Re-Saturating My Colors
Life comes with it's bumps, hurdles, and mountains, and these obstacles always seem amplified when traveling. It's been over 3 weeks since I last wrote, which I apologize for! Between the bumps, hurdles, and mountains I've encountered over the last few weeks, and the sheer busyness, updating my blog has managed to slip through my fingers. I know all of my many dedicated readers have been dying to know what I've been up to, so I'll do my best to catch you all up.
The weekend of February 26-29, I hopped on a plane and headed north, to toughen myself up with some cold weather (Spain's made this New Englander a big softie who can't handle 40 degrees now...I'm ashamed), but also to see two friends! I headed first to St. Andrews, Scotland, where I met up with my friend Tess, who I originally met in Nicaragua! Let me tell you that St. Andrews is nothing like Nicaragua. It is cold, and cobblestone-y, with grandiose stone buildings everywhere. The town is made even more striking by the fact that it's basically set on a cliff, with bright green grass contrasting brilliantly against the gray sea (though the following day was much nicer, as shown in the picture of the very blue sea to the right!). The pinnacle of the aformentioned grandiose stone buildings are the cathedral and castle. Students are allowed to enter the castle for free if they were their school robes, and a friend of Tess was going to let me borrow her robes, so we could go inside. Sadly, we ended up not having time to visit, and I'm a little ashamed to admit that I was honestly more excited by the prospect of wearing the robes and prancing around the quaint Scottish town like a Hogwarts student, than seeing the actual castle. I only had about 24 hours in St. Andrews, but we definitely made the most of it. After giving me a tour (we passed a cafe that proclaimed "Where Will met Kate!"), and meeting with some friends for coffee, Tess and I headed back to the grocery store, and then her flat, where we started to prepare for a potluck dinner. I loved meeting her friends, and was admittedly a bit enchanted by the accents. After the dinner we headed to the university, a short 2 minute walk away, where we watched a play that her friend helped produce. The play was set outdoors, which at most schools would mean on the quad, but at St. Andrews meant the courtyard, which bears a huge resemblance to the Durham Cathedral. We spent the rest of the night out with her friends, and I was most stricken by how their student center, also doubles as nightlife. It has two bars, and a club, which I could never imagine at an American university. While I had fun the entire night, a highlight definitely included hearing a bunch of Scots belt "500 Miles" by the Proclaimers, with their thick authentic accents (and this was right after they sang Wagon Wheel...weird). After not much sleep, Tess and I met her friends for brunch the next morning at the Cottage Kitchen (which, true to it's name was a very cute whitewashed stone cottage), where I had the very Scottish dish of eggs balmoral for the first time. It was essentially an Eggs Benedict with haggis-- a sausage patty made of some parts of a lamb that I forget, and am not sure if I was to remember. I was told that bad haggis is very bad, so one's first impression of haggis must be from a reputable place (which the Cottage Kitchen apparently was), so after feeling considerable pressure, I came to the verdict that I liked haggis! Just don't tell me what's in it. We spent the rest of the day at the drinking the traditional Scottish cider called thistly , and walking down to beautiful beach, before rushing to catch my bus to the airport.
After some bumps, hurdles, and mountains (literally), I arrived in London the next morning. A girl in my program told me that London is almost always cold, rainy, and/or windy, and she wished that I would only have to experience two of the three. London must have felt bad for my travel woes, because it was none of the three! I only had a day there, but the weather was absolutely gorgeous, complementing my fantastic company. In London I was able to meet up with one of my best friends Amanda. We spent the day walking around the city, which in contrast to St. Andrews is huge. We started our day at Camden Market (shoutout to former study abroad Londoner Molly for suggesting it!), a huge market in a very hip area. It's a collective name for a number of stores and stalls, that sell a fun mix of clothes, jewelry, home goods, and food. After wandering for a while, I got some delicious Colombian food, that came highly recommended from Amanda, and for a good reason. Choosing which of the many vendors to buy from was a serious dilemma, but the dish of hot meat in a corn flour pocket packed with toppings was definitely the right choice. We finished off our lunch with the biggest ice cream sandwiches I have ever encountered (they are done no justice by the picture above), and then proceeded to attempt in vain to walk it all off. We may not have walked it all off, but we certainly walked a lot. Between the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's Cathedral, and Big Ben, we hit the ultimate tourists spots, all of which brought back memories from when I visited as a wee 5 year old. I somehow have the memory of climbing on top of a lion at Trafalgar Square, though I'm not sure if that's accurate because as a 20 year old I tried and failed (though I'm sure my attempts brought some entertainment to the onlookers). Tired, yet very content, we headed back to her flat to red for a bit, before we went back out for dinner at a fun Cuban restaurant. After dinner, I napped a bit, in preparation for my night of no sleep. I had a 6:30 flight, and was scheduled to take a 4 am bus to the airport. This, combined with the fact that it was the night of the Oscars (I was surrounded by theatre and film majors, so to say that excitement was in the air in an understatement), which began at 1 am in London, resulted in the conclusion that there was no point in getting any sleep. Watching the Oscars at 2 am in London reminded me of watching them at 11 am in India, 2 years ago. As what felt like a continuation of one very long day, I caught my bus to the airport, and then plane back to Madrid. I had a couple hours to nap, and then back to class!
The following week consisted of some more bumps, hurdles, and mountains, but hey, the sun is coming out! Literally, too-- the weather is getting consistently better in Madrid, which is wonderful. The highlight of the following weekend was definitely a visit from my friend Avantika, and her friend Lillie. Studying abroad in Copenhagen, they came to Madrid for the weekend, and I loved playing tour guide for them. I showed them around all my favorite spots, and seeing the city through their eyes gave me a fresh view of it ("fresh" as if being here for 2 months has made it stale--it hasn't!), which was definitely good for me. I also voted! My first ever Presidential primary election-- I still have the sticker! Through an organization called Democrats Abroad, democrats who live abroad (surprise) can vote in cities around the world. Democrats Abroad has their own delegates that they send to the National Convention, despite the fact that I already applied for an absentee ballot, I figured that my vote would count more because Democrats abroad actually has more delegates than RI. Now I'm second guessing myself a bit, because I think the Democratic primary in RI will be very close, and I would've liked the chance to swing it a bit, but too late for that now. I'm just glad that I voted!
I've been meeting many international students, as well as some Spanish professionals, through my internship, however that changed last week, when I met a number of young Spanish students. An International Relations class (which I'm not a part of) met with students from a local university for a debate, and other students were allowed to visit and watch. After the debate, which concerned the political parties and election process of Spain and the U.S., a bunch of the students sat in the cafeteria of the university and chatted...for five and half hours. The Spaniards are known for their affinity towards lengthy conversation, and I love to chat and make new friends, but after five and a half hours I was beat! We exchanged lengthy goodbyes, but not before plans were made for that evening. I went home, made sure to rest up, and headed back out to experience some authentic Spanish nightlife. The biggest difference I really noted was how much more relaxed it was, in terms of time, than it is with my American friends. A large group of us sat at a bar for over two hours, before wandering over to a hole in the wall club. I loved talking to the Spaniards, learning about their day to day life, and even some Spanish slang phrases.
I'm moving so fast, and seriously cannot believe that it is the middle of March. I love the constant motion, and the past few months have been incredible, but I'm trying to slow down a bit. I like wandering through new neighborhoods, spending lazy afternoons in Retiro, and basking in the sun that's becoming a bit more of a constant presence. I'm trying to pay more attention to the buskers in the metro, the jamon in my sandwich, and the beautiful architecture that I walk by every day, just to name a few. I get worried sometime that I'll leave Madrid without seeing it all, but I'm coming to terms with the fact that I won't see it all, and getting to know a few aspects of it really well, can be just as good, if not better. I've been in DC for about 13 months, and PVD for my entire life, and still haven't seen "it all".
With all this talk of slowing down, I'm a bit of a hypocrite, because I'm about to embark on a 10 day, 3 city trip tomorrow. I arrive in Copenhagen, journey to Budapest, and then make my way to Prague, before heading back to Madrid. I'm incredibly excited for the trip and each of the cities, especially because I'll be going with Avantika, my friend who visited Madrid. I highly doubt this trip will be a leisurely one, but I just have to make sure that I don't pack too much in, or the next week may completely pass me by.
On a cheesy note, despite the bumps, hurdles, and mountains that I've faced in the past few weeks, I'm incredibly lucky to have loved ones, no matter the distance, support me in all types of way. My life got a tinge of gray a few weeks ago, but I'm re-saturating bit by bit, every day. Which is good, because I hear the colors in Copenhagen are particularly vibrant.
The weekend of February 26-29, I hopped on a plane and headed north, to toughen myself up with some cold weather (Spain's made this New Englander a big softie who can't handle 40 degrees now...I'm ashamed), but also to see two friends! I headed first to St. Andrews, Scotland, where I met up with my friend Tess, who I originally met in Nicaragua! Let me tell you that St. Andrews is nothing like Nicaragua. It is cold, and cobblestone-y, with grandiose stone buildings everywhere. The town is made even more striking by the fact that it's basically set on a cliff, with bright green grass contrasting brilliantly against the gray sea (though the following day was much nicer, as shown in the picture of the very blue sea to the right!). The pinnacle of the aformentioned grandiose stone buildings are the cathedral and castle. Students are allowed to enter the castle for free if they were their school robes, and a friend of Tess was going to let me borrow her robes, so we could go inside. Sadly, we ended up not having time to visit, and I'm a little ashamed to admit that I was honestly more excited by the prospect of wearing the robes and prancing around the quaint Scottish town like a Hogwarts student, than seeing the actual castle. I only had about 24 hours in St. Andrews, but we definitely made the most of it. After giving me a tour (we passed a cafe that proclaimed "Where Will met Kate!"), and meeting with some friends for coffee, Tess and I headed back to the grocery store, and then her flat, where we started to prepare for a potluck dinner. I loved meeting her friends, and was admittedly a bit enchanted by the accents. After the dinner we headed to the university, a short 2 minute walk away, where we watched a play that her friend helped produce. The play was set outdoors, which at most schools would mean on the quad, but at St. Andrews meant the courtyard, which bears a huge resemblance to the Durham Cathedral. We spent the rest of the night out with her friends, and I was most stricken by how their student center, also doubles as nightlife. It has two bars, and a club, which I could never imagine at an American university. While I had fun the entire night, a highlight definitely included hearing a bunch of Scots belt "500 Miles" by the Proclaimers, with their thick authentic accents (and this was right after they sang Wagon Wheel...weird). After not much sleep, Tess and I met her friends for brunch the next morning at the Cottage Kitchen (which, true to it's name was a very cute whitewashed stone cottage), where I had the very Scottish dish of eggs balmoral for the first time. It was essentially an Eggs Benedict with haggis-- a sausage patty made of some parts of a lamb that I forget, and am not sure if I was to remember. I was told that bad haggis is very bad, so one's first impression of haggis must be from a reputable place (which the Cottage Kitchen apparently was), so after feeling considerable pressure, I came to the verdict that I liked haggis! Just don't tell me what's in it. We spent the rest of the day at the drinking the traditional Scottish cider called thistly , and walking down to beautiful beach, before rushing to catch my bus to the airport.
After some bumps, hurdles, and mountains (literally), I arrived in London the next morning. A girl in my program told me that London is almost always cold, rainy, and/or windy, and she wished that I would only have to experience two of the three. London must have felt bad for my travel woes, because it was none of the three! I only had a day there, but the weather was absolutely gorgeous, complementing my fantastic company. In London I was able to meet up with one of my best friends Amanda. We spent the day walking around the city, which in contrast to St. Andrews is huge. We started our day at Camden Market (shoutout to former study abroad Londoner Molly for suggesting it!), a huge market in a very hip area. It's a collective name for a number of stores and stalls, that sell a fun mix of clothes, jewelry, home goods, and food. After wandering for a while, I got some delicious Colombian food, that came highly recommended from Amanda, and for a good reason. Choosing which of the many vendors to buy from was a serious dilemma, but the dish of hot meat in a corn flour pocket packed with toppings was definitely the right choice. We finished off our lunch with the biggest ice cream sandwiches I have ever encountered (they are done no justice by the picture above), and then proceeded to attempt in vain to walk it all off. We may not have walked it all off, but we certainly walked a lot. Between the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's Cathedral, and Big Ben, we hit the ultimate tourists spots, all of which brought back memories from when I visited as a wee 5 year old. I somehow have the memory of climbing on top of a lion at Trafalgar Square, though I'm not sure if that's accurate because as a 20 year old I tried and failed (though I'm sure my attempts brought some entertainment to the onlookers). Tired, yet very content, we headed back to her flat to red for a bit, before we went back out for dinner at a fun Cuban restaurant. After dinner, I napped a bit, in preparation for my night of no sleep. I had a 6:30 flight, and was scheduled to take a 4 am bus to the airport. This, combined with the fact that it was the night of the Oscars (I was surrounded by theatre and film majors, so to say that excitement was in the air in an understatement), which began at 1 am in London, resulted in the conclusion that there was no point in getting any sleep. Watching the Oscars at 2 am in London reminded me of watching them at 11 am in India, 2 years ago. As what felt like a continuation of one very long day, I caught my bus to the airport, and then plane back to Madrid. I had a couple hours to nap, and then back to class!
I've been meeting many international students, as well as some Spanish professionals, through my internship, however that changed last week, when I met a number of young Spanish students. An International Relations class (which I'm not a part of) met with students from a local university for a debate, and other students were allowed to visit and watch. After the debate, which concerned the political parties and election process of Spain and the U.S., a bunch of the students sat in the cafeteria of the university and chatted...for five and half hours. The Spaniards are known for their affinity towards lengthy conversation, and I love to chat and make new friends, but after five and a half hours I was beat! We exchanged lengthy goodbyes, but not before plans were made for that evening. I went home, made sure to rest up, and headed back out to experience some authentic Spanish nightlife. The biggest difference I really noted was how much more relaxed it was, in terms of time, than it is with my American friends. A large group of us sat at a bar for over two hours, before wandering over to a hole in the wall club. I loved talking to the Spaniards, learning about their day to day life, and even some Spanish slang phrases.
I'm moving so fast, and seriously cannot believe that it is the middle of March. I love the constant motion, and the past few months have been incredible, but I'm trying to slow down a bit. I like wandering through new neighborhoods, spending lazy afternoons in Retiro, and basking in the sun that's becoming a bit more of a constant presence. I'm trying to pay more attention to the buskers in the metro, the jamon in my sandwich, and the beautiful architecture that I walk by every day, just to name a few. I get worried sometime that I'll leave Madrid without seeing it all, but I'm coming to terms with the fact that I won't see it all, and getting to know a few aspects of it really well, can be just as good, if not better. I've been in DC for about 13 months, and PVD for my entire life, and still haven't seen "it all".With all this talk of slowing down, I'm a bit of a hypocrite, because I'm about to embark on a 10 day, 3 city trip tomorrow. I arrive in Copenhagen, journey to Budapest, and then make my way to Prague, before heading back to Madrid. I'm incredibly excited for the trip and each of the cities, especially because I'll be going with Avantika, my friend who visited Madrid. I highly doubt this trip will be a leisurely one, but I just have to make sure that I don't pack too much in, or the next week may completely pass me by.
On a cheesy note, despite the bumps, hurdles, and mountains that I've faced in the past few weeks, I'm incredibly lucky to have loved ones, no matter the distance, support me in all types of way. My life got a tinge of gray a few weeks ago, but I'm re-saturating bit by bit, every day. Which is good, because I hear the colors in Copenhagen are particularly vibrant.
Sobrina, you're making me cansada! You're covering most of Europe during this semester while attending your rigorous classes! Wait, you ARE attending classes, right? Isn't haggis sheep belly full of stuff? Mmmm mmmm stop, you're making me hungry!! I had flashbacks with your earlier photos -- went to Spain when I was 18 and a few images came back to me - haven't seen my photos since I went because U-Know-Who supplied SLIDE film and well, I don't set up the old slide projector very often. Or...ever. I don't actually have a slide projector. Keep traveling and don't forget to check in on Andorra.
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