Dancing Guiris

My sincerest apologies for not updating the blog in about three weeks… but oh has it been a very busy, productive, fun-filled, and wild three weeks. Aside from my now super jam packed work schedule, there was no shortage of fun and fiesta between the long Halloween weekend and the despedida of our dear friend Gillie, who went back to Chicago this morning.

Finally, I’m back and with a special treat that I hope is well worth the lack in blogging.  But first, the silliness you are about to see deserves an explanation of how it came to be...  

 

I’m sure you’ve seen some version of the viral music video that has taken over the world, PSY from Korea’s infamous GANGNAM STYLE. In case you have been completely absent from recent pop culture, I advise you to view this video before continuing:

PSY - GANGNAM STYLE

Anyways, the gente esta muy loca for this video every time we go out, so Gillie, Emily, and I decided one rainy afternoon to watch the video and learn how to do the gangnam style dance so we could join in and bust a move when it comes on next night out. Our boredom from the rainy, depressing weather prompted us to put on some fun clothes and makeup and record ourselves in Emily’s living room so we could see how ridiculous we looked dancing. This soon inspired us to film ourselves gangnam styling out and about in Cadiz… which quickly escalated to basically remaking the entire video… first by ourselves, then with the help of Leah as our camera girl, and then with a whole crew of friends getting into it. We took our tonterías to the streets, a parking garage, the boardwalk, a dance club at 9pm on a Sunday, the Cathedral steps, the port, the train, the town hall plaza… Over the course of two late afternoons of filming, a few beers, 5 pizzas, and 6 straight hours of editing, we have a final product. For us, it is epic.

The process has made some of my greatest memories in Spain yet… running around my favorite little city, dressed like a fool, dancing and laughing with great friends (one girl actually peed her pants a little) and causing a scene everywhere we go. Some people may think we have poca verguenza (little shame)… but most people we encountered in our adventure absolutely loved it. They stopped to watch and laugh and ask questions and take pictures... at one point we even got a random group of Spaniards at the Cathedral to jump in as extras! (See 4:14 of our video.)

We love Cadiz. We love everything gaditano. But sometimes, it’s just good to be a guiri. (Guiri is what Spaniards call us foreigners.) There’s a common saying in gaditano slang that goes, “lo siento, pisha, pero no to er mundo pué ser de cai” which basically means, “sorry, dick, not everyone can be from Cadiz” …hence the quote at the end of the video which reads, “lo siento, pisha, pero no to er mundo pué ser guiri.”

Well, that’s all I have to say about that. I leave you with the final product for your viewing pleasure.... no judgment please.

PS Viewer discretion advised for the little ones’ eyes.

PPS  Sorry mom and dad.

Click here for fun! --> GUIRI GANGNAM STYLE

International House of Roomies

IHOR: International House of Roomies.

That’s what I’ve got. My home-sweet-piso in Cadiz is now fully equipped with the most perfectly unconventional little family. It consists of: a drum playing, music loving, hilarious, traveling, Spanish hippie; a friendly and fun Spanish man that steps in as best friend/mother/world class chef in times of need (aka all day every day); a very lovely, funny, kind, interesting and full-of-surprises English girl; and a sunshiny, silly, Spanish-loving, sometimes-clumsy-but-knows-how-to-laugh-at-herself American girl (that’s me).

It could also be called the International House of Learning, since Eleanor is learning Spanish with us and the boys are forced to practice their English. So much learning. So much fun. All day, errday. The teacher in me just LOVES it.

Convivencia (living together) is not always easy. I know, having lived with many different characters the past 5 years of my life. But the vibe in this house is so relaxed and easy that I’m sure this year is going to be one for the books. Also, our piso is the center of fun and friends. That’s to say, in addition to my 3 awesome compis (roomies) there is a gang of usual suspects that pops in and out on a regular basis and make us laugh and entertain us. One thing’s for sure, I will never be bored or lonely in this house.

Furthermore…. I also have a pretty solid guiri family. This is essential to a good experience abroad. Every foreigner needs other foreign people to relate to and talk to and laugh with when they feel left out or confused. My guiris make me laugh a LOT and we do lots of fun things together. Home base for this year’s guiri marcha seems to be the piso of three: Emma, Leah and Emily’s cozy little place on the beach. It's fabulous. Like us.

So basically, I am surrounded by sunshine and smiles and laughter… with and a dash of crazy and occasional inappropriateness. Are you at all surprised?

Hump Day Slump

Yes, even in the happiest place on earth, there exist not-so-great days. You know the kind…. Where you can’t put your finger on the reason you’re pissed off at the world, but you still can’t tame the desire to roundhouse-kick-to-the-face every human and car and pigeon that crosses your path without your permission. Instead of going to bed like a crankypants, I’ve taken a moment to reflect and I’ve decided that my inexplicable irritability can be attributed to the following two things:

First: After what felt like an endless, sunny vacation, I am suddenly very busy again. End of vacation sucks as it is. Furthermore, it’s “that” time of the school year – well after the easy first weeks of “getting to know you” and before easing into the routine – where any and every teacher feels overwhelmed. Now, I shouldn’t complain. I’m not a full time teacher. I’m just an assistant that actually spends only 12 mere hours a week with the kids. However, in addition to learning the names of students and teachers and staff at TWO different schools, adapting to the needs and wants of all my cooperating teachers, and trying to understand the Spanish education system without driving myself crazy, I have also started to give a TON of private English lessons to small groups and individual students of literally EVERY level. I’m like a one man traveling English Academy. I get home from school at 2, eat lunch (aka devour a sandwich while I hurry to plan the lessons I had previously put off) and then hop on my bici and fly all over town teaching English until the sun goes down. I need the money, and I do enjoy it, but between the classes themselves, the travel time, and the hours slaving over various lesson plans… I am seriously exhausted.

Secondly: The weather is starting to change. Days are still sunny and warm, but the wind is nippy, the nights are cool, and I’m pretty sure it’s no longer socially acceptable to be on the beach in a bikini, though I’d probably do it anyway if I wasn’t so damn busy. Know what’s worse than the cold, though? GERMS. I feel like they are everywhere. Did you know that even the cutest kids are also GROSS? I am surrounded by sneezing, sniffling, booger eating, wedgie picking, insect poking little buggers. Germs, cold weather, lack of sleep, brain overload… sounds like the perfect recipe for illness. I can already feel myself getting rundown so I’ve started pounding Emergen-C twice a day like a champ.

So, I’m still adapting, but amidst this chaos, I’ve been enjoying myself, too… kickin it with my awesome roomies, laughing like a loca with girlfriends, and spending the little time leftover with myself. The roommates also keep me in line and make me lighten up when I’m too serious. Seriously. They are hilarious and thoughtful and wonderful in every way.

Here’s an example.

As I’m pouring over lesson plans this evening, with books, papers, flashcards and markers scattered all over the salon, having not spoken a word to anyone in a long time, Diego silently brings me picos and delicious queso from Ubrique and a cold Shandy to top it off. He gives me an air-cheers from the sofa and says “This is the life.” It was just what I needed to keep me going.

An hour or so later, he asks me to come into the kitchen for a minute because he and Ale need to talk to me about something. I stand up for the first time in hours and stumble into the kitchen, seemingly having forgotten how to walk. The conversation goes something like this (except in Spanish, obvs.)

Me: what’s up guys?!
Diego: We just need to talk about something, ya know, things about living together… go ahead, Ale.
Ale: No man, this is your thing.
Diego: No dude, I can’t do it, it’s all you
Ale: No, no … etc etc..

    **At this point in my thought process I am wondering what on Earth I could possibly do that could disrupt the convivencia that much.**

Diego: Uhh okay, look. That girl came to see the piso today…

    **Now thinking AND…? SO..? What, did she suck? is she cooler than me?? What’s the problem?**

D: Well there were actually 2 girls…

    **Uhh, ok, what means this? You want someone to share a room??**

D: And, well, we think you should move out.

    **uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh….**

D: JUST KIDDING We don’t actually have anything to tell you at all. We just wanted you to come in here and try this delicious food we made.
Ale: HAHAHA your face.

….W. T. F. After throwing a few friendly punches and laughing it off, I tried the food. It was effing delicious. Sometimes Diego likes to invent dishes out of the limited supply of random things found in our pantry. Today’s creation began with artichokes covered in creamy, cheesy greatness and bits of cured ham. Yup.

It was soon followed by an enormous, pizza-style, open faced sandwich that was bigger than my head and included pork fillet, jamon, fried egg, tomatoes, artichokes, cheeses and other things I would never think to throw together. I swear, everything that boy touches turns to delicious.

After a good laugh I let myself divulge in the tasty treats and watch a little bit of La Voz with the boys before turning back to my work for a couple more hours. It is now way past my bedtime. Tomorrow is not going to be any easier, but I keep trucking along. Every once in awhile I just need a reminder that “this is the life.”

Spanglish Style Fiesta

Last Friday night I indulged in my first of I’m sure to be many late night fiestas in Cadiz. Now that I’ve decided to stay in the piso with the guys and everyone is situated, my roommate thought it would be an excellent idea to have a little dinner and botellon (bring your own bottle) at our place. The typical gang of Ubriqueño and Gaditano boys showed up for a delicious improvised dinner by my very own cocinero roomie. I was told to invite whoever I wanted so I threw the idea out there to a few of the other teacher assistants as I’m sure they are all aching to meet people and practice their Spanish  - not everyone can be as lucky as me to live with the coolest dudes and get to speak Spanish all day long!  Bueno, before I knew it our piso was filled with representatives from Spain, the US, England, Scotland, Ireland….. and it was excellent. (*Sidenote: I was about to say it was awesome however, as one of the only Americans, I get made fun of quite frequently for overusing that word so I’m trying to cut back.)There was a solid mix of Spanish and English and Espanglish going on and I was proud of everyone for stepping out of their comfort zones and practicing their language skills. Furthermore, it was a great kickoff to the school year and new beginnings.

Anyway, the night progressed from the botellon to the bar and then to the beach and then to the streets again and then to the discoteca until we all stumbled home around the time the sun was coming up. The boys even went for breakfast and coffee around 7am before staggering in. Needless to say I didn’t make it to breakfast. Also, my bed was my very best friend the next day. First fiesta was a success, but it’s going to take me awhile to readjust to Spanish nightlife….. la gente esta muy loca.

OTHER RECENT HAPPENINGS......

Our fridge broke 4 days ago and we had to throw out a lot of stinky comida but we just got a brand spankin’ new one today! Now to fill it up again…

My new bicycle is really sweet and I can’t wait to ride it all over Cadiz but it took a lot of time and sweat and grease and dedication from my boys to help figure out how to fit the maldita thing in the elevator. It’s enormous and heavy and I live on the 3^rd floor, which of course in Europe is actually the 4^th floor. Also, my culo hurts after just one day, but I will totally adjust.

Luca, the parrot that lives downstairs, is super intelligent and funny as hell.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching a reality singing competition (La Voz), a hilarious sitcom (La que se avecina), an emotional talk show (Hay algo que te quiero decir) and a terrible, pathetic, MTV- post-music-era, totally fake reality show (Quien quiere casarse con mi hijo?). And, of course Spanish game shows and football matches are also viewed on a regular basis.

It is, in fact, still hot and sunny. Today is October 10. It’s 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Yesterday it reached 91. I have a better tan now than I did all summer.

Sunsets are incredible every night, but today I realized how beautiful the sunrise is here too. Cadiz is literally surrounded by ocean and every view is a good view.

I’ve been reminded of how many holidays there are in this country where I don’t have to go into school. Exhibit A: Monday and Friday free = 3 day work week AKA two consecutive long weekends. Score.


That's all for now! I'm having fun in the sun but missing my beautiful WNY autumn and of course my gente back home. Xx

Living with Spanish Tios

After a long and grueling process trying to get settled here, I’ve somehow ended up living in Cádiz with 2 (sometimes 3, sometimes more) fun, wonderful, crazy Spanish dudes this year. Some people judge, some might think I’m crazy to subject myself to this chaos, but this is the second time I’ll have had male roommates and I’ve gotta say for me, es la caña. Here’s a list of reasons why:

·         First and foremost, they are boatloads of fun.

·         No drama. Period.

·         Yeah, they are a bit messier than girls (although I’ve known some pretty messy girls in my time) but when there’s a lady in the house they tend to pick up after themselves more.

·         They kill scary bugs and do the really dirty chores and lift heavy things so I don’t have to.

·         They actually cook better than I do and/or share homecooked treats with me from their Spanish madres.

·         There is a seemingly endless supply of cerveza in the house.

·         They randomly bust out into song and/or dance and/or choruses of “Esa Sarah como mola se merece una olaa!...” and sometimes throw me in the air.

·         They take care of me like the big brothers I never had, constantly making sure that todo esta bien and I have everything I need and am comfortable.

·         As the only lady of the house I’ve managed to score a bedroom with a big old sofa bed, a closet fit for a queen and my own bathroom to hide all of my girly things in.

·         They make me feel really pretty when I actually change out of my cozy pajamas to leave the house.

·         Our piso is the center of fun and everyone and anyone is always welcome.

·         Did I mention they are boatloads of fun?

So I didn’t get my cozy little apartment on the beach with an ocean view terrace – though I am just 2 blocks away and therefore go to the beach on a daily basis. However, I can guarantee that I will be safe and comfortable and in good company here and there will surely never be a dull moment! Eso se llama vivir bien…

 

Year 2: A New Adventure

It has been 3 weeks already since I packed up my life’s belongings, which I have recently condensed to fit into one large suitcase and a travel backpack, and hopped on a plane across the Atlantic Ocean for the third time in my 23 years. After a jam-packed summer that kept me busy, then seemed to drag on, then ended too abruptly, I was more than ready to get back to the life I began in Spain one year previously, but the goodbyes – or I should say “see you laters” – were harder than ever this time around.

After a grueling 2 day long journey by nearly every mode of transportation imaginable – planes, trains, buses, taxis, foot – I made it to my home base: the endless strip of sandy beaches, bustling ports, busy Avenues, beautiful architecture and a labyrinth of cobblestone streets and hidden plazas that make up the city of Cádiz on the Atlantic coast of Spain.  It’s impossible not to love this city and I couldn’t have been luckier to be placed in two primary schools here this year.

Although the weather is fantastic (80 degrees and sunny in October?!) and the city is amazing, the first few weeks were surprisingly not so easy this year. In the first 2 weeks alone, I hadn’t even unpacked when I took off to Ubrique for the feria, then visited a friend in the cozy, quiet, hippie beach town of los Caños de Meca, then began the stressful hunt for a piso to get settled before the first day of school, all the while feeling strangely homesick – or rather, feeling like I was missing something consistent in my life. It was, to say the least, an extremely chaotic, emotional, and overwhelming start to the year. I think the hardest part was that coming back to Spain, I was yearning for all that I had left behind back in June. But I’ve since realized that although Ubrique, and the people and my experiences there will be forever engraved in my heart, this year I am forced to start over, from square one, living somewhere different, working somewhere else and meeting new people all over again. That can be exciting, yes, but it is also incredibly exhausting. Some things have carried over from last year – I have contacts here if I ever need something, I somehow wound up living with Ubriqueños in Cádiz, my Spanish is a million times better than last year (not to mention I’ve caught on to the local accent and slang) and I already know how to deal with being a foreigner in this place. On the other hand, many things are different – I don’t (yet) have the camaraderie of my coworkers, I’m working with children much younger this year, I don’t have the companionship of my closest girlfriends nor the Spanish friends and families that had embraced me as one of their own. I should have known this, but it was like a slap in the face when I arrived here and realized I was all alone in a bigger city where people don’t even look twice at a guiri, contrary to my previous small town experience. It took me awhile to get over that, to realize that I hadn’t come back to all the goodness I had left behind, and that to find peace and happiness and comfort here I would have to work hard and be patient. It took me awhile, but now the inner optimist in me is returning and I feel ready to take on this year and to take on Cádiz with full force.

I’m slowly getting settled, poquito a poco. Ironically, I’ve decided to remain in the piso I’ve been staying in while looking for other pisos. I’m living with two guys, Ale and Diego, who are from Ubrique but have lived in Cádiz for awhile. The flat is pretty big, as clean as can be for a house full of boys, and in a pretty good location for me. Big perk: I ended up with the biggest room in the house with a great closet and my own bathroom. Even bigger perk: The guys are wonderful, they take care of me like a little sister… or sometimes like a pet guiri, or a shiny new toy but the point is I feel comfortable here and they are so helpful and kind to me. Like every Ubriqueño I’ve ever met, I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to show my appreciation.  I had seen many other tempting, cozy pisos with views on the beach but why go looking for something better when you already have something good? So for now, this is home.

School has also started. Yesterday I went into both of my schools to meet the teachers and learn my way around. I will be working with kid as young as 4 and 5 years old which will be a challenge but they are so precious and I can’t wait to get started! I love kids. Adorable Spanish speaking kids are even better. Adorable Spanish speaking kids that give me hugs on day one and already think I’m super cool, well I’m just in heaven. I have also already been bombarded by teachers asking for private English lessons for themselves or their children or someone that they know. Even amidst the terrible economic crisis in this country, people are aching to learn English now more than ever, so being a native speaker, I’m fortunate that I can always find enough work to survive off of. I don’t have much, but all I need is all I’ve got. And what I’ve got is surely a blessing.

I’ve also started to meet people. My roommates are busy dudes so they’re in and out of the piso a lot but when we’re home together it’s a blast. I’ve met some of the other American assistants and a Scottish girl as well. We’re all still getting to know each other but at least I know I have some fellow guiris to turn to, especially those that have also repeated the program or been here for awhile. Although our experiences are all unique, we share a lot of the same worries and troubles so it’s good to have someone to relate to in tough times. Many of the teachers seem very friendly as well, so I’m comforted to be surrounded by good people.

SO… here’s to a new beginning in a place I’ve already come to love. I’ve got new goals and high hopes for this year, including fully immersing myself in this fascinating culture, hopefully learning to cook, maybe continuing to dance, and perhaps even taking on the challenge of learning to drive automatic and park like a badass the way Europeans do. For now, I’m just living my life here, teaching and learning and sharing something new every day. Welcome back to the buena vida.

Story Time: Dublin

It's been a very busy summer, but it's time to sit down and crank out one of the many missing chapters from this past year's adventures: the time two lovely ladies and I took on Dublin, Ireland. First, I must go back and introduce the protagonists of this trip...

Once upon a time there were three very different young women who happened to cross paths on the greatest adventure of their lives in the little mountain town of Ubrique, Spain. They each had very different personalities:

Kendra was tall, beautiful and had magical eyes that enchanted all the Spaniards. She was hardworking and dedicated to everything she did and was always friendly and thoughtful... really, she thought a lot, about a lot of things! She kicked ass at futbol (and futbolin!) and she really liked glitter.

Seana was equally as tall and beautiful and a little bit mala, in the best way possible. There was never a dull moment with her and you could always count on her to tell it like it is. She was full of surprises and random knowlege, like how she remembered the birthday of every person she's ever met, memorised all the trees on her university campus just for fun and finds giraffes to be the most interesting animal because there's none like them.

And then there's me, Sarah, who is admittedly indecisive but often optimistic. I was dubbed the "fairy cupcake princess of friendship" or something like that.

What these three girls had in common was there sense of adventure and their love of new people, places and things. Despite our differences, when the three of us came together, we balanced each other out perfectly. The result? Pure awesomeness and fun. Thus was born "The Guiri Marcha." I think when you meet someone who can share what you're going through, feeling out of place in such new and different surroundings, you form a special bond that goes beyond friendship. I can honestly say these girls became my family while in Ubrique and my experience wouldn't have been the same without them.

But enough of the mushy stuff and back to awesomeness and fun: The Guiri Marcha made a lot of friends and had many great times in Ubrique, but one day Seana suggested that we get away for awhile, just the 3 of us... so we made plans to have Seana's birthday celebration in DUBLIN over February break! It would turn out to be one of the best trips ever.

We're all pretty easy going and carefree, and we all have experience with traveling, so we arrived and got settled in sin problema. We stayed in a quaint little hostel right on the River Liffey that had a delicious free breakfast every morning. The location and ambience were great and there happened to be a rugby match versus Italy that weekend, so we met lots of rugby fans - Irish and Italians and foreigners alike! Our roomates were a bunch of girls traveling from Scotland... they were so crazy and fun! They had discovered some sweet Irish flag capes that we would later purchase to scandalize the St. Patty's Day celebrations back in Ubrique.

The River Liffey

I can't remember the details of what happened on which days, but here are some of the highlights of the trip: meeting Seana's friend Ben who was so great and an excellent tour guide; walking around the beautiful Trinity College Campus; touring the Guiness factory and then spending a large amount of time enjoying our free guinness in the glass room with the 360 view of the city; discovering some interesting Irish artists at the gallery; enjoying brown bread and soup; more guiness and "foam on your shrone"; meeting the friendliest people everywhere we go (no language barrier, here! though the accent can throw ya off); making a "birthday buddy" for Seana only to ditch them one bar later with the infamous "Plan C" (pretending to see our friend Clint, acting surprised and "running after him" out the back door and out of sight); hanging out with Oscar Wilde in the park; admiring how GREEN the grass is and watching adorable children play in it; accidentally getting drunk in the early evening and proceeding to eat about 17 plates of sushi and attempt to speak Spanish with our Mexican waiter; Seana scoring an interesting date to the zoo; attempting to speak Gaelic and failing; screaming the word "doirty" (which is actually dirty with a terrible Irish accent);  searching high and low for a real Irish Pub called Morgan's and being disappointed to only come across The Morgan cocktail bar; the real Temple Bar; meeting some guy named Daz, and receiving the nicknames Saz, Shaz and Kaz; screaming every Irish actor's name we could think of in the hopes that we'd stumble across them.....

The Perfect Pint

Trinity

Georgian Doors

Oscar

Kids at heart

Birthday Phil



Foam on our shrones

I don't know why

Sushi... did we do that??

AND... surprise highlight of the night: celebrity spotting Mark Wahlberg on our way to Dicey Riley's nightclub. Kendra walked up to him and gave him dos besos without even saying a word. It actually worked, despite the bodyguard. Seana told him he was so handsome in person, and also got a kiss on the cheek. I laughed and attempted to get photo evidence. It was one day later when we were recounting the story to some dude at Temple Bar and he mentioned that he saw some paparazzi photos in the paper... when we got back to the room, I did a little internet browsing on my phone just out of curiosity. I made the mistake of saying "OMG Don't freak out" and both girls literally scaled my bunk bed to see what I was talking about: We had been paparazzi-ed with Marky Mark. I don't think I'd ever seen girls climb so fast or scream so loud.



Paparazzi with Marky Mark

Seana is star struck

The aftermath

We had such a great time in Dublin, we didn't want to leave. We had planned on taking a trip to the Irish countryside one day, but decided just to relax and explore and enjoy our time in the capital. It was a perfect trip. Should the Guiri Marcha reunite someday, I think we'll go back for round two.

Oh, Hello Again.

Well, it appears I am not a true blogger seeing as I have evidently given up on my first and only blog this past year. My last post was in January. It is now June and I have not only finished my year teaching in Ubrique, but I've already made the 40 hour journey (not an exaggeration) all the way back to good old North Tonawanda, NY!

I did think about updating this thing many times. Really! I could list a bunch of excuses why I didn't, like the fact that I was too busy: working in the school 12 whopping hours a week; giving classes out of my home; calling English speaking clients all over the world for a leather factory; flying out of the country for holiday breaks (Dublin! Itay!); beach hopping beautiful Andalusia; being ridiculous with the other guiris; spending all of my time OUT of the house and actually improving my speaking skills, (who woulda thought?); dealing with crazy people (they do exist everywhere); forming closer relationships with the amazing people I've met; and working on my most important relationship - the one with myself. Like I said, all excuses for slacking on my blogging responsibilities

I should also admit that I am an avid procrastinator. That could easily be a contributing factor to the dead halt in my blogging. Sometimes I waited so long to do my laundry in Spain that I would have to hand wash socks and underwear and hang them on my radiator to dry for school the next day (no dryers). I think I did that for a week straight once before finally tossing in a load. So I'm sure you can imagine how easy it was for me to put off staring at a computer and typing out my thoughts.

I also have a history of "unfinished projectes." I need to learn to continue what I started... beginning with this blog. I'm gonna do it... and I'm gonna do it well! On my last days in Ubrique, someone very dear to me said, "Sarah, when we do things, we do them well." He was simply referring to the bed sheets that I was too impatient to fold nicely before packing them up in a box. I don't think he knows, but it really made me think about the way I do things in every day life.

Anyway, the truth is.... I stopped writing for awhile because it honestly became difficult to put each experience into words. I think it's because I always felt it was so much more than just an experience I had, or a trip that I took... every single day, every thing I saw, every place I went, became crucial to this chapter of that crazy journey I call my life. When I sat down to put into words what I saw, did, or learned that particular day, the words just didn't come. Everything I tried to write, I erased immediately because I felt I didn't do it justice.

Now that I'm home, I'm finding it even harder to talk about my time in Spain face to face, particularly with people I haven't seen or heard from in awhile. It's the same thing, over and over. After the standard how are you's and good to see you's comes the unavoidable, inanswerable question: "So how was your trip?" . . . . . .  they always appear so interested and eager -- weather they really want to know or if they're just being polite, I'll never know - but how does one respond to that question? A trip is like a vacation, an experience, a thing you do once - maybe more than once - you enjoy it, savor it and then it's over. This wasn't a trip. This was a year of my life. I wasn't just traveling and seeing cool things, though there was a lot of that involved... I had my friends. My family there. My piso, my stuff, my bank account. My favorite places to sit, my favorite waiters. I was teaching. I was learning. I was exploring. I was spending time with people I care about. I was living. It's not easy to put all that into words in a casual conversation in passing!

While all of that feels so BIG sometimes, it can also feel very small in retrospect... my time in Ubrique was simply just a small piece of the story that makes up my life. There's more before and more to come after it, though I would definitely say this particular chapter was crucial to my character development phase. But then again I've come to believe we never really stop growing and developing and changing. Whatever I do and wherever I go, I already know that Ubrique has woven itself into my heart along with the incredible people I met while living there. Those same people helped me to learn things about myself and grow in ways I never imagined and for that I will be forever thankful.

Perhaps this transition is easier because I know I'm not really closing the chapter on the Spanish adventure quite yet anyway.... here comes the exciting news: I'M GOING BACK! I've been accepted to the English Language Assistant program for one more year, livng very near to Ubrique in the capital of CADIZ. More details to come on that as September approaches!

But for now, since I've had some serious time to reflect, I think I'm ready to share, bit by bit, some of the fun details and anecdotes that are missing from the past few months of my life! The ideas area already brewing, but it's going to take quite awhile. Be on the look out for some or all or maybe none of the following "chapters".. and in no particular order.

Mi gente
The Guiri Marcha
The time I kicked a car
The crazy poet
Germany meets America in Spain
Cafes and Camareros
Landlords suck everywhere
Getting dorty in Dublin
CARNIVAL
The Rally
Spring break Italy edition
One night in the Ibiza
Oh yeah, I worked too
The Spanish Horario
The many marvelous beaches of Andalucia
San Martes!
Los Gamones
Mis palabras favoritas
FOOD
F* the police!
Bubbles, guns and glitter
The hardest goodbye and the longest journey
CADIZ CAPITAL- the adventure continues!!
My New Eyes

Familia en España

January 6, 2012

The best Christmas gift I ever could have asked for: a visit from my family all the way in Spain! I knew my sister had been saving up to come see me, but at the last minute my parents decided to come too. We haven’t taken a “family vacation” in many years, so this is surely one we will never forget.

I flew straight from my Xmas vacation in the Canaries to Madrid to meet my family. I got in pretty late, crashed at a hostel, then got up super early to go retrieve my nervous, non Spanish speaking family from the airport! I was a bit over-prepared and anxiously waited an hour and a half for their arrival. Gina Bina was the first to come through those big glass doors, followed closely by the rents and I realized how much I had missed them all. Needless to say there were lots of big hugs.

My excellent navigation skills (Dana calls me a human GPS) got us in one piece to our hotel just outside the center of Madrid. We spent the first 2 days exploring Madrid – the palace, the gardens, the park…. then it was off to Sevilla for New Year’s. Sevilla is easily becoming one of my favorite places in all of Spain. After a day of exploring we got dressed up and went out to the main plaza to eat our 12 grapes at midnight – one for each second the bell rings. With all the chaos, shouting, fireworks, and drunk Spaniards and tourists alike, we couldn’t actually hear the bells, so we just scarfed down our grapes as quickly as possible. I had extras and obviously started throwing them everywhere and yelling “Feliz Añooo!” it was boatloads of fun.

From Sevilla, we made our way to my home away from home – Ubrique. It was so nice to share it with my family and show them where I live, the places I go, the streets I walk everyday. We walked around town, shopped for some leather goods, and stopped at all of my favorite restaurants and bars of course. One of the most memorable evenings, Pepe invited us all to dine at the hotel. We were all a little nervous about the language barrier – the fam speaks no Spanish and Pepe not a word of English other than “table” and “high-five”. Somehow, I managed to translate smoothly, with only a few hiccups here and there. We all talked, laughed and had such a good time you never would have guessed we were speaking different languages. Pedro waited on us and had a few good laughs with us too – including jokingly serving us a cardboard pizza box because that’s all Spaniards think we eat. It was really cool to see my two different worlds kind of coming together for that one night.

Our last day, mom and dad bravely got up early and ventured out on their own! The night before I taught them how to say “coffee with milk” and “hot chocolate”, so they went for breakfast on their own and even did some shopping afterward. I think they not so secretly had a little fun with it. In the meantime, Gina and I slept in to rest up for our big adventure – hiking the mountain to the Cruz del Tajo. I had made the trek with Clint once before and Gina really wanted to give it a try. It was a long, hot journey but totally worth it for the excellent view once again.

The next day, we traveled all the way back to Madrid, where we crashed in a really cozy, modern hotel for the night and got up early to depart. It was nice to have some downtime before leaving. The trip went by so quickly, and traveling with them to the airport just felt like my “vacation” was coming to an end and I was going home too. It wasn’t until we got to the airport that I realized I had to say goodbye to my family for another 5 months. “Good-byes” are always tough, I prefer “see-ya-laters.” I was very sad to see them go, but I’m looking forward to getting back to my old – well, new? – routine here in Spain.

Having caught the train from Madrid this morning, I have been wandering solo, enjoying the beautiful weather in Sevilla all day. The only bus back to Ubrique isn’t until 7:30 tonight because of the holiday. (Dia de los Reyes Magos, or Three Kings Day is just as big as Christmas; the children receive presents from the Kings this day.) All the shops are also closed, but I can’t complain because it’s sunny and gorgeous. I’ve been taking the time to get to know the city and just relaxing in my favorite cafés and parks.

That pretty much sums up my 2011-2012 winter holiday extravaganza. It was definitely one to remember! Now to get my head out of vacation mode and back to work in my lazy little town in the mountains.

A Very Canary Christmas

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

I think I am in love… with the Canary Islands. My Christmas gift to myself was to spend 5 days on my own enjoying the sunshine in Gran Canaria. I had expected nice weather, but I hadn’t expected it to become one of the best trips I’ve taken yet, again thanks to the awesome people I’ve met along the way.

First of all I need to say my stay was incredible thanks to my accommodation at El Warung in Las Palmas. There NEEDS to be more places like this for travelers! In my last minute planning, my only option was to book a hostel in the capital of Las Palmas. I was kind of bummed and thought surely the capital would be touristy and not for me, but it actually ended up being a very local experience and my stay was nothing less than perfect. The place I stayed, El Warung, was a true backpacker’s. It was more like sharing an apartment with other fellow travelers and the owners of the joint, Manuel and Christian, were very involved in the experience. I got in late the first night but already Manuel invited me and some of the other travelers to go see some live music and have some drinks. I also enjoyed the company of the others staying there from all over the world, especially since it was Christmastime and we were all lone travelers.

Although traveling on my own, I was not alone for Christmas. One of the teachers from Ubrique, Carolina, is from Gran Canaria and had invited me to have dinner and stay at here place on Nochebuena (Christmas Eve). Her family lives in another town in the Northwest of the island called Agaete. Carolina and her boyfriend Niko picked me up on the 24^th and took me to her mother’s house. Aagete is so incredibly beautiful, set right on the coast against the mountains, and her family accepted me with open arms and made me feel so at home. On Christmas Eve, Carolina, her boyfriend Niko, her sister Marie, her mother and I had a delicious meal that had been prepared all day long. After dinner and lots of dessert, we listened to carols from the Canaries, Galicia and even Venezuela because there family has roots in all of these countries. We also busted out some Latin dance moves to work off that big dinner. Marie loves all types of music so we had a really great time! At midnight, as custom has it, we toasted with Cava (sparkling wine).

The next day I walked around the town with Carolina and Marie until it was time for the big feast part 2. Joined by her other sister and her husband as well, we all shared an amazing home-cooked lunch. That’s an understatement; we ate like kings. The day passed by easily –food, drinks, presents, music - and I got to see one last beautiful ocean sunset before catching a ride back to Las Palmas with a friend of the family. It was truly an unforgettable Christmas and I owe them for making me feel so special so far away from home.

When I returned back to El Warung in Las Palmas, I found that Papa Noel had come while I was away leaving truffles for everyone in the apartment! I guess it’s true that he can find the good girls and boys no matter where you are in the world.. even if you’re on an island thousands of miles from home. J

Seeing as I was on an island and I only had 5 days, I did take plenty of time for exploring and new adventures. One day I ventured on my own to the south of the island. Maspalomas is a major tourist resort where almost everyone speaks English. In fact, the next beach over is called Playa del Inglés. I embraced the endless sunshine, relaxed and walked along the sand dune beach. In the late afternoon I caught the bus to another destination I’d been aching to see – Puerto de San Mogán. This little port town was just as quaint and beautiful as I thought it would be. The little canals make the nickname “little Venice” very appropriate. I saw another amazing sunset, where I could even see Mt. Teide – the highest mountain in all of Spain – across the water on the Island of Tenerife. I also treated myelf to a delicious meal for one before catching the 2 hour bus back to Las Palmas in the North.

The other adventures I had on the island took place with the staff and other guests staying at El Warung. My second day there, a few of us took the bikes for a ride around the island, stopping for my first lesson in Free Diving. It’s like a combination of snorkeling and scuba without the gear. We donned some sweet wetsuits, goggles, flippers and snorkles, and learned to dive freely, holding our breaths and compensating for the air pressure. I only made it about 6 meters for my first time but we got to see some really cool sea life. I hear the second time you try it you can double your depth, so I’m anxious to try again sometime! On my last day on the island, some of the others were going paragliding. I didn’t think I had time because I had to catch a flight, but Christian convinced me to go to at least watch. I obviously got convinced to partake and it was AMAZING. I knew I’d be flying that day, but not like THAT! It was the best view of Las Palmas and it felt so cool to fly freely over the mountains and the sea. We got done with plenty of time to spare, so Christian from El Warung drove me to the airport, stopping for lunch, beers, and even a view of a cool tiny little beach town called Tufia. The Warung staff also took us out to see live music not once, but twice. And when I got home on Christmas, one of the guests, Stefano from Rome, had even cooked a beautiful pasta dinner for all of us. I’ve never felt more at home in a hostel. I no longer think of it as accommodation, a place I’ve stayed – it was an experience and the people I made are friends and I hope I can go back someday!

Overall, I packed a lot into such a short visit. 5 days was hardly enough to explore one island, let alone all 7. I’ve decided The Canaries are incredible and I WILL be going back, someday…. But for now, it is one of the best memories I’ve made and I’m extremely grateful to everyone that helped make the holidays so special for me. Next stop: Madrid to see my family!

London Holiday

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

London had not been a part of my plan for winter break, but it just so happened to work out beautifully. My good friend from home, Madison, had been on a group tour of England and Scotland for the last week, but she decided to spend a few extra days here afterward so I could come see her and we can explore London together. I’m so happy that she did the tour, made a lot of friends and had a wonderful experience. I’m also pumped to be back in London because I didn’t get a chance to see it all when I was here two summers ago. But most of all, it’s been 3 months since I’ve seen anyone from home so I’m just excited that I get to spend time with Madison!

Getting out of Ubrique is never an easy task, especially on the weekends when the buses leave much less often. After pulling an all-nighter to enjoy one last fiesta on Friday, I caught the 6:30am bus to Sevilla Saturday morning. I got to nap in the airport, on the flight and on the train from the airport, so by the time I made it into the city around 7pm, I was feelin’ alright! I think that travel adrenaline rush probably helped, too.

I was supposed to meet Madison at Russell Square when I got in, so I stopped at a Starbucks for a much needed coffee and to steal the internet to get myself oriented. I realized I had ended up literally right down the street so it wasn’t hard to find her and meet her at the hotel! She had just finished her tour and we were both really tired but we were troopers and went out with a bunch of the people from her tour group for one last hoorah and it ended up being lots of fun! We went to this cool bowling alley/bar where Madison scored a turkey and kicked butt. I think it was the luck of her Scottish kilt! We spent that first night in the Imperial hotel in Russell Square which was really nice.

Sunday we took our time and slept in. Maddie was grateful and I was too! We moved our things to the hostel which was super cozy and really convenient- much different than any hostel I’ve stayed in before, because it was set in a quaint old home. We kept the sightseeing to a minimum and didn’t go into the main city center this day. We did explore the area and have lunch at a cafe. We visited the British Museum which is always awesome because it’s huge and free. It was my second time there and I STILL don’t think I saw EVERYthing! The Rosetta Stone and the mummies were my favorite part. After that we ventured to Abbey Road and attempted to recreate the infamous Beatles album cover, but it was really hard with the immense amount of traffic and the sun already going down around 4pm.

The next two days consisted of double decker bus tours, seeing the sights, taking lots of pictures and being tourists. We saw the river Thames, Big Ben and Parliament, toured Westminister Abbey and Shakespear's Globe Theater, and of course had a photo shoot with the infamous red phone booth. Maddie and I also got in touch with our inner child at Madame Toussauds house of wax figures- our favorite part was most definitely the 4D superhero movie.

Tuesday night, our last night in London, we were whooped and opted to relax with a real British meal and a bottle of wine. Maddie had the steak and ale pie and I opted for the fish and chips. After stuffing ourselves and downing a bottle of vino, we met up with my friend Jonathan who lives in London. He took us to a quaint little wine bar that we never would have discovered on our own. Unfortunately he couldn’t stay long… leaving Maddie and I to finish a second bottle of wine ourselves. Needless to say we got a case of the giggles on the way home and even missed one of our metro stops. Somehow, it made for one of the most memorable experiences of the week.

On Wednesday morning I took Madison to the airport this afternoon after sleeping in. It made me sad to have to say goodbye but I’m so happy we got to share this experience together. I had some time to kill so I met Jonathan again for lunch and a pint before he took off to visit family for Christmas. After lunch, I took advantage of Starbucks for the second time, sat and used the wifi and just watched the people go by for a really long time. There was something oddly soothing about sitting and relaxing among the hustle and bustle of the Christmastime rush. Though I have an unconventional Christmas this year, I’m really looking forward to making some new Holiday memories. That night, I made a friend and walked by the Thames to take some pictures; London is absolutely beautiful at night. The cool air, the Christmas market and the carolers in Trafalgar Square helped put me in the holiday spirit too. I’ve got a flight to catch bright and early then it’s off to the Canaries for Christmas!

Hasta Pronto, Ubrique

Saturday, December 17, 2011

My last week in Ubrique for the year 2011 was bittersweet. Everyone is traveling for the holidays and won’t be back until after the New Year. Many of the Americans are flying home to the states or visiting with family, the other teachers are getting ready to go back to their home towns, and I opted to spend the break traveling.

This week was pretty easy at school since many of the students only had exams and stuff. The only serious task I had was to help the second level kids with a speaking presentation in science class. They get really nervous about speaking (a problem we have with in-class participation!) but many of them ended up doing really well with the activity which made me happy and very proud of them.

Seana and Clint were the first of the Americans to leave for break. They each caught a different bus around 3:30 after school Thursday and headed off to their destinations. Kendra, Javi and I grabbed a coffee with Sean and saw them off. I know it’s only 3 weeks, but it’s gotten to the point where this place is like my home and these people are like my family. Moving to a new place, especially on your own, you get to know people quickly and form a special kind of bond with those sharing a similar experience. Not to be a debbie downer but it made me think about how terribly awful it’s going to be when –  or if… - we all go our separate ways next June. I can’t believe when I get back to Ubrique it will be 2012 and I will only have 5 more months there (considering I don’t reapply for next year... it’s still up in the air). Only 3 months into the program and if I haven’t said it enough I will say it yet again - this has been the most incredible thing I’ve done in my mere 22 and a half years on this planet. I can’t help feeling like I’m in the right place at the right time, and I hope it’s just the beginning of more good things to come.

Anyways, I had plans to rest up and leave bright and early Saturday morning but Friday just so happened to be our favorite bartender’s birthday, so needless to say we went out with a bang. Kendra, Alysha and I ended up staying out with the birthday boy until 5 am (early by Spanish standards).  Our friend Lobato gave our drunk butts a ride back to my place and the girls helped me finish packing (aka took a nap on my bed while I threw last minute things in my bag) and then they saw me off to the station at 6:30am. True friends right there. Kendra also borrowed my radiator while I was gone so you can imagine her slightly intoxicated self hauling that thing down the street at nearly 7am, I’m sure it was quite a sight. Overall, it was an excellent night and the lack of sleep made it nice and easy to take naps on the bus and in the airport.

12 hours of traveling and waiting later and I made it to my first stop - London - in one piece! My super packed holiday travel plan currently includes: 5 days in London with my friend Madison, followed by 5 days including Christmas in the Canary Islands, then meeting my family in Madrid, spending New Years in Sevilla, giving the fam a tour in and around Ubrique, then back to Madrid to see them off…. and somehow making my way back down to Ubrique before I have to work the next Monday. It sounds crazy, but I love it. I think it’s safe to say I’ve got an incurable case of the travel bug…  

For now, it’s time to go take on London with the one and only Madison Lynn. Look out for blog updates on these crazy adventures. I’ll try to keep up with them as I go along, but no promises... fun first, blog later!