Goodbye Salamanca, Hello San Diego

 This past week was insane, with all the finals..but it was all well earned, as I just found out I got all A's.Saying goodbye to my Salamanca family has been the saddest thing I've ever experienced. Waking up this morning back in California, it feels like I dreamed the entire thing. Right when I was adjusting to the routine of things, I'm now forced to adjust back to reality.

Spain has been a blast, but now sitting at home in Cali I've begun to experience culture shock. From the strange faces smiling at me, to the nicer customer service, I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed the Spanish lifestyle. I sat down for a family dinner at IHOP in Los Angeles, annoyed at the waiter who kept coming back, interrupting my conversation, to see if we needed ketchup, napkins, refills, etc. Instead of asking for the receipt, my mouth kept saying "La cuenta, por favor.." it was a good thing he spoke Spanish...this morning, I took my dog for a run, and felt comforted by a familiar phrase "Buenos Dias" from a Mexican neighbor.

Sitting here in my living room seems familiar, but yet, at the same time, it seems brand new...I know I've been in this position many times before, but my mind, my body, my soul, and my heart are working now more than ever in order to make me feel at home. I didn't realize that being "at home" would feel so different..I didn't really know what to expect, rather...but as my parents begin their barbeque for my welcome home party, familiar smells and tastes get me back into the swing of things, ready to eat good chicken and cow meat...none of that JAMON anymore! :)

Barcelona

I can't believe it's already the last week! I'm still having mixed emotions, but now they're leaning towards excitement for home! Salamanca has been a blast, and travelling has been exhausting..but I'm ready to be in an area where I can travel without getting lost.
Semana Santa was fun in Barcelona :) A few of my friends and I left to Arenys de Mar, a small town on the coast of Barcelona, Wednesday night at 8PM. We arrived in Arenys de Mar around 6AM the next morning, without a clue of how to get to our hostel. We eventually got there, though, at 8AM, by asking multiple people if we were going the right way on the metro. Our hostel was located right on the beach! It was beautiful. Thursday, we decided to stay in Arenys de Mar, spending most of our time at the beach. Friday, we went straight into Barcelona, right after our amazing, free breakfast, made by the owner of La Lluna (the name of our hostel). La Ramblas were beautiful, but most of the stores were closed for Good Friday. We didn't see much that day, or any day, that weekend. Instead of being tourists, we decided to skip out on La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's house, etc. and just mingled with the locals. We had a good dinner at Hard Rock Cafe on Friday. Afterwards that same night, we wanted to go clubbing. We knew the metro closed early, but we figured we would party until it opened back up at 5AM. Turned out, our train didn't leave until 6:50AM..or so we were told. We slept in the metro station for about an hour until it arrived. When we got on, we noticed subtle differences, but we were so exhausted that we just hopped on. About 40 minutes later, we were woken up on the train by one of the workers asking to see our tickets. The ticket we showed him was apparently for the one we thought we were on..instead, we were on our way to France! And without our passports! After getting off and scoping the area, we knew we were on the wrong train because we were in the middle of a rainforest, when we should have been by the beach. Around 9AM, we were safely back at our hostel, just in time for breakfast (and a nap!) But we had to be out by noon, so the nap didn't last too long. We took the metro back into La Ramblas. We soon realized that a tradition in La Ramblas on the Saturday of Semana Santa was for the boys to give the girls roses, in exchange for a book.
The weekend went by fast in Barcelona, but being by the beach was so relaxing. Now, back in Salamanca, I'm ready to end the last week, get the exams over with, and be back in San Diego!

Going into week 9. That means 2 weeks left. Crazy. I feel so dumbfounded, not knowing if I should be excited to go home, or sad to leave. My emotions are going insane right now. Just thinking about going back into the states, not able to ((legally)) drink, where I can't walk around at any time knowing I'm completely safe or have 3 course meals with wine; I can't see those old couples hand in hand, knowing relationships and the family virtue are still kept treasured; unable to call a friend at 5am knowing he'll gladly run around the city until randomingly finding me because I don't know where I am; not able to have a reason in the first place to be outside at 5am..without a curfew because of the typical, Spanish nightlife..2 weeks left. Excited to go home, and sleep in the comfort of my own country, own home, own bed...where I can easily jump into the car at 3am, drive to JackNtheBox, knowing it's still open, and grab those 2 crunchy tacos with all the grease and the Soy meat and hot sauce splashed all over it..if I wanted any type of fast food out here that actually tasted like fast food, I'd have to take a bus for two hours from Salamanca to Madrid, and a metro train for 20 minutes, between the hours of 10am and 8pm, for the only Taco Bell that exists, in a building labeled "Mexican Food"....Only 8 weeks have passed and I can easily tell that Spain has its priorities straight, while America on the other hand...doesn't.

This past week, we went to the bull ring. Unfortunately, we didn't see a real bull fight, but we were taught basic moves and how "artistic" it is. Some art, watching a bull die, slowly, painfully..I guess. We also visitied Segovia and the inspiration to the Disneyland castle (although, our art teacher says it's actually somewhere else) It was beautiful. This upcoming weekend I'll be going to Barcelona! Can't wait :)

Roma, Italia

I'm beginning to surprise myself with how much this trip has changed me in more ways than one. And it's not even something I can put into words on a blog because it isn't as concrete as one might think. In simple terms, everything that I miss about the people from home has now become a part of who I am. To try to give an example, I'll use my best friend from home, Debbie. Things that she is no longer able to share with me, emotionally, I have begun to take over, in order to fulfill the hole that is there while in Spain. I'm starting to become similar to her, in the way I talk and the way I behave. It's weird. I've noticed the same thing with other people from home as well. 

Little things about Spain that are different from home have become closer to my heart: the way pizza is delivered on a motor scooter, put in a small trunk on the back; the way that not all driving lanes are marked, yet people still know where to drive (for the most part); the way we have to hang our clothes on a line outside to dry them; the way mothers walk their children to school early in the morning before preceding to work...I've begun to anticipate the day we fly back to the states, but the more I think about it, the more I realize how much I'll miss Spain, regardless of the fact that there's no InNOut or that Taco Bell is considered Mexican food to them...

I've come to appreciate my Tuesday nights with my roommates, staying up until nearly 4AM to finish our art work, since it's all due Wednesday at 9AM..it's become tradition to have snacks on the table and the video camera ready for those silly moments...all while criticizing our teacher for giving us so much art homework knowing that we're only beginning artists and can't make it as perfect as she does even though it's our fault for starting it the night before it's due when we've had an entire week to do it...I love when we all get to the point where we just say "Fuck it" and rush the rest of the drawings, just to go to class in the morning and hear her say "Oh this is amazing" to the three assignments we did in 5 minutes flat...but yet the ones we spend 2 hours on, she says "This is okay but I think you need to redo it.." I honestly love it. We get so many laughs out of it. And we've all become so much closer because of it. I <3 my roommates. 

Now on to Rome...for the past three days, I've been in Roma :) So beautiful! We went to the Colosseum...and...um...honestly, I don't remember the names of the other places. No matter which block we were on, there was something to see. My first gelato consisted of banana and coconut flavors, which Malibu Coconut Rum drizzled on the top!! Amazing :) :) I ate tons of pizza and pasta. Oh and I think I saw the most beautiful men I've ever seen in my life. And the police officers are gorgeous as well. Even the old men had my attention. I was amazed. Definitely reconsidered where I want to meet my true love =P  But besides them, it was a fantastic weekend, lots of smiles, lots of history, lots of gelato/food...I'll be going back. And for now, I'm ready for my last weekend in Salamanca coming up because after that, Barcelona, and then, back to Cali..

Madrid :)

Coming up...This weekend in Madrid :)

This week was super hectic! I had a paper due Tuesday, an art midterm project due Wednesday, and two other midterms on Thursday. I didn't go out all week, just to get everything in on time. I've gotten my grades back already though, and surprisingly,  I got all A's! :) It wasn't as stressful as I imagined it might be, but it was a definite change from previous weeks. Staying in every night allowed me to get caught up on sleep. It's weird how there's only a month left and I still feel exhausted from the first plane ride. All this travelling gets tiring, but I can't complain :)

This weekend I went to Madrid with my bestie, Amanda :) We left Friday morning and were greeted with a kiss per cheek by her aunt, Shannon, and her friend, Maria, who are both in their twenties. We went to Maria's house and she made us pasta! So yummy...later that night, Amanda and I went to the Matt and Kim concert. I can honestly say that that moment at the concert was the happiest moment I've had this far in Spain. It was my first concert, and I enjoyed every minute of it. We took so many pictures :) There were so many people there from all over the country. The rest of the weekend, we just shopped and relaxed. It was a must, considering the week of midterms we had just gone through. Now I'm ready to begin my 7th week! Can't believe how fast it's going...

So since my last update, nothing much has happened here in Salamanca. The last day in Paris was amazing, aside from the police giving us a ticket :) See, what had happened was, we decided we would try to get through the metro, all the way to Disneyland, without purchasing the correct ticket (it was 8 euros!)..we had been doing it everywhere else, and we didn't think there would be security at Disneyland because we had gotten away with it before..Well, we were wrong. The security guards came up to us when they (and we) realized our tickets weren't letting us through. Luckily, instead of charging us 25 euros per person as they usually do, they charged us 50 euros for all four of us. Sad and confused, yet still laughing, we paid the money to get through. Disneyland was fun. We didn't end up going into the park, but we did the Disney Walk..we watched a couple performances, ate at McDonald's, bought a couple souvenirs, then headed back home.

Around 10PM, we headed out to the cafe that we had went to the first night. The owners who worked there brought us a ton of fries when they realized we had eaten ours, along with a bottle of champagne! So sweet..we took a picture with them, and promised to send it once we got back home (still have yet to do so, but it's on our priority list!). They also brought out about 6 different sauces for us to try with our fries. Pretty much amazing...whoever says the French don't like Americans is wrong in my eyes. Everyone we met was super sweet and always there to lend us a hand. Leaving Paris didn't sadden me...I was excited to be back home in my own bed...

Now I'm getting ready for my first set of midterms..I have two on Wednesday, one on Thursday, and a paper due Tuesday...yay. But I can't complain..as my mother keeps telling me, "You're in Spain, Bitch!"

Today, Spain, tomorrow, Paris!

This week has by far exceeded my expectations of this trip! I always knew I would travel, but to do it so soon, and so impulsively, is insane! At the beginning of the week, my roommates and I decided we would go to Barcelona the upcoming weekend. But when we went to buy our plane tickets, we realized that Paris was the same price! So of course, here we are, in Pehr-ree. :) It's been such an amazing weekend. Unfortunately, the entire trip here has been nothing but complications. But somehow, someway, God has lead us in the right direction, and every problem was quickly solved (the taxi ripping us off, not knowing how to figure out the metro, arriving at the deserted apartment with no key or anyone there to let us in the gated entry...) Of course, when you're in Paris, all your problems seem unimportant :)

Our apartment is amazing! It's like a mini condo, two bedrooms and full bathroom downstairs, kitchen, living room, and half bathroom upstairs..feels so good to be living in Paris for a couple days. The first day, we went to the Louvre (art museum), where we saw the Monna Lisa painting! The next day, we traveled to the Eiffel Tower! Such beauty! We were lucky enough to see it before and after the sunset :) We also went to the cemetery that day, to see Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde..my roommate loved every bit of it, and we were all there, to share the experience with her. Not sure what's in store for today, maybe Disneyland, or the Arch, or maybe just sharing a Crepe in the midst of locals and tourists. Weird, but I'm actually missing Salamanca right now, excited to go home tomorrow morning :) But it's been a great experience, and I can't wait to travel to Italy and Greece sometime soon!

Week 3

This past week in Salamanca has been a rollercoaster. After the Portugal weekend, coming back home was a relief, allowing me to get back into the routine of things. School, homework, and vowing not to go out for at least a few days...I quickly learned about the SDSU student's death in Madrid. I was more so shocked than freightened, realizing that death could come at any moment, and that I needed to continue living each day to the fullest regardless of my location, whether it's Portugal, Spain, or back in Cali. This "light bulb" moment was even more emphasized this weekend with the earthquake in Japan, and the evacuation of the Hawaiian islands. Put together, all the negative energy greatly reduced my happiness. On our way to the royal palace in Segovia and the Walls of Avila, I couldn't keep a smile on my face, just thinking about all the families who have been affected, and all the media that's telling the Americans isn't as bad as it really is. But having my newest friends around me to remind me of how lucky I am to be here has definitely put me in a better mood.

Nevertheless, the Walls of Avila were amazing! It was such a nice view...not much else happened this past week. What's surprised me, however, is the fact that I'm already feeling at home in Salamanca. It's been this way for about a week, but every day, my heart is growing closer to Spain. I no longer miss home, or even the people there, as much as I wish they were here with me. I can already call my AIFS friends my family, and I know I can rely on them to be here for me when I need them. I've enjoyed every moment of Spain, and I'm excited for the next 7 weeks!

My New Home

This week, we had our first Spanish civilization class. It was so interesting. Our guest speaker told us about the culture of Spain, specifically the culture of Spanish food. Of course, the Spaniards embrace their jamon. In Salamanca alone, I’ve seen about four tiendas de jamon. They hang it upside down. Apparently that’s a way for it to process and become well enough to eat. I thought it was merely decoration. I have yet to see a restaurant sin jamon. Our guest speaker also talked about the different wines and which ones to drink with certain meals. He also explained the different cheeses that are available. After class, he took us to three of the most famous bars in Salamanca for tapas. I thought tapas were a specific dish but now I realize that tapas is just another word for appetizers that are supposed to be eaten with wine or another type of drink. That was by far the best class I’ve had--I had three free tapas that night J

Spanish night life is insanely crazy! It starts around 11PM..bar hopping, karaoke nights, beer pong nights, 5  Euro nights (where you get unlimited Sangria and beer), and so much more! They usually end around 5 or 6 AM, sometimes later. One night specifically, I went bar hopping, and didn’t end up going to sleep until 7AM. It sucked, since I had class at 11:30AM that day..not enough time for sleeping! The school isn’t that far, though, and every now and then, I find myself taking a different route, completely by accident, and getting lost, causing me to be late to school. I’ve been here for almost two weeks, and today, I finally found the shortest route to school. The streets don’t run just parallel, but diagonal, and although it may seem you can take a certain street to get to a more familiar one, don’t assume it’s so! My roommates and I have gotten lost so many times already. It’s a good thing though because we’re learning more and more about the city and finding ways to remember where everything is.

Salamanquinos really value their legal quiet hours, 11pm-7am. One day, a lady yelled at my roommates and I for always wearing heels and making noise. It didn’t make sense to us because not only is she on the second floor(and us on the fourth), but the day she told us was the first time we had gone out in heels. Plus, we take them off as soon as we get inside because we know how loud they can be. We were more shocked than angry, knowing it couldn’t have been us, and we didn’t understand how she could yell at us as if we were her own children. Some late nights, my roommates and I have gone out to the Plaza for the free internet, and we always get people walking by, staring at our laptops, trying to see what we were doing. Some of them even asked us why we were outside when it was -1 degrees Celsius. I guess Americans are more spoiled than I thought, being able to have reliable internet in our homes. I was still willing to get frostbite just to say a quick hello to my friends and family abroad.

This weekend we went to Lisbon, Portugal J Angela and I went on a bus, without the group. Our hostel was pretty much amazing! Free breakfast, free laundry services, free walking tour, free wifi…only 18 euros a night. We bought the 6euro dinner both nights. It was delicious. The first night we had soup with chicken. The next night we had bacalou, sort of like paella. The desserts were amazing as well…a tart with strawberries one night and something like pumpkin pie the next. I’d definitely recommend that hostel for anyone going to Lisbon. It was right next to the river, so we were able to get some beautiful pictures. We weren’t that far from everyone who stayed at the hotel either. It was a pretty good weekend, though I didn’t enjoy it as much as I had hoped. We were allowed to drink in the streets, and of course, there had to be some hostility there, with a guy punching some girl who wouldn’t stop yelling at him. I felt pretty safe nonetheless, having met 5 other Spanish guys from Madrid who stayed at the same hostel, protecting us while we went clubbing. All in all, it was an okay weekend, but I was excited to get back to Salamanca.  This is the start of our third week here and already I’m able to call Salamanca my home.

Mi Primero Semana en Espana

My first week in Spain has definitely exceeded my expectations. My first thought about Europe was how different the airports were structured. It took so long for us to get out of there..felt like a mouse, lost in a maze, searching for the exit to finally get the cheese, or in my case, sleep! Spending 24 hours in airports and planes is definitely not my cup of tea. The hotels in Madrid were average, but seeing two toilets in one bathroom made me realize I was no longer in San Diego. I thought the second one was for washing your feet, or shaving. Boy, was I wrong. Madrid just reminded me of San Francisco, or New York. Lots of fast-paced people, nice little park areas, signs on how to get to the nearest McDonald's or KFC. Salamanca is on the opposite side of the spectrum. The architecture is so beautiful! And although there is one McDonald's in Plaza Mayor, most cafe's and restaurants I've visited have been family-operated. The food is beyond amazing. Our first night here, my roommates and I decided to get dinner at La Platea. We got a 3 course meal for 9,50, which included salad or soup, choice of entree (we chose the salmon!), and dessert, along with two bottles of red wine for all 5 of us. Everything was delicious! No matter where you go for food in Salamanca, you will enjoy it (that doesn't apply much to their fast food chains, but why would you even bother to go to Burger King when you're in Spain?!)So far, the only thing I have complained about is not having a store or restaurant open nearby when I want to satisfy my late-night hunger pangs. And even that has been taken care of, as of last night, when my roommate and I found a cheap, fast food place open around 1am. I must say, however, that I will never go there again. It feels weird to have chicken nuggets and criss-cut fries after all I've been eating has been so healthy and so delicious!

There isn't one thing that I don't enjoy about Salamanca. I have not yet taken advantage of their siestas, yet with all of the jet lag, I'm sure I will get to it soon enough. What I love most is the Plaza Mayor. For Salamanquinos, It's almost impossible to go throughout the entire day without walking through the Plaza. My true love for Salamanca has definitely been experienced in the Plaza. I love going in the day time, not just for free WiFi, but also to see all the students and young couples sitting on the ground, soaking up what little sun we receive, laughing the day away. I enjoy watching the young ones, with their parents so far away, running about and feeling safe. But what I love even more about the Plaza, occurs mostly at night, after 10 or 11PM. Old couples walking arm in arm, enjoying each other's company. Old ladies walking hand in hand, even. Young couples walking their dog, even though it's almost 2AM. Little babies in their warm coats and mittens, asleep in their strollers, being pushed by their grandparents. Children who have younger siblings, teaching them to catch the ball. It seems their days begin at 7AM and end at almost 3AM the next day. So far, it's been quite difficult to keep up with, but I'm slowly achieving the Salamanquino status.

It feels like it's already been a month here, but I've absolutely loved every moment of my first week. My roommate and I have already become regulars at Cafe y Te, a place we go for Internet every once in a while. In fact, the waiter paid for my last meal there. Of course, "meal" is an exaggeration, seeing as I only had a croissant and a glassed water. But, surprisingly, it was enough. I went to the Post Office the other day, alone, without knowing basic spanish words for things like "envelope" or "stamps." Difficult as it was, I made it through. I think that's my favorite part of studying abroad in Spain--getting lost in translations, using what spanish I do know, and never knowing whether I will find my way through. It's a new experience, but I wouldn't want it to be any easier. I'm enjoying my time here, and even with the one day of homesickness I've experienced so far, I know that this is always what I wanted to do, and always what I was meant to do. Spain is amazing, it's way of life is amazing...there's just no other way to put it, and I think that until you experience it for yourself, you'll never understand how I feel right now. No matter how many blogs I write, you cannot live in Spain vicariously (sorry, Mom!)