Elizabeth Does Europe!

Elizabeth Did Europe!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:52:00 +0000

That's right. I'm home. I did it.

I thought my blog needed a "the end" to it, and a "thanks for reading."
I've been home for about a month now and it all seems a bit like a dream. It has been so wonderful to see friends and family, although I never know quite how to respond to "HOW WAS SPAIN?!!"

It was the time of my life.

But I know that my adventures will never come to an end. I now have even bigger hopes and dreams, and my overseas experience has given me all the more confidence to accomplish them. I miss Barcelona already but know that I will return.

Things have certainly been eventful back in the land-locked state. There have been graduations, weddings, new jobs, get-togethers, new apartment. It's been wonderful.

Elaine graduated!

Family barbecue...

Reunited with friends...

Weddings... (yay Christine!)

But as far as I will travel, I will always remember
There's no place like home.

Ciao from Rome!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Tue, 05 May 2009 18:59:00 +0000

I love Italy. I arrived in Rome Friday, and since then have seen major monuments, Roman ruins, the ancient city of Pompeii, the beach, the Vatican, and much much more. But before diving in to gelato and pizza, first let me backtrack to my last week in Barcelona.

My goodbye to Barcelona was certainly tearful, but the last week was absolutely perfect. I know I say this all the time, but time really does fly. Before I knew it, everything started to become my LAST this and my LAST that. I took my favorite strolls down streets and sat in sunny plazas. I went to a huge and crazy market, that sold everything from underwear to fishing reels to used books. Saturday was the last hoorah at the club. Sunday we made brunch, which would be more accurately described as a feast--pancakes, fruit salad, pastries, cheese, Spanish tortilla, eggs, we had it all.

I sat in my favorite cafe, went to all my favorite places, and did all my favorite things and spent as much time as possible with all my favorite people. It was magical. Somewhere between there I finished finals too. On the last day, we picked up some groceries and walked to the beach for a picnic and some sunshine. Between munching on my favorite Spanish junk food (I miss you Principe cookies!), and chatting with amigas, and saying "no gracias" to the massage ladies and tatoo offers, I soaked up a bit too much sun. In the words of my host dad "Elizabeth! You look like a shrimp!" After the beach I had my last coffee date (like I said everything was turning into "last;" so dramatic) with my dear friend Missy. I then sat in Placa Nova, my favorite plaza, thinking back on the semester and how wonderful the ride has been. I could go on and be all philosophical and share my deep feelings about study abroad and my experience, but I will save it for another time and keep it light (and spare you the boredom).

That night my host parents surprised Kari and I by taking us out to dinner. They were such wonderful hosts and I will miss our little apartment together. I'll never forget Isabel's singing while she cooks, the chocolate pudding they always gave us after dinner, all the conversations lost in translation, how annoying the doorbell was, how tiny the shower was, how great the food was, and much much more.

With a sun-burned, tear-streaked face, I headed to the airport to go to Rome.

Rome has been wonderful. Tomorrow is my last day in the city before my red-eye flight Friday morning to the states. I love the city's richness in history and culture (and food) but am quickly learning getting around takes some patience. Take this for example: My overweight bag and I arrived to find out that the buses were not running that day. Jessica and I had to find our own way home from the train station, which involved going up 5,892,427 stairs. After walking around for over an hour hauling four months worth of possessions, some nice Italian men helped us up the stairs. Huffing and puffing and nearly collapsing by the time he reached the top, he exclaimed "I need some oxygen!"...he lit a cigarette. We were so exhausted we could only find the situation comical.

The next day was much more relaxing than the arrival. We trained to the beach, at the town Sperlonga. As a Kansan, I have a great appreciation for the beach, and the town and beach were beautiful. I made sure to put on sunscreen this time.

Sunday I went around on my own and saw the sights--Vatican, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Colleseum. I went to Mass at St. Peter's which was unbelievable. I was especially moved by seeing all the pope's tombs: from Saint Peter to John Paul II. Tomorrow I'll be seeing Pope Benedict in person at his morning blessing.

Yesterday I did I side trip to Pompeii, the ancient city that was buried in ash after Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79AD. The city was discovered and excavated later, and today you can walk around and explore the ruins of the town. It was fascinating. One thing that was interesting/creepy was the body casts--excavators discovered that the holes in the ash was where people had been, and so they poured plaster in the holes to make casts of Vesuvius's victims. If you are brave, click here. Pompeii made me think about how from 2,000 years ago, people are still very much the same. There were places to buy food to go, welcome mats at homes, places of worship, baths, work out facilities, stepping stones, and street names.

Today I did some more sightseeing and walking around. Two days until home. Looking forward to sharing more of my stories with you in person!

Mountains, Dragons, and Magic Fountains

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 10:13:00 +0000

I probably say this every week, but this past week has been the best week ever in Barcelona. In between final papers and exams, I have climbed a mountain, experienced Catalonia's biggest holiday, seen magic at a fountain, soaked up the sunshine, lived it up with friends, and loved Barcelona more than ever.

MONTSERRAT

Last Saturday I went on an excursion with IES to Montserrat Mountain. Montserrat, which literally means "saw-tooth mountain" is about an hour outside Barcelona. This national park is not only gorgeous with unique rock formations and expansive views of Catalonia, but a place sacred to Catalonia and Christians. The mountain holds a Benedictine Monastery as well as the miraculous Black Madonna statue. Although our tour guide said the story of Mary's apparition at Montserrat is legend, I believe in miracles. The story is that Mary appeared to small children in a cave, and in bright light, a statue appeared. Montserrat is also sacred to Catalonia history; during times of repression of Catalan, Montserrat was the only place where it was allowed to continue being spoken, and the monks in the monastery there preserved the language.

SANT JORDI'S DAY

Sant Jordi's Day (or Saint George in English) is the biggest holiday in Catalonia, probably even bigger than Christmas. Lucky me, I got to experience it first hand. The day is a celebration of love, literature, and Catalonia. As I mentioned in some of my previous entries, Barcelona is in the Catalonia region, where there is great nationalism and the sense that Catalonia is it's own unique entity, apart from Spain. Sant Jordi is the patron saint of Catalonia. Legend has it that Sant Jordi slayed a dragon to save a princess, and where the dragon's blood was, roses bloomed. His feast day, April 23, is also the same day Shakespeare and Cervantes died. Now the holiday is like Valentines' Day, but the Spain version and wayyyy cooler! It's tradition that men give women a rose and women buy their sweetheart a book. Books and roses lined the streets of Barcelona and the streets were PACKED. You couldn't get anywhere in a hurry, with people crowding the streets gaggling at thousands of books and rose everything. There was live music, authors signing books, and happy faces everywhere. I spent the day walking around blissfully in the sunshine, stopping in parks and plazas. More photos here.

MAGIC FOUNTAIN SHOW

It's certainly called "magic fountain" for a reason! Built for the Exposition of 1929, Plaza Espanya is at the base of Montjuic Mountain, and it's one of my favorite parts of the city. The grand fountains are turned on every Friday and Saturday night, timed with music, and lights once the sun goes down. I took lots of pictures and some video, which you can see here. I loved it so much I'm going again tonight!

It's hard to believe this is my last week in Barcelona, and I have lots of mixed emotions right now. I feel like I finally have my place, made my group of friends, know the city and become a part of it, and had a truly authentic experience. I'm so blessed to have this opportunity, and in my time remaining, I'm going to soak it up as much as I can.

Pat and I's Eurorail Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:10:00 +0000

The past two-and-a-half weeks have been nothing short of amazing. Pat flew into Barcelona a few days before my Spring Break, and then we hopped from train to train along the French and Italian Riviera, Switzerland, and ended in Paris. We had our Hollywood moment when I surprised him at the station, seeing each other after three months. His first night in Barcelona we went to a symphony at the Palau de la Musica. The building itself was as phenomenal as the music. I showed him my cafe and my favorite sites, and we enjoyed walking around town and talking face-to-face (a big change from the constant "can you hear me??" over the Internet). I was so happy to show him around the city I've been living in and talking about so much, as well as have a travel buddy. Our trip is chalked-full of sites and cities, sounds and smells, delicious food, goofy times and songs, and beautiful everything.

Here's one goofy memory for you: on Pat's second day in Barcelona, we were going to meet up for coffee before I went to class. Plans got a bit snagged, however, due to Pat being stuck in the medieval elevator at his hotel. Apparently he had been in there for a while, and the hotel lady was shouting encouraging messages at him from above. Unfortunately for Pat, he doesn't speak Spanish and I had to leave for class. After an hour or so, an elevator technician showed up and bailed him out.
I think enough time has passed that this story is now hilarious.

City #1: MONTPELLIER, FRANCE
Filled with sunshine, flowers, and narrow cobblestone streets, Montpellier was a pleasant first stop. We took the cheesy tourist train around the old town, and spent time walking around pretty parks and plazas. We had our first of many crepes, which were of course unbelievable. For dinner we went to a tucked-away pizzeria.
Looking through my trip photos, it seems that about half of them involve food. We did a lot of eating on this trip...I'm still drooling.

City #2: NICE, FRANCE.
Nice is called Nice for a reason. It is n-i-c-e. The four-mile long pedestrian walkway along the beach gave us a lovely afternoon stroll to the city center. In the city, we let our Rick Steves' guidebook show us the way. Rick soon became our hero. His travel books are phenomenal, giving self-guided walking tours and great personal recommendations, hand-drawn maps, and humor to boot.
My favorite part of Nice was our hike to Castle Hill. At the top, a waterfall awaited, and we had a panoramic view of the city and Mediterranean at sunset. Dinner that night was one of my favorites of the whole trip, and one of the cheapest too. Mouth-watering pasta carbonara and ravioli, and fried goats cheese for starters. Afterward we had gelato from a place that had the most flavors I have ever seen--from tomato basil, to unusual fruits, to avocado.

Cities #3 and #4: SANTA MARGHERITA LIGURE AND PORTOFINO, ITALY
With the Newman trip two years ago, Pat and I have seen quite a bit of Italy but were anxious to return. The riviera had beauty unmatched by any other place I have seen. Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino are neighboring port towns, each full of color and charm that stood out next to the blue blue sea. We took a boat from Santa Margherita to Portofino, where we relaxed at the port and ate some yummy pastries (like I said, it's all about the food). With tummies full of yummy, we boated back to Santa Margherita and went to Palm Sunday Mass. The palms they handed out were intricately weaved, and I happy to be there despite the mass being in Italian.

Cities #5-#9: CINQUE TERRE, ITALY
Cinque Terre literally means "five lands." The national park consists of five villages that you hike between, and it was absolutely unbelievable. We walked through mountains, along cliffs the overlooked the piercing blue sea, and through towns with picturesque charm and color. The path between the first two towns, the "Lover's Trail" was paved and followed the sea, with great cliff views. The last stretch was much more challenging and took two hour and some serious hiking. Our reward at the end was the beach. After sinking our toes in, we took a boat back. Dinner that night was equally unbelievable. I had mussel soup and smoked salmon pasta, and Pat had seafood alfredo and a fish that still had it's head on. It was SO GOOD. Although I could never choose, if I HAD to, Cinque Terre would be my favorite place of the whole trip. Absolutely gorgeous.

City #10: LUGANO, SWITZERLAND
In Lugano, we spent more time on the waterside, this time a lake--Lake Lugano. We were pretty worn out from our travels and our big hike in Cinque Terre, so we took it easy. We leisurely explored the town, admiring Swiss watch stores, taking photos of all the pretty flowers, watching old men play on the life-sized chess board, and walking around the lake. We rented a petal boat and went out on the lake, which was so fun! We seem to enjoy activities designed for 10 year-olds.

City #11: LUZERN, SWITZERLAND
We spent two nights in Luzern, which was a nice change of pace from the getting up and going at 7am every morning routine. Surrounded by the backdrop of the snow-capped alps and situated on Lake Lucerne, it was another beautiful and interesting destination. Luzern is unique-looking from other cities though, with pointed rooves and spires on churches and buildings with strange facades. My favorite part was hanging out by the lake, by Chapel Bridge and the 12th Century water tower. Another famous landmark is the weeping lion monument--a giant lion chiseled into a mountain in honor of the Swiss who died in the French Revolution.
Food wise (gotta mention the food), we enjoyed coffees and pastries and Hug Bakery, and pretzels and Swiss-style mac 'n' cheese and a brewery on the waterfront.

Cities #12 and #13: GENEVA AND LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND
Our last stop through Switzerland was at Lake Geneva. Geneva is considered French Switzerland and is home to Europe's highest fountain and famous floral clock. The clock was almost removed, however, because tourists continuously backed into traffic trying to get pictures of it. It was Good Friday that day, and we found out after our arrival that Geneva is considered "Protestant Rome," so we were not able to go to Good Friday service and most of what there was to see there was about the Protestant Reformation. After walking around town, we made an impromptu decision to train over to another town on the lake, Lausanne. There, we did Rick Steves' guided tour and had FONDUE. Need I say more?

City #14: PARIS, FRANCE
Besides because it being a great destination for couples, Paris is called the "city of love" because you literally fall in love with the city. We spent three joyful days there before taking an overnight train back to Barcelona. At the Orsay, we saw works by Picasso and Monet. We sauntered up the Champs Elysees toward the impressive Arc de Triumph. We followed the footsteps of bohemians at Montaner and stared in awe at the massive, white basilica Sacre Ceour. We walked through history in the Latin Quarter. We took in the view of the Seine River from bridges. We CLIMBED (that would be not taking the elevator) the Eiffel Tower, with a night-view of Paris. We were unimpressed by the Mona Lisa. We were speechless at the room of stained glass of Sant Chapelle chapel. We laughed. We sang. We loved it.
And in between everything we squeezed in pastry picnics, gelato, and crepe stands. One crepe maker even let ME have a try at making one! On Easter Sunday, we went to Notre Dame for Mass. It was PACKED but we managed to squeeze in, using the base of a lector pulpit for a seat. The music was Gregorian, fitting of the old beautiful church and the chilling organ that accompanied.

Not being home for Easter certainly made me think of family and home, and even though I love it here, I promise I miss you all and think of you every day. I left a candle burning for the family at the church in Luzern on Holy Thursday.

Hard to believe, but I have just two weeks left in Barcelona. Unfortunately they will be filled with paper writing and exam-cramming. I'll be coming into Wichita on May 7 after visiting Rome, and plan on coming back to TU for graduation. I'm so excited for this summer--I'll be living in Kansas City, working part time for a public relations company, and the other part of the time waitressing and having fun in Sarah Dulek and I's future apartment. Life is good!

Wiener for the Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:58:00 +0000

After returning from Ireland, I blinked my eyes and was already on a plane again. This time to Vienna to visit Whitney and Nikki. Getting there was an adventure in itself. While in line to board the plane, they announced that the flight was not just delayed, but CANCELED because they discovered that the wing on the plane was BROKEN. Needless to say, I was thankful they discovered this prior to takeoff. They put us on a flight that left five hours later and stopped through Frankfurt, so arriving to Vienna, I was the latest I have ever been to a date--7 hours! I was greeted by two smiling faces, a bar of chocolate, and a beer, so despite a long journey, I couldn't be happier.

Whitney and Nikki were so kind to show me around town and feed me yummy food. My eyes were popping out of my head at how interesting and beautiful everything was. Vienna is different from places I have seen before, and as former center of the Hapsburg empire, there were palaces and all things of high culture galore. I saw works by Klimt, an Austrian artist most known for The Kiss, at the Belvedere Palace. The Kiss was all over everything, from watches, to underwear, to umbrellas, but seeing it in real life was so much better!

Palace #2 I saw was the Schonbrunn. Mere college students, we did not pay to go inside, but instead explored the gardens, which involved some fence-climbing to see parts they for some reason did not want the public to go into. And look what we would have missed!

After some leisurely shopping and pretzel-bread sandwich eating we went to the Staatsopera opera house to see Arabella. Beautiful German voices sung us Arabella's story of love triangles and how hard it is to have five men in love with you at once. We were in the standing room section (oh yeah 3 euros)--our legs nearly fell off but the show certainly made up for it. There were subtitles on little screens in English so we were able to follow the plot along.

Saturday was so sunny and beautiful--a perfect day to go to the Naschmarkt! In the mile-long piles of junk you could find many treasures, from watches and jewelry, to Austrian clothing, to books, to any random item you could name. I found a skirt that I love (you know me and skirts). There was also a food section, where all the smells and colors and people gave you sensory overload.

We also went to Palace #3, the Hofburg. This palace was HUGE, and one of the many former homes of the Hapsburg family (they had to have a different palace for every season). We toured the inside as well, where you could see the imperial apartments of Empress Elisabeth.

Palace #4 is were Whitney and Nikki go to school. We all are studying with the IES program, but I am jealous to say that their school is in a PALACE. My three floors of an office complex just can't hold a candle!

Sunday was a rainy day, so we enjoyed the day in relaxing before I had to go back to Barcelona. We watched the office, chatted, and made some traditional Austrian food for dinner, such as wienerschnitzel. In the morning, Whitney and I went to Mass at Stephansdom, the main Vienna cathedral, which they later discovered was built with stones from Roman ruins. It, of couse, was big and beautiful, complete with stain glass and a big organ.

I'm back already in Barcelona (scary how quickly time is flying) and am anxiously awaiting Spring Break. Pat is coming TOMORROW and I am beyond excited. We are doing a big train trip through France, the Italian Riviera, and Switzerland. Here's our itinerary:

Friday April 3: Barcelona to Montpellier, France
Saturday April 4: Montpellier to Nice, with stops in Monaco and Monte Carlo
Sunday April 5: Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure, Italy
Monday April 6: Cinque Terre, Italy
Tuesday April 7: Lugano, Switzerland
Wednesday April 8: Train through the Alps to Luzern, Switzerland
Thursday April 9: Luzern
Friday April 10: Geneva, Switzerland
April 11-13: Paris
April 13: Night train back to Barcelona!

After Spring Break, things can only go quicker, as there are just two weeks of class and finals. Then it's off to Italy for a week and home. I am loving it here so much--I'm trying to soak it all up because it is going so fast. I apologize in advance if I never come back! :)

A Magical Weekend in Ireland

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:06:00 +0000

I may not have seen any leprechauns, but this weekend was absolutely magical. Thursday night I met Blake (my Chi O big sis who is studying in Scotland) and Nikki (past and future roommate who is studying in Vienna) in Dublin. After long flight delays due to French air controllers on strike, we made it to our hostel at 2am. The time did not stop us from venturing around town and searching for our first Irish pint, however. We went to Temple Bar, THE bar of Dublin if you will, and had our first Guinness. We certainly loved the black magic brew, and to experience Irish culture properly, made sure to drink our weight in it throughout the trip.

On Saturday we were Super Tourists and hit up all the big sites in Dublin. Christchurch Cathedral, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Jameson Distillery, Guinness Storehouse, Dublin Castle. The city is pretty compact so besides getting turned around with the map, we manged to walk around everywhere easily.

St. Patrick's Cathedral had a beautiful green park.
We didn't see any rainbows, but at the Jameson Distillery we found gold - We learned all about how the famous Irish whiskey is made and drank some too!

At Guinness, we learned about the science behind the beer, and the tour ended with a pint at the Gravity Bar overlooking Dublin.

Saturday we took a day trip to the Wicklow Mountains and the town of Glendalough. Our bus tour took us south along the coast and through the Irish countryside, where we saw babbling brooks, sheep in meadows, waterfalls, mountains, lakes, and valleys. It was spectacular.

In Glendalough, which means "Glen of the Two Lakes," there are two glacial lakes nestled in breathtaking mountains which turn purple in the summer from the heather flowers. There are also ruins of churchs, a tower which may have housed Rapunzel, and a cemetary filled with Celtic crosses. The beauty of nature was overwhelming.

For our last night in town, we took the DART train to Howth, a small fishing town about 30 minutes out from Dublin, for dinner. Imagine this: You are sitting in a pub on the coast of Ireland. In this small fisherman's town, you are the only tourist. You sit in a pub with a plate full of the most delicious fish you ever ever had, fried and served with "chips." Guinness in hand, you sit and watch Ireland win the National Rugby Champtionship game. You feel as if you too are Irish, as the people in the bar decked out in Ireland apparal cheer on the team. It was beyond wonderful, and as with absolutely everything I did that weekend, I said "surely this is the pinnacle of the trip, and maybe even my life!"

Sunday we spent the last few tearful hours in Ireland walking around St. Stephen's Green and doing a last bit of shopping. I didn't want to leave! St. Stephen's Green is certainly called a "green" for a reason, and the park had numerous fountains and statues of famous Irishmen. Nikki and Blake had earlier flights then me, so I went off to the National Gallery Museum and saw some Irish art, as well as works by Peter Brueghel, El Greco, and "Lady Writing a Letter" by Vermeer.

On my walk back, I heard music playing in the distance, which I of course followed. There was a live band and what seemed to be all of Dublin was celebrating in the street to welcome home their Rugby champions. A green flag was put in my hand, which I enthusiastically waved along with the crowd and cheered as the Rugby team drove by.

I hope to go back to Ireland some day soon, and I know the luck of the Irish will draw me back.

This Must Be Paradise: Tarragona

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:06:00 +0000

Saturday I took a day trip to Tarragona, an hour train ride south of Barcelona, with my friend Missy. This weekend has been total beauty overload. Missy and I were joking that our cameras might explode because they can't handle capturing all the prettiness. Likewise, my eyes can hardly believe themselves and process all the things I have seen.

In the warm sun, we were giddy to explore the ancient town. Tarragona is an ancient Roman city, and many ruins remain today, including an amphitheater, aqueduct, Cathedral, and walls.

(ruins of the amphitheater)

We walked, and walked, and walked without a care in the world, and had a 2-and-a-half hour lunch at a charming restaurant. After three courses complete with wine, we could barley move. A parade of some sort went through the town all day, and I supposed it was related to Lent.

The day was capped off when we reached the beach. We walked along streets above and right next too the beach, but figuring out how to find a bridge, go across trains tracks, and actually get to the water proved difficult. We got there in time for sunset and waded in the Mediterranean with our rolled up jeans a big sigh of utter contentment.

Why not climb a mountain after class?

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 20:48:00 +0000

Last Friday was a beyond beautiful day in Barcelona. The sun was shining, begging us to come out and play. After class, three classmates and I packed a picnic and laced up our sneakers to hike Mount Tibidabo. The amusement park and castle at the top of the mountain were always seen as a distant speck in the city skyline, and we wanted to see it up close.

The hike was spectacular, with jaw-dropping panoramic views of the city. We could pick out landmarks and see the Mediterranean Sea glittering in the distance. I looked out on the view in front of me, flabbergasted and thought: wow this is my city.

Getting to the top was definitely worth it. We found out that what we thought was a castle was actually a church (although castle-looking) and the amusement park was charming, although unfortunately closed. We sat on a grassy patch, and with a smorgasbord of cheese, cookies, muffins, and wine, watched the sun set over the mountains and Barcelona.

I tried my best to capture it on camera, although it doesn't do it justice. You can see them on the link to my picassa album--and there's a video!

I've been hanginaround this town on the corner...

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:25:00 +0000

Although I have been traveling and adventuring a lot, I do actually live in Barcelona and even go to school. So here's a little about my typical week in Barcelona.

At 7:30 I am awaken by the beepbeepbeep of my alarm, which I smack repeatedly until finally crawling droopy-eyed out of bed 30 minutes later. After a quick shower and nutella toast breakfast, I hustle out the door for my 23 minute walk to school. Coffee in my system, ipod in my ears, and sunshine on my face, I am ready for the day. I can't help but grin while hussling along the sidewalks in the sheer joy of my life and love of Barcelona.

But then joy is always slightly rubbed out once reaching my destination: Media and Politics class.

After class, I venture around town before heading home to make myself a sandwich of sorts for lunch. My favorite place in town to walk is the Gothic Quarter, which is the ancient part of the city. The weight of history always blows my mind, as Barcelona has been around for 2,000 years. While walking the cobble stone streets and tiny alleyways full of shops and cafes, I like to think about all the people who have walked there before.

And whenever I walk around, I seem to stumble upon something new or interesting, like a group of people doing a traditional Catalan dance, odd things for sale, or a truly talented street musician. I am soaking it all in.

Another favorite past-time is chocolate, churros, and journaling. A wonderful combination.

Or I can mosey down to the beach.

Once my appetite beckons, I head home for lunch and pretend to do the assigned readings for my following classes, which I am freed from at 5:15. Dinner is around 8:30, and it's always delicious. My roommate and I don't have too much interaction with my host parents, but they are very nice, and my homestay is a good mix of comfort and independence. For the night, I have to choose between sleep and fun--book vs. bar, computer vs. friends. Usually I rest up when I have 9ams.

Snowy mountains, castles, and a fountain of wine

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:14:00 +0000

Last weekend, To culminate the end of the not-so-studious "study week" IES took us to Navarra, an autonomous region of Spain. Like the U.S., Spain is broken up into separate states, called autonomous regions, each with their own pride and some with even their own language. Barcelona is in Catalonia, where there are some of the most extreme nationalists.

We were all apprehensive about IES's choice to take us to Navarra. My host parents said "Why are you going there? There is absolutely nothing!" and even some of my professors admitted "Yeah, I don't know why they picked Navarra." Nevertheless, it was another opportunity to explore the country.

Navarra was different from parts of Spain I have seen so far. It is much more rural and FREEZING. It was the first time I had seen snow abroad. I guess I have become so used to my tropical paradise in Barcelona I forget that it's still winter in other places. After getting home today from my sunshine walk in shortsleeves, I heard from Pat that it's snowing in Tulsa. Hope everyone is staying nice and warm!

In Navarra, we stayed in Pamplona, the capital, but actually spent most of our time on the bus touring small towns. In Navarra, there are several significant stops for the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, which I found that very interesting. One of the stops is in Ayegui, which is very small and charming and houses a wine vineyard. We toured the winery and saw LOTS of wine.

And got to drink some too! There was a wine/water drinking fountain for the pilgrims. How genius is that! As you can see "vino" is the left tap and "agua" is the right.

We also saw some sweet Spanish castles in other towns, and I should definitely be a Spanish princess so I can live here:
In Pamplona, where we stayed, the main places we saw were the bull ring and the cafe Ernest Hemmingway frequented. Hemmingway was very inspired by Pamplona and set some of his works in Spain (correct me if I'm wrong English majors out there). The big festival in Pamplona is Dia de San Fermin, celebrated with crazy bull runs through the streets. Not the ring. The streets. With actual bulls. Check out the photo link to my picassa albums to see pictures of Pamplona and more of Navarra.

Musings of an American Abroad

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:53:00 +0000

Frighteningly, I am half way through my time here in Barcelona. I haven't been homesick at all, just people sick. I know that by the time May rolls around (which will come sooner than I think I'm sure) I won't want to go home. So far, I have traveled a lot, taken tests, learned about culture and language, met new people, expanded my world view. But here are some of the littler things and random musings:

I think Spanish children may just be 5,000 times cuter than American children. I might just steal one. Ok, well if I can't steal a child, I might just steal a puppy, because there are tons of cute ones of those too.

Spanish food is surprisingly bland. I was expecting spice and OLE OLE! but they like their mild paella and custards

I feel really cool and cosmo riding the metro, but I actually prefer to walk. People think I'm crazy but I usually walk at least 5 miles a day.

Americans should wear scarves more often. I have bought an embarrassing amount of them and feel naked without one now.

I'm nervous that I will return to America a huge jerk due to the influence of big city life. Walking down the street, people are in their own little world listening to their ipods with their "I dare you to even smile at me" face. There's not usually tipping at restaurants or customer service, and I miss the Midwest friendliness.

I may also return to America weighing 300 pounds. Please be my friend anyway. I am addicted to Spanish chocolate and all of its products, especially Nutella (which goes best on everything) and hot chocolate. The hot chocolate here is literally chocolate that is hot, like a melted candy bar, so thick you eat it with a spoon. So good, and enhanced all the more by dipping churros in it.

I am now a smoker. Not by choice. Second hand smoking here is equivalent to smoking 5 cigarettes a day.

Spaniards have dinner around 9pm. I don't know if I will ever adjust to that.

Parking lots do not exist in Europe.

I don't care for all the globalization and tourism here and at times wish I were the only American.

It is considered rude to not have both of your hands visible at the dinner table.

I am in love with cafe con leche and all of the cafes hidden in little streets.

I aspire to be a wine-o and Euro fashionista.

All of my travels have only inspired me all the more to see the world and made me realize how much more I have to see. At the end of my trip, I will have been to 7 countries, but will have barely scratched the surface.

So far, I have taken 1,212 photos.

Often having to figure out things on my own and in a different language, I feel much more confident and independent.

Although I am living in Spain and with a host family, I am not magically fluent like I thought I would be, but am trying.

Things I miss the most: my guitar, Mexican food, grass, driving with music and the windows down.

I love Barcelona!

Life Lately

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:31:00 +0000

Hello friends!

Didn't want you avid readers out there to go a week without hearing from yours truly. I feel like whenever I update this thing, it has to be with big events or fabulous trips, filled with photos and witty remarks. Sometimes though, even in Spain, we simply have our routine and live life day to day.

This week is study week, and so I don't have anything as crazy as Carnival to report on (although I have not been the least bit studious). We don't have class this week in order to have time to prepare for midterms and go to a set of academic conferences (ug). The "academic week" is concluded with a trip to Navarre, a region in the north of Spain, which we are leaving for tomorrow. My whole program is taking a bus trip through the region, stopping in little cities along the way. There are 500 students in my program, so we'll see how it goes! With all my time off this week, I thought I would be determined to get a jump-start on studying and paper writing, but instead I have been enjoying sleeping in, wandering around town, and accidentally buying things.

Last weekend I had some special visitors! Jill and Jessica, sorority sisters and former roommates.

I played tour guide, and we hit up all the big sites on Friday and Saturday--Parc Guell, Sagrada Familia, took a cable car to the castle on top of Montjuic, Las Ramblas, Gothic Quarter, Port Vell, everything! We were certainly tired by the end of it all. I'm fortunate to have so many friends studying abroad right now because we can travel together and I can go visit. At the end of my program, I plan on visiting Jessica and Rome for a week.

Miss and love you!
Elizabeth

Carnival Craziness

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:44:00 +0000

Last night was Carnival, the Spanish version of Marti Gras, but 10,000 times bigger and crazier. The only way I can really sum up Carnival is "crazy." The big party and parades were celebrated in Sitges, a town half an hour outside of Barcelona. The premise is to eat, drink, and be merry before the start of Lent, and to do so in the most ridiculous costumes imaginable.

The night was a series of interesting and crazy (like I said, all I can say in crazy) events, starting from when I first left my house. I was running late to meet my friends because my host mom was snapping pictures of me in my Carnival outfit. Thus, I had to run down streets and ride the metro looking like this:

We crammed onto the train to Sitges along with 5,000 of our closest friends, and certainly saw some characters. We were entertained by a group of guys making a beat by drumming on the seats and walls. Once we got there, there were so many people trying to get from the station to the street!

There was every costume imaginable: guys dressed as girls was popular, politicians, a football team, a bunch of grapes, a group of people who were Tetrix, various animals, the Joker; anything went! Bars were overflowing with people dancing, and the streets were jammed with fun-havers and parades.

Getting back onto the train, I thought I was surely in a herd of animals, as everyone stampeded once it arrived. There were far more people than train space, and it was quite the miracle that we got on. I had to take the first train home (which was 2:30am, very early night for the Spanish) because I had a midterm the following day! Yikes. After waiting for an available cab, I finally climbed into my bed at 4am, to got up a few hours later to go to class. The midterm went great! Maybe I should place social obligations before scholarship more often!

Now that the hoopla is over, it is the first day of Lent. I'm actually about to leave for Ash Wednesday mass. I hope you all take some time to think about what you want to do and who you want to become these next 40 days. Know that I am thinking and praying for you all, and please send some prayers my way too :)

Sevilla and Cordoba: I Might Just Move There

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 20:44:00 +0000

This weekend, I traveled with my program to Seville and Cordoba, which are in the South of Spain. I have already seen so many fantastic places and traveled a lot, but Seville may just be my favorite yet (if I had to choose). To me, Seville did just say "Spain," it showed it with character and charm. Narrow cobble stone streets housed flamenco dress shops, little cafes, tapa bars, with peach and white colored buildings and orange trees absolutely everwhere. Also, there is something to be said for Southern hospitality, even in Spain, and the city's people were just as charming as its streets.

Because I went on the trip with my program, it was nice to be able to show up and have everything all planned out for me. I was able to take interesting tours and learn much about the city and Spain's interesting religious history and situation. Spain's history has been characterized by tension, conquests, and persecutions between Christians, Jews, and Muslims, with the Spanish Inquisition as the most obvious example. Many of the churches were build right on top of mosques. We saw some unbelievable churches, one of which included the tomb of CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. My favorite part was probably when we climbed up to the bell tower of the Cathedral. We had a view of the whole city.

On Saturday we took a bus trip to Cordoba, which is two hours out from Seville. Besides the sweet Moroccan mirror and tapestry I bought, the highlight of the trip was seeing the Cathedral/Mosque there. It was so crazy/awesome! It was literally a church AND a mosque. I had studied it in my Art History class at TU, so it was really neat to see my text book pages come to life.

Saturday night, it was back to Seville, where we went out for a flamenco show. The dance and music was full of emotion, and flamenco tells a story of love, betrayal, passion. Check out video on my Picassa. Just follow the photos link.

We topped the trip off on Sunday with a visit to the royal palace, Reales Alcazares. All I have to say is I want to be a Spanish princess so I can live there! There was an interesting mix of Muslim architecture, although it is a palace for the Catholic kings, who still use the palace today if ever they are in Seville. The day ended in Placa Espana, which was beyond beautiful of course. Interesting fact: Seville and Kansas City are sister cities, and the Kansas City Plaza is modeled after Seville. I was certainly proud to be a Kansan, but I must say, I would choose Sevilla over KC!

'Ello There!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:58:00 +0000

Time for a massive update! Obviously, I have not been the best blogger, so when I finally come around to doing it, I have way too much to tell about! Since I last posted, I have been to London, Seville, and Cordoba. I'll being with a post on London. My Uncle Alan, Aunt Jennifer, two adorable cousins Emma and James, and my Uncle R.D. live there, so I had all the more reason to visit. I hadn't seen Emma and James in about three years, and they are certainly getting taller, smarter, and more hilarious. They have adorable British accents and are a constant source of entertainment. James, who is 7, challenged me to a game of chess (he is in chess club at school), and he certainly gave me a run for my money. Emma (who's 9) and I shared a room. The morning after my arrival, apparently she was just waiting in bed staring at me enthusiastically, until I woke up. I think she sang some songs to try to wake me up, but as you know, waking up in the morning is not so easy for me. He's a snapshot of Emma, James, and me in China town, where we ate lunch on Saturday.
Saturday was relaxing, and it was nice to take the touring easy and have family time. We went to the Banqueting House, which none of us had been to before. It was a place of where royals had their fabulous social events and dances, but much of it was destroyed with the Great Fire of London. The Banqueting Room remains, which had very impressive paitings on the ceiling. King Charles I was beheaded at the Banqueting House when the people wanted to overthrow the monarchy, and Oliver Cromwell came to power. Oliver Cromwell was buried in Westminster Abbey, but not for long, because once the monarchy was properly returned, he was dug up and his head chopped off! English are charming, eh?

Sunday we spent at Hampton Court, a palace built by King Henry VII, who is most remembered for his six wives, many of which did not get to keep their heads. Apparently, when the English get angry, they take it out on the person with an an axe. I last went to London when I was 16, and Hampton Court was one of the favorite places I saw, so I wanted to go back. It is an interesting mix of Tudor and Georgian style, as when William and Mary moved in, they had to add on their own parts. At the palace, you can see the kings and queens apartments, the royal gardens, the Tudor kitchens, the king's many weapons, and much more. The weight of history at Hampton Court blows my mind, and it's crazy to think that I have walked in the very place of kings and queens, and even seen their bed chambers!

Monday, I was off on my own to explore the town before I had to head to the airport. I squeezed in as much of the city as I could, and covered some serious ground in a matter of hours. I started with a brisk morning walk to Buckingham Palace and through St. James' Park

Went to Parliament Square to say "cheese!" with the rest of the tourists in front of Big Ben and the Thames River.

Toured Westminster Abbey. I think Westminster Abbey is so interesting and absolutely gorgeous. Kings and Queens are buried there, with elaborate tombs in fantastic rooms, complete with stained glass, gold glitz, and detailed ceilings. In "Poet's Corner," many English writers are buried, such as Jane Austin, Kipling, Hardy, Chaucer, Tennyson, Dickens. Westminster also houses the tomb of Charles Darwin, and a memorial to Isaac Newton. I could go on and on about how gorgeous Westminster is, but saying "gorgeous," "fabulous," and "amazing" doesn't really describe what you see. Although no photography was allowed inside, I was a rebel and took some shots. My Picassa album to all of my London photos are linked to my blog, so click on the link to see them all.

After Westminster, I headed to the Tower of London, although I did not have enough time to tour the inside. I guess I'll just have to go back to London! Instead, I went up Tower Bridge and saw an exhibition on its history. I got a great view of the Thames River.

Returning to Barcelona Monday night, I sea of school work awaited me, and I've been up to my ears in it ever since. I trucked through a midterm, quiz, and two presentations before heading to Seville on that Friday, only to have to magically produce a six page paper on the political unrest of Spain in March 2004, due at 9am the following day. Definitely did not get much sleep last night!

Viva la Vida

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:27:00 +0000

Hello Everyone! Sorry I have been so out of touch the past two weeks. I have been so busy living the life I neglected to update my blog. Things have certainly been fantastic. The weekend before last, Uncle R.D. came and visited me. I enjoyed playing tour guide; plus it's always good for met to see more of the city too. We enjoyed walking around the Gothic Quarter, the ancient part of the city,

looking at lots of ham (and eating some too),

going out for tapas, seeing Paleau Guell (another work by Gaudi), and the Paleau de la Musica, all of which I had yet to see so that was great. It was good to see a friendly face as well, and be fed :). We went to a tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant in the old part of town, and I'm sure it had been there for over 500 years. We ordered an assortment of hams, tapas, and cheeses. The waiter told me "you sure eat a lot."

The following week, Nikki and Whitney (friends from TU who are studying in Vienna) came to visit Barcelona and me. I got to once again play tour guide (someone should really hire me) and I was estatic to see my dear friends. Next month I plan on returning the visit and go to Vienna! In just two and a half days, we lived the Barcelona life to the fullest and saw nearly all the major sites. We went to Parc Guell,

climbed a mountain,

walked all the way to the sea,

and had the energy to hit the clubs until the wee hours after enjoying some paella, tapas and wine (which we bought from the store for 94 cents).

Before we knew it, it was time to go to the airport to head to MADRID! There, the wonderful Emily (who is studying in Salamanca) would receive us from the hostel with open arms and lots of squealing. It was my first time staying in a hostel and it was so great! There were fellow study abroaders, trouble makers, and venturers from all over the world. Sketchy showers and "why is there a guy in sleeping in the next bunk?" beside, it was fun to eat and hang out with people from Australia to France. We cooked for ourselves most of the time (I hope you are catching on by now that this is all really just about eating), and were proper tourists, such as seeing the Royal Spanish Palace, lots of beautiful parks and fountains, El Prado art museum, and eating churros. My favorite part was seeing El Retiro Park, where we spent all day Sunday before begrudgingly heading back to the airport. At El Retiro, there was every form of street performers imaginable, from a puppet show, to a brass band, to a crazy guy juggling. Enamored couples rowed on boats you could rent to go across the lake.

This weekend I am traveling to London! I am looking forward to seeing my uncles, aunt, and cousins. Last time I went I was 16, so I'm excited for a fresh perspective. Although I travel on most weekends, week days have been pretty quiet. I have been keeping up with classes (which are a bit more demanding than I would prefer) and taking it all in day by day. I have been missing things and people, but I am so happy here and absolutely in love with the city. I updated my picassa photos, so click on the photos link on the right side of my blog to view them!

Happy Valentines Day!

How Do You Say "Please Don't Give Me a Mullet" in Spanish?

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:28:00 +0000

Well it was time to chop the beast. Shampooing with harsh water and stepping into a cloud of cigarette smoke every day, I could deal with my hair no longer. Looking at the hairstyles of Spanish girls my age, you can imagine my anxiety to get my hair cut, however. Definitely did not want to sport the Euro-mullet.

After googling "Spanish haircut vocabulary," I prepared myself with key words such as "capas" (layers) and "recorte" (trim) and "peinar" (hairstyle). After class, I marched into the walk-in salon a few blocks from my apartment before I could change my mind. The lady who cut it was very nice, and having a normal hairdo herself, must share my disgust for the mullet. Shampoo, cut, and style, it all went just the same as in America. The tricky part was the communication, but it all worked out just fine. I cut off about 4 inches and I love it!

Wet and Windy in San Sebastian

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:02:00 +0000

Last weekend I had the pleasure of visiting Jill (fellow study abroad-er, former roommate, sorority sister, diehard KU fan, friend, and baller), in San Sebastian. I arrived late on Thursday and took a cab to her friend's apartment, where I was able to stay. Upon getting out of the cab I was absolutely ecstatic to see her! It was so great to see a familiar face since being away. The cab driver probably thought I had mental issues, as I was squealing when I got out. We had such a great weekend. It was nice to just catch up and talk in person...skype just doesn't cut it!

San Sebastian has a totally different vibe from Barcelona, but I loved it. It was very charming, and much smaller, and we enjoyed little cafes, shopping, and broke down and ate Mexican food (the Spanards' attempt at it that is). I have developed a deep love for baguettes, which we bought warm from the store for pennies and made sandwiches. We also went to a Spanish video store, which was actually just American movies dubbed over. The titles were hilarious, such as "Chicas Malas" (Mean Girls), "Una Rubia Muy Legal" (Legally Blonde), and "Colega, Donde Esta Mi Coche!" (Dude, Where's My Car!). We rented Sr. y Sra. Smith, but never ended up watching it.

On Saturday night, we went tapa bar hopping. It was actually my first time to really go out for tapas, and it was such a great experience! (and delicious). All of the menus were in Basque, the dialect spoken in San Sebastian, so we had no idea what we were ordering. Closing my eyes and pointing, I ordered what turned out to be cow mean with strawberry sorbet and chocolate on top. It was actually good! I also had oysters and some other unidentifyable items.

I came to San Sebastian at shall we say...interesting time. Torrential down pours, tornado winds, and tsunami waves graced the Spanish town. Streets were closed due to high waves and we were cautioned to not go outside due to flying debris. Good times. Maybe this will give you a better idea:

I've Got My Philosophy

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:01:00 +0000

So every day I walk to school. Normally, I am running late and have to do some serious Olympic-style speed walking and arriving to class panting, but I'm trying out a new routine where I leave earlier so I can walk slower and take in life the Spanish way. In my experience thus far, I feel like life here is savored to the fullest. The people walk slowly down the street, take siestas in the afternoon and long lunches, get five weeks of vacations from work, shamelessly show affection, and value teamwork over competition. When people always ask me "HOW IS SPAIN?!" I find it difficult to reply. It's just a whole different life, full of so much interesting detail that has to be experienced rather than described in words. Walking with my ipod is fun, and makes me feel like I'm in a movie. I can't help but break it down when waiting at the crosswalk and bobbing my head with a spring in my step. I bought some goofy sunglasses but I figure "hey I'm in Spain, so sure I'll wear weird stuff." I think studying abroad is the time were you get in situations that you just have to figure out (like navegating the city on your own or what you do when you are somewhere and find out the buses aren't running) and find yourself in miserable situations that are actually comical (like staying in a nasty hostel because it's cheap, or having to walk miles in the rain and your umbrella just flipped inside out and broke).

Anyway, so that's my philosophical bit. Last week I played tourist, and rode the Bus Touristic sporting teal headphones. Bus Touristic is the obnoxious double-decker tour bus that goes all over town with commentary on all the sites. It is "hop-on hop-off" so it was actually a great way to see more of the city. Hope you enjoyed the pictures I posted! Lots of those were from the tour bus weekend. After being here for just a little over two weeks, I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on the city and can get around pretty well. I am totally in love with this place!

From here on out, every weekend is pretty booked up. Last weekend I went to San Sebastian to visit Jill! (Post and pictures to come). This weekend I have a day trip with school and my uncle is coming to visit me from London. Then the loves of my life Nikki and Whitney are coming to visit me! Then we are off to Madrid to meet up with the lovily Emily Maack! Ahh life is good!

Just Another Day in Spain!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:03:00 +0000

Crazy musicians by La Rambla

Inside the spire of La Sangrada Familia

Video Blogging: Walking Around Town and My Room

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 13:25:00 +0000

Pretty Plazas, Parks, and Places

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:50:00 +0000

Placa Catalyuna

Parc Guell

Cable Car Ride to Montjuic

My Contact Info

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 20:39:00 +0000

Hi Everyone!

I probably should have listed this before, but here is my contact info if you want to get a hold of me or send me mail--I'll write back ;)

Address:
Avinguda Diagonal, 411, pral. 1a
08008 Barcelona, Spain

Phone number: (I receive all calls for free!)
(Country code 34)+686297802

Skype and AIM name:
EMO6288

I've been waiting to post more until I can upload my photos and videos, so stay tuned! I have seen some absolutely AMAZING stuff that I can't wait to share with you!

Week One: All I Can Say is Wow

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:33:00 +0000

As of today, I have been here one week, and I can hardly believe all of the amazing things I have already seen and done and learned. I don't even know how to put it all in words! I left my camera cord at home, but it's in the mail so I will hopefully get some photos up soon so you can see some for yourself. When I am walking around the city (usually open-mouthed and gazing in wonder), I think "man, I love this place and totally want to live here!...Oh wait, I do!"

Barcelona is absolutely amazing, and there is so much to see and do. One side of the city is mountains, and the other is the sea, so getting around is pretty easy because you are either going up hill or down. Of course, I have to pull out my huge map quite often! I've actually had quite a few people ask ME for directions, which I find flattering, thinking "wow! you think I'M from here?" Avoiding flip flops and ball caps, I guess must not scream American.

There are about 500 other students in my program, many from the east or west coast. When I say I'm from Kansas, the popular response is, "Oh. (confused look on face) That's interesting." This week has been just Spanish class, and next week my regular classes start. I am taking three communication classes, a class on Barcelona, and a Spanish class. All of the classes have field trips around the city and a cultural take. I live a little over a mile from school, which I walk. I walk most places, except when I venture farther out into the city I take the metro, which this Kansas girl finds to be quite the accomplishment! Walking at least six miles a day, I'm definitely getting my exercise.

I have breakfast and dinner at the apartment, and for lunch I got groceries for sandwiches and such. Big creepy cured hams hang all over grocery stores (and we have one in our kitchen!) and it is actually quite delicious. I have enjoyed all the food my host parents have cooked. It has been different every night, from chicken, to pasta, to pizza, to prawns with eyeballs. Today I tried paella, a traditional Spanish dish, for the first time at a little cafe on La Rambla. La Rambla is the main strip in town with lots of shops and crazy street performers, like trees and statues that are actually people and junk-yard bands. I got a video of one of the performances that I will post once I can upload it!

I've been able to get around with my Spanish, but some things have definitely gotten lost in translation. When I went to a cafe, I thought the server was asking me if I was American...and I somehow was ordering a coffee. It's frustrating when I speak Spanish to someone and then they just speak English back to me ("come on, is my accent really that bad?") My host mother only speaks Spanish, so I have definitely been practicing at home and usually get by with hand motions if words don't work. My host dad speaks English too, so he's been helping me learn and translate. They are both wonderful hosts and I live in a great part of town. There are a lot of really cool shops (which is very dangerous for my wallet) and charming wine bars and cafes everywhere around me. Bershka, H&M, and Zara are now my favorite stores. For any chicas out there interested in Euro fashion, they all wear boots here, and usually leggings with long shirts or sweaters and always a scarf. The girls have kind of mullet-like haircuts and lots of facial piercings. Maybe I'll go native and pierce my lip...haha just kidding.

As for the day by day, I've been writing it all down so I don't forget. Every day, I try to venture somewhere new and go to a different part of the city. Here's how the first week has been:

THURSDAY: Hello Barcelona! Though the fuzz of jet-lag, I somehow made it to my apartment after a starry-eyed taxi ride. I unpacked, settled in, met the roommate and family, and ventured around the area a bit. I got a sandwich since all I had had in the past 24 hours was airplane food. Pics of my room to come!

FRIDAY: Orientation! Or shall I say: Top Ten Ways to Get Robbed, Raped, and Stabbed in Barcelona. We met at school in our orientation groups, and the leader went over safetly information presented in a way that would make Chuck Norris paranoid. We learned other information so useful that I can barely remember it. After orientation, I ventured around the area a bit. School is in a hoppin part of town and right by La Rambla and a beautiful plaza called Placa Cataluyna. I also got a cell phone, which was definitely interesting to purchase and figure out in Spanish. On the way home, I stopped by an adorable cafe for a chocolate pastry. I walk by it every day and the owner always tells me hi!

SATURDAY: Orientation trip to Besalu and Vic. Besalu is a small, charming town historic to Catalan. Barcelona is in the Catalan region, which is very proud of its history, traditions, and language. So proud, that Catalonia wants to annex itself from Spain. The Catalan region is not proud to be Spanish, and Spanish is actually not the first language of children here. I have found that just about everyone speaks Spanish, however, but most signs and such are in Catalan. I learned that shops actually get a tax break if they post their signs in Catalan only, not Spanish, because the people are so adamant about preserving Catalonia.

SUNDAY: City venturing and Parc Guell. Sunday morning, I went to Mass at a little church a few blocks down from where I live. Being in a city that is like 99% catholic, there a chruches everywhere, and they are all so beautiful. Unfortunately, no one is very religious, so I celebrated alongside a few little old ladies in a nearly-vacant church. Thankfully, the Mass was in Spanish, not Catalan. Afterward, I got lunch at a little cafe where I sat and journaled. I then picked up some groceries, dropped them off at home, and then got on the metro for the first time to go to Parc Guell. If you have ever seen a picture of Barcelona, you have surely seen a picture of Parc Guell. If not, google it because it is AMAZING. It is by Gaudi, who has done much of the architecture in Barcelona, including La Sangra Familia (which I plan to tour on Saturday). His style is very unique, and this park is decorated with mosaic tiles. Gaudi dedicated most of his life to his constructions, and is actually up for sainthood. It is quite the climb to get to the park, and parts are so steep they put in escalators to get up. With a view that looks over all of Barcelona, the treck is definitely worth it. Pictures to come!

MONDAY AND TUESDAY: Spanish class and Scavenging. Yay Spanish! I have such a thirst for leaning the language. I'm going to try to do some online vocab lessons every day so I can get better. Monday and Tuesday night, we had a scavenger hunt set up through school. I enjoyed seeing some different parts of town, but we got a little lost. Also on Monday, I went to the Gothic area, an older part of town, and I saw the Barcelona Cathedral. It was absolutely huge and amazing and I need to go back on a day that the roof access is open.

WEDNESDAY: Class and wandering. Still continuing with the routine of class in the morning and wandering around in the afternoon. I went down La Rambla with a few girls from school, and we took it all the way to the port. There is a big statue by the port of Christopher Columbus. We also went to a fresh foods market, that had everything from candy, to vegetables, to cow stomache.

THURSDAY: I can't believe my eyes! Today was AWESOME. After class my roommate and I went down to the port and the Olympica area. This area was completely different from any part of Barcelona I had been to before and seemed like a different city altogether. Down by the port, their were numerous boats, and it seemed to be a good place to relax and pick up a tan. There was also a mall and cable car rides up to the mountain that I have got to go on sometime! We then proceeded to walk about 4 miles to the Olympica area that was a huge park surrounded by some great landmarks and other parks. We saw the stadium where the 1992 Olympics were held, a palace, a magic fountain, a big plaza that had huge steel archways, "Parc Del Gat (Park of Cat)" that was BEAUTIFUL and looked like it came out of a fairytale book, and Placa Espanya which had a great view. All I can say is W-O-W. Pictures to come!

So in summary, I love it here and studying abroad is probably the best thing I have ever done with my life. I'm already learning to be so much more independent and grow on my own and Barcelona is absolutely fabulous. But don't worry, I could never forget about you, and I alreay bought my plane ticket back home so I'll be coming back!

I Made It!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:14:00 +0000

Despite nearly missing my flight from Wichita, racing through the Amsterdam airport with only a few minutes to go through customs, mysterious airplane food, and hairspray exploding in my bag, I made it safely to Barcelona. Flagging a taxi from the airport and directing him in Spanish, I felt quite grown up. I live in an apartment that is in a prime location with a host mom and dad, and my roommate (a fellow study abroad student who is from Illinois) and I share a quaint room. Although I haven't even been here for a whole day, everything is more perfect than I could have ever imagined. I would post photos of my room, but I neglected to pack my camera cord! This weekend is Orientation, and on Saturday we go on a trip to Besalu and Vic, two small Medieval towns. Next week is Spanish immersion at school, and then classes begin. Barcelona is a bustling city with SO much to do and see. I can't wait to explore!