Fun in the Sun

After sleeping in until 11:00 I definitely knew I was running on Spanish time.  While it wasn’t something I was completely used to, it sure was needed after not being able to resolve jet lag for two days.  My mamá left breakfast for me on the counter: muffins and chocolate milk…yum!  My breakfast companion turned out to be Luna, mi gatito, (kitty) and we both sat in the dining room and enjoyed the view of the city from the windows.  After breakfast and getting ready, my host parents returned from grocery shopping and we all sat down for a nice lunch.  Good thing they eat lighter breakfasts here, huh? After dining on chicken, potato chips with lemon and pepper (I must say, a GENIUS combo that I should definitely try when I get back home), bread, and wine, it was time to head to the tram station to go to San Juan Beach.  It was all of our first times riding the tram, so naturally, we didn’t quite know what we were doing, but being the adventurous crew that we are, we decided to throw caution to the wind and simply “figure it out”…let’s just say after many broken Spanish conversations and a sprint to the other side of the train tracks, we finally figured out where we needed to be to get to the beach.  I was actually quite proud of us.  We can check “figure out tram” off our to-do list while we’re here!  The beach itself, la Costa Blanca, was BEAUTIFUL!! It was much less crowed than the beach near our homestays, so there was a lot more room to spread out and just relax for a couple hours.  We swam, sun-bathed, chatted, and really got to know each other for those hours.  All in all it was an amazing day! But the fun isn’t over yet: at midnight tonight we’re going out to watch the conference championship in fútbol! Spain vs. Brazil! The city’s for sure going to be full of fans and energy! Can’t wait! J I’m out the door, but keep calm and cheer ‘em on! (España that is).

Mi segunda familia (my second family)

So I’m blogging at 3 am…never thought I’d even be able to walk straight at this hour, let alone write coherent sentences.  Today was housing transfer day, among many other things.  Had my first Spanish breakfast which sadly did not consist of pancakes, eggs, and toast…but just toast.  However, the light breakfast was perfect preparation for the six-course Spanish meal I was served later on for lunch.  Four appetizers served one after the other, seafood paella, a Spanish staple, plus dessert. 

Paella

 Later on we were introduced to our host family.  I have wonderful host parents, Mari Carmen y Manuel, and an awesome host sister, Elena.  Oh, and a cat…(win) Luna.  They are absolutely amazing and accommodating.  I even got a personal tour from Manuel of the surrounding areas.  After an equally fantastic meal of chicken, mixed salad, bread, and cerveza (beer), I couldn’t have been a happier host daughter.  But honestly, they are so incredibly gracious and patient with my “in progress” Spanish.  I can’t wait to get to know them better over the course of the next five weeks J.    After skype dates with my mom and brother back home, and my best friend Anna, our group of GB students all went to see the fireworks for the festival of San Juan.  It was the last night so the place was PACKED.  But all in all the fireworks were beyond expectations.   I mean, seriously, it’s fireworks…on the beach…who could ask for more?? I guess you could say it was our make-up Fourth of July.  I think I might need to come back next year ;).

Afterwards we headed to la Terracita for drinks and conversation.  Enjoying the late LATE late night life didn’t even feel foreign to us.  We were having the time of our life, a life which has seemed to slow down to a leisurely pace we can all handle.  In the U.S. everything moves at a mile a minute, but in Spain, so far I can honestly say I’ve never been more relaxed.  It’s a pretty amazing feeling coming off of my busy sophomore year as a human bio and Spanish double major.  After drinks we even got a glimpse of La Rambla district, the “fiesta” district in Alicante.  While we were only passing through…we will DEFINITELY be back!  And on that note, tomorrow I get to sleep in on a Sunday for one of the very few times in the past four years.  It’s going to be strange not working, but we’re planning a trip up the coast to San Juan beach tomorrow, so I think I can manage ;).  Hasta mañana, todos, and remember, keep calm and hug your fam!

Sleepless in Spain

Well, I made it…still not quite sure how or how all of this is real, but I’m here…IN EUROPE!! In SPAIN, no less, a country known for its “sun, sand, and sangria”, according to the new textbook I’ll be reading for the next five weeks, Ghosts of Spain.  The flights themselves ran smoothly enough, although my first overnight flight proved to be a little less than comfortable.  Regardless, we made it…no hassles with baggage claim, no major delays, and no lost students along the way.  

Now for the good stuff.  Alicante, Spain is a medium-sized metropolis on the southeastern coast.  It’s located right on the Mediterranean Sea, making it, well, AMAZING.  We were taken from the Alicante airport to Hotel Alamo, our temporary sanctuary while we sorted out logistics…fortunately, still in English.  Once we were all settled in, the girls and I realized we hadn’t really eaten a meal in 8 hours.  But Spain was our oyster! Home of sumptuous cheeses, tapas, wines, meats, seafood, and sauces, all made with authentic , rich spices and flavors…I’m salivating just writing about it.  But what to our wandering eyes did appear? Pizza.  Yes, pizza. Our first meal in Spain and we had settled on pizza.  We hung our heads in shame as we entered the pizzeria.  But I can honestly say, with a page and a half worth of different kinds of pizza, the Spaniards know a thing or two about this pie.  I ordered probably the most questionable thing on the menu: pizza topped with caramelized onions, tomatoes, goat cheese, apples, and walnuts.  Yes, apples and walnuts.  Surprisingly though, the combo was perfect! Honestly one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had, just based on how complex the flavors were.  I didn’t even mind the onion breath.  But FYI, for those of you planning on heading to Europe sometime soon, it’s usually not customary to tip the servers.  Being a server myself, this seemed almost criminal as I paid my bill.  However, in Europe it can be considered offensive to leave one, as the servers have a higher set salary than those in the U.S.  Learn something new every day.   

First meal in Spain
After a lovely meal, and some slight orientation, we hit the beach.  The Mediterranean Sea definitely lived up to expectation, but we were definitely in Europe…swim trunks had left the building and left the key under the mat for, you guessed it, speedos.  But regardless of the slight culture shock (as many of you already know, women going topless is a common occurrence at many European beaches) we had a blast swimming and lying out on the beach for a good hour or two.   One thing to watch out for: Spanish men.  Note to self: they’re not kidding when they say there’s a stigma about American girls in Europe, and the European guys are not ones to dismiss that stigma.  Gabriel showed us a video to demonstrate…obviously this is an extreme, but it definitely kept me at a distance from the opposite sex. Enjoy J

SNL-Vicki Cristina Barcelona Parody

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTIqEEo-L4g

So all in all, a pretty epic first day in Alicante…still don’t know how I’m functioning on less than two hours of sleep (we still might be staying up to watch fireworks at midnight…we’ll see if THAT happens).  If anything, I feel like I’ve been humbled just seeing this much of such a beautiful country.  What’s even more humbling is that this is just the beginning!  Until next time, keep calm and…sleep.

The Countdown

Hey all! It's t-minus 5 days until departure, and per suggestion of my good friend Leah I decided to start a travel blog for all of you interested in the antics of one very excited and terrified American college student in Spain.  I've never been abroad so this is going to be an extremely interesting ride, and I'm looking forward to sharing it with anyone who wants to follow me on my adventures (virtually, of course).  Not only will I be gone for five weeks, but I will be doing so on my own and living with a host family...this means total cultural immersion.  Yet another terrifying concept.  Longer (and I assure you, more interesting) posts will follow once I land and get settled in Alicante, Spain.  Until then, keep calm and count it down!