VIVA BARCA!

So, I’ve got some major catching up to do on this thing. Lets see, where to begin…

Let me just start by saying that it was an exciting weekend for Barcelona. The protests were rioting (everyone really just sits around in their tents all day, with the occasional speaker), Shakira came for a concert, the men’s handball team won a big game (yes, I said handball) and Oh Yea, did I mention that FC Barcelona won the Wembley Cup, and I was able to witness the excitement in the streets of Barca! Being here for this was definitely something that I will remember for the rest of my life!

In the morning, I went with some friends to the beach where we ate lunch and hung out. We didn’t stay long because it was a tad bit overcast; not optimal sun-tan weather (wore my spf, dont worry!) We left to walk around on Las Ramblas, a long strip of shops and restaurants (keep your things close here, we've been warned. Lots of 'ladrones' or pickpockets.)

After tapas and sangria (how spanish of us?) we decided to head out to find somewhere to watch the game. The excitement and activity in preparation for the nights' game was everywhere. We stopped in one alley to take pictures of some of the celebrating fans, and they just so happened to spot us taking their picture.

They ran over and bombarded us, hoarding us into a bar where a table of friends was awaiting. (We couldn’t exactly understand them at first, they were speaking Catalan, the official language of Barcelona.) We decided to stick around and have a drink because this seemed like the perfect place to watch the game; among avid locals. Watching the game was so much fun! We attempted to learn some of the songs that the fans sing, but because they are in Catalan it is a little more difficult to understand them.

O le le, O la la, ser del Barça és el millor que hi ha!

O le le, O la la, being a Barça fan is the best there is!

our cheat sheet to the hymno

Midway through the second half of the game, the power went out in the entire part of the street we were on! This caused mass chaos, and everyone in neighboring bars and pubs to head into the streets and run around throwing their arms up in the air and screaming. There was really no one for the screams to be directed to, so most just yelled at each other. A few minutes later, the street was filled with light, and we could watch the game again.

GOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I should probably let you all know, that I have a new boyfriend. His name is Jaime, and he lives in Madrid. Just kidding. But this guy was a character. He kept telling me that I was his girlfriend, and it didnt matter that he lives far away, we would make it work. "Distance makes the heart grow fonder, right Yane?" What a charmer. I thought maybe a picture would make him happy and leave me alone,

but that only made things worse...

Dont worry mom and dad (and anyone else for that matter), our new friends Bruno and Alfonzo stepped up and said something that let him know he was creeping me out, and he left me alone the rest of the night. I dont know what exactly was said, but Jaime was later seen sulking in the corner.

The final score was 3-1, FC Barcelona taking La Copa. Following the award ceremony, we (new local friends included) went to a neighboring ‘mercat’ for some refreshments to take to the party in the street. This little market did not disappoint with litre boxes of Don Simon Sangria for 1.50 euros. What a bargain!

I can’t even begin to explain what the celebration was like. Fireworks, chants, screaming, you name it could have been heard within the crowd. People were climbing trees and light poles, hugging one another, dancing, etc, etc.

(I imagine it looked much like the celebration in Lawrence after we won the national championship, only bigger.)

The next afternoon, the team returned to the city, and paraded down the main street to Camp Nou, the stadium where they play. We took the metro to the closest stop, and made it just in time to watch them come through on top of a double decker bus. The day’s festivities mirrored what had gone on the night before. It was crazy.

Campiones back at home!

The pride and comraderie the people of Barcelona had for their winning team was obvious, as crowds welcomed them home to a packed stadium. After the parade, I went home to watch the rest of the festivities on TV with the fam. They live so close to the stadium that we could hear the crowd cheer a few seconds before it aired on TV.

Today i was able to go for a run around the outside of Camp Nou, now covered with signs exclaiming the victory. CAMPIONES!

Su casa, es mi casa, for now.

Today, I arrived in Barcelona by way of bus. The eight hour bus ride really did a lot to aid my sleeping schedule (I slept the majority of the trip, and am now wide away at 2am.) Just what I need right before the placement exam at my university (and by that I mean, help me get into an easier level of classes.. just kidding Dad!)

Upon arriving in Barcelona, the busses unloaded all of the students at a plaza where their families were waiting. After grabbing my bags, and looking around at all the little old ladies holding signs with students names, I heard someone ask a director if i was there. It was my host sister, Anna.

Many times, families take in host students for a little extra cash. A lot of my friends live in homes with Senoras, or little ladies that take in students all the time. They tend to be stricter I hear, so I am excited to have kids my own age in the house. Anna is 21 and studying tourism at her school, and Eduard is 24, studying economics at his University.

Anna and i lugged my oversized luggage into the back of her car, and she and her boyfriend took me to the apartment. She showed me around, and then left for work. I unpacked and milled around the house for a while, and made some observations.

First off, the Spanish are very space conscious. Everything is very compact here. Here is a picture of my room: (Edu put together a chair for my desk, so i can... study.)

I’m pretty sure my feet and forehead will touch both ends of the room, but its cool. I like to curl up anyways

Next. Heres the bathroom.

Check out that bidet. All of the hotels have them too. I have yet to try it out, and may go the entire trip avoiding it. It kind of freaks me out, and chances are I’d use it wrong. Yea, I brought it up, but am moving on now….

Here is the living room, patio and dining room:

Thank god I didn’t have my head stuck in the refrigerator when Eduard came home.

I presented them with my gifts from Kansas when Maite, the host mom, Eduard and Anna were here… KU tee shirts, KU playing cards, a small bottle of barbecue sauce, a candle, some pictures of Kansas City, and some chocolate covered sunflower seeds. The seeds were a hit. Too bad I never eat them, and tried to explain that they weren’t necessarily a traditional food of Kansas, rather something I grabbed off the shelf last minute at Kansas Sampler. I don’t know if they got it.

I sat and showed Maite some pictures while she cooked dinner. Because they live in an apartment, as many Barcilenos do, she was very interested in the pictures I had of my house. As she cooked, I explained to her that I am not a very picky eater. She seemed relieved, and told me stories of past American students in their home. She then threw a bunch of anchovies on top of the salad she was preparing.

A quick side story regarding anchovies: When out in Madrid, a friend, Katie and I tried one of the bocadillos, little sandwiches, that the bar offered. She didn’t realize it was cheese and anchovies. I thought she was going to pass out when she took a big bite, and the entirety of an anchovy slid out of the bread and planted itself on her chin. I took a few bites, and I’m not going to lie, I didn’t hate it. I immediately washed it down with my sangria, though, (clearly due to sodium overload.)

When Anna and Tony (the boyfriend) arrived home, I sat with them on the patio a while and tried to explain to them that I live in a sorority at school. It didn’t go over too well. To explain what a fraternity was, I thought i could ask if they had seen any American movies like Old School or Animal House, but then decided that those probably wouldn’t give them the idea I was intending.

Maite cooked a Spanish tortilla for dinner, which is much like an omelette, consisting of eggs and potatoes. After dinner, we went over some household things, now I’m ready for bed in my new room!

Tomorrow, Placement test, first day in Barcelona, and a tour of the city!

Toledo!

Today we rode a bus to Toledo. I think it is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen! It is located on a mountain, right next to el río Trajo. The city was created when Christian, Arabic and Jewish cultures mixed there. An ancient stonewall, made by the Arabic in the 15th century, surrounds the city. There are more than 80 churches within the walls and everything is made of stone. I’ve never seen such intricate architecture. There are three types that are associated with the religion of architect. (There's you mini-history lesson for the day.)

We rode escalators that were placed from end-to-end on the hill and zigzagged up to the center of the town. The streets and alleys scale the side of the hill. Touring reminded me of the trek from Theta to Frasier: steep. I’m pretty sure the locals can be identified by their massive calve muscles. We went to some cathedrals and in one of them saw a piece by Greco.

The Burrial of Conde de Orgaz. He was an important leader in Toledo and was buried right there in the building (def saw the tomb.) Greco painted a depiction of his soul leaving earth and going to heaven. (This is what I gathered from the guide.. He only spoke in spanish so i could be totally wrong!)

(more protesters in Toledo.)

We have arrived at our hotel in Toledo, with free time before the group meets for dinner. After that we will walk to local establishments, if you know what I mean.

Tomorrow: Barcelona to move in with the fam!

Hasta Luego!

well, I made it!

Day One: Travel.

To start things off, my flight into London arrived 45 minutes late. I pictured tea and crumpets before jet-setting to Madrid. No such luck. Upon arrival, I thought it was necessary for me to run to my gate in order to make it on time. Sprinting through the London Heathrow airport was not ideal. I showed up to my gate, panting and sweating, to a huge group of people; the flight wasn’t even boarding yet (I read my ticket wrong, thinking the boarding time was the time of departure… rookie mistake.)

Because of my brief layover, my baggage didn’t make the flight to Madrid. Let me tell you, showing up in a foreign country with no luggage causes its complications. At least another guy from my group was in the same boat. We missed the ISA bus to the hotel, so we were had to take a cab.

At that rate, I should have known we weren’t having the best of luck. We were dropped off at the wrong hotel. That was awkward. Our hotel was located within walking distance, and luckily, a few kind Madrileños helped us out. We were really put to the test. I’m going to have to get used to this whole, speaking Spanish thing.

After an orientation meeting, shower, nap, and waiting around for a few hours, it was time to go out. The norm in Spain is to start dinner at 9 o’clock, then go out afterwards until all-hours of the night. This was somewhat of a challenge for our group of jetlagged, hungry college students, but we figured we’d better get acclimated. A group of us headed out for tapas and drinks at nine, and then hopped around between bars around our hotel.

The program coordinators,warned us that Americans are sometimes known for being loud and drunk when it is unnecessary, and advised us to be aware of this.We may have contributed to that stereotype. All of us failed to realize that with the time change, we had gained a day, and it was actually Sunday. Regardless, we were determined to make the most of our night; we became fast friends and ignored the fact that few locals were roaming the streets with us.

Day 2: Tours of Madrid

Nine AM was a little difficult that morning for our walking tour of Madrid. We visited La Plaza Mayor and La Sofia Reina museum.

After the tours, a smaller group of us visited La Plaza del Sol where protesters are meeting to petition against the government. It was a little strange to show up to a protest and take pictures. No one minded us, and it was fairly calm. Most people were sitting in tents and just hanging out.

There were people everywhere and the streets were packed during the afternoon. We visited the botanical gardens across from the hotel, but really just paid for the entrance fee, and sat on a bench inside. We were exhausted from the walking, and still a bit jetlagged. Then, we ventured out to a gelato shop that we had seen earlier that day. It took us a while,but by the time we found it, we deserved it! We sat around the Plaza Mayor, and had some sangria before diving in to a Paella.

Paella (complete with.... chicken wings?), Ensalada Mixta, y Sangria

Que Delicioso!

Travel Regulations

American Airlines advises international travelers to check in 2 and a half hours pre departure. It seems a little excessive, to suggest passengers spend 150 minutes milling around in the waiting area, contemplating whether or not their neighbor is wearing a toupee, or if that is some type of stylish cap. Airports are known for their outstanding people watching, but I think I’d better find something a little more productive to do.. What better time to start my first real blog post? (I may paint my nails also, but don’t want to run the risk of messing them up while typing…)

The last few days have been a whirlwind. I finished my last final early Thursday morning (after a late night study sesh with Stephanie in the 24-hour Dillon’s… we didn’t want to take our chances with late night hunger… with an entire grocery store, the options are endless!)

Thursday night, Grandma threw me a going away party with some family and friends for the send off.

My mom threw together some Sangria, a popular Spanish drink made with cheap red wine (…no slappin the bag with this Franzia) , orange juice, and orange slice.. She even made a simple syrup for it ( there’s your shout out Janis!). It was the best I’ve had this week, (so far!) She also acted as the deejay, running to the computer every 3 minutes at 27 seconds to replay the Spanish guitar track she queued up on youtube.

Little Romaine (grandma) cooked a Spanish Paella, which is a random assortment of proteins and rice. I may be impartial to her cooking, but Spain’s got some stiff competition!

Here we are examining the globe for my destination…

Grandma, I think that’s Africa.

That’s more like it. Barcelona!!!

Elizabeth flew all the way from Montréal to help me pack! Just kidding. Of course when she has a chance to visit, I am scheduled to leave two days later. At least she got to be my personal slave for a day, running errands with me and helping me pack. This well traveled friend of mine is the most no mercy packer out there. I may have tried to sneak in a few unnecessary items and that just wouldn’t fly… (Literally.)

When we were up at 3 am debating what items had to go, it was a pair of tom’s shoes, and a measly dress. That extra 5 ounces really helped scale my suitcase down to the 65 lbs. it weighed in at today on the airport scale (and you know what that means? A hefty $60 overweight luggage fee… Sorry Dad!)

Also, I was advised many times to pack an extra duffle along with me for things I buy while in Spain. I was not, however, supposed to use this as overflow space for things that wouldn’t fit in my suitcase…. Too bad.

Well the time has come for me to board my flight to Chicago, where I will relax under one of those gross germ-spewer, fan knobs and flip through the Skymall magazine….Who needs an over the door pulley system to alleviate neck pain? Or a canine genealogy kit?!

After this riveting plane ride, I’ll depart on the 8 hour flight to London, (my seat is conveniently placed right beside the bathroom!) Looks like I’ll be getting to know my fellow passengers a little better than I had planned. But, hey! Atleast I scored an aisle seat!

Going Commando

Sure I'll put off studying for finals to set up a travel blog for my trip to Spain.

Only one final, one paper and 4 days and 16 hours stand between me and the Iberian Peninsula.

If I were to write a tweet about this, it would say: #thatawkwardmomentwhen you try to start off a blog, but have nothing to write about.

I left Theta today. That was weird. I kept walking around and looking for stuff to do, but everything in my room was packed up, and my friends were studying. I've decided that goodbyes just aren't my thing. Today, anyone that asked if I was coming back before my trip was told I'd be back before my final on Thursday. But that was a total lie until i realized i left my entire drawer of bras and underwear... oops. It looks like i'll be back! Europe does seem to be a country where it is more acceptable to go au naturale, but I don't think i'd dig it....

On that note, I'll leave you with a picture of some mosaic benches by Gaudí located in Parc Guell. In just a few days, I'll be surrounded by his work.