry, and their hair up with big flowers in it. Very fortunately, the mom whose son I teach English to GAVE me her flamenco dress!!! Can you believe that? So the night I got to go the Feria I wore it, and after the caseta, our whole group and I went to a different caseta and danced the night away; I was there until almost 3:30 am! It was a BLAST.
Then…my friend Caitlin came! (Some of you know her as Wotan haha.) And this was very, very nice. She is my friend from high school and college, but ironically, her visit was the most amount of time we have ever hung out. We took walks, showed her that same flamenco venue, had tapas, I took her to our friends’ picnic in Sevilla’s largest park, we had ice cream at Rayas, the best ice cream I’ve had in Sevilla…we just had a good time, with lots of good conversation. Also, one day we went to Ana’s house (Kristen, Brynn, Caitlin, and I), and Ana taught us how to make Spanish tortilla and salmorejo, a cold tomato soup. We feasted and had a great time. She was such an easy guest to have, and fortunately, her hostel was literally two minutes from my apartment! She says that that was her favorite weekend in Europe so far, and that makes me so happy! Right now she is studying in Copenhagen, Denmark for a semester and is loving it. It was so cool of her to come visit!
The semester ended bitter-sweetly. I don’t consider my adventure to be over, since I’m in Italy right now, and Scotland is to come (! Unbelievable!), so I won’t go into the reflective state just yet. But school was a really good experience, I think, and the exams ended just fine (which is a miracle…I really had not much motivation to study super hard). The other night we went out to some bars and just danced so much. At the end of the night, the dj played “Thriller”, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, and other oldies…literally the PERFECT end of the night. I got so into it haha. The office of foreign exchange students (they are SO nice and good to us!) planned out an end of the year party at Isla Magica, a theme park! So all of us foreigners went there and had a blast riding the rides. Then we had tapas and just mingled and then after a while, we said our long good byes, some of which were really bittersweet for me. But I hope to see people again; it’s cool, we now have friends all over the country!
Well, it’s about time for dinner, and Pietro is upstairs, probably ready to start cooking. So bye for now, lovely people! Stay tuned, and thanks for stopping by!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Bartunada and more
Hello, hello, hello!
It's been a while, and I have gotten busier and lazier with this. But I gotta do it! I hope this finds you all very well.
So. This blog post is a big summary of my past three and a half weeks haha. I'll try to stick to keepin it short and simple.
Ok. So Barcelona. What a wonderful experience. Went with two girls with whom I have become really close (thanks a lot to traveling, but overall, thank the LORD!), Kristen and Brynn. What wonderful people. We flew with Ryan Air, which has really bright, colorful seats. Ok, I think I'm just gonna have to accept that I am detail-oriented haha. Something I've really learned about myself while writing these blogs. Barcelona has a pleasant atmosphere. With trees and cool alley ways and plazas. But, let me tell you, the coolest thing we saw was by far La Sagrada Familia. Wowee. It's this giant, drip-castle looking church, constructed/designed by Gaudi (and they are still working on it, past his death!). It's the most unique architectural masterpiece I have ever seen. And everything is symbolic. He used fruit (what?) and trees and bright colors. Nothing really matches inside. It's a little bit trippy, actually. But magnificent. The pillars inside tower like trees of a forest, which was his intention. He was really into nature, and much of what he built for this church mimicked things that fascinated him in nature. What a unique guy! And a great thing to see.
We spent our nights at this cool hostel, full of bright colors and high up bunkbeds and good cereal for breakfast. One of our days was beautiful, and the other was a complete, hilarious adventure in the rain. "Where is that mammoth?!" Says Brynn, as we're soaking in the rain. She was determined to find this giant mammoth in this park, and the rain did not stop us from reaching it, nor did it stop us from going to the ports and the shore of the Meditteranean Ocean. It was a dreary day with no one outside, but we still had a blast with each other. We ended up eating lunch at this Tex-Mex place, owned by a delightful Bolivian family. Talk about random. We had used their bathroom the day before and decided to come back and give them business the next day, they were so nice. Soft tacos. Yummy. What else? We saw the chocolate museum. The best part was our ticket, a nice bar of dark chocolate. It was crazy weird though, the museum...I mean, who thinks to build Louis Armstrong's face and a scene from Up...out of chocolate? Ya might as well buy a poster of either of those things and look at it every day, and eat the chocolate. That's all I'm sayin.
Honestly can't remember more of that trip. Oh!! We went to the magic fountain at night, which is this large water fountain in front of steps for all to plop down and watch the water show. Blasting music, anything from oldies to Disney music, and vibrant colors, all spurting out of this fountain. We danced and had a ball.
So what I've realized is that the quality time with others is really what matters on trips. To me, anyway. We could be seeing the coolest things or be trudging through the rain and wet, down to the underwear. But really what matters is the fellowship we have. Such good conversations about things that matter, like faith, encouragement. Man, He's good to bless me with these friends.
"Portu-gal. You the gal." That was Kristen's and my rap for the weekend when we went. What a beautiful place. You'll hear that from everyone. We stayed in a wonderful hostel, with wonderful people. And guess how much it was per night? 7.99 Euros. Including good location, internet, sheets, breakfast, and food to make lunch with. Yeah, baby! Oh, and there was a guitar to play. We met really cool people, and we sat in the "family room" and chatted together. On bean bags.
Kristen and I went to Belem, which is a delightful neighborhood within Lisbon, known for their pastels de Belem or something like that. Guess what we did for lunch? Ordered three of those babies and ate them in a park. Thank God for the gorgeous weather. The belems are like cups of eggy/crispy french toast, dazzled with cinnamon and powdered sugar. So pleasing.
The next day we went to Sintra, a trainride away from Lisbon. Every time I saw that name, I thought of good ol' Frank Sinatra. Completely different from this place. It was like this whole different, quaint, jungle-like/town world. Again, beautiful shorts weather. We got to witness the coming of a bride at a church that overlooked beautiful scenery. We trecked up the windy hills (not for pedestrians) to get to this medieval castle and crazy cool palace, with yellows and reds and blues, and the inside reminded us of the Biltmore house. Then we walked down the mountain while snacking on shortbread cookies and stayed for dinner. Inside this dimly lit, empty place (where they were playing Jamie Cullum--what?!), we were one of two "couples". Totally felt like a date hahaha. Again, great conversation. Oh, and at the castle, we met this couple celebrating their 30-somethin anniversary and got to hear their crazy story. He's Italian, and they met being in a circus. Portugal was truly magical. And it was chill--the days were played by ear.
And lastly, Granada. Totally a Boone feel. But an actually city. Went with Brynn, Kristen, (and her mom joined us!), Sara, Molly, and Kaitlyn. We laughed so much. And again, got to enjoy stunning weather. Our hostel was really great, too...organized and fun. A French guy who works there was playing flamenco guitar while waiting for his giant pan of paella to be ready to serve us. This place is more geared towards the college age, I think. We saw lots of dreads and baggy Aladdin pants. We went to La Alhambra, which is a massive palace built by Muslims. Such intricate detail. And one recurring theme through it all was water, which is actually a very important symbol of Islam. There were fountains all over the place. We just laughed so much! We met this awesome couple from Holland, and boy, was she funny. She spoke for the couple, basically, and she was crazy! In a good way. We first met by commenting on how cool her bright Teva shoes were and soon we were friends ha. We also met this lovely Swedish couple and their baby, Dante, who made me want to move in with them and nanny him. Such blue eyes and joyous smile. The next day, Molly and I decided to hit up the el Monasterio Cartujo, or Carthusian Monastery, which our art history professor had recommended. So glad we followed his advice. It was... And there was a flock of plump, cute old Spanish women there, and some of them sang to a statue of Mary; their pretty voices filled up the entire hollow sanctuary. After maneuvering through really sweet Arabian sidestreets, we all ended up in the gypsy "caves", which, were far from the dark, fiery, bat-inhabited caves we were expecting haha! Instead, it was a very Greece-looking community, jumbled atop (or carved into, rather) a mountain, with white, laundry, and smiley people. Oh, and cacti!
So that was my past three weekends, in a coconut shell.
All this traveling. It's been a great experience so far, and I am so blessed to have the means to do all this.
But isn't it all selfish?
I have struggled with this very question for some time now. Today, I have been reminded that everything we do should be for God's glory. I have been reminded that there is more to life than seeing the world, there's showing this hungry world the Truth and the greatest Love there is. Does that mean stop traveling? I don't think so. Mabye even quite the opposite. Just check my motives. Gosh, how lovely His wisdom and how gently He puts you in your place! Just thought I'd share this valuable lesson with you all. Your thoughts are totally welcome. I hope you all have a joyful week. :)
Love,
Allison :)
It's been a while, and I have gotten busier and lazier with this. But I gotta do it! I hope this finds you all very well.
So. This blog post is a big summary of my past three and a half weeks haha. I'll try to stick to keepin it short and simple.
Ok. So Barcelona. What a wonderful experience. Went with two girls with whom I have become really close (thanks a lot to traveling, but overall, thank the LORD!), Kristen and Brynn. What wonderful people. We flew with Ryan Air, which has really bright, colorful seats. Ok, I think I'm just gonna have to accept that I am detail-oriented haha. Something I've really learned about myself while writing these blogs. Barcelona has a pleasant atmosphere. With trees and cool alley ways and plazas. But, let me tell you, the coolest thing we saw was by far La Sagrada Familia. Wowee. It's this giant, drip-castle looking church, constructed/designed by Gaudi (and they are still working on it, past his death!). It's the most unique architectural masterpiece I have ever seen. And everything is symbolic. He used fruit (what?) and trees and bright colors. Nothing really matches inside. It's a little bit trippy, actually. But magnificent. The pillars inside tower like trees of a forest, which was his intention. He was really into nature, and much of what he built for this church mimicked things that fascinated him in nature. What a unique guy! And a great thing to see.
We spent our nights at this cool hostel, full of bright colors and high up bunkbeds and good cereal for breakfast. One of our days was beautiful, and the other was a complete, hilarious adventure in the rain. "Where is that mammoth?!" Says Brynn, as we're soaking in the rain. She was determined to find this giant mammoth in this park, and the rain did not stop us from reaching it, nor did it stop us from going to the ports and the shore of the Meditteranean Ocean. It was a dreary day with no one outside, but we still had a blast with each other. We ended up eating lunch at this Tex-Mex place, owned by a delightful Bolivian family. Talk about random. We had used their bathroom the day before and decided to come back and give them business the next day, they were so nice. Soft tacos. Yummy. What else? We saw the chocolate museum. The best part was our ticket, a nice bar of dark chocolate. It was crazy weird though, the museum...I mean, who thinks to build Louis Armstrong's face and a scene from Up...out of chocolate? Ya might as well buy a poster of either of those things and look at it every day, and eat the chocolate. That's all I'm sayin.
Honestly can't remember more of that trip. Oh!! We went to the magic fountain at night, which is this large water fountain in front of steps for all to plop down and watch the water show. Blasting music, anything from oldies to Disney music, and vibrant colors, all spurting out of this fountain. We danced and had a ball.
So what I've realized is that the quality time with others is really what matters on trips. To me, anyway. We could be seeing the coolest things or be trudging through the rain and wet, down to the underwear. But really what matters is the fellowship we have. Such good conversations about things that matter, like faith, encouragement. Man, He's good to bless me with these friends.
"Portu-gal. You the gal." That was Kristen's and my rap for the weekend when we went. What a beautiful place. You'll hear that from everyone. We stayed in a wonderful hostel, with wonderful people. And guess how much it was per night? 7.99 Euros. Including good location, internet, sheets, breakfast, and food to make lunch with. Yeah, baby! Oh, and there was a guitar to play. We met really cool people, and we sat in the "family room" and chatted together. On bean bags.
Kristen and I went to Belem, which is a delightful neighborhood within Lisbon, known for their pastels de Belem or something like that. Guess what we did for lunch? Ordered three of those babies and ate them in a park. Thank God for the gorgeous weather. The belems are like cups of eggy/crispy french toast, dazzled with cinnamon and powdered sugar. So pleasing.
The next day we went to Sintra, a trainride away from Lisbon. Every time I saw that name, I thought of good ol' Frank Sinatra. Completely different from this place. It was like this whole different, quaint, jungle-like/town world. Again, beautiful shorts weather. We got to witness the coming of a bride at a church that overlooked beautiful scenery. We trecked up the windy hills (not for pedestrians) to get to this medieval castle and crazy cool palace, with yellows and reds and blues, and the inside reminded us of the Biltmore house. Then we walked down the mountain while snacking on shortbread cookies and stayed for dinner. Inside this dimly lit, empty place (where they were playing Jamie Cullum--what?!), we were one of two "couples". Totally felt like a date hahaha. Again, great conversation. Oh, and at the castle, we met this couple celebrating their 30-somethin anniversary and got to hear their crazy story. He's Italian, and they met being in a circus. Portugal was truly magical. And it was chill--the days were played by ear.
And lastly, Granada. Totally a Boone feel. But an actually city. Went with Brynn, Kristen, (and her mom joined us!), Sara, Molly, and Kaitlyn. We laughed so much. And again, got to enjoy stunning weather. Our hostel was really great, too...organized and fun. A French guy who works there was playing flamenco guitar while waiting for his giant pan of paella to be ready to serve us. This place is more geared towards the college age, I think. We saw lots of dreads and baggy Aladdin pants. We went to La Alhambra, which is a massive palace built by Muslims. Such intricate detail. And one recurring theme through it all was water, which is actually a very important symbol of Islam. There were fountains all over the place. We just laughed so much! We met this awesome couple from Holland, and boy, was she funny. She spoke for the couple, basically, and she was crazy! In a good way. We first met by commenting on how cool her bright Teva shoes were and soon we were friends ha. We also met this lovely Swedish couple and their baby, Dante, who made me want to move in with them and nanny him. Such blue eyes and joyous smile. The next day, Molly and I decided to hit up the el Monasterio Cartujo, or Carthusian Monastery, which our art history professor had recommended. So glad we followed his advice. It was... And there was a flock of plump, cute old Spanish women there, and some of them sang to a statue of Mary; their pretty voices filled up the entire hollow sanctuary. After maneuvering through really sweet Arabian sidestreets, we all ended up in the gypsy "caves", which, were far from the dark, fiery, bat-inhabited caves we were expecting haha! Instead, it was a very Greece-looking community, jumbled atop (or carved into, rather) a mountain, with white, laundry, and smiley people. Oh, and cacti!
So that was my past three weekends, in a coconut shell.
All this traveling. It's been a great experience so far, and I am so blessed to have the means to do all this.
But isn't it all selfish?
I have struggled with this very question for some time now. Today, I have been reminded that everything we do should be for God's glory. I have been reminded that there is more to life than seeing the world, there's showing this hungry world the Truth and the greatest Love there is. Does that mean stop traveling? I don't think so. Mabye even quite the opposite. Just check my motives. Gosh, how lovely His wisdom and how gently He puts you in your place! Just thought I'd share this valuable lesson with you all. Your thoughts are totally welcome. I hope you all have a joyful week. :)
Love,
Allison :)
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Bon Jour!
Hello, all!
I hope this post finds you well. Today is March 5th. Lots have happened since our last "chat." Let's see...
This past weekend was a long weekend, due to two holidays that Sevillanos celebrate, Dia de Puente and Dia de Andalucia. So, four of my friends, Molly, Kristen, Kaitlyn, Sara, and I, all went to France! Why not?
We landed in Paris all nice and smoothly and walked around the city. The weather was what we had imagined the weather would be like in France: chilly and grey. But it was a nice change. Honestly, I don't remember doing much on that first day besides walking around and getting a feel for the city and eating and checking into a hotel that was quite funny...the others saw on the hotel's ratings online that it had bedbugs. So Kaitlyn whipped back the sheets and did the check for us. No bedbugs! That night we tried to find a place to eat dinner. Finally we came upon a seemingly happenin place; there was a very long line to sit down! And it didn't seem too steep in price from the looks of it. Sara and I had already eaten our bocadillos that we had packed before, so we were set and nicely content for the night. Well, little did we know...if we sat there, we had to eat. And not only did we have to eat, but the meal was thirty flippin euros. A three course meal. We talk about how we should have just left, but salads were already in our places by the time we got back from the bathroom. Shoot! So, we ate like gluttonous kings, oh, and packed it in--all the never-ending mustard-themed meal of salad, beef, and french fries--because there, they don't have leftover boxes. Haha, forgot about that cultural difference. So we were half irritated, half "Well, let's live it up, then!" the whole time haha. 'Twas a "great" learning experience.
The next day we met Kristen at the trainstation (she had taken the over night train with her handy dandy Eurorail pass). We went for a true French breakfast and then went exploring. First to Notre Dame (which had an amazing exterior--intricately sculpted!). I had kind of a weird experience; there are people in the streets there who have papers with info of a deaf association. One woman, who I thought was deaf, asked for money, and so I gave a little. Well, turns out those people are not deaf at all; a policeman came up to me and asked for my info so that she could be arrested. Yikes. What the heck was I to do? I really didn't know. Didn't want to be the tattletale at all. But I did it, and I gave him a fake address, which he said was ok, just as long as I appeared to be an actual person on paper. This moment really stirred me up for a little, because of the uncomfortable position I had to be in. But again, it was a learning experience.
That upset feeling wore off when we arrived at the magnificent Leuvre! If you haven't heard of it, it used to be a palace, and it is like a mall inside with escalators and different department stores of massive movements of art. I really liked what I saw of the Renaissance work I think it was, and I remember this two-story ceiling, red room of such warm, large images and a very ornate, spectacular ceiling. But overall, I found myself feeling overwhelmed in that museum! Just so much art!
But then we hit up the Musee d'Orsay, which, let me tell you, was the highlight of Paris for me. I did not realize how beautiful impressionist art was until I went there. I'm telling you, it was breathtaking. Monet, Renoir, Van Gough, Degas...I could have looked at those paintings for much longer. They really amazed me, especially Monet's intentional brushstokes of multiple colors that don't seem to make sense for what they are coloring from upclose, but totally work. Dad, I now know why you like him so much!
After delicious crepes of Nutella (yeah, baby!) and a hilarious, loud waiter, we walked to the Eiffel Tower to see it light up at midnight...'twas a long day. So we made our way back by a roller coasterly taxi (the metro closed right when we tried to catch it!) to the hotel for a restful, bugless sleep.
The next day we went back to the Eiffel Tower to walk up to the top...well, some of us took the elevator. Kristen had her large bookbag with her, and after waiting in the line, they said she could not go up with it. We tried by saying in Spanish (our common language link), "But if she were that fat, you'd let her on!" Haha but it didn't work. Long story short, she and Sara got to go up while I stayed with their stuff and Molly and Kaitlyn after they came down. I have already been to Paris and climbed the Tower when I was ten (!), so for me, it was no big deal to miss it.
Then my favorite part...Angers (pronounced "On-jay)!!
We took a four hour train ride to this small, lovely city. And boy, was this a good part of the trip. We all agreed that it was a great rest from the bustling, busy Paris. Turns out there are three students from Appalachian State studying there, and one of my old professors is teaching English at their university. Bingo! We got to the dorm at night and were not able to enter/the girl who organized this for us was not there yet/our only working phone had just died...HA! So that was an adventure. Josh, a little angel (actually, he's a pretty big guy), came to our rescue and could not have been more hospitable and helpful. In fact, after a good sleep in an unknown girl's tiny dormroom (It was hilarious; we all five slept in there, three in one twin bed/chair for the feet and two on the floor), he spent the next day with us. He was a joy to have along.
We met up with Rick, my old professor, the next day, for a lovely brunch of scrumptious lunch crepes (mine had sausage, mushrooms, and cheese! Yum!). We enjoyed his company so much, with his enthusiasm and love for learning and culture that drew us in. What a guy.
Then Josh took us to Le Chateau, which is a large castle but truly medieval looking. Inside, he showed Sara and me a grand room with the king's commissioned tapestries hanging on the long wall. The dark room functioned as just that, a showcase of these lit up, magnificent murals of fabric. And do you know what they were of? The Apocalypse! And Josh knew the symbolism of each one that captured my interest like crazy. Now, it's time for me to finally read Revelations. I gotta do it. It sounds EPIC.
After seeing the exterior of this amazing castle and hearing more about it from Josh, we headed down to meet the others (Erica, the girl who connected us, from App, and her friends) for a cheap Greek kabab dinner. Yum! THEN to a free concert at a bar/venue. The first band was a high school one to our surprise, and then the last one of three was really good and older. It was interesting, the mix of ages and how many of the songs were in English! By the way, I think I fell in love with French on this trip. That might be my next thing to accomplish, learning it.
Ok I'ma try to make the rest really short, because I'm talking too much, and I hear snoring...the next day we woke up early, took the train back, went to the COOLEST bookstore I've ever been in. Walls full of books. Up until the ceiling. With wooden ladders. Totally like Belle in Beauty and the Beast. But this was an English bookstore! Random, right? The employees had British accents. It was like a little microcosm of England, all in one tight, creaky, quaint bookstore. The second floor had a piano that Kristen and I played. This store made me want to be a reader like nothing else. I need to get a'crackin.
For our last dessert before seeing Kristen off on her trainride back to Sevilla, we ate crepes, creme brulee, apple tarts...and then saw her off. Then the four of us saw good last minute sights, Moulin Rouge and Arc du Triunf. Super cool, especially lit up at night. Then back to the hotel. Here's a funny story for ya: There were four of us staying in a three person room. To be cheaper, and we knew we could squeeze (especially after that dorm room!). Some of us were worried about it (rightfully so), while we were not at all. Turns out, we hit the sack at about 12:30 and at 1:30 were startled by a loud telephone ring. Before we could register what was happening, the ring stopped. Went back to sleep for five and were startled again by knocking on our door. Fright. Sara, the brave one, got up and answered it while Kaitlyn hid in the bathroom. My heart was pounding. He had found out that we were one too many, and demanded ten euros (not bad). Then he left and we had nothing to say, we were so startled.
We left that next day--flew back to sunny, lively Sevilla. Long story long, this trip to France was more of a learning experience than anything. It was super crucial to have. I learned that it is important to follow the rules, even if to me they seem unimportant and easily maneuverable. But I guess that's part of living righteously, right? I don't feel like being sneaky like that again. It's just not a good thing.
On a lighter note, we had fun. And we bonded along the way. The sights we saw were amazing. The food, exquisite. Much laughter, many NICE people in France, contrary to the rumor that the French are not nice to American tourists. We were treated so nicely! Overall, it was a great trip. Things did not work out sometimes, but we learned to work around them! Thanks for listening!
Love,
Allison :)
I hope this post finds you well. Today is March 5th. Lots have happened since our last "chat." Let's see...
This past weekend was a long weekend, due to two holidays that Sevillanos celebrate, Dia de Puente and Dia de Andalucia. So, four of my friends, Molly, Kristen, Kaitlyn, Sara, and I, all went to France! Why not?
We landed in Paris all nice and smoothly and walked around the city. The weather was what we had imagined the weather would be like in France: chilly and grey. But it was a nice change. Honestly, I don't remember doing much on that first day besides walking around and getting a feel for the city and eating and checking into a hotel that was quite funny...the others saw on the hotel's ratings online that it had bedbugs. So Kaitlyn whipped back the sheets and did the check for us. No bedbugs! That night we tried to find a place to eat dinner. Finally we came upon a seemingly happenin place; there was a very long line to sit down! And it didn't seem too steep in price from the looks of it. Sara and I had already eaten our bocadillos that we had packed before, so we were set and nicely content for the night. Well, little did we know...if we sat there, we had to eat. And not only did we have to eat, but the meal was thirty flippin euros. A three course meal. We talk about how we should have just left, but salads were already in our places by the time we got back from the bathroom. Shoot! So, we ate like gluttonous kings, oh, and packed it in--all the never-ending mustard-themed meal of salad, beef, and french fries--because there, they don't have leftover boxes. Haha, forgot about that cultural difference. So we were half irritated, half "Well, let's live it up, then!" the whole time haha. 'Twas a "great" learning experience.
The next day we met Kristen at the trainstation (she had taken the over night train with her handy dandy Eurorail pass). We went for a true French breakfast and then went exploring. First to Notre Dame (which had an amazing exterior--intricately sculpted!). I had kind of a weird experience; there are people in the streets there who have papers with info of a deaf association. One woman, who I thought was deaf, asked for money, and so I gave a little. Well, turns out those people are not deaf at all; a policeman came up to me and asked for my info so that she could be arrested. Yikes. What the heck was I to do? I really didn't know. Didn't want to be the tattletale at all. But I did it, and I gave him a fake address, which he said was ok, just as long as I appeared to be an actual person on paper. This moment really stirred me up for a little, because of the uncomfortable position I had to be in. But again, it was a learning experience.
That upset feeling wore off when we arrived at the magnificent Leuvre! If you haven't heard of it, it used to be a palace, and it is like a mall inside with escalators and different department stores of massive movements of art. I really liked what I saw of the Renaissance work I think it was, and I remember this two-story ceiling, red room of such warm, large images and a very ornate, spectacular ceiling. But overall, I found myself feeling overwhelmed in that museum! Just so much art!
But then we hit up the Musee d'Orsay, which, let me tell you, was the highlight of Paris for me. I did not realize how beautiful impressionist art was until I went there. I'm telling you, it was breathtaking. Monet, Renoir, Van Gough, Degas...I could have looked at those paintings for much longer. They really amazed me, especially Monet's intentional brushstokes of multiple colors that don't seem to make sense for what they are coloring from upclose, but totally work. Dad, I now know why you like him so much!
After delicious crepes of Nutella (yeah, baby!) and a hilarious, loud waiter, we walked to the Eiffel Tower to see it light up at midnight...'twas a long day. So we made our way back by a roller coasterly taxi (the metro closed right when we tried to catch it!) to the hotel for a restful, bugless sleep.
The next day we went back to the Eiffel Tower to walk up to the top...well, some of us took the elevator. Kristen had her large bookbag with her, and after waiting in the line, they said she could not go up with it. We tried by saying in Spanish (our common language link), "But if she were that fat, you'd let her on!" Haha but it didn't work. Long story short, she and Sara got to go up while I stayed with their stuff and Molly and Kaitlyn after they came down. I have already been to Paris and climbed the Tower when I was ten (!), so for me, it was no big deal to miss it.
Then my favorite part...Angers (pronounced "On-jay)!!
We took a four hour train ride to this small, lovely city. And boy, was this a good part of the trip. We all agreed that it was a great rest from the bustling, busy Paris. Turns out there are three students from Appalachian State studying there, and one of my old professors is teaching English at their university. Bingo! We got to the dorm at night and were not able to enter/the girl who organized this for us was not there yet/our only working phone had just died...HA! So that was an adventure. Josh, a little angel (actually, he's a pretty big guy), came to our rescue and could not have been more hospitable and helpful. In fact, after a good sleep in an unknown girl's tiny dormroom (It was hilarious; we all five slept in there, three in one twin bed/chair for the feet and two on the floor), he spent the next day with us. He was a joy to have along.
We met up with Rick, my old professor, the next day, for a lovely brunch of scrumptious lunch crepes (mine had sausage, mushrooms, and cheese! Yum!). We enjoyed his company so much, with his enthusiasm and love for learning and culture that drew us in. What a guy.
Then Josh took us to Le Chateau, which is a large castle but truly medieval looking. Inside, he showed Sara and me a grand room with the king's commissioned tapestries hanging on the long wall. The dark room functioned as just that, a showcase of these lit up, magnificent murals of fabric. And do you know what they were of? The Apocalypse! And Josh knew the symbolism of each one that captured my interest like crazy. Now, it's time for me to finally read Revelations. I gotta do it. It sounds EPIC.
After seeing the exterior of this amazing castle and hearing more about it from Josh, we headed down to meet the others (Erica, the girl who connected us, from App, and her friends) for a cheap Greek kabab dinner. Yum! THEN to a free concert at a bar/venue. The first band was a high school one to our surprise, and then the last one of three was really good and older. It was interesting, the mix of ages and how many of the songs were in English! By the way, I think I fell in love with French on this trip. That might be my next thing to accomplish, learning it.
Ok I'ma try to make the rest really short, because I'm talking too much, and I hear snoring...the next day we woke up early, took the train back, went to the COOLEST bookstore I've ever been in. Walls full of books. Up until the ceiling. With wooden ladders. Totally like Belle in Beauty and the Beast. But this was an English bookstore! Random, right? The employees had British accents. It was like a little microcosm of England, all in one tight, creaky, quaint bookstore. The second floor had a piano that Kristen and I played. This store made me want to be a reader like nothing else. I need to get a'crackin.
For our last dessert before seeing Kristen off on her trainride back to Sevilla, we ate crepes, creme brulee, apple tarts...and then saw her off. Then the four of us saw good last minute sights, Moulin Rouge and Arc du Triunf. Super cool, especially lit up at night. Then back to the hotel. Here's a funny story for ya: There were four of us staying in a three person room. To be cheaper, and we knew we could squeeze (especially after that dorm room!). Some of us were worried about it (rightfully so), while we were not at all. Turns out, we hit the sack at about 12:30 and at 1:30 were startled by a loud telephone ring. Before we could register what was happening, the ring stopped. Went back to sleep for five and were startled again by knocking on our door. Fright. Sara, the brave one, got up and answered it while Kaitlyn hid in the bathroom. My heart was pounding. He had found out that we were one too many, and demanded ten euros (not bad). Then he left and we had nothing to say, we were so startled.
We left that next day--flew back to sunny, lively Sevilla. Long story long, this trip to France was more of a learning experience than anything. It was super crucial to have. I learned that it is important to follow the rules, even if to me they seem unimportant and easily maneuverable. But I guess that's part of living righteously, right? I don't feel like being sneaky like that again. It's just not a good thing.
On a lighter note, we had fun. And we bonded along the way. The sights we saw were amazing. The food, exquisite. Much laughter, many NICE people in France, contrary to the rumor that the French are not nice to American tourists. We were treated so nicely! Overall, it was a great trip. Things did not work out sometimes, but we learned to work around them! Thanks for listening!
Love,
Allison :)
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Hola!
Hello, everyone! Haha I say everyone, but I really don't know if more than like a handful of you read this. But that's ok; to the handful, I say, "Thanks for your interest!"
Wow. That's all I can really say to describe my life here in Spain. Lots has happened in the past few weeks. But now I have gotten into a bit of a routine, which I have found out is better for me. Who knew?
On Mondays and Wednesdays I have one class in the late morning, and I take a metro there (the metro is about a 6 minute brisk walk (which is typically the kind of walk I have to do) away. I stay there, at my school, for about four hours, and I use that time to eat my bocadillo that my host mom packs for me (a delicious sandwhich with ham or salami and cheese on a large, fresh loaf. This is one of my favorite things to eat in Spain. Delish. Anyways...so I eat lunch (on Wed's with my new friend Brynn and other guys I met during the two week intensive course I attended when I first got to Spain.) And then I have time to do homework and such...then I take the metro again to a family that lives in Montequinto, a small, nothing much to do but nice town. There lives a very jolly family, and I teach English to one of their two boys, Salvi. Salvi is an energetic eight year old with the funniest sense of humor! He has me rolling a lot of the time. At the end of our hour-long English sessions during which he tries very hard, we usually play rock paper scissors and Simon Says. I always leave from there, smiling, because every time is a good experience. Not to mention I leave with a new, crisp bill each time :) I didn't think I'd be working here, but I am glad for the experience and for the money.
Tuesdays and Thurdays I have my favorite classes--three of them back to back and ending in time to take the metro back for lunch at the piso with Guille and the girls. And for the rest of the day I have free. These past few weeks I have been devoting some time to converse in English with Angel, a guy who had emailed the school, asking for someone to help prepare him for this job interview that was to be conducted in English. He really wants this job, and he just had the interview this past week and said that it went very well and that I would be proud. Thank the Lord!
Speaking of the Lord, I can't tell you how good He is. To be honest, I have not been mentioning Him so much in these blogs, for fear that someone might be offended or that they feel preached to. It's been like pulling teeth for me, to not share about His goodness and what He's been teaching me and how He's blessed me. Because honestly, that is why I am in Spain. For Him. To do work in me and teach me and strengthen me. But most of all, I want to be used. To bring light and love and truth to others all around me. And if I refrain from talking about Him, I deprive you of who I genuinely am and my full experience here. So if you don't like that, well, ok.
Now that I've gotten that off my chest, I want to share about my trip to Madrid. Sara my roommate, Kristen, (my actual friend now who also goes to App and was just an acquaintance there), Anna her roommate, and I all went this past weekend. Kristen took the train, because she has a nice pass (!) and the rest of us took the six hour, cheaper bus ride, which wasn't bad at all. A scenic route with a beautiful sunset--who could argue with that? We got there and stayed in Los Amigos hostel, located right in the center of Madrid. Props to Sara, who got us this hostel! It was our first time experiencing a hostel, and it was awesome. Bright colors on the walls, nice people from everywhere, and a good price. The idea of hostels I like very, very much. We slept in a room of ten, and we spent our first few hours of the night talking to these three Swiss guys in Spanish. We got to know a Brazilian really funny dude, three Australians (one of whom has my same birthday!), and a very nice U.S. girl, Kate. It's really cool, because everyone just eats breakfast together like we're a family. I give this hostel an A+!
The next day we went to Prado, a museum jam-packed with famous paintings and sculptures from all kinds of art movements. That was definitely a highlight. It's so funny to think that I would dread going to places like these with the rents when I was younger, that I would look at art for a second and then be onto the next one. Oh how my taste has changed!
Later that afternoon we went to the Parque Retiro, with a lake that you can boat ride on and steps or grass to sit on. The weather and timing was perfect, as the sun was going down. I had the sheer pleasure of seeing and listening to a boisterously fun combo of saxophone, stand-up bass and other instruments played at the side of the lake. I had a ball dancing. It's funny how so many street musicians play well-known American songs!
Speaking of music, we went to a free jazz bar that night! It was such a fun atmosphere! And they were seriously talented musicians, one from California, actually! At one point mid song, he got off the platform, grabbed a chair and went back on, took off his shoe and sock and played his trombone with his bare foot! Played just as well! Samuel, I immediately thought of you haha.
The next day we met up with Lucas, a friend of my intercambio at school (intercambios are Spaniards from school we get paired up with; they want to learn English). Well, I still had not yet met my intercambio, but we toured all day around Madrid with this guy. It was a looong day, but we got to see parts of Madrid that we wouldn't have otherwise seen. Lucas was very enthusiastic and willing to help. After departing from him, we went to the Ren Sofia museum, which is of modern art. Not my cup of tea, but it was fun coming up with silly names for the pieces of art with Kristen and Sara haha. That night we ate a fried calamari bocadillo and later went out for dessert at this crowded, popular treats place with Kate from the hostel. Delish, delish.
And finally, we took the goofy fun Brazilian with us to this morning/afternoon, crowded flea market our last day. I keep saying crowded, and that definitely describes Madrid in general! But it was a good opportunity, to see the very capital of Spain! Why not! How could we not?! It was definitely a good experience, and at the same time, it made me appreciate living in Sevilla even more, if that could be possible. I do think I landed in the perfect spot, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Before I make you fall asleep (this is soo long!), I just want to say this weekend has been sooo good! Out to dinner for tapas with Brynn, Sara, and Kristen to celebrate Brynn's bday! And then frozen yogurt! These girls are going to be my good friends here (and everywhere, I hope); they already are, I can tell. SO grateful for them. We had a great time and got to know each other very well (we talked for hours!).
Starting yesterday, the rest of this weekend has been Spanish and Spaniard filled!! I've been needing it!! Finally met up with my intercambio, Laura, and we went strolling around the center--beautiful day. Last night went on an adventure with my new friend, Max, to a small family of impoverished gypsies. Don't worry, Mom and Dad. We were totally fine. Then met up with a girl, Ana, and her friends later (Ana is coming to App State in the fall!! Best decision ever!!) We all really connected, laughed a lot, and we switched off talking in English and Spanish. I hope to hang out with them all again soon. FINALLY, at 11 pm, to a bar with Sara and her intercambio and his friends. Lots of Spanish-speaking, and I hope this continues!!
Well, that's all, folks! Keep in mind, I want to hear about your lives!! Not just share about mine!
God bless you,
Allison :)
Wow. That's all I can really say to describe my life here in Spain. Lots has happened in the past few weeks. But now I have gotten into a bit of a routine, which I have found out is better for me. Who knew?
On Mondays and Wednesdays I have one class in the late morning, and I take a metro there (the metro is about a 6 minute brisk walk (which is typically the kind of walk I have to do) away. I stay there, at my school, for about four hours, and I use that time to eat my bocadillo that my host mom packs for me (a delicious sandwhich with ham or salami and cheese on a large, fresh loaf. This is one of my favorite things to eat in Spain. Delish. Anyways...so I eat lunch (on Wed's with my new friend Brynn and other guys I met during the two week intensive course I attended when I first got to Spain.) And then I have time to do homework and such...then I take the metro again to a family that lives in Montequinto, a small, nothing much to do but nice town. There lives a very jolly family, and I teach English to one of their two boys, Salvi. Salvi is an energetic eight year old with the funniest sense of humor! He has me rolling a lot of the time. At the end of our hour-long English sessions during which he tries very hard, we usually play rock paper scissors and Simon Says. I always leave from there, smiling, because every time is a good experience. Not to mention I leave with a new, crisp bill each time :) I didn't think I'd be working here, but I am glad for the experience and for the money.
Tuesdays and Thurdays I have my favorite classes--three of them back to back and ending in time to take the metro back for lunch at the piso with Guille and the girls. And for the rest of the day I have free. These past few weeks I have been devoting some time to converse in English with Angel, a guy who had emailed the school, asking for someone to help prepare him for this job interview that was to be conducted in English. He really wants this job, and he just had the interview this past week and said that it went very well and that I would be proud. Thank the Lord!
Speaking of the Lord, I can't tell you how good He is. To be honest, I have not been mentioning Him so much in these blogs, for fear that someone might be offended or that they feel preached to. It's been like pulling teeth for me, to not share about His goodness and what He's been teaching me and how He's blessed me. Because honestly, that is why I am in Spain. For Him. To do work in me and teach me and strengthen me. But most of all, I want to be used. To bring light and love and truth to others all around me. And if I refrain from talking about Him, I deprive you of who I genuinely am and my full experience here. So if you don't like that, well, ok.
Now that I've gotten that off my chest, I want to share about my trip to Madrid. Sara my roommate, Kristen, (my actual friend now who also goes to App and was just an acquaintance there), Anna her roommate, and I all went this past weekend. Kristen took the train, because she has a nice pass (!) and the rest of us took the six hour, cheaper bus ride, which wasn't bad at all. A scenic route with a beautiful sunset--who could argue with that? We got there and stayed in Los Amigos hostel, located right in the center of Madrid. Props to Sara, who got us this hostel! It was our first time experiencing a hostel, and it was awesome. Bright colors on the walls, nice people from everywhere, and a good price. The idea of hostels I like very, very much. We slept in a room of ten, and we spent our first few hours of the night talking to these three Swiss guys in Spanish. We got to know a Brazilian really funny dude, three Australians (one of whom has my same birthday!), and a very nice U.S. girl, Kate. It's really cool, because everyone just eats breakfast together like we're a family. I give this hostel an A+!
The next day we went to Prado, a museum jam-packed with famous paintings and sculptures from all kinds of art movements. That was definitely a highlight. It's so funny to think that I would dread going to places like these with the rents when I was younger, that I would look at art for a second and then be onto the next one. Oh how my taste has changed!
Later that afternoon we went to the Parque Retiro, with a lake that you can boat ride on and steps or grass to sit on. The weather and timing was perfect, as the sun was going down. I had the sheer pleasure of seeing and listening to a boisterously fun combo of saxophone, stand-up bass and other instruments played at the side of the lake. I had a ball dancing. It's funny how so many street musicians play well-known American songs!
Speaking of music, we went to a free jazz bar that night! It was such a fun atmosphere! And they were seriously talented musicians, one from California, actually! At one point mid song, he got off the platform, grabbed a chair and went back on, took off his shoe and sock and played his trombone with his bare foot! Played just as well! Samuel, I immediately thought of you haha.
The next day we met up with Lucas, a friend of my intercambio at school (intercambios are Spaniards from school we get paired up with; they want to learn English). Well, I still had not yet met my intercambio, but we toured all day around Madrid with this guy. It was a looong day, but we got to see parts of Madrid that we wouldn't have otherwise seen. Lucas was very enthusiastic and willing to help. After departing from him, we went to the Ren Sofia museum, which is of modern art. Not my cup of tea, but it was fun coming up with silly names for the pieces of art with Kristen and Sara haha. That night we ate a fried calamari bocadillo and later went out for dessert at this crowded, popular treats place with Kate from the hostel. Delish, delish.
And finally, we took the goofy fun Brazilian with us to this morning/afternoon, crowded flea market our last day. I keep saying crowded, and that definitely describes Madrid in general! But it was a good opportunity, to see the very capital of Spain! Why not! How could we not?! It was definitely a good experience, and at the same time, it made me appreciate living in Sevilla even more, if that could be possible. I do think I landed in the perfect spot, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Before I make you fall asleep (this is soo long!), I just want to say this weekend has been sooo good! Out to dinner for tapas with Brynn, Sara, and Kristen to celebrate Brynn's bday! And then frozen yogurt! These girls are going to be my good friends here (and everywhere, I hope); they already are, I can tell. SO grateful for them. We had a great time and got to know each other very well (we talked for hours!).
Starting yesterday, the rest of this weekend has been Spanish and Spaniard filled!! I've been needing it!! Finally met up with my intercambio, Laura, and we went strolling around the center--beautiful day. Last night went on an adventure with my new friend, Max, to a small family of impoverished gypsies. Don't worry, Mom and Dad. We were totally fine. Then met up with a girl, Ana, and her friends later (Ana is coming to App State in the fall!! Best decision ever!!) We all really connected, laughed a lot, and we switched off talking in English and Spanish. I hope to hang out with them all again soon. FINALLY, at 11 pm, to a bar with Sara and her intercambio and his friends. Lots of Spanish-speaking, and I hope this continues!!
Well, that's all, folks! Keep in mind, I want to hear about your lives!! Not just share about mine!
God bless you,
Allison :)
Friday, February 4, 2011
Almost a month!
It is crazy to think that it's been that long. I'm sitting in a pink comfy chair in a sleek yet comfy Italian ice cream shop. Still in Sevilla, though haha. Across from me is one of my lovely roommates, Sara. We came here to do homework, but I just can't get myself to do it right now. And it had been a while since I've posted, so...why not?
Lots of things have happened in the past couple of weeks! All good things. I am still healthy, happy, and really enjoying life in Sevilla. This past weekend was full of fun; on Thursday night (we have no school on Fridays!!! Can you believe it?!) I went to a discoteca. This is the same thing as a club, and boy, was it fun. I think it's safe to say that that was my first clubbing experience. In Spain! They played such great music to dance to, and Sara and I stayed until three in the morning! But that's early for Spaniards; Some stay out til seven! Then on Saturday, I went to the Cathedral with some friends. There are no words to describe it. But it took 120 years to build it, and it is the third largest cathedral in the world. I've gone to Sunday mass two times there so far, which is a different but fascinating experience for me. By the way, who knew that Christopher Columbus's tomb would be inside there? Crazy! And from the top of the cathedral you can see all of Sevilla. Luckily we went on a beautiful day.
That night we went to a flamenco show. And THAT, in addition to the Cathedral, was one of my absolute favorite experiences here so far. We couldn't quite find it at first, but then a nice Spanish couple brought us to a hidden hole-in-the-wall that opens up into a happening, jam-packed but homey place. It felt like we were in a basement. And it was free! Jesus, my painter friend, had told me about it, and he was actually there! Flamenco is a beautiful art. We got to see three sets of tightly rhythmic clapping, fierce, heel-stomping dancing, heartfelt, chant-like singing, and incredibly fast but beautiful guitar strumming. And for the last set of the show, the three flamenco players sat really close to us in a room that everyone had migrated to. How exciting was that! So much energy infiltrated the room from these talented people who were like three musical peas in a pod. I plan on going back there many times.
School has been wonderful. I'm taking four classes: Civilization and Culture of Spain, Latin American Lit (I know, why not Spanish lit, right? Well, it just worked out like that), Spanish, and History of Art from the Rennaissance until now. All are taught in Spanish, but surprisingly, I can understand what is said most of the time. So that gives me hope that my fluency is improving! Rafa (short for Rafael), is one heck of a cool guy who teaches my art class. Even the way he talks is like an art that keeps you glued the whole time. He brought us to Italica today, a place in Sevilla of Roman ruins from 200 B.C. that I had no idea existed. What a cool field trip! I like all my teachers, and I am so pleased with how smoothly things are working out. Thank you, God!
Tomorrow everyone and their mom is going to Cordoba, just for a day trip. It just so happens that everyone wanted to go on the same day. It's a two hour bus trip away, and I have yet to do my research for it! Oh, last night, my roommate Ann and I went to UPO (my school) at night for the school choir's practice. That was a funny, good time; the choir is so small with a bunch of older adults, and it felt good to sing for real again.
Well, now that I've talked your ears off, I am going to do my homework. Hasta luego! :)
Lots of things have happened in the past couple of weeks! All good things. I am still healthy, happy, and really enjoying life in Sevilla. This past weekend was full of fun; on Thursday night (we have no school on Fridays!!! Can you believe it?!) I went to a discoteca. This is the same thing as a club, and boy, was it fun. I think it's safe to say that that was my first clubbing experience. In Spain! They played such great music to dance to, and Sara and I stayed until three in the morning! But that's early for Spaniards; Some stay out til seven! Then on Saturday, I went to the Cathedral with some friends. There are no words to describe it. But it took 120 years to build it, and it is the third largest cathedral in the world. I've gone to Sunday mass two times there so far, which is a different but fascinating experience for me. By the way, who knew that Christopher Columbus's tomb would be inside there? Crazy! And from the top of the cathedral you can see all of Sevilla. Luckily we went on a beautiful day.
That night we went to a flamenco show. And THAT, in addition to the Cathedral, was one of my absolute favorite experiences here so far. We couldn't quite find it at first, but then a nice Spanish couple brought us to a hidden hole-in-the-wall that opens up into a happening, jam-packed but homey place. It felt like we were in a basement. And it was free! Jesus, my painter friend, had told me about it, and he was actually there! Flamenco is a beautiful art. We got to see three sets of tightly rhythmic clapping, fierce, heel-stomping dancing, heartfelt, chant-like singing, and incredibly fast but beautiful guitar strumming. And for the last set of the show, the three flamenco players sat really close to us in a room that everyone had migrated to. How exciting was that! So much energy infiltrated the room from these talented people who were like three musical peas in a pod. I plan on going back there many times.
School has been wonderful. I'm taking four classes: Civilization and Culture of Spain, Latin American Lit (I know, why not Spanish lit, right? Well, it just worked out like that), Spanish, and History of Art from the Rennaissance until now. All are taught in Spanish, but surprisingly, I can understand what is said most of the time. So that gives me hope that my fluency is improving! Rafa (short for Rafael), is one heck of a cool guy who teaches my art class. Even the way he talks is like an art that keeps you glued the whole time. He brought us to Italica today, a place in Sevilla of Roman ruins from 200 B.C. that I had no idea existed. What a cool field trip! I like all my teachers, and I am so pleased with how smoothly things are working out. Thank you, God!
Tomorrow everyone and their mom is going to Cordoba, just for a day trip. It just so happens that everyone wanted to go on the same day. It's a two hour bus trip away, and I have yet to do my research for it! Oh, last night, my roommate Ann and I went to UPO (my school) at night for the school choir's practice. That was a funny, good time; the choir is so small with a bunch of older adults, and it felt good to sing for real again.
Well, now that I've talked your ears off, I am going to do my homework. Hasta luego! :)
Monday, January 24, 2011
Weekend Dos
Today is a dreary day--pretty cold (but nothing like Boone, of course) and ugly. So what better day to add onto my blog!
This weekend was a blast. Ten of us, including one Italian guy and one French girl, all went to Ronda for two nights and three days. Ronda is a town about two hours north of Sevilla in the hilly region of Andalucia. It is small, consisting of 40,000 people. It was pretty darn cold and windy, but luckily I had my three jackets and gloves! We went walking through the charming streets a good amount of the time. The restaurants (which, a great deal of them were Italian, oddly) and apartment complexes and stores are all piled on top of and next to each other, lining the cobblestone, narrow roads. And pretty much all around you is white-washed buildings. It was really delightful and quiet, with enough things to do to last for our time staying there. We stayed in a hotel which was a hoot; because there is not much hoppin at night, we all piled into our biggest room, the 4-person one, and danced and hung out with music there. It was a good time, and being in Ronda was definitely a great bonding time for all of us.
We spent a few hours exploring this gorge that divides the whole town. It's hard to explain, but imagine vast green, hilly farm scenery with mountains in the background (that had snow when we were there!), and then the white town is perched on plateaus that go straight up from the green hills. Pretty darn beautiful. That was the highlight of the trip. Seeing that. Then of course we threw our paper airplanes from the top of the plateau and watched them float down, one by one.
Now I'm back, and things have changed. In a good way. The day I came back from Ronda, there were two new roommates from Texas Christian University sleeping in their room. And then later on, almost in time for dinner, Ann came in from her voyages around Europe. This will be her second semester here. The other girls are Alex and Sara, one from Kansas, the other from Texas. And boy, are all my roommates cool. Just so sweet, all of them. We talked for a while in the tiny hallway of our piso, for quite some time before dinner. Turns out they all sing or have sung in high school. That made me super happy, as you can probably imagine. Ann, who just vacationed in Greece, Italy, and Austria, will be joining up with her home college's choir for a trip in Hungary this summer. How cool is that?! So yes, I like my roommates already.
Tonight we foreigners are invited by this program, "We Love Spain", to a pub for a get-to-know-you gathering. I am so fortunate to live right by the center, because just as this pub is a short walk away, so is the action and the meeting places for all the times we've gone out. I am very thankful for that, that I don't have to pay for a metro every time I want to go out. Tomorrow we go to an orientation/reception and also find out our schedules. And then the next day, I start classes. Then ya know what else is great? No classes on Fridays. Woo hoo! I definitely need to do some research for some bound-to-be awesome weekend trips!
"Thanks for stoppin by, and you stay classy."
Love,
Allison :)
This weekend was a blast. Ten of us, including one Italian guy and one French girl, all went to Ronda for two nights and three days. Ronda is a town about two hours north of Sevilla in the hilly region of Andalucia. It is small, consisting of 40,000 people. It was pretty darn cold and windy, but luckily I had my three jackets and gloves! We went walking through the charming streets a good amount of the time. The restaurants (which, a great deal of them were Italian, oddly) and apartment complexes and stores are all piled on top of and next to each other, lining the cobblestone, narrow roads. And pretty much all around you is white-washed buildings. It was really delightful and quiet, with enough things to do to last for our time staying there. We stayed in a hotel which was a hoot; because there is not much hoppin at night, we all piled into our biggest room, the 4-person one, and danced and hung out with music there. It was a good time, and being in Ronda was definitely a great bonding time for all of us.
We spent a few hours exploring this gorge that divides the whole town. It's hard to explain, but imagine vast green, hilly farm scenery with mountains in the background (that had snow when we were there!), and then the white town is perched on plateaus that go straight up from the green hills. Pretty darn beautiful. That was the highlight of the trip. Seeing that. Then of course we threw our paper airplanes from the top of the plateau and watched them float down, one by one.
Now I'm back, and things have changed. In a good way. The day I came back from Ronda, there were two new roommates from Texas Christian University sleeping in their room. And then later on, almost in time for dinner, Ann came in from her voyages around Europe. This will be her second semester here. The other girls are Alex and Sara, one from Kansas, the other from Texas. And boy, are all my roommates cool. Just so sweet, all of them. We talked for a while in the tiny hallway of our piso, for quite some time before dinner. Turns out they all sing or have sung in high school. That made me super happy, as you can probably imagine. Ann, who just vacationed in Greece, Italy, and Austria, will be joining up with her home college's choir for a trip in Hungary this summer. How cool is that?! So yes, I like my roommates already.
Tonight we foreigners are invited by this program, "We Love Spain", to a pub for a get-to-know-you gathering. I am so fortunate to live right by the center, because just as this pub is a short walk away, so is the action and the meeting places for all the times we've gone out. I am very thankful for that, that I don't have to pay for a metro every time I want to go out. Tomorrow we go to an orientation/reception and also find out our schedules. And then the next day, I start classes. Then ya know what else is great? No classes on Fridays. Woo hoo! I definitely need to do some research for some bound-to-be awesome weekend trips!
"Thanks for stoppin by, and you stay classy."
Love,
Allison :)
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Week 2 and more
Hola, amigos!
It has been a while since I've added on here. Life has been pretty chill these past couple of days, but there are a few things to share. First of all, the weather is pretty darn nice. Every morning is damp and chilly--same with the nights--but the midday hours are sunny and delightful. Perfect for taking a stroll across the bridge over the Guadalvivir (I think that's the name of it) River. And at night, with all the lights reflecting on the water and a dark sky...magnificent.
You know how I told you about how the people here don't really smile? Well, that is true, but I don't want to give you the wrong impression of Spaniards. I have found them to be very nice. Of course, just like in any other country, you'll come across some sour apples, but most of them are sweet sweet sweet. For example, I made friends with Chencho, a 50-something guy who works a kiosk on the side of the walkway. We talked for a while, and I see him almost every day now. The other day he gave me some of his toasted garbanzo beans that he was munching on...for free! How nice! When he's trying to make money off of snacks like that!
Then there's Jesus (no, not THAT friend of mine :) ), but the artist, who situates himself right next to the cathedral and creates beautiful pastel pieces every day. That is his job. Oh, and of course he has beside him his best pal, his little dog Senor Tom. I talked to Jesus, too, who is also a 50-something year old with an aged face and smiley eyes. Don't worry, I'm not trying to pull a Catharine Zeta Jones with these older men; they are just my friends haha. (She's freshly on the mind, because she, among other well-known actors in the States, are constantly on la tele while we eat lunch.) It's amazing how much Guille knows the names of stars from the U.S., and how much Spaniards pay attention to their business, even!
The food, as I've mentioned before, is wonderful. Guille comes up with some crazy but good inventions (ham with finely chopped up left over tuna and lettuce salad on white bread) haha. And something I really like is calamari rings. But these are fried and big rings. So addicting. And of course, while strolling the streets, you hit dessert places left and right. The icecream calls my name like crazy. We have gone out a couple of times to get "tapas", or cheap appetizers. That's the tradition here, to get them at about 9:00. One, two, three, four of them could make for a sufficient dinner.
Last night I had a few hours to kill before meeting up with a German girl and an American for tapas. I noticed a guy about my age with a guitar on his back, walking briskly. So, I followed him. I thought, "Well, maybe he's in a rush to a gig he's playing for!" Then, feeling like a major creeper, I went up to him; turns out he wasn't going to a gig, and he was half Iranian and half British. Then he asked for my number. Haha just kidding. But that woulda been cool if he had led me to a hoppin gig or something! I'll let you know if that happens. Following him did lead me to sitting on a bench with a girl I had seen earlier that day...small world. Her name is Noura, and boy was she cool. She is Muslim, with family mostly in Morrocco, but she and her immediates live in Amsterdam. She has been in Spain for three weeks now (visiting a friend in Barcelona and going by herself to Sevilla) after finishing a semester in England. She ended up joining us for tapas. It was so interesting to talk to her about Islam, something I don't know a whole lot about, when we were on the bench.
On Sunday Kristen (from App State) and I went to the 1:00 mass at this incredible cathedral that's within walking distance from where I live. And the mass was incredible. I can't explain to you how intricate the architecture. The mass was short, and I wasn't sure of what to do in some moments, but it was great, and I plan on going more times.
Well, besides a very nice and short jog through a beautiful park, one time reading under a gigantic tree in that same park, sitting at the bar of a cafe to drink a lovely hot chocolate and read, and hanging out with Americans a lot, I can't think of a whole lot of what else has been going on. However, tonight we all go to a partido de futbol! Sevilla against...I don't know. But it's gonna be a blast. And coming soon to computers near you, my blog about this upcoming weekend's trip to Ronda! With all other Americans (U.S.)! Haha there's like 11 of us. Don't worry, I won't just be in this bubble for long, once school starts.
Love and peace to all of you!
Allison :)
It has been a while since I've added on here. Life has been pretty chill these past couple of days, but there are a few things to share. First of all, the weather is pretty darn nice. Every morning is damp and chilly--same with the nights--but the midday hours are sunny and delightful. Perfect for taking a stroll across the bridge over the Guadalvivir (I think that's the name of it) River. And at night, with all the lights reflecting on the water and a dark sky...magnificent.
You know how I told you about how the people here don't really smile? Well, that is true, but I don't want to give you the wrong impression of Spaniards. I have found them to be very nice. Of course, just like in any other country, you'll come across some sour apples, but most of them are sweet sweet sweet. For example, I made friends with Chencho, a 50-something guy who works a kiosk on the side of the walkway. We talked for a while, and I see him almost every day now. The other day he gave me some of his toasted garbanzo beans that he was munching on...for free! How nice! When he's trying to make money off of snacks like that!
Then there's Jesus (no, not THAT friend of mine :) ), but the artist, who situates himself right next to the cathedral and creates beautiful pastel pieces every day. That is his job. Oh, and of course he has beside him his best pal, his little dog Senor Tom. I talked to Jesus, too, who is also a 50-something year old with an aged face and smiley eyes. Don't worry, I'm not trying to pull a Catharine Zeta Jones with these older men; they are just my friends haha. (She's freshly on the mind, because she, among other well-known actors in the States, are constantly on la tele while we eat lunch.) It's amazing how much Guille knows the names of stars from the U.S., and how much Spaniards pay attention to their business, even!
The food, as I've mentioned before, is wonderful. Guille comes up with some crazy but good inventions (ham with finely chopped up left over tuna and lettuce salad on white bread) haha. And something I really like is calamari rings. But these are fried and big rings. So addicting. And of course, while strolling the streets, you hit dessert places left and right. The icecream calls my name like crazy. We have gone out a couple of times to get "tapas", or cheap appetizers. That's the tradition here, to get them at about 9:00. One, two, three, four of them could make for a sufficient dinner.
Last night I had a few hours to kill before meeting up with a German girl and an American for tapas. I noticed a guy about my age with a guitar on his back, walking briskly. So, I followed him. I thought, "Well, maybe he's in a rush to a gig he's playing for!" Then, feeling like a major creeper, I went up to him; turns out he wasn't going to a gig, and he was half Iranian and half British. Then he asked for my number. Haha just kidding. But that woulda been cool if he had led me to a hoppin gig or something! I'll let you know if that happens. Following him did lead me to sitting on a bench with a girl I had seen earlier that day...small world. Her name is Noura, and boy was she cool. She is Muslim, with family mostly in Morrocco, but she and her immediates live in Amsterdam. She has been in Spain for three weeks now (visiting a friend in Barcelona and going by herself to Sevilla) after finishing a semester in England. She ended up joining us for tapas. It was so interesting to talk to her about Islam, something I don't know a whole lot about, when we were on the bench.
On Sunday Kristen (from App State) and I went to the 1:00 mass at this incredible cathedral that's within walking distance from where I live. And the mass was incredible. I can't explain to you how intricate the architecture. The mass was short, and I wasn't sure of what to do in some moments, but it was great, and I plan on going more times.
Well, besides a very nice and short jog through a beautiful park, one time reading under a gigantic tree in that same park, sitting at the bar of a cafe to drink a lovely hot chocolate and read, and hanging out with Americans a lot, I can't think of a whole lot of what else has been going on. However, tonight we all go to a partido de futbol! Sevilla against...I don't know. But it's gonna be a blast. And coming soon to computers near you, my blog about this upcoming weekend's trip to Ronda! With all other Americans (U.S.)! Haha there's like 11 of us. Don't worry, I won't just be in this bubble for long, once school starts.
Love and peace to all of you!
Allison :)
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Day 5
Hola, amigos!
I know I haven't written in a while (I'm sure you all are crying your eyes out), but a lot has happened, as I'm sure you can imagine. Let me just start by saying that I AM LOVING LIFE right now. You might be saying, "Well, duh!" But the first couple of days were a little rough and strange, and I spent most of the time in a sleepy, emotional funk. It was weird. Very weird. But now, my life is full of life, and I find myself smiling even in the bathroom. And I'm singing more. These are good signs.
I wonder if Spaniards here ever take a second to just marvel at the scenery around them and the lives they live. Horses with carriages. Gigantic, intricate cathedrals. Cars that go down one-way streets without any mistake about which way to go. Orange trees literally everywhere you look. Little kiddies with tiny petti coats and knee-high socks. Metros that go so smoothly. Cobblestone streets and fountains and cats that randomly roam. Aromas that seem to switch every five seconds, often because of the lovely scents of people walking by. This place is another world. And it is beautiful and strange and wonderful.
Today was my third day of school, and I am THOROUGHLY enjoying it. I'm into the details a little bit, and hopefully you are, too, because I'm going to describe my day. My pay-as-you-go cellphone buzzes at about 7:45 am, and I am reminded of where I am as I lay in bed and stretch. I get ready and fix myself pan tostada with jelly while my host mom is asleep. Her name is Guille, and we have a lot of fun together. Then I sometimes meet up with another American who lives very nearby, and we walk to the metro on my favorite street of my neighborhood, Asuncion. This street just gives me a good vibe. We board the very clean and swift metro and take it to school; classes start at 9:30. What's funny about the metro and Spain in general is that people barely smile. If you smile at them and they happen to smile back at all, it's as if it takes them 5 Mississipi seconds to realize that you are smiling at them, and then all you get is a subtle curve of the mouth. It's kind of like giving a big hug and getting the whimpiest one back. Haha. And when you say "Hola" to someone next to you, they look at you, sometimes give you the stare down, and then say it back. As you can see, people really keep to themselves here, and smiling is not something their faces readily exercise. Very interesting.
Anyways, we get to school, and right now I am in an intensive language course for two weeks before actual school starts. It is so stimulating for the brain, lemme tell you. I have learned SO SO much. And my teacher is amazing. She gives me really great ideas for when/if I become a teacher. Have I said this before? Sorry if I repeat myself. And she uses every single minute of the three hours that we are in there with her. We get a 15 minute break, which is nice.
Then we go back on the metro to our respective places and eat lunch with our mothers/families. My host mom is hilarious. And she cooks fantastically. Every meal is something different and absolutely delicious. Salt, olive oil, ham, and eggs are all essential for a Spanish diet, I get the feeling. Lunch is the biggest meal here, and so I always look forward to it. We talk during every meal, and it's great, because what I'm learning in class often is reinforced when Guille talks to me. Every day it seems like I can understand her better. And we watch T.V. for lunch and dinner, too. So after lunch, my friends (the friends I hang out with here are really great, and we are all so different, but it totally works! We have a grand ol' time.) and I have gone out to wander around until dinner time, which for me is at 9:30 pm! Tonight was a hoot with Guille. I was all smiles and giggles. She cracks me up, with her animated and enthusiastic manner of speaking. We watched a very important futbol game tonight, between her team (Besta) and Barcelona (with the famous Messi whom I am learning about). And she got so excited for her team! It was really fun, and I find myself taking a liking for futbol. It really is exciting.
And now, at about this time (12:09 am), I head to bed. There is so much more that I could describe to you, but it would take too long! I hope you all are doing well. Thank you for following! I'm excited to share with you all these things, and I thank God for this opportunity.
Love,
Allison :)
I know I haven't written in a while (I'm sure you all are crying your eyes out), but a lot has happened, as I'm sure you can imagine. Let me just start by saying that I AM LOVING LIFE right now. You might be saying, "Well, duh!" But the first couple of days were a little rough and strange, and I spent most of the time in a sleepy, emotional funk. It was weird. Very weird. But now, my life is full of life, and I find myself smiling even in the bathroom. And I'm singing more. These are good signs.
I wonder if Spaniards here ever take a second to just marvel at the scenery around them and the lives they live. Horses with carriages. Gigantic, intricate cathedrals. Cars that go down one-way streets without any mistake about which way to go. Orange trees literally everywhere you look. Little kiddies with tiny petti coats and knee-high socks. Metros that go so smoothly. Cobblestone streets and fountains and cats that randomly roam. Aromas that seem to switch every five seconds, often because of the lovely scents of people walking by. This place is another world. And it is beautiful and strange and wonderful.
Today was my third day of school, and I am THOROUGHLY enjoying it. I'm into the details a little bit, and hopefully you are, too, because I'm going to describe my day. My pay-as-you-go cellphone buzzes at about 7:45 am, and I am reminded of where I am as I lay in bed and stretch. I get ready and fix myself pan tostada with jelly while my host mom is asleep. Her name is Guille, and we have a lot of fun together. Then I sometimes meet up with another American who lives very nearby, and we walk to the metro on my favorite street of my neighborhood, Asuncion. This street just gives me a good vibe. We board the very clean and swift metro and take it to school; classes start at 9:30. What's funny about the metro and Spain in general is that people barely smile. If you smile at them and they happen to smile back at all, it's as if it takes them 5 Mississipi seconds to realize that you are smiling at them, and then all you get is a subtle curve of the mouth. It's kind of like giving a big hug and getting the whimpiest one back. Haha. And when you say "Hola" to someone next to you, they look at you, sometimes give you the stare down, and then say it back. As you can see, people really keep to themselves here, and smiling is not something their faces readily exercise. Very interesting.
Anyways, we get to school, and right now I am in an intensive language course for two weeks before actual school starts. It is so stimulating for the brain, lemme tell you. I have learned SO SO much. And my teacher is amazing. She gives me really great ideas for when/if I become a teacher. Have I said this before? Sorry if I repeat myself. And she uses every single minute of the three hours that we are in there with her. We get a 15 minute break, which is nice.
Then we go back on the metro to our respective places and eat lunch with our mothers/families. My host mom is hilarious. And she cooks fantastically. Every meal is something different and absolutely delicious. Salt, olive oil, ham, and eggs are all essential for a Spanish diet, I get the feeling. Lunch is the biggest meal here, and so I always look forward to it. We talk during every meal, and it's great, because what I'm learning in class often is reinforced when Guille talks to me. Every day it seems like I can understand her better. And we watch T.V. for lunch and dinner, too. So after lunch, my friends (the friends I hang out with here are really great, and we are all so different, but it totally works! We have a grand ol' time.) and I have gone out to wander around until dinner time, which for me is at 9:30 pm! Tonight was a hoot with Guille. I was all smiles and giggles. She cracks me up, with her animated and enthusiastic manner of speaking. We watched a very important futbol game tonight, between her team (Besta) and Barcelona (with the famous Messi whom I am learning about). And she got so excited for her team! It was really fun, and I find myself taking a liking for futbol. It really is exciting.
And now, at about this time (12:09 am), I head to bed. There is so much more that I could describe to you, but it would take too long! I hope you all are doing well. Thank you for following! I'm excited to share with you all these things, and I thank God for this opportunity.
Love,
Allison :)
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Day 1
Hola a todos!
I am finally in Spain, all nice and settled. Here I sit on my bed in my room that is so simple and small and perfect. It's been a long two days. Three flights, two bus rides, getting lost in Sevilla by foot, trying to find the right apartment with two obnoxiously red and bulky suitcases. So funny. I just giggled to myself, thinking, this is the best problem to have. Getting lost in Europe. And the many people I asked for help along the way were very nice and willing to assist. I ended up in the wrong apartment complex...found that out right away when a guy answered the door. Then generous nuns brought me right across the street to the right place. I guess you could say I have had much Catholic influence in the past two days; an Italian Catholic priest, Giovanni, sat next to me on the plane to Lisbon. He was a lovely neighbor, and he kindly fanned me when I threw up a little bit from the tremendously sickening turbulence. Thank God that is all in the past!
It's been a beautiful day; fortunately I was in the right place before the big thunderstorm came! Because I was focused on getting to the right place, I did not get to really soak in all that I saw, but I noticed the delightful orange trees everywhere and the restaurants with outdoor seating that I passed. I plan to roam around tomorrow and go to church; Guille, my wonderful, instantly likeable host mom and her best pal from downstairs, Camino, recommended the third biggest cathedral in the world. Umm, yes please. Guille prepared delicious meals today--interesting pepper and jam sandwhich, french fries, flan, clementines, pasta and tomato sauce, and so on--and it was so nice to sit and talk to her. Thank God she is so patient with me and my speaking/understanding skills. I think we are going to be good friends.
Ann, the other American student who will soon start her second semester, is another friend-to-be; I can tell without having met her. That sweet thang wrote me a nice and helpful letter and left me a cellphone, printing card, and a metro card from a previous roomie. She currently is in Greece, but I can't wait to meet her!
I hope this blog finds you all well. And I also hope this was not TOO long of a message. I admit, writing this is for some selfish reasons, too, as I enjoy reflecting on every detail of today and need to save these memories for later. Have a wonderful start to your New Year!
Allison :)
I am finally in Spain, all nice and settled. Here I sit on my bed in my room that is so simple and small and perfect. It's been a long two days. Three flights, two bus rides, getting lost in Sevilla by foot, trying to find the right apartment with two obnoxiously red and bulky suitcases. So funny. I just giggled to myself, thinking, this is the best problem to have. Getting lost in Europe. And the many people I asked for help along the way were very nice and willing to assist. I ended up in the wrong apartment complex...found that out right away when a guy answered the door. Then generous nuns brought me right across the street to the right place. I guess you could say I have had much Catholic influence in the past two days; an Italian Catholic priest, Giovanni, sat next to me on the plane to Lisbon. He was a lovely neighbor, and he kindly fanned me when I threw up a little bit from the tremendously sickening turbulence. Thank God that is all in the past!
It's been a beautiful day; fortunately I was in the right place before the big thunderstorm came! Because I was focused on getting to the right place, I did not get to really soak in all that I saw, but I noticed the delightful orange trees everywhere and the restaurants with outdoor seating that I passed. I plan to roam around tomorrow and go to church; Guille, my wonderful, instantly likeable host mom and her best pal from downstairs, Camino, recommended the third biggest cathedral in the world. Umm, yes please. Guille prepared delicious meals today--interesting pepper and jam sandwhich, french fries, flan, clementines, pasta and tomato sauce, and so on--and it was so nice to sit and talk to her. Thank God she is so patient with me and my speaking/understanding skills. I think we are going to be good friends.
Ann, the other American student who will soon start her second semester, is another friend-to-be; I can tell without having met her. That sweet thang wrote me a nice and helpful letter and left me a cellphone, printing card, and a metro card from a previous roomie. She currently is in Greece, but I can't wait to meet her!
I hope this blog finds you all well. And I also hope this was not TOO long of a message. I admit, writing this is for some selfish reasons, too, as I enjoy reflecting on every detail of today and need to save these memories for later. Have a wonderful start to your New Year!
Allison :)
Monday, January 3, 2011
Before the trip!
Hello, everyone!
Thanks for checking this out. I hope to keep this blog exciting to follow and worth your time. Guys, I am very excited for Spain. Today is Monday, and I leave Friday, January 7. Have I started packing yet? Nope. But that will happen. It will all come together. For some reason, I am not nervous, just all excited and about three inches of curious. But maybe the nerves will come as freaky Friday approaches.
I can't wait to experience a whole new world! See new sights! Meet new people! Witness an entirely different culture! Be the strange alien and see how I react to that! Improve my Spanish! Grow as a person, in every way imaginable! Realize that the world is way bigger than I thought! And thank God I have this opportunity. It's funny to think that I dreaded the idea of studying abroad a little while ago. Is that crazy or what?! My heart has definitely changed and has embraced the idea of going out of my familiar comfort zone of home, school, and all of you whom I love!
Well, I'm signing off for now. I will not be talking on here until after I've arrived in Spain. Hasta luego!
P.S. Even if not prompted by a question from me, I would like to know what is going on in your lives, too. I share, you share! :)
Thanks for checking this out. I hope to keep this blog exciting to follow and worth your time. Guys, I am very excited for Spain. Today is Monday, and I leave Friday, January 7. Have I started packing yet? Nope. But that will happen. It will all come together. For some reason, I am not nervous, just all excited and about three inches of curious. But maybe the nerves will come as freaky Friday approaches.
I can't wait to experience a whole new world! See new sights! Meet new people! Witness an entirely different culture! Be the strange alien and see how I react to that! Improve my Spanish! Grow as a person, in every way imaginable! Realize that the world is way bigger than I thought! And thank God I have this opportunity. It's funny to think that I dreaded the idea of studying abroad a little while ago. Is that crazy or what?! My heart has definitely changed and has embraced the idea of going out of my familiar comfort zone of home, school, and all of you whom I love!
Well, I'm signing off for now. I will not be talking on here until after I've arrived in Spain. Hasta luego!
P.S. Even if not prompted by a question from me, I would like to know what is going on in your lives, too. I share, you share! :)
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