Belated greetings from Amsterdam (Poetry style)

Hope everyone liked my Spanish Traveler's Alphabet posts--I wasn't traveling anywhere for a few weekends but I didn't want you to forget about me! It occurred to me how many of those posts were food related...I guess we all know where my mind is.

However, I did visit Amsterdam two weeks ago, and I've been writing papers and doing projects so I haven't had the chance to update. Even though it's a little late, I now present...

The Amsterdam Poem

We all know that Amsterdam

Is known for its weed

And for many a tourist

That may be all you need

However, there’s more

Surprised, you may be?
Well, read these (intellectual, thought-out) verses

And listen to me!

The hostel was small

And for 20E, no doubt

We were handed lots of maps

To use when we went out

Day one we were off

Cam, Billy and I

My first observation

Was all the bikes that went by!

There were red ones and blue ones

Ones for two people or more

Ones with cartons and shelves

For groceries galore

If you give a city a bicycle

You need to add bike lanes

And parking spaces and bike shops

For all the guys and dames

City bikes are like cars

They’re everywhere—it’s true

And if you’re not careful

They will run over you.

I recovered from the shock

Of the Dr. Seuss-style scene

Of the eco-friendly transportation

That should be every city’s dream

Right after that, we turned

Down a Las Vegas-style course

Alas, no Red Light District

But a different spot for remorse

Food…food?...FOOD!

Mexican, Italian, American, Chinese

An overwhelming nostalgia for home swept over

I can eat ANYTHING I please!

So that was step two

Eat all that we’ve missed

After no time I was stuffed

From a 12 inch pizza in my fist

The weight I’d lost was now back

My pants didn’t really fit

Part of me was cheering, “Love it!”

While the other part was thinking, “well…shit.”

(That’s probably why they have bikes, to keep off all that weight)...

And all was swell
This place was a dream
It was a nice break
From my test-homework-study routine

The weekend was as follows:

Bicycles, more food, and walking

I let the sights, scenes, and locals

Do all of the talking

The city was beautiful

But by Monday I said adieu

To catch a late flight home to Spain

So I could write to you...

The Spanish Traveler's Alphabet Book: P-Z

Pa Pamericano- This song plays at every discoteca/bar in Spain. It was popular a while ago, but we’ve all discovered it this semester. Listen once and you’ll love it, trust me. Click here.

Quiet- Don’t expect any. Night life is actually at night—people of all ages get dressed up every evening around 8 and meet up in the streets (it’s uncommon to have friends over to your house), and then people my age go back out after dinner until about 6am. I’m always listening to gossip or songs from my window!

Ryanair- Not as, well, easy as Easyjet. Still very cheap, and the carry-on luggage sizes are a little bigger, but this is choice #2 for me.

Socorro- This means “help” if you’re being attacked by someone out here. Everyone was a little freaked out when this was the first bit of advice we received here, but since I don’t hang out in alleys at 7am with drug dealers I haven’t had any problems…however, you may want to practice just in case.

Tortilla española- Whenever I cheat on aceite con vinagre, it’s with tortilla española. If heaven were in tapas form, it’d look like this:

Undergraduate degree- This is the reason you’re going to class. Don’t forget!

Vale la pena- Anything that is worth visiting/eating/seeing/learning is “vale la pena.” It’s a useful phrase, but we hear it so much out here that it’s become a joke. (Ask me in person for more details).

Walking- Get used to it! I despise physical activity of all kinds (well, in a gym at least) but if you want to get anywhere you need to walk it. It’s actually doing me a lot of good- even though I eat a loaf of bread a day (I kid you not) I haven’t really gained any weight because I’m constantly walking. So put on your newbalance, grab a map, and go exploring because you won’t regret it. You may even forget that your feet hurt.

X- hmmm. There’s not a lot of X words in Spanish. I guess xenophobia counts, but I don’t have anything to say about that.

Yo no lo sabía- This means “I didn’t know that.” You’ll probably use it a lot.

Zzzs- Sleep? What’s that? I rarely sleep in here and I stay up very late, but it’s because I don’t want to miss anything! I feel like every day is Christmas Eve because I am excited for the next day (minus all of midterms week) which is really juvenile of me but it’s a great feeling to be excited about something all the time.

m

I through O

Intercambio- This is by far the best way to learn a language. They are consistent one on one meetings with someone who wants to practice the language with you. My intercambio friend is Marta; she practices English and I practice Spanish and we correct each other over coffee.

Jamón- Ham. If you don’t like it, you will after coming to Spain. It’s in practically every meal you’ll eat. It’s fresh and amazing, and this is from a hater of pigs.

Kaki- If you EVER have the opportunity to try this, do it. It’s a fruit without a pit or any seeds, but it’s disguised as a tomato. It’s so sneaky that I even notice what it was, and I’m so glad Claire discovered them in Paris.

Locutorio- If you need to make a cheap international call, go to the nearest locutorio. Very helpful when Chase cancels my credit card or when I want to talk to my mama.

Map- This will take on a whole new meaning when you’re in Europe. The first thing any of us do when we step off the plane is say, “where’s a map?” Without one you are useless, lost, and wasting time. Most of the airports and bus stations will have ones with tourist attractions already labeled, which is very convenient. It also allows us to quickly construct a Dora the Explorer-style plan (“under the Bridge of Sighs, around the Arc de Triomphe, through Park Guell until we reach the magical land of rainbows…”) when we haven’t done any research prior to landing.

No pasa nada- This means “it’s nothing,” or “don’t worry about it.” Example: “I’m so sorry I tripped over your purse dog that’s tied to a tree while you’re shopping in the market.” “No pasa nada, chica.”

Ordenador- This means computer. This word, combined with the phrase “no funciona” is something you’ll unfortunately have to use. Everyone has had a problem with their computer/internet since we got here, including me.

m

The Spanish Traveler's Alphabet Book: A-H

Aceite (y vinagre)- Combined, vinegar and oil is the dressing on anything you eat—it’s on salads, dipped in bread, on fries—and it’s amazing. Almost all restaurants have it, and if you’re lucky they have the flavored balsamic vinegar kind. I ask for this whenever I go to a café.

Batido- Even though the translation is “milkshake,” don’t be fooled. It’s essentially chocolate milk with some cream in it. And it’s usually cold, but not always. I still order them because I am determined to find a real one, but I’m beginning to miss Steak n Shake.

Cigüeña- Until I came to Alcala, I didn’t know that storks were real. I thought they were made-up creatures that brought babies to your doorstep. However, they are very loud, white birds who make gigantic nests and protect their own babies almost all year round.

Discoteca- If you have your dancing shoes on, go to these. They’re a lot of fun when you’re with friends, but if you are looking for a crowd don’t show up before 2am.

Easyjet- This is our go-to airline online. They’re very cheap and they go almost everywhere! Also, be ready to listen to advertisements, songs, and the same directions in at least 3 languages. Bring headphones.

Familia española- Use this phrase. We always start talking about our mothers/sisters/cousins and halfway through someone asks, “Is this your Spanish family or your real one?” And you have to repeat everything you just said because now it has a whole new meaning.

Gamela- This means twin. I have seen the Spanish gamelas of just about everyone I know in the States. Alcala is like the Doppleganger of Butler University.

Hostel- Europe’s young, hip, better version of the States' motels. You pay very little a night (20-30E) for a bed and sometimes breakfast. Check the amenities online though—there may be extra charges for sheets, locks, towels, internet, etc. Also, I recommend no more than 8 people to a room. There are some that sleep 30 or more, which is not happening for me. It’s definitely college living, but you really don’t spend time there unless you’re sleeping and it’s a fantastic way to meet travelers.

More later!

From "Si" to "Oui" -- A weekend in Paris!

Paris, I must say, was a nice little treat after a week long study session for midterms. After class on Thursday, we planned to hop on a plane (for about 90E round trip--yay Easyjet!) and land in one of the most famous places on earth. However, there had been an air strike that day so our flights were canceled. This didn't get us down, though--whenever Katie and I travel anywhere, something ridiculous or crazy happens. We should probably stop spending time together, but she's fun to travel with! We just rebooked our flights to leave Friday and come back Monday since it was a puente, which means bridge but also means a 3day weekend out here.

Katie and Maggy couch surfed all weekend, which is where you stay with strangers for free but they show you around the city. Claire and I were a bit skeptical of all the 30 year old males who play poker for a living and own 1 bedroom apartments, so we chose a hostel instead. Here's a quick overview of the adventure to the actual hostel. (Mom, you may not want to watch this next part.)

For anyone who's never stayed in a hostel, just picture college life! This split, however, proved difficult and at times frustrating. Neither Katie or Maggy had working phones and we were on opposite sides of the city, so meeting up every day was very hard.

Our first day in Paris was amazing-- it was supposed to rain all weekend, but for our third lucky trip in a row we had amazing weather. We met the girls at Notre Dame which was really gorgeous on the outside but a lot smaller on the inside than I would have thought. Since the girls were late and we couldn't call them, Claire and I toured it ourselves. We got lucky: when we left Notre Dame, they were waiting outside for us! I was glad we weren't going to be split up all day because Maggy was the only one who knew anything about Paris.

Next stop, the Musée du Louvre via a long walk down the River Seine. It was gorgeous. The river was lined on both sides with ornate architecture and market stalls. When we got to the Louvre, I barely recognized it--shows how much I know about French culture and history. We could have spent all day in the art museum. It is gigantic (and free for students, which was probably the best surprise of the morning) and it's split up into sections. We chose the part of the museum that houses the *Mona Lisa. I've heard seeing it is a bit anticlimactic, but I was in love. We have seen prints of this painting since we were old enough to understand what a painting is and there's no one who hasn't heard of "Mona Lisa." Standing there in front of bulletproof glass and 100 other art lovers made it real.

*Claire kept referring to the painting as "she." "Where is she? Let's go see Mona. She's so far away!" Katie and I were dying laughing, even though Claire was serious. Walking through there was a lot of fun.

We countinued walking through the Jardin des Tuileries, through the Madeline district and down Champs Elysées where women were walking around in Burberry and huge diamond rings buying Chanel and other designer names I didn't recognize. Worth seeing I guess, but I felt like I was swimming upstream among all the crazy shoppers! At the top of the street was the Arc de Triomphe, which was gorgeous and surreal looking, just sitting there among stores and cars. I swear, every time I see historical structures in present-day settings, I feel like something's off because we don't see anything like that in the States.

After waiting all day to see the Eiffel Tower, we were finally on our way. We "metro'd" it over there, bought some crepes (highly recommended) and stood there in awe under a deep blue sky looking at the most fantastic view of steel, lights, and fall trees. I never imagined I'd actually be in Paris looking at one of the most breathtaking things I've ever seen.

It doesn't end there- we climbed to the top! Well, waited/trolleyed/climbed to the top. In line, we were harassed by a million salesguys holding the Tiny Baby versions of Eiffel Towers ("name your price, name your price"... "I DON'T WANT THEM, THANK YOU.") but after all that we had a fantastic view of the entire city. They should put a warning label on the tower though, I felt like I was going to have a siezure every half hour when we were blinded by its blinking lights! If you ever want a 9,441 ton steel strobe light, go here.

The second day went by fast. We saw a French market (bread, cheese, *kakis, oh my!) on our way to the Pantheon, where we didn't meet the girls because the power went out in their apartment and they couldn't charge phones, but Claire and I explored on our own. We met up with them later to revisit the Arc and Eiffel in the daytime, eat some lunch, etc. Maggy recommended we visit Sacre Coeur, and I'm so glad we did--at night, with a ton of people silently walking through the church and the smell of candle wax and smoke in the air, this was a really eerie atmosphere to be in. I loved it. Churches aren't always my favorite European tourist site (they all run together after a while) but I don't think I'll forget this one. I've never seen anything like it.

*Kakis are the most amazing fruit I've ever had in my life. It looks like a tomato, but doesn't have seeds or a pit. It's sweet. Please look for them in the states, otherwise I'm going to be one of those people at customs who has a suitcase full of fruit.

On Monday, right before the airport, Claire and I stopped off at Moulin Rouge (like the movie) and walked along strips of sex stores with very flashy costumes. Last stop was Cimetère du Père Lachaise where we saw Jim Morrison's grave. It houses many other famous names, but we didn't have time to explore. This was one of my favorite parts of the trip--the weather was beautiful, the tombstones were old and mossy, and there were no paved sidewalks. I can't explain the feeling; it wasn't depressing or scary, just beautiful.

Not only was Paris an amazing adventure, but it gave me a chance to get closer to some of the girls that are studying abroad with me. It's nice being able to tease and be teased without worrying about clashing personalities, and we all had some really great laughs over really stupid stuff. I miss my girlfriends back home because I have missed being on the floor dying from laughter, and I'm getting a little bit of that here now!

m

Faro? Lisboa? Faro? Lisboa.

I'm going to start off this post with all six of us girls saying, "Why didn't we study here all semester??" Because that's how great Lisboa, Portugal was. Here's a quick photo to prove it:

But now I've got to do a little backtracking to tell you how we got here. Our zero hour flight (thanks to a one hour flight and a one hour time difference) turned into a four hour flight when our plane landed in Faro, which upon further investigation we realized wasn't Lisboa. There had been a problem with fog, so we had to land on the other side of the country, wait a while, and take back off into the air. We were a bit nervous at first because we only have a few precious days in each country, but it was an adventure. We had to change what transportation to use once we landed, and wait for my luggage (sorry guys) so it took a lot longer than anticipated.

However, we got to navigating right away (sort of):

First stop, Castelo de São Jorge. We had to wind ourselves up the side of a mountain but the walk there was great...I think Lisboa is more how I thought Spain would be: very small, privately owned shops that you have to duck to get in to, a ton of artist street vendors, peeling paint and vines on buildings, and streets so small we didn't want to walk 4 across.

When we got to the Castle, it was definitely worth the hike. The view was gorgeous and the remains were so old.



After the hike up to the castle, we decided to split up. Maggy, Danielle, and I figured out public transportation so we could go see the aquarium. The coast was beautiful.



You could actually TOUCH the animals!

That night, we cooked a great meal in our hostel...four of us had two giant bowls of pasta, bread, and cheese for 7E total. It was a college kid's dream!   

Day two was a trip to Sintra, a town about 40 minutes away by train. It's known for its views and castles--it was definitely worth the trip! I felt like I was in a fairytale.

 

This was the Parque y Palacio de la Pena



The second site was a castle with Moorish influences. The view was great, and the hiking was fun--but there wasn't one iron rail to save me if I fell... It was kind of scary!

It was great just exploring the city and walking around for two days. If I had know how amazing it was going to be, I would've stayed an extra day. Maybe next time...

Our 7am flight left on time and got in on time, without any pit stops in Barcelona or Bilbao. It was a fun weekend with a small group of girls and it's making me even more excited for Paris! It's noon now and I leave in three hours...what a nice celebration at the end of midterms week :)

M

Some of that bittersweet stuff

Well, my mom left me the other day, but I think she had to—My dad and brother are at home and I think you can live on chocolate and Gatorade for about 9 days before you need actual nutrition. I was sad to see her go, and so happy she came. Professor Willem warned us about “hitting the wall,” or the point you get to when you just want to go home, and I was lucky to have my mom here when I was starting to feel a little homesick. But now I’m recharged and ready to face the second half of the semester!

Otoño is here, but Madrid isn’t like Chicago or Indianapolis—there’s no orange or red or yellow. It’s just green outside and one day you look out and the world is brown and leaf-less. But no worries, the last thing I need is another distraction from school! I have three midterms next week (thank you Prof Willem for not assigning one) and I’m not sure what to expect…classes are a lot harder here than I anticipated. But I’m being a good student and taking this whole week to review, review, review and I’m treating myself to *batidos to justify the 6 hour study dates with Claire.

Quiz question: Who knows what Carlos’ final is on? Because I don’t…

I really have to share part of my life here that I know my roommate from Butler, Hayleigh, will appreciate. But I want everyone else to understand too, so here’s a quick pre-story to my story:

This past year at Butler, Hayleigh and I lived in a dorm room and had a Jack-and-Jill style bathroom with our suitemate. Over time things would get broken and out of laziness/resourcefulness we just never got anything fixed. Here’s a summary of what our room was like by April:

• 1 main light doesn’t work (we were using baby lamps then finally sucked it up and put in ALL our maintenance requests at once)
• 1 closet door doesn’t shut
• 1 bathroom outlet doesn’t function (unless you plug something in and slowly pull it out until it hits one nerve toward the very end of the plug and DOES work)
• 1 bed missing several screws and didn’t sit straight
• 1 TV channel (Disney) didn’t have sound
• 4+ clocks on different times/settings/alarms
• 1 fridge that didn’t work (so it just became a cabinet)

So, Hayleigh, I’m about halfway through the semester and this is what I’ve got:

• Heat that’s finally turned on, but it sounds like someone’s peeing in here for some reason
• 1 desk chair that’s about to break (it’s probably all the carbs I’m eating)
• 1 plastic bottom-of-the-bed thing that slipped off and I can’t get back on without messing up the other three
• 1 shower drain that is very clogged (but I don’t have hair so I don’t know WHAT’S in it)
• 1 closet door that doesn’t shut (but how cute, it’s twins with my old closet door!)
• 3 lightbulbs that don’t work (but there’s 5 so I’m okay)

Whew.

I know when I get home everyone’s going to ask me “So how was it?” And I know all they want to hear is “good” or “so fun” or something quick and easy like that. But for those who are studying abroad/wanting to study abroad/living vicariously through me, here’s a bit of what I’ve learned from this trip.

1. Communicate. Talk to your professors, your host family, your friends. People at home miss you (thanks guys for keeping in touch, I really need it!) and the people here will get to know you if you want. Don’t be afraid to sound stupid, because even if you do, at least you’re learning. I have been going to the same café for two months and the regulars know me and are interested in me which is a great feeling. It took TWO MONTHS for us to finally connect (it’s hard when you don’t know enough of the language to really express your personality) but keep at it because it’s very worth it.
2. Guess! Some of my funniest/grossest/most exciting experiences have come from this. We all went to a restaurant one of our first days here and someone ordered gulas just to see (see previous entries for photo) and it was DISGUSTING. But we have great photos and we’ll never order it again! Recently Claire and I hopped a random bus that we thought went to the Alcala mall, and we were right, but we were laughing trying to communicate with a 12 year old who was riding the bus alone and clearly thought we were morons for not knowing something so obvious. The other day I went to the department store to get face cream, and I stood in front of about 40 boxes. I was reading every one to find what I needed and after about 10 minutes I said “F it” and just grabbed one. It’s not night cream, it’s actually perfumed anti-aging day cream, but I smile every morning when I put it on.
3. Relax. Honestly. And you may laugh and say, “that’s why you study abroad!” but it’s hard out here. You’re adjusting to culture and sometimes different languages and you do have to study. It can be really overwhelming when you are receiving new information every day and you have to study the language before you can even attempt the class materials or a café menu. Just take a deep breath and suck it up and you’ll realize you don’t have time to sweat the small stuff.
4. Be brave. It kind of embodies all of the above, but I want to elaborate: I didn’t come here with close friends or sorority sisters, and it’s different not having your girlfriends or family to confide in when you need it. I do love the people I’m with, but it’s not like being at home. And my host mother and I just kind of coexist—it’s getting better, but it’s hard getting used to sleeping under someone else’s roof. If I’ve learned anything here that I’m going to take home with me, it’s feeling comfortable in your own skin and within your four walls. I am here for me and whatever I put in is exactly what I’ll get out, and I’m glad I figured that out earlier instead of later!

That was a ton of writing, so I hope you’re not too bored! I have Lisbon this weekend, so expect a post after that ;)

****Batidos are translated as "milkshakes," but don't be fooled. They are chocolate milk mixed with yogurt and not cold. But I order them wherever I go anyway because I'm determined to find a good one.

M

PS, sorry for no photos in this one: "Image uploads will be disabled for two hours due to maintenance..." figures.