White Russian

I've been having a fantastic time this past week. Meeting a bunch of new people. I love the variety of people that are here. If I can't find someone to hang out with in one apartment I move on to the next. Some boys made me a drink that they are all shouting about and say tastes so delicious and so they made it for me. I am not a fan of the white russian! But I will stick with the white wine. I've been more conscious of my money so far. Although I did do a little shopping the other day. I went to Pull and Bear with Colin and bought a black jacket with gold spikes or whatever you want to call them. I'll probably wear it when I go out to clubs and stuff.

My goal is to always eat dinner in and if I want, eat lunch out. Lunch is so much cheaper than dinner and you get a shit ton more to eat. The other night I made a vegetable lasagna without noodles. I'm attempting to eat no bread or pasta while I am here. It has failed quite a bit but I am being very observant as to what I have been eating. I'm trying to lose the weight that I put on first semester. So I guess we will just have to see how that goes. I've been walking everyday and started insanity back when I was home for the Holidays. I haven't been doing insanity since I got here though so I'm going to  try and start that on Monday after I get back from London. Yes!I said London. Tomorrow morning I am flying to London with Abby and we will be coming back late Sunday night. I'll be wearing super warm clothes and am mentally preparing to not  shower everyday. haha anyway. I'm sure we will be doing all sorts of things, due to the fact that Abby is quite the planner. I'm extremely excited to go travel and see a new part of Europe that I have yet to see. In three weeks the program is traveling to Andalusia which is the southern part of Spain. From there a small group of us is planning a trip to Morocco. It's going to be really cool and actually pretty cheap to get there. BBut for now I have to focus on my trip to London. I have never been and the only negative I ever hear is that it's really cold. But hey, I love the cold and everyone knows it haha. So I'm off to get lunch with Alex. I'll be writing about my trip to London sometime next week when I have caught up on my sleep.

See you then!

The new and the old

So I arrived Thursday afternoon and was very excited to see new and old faces. All of the people I knew welcomed me with opened arms and the new faces were open to say hello. But may I add that it is Monday and I am still seeing new faces!! Everywhere I turn I feel like I'm meeting new people. There are 85 students this semester. It is a lot bigger than last semester and there are people and every apartment which is quite the opposite of last semester where there were only 5 apartments being used instead of nine. Friday night I mingled and went out drinking with everyone and then went to La 3 with a big group. Yes, I actually went out. Which is unusual. As I am frequently the grandma of the group and love sleeping. But I stayed out until 3:30 and then called it quits and went back to the study center. I was awoken by a loud knock on Saturday by a beautiful face. Colin got here bright and early Saturday and I was very happy to see him. I meant to get up and take a shower and look somewhat presentable for when he got here but I snoozed my alarm too many times and then eventually just turned it off. Saturday I spent the day with Colin. We went out to lunch and unpacked and just enjoyed seeing each other. I don't know why but I can't think of what we dis, even though I remember going out but I can't think of what we did. I made fajitas that night for the two of us and anyone else that wanted what was left over. I went to bed that night super early because I was still suffering from jet-leg and wanted to sleep. Sunday we were all ready for Eric, Colin's roommate, to get back but he didn't arrive until late afternoon on Sunday. It was his birthday and we were all excited to go out to dinner and drink with eric. Colin and i watched 8 mile while we were waiting for his arrival. Not gonna lie, I think I like that movie. Today we had academic orientation and met our teachers and stuff like that. After Alex, Colin and I went to pAN de Queso and got food and then went off shopping. I bought a new coat which I really needed and then came back and made some eggplant recipe. It was so yummy!! My goal this semester is if I'm going to eat out I'll eat out for lunch and then cook for dinner. Tomorrow night I'm going to attempt to make lasagna without the noodles. I'm trying to get better at cooking but I will say myself, I've been doing pretty well so far. Haha, even though it's only been two days. Well tomorrow I start a whole new round of classes at 9 am. Wish me luck!

Hasta pronto!

back to school

 I’m sorry it has been so long. I decided to not blog while home in Cincinnati. Yes, I had a wonderful time while I was home. Celebrating with champagne and red wine. Yes, I enjoyed every cigarette, knowing when I came back to Valencia, Colin wouldn’t like it if I was smoking. New Years Resolution: Quit smoking… I doubt I can do it but I’m going to try!

So, here I am, once again. Fighting jet leg and waiting. Waiting to get home to Valencia. The Madrid airport has become my biggest enemy. Who wants to sit around in a hard chair with pretzels and trail mix for eight hours? Is there anyone that wants to take me place? You are more than welcome. It would be so cool if there were a direct flight from Cincinnati to Valencia. I wouldn’t complain. HAHA yeah right, if you know me you know I can find something to complain about. But yes, I realize I have nothing to be complaining about. I have another eight amazing months to look forward to. Traveling around Europe, drinking, eating good food and barley studying. My friends are in the US struggling through classes and here I am, whining about a trip that has and will continue to change my life. As I sit here listening to Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls, my mind wanders to the thoughts that this could have never happened to me. I have been given an amazing opportunity and this semester I am living it up. I think last semester was a transition and although I lived for every minute, many days were spent curled up in bed watching movies and wasting away hours on the computer. I have a trip to London already planned. Colin and I are planning trips to Prague, Istanbul and the Canary Islands. I’m living it up this semester. I promised Colin I would go out once a week and I want to travel almost every weekend. Well shit, when I come back I’m going to be broke.  Budgeting is going to save my money, if I can stick to it, but damn the clothes are just so cute.  I’ll being sitting in Madrid for another three hours maybe I’ll open the trail mix. Or peanut M&M’s. I should add that peanut M&M’s are my weakness.

I look forward to seeing everyone in August but until then I hope my blogging stays up to date so you can read everything I’m doing. Once again, I’m not censoring anything. I’ll let you know what happens. As much as this is a journey for me it’s a journey for you as well. I’m not leaving anything out. That includes good and bad days. So here we go. Day One.

Well hello All!

Oh my Goodness it sure has been awhile. Right when I got back from Madrid, the countdown started. After today I have 23 days! Can you believe it? Because I sure can't! I can't believe how long I have been here and how soon I will be home. When I get home, I will have so much to do. Visit family, hang out with friends, visit teachers, get my hair cut, visit red robin and the list goes on and on!! There isn't much to update everyone on unless you want to listen to me list all of the work I need to get done this weekend. And no I actually haven't been procrastinating. Well, okay maybe just a little. Well back in Madrid, we went to a Flamenco show and had dinner. It was beautiful. The dancers were so passionate and the singers were really good and damn those guitarists sure could play. We had a nice 4 course meal and lots of Sangria and then we went off to a bar. But didn't stay long, I wanted to get back to the hotel. I'm not sure if anyone heard about the strike here or in Greece or Portugal, but there was one. And our hotel was a two minute walk from the main plaza where it was being held. It was totally safe but kind of scary. There were two times the police starting shooting rubber bullets and I had to run with the crowd and there was lots of chanting and yelling. One kid got hit by that stick the police have. I don't know what it's called. So after my experience of the strike, I decided that I had had enough and went back to the hotel and slept.

I also got to see where Cervantes was born and grew up. It was interesting but kind of like any other tour.  So once we arrived back in Valencia, I had the weekend to finish some homework, do laundry, go grocery shopping and buy gifts for Christmas and stuff like that. The week resumed back to normal. Classes and other boring stuff.

Yesterday was Thanksgiving, obviously and yes we had class. which is kind of disappointing but what can I do about it. Anyway, after class I went shopping with Abby for a dress. I found a dress and some boots to where to dinner. The study center was preparing a lovely Thanksgiving meal for us. It was great getting to spend this holiday with such good friends and a new family but I was still missing home a little bit. Getting on Facebook, I would see all of my friends together in pictures and I wish I could have been there but hey, at least I'm in a great place like Valencia, Spain. After dinner, Colin, Abby and I went and had a couple glasses of Sangria at a restaurant. Yummm, it's really my favorite. Get ready friends, I'm making Sangria for you!

So I guess that ends it for now.  I will see you all very soon!

with love,
Stacey

Madrid

Ahh Finally a break, a break from this madness. Today there was history in the making here in Madrid. For the first tie 3 countries were on strike at the same time. Spain, Greece and portugal and I got to be a part of this madness. There were guns, police attacking people, tear gas noise noise noise. It was and still is quite intense. It will be a little bit of madness until 6 when the protesters have a permit to actually protest. Anyway, today we went to the Reina Sofia museum where a lot of the modern art is and then went to el Prado. Saw Las Maninas. Which was really cool considering I can remember being in Mrs. Margraf's spanish class junior year learning about it and then I saw it in real life.  Yesterday we went to The valley of the Fallen. It's where Franco is buried and is a monument to the civil war in Spain. Very peaceful but eerie all at the same time. Then we were off to Segovia to see the Roman Aqueduct and cathedral and castle. We took a tour of the castle which was fun, although I would have rather had a tour of the Cathedral. But before any of that happened I went to this nice restaurant and tried some Sopa Castanilla.  I think That is what it was called but I honestly don't remember. Now I have a break which is why I thought I could tell you a little bit about my trip so far. At 7 we are going to a Flamenco show and dinner, I'm very excited. It will be my first Flamenco show here in Spain and I've heard it's best in Madrid. Plus it's normally pretty expensive except for us it's free tonight. Why not go?? Good night.

With love from Madrid,
Stacey

The weeks go on and on

I wish I blogged a little bit more about my trip. Honestly, it's becoming the same thing day after day. I've been sleeping a lot and not eating very much. I don't know what my problem is. I mean I love it here I really do, I'm just a little melancholy these days. The weather is getting colder and although the Spaniards say it never rains here, it feels like it is constantly raining. Every Sunday I've been going to church. I think it's a really good way to learn the language. I sit there for 45 minutes just listening to someone speak in Spanish and I don't have to respond. Yesterday, Abby and I went to our place. Ordered up some Sangria, tostadas and patatas bravas. Yummmmm. We try to go there at least once a week. We get a lot of food for pretty cheap, even though they don't take cheques. Cheques are these like meal voucher things that we get from the study center every month. I tend to eat at home more though so I haven't started using the ones from November yet, I have about 5 left I think from October. There is this man that is always sitting in this one place in the city. He has his head in his hands and just looks defeated. I don't know him but I always feel bad for him. He has a little cardboard box that reads "tengo hambre" which means I'm hungry. Since I had so many cheques, I gave him two of them. I can remember when my dad visited the other week.  I told him that I always want to bring that man ice cream but had never done it. Yesterday was the day I gave him two cheques. I just said hi, i want to give you these because you probably need it more than I do. I can pay for my own food, even though having cheques is a great way to save food. The economic situation here is terrible. You think the U.S. has it bad with what an 8% unemployment rate. Try 50%. How bad do you think politics would be at home then. Imagine the wealthy loaning money to the government so the government can pay the politicians. Maybe it's time to open our eyes a little bit. I know it's bad at home, I know, It's just worse here. It's frustrating. Ahhh. I'm not one to be preaching about politics. I don't know that much, so I keep my mouth shut but I can read and I know it isn't going to well over here.

Tomorrow I leave for Madrid. Yes, I have yet another week off from school and then when we come back, There are only like three weeks until I come home for winter break. Hopefully it will be the best winter break I've had so far. I'm trying to decide If I want to go to Wisconsin with my dad. I think I probably should but I just want to spend time with my friends and my brother and mom. I guess we will see when the time comes.

I've started to be a little more diligent when it comes to homework. I've been working on a final project for one class that is due pretty soon. The 4th of December. It's not hard, just time consuming. I hope everyone has a good week. Or at least try to. I know I will try. See you all very soon

With Love,
Stacey

Halloween and more

Yes I am here. I  have just been walking around. Enjoying the company of my friends and discovering new things and places. I haven't really been feeling myself lately. I don't know if it's that the weather is changing or that I am just missing home but I feel a little bit down in the dumps. I feel so bad sometimes that I fell this way, but it's just a part of my life and I'm afraid it always will be. I feel guilty honestly, there are people who I love and adore that have cancer or a family member just passed and here I am sulking in my lovely wood-beamed ceiling in Spain. It just doesn't seem right to me, you know?

Anyway that was my thoughtfulness, if that's what I should call it, for the week. Or the next few days. I really am not feeling fantastic but let me try to recap the past week.

First of all, three day week, four day weekend...what??? Monday and Tuesday were very slow and boring but Halloween was on Wednesday. It is not a very celebrated holiday in Spain. For those that do dress up, they look scary. Like I'm not kidding, Wooh. Blood, zombies, vampires, they really play up the scary make-up. So then the lovely Americans come outside and this is what happens. Stares. Some boys were in boxers and an apron, some girls let it all out, others were just too drunk. Yay for the americans on that one, Justing Kidding. We looked like fools. I was a spain super-hero. I liked it but here they think it's all about being scary. I guess in the states it's changed a little. So after exploring the streets for a bit, there were just too many drunk annoying people out for me so at about 3 I went home and fell asleep.  Plus the government building was blocked off and there was just too much chaos for me.
Thursday was Colin's birthday and he finally turned 18 so we had some celebrating to do. We went to a lebanese restaurant for lunch got some yummy ice cream, then went and got sangria followed by this good alcoholic smoothy then we went out to dinner. Had pizza and wine and just celebrated. It was a lot of fun and this place where we got pizza had the best tiramisu. Ahh. Yesterday was friday and I laid in bed a lot. Read my book went out for dinner again, I think, for some reason I don't remember. I went to see skyfall with colin but we didn't get to see it because he accidentally left his wallet in the taxi but he got it back this morning. Crisis averted but of course there was no money in it. Oh well. We are going later tonight with more people. I think I'll pay this time. And yes, the movie is in English.