jam packed weekend

I just got back from a VERY eventful weekend and I don't know where to start!

We left on Wednesday night for the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, and luckily everything worked out flight wise. Although there's been some minor tension between some of the girls that were going, everyone was excited and in a good mood, so I had high hopes for the weekend. The issues began once we got there. Apparently, the south part of the island was the place to go, but we booked a hostel in the North. This started the stirring of tense emotions between chicas, which slowly increased over the trip.

Since we arrived at our Hostel so late (our flight left Sevilla at 9 pm) we went straight to bed our first night. The next morning, my roommate and I got up early to check out the beach (which ended up being a great beach although the other girls I was with were convinced we would only have fun if we switched to a hostel in the south...too complicated) and found this INCREDIBLE little cafe. I ate there every morning and had gelato after lunch every day. Be jealous of the following pic:

nutella crepes and cafe con leche...food from the GODS

One of the most shocking things about the Canary Islands was that yes....it was also a partially nude beach. When you think of a nude beach you generally picture beautiful naked people walking around...WRONG. Didn't matter the shape or size, the women in Spain let it alllllll hang out. It bothered the other girls but hey, I say more power to ya!

Me, my roommate Molly, and another girl named Nora, took a ferry to another island in the Grand Canaries on Saturday and it was BEAUTIFUL! We had to take a cab to this beautiful beach call Taganana (it had black sand...soo weird), but the cab ride of TERRIFYING! I thought it was scary driving through the mountains to Sky Top Orchard, but I had no idea. We flew up hair pin turns in this little cab and I swear I've never been closer to being in a Mario Kart game then that. THEN, when I figured it couldnt get scarier, we had to take a bus back! The bus had twice as many people as it was supposed to hold and I swear I felt my stomach drop at every turn. Luckily, we made it there and back and got to enjoy this lovely beach in between!

That night, after we returned to Las Palmas (the islands where our hostel was), we didn't realize it was their annual Carnaval! Carnaval in Spain is like Halloween on steroids except it for adults and starts at midnight and goes straight throught to the next day. The costumes are INSANITY. These people must spend hundreds on them and they go all out! We're going to Cadiz next weekend for their annual carnaval and now I can't wait! I have to find a costume before Saturday!

 Carnaval costume contest

a group of local girls decided it wasn't okay that i didn't have a costume and made me wear this mask the rest of the night to make up for it

We got back into Sevilla around midnight on Sunday...which of course was right when the Oscars were starting here! Luckily I found another girl whose as much as a movie addict as I am and together we are rediculous. There's a jazz club here that has "Oscar night" where you dress up and go to the club at midnight to watch the show, and whoever gets the most categories right wins a fake Oscar. The second we heard about it we were sold! We both ran home from the airport, changed and headed to the club for our favorite night of the year! Sadly, we got second place (14 right and the winner got 15....she had the foreign films over us), but it was so fun. By the time I got home it was 6 am but so worth it!

I've spent most of today catching up on sleep because its a national holiday and no school! I also met my intercambio (which is basically someone you get assigned with to literally just speak to each other to learn Spanish or English)! It was a little akward but I felt good because we spoke in Spanish more then in English. 

Can't wait for Carnaval in Cadiz this weekend! I'm sure I'll have alot to write about that one!

mrt

¿Dónde vives?

Well, I had my first experience with the doctor yesterday due to my week of hacking up a lung (my body is literally rejecting the idea of living in sevilla). I just assumed it would pass until my madre finally grabbed me Monday morning and said I had to go to the doctor so the rest of the apartment could sleep at night. Fair enough. So I dragged my roommate, Molly, along with me so we could muddle through whatever Spanish we had to deal with. When we go to the Clinica de Santa Isabel, it ended up looking more like a hospital to me then a clinic. I went up to the first counter and shrugged/si'ed my way through the first conversation to general medicine area. This is where the trouble began: 1. The girl at the counter looked at me like I was 8 (I'll never judge someone whose trying to speak English again, no matter what you say, you just sounds dumb). 2. When she asked me, "¿Dónde vives?" I didn't know my own address which added to her perception of my intelligence. Anyways, she was just plain rude and had no patience with me and Molly, and the line behind us just made us more nervous, tongue-tied, and stressed out. Anyways, I managed to get a number and get in like (for 2 hours) before I was able to see the doctor. Thinking the doctor would at least speak a little English (alot of people here do) I went only to find WRONG, just Spanish. Anyways she was extremely patient with us and she quickly gave me a percription (luckily I had a massive coughing attack in front of her to prove my sickness) and I was on my way. When I had to deal with the people back at the front desk, they were once again extremely rude, acting like I was an idiot. When I asked for my credit card back, they told me they had already given it to me, then after arguing awhile they realized it was on the counter...HAAAHAHAHAHAAA! I won and got my much needed drugs, so all together it was a success.

just a small supply of spanish drugs me and my roomie have been taking since our arrival in sevilla



I went to La Bachillera, which is a somewhat rough neighborhood north of where I live here in Sevilla (where mainly Gypsys live) to teach little kids English. Their class room is empty with only a chalk board, desks, and plastic lawn chairs...made me pretty thankful for the schools at home. I was surprised by how much I liked it! I never thought of myself as the teaching type, but I worked with one little girl for about an hour and a half and might sign up to teach the adult classes too now. I like to stay busy so I want to look into more volunteering here if I can. It's also so so great to practice Spanish (plus the little kids don't make me nervous).

I'm going to the Canary Islands tommorow! I can't wait! I definately underestimated the price of traveling though, between a place to stay, flights, bus rides, taxis, things to do, and food it's so so so expensive! i hope i can make the money i have stretch out for the semester. We're currently planning a trip to Italy/Greece during one week off and Ireland/Scotland during another.

see ya after the trip!

mrt

Granadaaa

We just got back from our trip to Granada, only two days and one night, but so fun! Westarted out by stopping on the way at a national park where we were planning on taking a "hike." Last time Kepa said hike it was a casual stroll through a city so no one really prepared to be actually scaling rocks, so many of us had on boots and ballet flats and shoes that were definately not meant for climbing. When we got there we saw this:

Bahaha, this was no casual stroll. There's not even a path, you just climb over them in every direction. Soo, we all struggled, fell, got muddy, and had a great time!

When we got to Granada, the first thing we did was go to the Arabs Baths. I've never really done anything like this, but basically I paid 30 euros to sit in a pool for an hour and a half then got a 15 minute massage that tickled really bad. Over all it was nice, but definately not my usual cup of tea.

We saw a flamenco show later that night...SO AWESOME! We sat in this little gypsy cave that was extremely narrow and the dancers were so close they literally hit people a few times. They were so intense, but so fun. I thought it was so funny because my Grandma had visited Spain and kept mentioning the flamenco and saying, "Wait until you see the men!"...hahaha she was right! Me and my roommate Molly (who does riverdance so she was all excited about the flamenco) were convinced we were awesome at flamenco and danced and sang the rest of the way through the city...the only lyrics we knew were GRANNAADAAA and OLE! But we made it work.

The next day we went to La Alhambra, which is basically a city built on top of this mountain that's all contained within this giant wall. It was really beautiful and the decorations were crazy! Our tour guide was half Swedish (so he spoke swedish), half French, but was born in Spain (so he spoke Spanish), and married a Mexican woman, and of course knew English with an awesome British sounding accent (literally exactly like the guy who narrates the Harry Potter books!!), but he was one of the most interesting people I've ever met!

The streets of Granada were my favorite, but many of them are made of thousands of little rocks that make all of these designs and also make it really difficult to walk on.

That's all for now!

mrt

just another local

SO! I went to a school today to see where I'm going to teach little kids English, which is pretty exciting, but also makes me nervous. I generally don't know how to talk to little kids. But anyways, it's a long bus ride and on the way home, people slowly cleared out and me and my roommate were the only people left on the bus besides this random man. He had been on the phone the whole time and started to walk back toward us. He handed me the phone and asked in Spanish if I could help him and talk to his friend. I was confused and asked, "en Ingles?" because I figured he knew I was American and needed help with someone speaking English. When I answered the phone, the man was speaking Spanish and was trying to help his friend who I realized was RUSSIAN to a plaza. So, I didn't know where the plaza was (but I've heard of it and there's 8,000 plazas in Sevilla), but I was proud of myself for being mistaken as someone who would know and for actually holding a random conversation on the phone. I don't care if it doesn't count that he was Russian. It was awesome.

mrt.

GOT MAH SEVICI CARD!!!!

meaning i no longer have to walk EVERYWHERE. ALL THE TIME. now i have awesome access to bikes 24 hrs a day. can't wait. i'm so so so so so excited. and they all have a little bell to ding at people in your way.

i look so good on a bicicleta!! claro!

-lance armstrong
(only sevilla is super flat so it's not strenuous...at all...and they look like beach bikes) lalalalala

you don't eat churros for dinner...

So...many things have happened in the past week (I've been too lazy to blog) and I'll just jot them all down randomly.
1. No me gustan pajaros. The stupid pigeons here literally seek me out and on purposely try to make me step on them before they explore in my face, making me scream in front of Spaniards.
2. My two year old roomie, Delek, has just discovered the phrase "es mio." This sadly means "it's mine." Now he screams this constantly along with his enormous vocabulary of "SOY DELEK" (im delek), and "adios." We have very interesting conversations.
3. I've started to get sick over the past week (I'm currently sitting at home on a Saturday night because I'm for realz sick) and my host madre continously shoves jengibre (ginger) down my throat. She's positive it cures all and constantly serves me this ginger tea that literally makes my lungs feel like they're on fire. So far - still coughing.
4. There's a pair of boots that live en el centro de Sevilla and they belong on my feet. Tommorow, MEEH shops are closed tommorow....Monday, I will be reunited with my fine leather friends and we will live happily ever after.
5. There's a delicious thing called churros here that are like fried dough and you dip in chocolate sauce. We like to go to a little bar by our apartments for churros at night. We figured the strange looks were because we're American (everyone stares at us...however once I have my boots I will blend 100%) but no...Spaniards only eat churros for breakfast. My bad.
6. My host madre continiously asks me why I'm not fat. She now puts all the plates by me and automatically puts all leftovers on my plate. I was surprised by how much I liked the food in Spain but I didn't know I was that bad. I'm not sure if she likes that I eat so much because it compliments her cooking...or if she hates me for it. According to Carmen I'm going to be enormous by the time I leave. woorrth itt
7. No one here can say my name. AT ALL.
8. There was a cockroach in our apartment. I didn't enjoy that. Don't worry, my roommate Kara decapitated it with a cup.

me having a mental breakdown over roach. please notice the cup on the floor in the background and the roach's demise.

9. People here run into you if you don't get out of their way.
10. I eat SOOO MUUCCH BREAAADDD AND CHEEESEEE. i love it.
11. My bike card has still not come and it upsets me.
12. All of my classes are in Spanish and I sort of feel guilty for wanting to drop Flamenco and pick up something else. But I'm gonna.
13. I just booked a flight to the Canary Islands for the end of February. LALALALALAAAAA
14. All students here (including the Spaniards) drink outside of this place by the river called Torre de Oro (because in Spain it's illegal to drink in the streets UNLESS your by the river....bahahaha who thinks of that?). So all the American students stop by the grocery store and buy $0.79 giants bottles of beer or wine in a box (that's actually only for cooking...i don't think they're aware of that). Then the Spaniards come along with their own glasses, mixers, and alcohol and then proceed to make actual pretty little drinks and parade around us all classy like with their perfect hair and make us look stupid. Rude. They beat us in everything. The woman can even wear 5" heels while walking on VERY uneven terrain. I struggle in my shit kickers (but obviously once I have my new boots I'll be able to hande anything).

in front of the torre del oro during on of our first nights in sevilla (notice boxed wine and uneven terrain)

15.Carmen just came in to give me ANOTHER cup of my favorite jengibre drink, only this time she brought my other favorite. A pastilla (pill) that disolves at the bottom of a glass of water and fizzes so it tastes like I'm licking a rusty pole. yummm
16. One of the students here had their first intercambio and brought him to a bar with the rest of the american students. He proceeded to make out with ATLEAST two of our girls (not sure if they're aware of each other) and for unknown reasons, he now likes to hang out with us all the time.
17.  We had a group of about 6 chicos follow us home last night that apparently live in our apartment complex. I kept thinking they'd give up but nooo they literally followed us to our door, then proceeded to bang on the elevator when we went up. I thought we were safe once I was up in the apartment but heard something that sounded like dying animals outside our balcony. Yes, they were singing to us. At first I thought that was sort of cute and funny....HOURS LATER ITS NOT.
18. The chicos here make this CHH CHH CHHH sound at your when they want your attention (it's sort of like whistling in the states), then if you ignore them they stop their feet. Because being called like a dog the first time wasn't enough....
19. I bought an adorbs romper for a lovely 5 euro.
20. One of my roommates talks to their dog on skype. alot.
21. IT'S TRUE! THEY DO SERVE BEER AT MCDONALDS.

ok, that's alot of stuff. even though alot has happened, i can't think of anything else.

adios

mrt

One Week Down

I wish you could see this view, it's at the top of the belltower in La Catedral de Sevilla.

Went out for the first time in Sevilla the other day and already got my phone stolen. I was so mad. Luckily it was only my phone, not my cards and my keys, but still. I already have another waiting for me, but of course its the only store in Sevilla that closes early on Fridays.

We went on a bike tour the other day and it was the most fun I've had! I swear no one has real jobs here. Along the river there were hundreds of people biking, rollerblading, skate boarding, kayaking, doing crew, running, and sun bathing, all around 4pm on a Thursday. So so so different from the U.S.

I'm also 20 today! Which is weird...I don't like it. We're going to go out tonight to celebrate.

My host family had extended family over for the weekend, which has been madness in our small apartment. They're all so friendly and loud. They always scream at their kids (who are all toddlers), then grab them and kiss them like 20 times, its pretty funny.

That's about it for now!

mrt.

ESTOY IN SEVILLA!

La Ciudad de Toledo

Finally! We had a super long day today...we started out leaving Madrid at 9am, drove to Toledo, toured Toledo (which is an AMAZING ciudad) until 2pm, then started the five hour drive to Sevilla. We finally met our host family (everyone was sooo nervous), but me encanta mi familia! Our house mom, Carmen, doesn't speak any English, but since we've listened to nonstop tour guides in only Spanish for the last three days I can understand alot more then I thought.

Carmen has a daughter, who is also named Carmen, and she can speak a little bit of English (so that's helpful) but general it's all Spanish. She is 27 and has a one year old son, named Delek, who was still asleep by the time we got here.

Carmen made us una cena muy grande y estoy muy feliz!

mrt.

I'm 900 years old.

mi companero de cuarto, molly, y yo

Soo, a big group of us finally decided to get a taste of Madrid's discothèques (yes, they're really called that). We started the night out at a small tapas bar, which was actually way too small, and we bombarded it in classic American tourist style. We laughed too loud, pushed tables together, and took pics with the waiter and our pretty sangrias. After about two hours at the tapas bar, we decided to head to this monster club we heard about, little did we know the wonders of Madrid's night life. As you walk down any large street, there are people with flyers and card for different discothèques and bars. We decided try out a bar first, since the idea of a discothèques still freaked me out, where we were immediatly given free shots and singled out as stupid American girls.

Sadly, along with my first night out, I also experienced my first embarrasement with the Spanish language. So I was talking to this guy named Juan who was finishing his last year in med school (yah, promising, right?), and he asked how old I was...I'm really not good with Spanish yet, especially on the spot, so meaning to save diecinueve (which is 19) I blurted out "novecientos," which sadly means 900. You would think that would be the worst of my issues for the night but noooooo. He just sort of looked at me and I suddenly realized what I said, so trying to escape from my embarrasing situation I quickly said, "escucha me," while I squeezed past him. "Escucha me" doesn't me excuse me. It means "listen to me." So first I declared I was 900 then ran away while saying "listen to me." I'm off to a good start.

I was extremely relieved when we left and headed to a discothèque called "Mondance," mahahaha. It was awesome. There weren't many locals, but students from Russia, Italy, U.S., France, and who knows where else. I danced the night away to Destiny's Child, 50 cent, and a nice medly from the musical, "Grease." We naturally had grease lighting down better then everyone else.

There's also street performer's here that dress up as glittery llamas and click this creepy wooden llama mouth at you. I'm not sure how I feel about them yet.

Oh, and I went to a huge monastery call El Escorial (saw a bunch of dead king tombs, it was cool), el Palacio Real (which had 2,000 rooms, but sadly I only saw 1%), and the enormous art museum, El Prado.

ése es todo.

mrt.