tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68100844347043435562024-03-14T02:46:59.773-07:00A Place to StandWelcome! This blog is a mezcla of some of my travel adventures :) Right now I am a Peace Corps Guatemala trainee and hope to engage in some #3rdgoal activities hereAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-42277876113743627182017-09-24T19:58:00.001-07:002017-09-24T19:58:52.758-07:00Hola a todos!<div class="MsoNormal">
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Since today is Sunday, my traditional blogging day, I thought I should start on
my first in-country blog post…though I’m not sure when this will actually get
posted. I cannot believe that as of tomorrow I will have left my house a week ago…it
feels like I’ve been here FOREVER (in the best way possible). In this post I’ll
just give you a quick overview of what I have been up to since Monday. I’m not
planning on making every blog post an executive summary of my life but this one
will be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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and early Monday morning Brand and her Mama came to pick me up and drive me to
Logan Airport. After a quick run back to the house (I forgot my jean jacket) we
were on our way. The moon was a beautiful crescent hanging out with Venus (I
think) as we made our way down Route 9. The whole trip to Miami went smoothly,
I met up with one of the girls in my training class, Berlyn, in Boston and her
cousin drove us to the hotel in Miami. Our first night was pretty low key; we
had registration and then a short introduction. I just layed low that night,
went to Panera, and sat in my room watching HGTV. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Tuesday: I
started Tuesday off bright and early (are you sensing a theme?) with a trip to
Pasión de Cielo, a coffee shop, with my hotel roommate Candice. We headed back
to the hotel to grab something to eat and then were in “staging” sessions all
day. Staging was a great opportunity to get out there and really start talking
to people in our cohort. We all of course bonded over Trump’s ridiculous UN
speech which was playing on all the TVs (including in the bathrooms). A group
of us also went out to a sushi place for lunch (I got veggie fried rice) and bonded
over being late getting back…Latin time right? That night, after packing and
repacking and repacking Candice and I went out to a Spanish restaurant. It was
so wonderful. I wanted to cry when I looked at the menu because it felt like I
was back in Spain. We had a big pitcher of Sangria with dinner and talked about
everything under the sun. One of the best parts of being in Peace Corps so far
is the amazing access I’ve had to a diverse group of people who at their very
core see the world as I do- a place for opportunity, change, and creativity.
The people I’ve met over the last week are down to debate the education system,
how we grow food, cultural norms, prejudices, etcetcetc. It’s wonderful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Wednesday: If
Tuesday was Christmas Eve, Wednesday we were up at the crack of dawn. We met in
the lobby at 5:30am to leave for the airport and say goodbye to the staging
staff. We all complained about the early wake up call, especially for an 11am
flight, but it was warranted. It took us forever and a day to get through
security and there was a lot of packing/repacking to get everyone under weight
limit. The flight was short. I sat next to a very nice woman who I talked to a
little bit about Peace Corps. When we got off the plane and went through
customs, we came down the stairs to a band playing and Peace Corps volunteers
and staff dancing and shouting to welcome us. There were definitely tears.
Trying to get luggage, and everyone organized was very overwhelming, as was
walking out of the airport. We all got crammed into busses and were taken to
the Peace Corps office. It was a very overwhelming couple of hours but in a
good way. The rest of that first afternoon was sessions and lots of
information. I was really tired so after a quick walk around town and dinner at
the hotel I went to sleep. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Thursday: After
breakfast at the hotel and official pictures, we had lots of sessions on
Thursday. My favorite part was having our second language proficiency interview.
These interviews determine out training groups: where we live and who we work
with during training. My facilitator was Felipe, he’s very funny and has been
working with Peace Corps for a long time. He got me talking about Spain (how
they speak multiple languages there) and my work with the International Rescue
Committee, two topics that I could talk about for days. The best part of the
day was after all the sessions when a bunch of us went to the hotel to change
and then went back to the PC office to workout/play games/hang around. It was
really cool to just share a space with a bunch of people and drift in and out
of all the activities that were going on on the soccer field. Plus being
barefoot in the grass was wonderful. Note to self: you only feel like garbage
when you are trying to connect to the wifi. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Friday: Our
last full day at the hotel was pretty overwhelming. I started off the day
frustrated because I was still trying to connect to the hotel wifi and then we
had a huge medical session. I’m all for learning about health stuff but getting
our med kids and health manuals made me a bit queezy. We had our first language
class which was good-our next one is manana! I walked home like a big girl
after sessions and did some yoga/dance on the rooftop terrace of the hotel
before dinner. That night we had our Bak’tun X (our training cohort) talent
show. Y’all is was great. Throughout the week we also got to talk to lots of current volunteers and that was one of the highlights of my first few days in-country. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Saturday: Día
de la familia! After a couple of sessions on Saturday morning we met our
families, had lunch with them and then we were out of there. It was very
exciting and nerve wracking and definitely a whirlwind. This was the time when
I decided that I definitely packed too much-the torrential downpour when we
were trying to get all of our stuff didn’t help. Eventually my host mama and I
got back home and my Community Based Training (CBT) began. I’ll save the rest
for another day, I just wanted to give you a quick view of my first week in PC
Guatemala. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-79920880108242646452017-09-17T03:55:00.001-07:002017-09-17T03:55:30.963-07:00And I'm off...tomorrowI woke up early this morning, my last full day at home. Preparing to leave has been stressful in that I feel like I'm waiting for some sort of justification/approval. Like: "okay, you're all set! You packed what you need, you have your paperwork, time to go". I feel like I did a sloppy job of packing and am definitely missing things. In any case, the crescent moon kept me company. I think the hardest part has been the waiting. I just want to go. I applied over a year ago and am very anxious but also very excited. Let's get this show on the road folks!<br />
<br />
I head to staging for a couple of days tomorrow in Miami then it's off to Guatemala for a three day in-country orientation and then we get placed with our host families for pre-service training (PST)!<br />
<br />
I had originally intended on doing a "packing list" post, but I've just had so much else to do. After I've been in-site for a while I'll let you know what I'm glad I brought and what I wish I broughtAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-55730052151251574362017-05-29T16:47:00.001-07:002017-05-29T16:47:23.003-07:00“A single bracelet does not jingle”<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This Congolese
proverb rings true in many situations but I have related to it strongly in the
past few weeks. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Because I am constantly
moving around, I find myself saying goodbye more often than I might like. Don’t
get me wrong, I love the thrill of a new adventure, of meeting new people, of
breathing new air, but it can get tiring having to say goodbye to a place or an
experience that you are in love with.</span></div>
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<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">As I was
preparing to leave my Virginia home I remembered this proverb and haven’t been
able to stop thinking about it since. It can be interpreted in a few ways but I
like to imagine and arm full of bracelets, each different from the last–some
bright and colorful, some understated and elegant, some very loud and some
silent–each one representing an experience, or a place, or a person. We are
made up of our experiences, comprised of our stories. This beautiful arm represents
our entire being and when we reflect and celebrate those experiences…when we
dance with all of the energy that life gives us…those experiences sing and
shine for us and for those around us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">This beautiful image is even more impresionante when you remember that you and your friendships, and kindness, and shared adventures are actively weaving the bracelets of others. Your participation in the lives of others is important and you too are celebrated and carried across the globe. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-26849366517192765552017-05-23T17:00:00.001-07:002017-05-23T17:00:25.332-07:00"A place to stand"Welcome back!<br />
<br />
Those of you who read this blog when I posted regularly during my year abroad will notice the new title. The purpose of this blog largely remains the same, it's a way for those at home to keep up with me and also to inspire and encourage others to get out and see our big, beautiful world.<br />
<br />
As a Peace Corps Guatemala invitee, most of the posts this summer will be focused on my preparation for departure as well as other things I am working on or have participated in in the past year. Maybe I'll even get around to finishing writing about Spain, Costa Rica, and Norway.<br />
<br />
SO, the title change. My year abroad was focused on self-reflection and improving myself. My next long-term travel experience, Peace Corps, will be focused on serving those around me and attempting to better the world in whatever way I can. I believe that you can't be effective in helping others until you are confident in yourself. Self-esteem, self-respect, and self-care are extremely important, this I have learned through experience.<br />
<br />
"A place to stand" comes from John F. Kennedy's speech to the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1963. Speaking about the limited (nuclear) test ban that was recently signed with the USSR he said: "It will not put an end to war. It will not remove basic conflicts. It will not secure freedom for all. But it can be a lever, and Archimedes, in explaining the principles of the lever, was said to have declared to his friends: 'give me a place where I can stand - and I shall move the <br />
world' "<br />
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As a Peace Corps volunteer I know that I will not change the world but if I can help to move it along, I will be content.<br />
<br />
Look for more in the coming weeks :)<br />
<br />
Best,<br />
HollyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-17436439700049573132016-07-30T19:09:00.000-07:002016-07-30T19:10:27.644-07:00Next Adventure :)<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">On the eve of my next big adventure I find
myself standing in my kitchen thinking about all the things I haven’t blogged
about. I’ve started my big “euro-year” scrapbook but still haven’t told you
about the majority of my second semester adventures…or anything I’ve done this
summer. I’m sorry but yet I’m not convinced that people besides my mom and a few others read this. I feel like those that do love me enough to be patient <3 [It is significantly harder to blog when you can't go sit in your favorite cafe...]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">SO, where to next? Well I’m off to Costa
Rica to spend ~3 weeks working on an organic/self-sustainable/eco finca (farm)!
I’ll be staying with a family that I connected with through workaway.info. I’m
excited not only for another homestay but also that they don’t speak any English
so I’ll have a great opportunity to practice my Spanish. I will mostly be
working mornings so I’ll have afternoons to explore. My work in the morning is
compensated in free room and board minus a small weekly fee for things like
laundry soap. I’m super excited because I have this amazing opportunity to
learn about sustainable farming which is something that I’m really interested
in in the future. I'll also get to spend a day or two in the capital, San Jose. It'll be exciting getting to experience and figure out a new part of the world!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I’m just taking a backpack (thanks Dad for
lending me yours!) which is an experiment in packing. I’ve travelled for 10
days with just my LL Bean bag in the past but I never needed to bring rain
boots! Even though I only have one backpack and my purse I already can’t help feeling
like I over packed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">This is my list…I can look back on it when I
get home and we’ll see how I did:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US">Clothing<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">Button up
shirt (wearing during travel)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">Two nicer
tank tops (wearing one during travel)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">1 pair of
nicer shorts (wearing during travel)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">3 “work”
tank tops<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">2 t-shirts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">1 long
sleeve t-shirt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">1 nice
crop top<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">Zip-up
wind running fleece (for nights)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">Rain
jacket<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">Knee length
leggings<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">Thick
ankle length leggings<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">Jean
capris<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">1 maxi
skirt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">3 pairs of
athletic shorts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">Socks/underwear/sports
bras<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">Bathing
suit<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-US">Shoes<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">Old
sneakers (wearing)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">Cheap flip
flops<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">Rain boots<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-US">Toiletries<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The usual, fit into 1 mini-bag and 1 TSA
approved liquid bag + baby wipes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-US">Other<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">Lots of
granola/Cliff bars<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">Quick-dry
towel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">Journal
(and a million pens)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">A book to
read<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">Baseball
hat<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">Water bottle
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">My purse
(wallet, passport, etc.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">Camera w/ charger<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">Ipod w/
charger</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US">All
necessary paperwork <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-afIdr9jUgtU/V51dVjkKpqI/AAAAAAAAAp0/560o51SXILUA4T0uG6K95vRQiWF0x8X2gCLcB/s1600/huerta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-afIdr9jUgtU/V51dVjkKpqI/AAAAAAAAAp0/560o51SXILUA4T0uG6K95vRQiWF0x8X2gCLcB/s1600/huerta.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finca I am going to</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-50967204401568496412016-06-15T05:15:00.000-07:002016-06-15T05:15:46.782-07:00Love not hate. Hate breeds hate. <div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I know, I know. I’ve been staring at a list of blogging topics since
before I got back. Feria, Paris, Santiago de Compostela, Barcelona, Basque
Country, Florence, not to mention the not so pretty trip home and all the
struggles that come with being plopped back into your little town.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Right now I’m about half way
through my Summer Honors Research at my university, Sweet Briar College. I’m
doing a project on how the sexual abuse and violence that women fleeing from
gang violence, government corruption, and domestic abuse, among other things in
El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras face impedes their ability to successfully
gain refugee status in the United States. It’s a very relevant topic, though it’s
hard to get up to the minute information and it’s proving to be difficult to
get firsthand accounts online, as the information is mostly confidential. If
anything, I just want to be able to educate people about this humanitarian
crisis in our backyard. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Speaking of humanitarian crises: I was horrified by the massacre in
Orlando this past weekend, but then again I wasn’t. I was SO confused when they
said it was the deadliest mass shooting in US history. It was “only” 50 people,
right? There has to have been bigger ones? Oh, that was Paris. It reinforced
the idea that these arbitrary borders we have in our minds or on paper are
hurting us. How horrifying is it that I thought, <i>oh only 50 people that’s
not that bad</i>. THAT’S HORRIBLE, though I get that it’s just one of my coping
mechanisms. We say that we stand in solidarity against whatever type of
violence (unless it’s in a non-western country, but that’s a rant for another
day) but until we actually do something about the violence, it’s all just for
show. It’s not just their problem or the government’s problem it’s OUR problem.
We all breed hate on a daily basis, though it’s often in small ways rather than
big ways. Any issue in which it becomes “us against them” there is hate and
hate breeds violence. It’s simple really: you make a gay joke, a racist joke-
us vs them, you make a snide remark about someone on welfare- us vs them, you
catcall a woman- us vs them, you laugh at someone at the grocery store for not
speaking English- us vs. them. Maybe you don’t mean to, or maybe you do, but
when you marginalize people you are destroying lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Look at the gangs in El Salvador.
They do terrible, really horrific things and have taken control of large parts
of the country. The government calls them terrorists. Maybe if the government
wasn’t so corrupt and actually funded social programs instead of labeling gang
members and their families, funding indoctrinating Nazi-style military schools
killing “the problem”, the violence could be lessened. Build the economy, fund
schools, provide opportunities. Love not hate. Hate breeds hate. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Maybe it’s idealistic of me to think that a solution is this simple.
Actually I know it’s idealistic of me but I’m honestly so exhausted. The fact
that the most deadly shooting in my country happened and the first two thoughts
in my mind were, <i>oh it was only 50 people</i> and <i>oh at least I didn’t
know anyone this time</i>, is sick. I promise you that if you go look back far
enough in any situation, the perpetrator was marginalized by society’s idea of
something. Am I saying they aren’t responsible? HELL NO. People are 100% responsible for whatever it is
they do. Everyone is responsible for what they do, including us. This is not
about us vs them. This is everybody’s issue. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Why do we do it? Why do we separate people into categories?
Discrimination is real. I’m guilty of it, I could talk for days about how
people (who I don’t think deserve it) get welfare while I have a disgustingly
high interest rate on my (government) student loans. Maybe I don’t think that’s
fair. Explain to me Holly, what exactly is complaining about it going to do?
What is saying bad things and making grossly inaccurate blanket statements
going to do? Nothing, it’s going to do nothing except create hostility between
you and this population. Couldn’t your time be better spent doing something
about it? Looking at people like humans and asking, <i>what can I do to help</i>?
Love not hate. Hate breeds hate. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Again
maybe it’s too simple. But honestly, with the direction this beautiful country
and out amazing world are going in, what other choice do we have? Please, let
me know if you come up with a better option. I love reading the news, but I
shouldn’t feel sick every time I open my app</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-45690283278808004262016-04-14T07:17:00.003-07:002016-04-14T07:17:45.836-07:00When in...Rome<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7bVoiCuqIEE/Vw-kbx02sbI/AAAAAAAAAnk/weqt8NgMer4H5ZBUq5geWpdP0mZ7A0Q_wCLcB/s1600/Rome%2B088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7bVoiCuqIEE/Vw-kbx02sbI/AAAAAAAAAnk/weqt8NgMer4H5ZBUq5geWpdP0mZ7A0Q_wCLcB/s320/Rome%2B088.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I had been pretty indifferent about going to Rome until I had a
conversation with my host dad one night in the kitchen during first semester. After
telling me about how much he loved the city, despite how touristy it is, I
decided I had to go. I found a decently priced flight in January and sort of
forgot about it until a week or so before I was going. I quick google search
lead me to a small eco-hostel about 30 minutes outside the city. It sounded
like the perfect place to stay. Since I wasn’t going to check in until Friday
night and had an inconveniently early flight home on Monday morning, I threw a
romper and some PJs in my backpack, grabbed my three essential travel items: my
camera, my journal, and my toothbrush and hopped on the plane.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-an5MfMZ2Cho/Vw-kcFRqbKI/AAAAAAAAAns/ATRwOo0kpQQFEUNIzI-etVI59Y77gt3UACLcB/s1600/Rome%2B101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-an5MfMZ2Cho/Vw-kcFRqbKI/AAAAAAAAAns/ATRwOo0kpQQFEUNIzI-etVI59Y77gt3UACLcB/s320/Rome%2B101.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">My game plan was to “do the Vatican”, that is the museums and St.
Peter’s, on Friday once I arrived. I bought my ticket ahead of time so I was
expecting it to be pretty easy. Unfortunately I had been feeling sick since I
got on the plane and was light-headed the entire afternoon. I was also very
overwhelmed by how crowded it was. I’m not sure if you remember but since the
terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso, I’ve had a hard time riding on the metro.
Rome was no different. I had to take the metro both to and from the Vatican. On
the way there, there were some guys smoking in the metro, but with very
big/smoky electric cigarettes. I thought it was weird but then a mother turned
and looked at another woman with this horrified look on her face. I don’t know
what it was, but it made me sick. I had to get off at the next stop and then
get on the next train. On the way back I was in a very full car and there were
two men with camo backpacks. I’m sure they were perfectly nice guys but I was
convinced that something bad was going to happen when I saw them texting a guy
a few seats down. Again, I felt sick but made myself stay on the train. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Anyway. The Vatican was overwhelming. It was huge and crowded and
frustrating. I didn’t like it at all. I definitely feel much more “holy” in my
little church at home or in the streets during Semana Santa than I did there.
It was too much. I headed out to my hostel around 6pm. It was a 30 minute train
ride…for some reason I can do trains, just not metros. When I got to the little
town of Zagarolo I walked the 20 minutes to the hostel even though they had
free pick up. I didn’t feel like calling them and wanted to walk anyway. The
sidewalk was sketchy at best, so I got rides all of the other times I went to
the station.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XTEuMt8T9dM/Vw-kgBnITUI/AAAAAAAAAnw/AxBASXfO79EZ6wk-OjUWMZ3bu49oRfVjwCLcB/s1600/Rome%2B151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XTEuMt8T9dM/Vw-kgBnITUI/AAAAAAAAAnw/AxBASXfO79EZ6wk-OjUWMZ3bu49oRfVjwCLcB/s320/Rome%2B151.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The hostel, Wiki Hostel, was perfect. I absolutely loved it. As they
were checking me in they told me that since it was Friday there was a pizza
party for only 6 euros. They had a wood-brick oven and these Italian guys to
cook tons of pizza/teach us how to do it. And they were made with all local ingredients.
The bar was also stocked with local wine, by the bottle only. It was exactly
what I needed. While I waited for the cooking to commence, one of the
employees, a British expat, gave me a map of Rome and helped me plan out the
perfect two day itinerary complete with pizza and gelato suggestions. During
the pizza party I ate so much of the best pizza I’ve ever had/made and met a
bunch of cool people (yay hostels!). We finished off the night with a Nutella
pizza </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z9mBTkePnng/Vw-khALItyI/AAAAAAAAAn0/f81URYABz1YTk3UFg7dIg8opRO6fUyfNACLcB/s1600/Rome%2B175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z9mBTkePnng/Vw-khALItyI/AAAAAAAAAn0/f81URYABz1YTk3UFg7dIg8opRO6fUyfNACLcB/s320/Rome%2B175.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The next day I got up for breakfast at the hostel before heading into
Rome around 11. I followed pretty closely the itinerary that the guy at the
hostel gave me, stopping at a few churches and parks before walking around the
Coliseum and Forum. I didn’t pay to go in since I have seen Roman ruins before
(in Italica, a Roman center just outside of Sevilla). It was super fun to
people watch. I especially liked watching this one older couple who were
carrying around Teddy Bears taking pictures of them in front of the ruins. It
was adorable. I went to lunch at the recommended pizza place and got the
truffle pizza. Wow. It was good. On my way to get gelato I stopped in a
Nepalese store and talked for almost an hour with the guy who owns it. He moved
from Nepal ten years ago to open the store and he took the time to explain a
lot of the Buddhist symbols and theory to me even after I told him that I
wasn’t going to buy anything. The coolest thing he showed me were these
“singing bowls” which are used for meditation and relaxation. It was really
cool and he showed me how to use them and explained how they are used in
different cultures. It was definitely one of the coolest experiences I’ve had.
I love things like that; if I hadn’t decided to walk in just to browse I would
have missed out on all of that. It was also kind of funny, who would have
thought I’d get my first introduction to Buddhism in Rome? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y0K6noKEVH8/Vw-kmbOm3LI/AAAAAAAAAoA/cNIopnvHhi4_LhQbOvI3b8qg8PQ9qggbwCLcB/s1600/Rome%2B242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y0K6noKEVH8/Vw-kmbOm3LI/AAAAAAAAAoA/cNIopnvHhi4_LhQbOvI3b8qg8PQ9qggbwCLcB/s320/Rome%2B242.JPG" width="240" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">After my intro to all things Nepalese I made my way to the gelato place.
They sell gelato on every street corner in Rome so it’s really hard to know
where you should go. I’m sure it’s good everywhere but I’ve ended up with
sub-par gelato too many times in my life. The place I went to, Giolitti, is
super popular/old and they have something like 70 flavors. It's the oldest one in Rome having opened in 1890. It’s literally
insane if you go during the day. I walked by at 11pm on my last night and it
was a completely different story. After waiting for ten years/literally being
pushed out of the way by those annoying people who go up with ten orders, I
finally got my first Roman Gelato: Caramel and Stracciatella. It was beautiful
and everything I needed after a hot morning of walking around the city. At this
point I was pretty tired, so I took it easy, wandering around a bit before
getting the train back to the hostel. I knew the next day would be a long one
so I took advantage of the “order-in” service that my hostel provides, you can
order from a number of local restaurants and they bring it right to the hostel.
I got eggplant parm and chickory. It was great. I went to bed pretty early,
though I had some trouble falling asleep because one of the women in my room
breathed really, really loudly. I had lucked out the first night because I was
the only person in my room…but that’s life. I do love hostels, but I also love
sleeping in peace and quiet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mn_xHOngoXQ/Vw-km4SumgI/AAAAAAAAAoE/lHI1OT5xl_E4lmWaEKxsvksc3fkKlfHcwCLcB/s1600/Rome%2B288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mn_xHOngoXQ/Vw-km4SumgI/AAAAAAAAAoE/lHI1OT5xl_E4lmWaEKxsvksc3fkKlfHcwCLcB/s320/Rome%2B288.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The next morning after breakfast we went on a tour of the “old town” of
Zagarolo. The town history is really interesting. It’s older than the Roman Empire
and they were constantly at war with the Vatican because “those who rule
religion rule everything”. There’s also a wine festival in the fall where they
have local wine running from the city fountains all weekend! I need to come
back in October! My favorite part of the city was looking down all of the
little alleyways. They were adorable and felt like “real Italy”. It was also
interesting because there were a ton of cars on the tiny streets and the tour
guide told us that all of the town residents insist on driving their cars to
church on Sunday even though the majority of them live less than a mile away.
There’s a petition to ban cars from the old town. After the tour we went to a
farmer’s market which is still relatively new. There are a lot of people in the
town interested in sustainability and being eco-friendly. There are a bunch of
projects in their beginning stages right now; it’ll be interesting to see where
they go!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cv-FNgAh140/Vw-kqvL1XoI/AAAAAAAAAoM/gtwCjTwJfkU8rVPPln_jfPa0bMAPFuvVwCLcB/s1600/Rome%2B322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cv-FNgAh140/Vw-kqvL1XoI/AAAAAAAAAoM/gtwCjTwJfkU8rVPPln_jfPa0bMAPFuvVwCLcB/s320/Rome%2B322.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I headed into “town” (lol that sounds so casual. Rome. I headed into Rome)
and went straight for the gelato place. I had been thinking about it since the
previous day and I was super excited to try champagne and blackberry. Of course
by the time I got up to the front of the “line” they were out of champagne. I
settled for stracciatella and mint which is my go-to combination. Despite not
being the combination I had been dreaming about <3 it did not disappoint. My
afternoon was largely spent exploring Trastevere a neighborhood on the Vatican
side of the river. I absolutely loved roaming through the tiny streets and
sitting in the plazas and people watching. The front part of the area (closer
to the river) is pretty well developed touristic-ly but not so crowded that it’s
overwhelming. It maintains its charm for sure. A bit farther back I found a
plaza full of locals. There was a mini open air market (I got to try some cookies!)
and lots of kids playing soccer and just fooling around while the parents were
socializing. It was very similar to Sevilla and one of the things that I have
loved seeing over here. People just relaxing and playing on a Sunday night. Ugh
that’s the life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I found a cute restaurant on a side street for dinner. It was warm
enough to sit outside even though it was like 8:30. One of the things I like to
do when I’m eating alone is write in my notebook so I don’t get bored. It’s
also fun to see what I write about after a bit of wine. So, here we go
(translated from Spanish-I’ve been journaling in Spanish recently):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Dinner- “Sette Oche in Altalena/Reclamavano la cena” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 71.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The sky is a wicked pretty navy blue right
now<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Bread, grilled zucchini, and olives as the “with
your drink snack”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">White wine, a “mini jar”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 71.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">There are a lot of English speakers but it’s
a quiet street. There are some French speakers next to me (I think?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 71.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I ordered “Linguine al lemon” for dinner<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 71.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I really like listening to other people’s
conversations. Is that creepy? Lol at this family talking about choosing a
college. Been there done that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I kind of feel like a food critic writing
in this notebook. I wonder if I pull it off well? Probs not. I look like I’m
16. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 71.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The pasta is very good, I’ve never had
pasta with lemon…honestly it kind of tastes like a dessert. But I like it a lot.
I’m kinda full but I’m definitely going to have a coffee and dessert. I need to
stretch this out as long as I can. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I really like this place. Minus the fact
that there was a piece of meat in the app dish. But I’ll survive. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Dessert: Café Latte (unfortunately café con
leche does not seem to be a thing here) and “tortino caldo al cuore di
cioccolato”, whatever that is. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 71.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Thanks to this wine I have lots of energy
right now and am excited to go see Rome “by night”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">There’s this group of old men laughing with
the waitress. They look like locals. The couple next to me is smoking…typical.
I feel like I’m definitely sticking out right now. The sky is black now and
there are some stars.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The group of women to my left (that I
thought was French) is speaking some weird language. Sometimes it sounds like Italian
but also French, English, and German. Maybe it’s Dutch? What’s going on here?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">This dessert looks good!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">OMG it’s an Italian lava cake…there’s
chocolate on the inside!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 71.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">24 euros for the meal. It was good, too
much food for me but very yummy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xuvABR4QQlY/Vw-lBd3LjEI/AAAAAAAAAoU/KXPJewDafw0MTSawr6pcgJK0mm1IRgeSQCLcB/s1600/12963819_1340477512645071_7325331037977145602_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xuvABR4QQlY/Vw-lBd3LjEI/AAAAAAAAAoU/KXPJewDafw0MTSawr6pcgJK0mm1IRgeSQCLcB/s320/12963819_1340477512645071_7325331037977145602_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">After I paid I went and sat on the couch with the restaurant cat for a
bit to use the wifi and plan my route. I had to catch the bus to the airport at
midnight so I had about two hours to go see all of the “sights” lit up. I made
it to the Coliseum, the Forum, and Trevi fountain (much less crowded by night
but still a lot of people). At midnight:15 I got on the airport bus and arrived
to the terminal around 1. I got cozy and watched 5 episodes of “Ranch” on
Netflix and ya esta. My plane left at 6:30, I landed in Sevilla at 9:30 and
then unfortunately had to get a taxi since it was down pouring and I have a 20
minute walk home from the bus station. The taxi driver was nice to talk to
though, speaking Spanish is always a good time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">So Rome. Loved it. You should go. Stay in Zaragolo. Eat Pizza. Drink
wine. Be happy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-39459303033664008982016-04-13T03:39:00.002-07:002016-04-13T03:45:11.048-07:00Semana Santa<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">[Note: now we are actually in feria]</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">¡Venga, vamos,
me parece que estamos en FERIA!</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today is Easter Sunday and so the last day
of Semana Santa. Whereas in the United States Easter is the culmination of Lent
and a commercialized mess that involves Easter bunnies and chocolate eggs,
Easter Sunday is much more casual here in Sevilla. In fact, today feels more
like the official start to Feria than anything. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As you may know, or not because I haven’t blogged about it yet, I spent
the first part of my spring break in Paris [blog coming soon] and then returned
to Sevilla early Wednesday morning to see some of Semana Santa and to spend
Easter with my host family. <i>Mejor dicho </i>I came home early to run myself
ragged during the marathon of Semana Santa and to spend Easter getting pumped
for Feria and pretending to work on my various essays. Here’s an overview of my
first (but certainly not last) Semana Santa experience here in Sevilla!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">First of all, what the heck is Semana Santa?</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lUgHKp7ki5I/Vw4gk6kpSDI/AAAAAAAAAnE/KTIzIOnAkl4ULaGwFFocdfMc1Q65vTttgCLcB/s1600/Paris%2Band%2BSemana%2BSanta%2B009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lUgHKp7ki5I/Vw4gk6kpSDI/AAAAAAAAAnE/KTIzIOnAkl4ULaGwFFocdfMc1Q65vTttgCLcB/s320/Paris%2Band%2BSemana%2BSanta%2B009.JPG" width="240" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Semana Santa is the week leading up to Easter. It traditionally
starts on Palm Sunday (<i>Domingo de Ramos)</i> but Sevilla decided it couldn’t
get enough so it now starts on the Friday before Palm Sunday with <i>Viernes de
Dolores </i>and <i>Sábado de Pasion</i>. Throughout the week different <i>hermandades
salen con sus pasos por la ciudad</i>. It’s hard to explain but basically the
different church organizations, think knights of Columbus but for all ages,
process around the city with these huge like-like sculptures/scenes of Jesus
and Mary. The sculptures are carried on gigantic wooden platforms decorated
with flowers and candles and are carried by dozens of men. They are accompanied
by members of the organization ranging from little babies to teenagers to
adults to senior citizens. These people are often dressed up as <i>nazarenos </i>(with the KKK style hood)<i>.</i> The processions can last up to 14 hours and a supposed to be an act of penance. The hoods are worn so that the people walking can do their penance anonymously. People will often walk barefoot as well.. The <i>hermandades</i>
walk all through the city, each on its own route, but all of them do the <i>Carrera
Official</i> and process from <i>La Campana </i>to/through the Cathedral. <i> </i>It’s hard to explain but it’s one of the
most amazing things I have ever witnessed. It’s sad that nothing like this
would happen in the United States. I’m sure someone would be offended. The
thing is, while it’s religious it’s also hugely cultural. One of my professors
and Sevillan born and raised and very strongly agnostic and he thinks it’s the
most amazing display of culture he’s ever seen and his studies have literally
taken him all over the world. [Note: “<i>pasos</i>” are both the sculptures and
the procession as a whole]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Semana Santa is a holiday in all of Spain but each
area of the county celebrates it differently. Even here in Andalucia there are
no two cities that celebrate it the same. From what I here it’s much more joyous
in the south and more somber up north. I also hear that Sevilla is a truly one
of a kind celebration. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So what did my Semana Santa look like?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Wednesday<i> (Miercoles Santo):</i></span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> I got back from Paris pretty early on
Wednesday morning. I didn’t sleep much the night before so I went to bed as
soon as I got home and slept until lunch. My host sister was the only one home
during lunch so while she ate she described Semana Santa a bit to me and told
me about how it had rained earlier in the week so some of the <i>pasos </i>(the
sculpture/platforms) didn’t get to do their route. I had to tutor at five and I
left a bit early to walk through the center of the city to see what was going
on. It was crazy. I saw a little bit of one <i>paso</i> and then got yelled at
because I was apparently in a ticketed area and I obviously didn’t have a
ticket. After tutoring my favorite nine year old, I saw the <i>paso</i> of <i>El
Baratillo</i> before stumbling upon a cute vegetarian/vegan bakery where I
obviously had to get a snack. Then I went to a plaza behind the cathedral and
saw <i>San Bernardo</i>. It was pretty <i>impresionante</i> to see their Christ
sculpture, a crucifixion with red velvet detailing and purple flowers, in a
plaza between the cathedral, the Archive de Indias and the Alcázar. I felt like
I was transported to another century. Minus all of the smart phones being used
to take pictures. I called it a night pretty early and was home by dinner time
(read: 10pm).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L3N1qPw3FJI/Vw4gkC4YiXI/AAAAAAAAAnA/WPK6q-oHyXQjGbfZNt76da63PCnmXrSaACLcB/s1600/Paris%2Band%2BSemana%2BSanta%2B013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L3N1qPw3FJI/Vw4gkC4YiXI/AAAAAAAAAnA/WPK6q-oHyXQjGbfZNt76da63PCnmXrSaACLcB/s400/Paris%2Band%2BSemana%2BSanta%2B013.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Las Cigarreros</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thursday <i>(Jueves Santo)</i>:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> I knew that Thursday was going to be a
long day because it was <i>La Madrugá</i>, the early morning hours of Friday
where some of the biggest and oldest processions take place. I of course was an
idiot and didn’t take the day to rest so I was even more tired when nighttime
rolled around. My adventure started after lunch when I went to go see <i>Las
Cigarreros</i>, the only <i>paso</i> in <i>Los Remedios</i> which is my
neighborhood. I got there pretty early so I was in the first row. I got to take
a ton of cool pictures and see what happens close up. Some of the things, like
the little kids asking the <i>nazerenos</i> (the people with the KKK style
hoods) for candy as they walk by, you can’t see if you’re further back. I stood
next to an older woman and we talked a bit. The funniest thing was when two
women walked by smoking she turned to me and said, “Jeez, these days women
smoke more than the men…” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I had the perfect view of the<i> paso</i> as it came
around the corner onto <i>calle Asuncion</i>. The Christ always comes first and
this particular one, which has Roman soldiers on it as well, was just amazing
to see coming around the corner with the booming music of the band and the incense
smoke everywhere. The Virgen is a whole different story. After the Christ you
have to wait a bit to see her but when she’s getting close you can feel the
excitement growing. “Is she coming?” “Mama when is the Virgen coming?” “How
much longer?” When she came around the corner, hundreds of rose petals were
thrown off the balconies. Amazing. Beautiful. Wonderful. Perfect. As she went
by, a woman next me who was holding her grandson started crying because he
shouted “there’s Maria!” I looked around and she was certainly not the only one.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After that <i>paso</i> ended I spent the rest of the
afternoon planning out my route for <i>La Madrugá</i>. Once I found all of the
churches and streets that I was planning on going to I went to the grocery
store to stock up on candy to keep me awake. Since the streets are usually
packed it’s normal to go to the churches in the afternoon to see the <i>pasos</i>
up close. I went to <i>Esperanza de Triana </i>on <i>calle Pureza</i> and it
was literally INSANE<i>. </i>The street was packed 10 hours ahead of time. <i>Trianeros</i>,
that is people who live in Triana, are very proud of being from Triana, it used
to be a separate city. Everything is a big party in Triana!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pasion-origin.sevilla.abc.es/pasionensevilla/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/esperanzadetriana-semanasantadesevilla-tunica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://pasion-origin.sevilla.abc.es/pasionensevilla/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/esperanzadetriana-semanasantadesevilla-tunica.jpg" height="227" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christ of the 3 falls- not my picture</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Early Early Friday morning <i>(La Madrugá)</i>:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> I went back home to bundle up for the 45
degree weather and then went out to get Italian food with Caroline. After we
ate I set out to <i>Plaza de San Lorenzo </i>to wait for the <i>salida</i>
(leaving) of <i>Gran Poder</i>. I waited for two and a half hours, which was
rough but it was worth it. The time was also broken up by a parade of Roman Soldiers
who marched throughout the city entering in each of the churches before the <i>pasos</i>
leave. I loved this, it made me feel like I was actually watching Holy
Thursday/Good Friday happen 2,000 years ago. This is specific to <i>La Madrugá.</i>
Unlike some of the others <i>Gran Poder</i> left in silence and then when the
Christ appeared there was singing. After that, I headed to <i>Puente de Triana</i>
(a bridge) to see <i>Esperanza de Triana.</i> My host dad and one of my host
sisters walk in it; my host dad is one of the people who carry the Virgen. <i>Esperanza
</i>is long. Very long. Like two hours long. I will say, the Christ (<i>Cristo
de las tres caídas</i>/of the three falls) is 100% my favorite, especially with
the music and the Virgin is beautiful as well. I can’t explain how beautiful it
was when she passed right in front of me. After <i>Esperanza</i> I was getting
very tired, it was about 4:30am at this point. It’s hard when you don’t have
anyone to talk to and keep you motivated. I was jealous of all of the families
and friends that make a day out of each <i>paso</i>, setting up chairs early
and bringing picnics, enjoying each other as much as the main event. </span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.loupiote.com/photos_l/457460956-hermandad-del-silencio-semana-santa-sevilla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.loupiote.com/photos_l/457460956-hermandad-del-silencio-semana-santa-sevilla.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">El Silencio-Not my Picture</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The last <i>paso
</i>I saw was <i>el Silencio</i> which is the oldest <i>hermandad</i> in
Sevilla (from the 1300s). I watched them re-enter the church at the end of
their route. It was cool because it was also in silence. The <i>paso</i> of the
Virgen was decorated entirely in azahar, the flowers from the orange trees. I
had plans to go see <i>La Macarena </i>but the streets were all blocked and I
was very tired, it was about 6am at this point. Looking back, I’m sad I didn’t
see it but I don’t think I would have made the walk back home. I went back to <i>Puente
de Triana</i> and got churros and chocolate from the churros stand and sat
myself down for the first time in almost 8 hours. I enjoyed my greasy,
delicious churros with my favorite view of the city-looking over the river
toward Triana. Even though I was exhausted and a bit grumpy, everything was
perfect. I normally feel out of place when I’m surrounded by a bunch of Spanish
people but at that moment I didn’t really care. After that feeling passed over,
I speed-walked home, showered, and was in bed by 8am. My alarm went off for
getting up to tutor at 11am and I promptly sent the family a message saying
that I had gotten back late/early and asked if I could come after lunch
instead. Since the little girl’s dad is one of the guys who carry the Christ in
<i>Gran Poder</i>, they understood. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oMDPAdOmWZ8/Vw4gfOLeJlI/AAAAAAAAAm8/XBZfMNNf4PI6tEE4tFO65mnU8WUpIULPgCLcB/s1600/Paris%2Band%2BSemana%2BSanta%2B031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oMDPAdOmWZ8/Vw4gfOLeJlI/AAAAAAAAAm8/XBZfMNNf4PI6tEE4tFO65mnU8WUpIULPgCLcB/s320/Paris%2Band%2BSemana%2BSanta%2B031.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite view, at sunrise</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Friday <i>(Viernes Santo)</i>:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> I slept until lunch and then went to tutor
at five. At lunch my host sister was telling me about what it’s like to walk in
the procession and how she has done it since she was 12. The <i>hemandades</i>
seem very cool to me. I think I would want to be in one if I lived here. It’s
another thing that I love about the culture and wish I was a part of. She also
was telling me that she saw her dad at one point and called out “Alfonso
Alfonso!” but he didn’t reply. He said that he heard her but assumed someone
was calling a different Alfonso because “there are a million Alfonsos”. She said
that all of the <i>pasos </i>stop at this one chapel for a mini-breakfast and
when she was eating she could see both the Christ and the Virgen (which is
usually impossible) and that it was so <i>impresionante</i> she cried. If you
couldn’t tell, Semana Santa is very emotional for the Sevillanos. On the way
home from tutoring I watched two more <i>pasos</i> on <i>el puente</i> (bridge).
They were much shorter than <i>Esperanza</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Saturday <i>(Sábado Santo)</i>:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> I went out to dinner in <i>Santa Cruz </i>(the
Old Jewish Quarter) with Caroline and her aunt who was visiting. She was really
interesting and I loved hearing about their trip but I was super surprised to
hear such a thick southern accent after having been in Spain for such a long time!
I forgot what they sound like! Afterward I went to the chapel at the University
for an Easter Vigil mass. It was long but beautiful. There was also a baptism
and I thought the priest’s words about the new member (a younger boy) were
beautiful, about how all of the saints now had a new son/brother and how he had
this whole new family. I loved it. Equally powerful was when we sang “Ave Maria”
at the end and the Virgen was still on her <i>paso</i> with all the flowers and
candles inside the chapel. After mass there was a social in the university with
hot chocolate and lots of traditional sweets. I met a group of girls from the
US so I talked to them, ate a bit, and then headed home. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Easter <i>(La Pascua)</i>:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Sunday morning I got up and went to my usual spot, Café
de Indias, to work on my various papers before heading over to Plaza de España
for a <i>sevillanas </i>class. Like usual I had a blast and I met a girl who is
here teaching with the government program that I was thinking about for next
year. She says she loves it and she’s coming back next year as well. The
program seems really cool, except that you can’t chose exactly where you want
to be placed. After the class we went to go have a drink and talk about being
American in Sevilla. I went home for lunch. Since it was a holiday we had a
lunch <i>de fiesta,</i> meaning lots of food and wine. Just like with
Christmas, I have realized that the only thing you really need to do for a
holiday is have good food and good conversation. That’s it. Later, I went to
the park to sit in the sun for a bit and then walked around the fairgrounds. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xl8JjDDZzlI/Vw4hwdbPsYI/AAAAAAAAAnU/cZk3n3dBFe41tvsfg6fvpgErkfmaW7X7wCLcB/s1600/Paris%2Band%2BSemana%2BSanta%2B060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xl8JjDDZzlI/Vw4hwdbPsYI/AAAAAAAAAnU/cZk3n3dBFe41tvsfg6fvpgErkfmaW7X7wCLcB/s320/Paris%2Band%2BSemana%2BSanta%2B060.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Puerta de Feria!</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That was that for my Semana Santa. Some people don’t like it but I
thought it was absolutely amazing. The culture is amazing and I’m always sad
that we don’t have anything close to similar in the United States. The aspect
of community/family was beautiful to watch but made me sad that I did most of
it alone. Most of the other study abroaders were traveling and my Spanish
friends had all gone back to their respective towns. I had an interesting
conversation with the girl I met in my <i>sevillanas</i> class about how hard
it was to make Spanish friends from Sevilla. Even though it’s a city, people born
here tend to stay here and so the friends that they have are friends that they’ve
had since they were two. Obviously this isn’t true in every case but it’s true
in every case I have seen. I understand- if you aren’t looking for friends you
aren’t going to look for friends, especially with people who aren’t here permanently.
This is why I’ve had so much more success with Erasmus students (European students
studying abroad) and people from other parts of Spain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-6106668186142696152016-03-26T08:06:00.004-07:002016-03-26T08:06:57.858-07:00Friends, Faro and Granada<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">My first non-program trip of the semester was to Faro,
Portugal with Caroline the last weekend in February. Monday was a </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">fiesta</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
so we didn’t have class. I was excited to spend a long weekend at the beach.
Unfortunately the weather didn’t quite cooperate and I ended up wearing a coat
everyday but it was a good time nevertheless. This was also an exciting weekend
because on Saturday night my friend-from-home Lily, who’s currently studying in
Paris, met us in Portugal and then spent the week with me in Sevilla!</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zPyuHLY0iQY/Vvakd60drvI/AAAAAAAAAl0/R1DEvPsoPcIg8dd05uWUo5l0t85etjRwg/s1600/322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zPyuHLY0iQY/Vvakd60drvI/AAAAAAAAAl0/R1DEvPsoPcIg8dd05uWUo5l0t85etjRwg/s320/322.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Faro, Portugal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">We took the bus from Sevilla to Faro and it was nice
and easy, only two hours. We got to our hostel no problem and were pleasantly
surprised by how nice it was. This was Caroline’s first non-program trip ever so I
was excited to show her the ropes so to speak. Faro is a pretty small town and
it’s definitely a summer town. There wasn’t too much to do but we met this kid
named Miles who was staying in our room that night (it was just the three of
us) and decided to spend the evening with him. We went to a chapel of bones which
was SO creepy. I don’t know man, I did not like the feeling of being surrounded
by bones and having a bunch of skulls staring at me! While we were walking
around we found a <i>vihno biblioteca </i>(wine library) that was having happy
hour, only 1,5€ for a glass of wine. It was super cozy and we spent forever
there and bless Miles for being genuinely interested in hearing about Sweet
Briar. If you get two SBC girls together, especially with wine, you’re going to
hear all about the time that it almost closed…even if all the people in
question were there. After we had our wine we went out to an Italian place and
then to this upscale bar that Caroline found online. They had a super snazzy
music video advertisement so we obviously had to go. We ordered our ridiculously
priced drinks; mine was a warm berry butter something or other drink. Amazing. It
was cold and rainy but luckily they were well prepared and had blankets to keep
us warm! Also, don’t let them know but I stole the cup (it was a nice ceramic
one). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FhUmM9xxen4/VvakeBOLNxI/AAAAAAAAAl4/UTvRyT2h9ywsNKXJOh8ZvqKIltUZ4krUQ/s1600/345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FhUmM9xxen4/VvakeBOLNxI/AAAAAAAAAl4/UTvRyT2h9ywsNKXJOh8ZvqKIltUZ4krUQ/s320/345.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deserted Island, Faro</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Interesting note: when we were walking from the
restaurant to the bar I experienced probably the most blatant example of gender
conditioning ever. Miles was joking/playing around on one of the weird
playground things on the edge of a parking lot. Caroline and I noticed that a car had driven by us
several times, rather slowly before speeding around the parking lot. Then they
stopped and two men got out of the car…though they were pretty far away from us. We
told Miles that it was time to go and we power walked to the bar and the two men
followed us the entire time, stopping only when we went and sat at the bar. We
asked Miles what he thought about them and he <i>hadn’t even noticed them</i>
and had been wondering why we wanted to leave to abruptly. Maybe we were
imagining things but the fact that we both thought the same thing without even
speaking to each other while he didn’t notice anything speaks volumes about
gender conditioning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Saturday was pretty relaxed, Caroline and I walked
around the town until Lily got there it the evening. It was a bit sad because
so many of the buildings were basically falling apart. A sad sort of beautiful.
That night we had dinner at the hostel. They were having a special 5 course
meal. It was amazing, but very filling! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Carrot cream soup, avocado and tomato, creamy
spinach and mushrooms and peanut chutney, a grilled pepper stuffed with cheese
and cous-cous, mango mousse. Obviously with Sangria. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ttC7D3wAi1Y/VvakocMSAXI/AAAAAAAAAmE/Tcm69fNfuuo88bIP2GcAS0OUkjFil97Lg/s1600/Granada%2BSpring%2B041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ttC7D3wAi1Y/VvakocMSAXI/AAAAAAAAAmE/Tcm69fNfuuo88bIP2GcAS0OUkjFil97Lg/s320/Granada%2BSpring%2B041.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sacramonte, Granada</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I met this Danish couple at dinner that was cycling
through Portugal. They have a son who is living/working/volunteering in India
and a daughter who is going to Colombia University for their journalism
graduate program. After we ate we played a bit of “drinking Jenga” with some of
the people at the hostel and then we headed out to a bar that Caroline had
found online. There was a band that was going to be playing called “Six Irishmen and a
Fiddle”. They weren’t particularly good but it was fun to sit in a nice bar and
order fancy drinks (Sex on the Beach and Strawberry Daiquiris, can you tell we
were wishing for warmer weather?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Our game plan for Sunday was to go to this desert
island. We headed down to the dock bright and early in our shorts praying that
it would warm up. The island was about a 35 minute ferry ride away and was
really cool. There’s nothing on it besides one restaurant and a couple of
storage shacks. During the high season they only take 400 people out a day but
there were way less when we went! We had a bunch of fun walking around the
island, laying in the sun, and dancing around in the waves. Oh and I also made
Caroline and Lily join my mini beach cleanup…there was an awful lot of trash
for an uninhabited island. After a full day at the beach we went out for
Mexican food complete with margaritas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mOX7AFkmKSY/VvakoFrBYdI/AAAAAAAAAmA/pMOqa9_mZZo-wan9-ox5ceDwNjj7k_NTQ/s1600/Granada%2BSpring%2B048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mOX7AFkmKSY/VvakoFrBYdI/AAAAAAAAAmA/pMOqa9_mZZo-wan9-ox5ceDwNjj7k_NTQ/s320/Granada%2BSpring%2B048.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Sacramonte, Granada</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">We headed back to Sevilla on Monday. Lily spent the
week with me and my host family My host mom is an angel, apparently a lot of
people charge if their students have someone over but it wasn’t a huge deal
because I have an extra bed in my room this semester and we didn’t really eat <i>en casa</i>. I had
class all week so I didn’t get to spend much time doing touristy things like I
did when the family was here but since I didn’t have anything to do on Friday
we spent the morning at a café and <i>paseando</i> <i>por la ciudad</i>. We got
French fries from this place I’ve been dying to try and then got <i>bocadillos</i>
and spent the afternoon at the park by the river just like I did when my family
was here. It was great.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The next day was my program trip to Granada. I went
last semester so just like with Madrid I kind of got to do my own thing. Lily
and I spend the afternoon eating on an outdoor staircase in the sun trying to
see how much we could remember about the people we went to high school with. It
wasn’t that long ago but you forget a lot and fast! </span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OHCOHtlZXD8/Vvakobv7D1I/AAAAAAAAAmI/AgS-YX4GMpMz5orLGaXHAsCYuHf3aW3xA/s1600/Granada%2BSpring%2B072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OHCOHtlZXD8/Vvakobv7D1I/AAAAAAAAAmI/AgS-YX4GMpMz5orLGaXHAsCYuHf3aW3xA/s400/Granada%2BSpring%2B072.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Sacramonte, Granada</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The next day, while
everyone else was at the Alhambra I decided that I was going to check out
Sacramonte which is a neighborhood of Granada famous for its caves. The gypsies
traditionally lived there but now they are home to professional squatters, the
poorer population, and the hippie type. It was really cool to walk through the
area but at the same time it felt like I was intruding on their lives. It’s a
part of the city I had heard about but had never been to. I was surprised by
how expansive the area was and also the diversity. Some houses looked normal;
they were built into the caves but had entrances that looked like normal houses
while others were literally just the cave with maybe a blanket hanging over the
front. The normal looking ones were really nice and I could totally see myself
living in one but the others were just really dirty. You could tell that the
tourists normally walked around the nicer area, there were bars and locals out
playing their guitars and kids outside. The other area was very hard to navigate
and you could tell the only people there were those who lived there and the
slightly more adventurous tourists. I really do like Granada, especially the juxtaposing landscapes...palm trees and snow capped mountains! As usually though I was happy to get home to Sevilla <3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-6217256978992023562016-03-17T04:59:00.003-07:002016-03-17T04:59:40.766-07:00The Family is Coming! The Family is Coming! (Well, they already came)<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Okay people, here’s the deal: I’m about to leave for almost a week in
Paris, followed by Semana Santa, a bunch of trips, Feria, and then more trips. Then
</span><i style="font-family: 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">ya está</i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">. That’s it. I don’t want to behind on blogging anymore so the
three biggest things that have happened in the last month are going to get done
rapid fire (I hope). They are being written now and that’s that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6byzNN4EGns/Vuqbp89e7aI/AAAAAAAAAlI/1396xQqEMDEF7H07wawcknyOUbTIgtTBw/s1600/12512345_1306712012688288_5223932223964228847_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6byzNN4EGns/Vuqbp89e7aI/AAAAAAAAAlI/1396xQqEMDEF7H07wawcknyOUbTIgtTBw/s320/12512345_1306712012688288_5223932223964228847_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As you probably know, or maybe not, my family came to visit me here in
Sevilla almost a month ago. It was super exciting especially because I had been
bugging them about it since before I even got here. There were some points when
I was sure that they weren’t actually going to come but luckily everything
worked out and they did! Per usual, the lead up was one of the most exciting
parts of the visit. For several weeks before I would walk to tutoring from the
university a different way than usual and go right by the place they would be
staying. I imagined all of the things I would tell them about as we walked down
the main drag of the city for the first time. I imagined us basking in the
sunny Sevillan weather all week taking in the sights that I’ve had the
opportunity to walk by every day. Spoiler alert: the weather was kind of
crappy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I picked them up at the airport and they were (obviously) super tired.
We hopped on the bus to the center of the city and I brought them to their home
for the week. I felt bad that the weather wasn’t great, but we still sat on the
rooftop terrace eating the pastries and drinking the OJ I bought the day
before. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F3BdT7KP_Wo/Vuqbqfpei7I/AAAAAAAAAlM/xPmXAEcrTX8a9h7k5ys8YkZlnVJpcQBYA/s1600/12814127_1306712056021617_5847249136978729166_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F3BdT7KP_Wo/Vuqbqfpei7I/AAAAAAAAAlM/xPmXAEcrTX8a9h7k5ys8YkZlnVJpcQBYA/s320/12814127_1306712056021617_5847249136978729166_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Over the course of the week that they were here we got to pretty much
every tourist spot as well as some of my favorite non-touristy places. We did a
lot of wandering down random streets which is one of my favorite hobbies. I
have a pretty good command of the city and even if I don’t know exactly where
we are I know which general direction to walk in. That means we can get lost
enough to find hidden bars in hidden plazas but not so lost that they ever had
to worry about not being able to get back. The kids (aka my sisters) weren’t as
into the historical things but I had a great time giving my mom and dad a tour
of the Alcázar. We also spent a lot of time shopping and Hannah even got her
prom dress. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7HfGN9qBXQA/VuqbywoUmeI/AAAAAAAAAlU/uTjfxKtqg-UhZ-cYXt2Gp5Okoj8pxPgSg/s1600/IMG_7095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7HfGN9qBXQA/VuqbywoUmeI/AAAAAAAAAlU/uTjfxKtqg-UhZ-cYXt2Gp5Okoj8pxPgSg/s320/IMG_7095.JPG" width="240" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One of the things I loved was eating out. Since I live with my host family
I usually eat <i>en casa</i> but while the fam was here I got to enjoy a lot of
different restaurants. We usually had tapas for dinner which was great. A plus
side to going out with a group is that you can get a bunch of tapas and share.
That’s a lot harder when you go out alone or with only one other person. I
think the US really needs to embrace tapa culture. Easting a little bit of a
lot of things is definitely the way to go. Oh, and red wine should be required!
I did have a bit of a problem trying to translate the different types of meat
for my family; I obviously never order meat so I just kind of ignore that part
of the menu! My favorite dinner was at a restaurant we went to in Alameda. I
got an apple and nut salad instead of tapas but I kept with the Spanish thing
by getting us a jar (10 or so servings) of sangria for the table. I also
introduced the family to <i>picos</i>, which are mini, hard breadsticks. It
rained a bit but luckily they put up an umbrella for us (we were eating outside
as that’s the norm here). We had lots of fun telling stories and joking around…maybe
it was the sangria but it was the best time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m used to lunch being my biggest meal but since the family wasn’t
going to completely adjust to Spanish time in just a week, we usually had
smaller lunches. On their last day here we went to a cute little <i>tienda</i>
on a side street by the apartment and I ordered <i>bocadillo</i>s for me and my
parents and muffins for my sisters. We bought a bunch of snacks and headed down
to the river to enjoy the sun (it finally came out on the last day). We spent
hours sitting and doing nothing. It was great. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bqlbH7N9lhk/Vuqbzat_UQI/AAAAAAAAAlY/9EmaL-uO51QXp0usLET-ZCLL2vUNoe1ug/s1600/IMG_7122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bqlbH7N9lhk/Vuqbzat_UQI/AAAAAAAAAlY/9EmaL-uO51QXp0usLET-ZCLL2vUNoe1ug/s320/IMG_7122.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Since I’m going backwards, let’s talk about breakfast.
My youngest sister, Emily is obsessed with croissants. She’s into everything
French and has always loved them but let’s be honest, they’re on a whole
different level here. I even got her to order and ask for the check in Spanish which
was exciting. My dad did too sometimes. The typical Andalucían breakfast is a <i>tostada</i>
with something on it (it varies depending on the person) and a <i>café </i>(solo
or <i>con leche</i>). My parents aren’t big breakfast eaters so they usually
just enjoyed their <i>cafes</i> but Hannah understands and appreciates the
amazingness of bread. Breakfast is my favorite meal/time of day and I took the
family to three of my favorite cafes while they were here. The swanky <i>La
Baronesa</i>, my go-to blogging spot <i>Café de Indias</i> and the home of my
favorite coffee <i>Christina & Co</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bdbJfzurTXI/VuqbypV4F9I/AAAAAAAAAlQ/XgAbNa2RYjgipJY2OA7N3Sk7At-iKV0aA/s1600/IMG_7133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bdbJfzurTXI/VuqbypV4F9I/AAAAAAAAAlQ/XgAbNa2RYjgipJY2OA7N3Sk7At-iKV0aA/s400/IMG_7133.jpg" width="225" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Last bit on food. They were here over Saint Valentine’s
Day and I gifted my parents a dinner at the <i>Río Grande</i>, a restaurant
that overlooks the <i>Guadalquivir </i>and I took my sister out to the new
Italian place on <i>Calle Betis</i> with Caroline. Oh, and of course we got <i>churros
con chocolate</i> at the churro stand at the end of <i>Puente de Triana</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was great to have the family here but I was super
tired by the time they left…it’s hard being a tour guide and still going to
class! It was fun to <s>show off</s> use my Spanish skills, one time we went
into this store that sold antique tiles and I talked to the owner for a while
and he told me all about the history behind them and how to tell the old ones
from the newer ones. It was a bit frustrating though because there were certain
people who would insist on talking to me in English even if I stated the
conversation in and exclusively used Spanish. It may have happened more because
my family was there but it’s something I constantly have to deal with. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I wish I had time to take them on a day trip or
something, but then again Sevilla has so much to offer! I’m also hoping that
now that they’ve seen the city they’ll be more understanding if I decide to
move here full time </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "wingdings"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">J</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-59394136179333783372016-03-16T13:17:00.003-07:002016-03-16T13:17:54.010-07:00Una Semana Sevillana<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">My blog posts have been almost exclusively travel based lately. I don’t
want you to think that travelling is all that I do, I’m still a student who has
to do student-y things! I thought it would be fun to show you what a typical
week for me looks like. I will note, this is pretty different from last
semester, mostly due to my class schedule.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LaQl58du9x4/Vum-xgvU4hI/AAAAAAAAAkU/TZk68edmGxAYZpUnmcgqlr0fuVxO3GLiw/s1600/IMG_7315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LaQl58du9x4/Vum-xgvU4hI/AAAAAAAAAkU/TZk68edmGxAYZpUnmcgqlr0fuVxO3GLiw/s320/IMG_7315.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Con Ester</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">All of my mornings pretty much start off the same. My alarm goes off a
bunch of times between 7:30 and 8, when I actually get up varies (today I didn’t
get out of bed until 8:15). I leave the house by 8:30 to walk to the
university. If I’m feeling particularly motivated I’ll eat breakfast at home
before I leave but the kitchen is small and everyone is trying to leave around
the same time so it’s usually not worth the hassle. I have my Contemporary
History (French Revolution to WWI) class from 9-10. It’s a regular class with
normal Spanish university students so it’s a bit difficult to follow at
times. The professor usually gets there around 9:08am. After that I have an
hour break during which I either eat at the university cafeteria and journal
(Monday, Wednesday) or go out for breakfast at 100 Montaditos with Alejandra
(Tuesday, Thursday). My class at 11 is another “regular” class called Modern “American”
History (16<sup>th</sup> Century, give or take). My professor shows up between
10 and 15 minutes late and spends a solid 10 minutes getting ready before she
actually starts lecturing. I’ve gotten to know another American student from
Mount Holyoke very well thanks to all the waiting around we do. It’s actually
pretty frustrating, waiting 20-30 minutes for only 30-40 minutes of lecturing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">On Mondays and Wednesdays I usually head to the gym when I get out of
class at noon (unless I’m really tired like today, then I’ll go in the evening),
go home and shower, grab my bocadillo, and head to the Parque de Maria Luisa to
eat before I have class from 3 to 5. That class is a "<i>curso concertado</i>" which means it has a Spanish professor and all American students. It means an interesting topic but a boring class. My issue is that these classes are too easy but the regular ones are too hard! Well...harder than I want them to be. My Monday/Wednesday class and called "Anthropology of Latin America". Since I'm super interested in that part of the world it isn't as painful as some of my classes last semester which is good. On Monday “afternoons” I tutor from
6-8:30/9 and on Wednesdays from 6-7. Since I finish early on Wednesdays I
either stop for a glass of wine on the way home or go to the gym if I didn’t
earlier in the day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LNkt4F9F-ps/Vum-xUGOC0I/AAAAAAAAAkQ/9Wq1ajMWWWQpGxna4yIGFY2voKtnfKO-A/s1600/IMG_7293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LNkt4F9F-ps/Vum-xUGOC0I/AAAAAAAAAkQ/9Wq1ajMWWWQpGxna4yIGFY2voKtnfKO-A/s400/IMG_7293.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">On Tuesdays and Thursdays I hang out at the university or the public
library until my class at one, Slavery in Latin America which is also a <i>curso concertado</i> and when that ends at 3 I power walk home for
lunch with the family. I love having lunch at home and miss eating it there
every day, but I’m glad that I don’t have any afternoon classes this semester!
I try and go to the gym after lunch, but I’ve been really tired lately so it
hasn’t been happening. I’ll spend my afternoon lying in bed with Netflix,
reading at the park, or <i>paseando</i> <i>con amigos</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">We eat dinner around 10, it’s much smaller than the other meals which
works out because I don’t like going to bed too full. A lot of days I’ll just
have a yogurt and fruit, Sundays and Wednesdays are usually an exceptions (we
have <i>tortilla espa</i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18.2px;"><i>ñ</i></span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">ola </i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">and </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">croquetas</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">). I’m pretty tired by this
point so I go back to my room after we eat (unless the family is watching
something interesting on TV) and play around on my computer/phone, skype, or
read a bit before I go to bed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Expo_S%C3%A9ville_1992_en_2007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Expo_S%C3%A9ville_1992_en_2007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In 1992</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Weekends vary. If I’m traveling, I’m obviously traveling, but if I stay
in Seville I usually spend the morning at a café and then make plans for after
lunch with friends or occasionally plans to <i>salir por la noche</i>. On
Fridays I also like to go to Zumba at the gym in the morning. This weekend I
stayed in Sevilla. On Friday, I ate breakfast at home, went to the gym and
spent the rest of the morning at a café with a strawberry milkshake. After
lunch/siesta I went to walk around <i>el centro</i> with Caroline. I got home
around 9 and then got ready and went out to my friend Ester’s flat for pizza
and wine with her boyfriend and his friend. On Saturday, I spent the morning in
a café working on a <i>trabajo</i> for one of my classes and got home just
before lunch. Caroline and I met that night around 8 and stopped at a bar for
some wine before heading out for dinner. The bar was having a special on a
Sevillan made wine, it was fantastic. We ate at this cute burger place that I
walk by all the time on my way home from tutoring. They had a huge selection of
veggie burgers and I’ve been dying to try them. I got one made of seitan and it
was pretty amazing. We hashed out a plan for all the things we wanted to do
working in Admission next year when we get back to SBC and then stopped at
McDonald’s for some McFlurries (they don’t seem to have shamrock hakes here </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6NJZMamr-sQ/Vum-YUAEJ3I/AAAAAAAAAkM/pjeM4pmp3p8D6X4kmcEDzEED9n1HlyIeQ/s1600/Sevilla%2BSpring%2B064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6NJZMamr-sQ/Vum-YUAEJ3I/AAAAAAAAAkM/pjeM4pmp3p8D6X4kmcEDzEED9n1HlyIeQ/s320/Sevilla%2BSpring%2B064.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I had been planning to go to the Sevillanas dance class that I go to on
Sunday mornings when I’m in the city but it’s inconveniently at noon and I had
a lot of work to do so I sat myself down at Café de Indias again and worked on
my papers until lunch time. After lunch I decided to enjoy the beautiful
weather and <i>pasear</i> <i>por </i>Triana and La Cartuja. Triana is my favorite
neighborhood and is definitely where I would live if I lived on my own in
Sevilla. It used to be its own city and was also a <i>barrio de navegantes</i>
in the era of “discoveries” when all of the ships headed to the new world left
from Sevilla. It’s also famous for its ceramics and I finally bought a coffee
mug to bring back home. It was hand made in Triana! La Cartuja is past Triana
and is home to an old monastery/contemporary art museum. It was closed because
it was a Sunday but I walked through the park anyway. I’m not sure if I was
supposed to because all the gates were locked but there was this one spot where
one of the poles in the fence was missing so I could walk right through. There was
a bunch of other people there sunbathing and picnicking. Past the monastery is
the old site of the 1992 Expo. I had heard a lot about how amazing it was but
was sad to find the area desolate and run-down. The city really prospered and
gained recognition during the Expo but they don’t seem to utilize that area
anymore. The gardens were fun to walk through though, lots of flowers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">That night I came home to our typical Sunday night dinner of <i>tortilla
espa</i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18.2px;"><i>ñ</i></span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">ola</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">. Normally we have soup with it but this week we (well I, the kids
were tired and went to be early) had tomatoes soaked in olive oil instead,
which I much prefer. After dinner I went to bed and got ready to do it all over
again!</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B4IZbyppbH0/Vum-X1y1t_I/AAAAAAAAAkI/8Pd8EFv4iusCppaan0BRSsf66Qicyk2DA/s1600/Sevilla%2BSpring%2B049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B4IZbyppbH0/Vum-X1y1t_I/AAAAAAAAAkI/8Pd8EFv4iusCppaan0BRSsf66Qicyk2DA/s320/Sevilla%2BSpring%2B049.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I’ve come to love my schedule this semester though sometimes I feel like
I have too much to do and sometimes I’m too tired to do anything. It’s also
frustrating that I only have two months left to enjoy it. I was making my class
schedule for fall semester at Sweet Briar and tried to make it so that I could
conserve little bits of my schedule here. I think it will be interesting to see
what things I hold onto and what things I’ll go back to doing the “American
way”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-90751845737176672372016-03-16T05:26:00.001-07:002016-03-16T05:26:41.609-07:00Madrid and Segovia<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-33eJqDpHcNY/VulQhWWLIiI/AAAAAAAAAj0/G7G3tFbes1w6wKE89tjHC9xRGPeIqhl_A/s1600/Segovia%2B001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-33eJqDpHcNY/VulQhWWLIiI/AAAAAAAAAj0/G7G3tFbes1w6wKE89tjHC9xRGPeIqhl_A/s320/Segovia%2B001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roman Aqueduct </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s about 5am and I can’t sleep, I don’t particularly feel like
studying for the midterm I have today, and it’s too early to take a shower. So
I’ll blog. I’m finally moving onto the start of the semester! As a general
update I only have a little over two months left here in Seville and while it’ll
be exciting to see everyone, I’m not ready to leave. I booked my flight the
other day and it was kind of (really) sad. Last week when I was tutoring one of
my adorable/well-behaved/hilarious students, it hit me how hard it is going to
be to leave. She was showing me her yearbook from the previous year, as it was
picture day, and I asked when she would get her new one. She was like “<i>I’ll
get it in the fall and then I can show you”</i>. I was like <i>“sweetheart, I
have to go back to the United States in May”. “Wait you’re leaving, for how
long?” “Well it will take at least a year to finish my degree…” “A WHOLE YEAR?”
</i>Of course I want to come back to Sevilla eventually but I do have other
planes for after I graduate. Needless to say a stake was driven directly
through my heart. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">More on <i>Sevilla mía </i>later. The first weekend in February I went
to Madrid with JYS. I went to the museums and stuff last semester so I was free
to do whatever I wanted. It’s a pretty sweet deal because I got my AVE tickets,
food, and the hotel for “free”. The trip was part of the program fee, but
whatever. I decided that I would go and see Segovia while the others were in
the museums. Segovia is a smaller city/town a bit to the north of Madrid and
the <i>alcázar</i> there is the inspiration for Disney’s Cinderella Castle. As
a Cinderella lover, this has been on my list for a while. Oh there’s also a
Roman aqueduct. I ended up not getting to Segovia until pretty late in the day,
almost 4pm. By the time we got to Madrid and I got out to the other train
station I had missed the 1:30 departure by like 5 minutes. I spent some quality
time in the station waiting. Luckily for me one of the cafes was having a Valentine’s
Day coffee/doughnut special. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4nJoyofAPWc/VulQjqFZ7rI/AAAAAAAAAj4/2k7n0_20VqMwiz6rGsE-OP_oml5sn74rw/s1600/Segovia%2B068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4nJoyofAPWc/VulQjqFZ7rI/AAAAAAAAAj4/2k7n0_20VqMwiz6rGsE-OP_oml5sn74rw/s320/Segovia%2B068.JPG" width="240" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When I got there, after a 30 minute AVE ride, I had to take a bus into
town. The first thing you see is the huge Roman aqueduct which, I’ll admit was
pretty cool. Since I only had limited time, that and the Cinderella Castle were
the only things on my to-do list. I <i>di un paseo</i> <i>por la judería </i>(strolled
around the old Jewish neighborhood) and some gardens before I got to the
castle. At first sight, I was not impressed. I remembered what had happened in
Fussen and was determined to find a better view point. That’s exactly what I spent
the rest of my afternoon trying to do. I went up and down a million staircases
and hills but eventually I did find the perfect view, more than one actually.
There was this mini-field almost directly under the fortress and at one end
there were houses and at the other end was a line of trees and a river. If you
stood on the edge of the river and looked straight up, you’d be staring right
at the castle. Talk about growing up dreaming big. I know that I would have
spent my childhood (and/or adulthood), had I lived back in the day, simultaneously
splashing around in the river and pretending I’d be a princess who lived there
one day. Casual castle in the back yard. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The sun was just starting to set when I made my way up some of the hills
in the “back” of the castle. I had an amazing view and decided that I was going
to wait there until dark so I could see it all lit up. It was really cool
seeing all of the lights in the city slowly turn on. All the churches slowly
lit up and the street lights looked like strings of lanterns and the car lights
looked like hundreds of fireflies. Of course the castle was the last thing to
be lit up and by the time it <i>finally</i> started, it was dark, cold, and I
had missed the bus I wanted to take back to the train station. I waited anyway,
and it was definitely worth it. The walk back into town was a bit of a struggle
because it was so dark and my phone was dead so I didn’t have a flashlight. Also
those stairs back up into the actual town were so rough, but I made it! I
looked at the bus schedule and saw that if I got on the next bus I’d make it
back to the train station just in time to catch my AVE. I had time to kill so I
went and got a caramel McFlurry and people watched. It was prime people
watching time because it was the weekend of Carnival so everyone was dressed up
like they would be for Halloween in the US. According to my host sister
Carnival is much more fun in the <i>pueblos </i>than in the big cities. I
really felt that in Segovia, it’s not tiny by any means but it has a much more
family-y atmosphere. Next time in in Spain, Carnival is on my to-do list!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KRiB7VxdqlQ/VulQgXglvtI/AAAAAAAAAjw/TR2ZWfeGHLMuZ7O-063hRryDZIuneWm4w/s1600/Segovia%2B126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KRiB7VxdqlQ/VulQgXglvtI/AAAAAAAAAjw/TR2ZWfeGHLMuZ7O-063hRryDZIuneWm4w/s320/Segovia%2B126.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I got back to the hotel in Madrid about halfway through dinner. I was
glad I had the McFlurry because after my <i>primer plato</i> of green
beans/sauce they brought out a fish dish since they didn’t get the memo that I was
vegetarian. Normally when we stay in hotels it’s a buffet but this time it wasn’t.
I just ate the fruit we had for dessert and that was that. I wasn’t planning on
going out that night but with the promise of an apartment party I said yes. It
ended up being pretty boring but Caroline and I went and got <i>churros con
chocolate</i> at San Gínes which is a famous churro place in Madrid that I’ve
been to almost every time I’ve been in the city…that would be three out of four
times. It down poured all night, but who can complain when churros/chocolate
are involved?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The next day was low-key. I walked a bit and then sat myself down in a café
to catch up on journaling. The women who worked there were really sweet and
took the time to figure out why the wifi wasn’t working for me. It was nice to
talk in Spanish. Even though I feel, more often than not, that my Spanish is
actually getting worse there are occasions like that were I can just have a
nice conversation with no problems. I definitely love being back in a country
where I speak the language especially after my trip in January!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-83242828844181628782016-03-13T05:49:00.003-07:002016-03-13T05:51:58.573-07:00January trip wrap up and budget<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Now that I’ve finished all my storytelling (that’s actually a lie, as I
type I’ve written approximately two paragraphs about Budapest. But whatever.)
This post will serve as a reference with links to all my relevant posts and a
budget breakdown. As much as I’ve loved blogging about this trip, I’m now super
far behind with everything else I’ve done so I’m glad this is over!</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dublin, Ireland:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> I spent a night in the airport and a half a day here
before boarding a ferry to Wales. You can find the link to my blog post <a href="http://burkinaadventure.blogspot.com.es/2016/02/parts-1-3-ireland-and-wales.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Budget:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bus to Santa Justa: 1,4€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ave (train) to/from Madrid: 123,6€*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bus to Airport: 5€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Flight MAD to DUB: 50€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Food: 17€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bus into Dublin: 6€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ferry to Wales: 40€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Total: 243€<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*While I do love the AVE, this was not ideal but it was necessary as the
bus times would have resulted in me waiting at the airport for over 12 hours
each way<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Holyhead & Bangor, Wales: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I stayed with my co-counselor from camp
this summer! Link <a href="http://burkinaadventure.blogspot.com.es/2016/02/parts-1-3-ireland-and-wales.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Budget (in pounds):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Train ticket to Bangor: Free, since we were stuck at
the station forever due to flooding<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Accommodation: Free (thanks Laura!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Wales sticker: £1,25 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Toiletries: £2,78<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Second hand book: £2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Food : £22<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Total: £28.03 (~36€)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">London, England:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> I spent NYE here with another camp friend and her
friend. Blog link <a href="http://burkinaadventure.blogspot.com.es/2016/02/london.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Budget (in pounds):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Accommodation: Free (thanks Charlotte and Kasia)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Food (including coffee and drinks): £33,6*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">24 hour Transport ticket (x2): £24<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Other transport: £17,8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Gifts: £8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Total: £83,4 (~107€)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*I had some access to food thanks to the people I stayed with </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "wingdings"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">J</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Munich, Germany:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> I flew from London to Munich and spent about 3 days
here. Blog link <a href="http://burkinaadventure.blogspot.com.es/2016/02/munich-and-innsbruck.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Budget:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Flight to Munich: 62€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Housing, 3 nights: 41€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Food (including groceries that lasted the rest of the
trip and a fancy lunch): 50,3€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Transportation (including. to/from the airport): 11,9€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Other (tours, museums, etc): 23€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Total: 188.2€<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Innsbruck, Austria:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> This was a day trip from Munich. Blog link <a href="http://burkinaadventure.blogspot.com.es/2016/02/munich-and-innsbruck.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Budget:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bus to/from: 27.5€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Food (including Christmas market mug): 12.9€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Post Cards: 3€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Total: 43.4€<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Füssen, Germany: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I spent two nights I this fairy tale Bavarian town!
Blog link <a href="http://burkinaadventure.blogspot.com.es/2016/02/fussen-land-o-fairy-tales.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Budget:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Train to/from Munich: 40€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Accommodation for two nights (in a real hotel): 116.5€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Food (including a very fancy dinner): 44.23€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Fun stuff (the movies, castle visit, etc) 27.8€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Total: 228,53€<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Prague, Czech Republic: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">4 Nights in the Czech capital and lots of vegetarian
restaurants! Blog link <a href="http://burkinaadventure.blogspot.com.es/2016/02/alternative-prague-embracing-your-inner.html" target="_blank">here.</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Budget (prices converted from the Czech currency):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Train to Prague from Munich: 20€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hostel for 4 nights: 40€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Food: 60€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Fun stuff (yoga, museums, etc): 19€*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Total: 139€<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*Considering how much I did this is amazing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Česky Krumlov, Czech Republic:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Thanks to a booking error on my part I
spent one night here. I’m glad I made that mistake. Blog link <a href="http://burkinaadventure.blogspot.com.es/2016/02/alternative-prague-embracing-your-inner.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Budget (prices converted from the Czech currency)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bus to/from Prague: 15€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hostel for one night: 15€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Food: 13€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Total: 43€<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Vienna, Austria</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">: I spent 3 nights in the Austrian capital. This was a
very history-oriented visit. Blog link <a href="http://burkinaadventure.blogspot.com.es/2016/02/vienna-coffee-cake-and-high-expectations.html" target="_blank">here</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Budget<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Train ticket from Prague: 20€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hostel for 3 nights: 51,5€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Food: 56€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Museums and other cultural things: 41.5€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="DE" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Transport Pass: 16.6€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Stamps/stickers/a really nice pair of jeans: 83.3€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Total: 268.9</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Grünau im Almtal,</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Austria: I spent 3 nights here. Everything just got
put on the tab so I don’t have a good of a breakdown. Blog link <a href="http://burkinaadventure.blogspot.com.es/2016/03/grunau-im-almtal-paradise-lost-or.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Budget:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Blah Blah Car (x2): 20€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Groceries/alcohol: 10€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Weekend tab (breakfast and dinner, accommodation,
horseback riding): 111€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Total: 141€<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Budapest, Hungary</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">: I spent five nights here and was really tired by the
time I got here so my record keeping was subpar. Blog link <a href="http://burkinaadventure.blogspot.com.es/2016/03/budapest-i-cant-feel-my-face-when-im.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Budget (prices converted from Hungarian currency):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bus ticket from Vienna 18€ (I actually have no idea
how much this was, I actually think it was less)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hostel for 5 nights: 65€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The entire week including food, activities, a ballet,
my travel back through Madrid, and a copy of the Book Thief: ~150€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Flight to Madrid: 35€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Total: 286€<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Approximate total for one month of travel: 1.700</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">€<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The budgets I gave my self ranged between 1.000€ and
2.000€. I hadn’t been planning on going to Innsbruck, Česky Krumlov, or Grünau
im Almtal. Obviously spontaneity isn’t free, but it sure is fun! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Budgeting tips for longer term travel:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpLast">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1 1.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Take advantage of grocery stores, but be
aware of what type of kitchen appliances your accommodation has, if any. Also,
you are not above electric kettle pasta (just make sure it doesn’t have an
exposed burner). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2 2.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Buying transportation ticket ahead of time
can save you a lot, my 20€ train tickets would have been 60 if I bought them
the day of<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">3 3.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Laundry is more expensive than you think,
just wash your stuff in the sink<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">4 4.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It’s okay to splurge on a nice dinner or
lunch!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">5 5.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If traveling alone, try to befriend your
server, you might get free food!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">6 6.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Going out will kill your wallet, if you do
want to go out take advantage of happy hour, especially at your hostel!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">7 7.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If you travel in winter you’re going to
spend more money on activities but less on travel/accommodation. I went into a
ton of museums simply because it was too cold to walk around for hours at a
time, but I got off season prices on almost everything. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">8 8.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Free Tours” are fun, but don’t expect them
to show you the big tourist attractions. Use them to meet people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">9 9.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I loved Blah Blah Car and saved 80€ round
trip using it. I recommend trying it out but definitely be careful with who you
pick to drive you! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1 10.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When traveling to a country with another
currency, always pay using that currency, check your change, and take it
directly out of an ATM instead of trying to exchange it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1 11.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Always ask about a student/young person/old
person discount! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -18pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> 12.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This shouldn’t have to be said, but watch
what you’re carrying so you don’t have to pay extra fees on your luggage. Also
if you travel light you won’t have room to bring home a bunch of souvenirs and
such, which is ideal if you’re on a budget. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Fellow shoe-stringers: what am I missing?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-14370106575701100652016-03-12T09:22:00.004-08:002016-03-12T09:26:38.822-08:00Budapest: I can’t feel my face when I’m with you<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">My last stop was Budapest. It was cold. So cold. So cold and windy. Freezing. The Weeknd lyrics were going
through my head the entire time I was there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lvPe02OQsog/VuRPQ7OZs_I/AAAAAAAAAig/oXXIlz5uBvMd7fdewCpMqTzKtrmkTrv5A/s1600/1793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lvPe02OQsog/VuRPQ7OZs_I/AAAAAAAAAig/oXXIlz5uBvMd7fdewCpMqTzKtrmkTrv5A/s320/1793.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My previous post does a pretty solid job explaining how I got lost and
eventually got to my hostel to if you want to catch up I’ll leave the link
(<a href="http://burkinaadventure.blogspot.com.es/2016/03/dont-be-afraid-go-or-sometimes-scary.html" target="_blank">Here</a>). When I finally did get to my hostel I was pleasantly surprised at how
small and empty it was. After I checked in I found a few people hanging out in
the kitchen eating dinner and after a quick run to the store for a TWO DOLLAR
frozen pizza, I was glad to join them. I was tired but I had a hard time
falling asleep. I’m not sure why but this has been pretty common for me in the
last year or so. On top of that I was woken up by a super early morning “call
to prayer” from the mosque that was supposedly down the street. I never did end
up seeing it. I guess I can’t complain though because my room, the India Room,
was pretty cool. I had the whole loft to myself so I got to spread out a bunch.
I also never locked my stuff up. There were only a few of us in the room and
they all seemed nice enough (this isn’t foreshadowing. Everyone was nice and no
one stole anything).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eyaVULfhCag/VuRPat6ROjI/AAAAAAAAAis/LoZzhJB5xSM9VuiwIuu5izkPXm03BJrHw/s1600/1813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eyaVULfhCag/VuRPat6ROjI/AAAAAAAAAis/LoZzhJB5xSM9VuiwIuu5izkPXm03BJrHw/s320/1813.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I spent my first morning walking along the river and through the Castle
District. The city looked nothing like I expected and it was almost completely
empty. It actually had a pretty eerie feeling. I stopped in a few cute little
shops and bought a Christmas ornament in one of them. It was kind of strange
(also magical) to be in these cute, cozy, warm stores and then all of the
sudden be back out on a street of communist era buildings that seemed to be
falling apart. You lose yourself in all the crafts and beautiful things and
then you forget about the outside. I walked by the coolest wedding dress store
and also went into a music history museum and an art gallery that I was rushed
out of after the woman on duty received a phone call and then said she needed
to close up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-re8-svhVLGk/VuRPazsuEaI/AAAAAAAAAiw/Xhb2YIYtTNo8gVbhYacD_jauPrD_U_mig/s1600/1840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-re8-svhVLGk/VuRPazsuEaI/AAAAAAAAAiw/Xhb2YIYtTNo8gVbhYacD_jauPrD_U_mig/s320/1840.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I thought a lot about how lucky (blessed, mostly blessed) I had been the
night before. I got to thinking about what could have happened if that man
hadn’t been there. Not pretty. I went back to the hostel around lunch time and
I went with some of the people I met to a cat café (slightly disappointing, I
mean not really because I don’t like cats) and the “cat-pucchino” that I had
was pretty amazing, mostly because it had peanut butter in it. From there we
went to this secret tea house called “Altair”. It was amazing. There are no
signs for it so you only hear about it from other people; this is me telling
you to go. You have to take your shoes off when you go inside and it’s hard to
describe but it’s kind of like a jungle gym and you just relax on the various
levels/lofts and drink tea. We stayed for a while but I could have sat there
all day. It also seemed to be a popular date spot. That night I cooked myself a
huge pot of pasta and tucked myself into bed with Netflix and watched “Suits”
for hours. I ended up staying away until almost 4 because I just couldn’t
sleep. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IKMQl5e3rDk/VuRPgwswpjI/AAAAAAAAAi0/avwpJZuevEwKbScHhtFzhSOmc7DVAnW5Q/s1600/1860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IKMQl5e3rDk/VuRPgwswpjI/AAAAAAAAAi0/avwpJZuevEwKbScHhtFzhSOmc7DVAnW5Q/s320/1860.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The next day I lay in bed until after lunch watching Netflix. The guy
that I traveled to Vienna with got to the hostel that afternoon and we walked
around the city taking pretty much the same route that I did the day before.
Instead of seeing the sun burning through the fog we were treated to the sunset
and Budapest all lit up. It’s not a super impressive city during the day but
it’s absolutely breathtaking at night. One of my biggest regrets is not seeing
historical Prague at night! We stopped back at the hostel and met up with
another girl who was staying there and the three of us went out to dinner at a
traditional Hungarian place. I had potatoes and fried cheese with blueberry
sauce (great combo with the carbs right?). I also had two beautiful glasses of
Rosé that were less than 50 cents each. What. And I thought Spain was cheap!
Our waiter was clearly not as impressed by the wine prices as I was because he
gave “the look” when I ordered a second glass to go with my ice cream. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7npqM3VP2OM/VuRPX_ZuTDI/AAAAAAAAAio/ofPnVjfbRJon47dY70LFBqYhm0BH15ttw/s1600/1844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7npqM3VP2OM/VuRPX_ZuTDI/AAAAAAAAAio/ofPnVjfbRJon47dY70LFBqYhm0BH15ttw/s320/1844.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The next day James (the guy I met in Austria), Pedro (a guy who works at
the hostel) and I all went caving. IT WAS SO FUN! I was nervous at first but
I’m so glad I did it. It was great to do something more adventurous and it
makes me want to go caving when I get back to Sweet Briar! The caves were
wicked cool, literally and figuratively. There’s a natural stage down there and
once a year they have Christmas concerts in the cave. At one point near the end
the instructor had us turn off our lights and work our way through a tunnel by
using each other’s voices and bodies as a guide. My favorite part though was
when we were sitting in a big “room” and she had us turn off our lights and sit
silently. Because you’re underground absolutely no light gets in so it’s
complete darkness. It was amazing. Same goes with sound, all I could hear was
my blood in my ears. I lay down on the clay. That’s what I need for a good night’s
sleep- absolute silence and darkness and a clay floor. I was sore for days
afterward from all the climbing and squeezing through tiny spaces, but I think
I have a new hobby!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After lunch and a nap James and I went up to the Citadella to see the
city from a birds eye view (well…). It was quite the workout, but also worth
it…just take a look at my pictures! We went to this really nice Italian place
for dinner after stopping for a yummy street food dessert thing. I got a pesto
pasta dish for dinner and some surprisingly good Hungarian red wine. It
occurred to me that that was the first time that I had gone out to a nice
Italian place and ate like an adult (aka had wine with Italian food that wasn’t
pizza). It was really nice having someone to walk around with and talk to.
Budapest was the city I felt the least safe in by myself, though my perspective
may have been biased for a variety of reasons given my recent experiences. I
realized that when I’m not walking alone (in whatever city, even Sevilla) I’m
always smiling and laughing but when I am alone I have my game face on. It
sucks that that’s the way it has to be but I guess that’s what you get for
being a woman. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On a lighter note, I
found out exactly what happened my first night in the hostel in
Grunau…apparently I had a bit more to drink than I remembered. It all made so
much more sense! I’ll spare you the details. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My last day was pretty low-key. James left that morning so I walked
around a bit by myself in the morning and ended up buying a ticket to see Romeo
and Juliet at the opera house that night. I wanted to spend all the money I had
withdrawn and I had a bunch left (aka 30
dollars) so I decided to spend it all in one place </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "wingdings"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">J</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> That afternoon I went on a run down to an
island that’s connected to the bridge by my hostel. The island had a 5(<i>y
pico)</i>km track that was actually really nice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dbwpZqNGNcM/VuRPigHwNFI/AAAAAAAAAi8/1zyZlzuIhQgKMpzSY7XH-P24Tb9GP4vbA/s1600/1884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dbwpZqNGNcM/VuRPigHwNFI/AAAAAAAAAi8/1zyZlzuIhQgKMpzSY7XH-P24Tb9GP4vbA/s320/1884.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The ballet was very…Eastern European. The dancers were great and I thought
Romeo and Juliet did a great job showing just how young the couple is which I
always think is important. There was a bit of a Hungarian flair to it and there
were some surprisingly funny parts as well. My seat was in a box almost
directly in the back of the theater and it was in the first row which meant my
view was amazing. During intermission I was people watching and I saw several
little girls dancing around pretending to be ballerinas. I want that to be my
children and I want to dance around with them. It was actually heartbreaking
seeing some of their parents on their phones! Oh, also, they do this really
cool thing in Hungary where they all clap in unison at the end of a
performance. It was so weird and unexpected and a bit creepy, but cool nevertheless.
On the way home from the theater I walked by a bunch of cool cafes and bistros.
I wish I took the time to eat out and explore Budapest a bit more. I’d love to
see the city in the summer. I stopped at the metro station and spent the last
of my money on a ticket to the airport for the morning and on a slice of pizza
for dinner (my new post theater meal). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--g3uGIRv8PI/VuRPiMhVhBI/AAAAAAAAAi4/q3yXKe2XfCEYC7-rgP2-obyZaTJKNZQTw/s1600/1868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18.4px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--g3uGIRv8PI/VuRPiMhVhBI/AAAAAAAAAi4/q3yXKe2XfCEYC7-rgP2-obyZaTJKNZQTw/s320/1868.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I left pretty early the next morning for my flight that was at nine. It
took my about 12 hours to get home, there was a lot of waiting around for the
train but I ended up buying “The Book Thief” so it wasn’t too bad. I was really
glad to be back home. I was sad not to be traveling anymore but I was excited
for my host mom’s food and my bed and being able to understand the language!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">…that’s that! My first solo trip was a success! Lots of ups and downs
but I learned plenty about myself, other people, everything. I also learned
that being completely free to do whatever you want is the most exciting, though
sometimes overwhelming, feeling in the entire world. This type of traveling is
totally different than any traveling I’ve done before but I think it might be
my favorite. You just can’t replicate how that freedom feels. Sorry to the
folks at home but I think I’ve found my new drug! (Hi can we just appreciate how I just brought that right back to the title?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">**Stay tuned for my budget breakdown coming soon**<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-47993609692586738202016-03-10T11:59:00.000-08:002016-03-10T11:59:01.333-08:00Don't Be Afraid. Go. (or sometimes scary things happen)<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">[Note: I wrote this soon after I returned home in January but wanted to wait a bit to share it. Also, I can never put into words what my trip to Burkina and Amy and Mike and Coral all mean to me so I'm not even going to try. I thank God everyday for the amazing experience that I had. You are all stronger and more wonderful than I could ever hope to be <3]</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Before I
start on the blogs for the rest of my adventure, I wanted to share this story
with you. I’ve written it in my head a hundred times and thought I should get
it down on paper:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US">I didn’t know how to tell anyone. I practiced
the conversation in my head a million times, “So did you guys hear about the
terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso? I was there last year and one of the people
I worked with, my mentor while I was there, was killed.” I couldn’t do it. The
weight was suffocating and though I had the support of my friends and family at
home thanks to technology I just wanted a hug but I didn’t want to put my
burden on a group of people I just met. We ate dinner, we played cards, we
watched Australian movies. I made sure I was smiling and I distracted myself,
it worked. When I got back to Vienna I got on the metro to the bus station.
After one stop this strange looking man got on. I felt sick, my legs got weak,
and I wanted to cry. The metro car was packed and I felt like I was
suffocating. We got to the next stop and I almost got off, but he did instead.
I felt embarrassed for being so judgmental, for assuming he was a bad person
because he looked different. Who was I? The bus ride to Budapest was about
three hours. I was on the verge of tears the entire time. I alternated between
begging God for safe travels and thanking Him that I wasn’t in a city or a big
hostel where I could have isolated myself that weekend. You do a lot of
thinking when you travel alone and that’s not always a good thing. When I got
to Budapest it was already dark. My hostel’s instructions were not very clear
and I ended up at the wrong metro stop with no idea where I was going. I
couldn’t find anyone who spoke English and the people, with their hungry eyes,
in the metro station looked at me like the blonde, young, lost, tourist I was.
I was terrified, I was tired, and I was ready to cry. I left the station and
found an Information desk. “Do you speak English?” “No.” Fully defeated, I had
no idea what to do. I literally had no idea where I was. About 2 seconds later,
a man who had been on his phone came over to me and asked, in English, if he
could help me. Without hesitating I said yes. He was a computer programmer
whose wife taught English. With the help of his GPS he brought me to my hostel
and even bought me another metro ticket on the way. It took us over a half hour
to get there and it was very out of his way. I of course was skeptical and later I felt bad that I had pretty much invented my life story, because his intentions
really were pure. The magnitude of his kindness didn’t occur to me until the
next day. What would have happened if he hadn’t been there? If he didn’t speak
English? If I didn’t ask the information man if he spoke English? He had been a
gift, of that much I was sure. I had been afraid of people and needed to be
reminded that not everyone was bad and scary. Call it what you will-but God put
that man there at that moment to remind me not to be afraid, to trust. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_LFQw32bgu0/VuHQ0lhzklI/AAAAAAAAAh8/2KUmkZkdQgo/s1600/atrapasueno.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_LFQw32bgu0/VuHQ0lhzklI/AAAAAAAAAh8/2KUmkZkdQgo/s320/atrapasueno.jpg" width="214" /></a><i><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US">I was reminded of this wonderful quote: Travel
is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness…broad, wholesome,
charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one
little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime –Mark Twain<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US">If I learned anything on this trip it’s that
life isn’t the time to be afraid, traveling or otherwise. It's quite the opposite actually. It's our only shot at living, as simple as that sounds. Sure there are some
ugly and scary moments, but think about what you’re missing when you’re hiding?
This is something I have especially taken to heart this semester. Sometimes you
need a little reminder to go out, live your life, and see the beauty in the
world. This is my reminder to you, don’t be afraid. Go. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-86458412130487787662016-03-07T12:38:00.001-08:002016-03-07T12:38:45.536-08:00Grünau im Almtal: Paradise Lost or Paradise Found?<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I met my Blah Blah Car ride at the end of the U4 metro line. I was
getting nervous because he was late but he did eventually get there. Two other
girls came with us and everyone spoke German but me. The driver did speak a bit
of English so we got to talk a little. He was a university student who studied
in Vienna and is from a little town in the north. He said that if he has
nothing to do he will post trips on the app and then drive people to make some
extra money. I really need to look into doing that. It’s a great way to meet
people and do I love driving. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XxzrqasAznU/Vt3lpqe200I/AAAAAAAAAg0/BmBWrsDViyw/s1600/1709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XxzrqasAznU/Vt3lpqe200I/AAAAAAAAAg0/BmBWrsDViyw/s320/1709.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I got dropped off in a little town called Sattledt where he told me that
I could catch a train to Grünau. I’m glad he knew how to get me there because I
would have had no idea! Since we dropped the other girls off earlier he stayed
and waited to make sure I got on the train (and also to take a smoke break).
The train was adorable! It was super tiny and I just sat in the entrance car by
the ticket booth and bathroom. I ended up not being able to buy a ticket, the
bills I had on me were too big and I didn’t want to have to try and explain
that to the conductor if he came through the cars. The trip was only about a
half hour. It was cool to see some of the small towns before it got dark. When
I got off it was snowing, talk about a magical start to the trip. I looked for
the payphone that the hostel owner said was in the waiting room but couldn’t
find it. Luckily there was a man dropping off his wife who let me use his cell
phone. I called the Tree House and the owner sent his son to pick me up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I knew from the second I arrived at the Tree House I would love it. It’s
very secluded and is your typical log cabin in the middle of nowhere. I was
immediately introduced to the owner, Gerhard, and two Australians who were staying
there. There ended up being only 6 or 7 of us the entire time I was there so it
was pretty quiet. The hostel is on a Bus-A-Bout route in the summer and around
Christmas so it can get pretty crazy. I didn’t mind the quiet at all, it was
felt like I was renting a house with friends, we ate and drank together and I
never thought about even closing my bedroom door, let alone locking it. That
being said, I bet it would be really cool in the summer when you can go hiking
(to a really cool sounding waterfall!) and when there’s a ton of people. Pretty
soon after I got there we took a quick trip to the grocery store to get food
for lunch. Breakfast was included and the family cooked dinner and everyone ate
it even though it cost a little extra. Everyone who was staying at the hostel
piled into the van and while we were shopping around (peanut butter, apples,
bread, drinks) a girl from Germany that a few of the Australians had met in New
Zealand (talk about an adventurous life) arrived at the train station. We got
back in the van and headed home. Dinner was at the very not-Spanish time of
6:30pm. We had dumplings, egg rolls, and a creamy sauce, well that’s what the vegetarian option was; everyone else
had meat in theirs. We also got dessert.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nF2oOtegj9w/Vt3ljTRr8yI/AAAAAAAAAgw/c12CSa_SCYk/s1600/1713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nF2oOtegj9w/Vt3ljTRr8yI/AAAAAAAAAgw/c12CSa_SCYk/s320/1713.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Isabelle and I were sharing a room and it was so nice to be able to
spread out. The room was made for 12 people so we had lots of space. I showered
and got into some nice cozy clothes before heading down to the basement. Our
night was filled with pool, card games and lots of drinking, apparently. I
honestly don’t know what happened except that during a round of “never have I
ever” in King’s Cup I put up my three fingers to play and next thing I knew it
was 8am, sunny, and snowing. All I have to say is shout-out to Isabelle for
taking care of me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Unfortunately this is where the fun and games ended, or were at least
stunted. I was scrolling through Facebook before I got out of bed and saw that
there had been a terrorist attack at a café in Burkina Faso that I had been to
when I was there last January. Good thing nobody I knew there lived in the
capital. I continued scrolling and saw a status posted by the woman who heads
the organization that I worked with; her husband and the local pastor were
missing and hadn’t been heard from since the night before. They were in Ouaga
waiting for the arrival of a mission team. My heart sank. I won’t drag this out
as most of you kept up with this in real time. Amy’s husband was killed in the
attack but Pastor Valentine survived. I was glued to my phone most of the day
and I finally got the news at dinner time. I was absolutely sick. I didn’t talk
about it with the people I was staying with at the hostel because I don’t like
“burdening” people with my problems but I was thankful for their distractions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vWPzcp7GjOE/Vt3lp8v-eOI/AAAAAAAAAg4/3Hez79On79Q/s1600/1732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vWPzcp7GjOE/Vt3lp8v-eOI/AAAAAAAAAg4/3Hez79On79Q/s320/1732.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">To prevent myself from staring at my phone <i>all </i>day, I spent a lot
of time outside. Isabelle and I played around in the snow like children until
she had to leave and then I went on a walk. It was very refreshing to be out in
nature. It even started snowing and I shamelessly danced around in the street
to my Carrie Underwood playlist. I walked on the road until I got to a “Magic
Forest” type park. I was totally alone in the snow covered park which was fun,
if not a bit creepy. I was having a blast until I (on my way back to the
entrance) stepped in a river. I had crossed it on the way there but on my
return trip I slipped on a rock and honestly didn’t have enough energy to get
back on the rocks so I just walked across. My boots weren’t exactly made for
walking in rivers so immediately after I got across I realized that I was an
idiot and that my feet were going to freeze and that they were going to get
frostbite and that they would have to be amputated. As a dancer, that’s
unacceptable. I did think, for a brief second, that if my pinky toes were the
only ones to be amputated that the line of my foot might be even better but
that dream was short lived. I was at least two miles from the hostel so I
decided to jog. After 5 or so minutes I realized that that wouldn’t do anything
but make my feet sweat. I decided to break into one of the wooden cabins
scattered across the property so I could at least sit down and take my soaking
wet socks off. I managed to pry one of the doors open and when I got in I found
heaps of dry newspaper. I decided that I would take off my socks and wrap my
numb feet in the paper because at least that would absorb some of the water,
right? I jogged back to the hostel and took a warm shower and then had a very
peanut buttery sandwich. It was quite a day, but it did keep me distracted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gv5eO1-t4Rs/Vt3lx3iYxBI/AAAAAAAAAhA/XhKUpMjW0DM/s1600/1740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gv5eO1-t4Rs/Vt3lx3iYxBI/AAAAAAAAAhA/XhKUpMjW0DM/s320/1740.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Since I found out about Mike a few minutes before
dinner I wasn’t really in the mood to talk. All of the other people at the
hostel had gone skiing that day (there’s a mountain five minutes away) so I was
content to listen to their stories. Immediately after dinner we went downstairs
to watch Crocodile Dundee 2. Everyone but me and the German girl, Clara, were
from Australian so they had obviously seen it and said it was essential to our
education. No, we hadn’t seen the first one but we couldn’t find a copy of it. I
thought it was hilarious, and a great distraction. I was alone in my room after
the movie (since Isabelle left that morning) when the reality of what happened
hit me. It was not a fun night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FyUMzVkfFss/Vt3lzAuRQGI/AAAAAAAAAhE/EE_0byGHG1A/s1600/1756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FyUMzVkfFss/Vt3lzAuRQGI/AAAAAAAAAhE/EE_0byGHG1A/s320/1756.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">It was snowing the next morning and I ate breakfast looking out over the
back yard. I was (and always am) struggling to understand how the world could/can
be so beautiful and so ugly at the same time. I talked to some of the other
guests as they came down for breakfast and decided to go for a run not caring
that it was snowing pretty hard out. I ended up running for about an hour. I
came back soaking wet with burning lungs but it felt great. After lunch I went
out to a local farm to do the horseback riding that I booked through the hostel
the day before. A girl about my age lead my around for an hour, it was a great
way to see the town. The snow held off until we were done but my hands and feet
were freezing after. She let me trot a couple times, which I’ve obviously never
done. It was really cool, but kind of scary at first! That night I ate at the
hostel again and then we watched Crocodile Dundee 1. A couple of the guys took
the day off from skiing due to the heavy snow and fog and found it hidden in
the stack of movies. It was better than the sequel and made me want to go to
Australia even more…it’ll happen soon, it’s part of my elaborate pre-planned
quarter life crisis but more on that another time. We stayed up late playing “Presidents
and Assholes” which is my new favorite card game. They also had these nifty
waterproof playing cards that had camping tips on them. I’ve said it before but
I am so grateful for the distraction I had at the Tree House.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bQc8AIIjdCE/Vt3l1SbHvGI/AAAAAAAAAhI/UAox-BCz1YA/s1600/1760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bQc8AIIjdCE/Vt3l1SbHvGI/AAAAAAAAAhI/UAox-BCz1YA/s320/1760.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I got up pretty early the next day to catch the train to Wels. I was
traveling with one of the guys I met, James. The two of us were getting a Blah
Blah Car from Wels to Vienna where he was staying. I was off to Budapest. It
took us a while to find her, but our driver was great. She is a vet student at
the University of Vienna. I don’t know if I was just lucky but I loved my Blah
Blah Car experiences. I’ve been skeptical to use it here in Spain but it’s been
a great resource. Our driver was telling us how she’s had to be careful
recently as she had been getting a bunch of requests from immigrants and
refugees who just wanted to get into Germany (she lives just over the border). Anyway,
she spoke great English and it was so cool listening to her talk about vet
school and life in Austria and Germany. We got dropped off at the end of a
metro line in Vienna. James and I said our goodbyes and I headed to the subway.
I hadn’t thought about the terrorist attacks in severa<o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">l hours but I stated to
feel claustrophobic/sick the second I got onto the metro. At our second stop a
strangely dressed man got on. It looked like he was carrying a handmade bow and
arrow. I immediately felt trapped. I felt more claustrophobic than I ever have
in my life. I was nauseous and sure he was going to turn around and shoot me.
In the less than one minute between him getting on and us getting to the next
stop I think I saw my entire life flash before my eyes. When we </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">finally </i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">stopped
at the next station I was ready to get off. But then he did. He hadn’t even
looked at me. I was embarrassed with myself for being so judgmental. At that
moment I said a little prayer thanking God that I had been in the middle of
nowhere when the attacks occurred. I honestly don’t think I would have been
able to handle being alone in a city. After another 20 minutes on the subway, I
got to the bus station and then was headed to my final stop-Budapest. </span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OcyZvWWipB0/Vt3l240393I/AAAAAAAAAhM/UjIorDwxNLQ/s1600/1769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OcyZvWWipB0/Vt3l240393I/AAAAAAAAAhM/UjIorDwxNLQ/s320/1769.JPG" width="240" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">**Note-if you’re heading to Austria I HIGHLY recommend the Tree House,
even if it seems a bit out of the way. They just won an award for the best*
hostel in the country. The man who runs it is so beyond helpful as is his whole
family. Let me know if you want any more information. I can’t wait to get there
in the summer! Staying here was probably the best decision I made during my
whole trip!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Also, another post on the terrorist attacks and my thoughts will be
posted soon. Thank you to everyone who checked up on me <3 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Also Also, thanks to everyone I met at the Tree House, y'all are the best. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-44680262576823385752016-02-29T23:15:00.000-08:002016-02-29T23:15:30.620-08:00Vienna: Coffee, Cake, and High Expectations<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As much as I like writing these blog posts, it’s been almost a month
since I’ve gotten home and I want to be caught up and writing in real time
again! <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After my time in the Czech Republic I was headed off to Vienna. I had
high expectations for the city because while I am part hippie I am also part
wannabe European royalty and what better place to live a life of extravagance
than Vienna? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The hostel I stayed at was impossible to find. I walked around for over
an hour after I got off the tram. Because I was so excited for the city I
didn’t let it phase me too much and also the hostel had free warm apple cider.
Almost all of the hostels I stayed in were part of “famous hostels” which is a
collection of smaller hostels all over the world. I highly recommend staying in
one when you travel! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "Summer Palace"</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The first day I was there I had breakfast at the hostel and then spent
the morning at the Schloss Schonburn, the summer palace. I opted to do the long
tour with the audio guide and I absolutely loved it. I’ve been to my fair share
of palaces and castles but I think this is my favorite so far. I got to see
over 40 rooms on the inside which was even cooler than normal (I imagine)
because I was almost always alone and when I wasn’t the other people were
either cleaning or repairing things so it felt more like I was in a personal
space than a museum, like I was truly getting a behind the scenes look at
Viennese royalty. I did the audio guide which was very informative. The
information was either on Marie Therese (mother of Maria Antoniette) or the
infamous Sisi and her husband. It left me wondering when was going on during
the other years! I loved walking through the grand ballroom but it was hard to
stop myself from dancing around to the classical music that was playing! After
my tour of the palace, I walked around the very extensive grounds, which I’m
sure are even more amazing when it’s not the dead of winter. There is a
glorietta on top of a hill overlooking the city and it’s pretty spectacular. I
especially loved the people watching on the walk up as well as at the top.
There was even a guy doing Tai Chi.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I went back to the hostel for lunch and some apple cider before taking
the metro to “the ring” which is the center of Vienna where all of the main
attractions are. It was super windy so I ducked into the University of Vienna (Universität
Wien) and pretended I was a student there. Pro tip for traveling: universities
have free bathrooms. I went to the Hofburg to see the Sisi Museum, the royal
apartments, and royal silver collection as I bought a combined ticket that
morning. I was finishing just as they were closing so I had the “alone in a
museum” experience twice in one day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cafe Imperial</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I walked by the Opera House and somehow got convinced that I should buy
a ticket to a touristy show. After I bought it the guy who sold it to me was
hitting on me, but “oh really, you look 16” just wasn’t something I wanted to
hear. I went to Café Imperial, one of the famous Viennese Coffee Houses and as
soon as I connected to the wifi I emailed the company and told them not to
charge my card for the ticket. I still haven’t bothered to check if they did. I
was really flustered at that point, but luckily the Imperial Torte that I
ordered was amazing. The experience of the coffee house though, was a bit
overrated. One of the problems I had constantly in Vienna was that I felt like
such a fraud. I like the idea of the elegance of the city but I just could not
pull it off. Later, I went back to the hostel and had drinks with one of the
girls in my room. She’s from Switzerland and studies psychology too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The next morning I went to the Spanische Hofreitschule, the Royal
Spanish Riding School, to see the morning practice. The actual practice was a bit
boring but the videos they showed of the performances were amazing, especially
the jumps that the horses do! Of course, I’m constantly conflicted over whether
or not what they do with the horses is acceptable but they seem to be treated
pretty well. I went to two smaller museums, the globe museum and the Esperanto
museum. Both were very informative, quirky, and cheap. I went to Café Central
after which is way over hyped. I ran into the “being too deep in thought”
problem but I ended up talking to one of my friends from the states for a while
(thanks Noell) which helped a lot. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XpSaFy9USQU/VtU_-GY_rXI/AAAAAAAAAgE/litjpIxr_RI/s1600/1688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XpSaFy9USQU/VtU_-GY_rXI/AAAAAAAAAgE/litjpIxr_RI/s320/1688.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Royal Spanish Riding School</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As I said before, I was overwhelmed with a sense of “fakeness” while I
was in Vienna and not long after arriving I remembered the flier that I picked
up in Cesky Krumlov for a hostel called the Tree House in the Austrian
Mountains. Since I was feeling kind of disconnected I emailed the owner to ask
about availability. He had space so I cut my stay in Vienna down by a night and
my upcoming time in Budapest by two. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One of the things I had been most excited about in Vienna was going to
the Opera. You can get standing tickets for 3 euros and there’s something
playing pretty much every night so I had no excuses. I saved it for my last
night. I had even told one of my history professors at US about it late last
semester and after making fun of me for being so excited, he told me that I
100% had to go. You had to line up three-ish hours before, so after I was done
at Café Central I walked around the shopping district for a bit and had some
unexpectedly amazing pizza bagels at a cute little café before getting in line.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-06zQRm9Pn-Y/VtU_0Rsw0bI/AAAAAAAAAf8/g85j6WMeohA/s1600/1706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-06zQRm9Pn-Y/VtU_0Rsw0bI/AAAAAAAAAf8/g85j6WMeohA/s320/1706.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the opera</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The wait sucked but the opera, Fidelio, was great (yay strong female
leads!)I had two really annoying girls standing next to me but they left at the
first intermission. There was also “closed captioning” in both German and
English which I was not at all expecting but was very thankful for! Normally
I’m an avid people watcher but seeing everyone dressed up for the opera made me
kind of sad, like how are you possibly so rich that you are dripping in furs
(ew) and diamonds. But alas such is the life of an imposter. On the way home I
got a gigantic slice of pizza off a street vender and took it back to the hostel
to eat with some apple cider… that’s more my speed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I ran into a slight problem. I was pumped about going to the Tree House
but I was not pumped about paying a 100 round trip train ticket. I decided I
wasn’t going to. I had heard people talking about Blah Blah Car during fall
semester in Sevilla, it’s like a long distance Uber (which is basically
ridesharing). I decided to give it a shot. I downloaded the app and found a
student who was driving from Vienna to Linz the next day who could give me a
ride. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3A4PvERIyiY/VtU_tgcRIhI/AAAAAAAAAf4/_T3r5H_1p4g/s1600/1699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3A4PvERIyiY/VtU_tgcRIhI/AAAAAAAAAf4/_T3r5H_1p4g/s320/1699.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Esperanto Museum</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Since my ride wasn’t until 2pm I spent the morning roaming around the
city. I walked through the amusement park that was closed for the winter (kind
of sketchy but cool) and some of the neighborhoods that were further outside
the city as well as some “eco-friendly” shops. I ended up in this one store
where I bought a really nice, super comfy but also stylish pair of jeans. I
talked to the girl who was working for almost a half hour about traveling and
the living in the moment/do what makes you happy lifestyle. It was great. I
stopped at a vegan restaurant for lunch and had a falafel wrap and fries. If I
had more time I would have tried their ice cream! I had to hurry back to the
hostel and then to the metro stop where I was meeting my ride. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My stay in Vienna was very historically oriented and interesting but I
can’t say that the social aspect lived up to my inflated expectations, or maybe
it was more extravagant than I expected? That being said, I did everything that I
wanted to do and enjoyed myself. I think I was also just getting tired of being
in the city.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ia6rcwi-X0Q/VtU_iqQ7ZjI/AAAAAAAAAfo/V_Xxc3c5n-M/s1600/1649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ia6rcwi-X0Q/VtU_iqQ7ZjI/AAAAAAAAAfo/V_Xxc3c5n-M/s400/1649.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glorietta of the Palace</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-30639396255877694932016-02-21T02:19:00.003-08:002016-02-21T02:19:27.210-08:00Alternative Prague: Embracing your inner hippie + Česky Krumlov<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bqp5850LaQU/VsmJjdntTRI/AAAAAAAAAd0/nNpI_Mn8Uyk/s1600/1485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bqp5850LaQU/VsmJjdntTRI/AAAAAAAAAd0/nNpI_Mn8Uyk/s400/1485.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">My trip to Prague was…<i>demasiado. </i>I had a two hour train ride from
Füssen to Munich and then a six or so hour ride from Munich to Prague. Don’t
get me wrong I love trains, but the problem is that when you’re alone you have
a lot of time to think. The worst is when you start thinking about the future
and you don’t have anything to distract you and you just plummet into a
downward spiral. Needless to say, my 8 hours of sitting and thinking put me in a
pretty bad mood. Aside from contemplating my future, the ride was nice…I had
almost the whole car to myself and the scenery was pretty cool. Also- not very
metaphorical, but don’t forget to look backwards, sometimes the view is better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-naCoxjDXAM0/VsmLVR2krjI/AAAAAAAAAeI/EG0CwBb5QPw/s1600/1528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-naCoxjDXAM0/VsmLVR2krjI/AAAAAAAAAeI/EG0CwBb5QPw/s320/1528.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">When I got to Prague it was already dark out but the hostel, The Czech
Inn (lol), gave me pretty good directions so after asking for a bit of help
from a redhead at the metro station I had no problem getting where I was going.
I didn’t pay for any public transportation while I was in Prague and I used it
a lot. I probably should have, considering how cheap it was and how hefty the
fine is for getting caught (like 40 euros) but sometimes ya gotta live on the
edge, right? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The Czech Inn was a great hostel. It was located in a more alternative
neighborhood but it was easy to reach the city center via the tram. I heard
that it wasn’t a very long walk but it was freezing while I was there so I
never did it. It was really modern and clean and it had an attached bar that
had breakfast (overpriced but good) and a great happy hour (less than a euro
for a beer). The Czech Republic was the first country I went to that had a
different currency (that’s a lie, the UK was). My tip as far as currency goes is
to just take it out of the ATM and always use it. The conversions to euros are
a complete rip off. For example, it was like 10 crown to go to the bathroom (27
crowns is a euro) and I didn’t want to break a 200 note so I payed in euros and
it ended up costing me a full euro. I was also buying mulled wine on the street
and it was about the equivalent of one euro and they tried to charge me four. I
laughed, gave them a bit of change and took the wine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CMCq0OCXTEs/VsmLXCtiP3I/AAAAAAAAAeM/tbv4mBC3eDY/s1600/1527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CMCq0OCXTEs/VsmLXCtiP3I/AAAAAAAAAeM/tbv4mBC3eDY/s320/1527.JPG" width="320" /></a><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Lodeh: Kokos Mléko, Galangal, Zazvor,
Zelenina Tofu, Mungo Nudle, Ryze nebo Pohanka (Coconut milk soup:</span></i><span lang="EN-US"> </span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Coconut Milk, Galangal, Ginger, Vegetable
Tofu, Mungo Noodles, rice)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Once I was all checked in to the hostel I walked around looking for a
place to eat. I ended up at this Indonesian/Javanese restaurant that was
AMAZING. It was called Javanka and Co. The restaurant wasn’t vegan/vegetarian
but they had so many options. It was also cheap, I got a half portion of soup
and it cost just over two euros. I had never had Indonesian food and it made me
want to go to Southeast Asia. It was just so light and fresh! It was also good
for people watching. There were a solid amount of other people eating alone as
well as some very earthy-looking couples, definitely a cool neighborhood to be
in. When I got back to the hostel I saw a flier for an early morning yoga class
just up the road and decided that I would go. I hadn’t really thought about it
before arriving but I quickly realized that Prague was the perfect place to
embrace your “inner hippie”. It’s a city with a great alternative edge and I
can’t imagine what it’s like in the summer!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Zelený čaj, Chléb, Echte Luikse Siroop,
Jablka, Banány, Hrušky (Green Tea, Toast, a Belgian Jam, Apples, Bananas,
Pears)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oZbAL5oxXMo/VsmMKpXn3zI/AAAAAAAAAew/YxfLX6JHikk/s1600/IMG_6832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oZbAL5oxXMo/VsmMKpXn3zI/AAAAAAAAAew/YxfLX6JHikk/s320/IMG_6832.JPG" width="240" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I got up and found the yoga class which was in this cool, multi-purpose
space up the road from the hostel. The teacher was actually a substitute but
she did speak some English (they advertised as being English-friendly). I
talked with her a bit before the class. There were two others in the class and
let me tell you, it was hard. The difficulty was physical, not due to the fact
that it was entirely in Czech. Besides walking, I hadn’t really done any
exercise up to that point and I was very tight. As they say, it hurt so good. After
class we had breakfast which was a nice surprise because the flier said tea and
fruit but there was also had some toast and jam. After chatting for a bit I
went back to the hostel to get ready for the walking tour. Since we were pretty
far from the starting point, a bus picked us up from the hostel which was super
convenient. It was absolutely freezing out, so I didn’t enjoy the tour as much
as I could have. The most important thing that happened was that I met this guy
from San Francisco and he told me about this language exchange that would be
happening on Sunday (my last full day) at a big international bookstore. I also
met some people from Poland who happened to speak Spanish, so I talked to them
a bit. I’ve found that while the free walking tours are fun they’re really more
for meeting people than for seeing things. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Špenátovy komínek s grilovanym kozím syrem
vlsskymi orechy a gratunivanymi bramborami polnícek s bazalkovym pestem; Med
zázvor čaj; Raw orechove koule s japonskym, jemne mletym cajem matcha a raw
ruzovou cokoládou (Grilled goat cheese with walnuts, served on potatoes au
gratin and spinach leaves, lamb’s lettuce with basil pesto…really just fancy
cheese fries, am I right?; warm honey ginger tea; raw nut balls with Japanese
matcha powder tea and rose chocolate)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9sXSzrMVYGA/VsmMK7peSnI/AAAAAAAAAe0/8uCVzhfIuZY/s1600/IMG_6837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9sXSzrMVYGA/VsmMK7peSnI/AAAAAAAAAe0/8uCVzhfIuZY/s320/IMG_6837.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I ate lunch at vegetarian restaurant called Lehká Hlava which translates
to “clear head”. The food and the atmosphere were amazing. I spent close to two
hours there and loved every second of it. I wish there were more vegetarian
restaurants in Sevilla/at home! As I was leaving I talked to a guy who was also
leaving and he gave me some suggestions for other veggie restaurants in Prague.
I didn’t end up going to any of them but I have a list if you’re interested!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I was cold and tired after I ate so I went back to the hostel to relax.
I was kind of bummed because there was this cool looking vintage concept store
right next door but it was closed the whole time I was there. It was around
this point that I realized that I had missed a day when I was booking my
accommodation. I was due to check out of the Czech Inn (lol again) on the 11<sup>th</sup>
but my train ticket to Vienna wasn’t until the 12<sup>th</sup>. I could have
just booked another night in Prague, but I had wanted to take a day trip to Česky
Krumlov anyway and my hostel recommended a hostel there that looked adorable
and is owned by people originally from New England so I just decided to go
ahead and book that. By the time I had my life all sorted out I was hungry for
dinner. There was another girl just sitting in our room so I introduced myself
and asked if she had plans for food yet. She, Chloe, didn’t so we went to this
place down the street that she had been to a few days before. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8hvqxJd-T3g/VsmMLAoD5WI/AAAAAAAAAe4/v0Y6cOdIqbU/s1600/IMG_6841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8hvqxJd-T3g/VsmMLAoD5WI/AAAAAAAAAe4/v0Y6cOdIqbU/s320/IMG_6841.JPG" width="240" /></a><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Spinach and cheese quesadillas with a pesto
basil sauce and spicy salsa. I knew I was missing Spain when I said “Spanish
quesadillas” upon opening the menu and when I ordered. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">As you can imagine it was nice to have someone to talk to over dinner.
It did make me feel old though, she was 18 and getting ready to head off to university
(in Australia, because literally everyone traveling in Europe is actually
Australian). I’m used to being on the “younger” side of things, but I felt
ancient! This was also the two-week mark in my trip which at the time I could
not believe! It felt like I was gone for a weekend, not a month! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The next morning, with the advice of Chloe in mind, I went downstairs to
the bar for an all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast, journaled, and then hopped on
the tram with plans of spending most of my day at Prague Castle. Prague Castle
isn’t just a single building, it’s a huge complex. My favorite part was Golden
Lane which was basically a reconstruction of the houses of the non-royalty who
lived and worked on the castle grounds. It was really interesting and very well
done. The great hall and the huge colorful books in the Old Royal Palace were
pretty amazing too. Oh I also enjoyed getting screamed at by a Czech lady as I
tried to sneak into the bathrooms in the castle…I was pretty angry that they
were making me pay after I just bought an entrance ticket. I spent the whole
morning at the castle and when I was done I went to go find the John Lennon
Wall which is basically just this wall that someone pained John Lennon’s face
on as a symbol of peace and freedom around the fall of communism. The original
image is long painted over but it’s constantly being transformed with
writing/graffiti/street art. It’s a pretty well-known thing nowadays but there
are no signs/directions. I purposely didn’t look for detailed instructions
online because I thought it would be cooler to “stumble upon” it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BIsDOI1KiAE/VsmLX8KXnHI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/L48JhN73mm8/s1600/1548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BIsDOI1KiAE/VsmLX8KXnHI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/L48JhN73mm8/s320/1548.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the John Lennon Wall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">While I was looking for the wall I saw a bunch of cool other things like
reproduction United States army vehicles (I was confused, I think they were
movie props though) and a wishing tree. I got some mulled wine and spent some
time just <s>freezing</s> standing by the river admiring the beauty of the
city. As far as cities go architecturally and historically, I remain
indifferent to Prague but based on experiences and atmosphere it’s at the top
of my list. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">By mid/late afternoon I was still looking for the wall which was
supposedly right by the castle. I gave up because I was cold, tired, and had to
go to the bathroom but didn’t have any change on me. As I headed to the bridge
to get on the tram, I walked right into the wall…I’m not even joking. I of
course was thrilled that I found it but secretly happier that I just “ran into
it”. It was very cool. I don’t really know how else to describe it. There was a
guy with his guitar singing “Imagine”, there were little kids running up to it
while their parents took pictures, a girl gave me a sharpie and told me to
write something and then pass it on…it was very cool. After taking some time
and taking it all in, I grabbed the tram and went back to my neighborhood. I
got off a few stops early so that I could walk (I was feeling all inspired) and
wound up at this cute second hand store slash café where I got a nice and warm
chai tea latte. I sipped on it as I chatted (briefly) with the barista and
walked through the racks of already-worn clothes. There were so many things
that I wanted but since my suitcase was so small it would have been impractical
to buy anything so I settled for “window shopping”. I wanted to come back the
next morning for breakfast but they weren’t open on Sundays. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GoP3hQTOatI/VsmMMAM6aVI/AAAAAAAAAe8/e8h108wTCvc/s1600/IMG_6852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GoP3hQTOatI/VsmMMAM6aVI/AAAAAAAAAe8/e8h108wTCvc/s320/IMG_6852.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raw & Vegan Cheesecake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I went to happy hour at the hostel bar with Chloe and then ended up
going out with her and the other Australians and one Canadian that we met. In
my head it was going to be more fun than it actually was and I, like an idiot,
decided to leave my phone at the hostel (aka I didn’t have a map) because I
didn’t want it to get stolen. We went to Prague Beer Museum which would have
been cooler if I actually liked beer. I decided after an hour or so that I was
tired and wanted to go home. The group was fiercely opposed because I was a
girl in Prague, which I understood, but I was being stubborn. They gave me
directions back to the tram stop and I set off. I made it back to the station
(and thus the hostel) perfectly safely after stopping into one Kabab shop to
ask if I was going the right way. Looking back, as much as I hate to admit it,
it probably wasn’t my smartest move but I will say that I kind of felt like a
badass employing my “active bitch face” and firmly “no”-ing the sketchy looking
people who got a little too close. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">By the next morning I was ready to go, but I still had one more full
day. After breakfast I went to the monastery and library that I read about
online. When I first got to the area I went to the Museum of Miniatures. It
cost two euros and I thought that it would be a waste of money, especially
because it was packed with a huge Asian tour when I got there, but I was
pleasantly surprised…it was wicked cool! There were portraits done on poppy
seeds and little metal-work figures on pieces of hair and mosquito wings. I
thoroughly enjoyed the metal-work camel caravan trekking across the eye of a
needle. After that I went to the library which was amazing as promised but you
could only see the whole thing if you booked a tour ahead of time so I settled
with what I got and went to the park to walk around. It was a pretty cold and
dreary day and I was ready to leave. I walked into another vegetarian
restaurant as I was leaving the park where I had a salad and some vegan cheesecake
and tea. Both good, neither stellar. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qSoOYk77PYk/VsmMMf8b3uI/AAAAAAAAAfA/tvB6CMimEFI/s1600/IMG_6855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qSoOYk77PYk/VsmMMf8b3uI/AAAAAAAAAfA/tvB6CMimEFI/s320/IMG_6855.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I remembered the language exchange that the guy from San Francisco told
me about on my first day and decided that I might as well go. I’m glad I did.
It was in this international bookstore that had a huge restaurant attached. I
stayed for two or three hours and there were hundreds of people by the time I
left. Each table was designated a different language and people could move
freely between them. I stayed exclusively at the Spanish table and met some
Czech students, a guy from Cataluña and another American who was doing his
entire degree in Prague. It was tons of fun and I could have stayed forever. I
really liked the format, it was very casual and there was a bar and food. I
think that going to something like that regularly would encourage me to work on
a third language (French or honestly anything) because I could just go and sit
and listen to conversations until I felt ready to speak. There were over twenty
languages represented and there was a native speaker at each. I loved every
second of it and wish there was something like that here in Sevilla/at SBC. One
of my favorite experiences of the trip for sure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I was going to go out to dinner with Chloe but she was going out in the
center of the city and I was too tired and had to do laundry. I went out to look
for the place that we had gone to together but for some reason could not find
it. I ended up back at Javanka and Co and I’m really glad I did. I got a full
meal as opposed to the soup that I got the first time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Tempeh se sójovou omáčkou, bílá rýže s
smaženou cibulkou a Gado salátem; zelená Indonéský palačinka (Filling, protein
rich tempeh cooked with soy sauce, white rice with fried onions, and gado salad.
Dessert was a “green Indonesian pancake” filled with warm coconut served with a
coconut sauce-the lightest, most satisfying dessert I have ever had)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9NBYdEYXAyI/VsmMMeQoa3I/AAAAAAAAAfE/kC_v6zBWo14/s1600/IMG_6859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9NBYdEYXAyI/VsmMMeQoa3I/AAAAAAAAAfE/kC_v6zBWo14/s320/IMG_6859.JPG" width="240" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Divine. If I lived in Prague, I would live in that neighborhood and I
would eat there all the time. I need to learn how to cook that kind of food!
The people watching was great again, a nice mix of people eating solo and lots
of impeccably dressed earthy-crunchy couples sipping on tea and eating organic,
Indonesian inspired vegan desserts…what more could you want?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">As I said before, while the city itself was a bit overrated in my
opinion, I loved the experiences it offered which were completely different
than I expected. I know my time in Prague wasn’t exactly the “typical” college
backpacker experience, but I wouldn’t have changed a thing!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">[Brief interlude before you continue: as I’m writing this, I’m sitting
under a tree in Parque de los Príncipes, barefoot, in a tank top and capris. 20
de Febrero 2016]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Česky Krumlov<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A7RfENQhqrA/VsmLgVzUUcI/AAAAAAAAAeg/1YLCXTTvLtU/s1600/1625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A7RfENQhqrA/VsmLgVzUUcI/AAAAAAAAAeg/1YLCXTTvLtU/s320/1625.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I’ve gone back and forth on whether to include my day in Česky Krumlov
as part of Prague or make it its own post. Seeing as it was really only one
day, I’ll tack it on the end of Prague. In the end, I’m glad I made a mistake
with my booking because my time in Česky Krumlov, though short, was a great
experience. It was good to get out of the city and I would have liked to stay
longer or to go in the summer when they have tons of quirky little festivals
like the “Five Petal Rose Renaissance Festival”. It’s not so off the beaten
track, it’s well known all around for its medieval appearances and castle. My
only problem, besides the fact I was there for such a short time, was that it
was very hyped up so it wasn’t quite as amazing to me as it could have been. I
read a good number of blogs about it before I went and so I knew what to expect
which led to some heightened expectations. Nevertheless, it was a good trip.
I’ve been working on striking a balance between researching a place and just
showing up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HvZ8TC4oBFE/VsmLgTXA2-I/AAAAAAAAAec/KS4hEUr9NAY/s1600/1627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HvZ8TC4oBFE/VsmLgTXA2-I/AAAAAAAAAec/KS4hEUr9NAY/s320/1627.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The hostel I stayed at, Krumlov House was adorable and the couple who
ran it was also great. I was pleased to find a full kitchen and one cozy
dormitory. I would have loved to stay longer, but that’s life. I took a
“Student Agency” bus to and from Prague and I highly recommend them! It was 3
hours each way and each seat had a movie player and you got free hot chocolate/cappuccinos
and you could order food as well. The actual seats weren’t as nice as the Flix
Bus I took to Innsbruck but it was a great service anyway. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Since I didn’t have much time in the town I just walked around trying to
get a feel for it. It’s a beautiful place, very fairytale-y. I was surprised by
the amount of street art mixed in with the old-fashioned houses. One of my
favorite parts of the day was going into a cheap grocery store, buying a cheap
pastry, and standing by the river that circles the town and taking everything
in. At this point I looked up and saw an extravagant old blue building with a
for-sale sign in the window. I immediately imagined it as a ballet academy;
studios with big windows, dressing rooms with velvet curtains, waiting rooms
with floral wallpaper and chandeliers…I guess some dreams just never die. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2oBV4fsi_LQ/VsmMNKUceaI/AAAAAAAAAfI/du5YrFXoyB0/s1600/IMG_6870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2oBV4fsi_LQ/VsmMNKUceaI/AAAAAAAAAfI/du5YrFXoyB0/s320/IMG_6870.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Czech "Feast"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">After I finished walking around I went back to the hostel and talked to
the owner a bit about running the hostel and moving here from the US. She
recommended I go to a restaurant called “Two Marys” over the vegetarian one to
get a feel for “authentic Czech food”. I did, though I’m not entirely sure it
was the right choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Staročeská
vegetariánská hostina: kuba, pohanka, jáhelník, placka, knedlík, brambor, salát;
Jihočeská medovina; Český koláč (Old Bohemian Vegetarian Feast: puffed barley,
buckwheat, millet, potato cake, dumpling, potatoe, salad; South Bohemian Mead;
Apple Strudel)</span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">It was an authentic <i>medieval </i>restaurant. The atmosphere, after an
arguing mother and daughter left, was really cool and I could imagine what it
would have been like back then. I would not have wanted to live in that time
period <i>pero bueno</i>. I went back to the hostel after and went to bed
because I had to be up early the next day. PS Mom and Dad-this is when I wrote
you those postcards. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The next morning I caught the bus to Prague after having to wait in the
rain. There was also this kind of sketchy guy there and someone else most have
thought he was strange too because the police came and talked to him. The bus
ride back was uneventful, I didn’t watch any movies but I did spend time
looking through the various hostel fliers I picked up mostly for Bratislava but
also one for a place in Austria called “The Tree House”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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spontaneity in my life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-38143235865940055342016-02-10T13:47:00.002-08:002016-02-10T13:47:32.275-08:00Füssen: Land o' fairy tales<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rX6DYT2b0lk/VrustXgKSPI/AAAAAAAAAc0/guT-gzCAMWw/s1600/1328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rX6DYT2b0lk/VrustXgKSPI/AAAAAAAAAc0/guT-gzCAMWw/s320/1328.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Ahh Füssen, I spent two glorious nights in this Little
German town, though it’s often done as a day trip from Munich. I’m glad I
stayed for so long, but it’s definitely doable in a day if you catch an early
train there and a late train back. The reason most people make the trip out is
not for the Alpine village but rather for the world famous “Disney Castle”, Neuschwanstein.
This was exactly the reason for my trip but I discovered that there’s more to
see than the castles! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SOQVktyhVLk/Vrus3TVLbAI/AAAAAAAAAdA/vlmbRtBemO0/s1600/1397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SOQVktyhVLk/Vrus3TVLbAI/AAAAAAAAAdA/vlmbRtBemO0/s320/1397.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I got the 10 o’clock (or so) train from Munich and it
only took two-ish hours to get there. Make sure you pay attention to the
views on both sides of the train, the scenery is spectacular especially as you
go further and further south. My original plan had been to keep my suitcase and
backpack in left luggage at the train station because I couldn’t check into my
hotel until later in the day. Unfortunately, the train station was under
construction and so at the moment it didn’t actually exist. I went to my hotel
to see if I could store my bags until check in, which I could. You might be a
bit confused because I keep saying hotel and not hostel. Well I splurged and decided
to treat myself for this part of the trip. It work out nicely because the
hostel was adorable, pretty cheap especially considering how nice it was, and
you could choose a single room. It was called Hotel Fantasia and I highly
recommend it to anyone traveling there. I payed about 120 euros for two nights
and I also got a complementary Fussen card (for discounts), my laundry done for
free, and some yummy cappuccinos.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G0tdr21yUiw/VrusvkZHXnI/AAAAAAAAAc4/J640Dg4KHP8/s1600/1364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G0tdr21yUiw/VrusvkZHXnI/AAAAAAAAAc4/J640Dg4KHP8/s320/1364.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">As I was dropping off my bags I met these two girls
from China who were studying in the UK. We went back to the train/bus station
to catch the bus to Hohenschwangau which is the town where the castles are. It
was only a 10-15 minute bus ride. It was pretty late in the day by the time I
got there and since everything was running on winter time I only bought tickets
to see the famous “Disney castle”. Ludwig II, the king who built it lived in
the nearby Schloss Hohenschwangau. I knew I wouldn’t have time to really enjoy
both to I just settled for looking at it on my climb up to the other castle. I
was surprised how busy it was even on a cold day in the off season. I waited
over an hour just to get my tickets. I was also surprised how “cheap” they were
because Bavaria (Southern Germany) is pretty expensive in general. It was 11
euros for the tour, and free to walk around the grounds…I’m still reeling from
the 16,5 euro tour of the Pena Palace in Sintra, Portugal! Entrance is only
available by guided tour and I had about two hours until mine started. I
grabbed a soft pretzel and some coffee and walked around the village of
Hohenschwangau for a bit. My favorite part had to be the lake Alpsee and the
beautiful mountains in the background. I’m pretty sure I took as many pictures
of the mountains as of the castles. I met a Spanish family (they. are. every.
where.) and asked them to take a picture for me. After a couple of normal ones
they had me doing all these random poses, because “no one wants boring
pictures!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CEXzssar2WY/Vrusn52O4XI/AAAAAAAAAcs/wXA69hHPXKY/s1600/1320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CEXzssar2WY/Vrusn52O4XI/AAAAAAAAAcs/wXA69hHPXKY/s320/1320.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">All of the paperwork on Neuschwanstein says that it’s
a 40 minute hike up to the castle so I gave myself plenty of time. I don’t know
if it was all my youthful energy combined with my love of all things Disney,
especially the princesses, or what but it only took me twenty minutes to get to
the top and I stopped 4 or 5 times along the way to take pictures. It was solidly
uphill, but not as rigorous as I had been expecting. I had a ton of time before
my tour started so I got to do some exploring. At first I was bummed that
“Mary’s Bridge”, which is a view of the castle from a height, was closed but
when I went to check it out anyway I found that people were climbing up a
look-out type hill. The fences seemed to be placed knowing that tourists would
simply climb over them so it wasn’t too hard to get up. The side of the hill
you had to climb was super muddy and slippery but the view was more than worth
it. The castle is not only surrounded by mountains but built on the side of a
gorge so standing on this particular look out point led to an amazing, undisturbed
view of the castle and a heart stopping drop just inches in front of you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eASBjzet4CU/Vrus3ERHA2I/AAAAAAAAAc8/6Dpp5PHIWCw/s1600/1374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eASBjzet4CU/Vrus3ERHA2I/AAAAAAAAAc8/6Dpp5PHIWCw/s320/1374.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">As I was waiting for my tour to start, I wandered
around the courtyard of the castle and it started to snow…talk about magical!!
The tour was very short, as the castle was never finished and there isn’t very
much to see. That being said, it was 100% worth it. It’s true that the exterior
of the castle is pretty amazing but you honestly can’t appreciate the level of
extravagance that this man had until you go inside. It was spectacular. The art
was amazing and there was even a grotto and a winter greenhouse. Not to mention
the views. I would have built that castle just for the views. Ludwig may have
been living in a fantasy world but he knew what he was doing…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-diirlTB3ERE/Vrus84WJBrI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/WnNGBILh1Xg/s1600/1421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-diirlTB3ERE/Vrus84WJBrI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/WnNGBILh1Xg/s320/1421.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">After heading back down the mountain I caught a bus
back into town and took it easy the rest of the night, going to the grocery
store and making dinner before going to bed. The next day I was supposed to go
paragliding but I got an email that morning saying that due to weather
conditions I wouldn’t be able to. I was bummed to say the least. I thought
about making some other plans but in the end I spent the morning walking around
town before giving myself the afternoon off. Füssen is your classic, fairytale
German town. I thought it was adorable and filled my morning with a <i>paseo</i>
through a park and old fortress, a few churches, a cemetery, and down the
little town streets. Most things were closed because it was the Epiphany/Three
Kings Day. After lunch and a nap I decided to go to the movies. There was a
cute theater in town that was showing the new Heidi movie. In case you’re
wondering, I did see it in German. It really wasn’t a problem that it wasn’t in
English because I know the story of Heidi pretty well. Did I miss some things?
Probably. It also gave me a chance to appreciate how beautiful German is in
place of its usual characterization as a hard and angry language. I enjoyed the
movie with a <i>kinder </i>sized version of what I think was caramel-corn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2mEg2RQaRf4/Vrus5fIVfjI/AAAAAAAAAdI/M89Xu8T7voc/s1600/12646957_1276985868994236_7829832417865137652_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2mEg2RQaRf4/Vrus5fIVfjI/AAAAAAAAAdI/M89Xu8T7voc/s320/12646957_1276985868994236_7829832417865137652_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1QxkgIdWPiM/Vrus6Ei5f1I/AAAAAAAAAdM/2FQgH3SrQ3o/s1600/12647236_1276985852327571_2402558052848401261_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1QxkgIdWPiM/Vrus6Ei5f1I/AAAAAAAAAdM/2FQgH3SrQ3o/s320/12647236_1276985852327571_2402558052848401261_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Though I wasn’t super hungry after the movie, it was
dinner time so I went to look for somewhere to eat. I stopped at a few places
before finally deciding on a traditional Bavarian restaurant called Madame Plüsch.
I highly recommend it! My server spoke English and was very nice, even after I
managed to know over the three glasses on the table (water, wine, more wine).
In reality it wasn’t my fault, the menu that was standing up fell over at the
perfect angle. It was like the domino effect. For dinner I got a salad and Allgäuer
Käsespätzle which is homemade noodles and cheese with fried onions on top. I
got the half portion and I’m glad I did, I was super full but ate it all anyway
because it was SO GOOD. For dessert I got a fancy ice cream sundae that came with
shaved almonds and hot raspberries/jam. The atmosphere was great: classical
music (including Waltz of the Flowers…I was practically dancing in my seat),
people watching, snow falling outside. Maybe it was the wine, but that was
definitely one of my favorite “eating alone” experiences. Speaking of eating
alone, I’m getting much better at it. It’s harder here because there usually
isn’t wifi in nicer restaurants but at the same time it’s easier because I can
drink wine. After I finished my meal, and let it digest a bit, I took the long
way home to enjoy the snow and one last glimpse of fairytale Bavaria. The next
day I had to be up bright and early for a long day of travel to Prague. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-66645210260398939872016-02-04T01:43:00.004-08:002016-02-04T01:47:12.334-08:00Munich and Innsbruck<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2 January 2016 <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In the air. Worst takeoff I’ve ever experienced. I’ll
blast my music and try to enjoy the rest of the flight.</span></i></div>
<i> <o:p></o:p></i><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QUuX3Et3k50/VrMcCvuyyII/AAAAAAAAAcE/_N-3gFfxFTQ/s1600/1177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QUuX3Et3k50/VrMcCvuyyII/AAAAAAAAAcE/_N-3gFfxFTQ/s400/1177.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Milchkaffee from the market in Munich and some planning</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I don’t want to ruin the surprise but I really did not
like Munich. There wasn’t much to see or do, the weather was awful, the food
was awful, the hostel was awful. I’ve heard it’s great during Oktoberfest but
in January...it was pretty terrible. I was also in a bit of a slump, I had just
spent a week with my friends and now I was alone…and had three whole weeks to
go. I didn’t realize that being alone would hit me so hard, but I think a lot
of it had to do with the fact that I was running on no sleep. I mean maybe it wasn’t quite
as bad as I thought, when I got there I was sleep deprived and it was cold but there were some good parts like the Viktualienmarkt and the view of the city
from the church tower and the Spanish tour I went on. I don’t want to bore you
with the all details. I’ll skip to my second to last night at the hostel.<o:p></o:p></span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HN9yFaL8wxw/VrMb4nEoA1I/AAAAAAAAAb8/c0DgVutH5l4/s1600/1228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HN9yFaL8wxw/VrMb4nEoA1I/AAAAAAAAAb8/c0DgVutH5l4/s400/1228.JPG" width="400" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> I had just
cooked some pasta in the electric kettle that I borrowed from reception and was
journaling when two American girls came in. The room had been empty all day so
I was expecting someone to come in and I was SO EXCITED to meet some Americans,
I think I met like 4 in the whole month I was traveling. A few minutes prior to
them coming in I had been looking at bus tickets because I didn’t want to spend
a whole other day in Munich but I had already paid for the hostel and had my
train tickets to F</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">ü</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;">ssen and Prague. I saw that tickets to Innsbruck, Austria
were cheap and impulsively told them that’s where I was going the next day when
they asked what my plans were. They had been in the city for a few days already
and felt the same way I did, it was settled… we were off to Austria in the
morning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MIheSwNJYbo/VrMcDtPxFhI/AAAAAAAAAcI/RvJL1P00DgU/s1600/1255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MIheSwNJYbo/VrMcDtPxFhI/AAAAAAAAAcI/RvJL1P00DgU/s400/1255.JPG" width="400" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We got up and headed to the bus station for something
like 7 o’clock. The tickets were 8 euros online but they ended up costing 18 on
the bus which isn’t terrible but I guess spontaneity isn’t free. The bus was
with Flix Bus and it was really nice! It was a double decker with lots of leg
room and Wifi. The ride was three-ish hours but it was beautiful. I really came to appreciate traveling by bus on this trip. We got to see
the sun rising over my first glimpse of the Alps-my new favorite mountain
range. We stopped at a ski resort on top of a mountain and it was a complete
white out, luckily it cleared up beautifully by the time we got to Innsbruck. The
whole way there all I could think about was how the little towns we were
passing through were what I really wanted to see, not the big cities. Though
I’ve learned it’s not true I always have the saying “big cities are all the
same, it’s the towns that show you life” floating around in my head. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JgMuI_CvPV0/VrMcP_gQACI/AAAAAAAAAcM/S6-YcLXieDk/s1600/12654106_1276985822327574_2354692769409919701_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JgMuI_CvPV0/VrMcP_gQACI/AAAAAAAAAcM/S6-YcLXieDk/s400/12654106_1276985822327574_2354692769409919701_n.jpg" width="400" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When we got to Innsbruck we stopped at a café called
“Baguette” for breakfast. I only got a </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">verl</span></i><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18.2px;">ä</span><i style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">ngerter</span></i></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;"> because I packed a bread and
jam sandwich. We got our lives together and ordered our return tickets before
we set out. If you asked me to describe my experience there in one word it
would be “mountains”. The whole day I had the TAW creed going through my head “the
inspiration of the towering mountains...”</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;"> We walked through the old town and fawned over the
coo-coo clocks and big knitted sweaters and took in the sights and smells of
the Christmas markets and then we went across an amazingly blue river to a neighborhood
called Sankt Nikolaus. It felt more like we were in Scandinavia than half way
to Italy (Innsbruck is the midpoint between Munich and northern Italy). The
weather was beautiful, sunny not warm, in the morning but by afternoon it
started to rain. We went inside again to thaw out. In the café an older guy
who was mentally disabled started to talk to us when he heard the two girls I
was with say they were from California. His brother has apparently been living
in LA for thirty years. I’ll be honest, it was kind of heartbreaking because it
sounded like he hadn’t heard from him since. A bit later we headed out to look
around the Olympic facilities. We couldn’t see much but it was cool to be in a
place that held the Olympics because I’m slightly obsessed. I’m not sure why
but I just didn’t make it to any of the facilities in London or Munich. At the
Christmas Market I bought a pretzel and some mulled wine along with a mug to
put it in. Both were amazing. We were pretty tired at the end of the day so we tried
to change our tickets to the 5:30 bus but the drivers were being really
difficult so we spent two hours sitting at Baguette and then Burger King
(Baguette closed at 6:30) waiting for the 7:30. The bus ride home was so warm
which was wonderful after a very, very cold and wet day. My only complaint is
that I was surrounded by couples who saw nothing wrong with three obnoxious
hours of PDA.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tia2pxa9fOk/VrMcCmEz6KI/AAAAAAAAAcA/YtdFcffCfRY/s1600/1251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tia2pxa9fOk/VrMcCmEz6KI/AAAAAAAAAcA/YtdFcffCfRY/s400/1251.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></i>All in all I am so glad I went to Innsbruck and I’m
glad I had two new friends to go with. We got along really well and it was cool
to hear about life in California, sometimes it seems as different from home as
Spain. It was also nice that we had the same sort of thoughts on traveling,
that going out is great but if you are going to party every night and sleep all
day, why don’t you just stay home? Aka our entire hostel room. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The next morning I got up early, checked out (best
moment ever…I really did not like that hostel) and headed down to the train
station. I had two nights booked in<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 47.2px;"> F</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; text-indent: 47.2px;">ü</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 35.4pt;">ssen</span>, Germany, the land of fairy tales
which I’ll save that for another post because I have a lot to say about that!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-46836699684305986772016-02-04T00:29:00.002-08:002016-02-04T00:29:44.397-08:00London<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">31 December 2016<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Last day of one
of, if not the, best years of my life! So yesterday after I got off the train,
I followed Laura’s instructions and got on the Underground and managed it all
by myself! After I got off at Waterloo I had a bit of trouble finding the
aquarium </span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">[where I was meeting Charlotte, the person I was staying with]<i> but walked right out to the London Eye with
Big Ben in the background, wow. While I was waiting I got to take in the London
Skyline and had a nice conversation with the doorman of the aquarium. When
Charlotte was finished, we headed to her place on the tube. She lives pretty
far outside the city so it took a while. We stopped at a fish and chips place
on the way home and I got a spring roll (ehh…) and chips (yummy!). It was
raining so the walk home was rough but it made for perfect movie watching
weather. We watched “Bridget Jones’ Diary”, the quintessential British movie.
We had some tea and tea cookies as well. Charlotte is such a sweetheart and the
whole day felt really British. I loved it!
<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_H3Hbk9UHCE/VrMI2hXVm0I/AAAAAAAAAbg/7xTBgj6qtjo/s1600/917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_H3Hbk9UHCE/VrMI2hXVm0I/AAAAAAAAAbg/7xTBgj6qtjo/s400/917.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">On the morning
of the 31<sup>st</sup>, I had the whole morning to explore before I met up with
Kasia, another one of my friends from camp. Let me tell you: London on New
Year’s Eve, even early in the morning, is absolutely INSANE. There were so many
people, and they were ev-er-y-where. I was really overwhelmed at first because on
top of that, the city is huge and there’s just so much to see. My original plan
for the morning was to see Big Ben and Parliament, Westminster Abbey, the
changing of the guard at Buckingham, and the Royal Opera House. I didn’t
realize that fitting all that in simply wasn’t possible. I ended up walking by
the first three buildings without stopping because of the crazy crowds. I got
to the palace about a half hour before the changing of the guard and realized
that there was no way I’d be able to see anything, but I waited anyway. When it
finally began I was </span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iFh7IyqyBs0/VrMI5HuOGpI/AAAAAAAAAbs/UQ4K7__xVno/s1600/943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iFh7IyqyBs0/VrMI5HuOGpI/AAAAAAAAAbs/UQ4K7__xVno/s320/943.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">disappointed that 1. I still couldn’t see anything and 2.
The guards were all dressed in their winter (i.e. not red) uniforms. At one
point, another girl and I climbed up onto this concrete wall thing to get a
better look, which only lasted for a minute before everyone else followed us
and then the police yelled at us to get down. After a while I gave up and went
to go walk around more. In the area I was in there weren’t many things to see.
Well let me explain: there were the “big” attractions and then a bunch of
business buildings and stores. I felt like I needed to be at Buckingham or
whichever big attraction and not in between them. Maybe this isn’t the truth
about the area, but it is certainly how I felt. I walked around a bit and went
into Westminster Cathedral before heading back to the palace. When I got there
the crowds were cleared and I got to go up to the gate and take a look for
myself. Looking back and comparing it to all the other castles/palaces I’ve
been to, Buckingham leaves a lot to be desired. I walked through the park
perpendicular to the palace with the intention of going to the Royal Opera
House before meeting up with Kasia but I’m glad I didn’t. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Once I made my
way back to the London Eye, our meeting point, I realized that we should have
been more specific about where we were going to meet. We must have spent a half
hour looking for each other because the crowds were so crazy. Maybe it’s because
I’m a small town girl, but I am still amazed by the sheer amount of people that
were there that day!</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rm_UrfTssR8/VrMIrMVDGQI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/fgZ2ex7P32M/s1600/1019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rm_UrfTssR8/VrMIrMVDGQI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/fgZ2ex7P32M/s320/1019.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">As with Laura, I
was super excited to see Kasia, she was the fourth person I had seen in as many
months that I knew from “home”. She loves traveling like me and has a super
cool new website <a href="http://www.vivantimages.net/" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 47.2px;" target="_blank">Vivant Images</a> that you should totally check out! Anyway, after
our reunion we walked down along the South Bank, past some Christmas markets
and The Globe. We went out halfway across the “Harry Potter” bridge and then
all the way across the Tower Bridge. Most places were closed because the city
was setting up for the NYE fireworks but we did find a pop-up bagel shop to
stop at for lunch. I had a sesame bagel with mozzarella, greens, sun-dried
tomatoes, and pesto and a flat white which is supposedly the equivalent of a <i>café con leche, </i>but it was nowhere near
as good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DQFpTdwn4fE/VrMIqJXxHSI/AAAAAAAAAbM/yEeihTWrP0E/s1600/1040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DQFpTdwn4fE/VrMIqJXxHSI/AAAAAAAAAbM/yEeihTWrP0E/s320/1040.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tower of London</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Don’t get me
wrong, I love traveling alone, but it’s so nice to have someone who knows where
they’re going. Some places are great for getting lost in tiny winding streets,
but others, not so much. Kasia was a fantastic guide because not only did she
know where she was going but she is also kind of a history buff so I got tons
of historical context with my tour. It was so cool seeing things that I learned
about in my Modern European History class this fall, though it was a bit
confusing at first because I forgot that names of people and places are not the
same in English and Spanish. I think that the Tower of London was my favorite
even though it was extremely eerie. Even after being in Europe for five months,
I am constantly amazed by the amount of history here! It’s crazy to think about
the buildings (and ruins) that have been here for hundreds of years! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YL6lhcEFPc4/VrMI3vFhOXI/AAAAAAAAAbo/pCfe8fHm8zE/s1600/12469370_10153770677245535_4721803635044695379_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YL6lhcEFPc4/VrMI3vFhOXI/AAAAAAAAAbo/pCfe8fHm8zE/s320/12469370_10153770677245535_4721803635044695379_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camp Reunion!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">After our
mini-tour we headed to Kasia’s apartment and I met her mom who literally is the
sweetest/cutest person ever. I didn’t realized how Polish Kasia is, she’s bilingual
and it was really cool listening to her and her mom talk to each other. We had
some “milk tea” while her mom cooked us dinner and then some lemon tea with
dinner (because Poland, also I drank so much tea that weekend and it was great)
which was cheese and potato perogies, a fruit platter, and a couple shots of
Polish vodka (with her mom!). We all talked for a bit, mostly about traveling
and how parents, understandably, have mixed feelings about their kids
traveling. Kasia and I are in the same boat in that we are both very restless
and don’t like to sit still. She’s going to Australia in September for a couple
years with Charlotte and I think that’s amazing…I want to join them! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D7nuJUdVZ5o/VrMI3Tx1rlI/AAAAAAAAAbk/1FFME31fcN8/s1600/10392242_10153772220695535_8626448260244302355_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D7nuJUdVZ5o/VrMI3Tx1rlI/AAAAAAAAAbk/1FFME31fcN8/s320/10392242_10153772220695535_8626448260244302355_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NYE on the tube</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">After we were
done eating and chatting we headed back over to Charlotte’s house to get ready
to go out. Getting ready, per usual, was one of the best parts of the night-we
drank, ate chocolate, talked about traveling, and listened to music. Once we
decided that we should probably get going so we didn’t miss midnight, we headed
to the underground. Since Charlotte lives so far out the tube was pretty much
empty when we got on. Kasia and I decided that it was the perfect opportunity
to run up and down the car dancing around and swinging on the poles. When a
group of people finally got on, the made fun of us for a bit but soon joined in
and there was lots of laughing and photo session. When we got off the tube, we
had about an hour until midnight, so of course we dramatically ran through the
streets of London to the bar we were going to like we had someone important
waiting for us there. The bar was owned by a friend of a friend of Kasia and
NYE was their opening party. Honestly, none of us were very impressed by it. We
stayed until midnight and attempted, with Kasia’s Spanish friend, to eat the
traditional 12 grapes on the each strike of the clock…it didn’t work out very
well. We left shortly after that and when we decided that we weren’t about to
pay 20 pounds to get into a club or party we went and got some pizza and “garlic
knots”. The tube ride back was fun because Kasia and I spent the entire trip
singing, or attempting to sing, the songs we learned at camp this summer. I’m
sure our audience loved us. I was honestly impressed with how much we
remembered. Also shout out to Charlotte for being such a trooper. When we got
back to the house we stayed up trying to remember how one song in particular
started, even resorting to Google and Youtube but to no avail. After we gave up
I went to shower and by some magical force remembered that the “river song”
started “I went down to the river, brought me a sandwich”… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iAl0-o51fDg/VrMIvq9ELfI/AAAAAAAAAbU/vFMAfFDZGhs/s1600/1050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iAl0-o51fDg/VrMIvq9ELfI/AAAAAAAAAbU/vFMAfFDZGhs/s400/1050.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camden</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The next morning
Kasia and I took our sweet time getting up and ready. We packed up and went
back to her apartment for some tea and to buy my coach ticket to the airport.
We left her house around 2 and walked around Camden Town, which is where she
lives. It’s a really cool part of London and I know that I wouldn’t have made
it there if I was traveling on my own. It’s super hipster and trendy but it
attracts a lot of tourist these days. I wonder how much the internet affects
growing tourism in the “hidden gems” of the world and how much is just
“natural”. There were tons of cool shops and street art. I was really surprised
by the amount of canals; I don’t think canals when I think London. We ended up
having lunch at this cute place called Café Loren. We got sandwiches but they
had this really cool sounding Middle Eastern dish that I want to try when I go
back. After that I took my first double-decker bus and we did some more exploring.
We went to this really </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;">cool/colorful/artsy/earthy area before we made our way
to Covent Garden. I absolutely loved the Opera House, but I had no idea how
expansive Covent Garden is. I could have spent all afternoon there at the
cafes, listening to music, looking at art…it was beautiful. After that we went
to Chinatown, which I was told has terrible Chinese food but very good secret
bars, and Picadilly Circus. They were cool, but too many people for me. We also
went into Hamley's which is the biggest toy store in Europe, but apart from the high
quality stuffed animals, I was not super impressed. For dinner we want to
Wagamama, a Japanese restaurant. I got a rice bowl with veggies and tofu and it
was divine. I was pretty impressed with myself for using chopsticks instead of
a fork. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;">The meal came with green tea instead of water which I think is good
because when you mix the strongly flavored food with the almost harsh taste of
water it is not good. I was SO full after. As we started making our way back to
Camden we stopped in the National Portrait Gallery which was super cool,
especially this one painting that looks very distorted when viewed from the
front but normal when viewed from an angle. It was painted for a child in the
royal family. We walked past a bunch of really pretty/cute/expensive houses and
then Kasia took me up Primrose Hill. It was a bit of a climb but she had me
close my eyes on the way up so she could surprise me with the view. It was
amazing. Breathtaking. Indescribable. It was the perfect panorama of the London
skyline in all its sparkling glory. I of course attempted to take a picture,
which turned out terribly so I just took it in and I hope that my memory
doesn’t ever fail me! Kasia told me that one time she and her friends took a
picnic up to watch the sunset and then ended up staying there until sunrise.
I’m sure many a proposal happened there. On the way back to her house we walked
by a bunch of cute shops that were all lit up with Christmas lights. I imagine
that’s what a little English town would look like.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C6GhyHiicCA/VrMI1KoBgFI/AAAAAAAAAbc/JV-MNTYr3Dc/s1600/1067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-indent: 47.2px;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C6GhyHiicCA/VrMI1KoBgFI/AAAAAAAAAbc/JV-MNTYr3Dc/s400/1067.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Just as a side
note: I think this year I’ve really come to appreciate Christmas as a season
that extends past the 25<sup>th</sup>, I was still feeling very Christmasy
then, and normally I’m done by the morning of the 26<sup>th</sup> or even the
night of the 25<sup>th</sup>. Maybe it’s because I didn’t have a “definitive”
Christmas moment this year? I don’t know but I could really get behind the
whole “Christmas is good family, friends, and food” thing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Anyway, back at
Kasia’s we watched “The Holiday”, which is now one of my favorite movies and
had tea and snacks, including chocolate covered plums. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.4pt;">I had to catch a
bus to Victoria Station around 11:30 and then a bus to Gatwick at 12:30. My
flight to Munich was at 6am but the 12:30 was the last bus that night. Though
it didn’t rank high on my list before I got there, I absolutely loved my time
in London and did not want to leave. That was the first time I regretted
planning ahead so much, I could have spent my entire break there. In retrospect,
I’m glad I did move on though because there were many more adventures to be
had! </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-51368569868299443692016-02-01T02:54:00.001-08:002016-02-01T02:54:13.748-08:00Parts 1-3: Ireland and Wales<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A
thought occurred to me on Christmas day, thanks to Lola. I realized that the adventures
I am having now are the ones I’ll be telling my kids and grandkids about. Why
that didn’t occur to me in the first four months of living in Europe, I’m not
quite sure. But hey, better late than never, right?</span></i></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5xPDt0T5MZ8/Vq835hRwwrI/AAAAAAAAAaA/hlISQWkma_4/s1600/828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5xPDt0T5MZ8/Vq835hRwwrI/AAAAAAAAAaA/hlISQWkma_4/s320/828.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the boat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">When I started planning my winter break trip in the summer, I didn’t
really know what I was doing. How could I, really? No matter how much you
research you’re never going to know what a place is going to be like until you
get there and you don’t know what traveling alone for a long period of time is
like until you do it. It didn’t occur to me until much later in my trip that
part of the beauty of traveling comes from not knowing what comes next and from
making mistakes. In fact, I often came to resent how much I planned (though my
“planning” really only involved reserving hostel rooms and buying some train
tickets ahead of time). I also didn’t realize how much I would learn over the
course of a month, about traveling, about myself, and about the extraordinary
planet we call home (okay that sounds a bit pretentious, I didn’t even leave Europe).
If anything, I hope reading this will make <i>you</i>
want to travel, to make your own adventures, your own mistakes. I hope it will
make you question things you’ve been taught and question yourself. Most of all,
I hope it will make you want to see that despite its appearances, the world is
a beautiful place filled with good people.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Part
1: Airports and Irishmen<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I had been to Dublin before and fell in love with the city so I was
pretty excited to be spending another day there. I had big plans but I hadn’t
taken into account two tiny details: the fact that I would be running on no
sleep and that I’d be lugging around my suitcase. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kHKQ2g9E1Zw/Vq84CjOQd0I/AAAAAAAAAaY/vPAqK5OzhkE/s1600/842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kHKQ2g9E1Zw/Vq84CjOQd0I/AAAAAAAAAaY/vPAqK5OzhkE/s320/842.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welsh Countryside</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">My flight from Madrid landed in Dublin close to midnight so I
immediately headed up to the 24-hour food court that I read about online. I
made a bed out of chairs and tried to get some sleep. I think I got about an
hour. I kept myself occupied until 7:30am at which point I couldn’t take it
anymore so I went outside to catch a bus into town. I promptly returned to the
food court because it was dark out and absolutely freezing. I went back outside
around 8:30, caught the bus, and was really disoriented and frustrated when I
did get into Dublin. I consistently underestimate the importance of sleep, as
magical as it is you are still only human when you travel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Anyway, in my hopelessness I stumbled upon a church that reminded me of
my home parish, St. Agnes. They were having a mass within a half hour so I
decided to stay. It was all decorated for Christmas and had a much more cozy
feeling than the churches in Sevilla. It was cool how it was full of life
before mass; the parishioners were moving around and getting the church ready,
lighting candles, organizing things. It had a “busy bee” vibe that was both
comforting and relaxing. It was nice to hear an English mass and though the
Irish accents were pretty heavy, I loved it. An older woman was doing the
readings and I could picture her as a grandmother telling her grandchildren a
story by the fireplace. It was beautiful. After mass I asked an older man how
to get back to O’Connell Street because I was very disoriented. He walked with
me for a bit because he was going in that direction, but not until I put on my
gloves (“It’s too cold out not to have your gloves on!”) and moved my purse under
my coat. He explained that he knew all about protecting purses from his seven
sisters. When I told him I was from the United States he said that we were
basically related, practically cousins! I love that they, the Irish, actually
like us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OBKzzia--bQ/Vq84Azrt9vI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/Q7YOt3xzwq8/s1600/846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OBKzzia--bQ/Vq84Azrt9vI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/Q7YOt3xzwq8/s320/846.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laura</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">When I got back on the main drag I stopped at a café and had a mediocre
berry muffin for breakfast and bought a falafel wrap and some fruit for lunch.
At that point I started toward the dock as I was taking a ferry from Dublin
Port to Holyhead, Wales. I got really lost and confused and was tired and angry
and could not figure out where I needed to go. Pro tip: don’t try and walk to
the dock. Luckily, an attractive dock worker saw me struggling and gave me a
lift. He told me that he drives people all the time, which I totally get
because it is F-A-R. We had a nice little conversation, mostly about my travel
plans. I think I’m going to marry an Irishman; they’re my favorite so far.<i> </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Part
2: Ferry ride and other crappy transportation<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">One of my favorite parts of traveling is the actual act of moving, there’s
something exciting about getting from Point A to Point B. Because of this, I
tried to make sure that I incorporated as many types of transportation into my
trip as possible, whether or not it was the cheapest or quickest way. I’ll
admit, I was pretty pumped to take the ferry from Dublin to Holyhead but when
the “fast ferry” that I booked had been cancelled due to weather I was not
exactly thrilled about taking the slow, “luxurious” ferry. Not only did it take
double the time but it was full of people who were part of tour groups and SO
MANY ANNOYING KIDS. I love kids, I really do. Ask anyone, I’m borderline
obsessed, but the ferry was terrible. At first I spent time on the deck to
avoid the running and screaming children but after a while the weather started
to get pretty rough. It was super windy and started raining and I began
wondering why no one else was on the deck. I climbed down the ladder and went
inside and saw a huge sign posted on the door, no one was allowed on the decks.
Oh. That explained that. I went down to a lower deck and dozed off a bit,
thinking that if there were a bunch of people around no one would be bold
enough to try and steal anything. I fell asleep and then woke up to someone
STEALING MY PURSE. They had run away before it occurred to me what happened. I
scanned the room once before going down to security to report it. I was mostly
concerned about my passport because my phone and camera were on me and I had no
money since I knew that I’d have to use pounds once I got to the UK. Whoever did
it was must have been disappointed because approximately two minutes after I
reported it, another security personnel came down with it. Crisis averted. I
pledged to be less trusting of people, but that didn’t last very long. If
there’s one thing I learned on this trip, it’s that despite all the “bad” in
the world, there’s just too much “good” for it to keep you down very long. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cIj0Q2-RELs/Vq84HUyd1hI/AAAAAAAAAag/XFGWuut1sMk/s1600/852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cIj0Q2-RELs/Vq84HUyd1hI/AAAAAAAAAag/XFGWuut1sMk/s320/852.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretending I'm in Outlander</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">When I finally arrived in Wales I was told that due to the flooding, the
trains weren’t running. They arranged replacement buses for us and once I was
on mine I gave Laura, my beautiful co-counselor from camp this summer, a call
to let her know the game plan. As we were about to pull out of the parking lot,
one of the panels fell off the side of the bus. I’m not even kidding. The bus
was deemed “un-drivable” and we were stuck again. Luckily, they told us, they
could get a train here within the hour. Great. The only plus side to all of
this is that they didn’t make us buy tickets. The train finally came and on the
way I talked to an older man who was sitting near me. He told me that he spends
half his time in Ireland and the other half in Wales. He also said Canadians
are the worst because they’re so detail oriented and told me about some of the
things I should see in Bangor. When I finally got off the train I was thrilled
to see Laura and when I climbed into bed that night I realized that I had only
been gone about a day and a half. How was I supposed to do nearly a month of
this? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Part
3: Outlander, Roman Camps, and Pizza<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I guess you’re probably wondering what exciting things there are in
Northern Wales. Well the main thing is my co-co Laura. I didn’t have much
reason for going other than the fact that she was there and the few days I
spent there proved me right. In Bangor’s defense, it was still Christmas
vacation. I’m sure that all the cool places we walked by would have been even
cooler if we had been able to go inside. The weather was also pretty awful, but
you aren’t reading this to listen to me complain are you? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ypdBCnFe_BQ/Vq84K1dWUvI/AAAAAAAAAas/J6U5grWDqYs/s1600/900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ypdBCnFe_BQ/Vq84K1dWUvI/AAAAAAAAAas/J6U5grWDqYs/s320/900.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ponies</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The first morning I was there we (I) made biscuits for breakfast. Laura
and I became slightly obsessed with biscuits at camp this summer so it was an
integral part of our reunion. We went on a walk to take in some of the sights,
and I must say there’s something beautiful about a dreary little Welsh town. I
wasn’t expecting it, but there were pagan and Roman remains scattered around
the landscape and I felt like I was in “Outlander” when I was dancing around in
a circle/monument of rocks. Fast-forwarding a couple hundred years, we walked
along the pier, one of the things Bangor is famous for. Pretty much everything
was closed but we did stop in one little store so I could buy a sticker for my
suitcase. It stormed all afternoon, so we stayed inside to watch movies. It
cleared up by dinner so we went out. We walked by this Italian place but we
couldn’t tell if they were open or not, all the employees were sitting at a
table eating and talking. After weighing out options and walking by three more
times I went in and asked…they were open. I got a tri-colored pizza, which
ended up not exactly being what I expected but good nevertheless. We split a
bottle of rosé and a fantastic bruschetta appetizer and I had some sub-par
lemon cake for dessert. We finished the night by watching “Suits”, a TV series
I am now obsessed with. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6FVz-hHwafE/Vq84KTgFiJI/AAAAAAAAAao/BxhJ2g_dT5E/s1600/908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6FVz-hHwafE/Vq84KTgFiJI/AAAAAAAAAao/BxhJ2g_dT5E/s320/908.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Wales</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Our plan for the next day was to see the cathedral. The rule is if a
town has a cathedral it is automatically named a city. This is the case with
Bangor. Unfortunately it was closed. We ended up at an adorable second hand
bookstore instead, which was fine by me. I bought “The Bluest Eye” to read and
though it was short, I didn’t finish it until Munich. I can’t say that it was
my favorite book but it’s always nice to read something different. I did
discover in it what is possibly my new favorite description: “slowly, like
Indian summer moving imperceptibly toward fall”. After, we hiked up “Bangor
Mountain” and got home just before the afternoon storm. The day was finished
with more “Suits” and some Dominos. The next day I would be heading off to
London. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-1405780555015990792016-01-26T03:47:00.000-08:002016-01-26T03:47:08.164-08:00Prologue <div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After letting it begin to digest, I’m excited to start writing about my
trip! There were plenty of ups and downs, amazing experiences and some pretty
terrible ones. I’m sure it will take a while to get them all down on paper
(well, they’re actually already on paper but you know what I mean), so please be patient with me. I’ll give
you a brief overview, a table of contents if you will, to use as reference:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dublin, Ireland<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Holyhead & Bangor, Wales<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">London, England<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Munich, Germany<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Innsbruck, Austria<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Füssen, Germany<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Prague, Czech Republic<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Česky Krumlov, Czech
Republic<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Vienna, Austria<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Grünau im Almtal, Austria<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Budapest, Hungary<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.zeemaps.com/pub?group=1821959&h=olive&x=15.289377&y=49.091766&z=14" style="height: 500px; width: 100%;"> </iframe>
<br />
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Prologue
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> 26 December 2015</span></div>
</div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">More about yesterday later,
but first: I’m currently sitting on the AVE, getting ready to leave and I
somehow ended up in the silent car again. It was really strange when I left/as
I was leaving the house, I was overcome with an overwhelming feeling of wanting
to cry. My stomach also felt weird but I’ve settled down a bit, trains have a
way of doing that for me. They say, “traveling is the gorgeous feeling of teetering
in the unknown” and man is that true right now. All the feelings make it more
exciting, right? Here’s to safe travels and many adventures!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Still on the train- the
sunset is breathtaking<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m sitting at Madrid
Airport. Flight is delayed. Yay. I had overpriced Burger King for dinner, so
healthy, right? At least there’s wifi and I country iTunes radio to listen to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Okay I’m finally on the
plane so I suppose I can start on my Christmas day festivities: I spent the
morning relaxing and only had tea for breakfast because I was still full from
dinner...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <i>Lol the
people sitting next to me just moved so now I have my own row</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Around 1:30 we headed over
to Rocio’s parent’s house. There was a bit of “who are you?” and “does she
speak Spanish?” but not too much because most of them host students during the
year. My favorite was Lola, a little old lady. She’s an “in-law” from the north
of Spain so she’s much more understandable than your average <i>sevillano</i>. She was sweet and funny and
made me feel right at home! It was weird at first because the party felt so
much like a party with <i>my</i> family and
I kept thinking about what it must feel like to be a new/temporary member of a
family. Shout out to all the boyfriends/girlfriends that get dragged to family
parties! The food was really good, especially the <i>pisto empanada</i>. The wine was excellent and one of my favorite parts of
the day was doing shots of café flavored liquor with the family cheering me on
(except the aunts who told me to be careful). I for one was impressed because
I’m terrible at doing shots. After dinner there was a huge singing party
complete with traditional Spanish songs, the guitar, and a bunch of other
instruments. I played the Anís liquor bottle. The aunts did some <i>sevillanas</i> dancing with the boy cousins
(who, of course, hated every second of it). I loved looking at the pictures of
Rocio and her sisters when they were younger, especially the ones of her
wedding! Even though it was probably awkward for me to be there, I loved it and
I can’t wait for <i>feria</i>! Later that
night, just as I was getting into bed, Hannah messaged me and I video chatted
the cousins for a bit until her phone died. It was nice but made me miss being
home! Also, they were making gingerbread houses, since when do we actually do
cute Christmas things?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-83453186442557901072015-12-23T09:55:00.004-08:002015-12-23T09:55:44.942-08:00Year in Review 2015 – Personal Reflections<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I’ve learned so much this year, both about the world and about myself. Since
2015 is coming to an end I thought this would be a great way to try and wrap
some stuff up. This year has been pretty crazy for me, I’ve been all over the
place doing all sorts of things and I wouldn’t have it any other way. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">While I’ve experienced a lot, I think the single most defining moment of
this year has been <b>Sweet Briar
announcing its closure</b>. The months that followed the March 3<sup>rd</sup>
announcement were the most difficult in my life. I realize that from the
outside it might seem like there was a lot of overreacting going on, I mean
it’s not like anyone died right? You can’t compare losses or decide when people
have the right to be upset. Our entire futures were suspended and we were
brutally betrayed and lied to by those in charge. That does a lot to a person,
physically and emotionally. I spent an entire semester applying to new schools
that I didn’t want to go to (which is expensive by the way) while taking on
more than a full course load and my honors project. I was depressed, upset, and
unmotivated which is a dangerous combination for a perfectionist who expects
nothing less than the best from herself. Now add several hundred other young
women in the exact same situation, not exactly a stress-free environment. Thank
God (and our beautiful alumnae, faculty, staff, and fellow students) that Sweet
Briar is now to remain open. I remember being at camp this summer and finally
being able to check my phone after all my girls were in bed and seeing tons and
tons of text messages and being really confused only to realize that they were
from friends (SBC or otherwise) saying that we had won the court case and I’d
be going back (well, kind of…as a study abroad student) in the fall. Surrounded
by the beautiful North Carolina mountains, I cried. Of course not everything is
perfect (like the fact that my beautiful wonderful roommate can’t come back…)
and the anger and general distrust I have for “executive” anything is going to
be around for a long, long time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">It’s kind of a little thing, but one of my favorite accomplishments this
year has been <b>getting over my fear of
heights</b>. As you’ve probably picked up by now, I worked at a fantastic
summer camp this year. I went into the experience expecting to teach dance.
During orientation I was put in a group that was going to learn to instruct
high ropes course and rock climbing. <i>High
ropes course and rock climbing</i>? Did I mention I was petrified of heights? I
was nervous, upset, and frustrated. The first time I had to do the high ropes
course it took me over a half an hour. By the end of the summer it took me
around three minutes and was my favorite activity. That course teaches you a lot,
but mostly trust. Trust in your equipment, trust in your partners, and trust in
yourself. I find myself actively seeking out new heights now though <i>literally</i> that isn’t exactly easy in
Sevilla. <i>Figuratively</i>, however, I
have no problem finding ways to test myself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">One of the biggest things I’ve learned this year is <b>just how little we actually need</b>. My friends and family thought I
was crazy to come to Spain with just a checked suitcase and a backpack. Now
that I’ve been here 3.5 months, I can say that I packed too much. In fact I’m
super excited to travel for a month with just my carry on suitcase. My
revelation about our materialism started with my trip to Burkina Faso this
January. I meticulously researched and packed for my two week trip-a smaller suitcase
and a backpack. I packed way too much. I got there and was embarrassed at how
much stuff I brought and was mortified when I returned home and realized just
how much stuff I had. I’m not exactly classifiable as high maintenance, I
rarely wear makeup, heck I don’t even use shampoo, but I felt so “first world”
I could barely stand it. I’ve made an effort to donate lots of things and
compress my wardrobe, nearly everything matches everything else now (if it
doesn’t go with black, I don’t want it!), but I still have a long way to go. In
this process I’ve also become more aware of where my clothing comes from and
try (when I can) to buy fair trade. I bought a new pair of boots (to replace
the two falling apart pairs that I had) in Granada that are stylish, durable,
and <i>comercio justo </i>(fair trade) from
Colombia. I think back to May, driving home from school with my car stuffed and
am mortified, we really do have a problem. For me, this issue wasn’t solved
this year, it was started. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I learned a lot about <b>managing my
expectations and being true to me</b> this year. I had a lot of trouble at the
beginning of this semester because I would get upset at myself if I didn’t go
out. I don’t really enjoy going out, I prefer chatting over coffee or
pre-dinner drinks but it seemed like the only way to get to know other people
in the program was to stay out until dawn. I will say, that’s fun sometimes,
but I was making myself go out when I didn’t want to or stressing about not
going out when I decided to stay in. Wasn’t I wasting my time abroad? Not
usually one to fall into the trap of stereotypes, that’s exactly what I did.
Isn’t study abroad supposed to be partying with a bunch of loud Americans? I
realized that I had to be true to me and that I simply had different expectations.
If I only made friends with other Americans, what was going to happen in
December when they all left? I had some doubts about my decision to generally
stay separate from the JYS group, especially on our program trips, but in
general it was the right thing to do. If I stayed out until 5am every weekend,
what was I going to miss out on? I can say that I’m very happy with the Spanish
friends that I’ve made and that spending my mornings at a café have been much
more rewarding than staying out all night. I’ve also had some great nights
staying in and watching movies with my host family. Now, this is not to say I
never go out, because I do love it, as long as I am a bit selfish and do it on
my schedule. The same rule applies with traveling, I got frustrated when I
traveled with other people in the program because we just didn’t have the same
expectations. Compromise is important but you have to remember that you have
every right to do what you want to do, even if it means doing it alone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">On that note, I have become a <b>super
morning person</b>. I’ve always loved mornings. At SBC I always got up and
spent close to an hour sitting at breakfast, at home I was usually up before my
sisters left for school, and in Sevilla my favorite part of the day is having
breakfast or a coffee at a café, either alone or with someone else. In the past
few weeks this has become a tad bit of a problem. For one, I’m actually sad
every day when I finish breakfast and two, I’m literally so unproductive after
lunch/siesta (granted, lunch is at like three). But hey, at least right now I
don’t actually have anything pressing to do!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Though I was acutely aware of this before, <b>I hate technology</b>. Ok, this is a slight exaggeration, because it’s
pretty cool, but I really just want to experience life without being connected.
I’ve tried and I continue to try to disconnect but it’s a huge problem. I’ve
gone out with people plenty of times only to have them on their phone the
entire time. I’m lucky that I can only use mine with wifi so I’m never tempted,
but it’s so frustrating. My host siblings always have their phones as well. I
hate how programed I am to open my laptop the second I get up/home. I really
just want to delete all my social media. And the internet. Maybe my upcoming
trip will provide another opportunity to attempt to fully cut myself off again.
Ugh. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The biggest thing that I’ve been working on this year has been <b>“do what makes you happy”</b>. In reality,
if something doesn’t make you happy, why do it? I know this is way harder in
practice, but I’ve been trying really hard to apply this to every aspect of my
life. I still have a long way to go but baby steps… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">There you have it, I’m probably forgetting something, but hey…you try
summing up everything you’ve done in a year!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611787600267345639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810084434704343556.post-78860245098943183432015-12-23T09:52:00.003-08:002015-12-23T09:52:33.519-08:00Definitive list of Christmas activities<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s the 23</span><sup style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">rd</sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> of December, or what I have referred to as
“Christmas Eve Eve” in past years. Memories of being bundled up in cozy pajamas
watching the snow fall from my bedroom window or watching the Polar Express at
school (or maybe having a math test last period, but let’s not ruin it). This
year is my fist Christmas away from home and I’ve gone through a rollercoaster
of wanting to skip it and wanting to relish in all its European glory. In honor
of my favorite holiday, I’ve made a list of all the ways I’ve celebrated to
date:</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Watching Christmas Movies: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Four
Christmases, A Very Murray Christmas, Elf, The Royal Opera House Nutcracker (I
saw this as a live broadcast at a movie theater in Sevilla, it was good,
“Clara” was AMAZING and I loved the costumes but I’ve seen better
choreography), The Santa Clause (1,2, and 3), The Grinch (In Spanish with Ester
and Mario)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Still to watch: Love
Actually, The Polar Express, Rudolph<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Listening to Christmas
Music: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A variety but especially Lady Antebellum’s Christmas Album <3 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Eating Christmas Sweets: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">St. Lucia’s
torta (in honor of my confirmation Saint), mantecados, turrónes, an array of
candied nuts I bought from a street vendor, chocolates from the <i>dulce </i>tray in the kitchen, drinking Anís
de la Castellana <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Da
una vuelta</span></i></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> to see the
Christmas Lights: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Madrid, Athens, Sevilla<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Christmas Markets: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Madrid, Sevilla
(both traditional (3) and the Belén market)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Cooking Christmas Things: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Ester and I
tried to make chocolate chip cookies. Yeah it didn’t work out very well and we
ended up with a pudding/brownie type thing. Good, but not cookies. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Miscellaneous Christmas
Activities: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Buying/wrapping/sending gifts, ice skating and checking out the
Christmas village at the Prado de San Sebastian, going to mass, seeing Belens
set up all over the city, seeing the <i>Alumbra
</i>show <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Regardless, I can't wait to celebrate Christmas with my host family over the next two days before setting off!</span></div>
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