It is currently 68 degrees here!!! I cant believe it...feels just like an awesome spring day in Nebraska...even windy...the only thing missing is the smell of freshly cut grass and freshly chopped cow.
This weekend was pretty uneventful...since last weekend was to eventful, we decided to lay low. Friday we had an excersion to the Basque country...we went to Guernica. Went to some museums and historical stuff and also ate lunch there. For those of you who dont know, Guernica is famous because of the bombing they had in 1937. Hitler needed a place to test his bombs and so he talked to Franco, the Spanish ruler at the time, and Franco allowed him to use the Basque country area. Hitler decided to choose a Monday to do this which happened to be Guernica´s market day, the whole town was detroyed and many civilians died. After Guernica we went to another small town by the sea...it was absolutely gorgeous, except for the fact that is was raining and SUPER windy of course...so we were all enjoying the ocean until about everyones umbrellas started to flip inside out. fun day :).
After returning home and eating supper, Michaela, Joy, and I went to Ish´s house in Algorta (suburb to Bilbao) to plan our Egypt trip...where exactly we wanted to go and what we wanted to do in each place....The three of them did a great job of doing this...I tried researching, but then my mom got online and I was able to skype with her, and Lexi, for the first time since I have been here. It was great!!! Lexi even waved at me...what a talented dog she is. Anyway...we did get some planning done, and we are very excited...only 32 more days until heat and sun for 16 days!!!
Saturday we honestly did about nothing, the only exciting thing that happened was that I bought a new camera...yay....and I will say now, that this is officially the last camera i will buy in Spain....ever. I got the same one as I did before. It will last me a long time, I promise Mom.
Sunday was a sleep day...glorious.
And now today is Monday, it is beautiful outside...well until it starts to rain I suppose. I have a test Thursday, so have been studying for that. I hope it goes as well as the last. Not much more to say....
82 more days in Spain, I cant believe it....
Hugs and Kisses
-Mel
Monday, February 22, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Hmmm well where to start??...I guess Thursday sounds good...since thats where it usually starts. Well i dont know about you Nebraskans, but us ¨Spainard Americans¨ were able to enjoy a nice little snow fall...well I guess the kids from california enjoyed it A LOT more than us midwest kids who have been seeing it since October. The kids in my class from Cali were saying OH MY GOODNESS THIS IS SOOO WEIRD...ITS SNOWING SO MUCH....basically it was a mixture of sleat and snow and it wasnt even sticking...just big flakes...They were wondering if they needed to use their umbrellas when they went outside...The girl from Wisconsin and I just laughed and yelled at the snow to go away cause we have been putting up with it since October...but it was fun to see that they were excited since they have seen snow maybe 3 times in their life.
Well Thursday was a good day....I was able to finally book my Spring break plane tickets...SOOO I am officially going to Egypt! Very excited...We are flying into Cairo on March 26th and Leaving April 10th...it will be a good two week break for sure. As of right now I am going with 3 other friends, and hopefully a fourth will join us. We also want to go to Jordan and maybe Isreal if it is safe enough to do so. I´ve already been re-reading Exodus for the Egyptian/ Moses history. Cant wait to see what we are going to see. Then that night some friends and I went out to get pizza and churros since it had been awhile and then Joy and I decided to call it a night.
Friday was a girls shopping day. We knew we were going to go out that night and the next night...so we wanted to look for some more ¨going out¨outfits....after not finding anything in any store we went to I finally found stuff at H and M, our last stop. Got 2 full outfits for about 40 euros...I was pretty impressed with myself. After shopping we scurried home, ate a quick supper, and left to go live the night life. We ended up going to a dance club that we had gone to before, Da Vincis....pretty fun...play an equal amount of spanish and american music...its amazing how some of these spainards claim they cant speak english but when the american songs come on they know the lyrics word for word...pretty funny. We met some new Spanish friends that live in the same dorm as Sarah...David and Pablo, very nice...and frankly better dancers than us Americans haha. Got home at 4 am.
Saturday was a pretty uneventful afternoon....Joy and I went out to go buy our host mommys valentines day gifts....Valentines day isnt really that big here, but we wanted to carry on the tradition. We went to this really nice chocolate shop and bought chocolate (Yes mom I will be taking you there when you arrive) and then made them cards...with good ol paper and colored pencils...I guess making valentines day cards in high school spainsh really did pay off...though I would never tell me teachers that haha. That night we met up with the same people and went back to the same club....oh annnnd I forgot to mention earlier that this past weekend until tomorrow is Bilbaos big celebration...its called Carnival...it is basically like county fair and Halloween mixed together, but bigger of course. Everyone from infants to old people dress up in costumes and go out and party. In the Casco Viejo Plaza there are rides set up...mostly ones for little kids...and games...they also had a couple parades. Pretty fun to see. That night we went back to the same dance club since we knew they wouldnt have a cover charge....went in danced the night away...decided to leave at 3 am. This is were the blog turns sour. I reached in my purse to get my camera as soon as I got out of the club....no camera. Long story short...went back in, not there, another girl in there said her wallet has been stolen, got out...wanted to scream, punch something, and cry at the same time...Joy then checked her purse...her wallet was gone...luckily the only thing in there was her 5 euro bus pass and about 10 euros in cash....and if you guys have been keeping up on the blogs you would know that I just bought that camera about three weeks ago...I know this crap happens, but all I´ve got to say is that the drunken, floor crawling, sleezy theif better know Jesus and ask for some dang forgiveness. That kind of made me weekend come to a crashing end...except Valentines day was a little bit of a booster. Joy and I downloaded two chick flicks online bought some chocolate and had a celebration that any single girl would fully enjoy on V-Day. Also that morning I gave Amelia her gift and she absolutely loved it!! Was so happy that she did.
Well this is the start of my 6th week. A little less than 13 to go, two of which are spring break... yay.
Still cold here....hope it warms up soon....wearing this winter coat is getting kind of old. Welll I believe that is all for now.
Love you guys. Hope you all enjoyed your Valentines Day
hugs and kisses
-Mel
Well Thursday was a good day....I was able to finally book my Spring break plane tickets...SOOO I am officially going to Egypt! Very excited...We are flying into Cairo on March 26th and Leaving April 10th...it will be a good two week break for sure. As of right now I am going with 3 other friends, and hopefully a fourth will join us. We also want to go to Jordan and maybe Isreal if it is safe enough to do so. I´ve already been re-reading Exodus for the Egyptian/ Moses history. Cant wait to see what we are going to see. Then that night some friends and I went out to get pizza and churros since it had been awhile and then Joy and I decided to call it a night.
Friday was a girls shopping day. We knew we were going to go out that night and the next night...so we wanted to look for some more ¨going out¨outfits....after not finding anything in any store we went to I finally found stuff at H and M, our last stop. Got 2 full outfits for about 40 euros...I was pretty impressed with myself. After shopping we scurried home, ate a quick supper, and left to go live the night life. We ended up going to a dance club that we had gone to before, Da Vincis....pretty fun...play an equal amount of spanish and american music...its amazing how some of these spainards claim they cant speak english but when the american songs come on they know the lyrics word for word...pretty funny. We met some new Spanish friends that live in the same dorm as Sarah...David and Pablo, very nice...and frankly better dancers than us Americans haha. Got home at 4 am.
Saturday was a pretty uneventful afternoon....Joy and I went out to go buy our host mommys valentines day gifts....Valentines day isnt really that big here, but we wanted to carry on the tradition. We went to this really nice chocolate shop and bought chocolate (Yes mom I will be taking you there when you arrive) and then made them cards...with good ol paper and colored pencils...I guess making valentines day cards in high school spainsh really did pay off...though I would never tell me teachers that haha. That night we met up with the same people and went back to the same club....oh annnnd I forgot to mention earlier that this past weekend until tomorrow is Bilbaos big celebration...its called Carnival...it is basically like county fair and Halloween mixed together, but bigger of course. Everyone from infants to old people dress up in costumes and go out and party. In the Casco Viejo Plaza there are rides set up...mostly ones for little kids...and games...they also had a couple parades. Pretty fun to see. That night we went back to the same dance club since we knew they wouldnt have a cover charge....went in danced the night away...decided to leave at 3 am. This is were the blog turns sour. I reached in my purse to get my camera as soon as I got out of the club....no camera. Long story short...went back in, not there, another girl in there said her wallet has been stolen, got out...wanted to scream, punch something, and cry at the same time...Joy then checked her purse...her wallet was gone...luckily the only thing in there was her 5 euro bus pass and about 10 euros in cash....and if you guys have been keeping up on the blogs you would know that I just bought that camera about three weeks ago...I know this crap happens, but all I´ve got to say is that the drunken, floor crawling, sleezy theif better know Jesus and ask for some dang forgiveness. That kind of made me weekend come to a crashing end...except Valentines day was a little bit of a booster. Joy and I downloaded two chick flicks online bought some chocolate and had a celebration that any single girl would fully enjoy on V-Day. Also that morning I gave Amelia her gift and she absolutely loved it!! Was so happy that she did.
Well this is the start of my 6th week. A little less than 13 to go, two of which are spring break... yay.
Still cold here....hope it warms up soon....wearing this winter coat is getting kind of old. Welll I believe that is all for now.
Love you guys. Hope you all enjoyed your Valentines Day
hugs and kisses
-Mel
Monday, February 8, 2010
This was written Sunday late morning…sry it was posted a little late.
Well these last couple days have been quite eventful. Thursday I had my test….for the most part I think it went pretty well, but I suppose I will find out for sure this week. During our 20 minute break between classes, Deusto (the University) was having a “movement” (don’t really know what else to call it) for Haiti. Whoever wanted to could go out to the bridge, which is in front of the university and goes across the river to the library, to hold hands. A lot of people did it and so we made a huge line…strangers linking hands…pictures were taken and it was supposed to just be a remembrance thing, a couple of my classmates and I did it…pretty cool that Haiti is on a lot of people’s minds. Then after that class we had a presentation about Haiti from a group that is organizing to help out. It was basically just informative…telling what happened…what Haiti was like and then how it is now after the earthquake….the pictures just make me cringe. Doesn’t make sense as to why I am able to study in Spain while others are just fighting to find food and water each day…makes me sick.
Thursday night Joy and I wanted to just stay in and watch a movie since we had to be up at 6 am Friday morning for our South of France Day trip that was put on by our study abroad program. So we went to Corte Ingles….which is basically Herbergers on steroids plus a grocery store…because we had to pick up a few things. First we decided to get some popcorn for our movie night, and then I needed to get new make-up because I had realized that I was using the same foundation since the beginning of last May and Joy informed me that it was probably bacteria filled and it was started to get pasty…so with her great expertise she helped me find some new stuff. Also had to get shampoo and hair gel…if you guys could see these prices it would make you sick, because it does it to me. I told my mom the other night that I might have to decide if I want to go on spring break or shower the rest of the trip, because it was going to cost about the same. She said I should continue to shower….probably wise words. The last thing I needed to get was some mascara…Joy and I searched for the cheapest tube, because like shampoo makeup is waaaaaaaaaaaay overpriced as well. We finally found some for about 7 or 8 euros and then went home. When I got home I opened it up and you will never guess what color I had gotten….bright blue. No where on the tube was there any indication of what color it would be and there was a seal on it so I couldn’t open it at the store….but who wouldn’t assume that it was going to be black or a color remotely close….well we should all learn not to assume. I guess that’s what I get for going cheap (So if anybody is dying to look like a smurf…hit me up when I get back to The States and it is allll yours!!). That night we were getting ready to watch a movie (in Spanish….but with English subtitles so Joy and I wouldn’t be completely lost)…when Amelia came over (we were at Joys apartment) because she wanted to show us where we needed to get on the bus in the morning so we could get to the Termi-Bus station to meet the rest of our group for the excursion. Joy and I hopped up and went with her….little did we know it was pouring outside and of course Amelia was the only one to grab an umbrella. Joy and I were both in sweats and I was in flip flops. I wish someone would have taken a picture of us that night….Joy Amelia and I trying to fit under one umbrella in the pouring rain….I was the one to hold the umbrella since I was by far the tallest….and I was trying to keep it over Amelia but it was super windy and was hard to keep still…Joy is trying to huddle next to me….but in all reality she was just getting soaked. The three of us walked the two blocks to the bus pickup looking ridiculous…we were all three laughing so hard because we realized that the umbrella was almost not even worth it….Amelia was saying I was loca for wearing flip flops cause my feet were soaked and so on…it was pretty much kind of “had to be there” but none the less, priceless moment. Went back to the apartment…watched the movie…ate our olive oil popcorn…then hit the hay.
The next morning was a bright an early morning…up at 6am to be at the Termi-Bus stop at 7:45. We had to bring our passports since we were crossing the border…and so when Joy and I were walking the two blocks to get picked up by the bus I asked Joy if she had hers….im guessing you can now guess what her answer was….lets just say that was probably the quickest run back to the apartment building that she will ever have to make….but she made it back in time for the bus and everything was smooth sailing from then on out. The south of France was super fun. Soo beautiful and it was in the 60’s the whole day and not a drop of rain….amazing. We went to Bayona….a little French town not far from the Spain boarder. It was soo cute and since it was Friday they had the market out and after our tour of some history stuff we were able to walk around and go wherever we wanted. Little side note…while we were on our tour, we came upon the set of a movie being filmed right when we were there….we think it was a WWII film…or something along those lines…although it was just cars driving and some people walking around it was pretty sweet to see it…(some pics on facebook). After the tour we walked around to see the town and then we wanted Crepes, since we were in France and all, and so we found a Creperie and sat down and ordered some….yum yum yum. Luckily Michaela was with us because she knows how to speak French…she studied abroad in France not long ago so she helped us out a lot that afternoon. After that we drove back to San Sebastian for lunch and then headed to another small town that was right on the Spain coast and we had free time there as well. We went down by the water and just relaxed for awhile. Then Sarah Michelle and I went to another part of the town and found a big green hill and sat and had a good ol heart to heart chat. It was a good day.
That night when I got home Amelia had some of her family there. One of her daughters, her son-in-law, and two of her grand-daughters (I had met both of her granddaughters once before. One is about 13 I think and the other is 18…freshman in college in Victoria…a town not too far from Bilbao). Her daughter is a teacher and so she can speak about 4 languages…including English...and also the oldest granddaughter can speak some English as well. But they were very good about talking to me in Spanish unless I didn’t understand something. The two girls are surfers….the oldest is actually studying sports so she can be a athletic teacher, trainer, or coach…. or really anything involving sports…she says it will take her 5 years to get the degree. They both love surfing and do it year around…the oldest told me that they also play instruments…she said that she plays the accordion and her younger sister plays some kind of brass instrument. An accordion playing surfer….pretty much the coolest person I’ve ever met. Amelia’s family is so nice. They were very welcoming and asking about Nebraska and my family back home and things like that. We ate dinner together and then they had to leave because the youngest had a surfing competition in the morning so they had to get to the bus station.
Saturday morning/afternoon was pretty uneventful….slept, studied, read my book (Wicked, great book!), slept, played Solitaire, studied, read some more, slept some more…..slept a lot because I was getting a cold…and my throat wasn’t feeling the best…so thanks for making me take those cough drops mom….they were much needed, but by late afternoon I was feeling a lot better .
SOO last night was pretty great. A group of us went out downtown and had a great time…it was just Ish, Michaela, Joy and I to start out with…then we met up with more friends and went to a Salsa bar. Basically I can’t dance…but in all reality, that has never stopped me from dancing. It was fun and laidback. Then we got our group together to go to another dance club. OMGOODNESS….I have never been in a place with some many people. We just all grabbed hands and pushed our way to get something to drink and then slithered like one big American worm towards one side of the club…it was like one large mass of people dancing…dripping sweat…and standing shoulder to shoulder with people you will never see again…which is probably for the best. While we were dancing with random people, I leaned over to Joy and yelled in her ear, “This is going in the blog!”…I guess it’s just not something we experience every weekend in good ol Lincoln, Nebraska… haha….I would have taken pictures so you guys could get the full affect on just how crowded this place was, but I didn’t want to be THAT American haha. Our guy friends are also the best (This is just a little side note for Momma Miller and Momma Roos)….they were very aware of who all of girls were dancing with, and if we didn’t want to dance with whoever we were dancing with anymore they would intervene. Ish was always on the ball making sure all of us girls were safe and comfortable…..what a great amigo! We were in there for a couple hours and then when it hit 5 a.m we decided it may be time to head home….yep 5 am…and we were the people heading in early, crazy. Joy and I walked home and hit the hay a little before 6. Buuuut I was wide awake and alert at 10:45, so I am not a bum….nap later?....yes. Today Amelia’s daughter was over for just a little bit and Amelia told her I went out to a fiesta last night…she asked me what time I got home and I was like ohhh around 5…Amelia started to laugh and I was said ok maybe it was closer to 5:30…and Amelia said ohhh I don’t know I’d say maybe 6…(think she wanted me to look tough)…then she turned to her daughter and said “Now Melinda is going to get on the internet with her parents and tell them this…uh oh…” haha it was pretty funny. Every time Amelia’s daughter has left the house she always shakes my hand when she says bye. I know she does it cause it’s the “American” way of saying good-bye….she adds a bye-bye! with that handshake…pretty funny.
(So since I have written this Monday has come and gone since I am posting this late….and so I was able to talk to my mom on facebook this afternoon…she wanted me to tell Amelia Hello and Thank you for her and so I did tonight at dinner. She was pleased, and then said did you tell your mom that you didn’t get home until 6am on Saturday and I started to laugh and said no…she ok good…and I said oh I will another day…and she started to laugh and she noooo not another day..dont tell her because she will be like OMGOODNESS….haha little does she know my mom wouldnt mind….maybe I should have told her that haha)
So the weekend was successful…Joy and I only got lost once….got on the wrong bus when going to Corte Ingles…kind of left that out…got to see the South of France….met the family…and had my first real Spanish disco bar experience.
Today is Super Bowl Sunday and I am a little sad I am missing the game but the Super Bowl party that they are having here tonight is from 10pm-3am (obviously because we are ahead 7 hours)…and I know I wouldn’t get home until 4ish and I have class at 10…and it’s at a bar that is not even remotely close to my apartment…so since last night was a late night, id say I better stay home tonight….but really who am I kidding, all I really care about is half time, so someone let me know who performs and how it was, thanks. I know someone back home will be making Melinda’s famous puke chip dip…Have some for me, and enjoy the game!
I hope my dad is reading this because that means he made it home safely from Haiti…still constantly thinking about all those people and what they are going through.
Love you all, Abrazos y besos -Mel
P.S. I have officially been here for one month…seems like just yesterday when the taxi driver dropped Joy and I off in front of building number 29 with our luggage, scared shitless, not having any idea why I was doing this…...so crazy, one down 3 ½ to go. How time flies!
Well these last couple days have been quite eventful. Thursday I had my test….for the most part I think it went pretty well, but I suppose I will find out for sure this week. During our 20 minute break between classes, Deusto (the University) was having a “movement” (don’t really know what else to call it) for Haiti. Whoever wanted to could go out to the bridge, which is in front of the university and goes across the river to the library, to hold hands. A lot of people did it and so we made a huge line…strangers linking hands…pictures were taken and it was supposed to just be a remembrance thing, a couple of my classmates and I did it…pretty cool that Haiti is on a lot of people’s minds. Then after that class we had a presentation about Haiti from a group that is organizing to help out. It was basically just informative…telling what happened…what Haiti was like and then how it is now after the earthquake….the pictures just make me cringe. Doesn’t make sense as to why I am able to study in Spain while others are just fighting to find food and water each day…makes me sick.
Thursday night Joy and I wanted to just stay in and watch a movie since we had to be up at 6 am Friday morning for our South of France Day trip that was put on by our study abroad program. So we went to Corte Ingles….which is basically Herbergers on steroids plus a grocery store…because we had to pick up a few things. First we decided to get some popcorn for our movie night, and then I needed to get new make-up because I had realized that I was using the same foundation since the beginning of last May and Joy informed me that it was probably bacteria filled and it was started to get pasty…so with her great expertise she helped me find some new stuff. Also had to get shampoo and hair gel…if you guys could see these prices it would make you sick, because it does it to me. I told my mom the other night that I might have to decide if I want to go on spring break or shower the rest of the trip, because it was going to cost about the same. She said I should continue to shower….probably wise words. The last thing I needed to get was some mascara…Joy and I searched for the cheapest tube, because like shampoo makeup is waaaaaaaaaaaay overpriced as well. We finally found some for about 7 or 8 euros and then went home. When I got home I opened it up and you will never guess what color I had gotten….bright blue. No where on the tube was there any indication of what color it would be and there was a seal on it so I couldn’t open it at the store….but who wouldn’t assume that it was going to be black or a color remotely close….well we should all learn not to assume. I guess that’s what I get for going cheap (So if anybody is dying to look like a smurf…hit me up when I get back to The States and it is allll yours!!). That night we were getting ready to watch a movie (in Spanish….but with English subtitles so Joy and I wouldn’t be completely lost)…when Amelia came over (we were at Joys apartment) because she wanted to show us where we needed to get on the bus in the morning so we could get to the Termi-Bus station to meet the rest of our group for the excursion. Joy and I hopped up and went with her….little did we know it was pouring outside and of course Amelia was the only one to grab an umbrella. Joy and I were both in sweats and I was in flip flops. I wish someone would have taken a picture of us that night….Joy Amelia and I trying to fit under one umbrella in the pouring rain….I was the one to hold the umbrella since I was by far the tallest….and I was trying to keep it over Amelia but it was super windy and was hard to keep still…Joy is trying to huddle next to me….but in all reality she was just getting soaked. The three of us walked the two blocks to the bus pickup looking ridiculous…we were all three laughing so hard because we realized that the umbrella was almost not even worth it….Amelia was saying I was loca for wearing flip flops cause my feet were soaked and so on…it was pretty much kind of “had to be there” but none the less, priceless moment. Went back to the apartment…watched the movie…ate our olive oil popcorn…then hit the hay.
The next morning was a bright an early morning…up at 6am to be at the Termi-Bus stop at 7:45. We had to bring our passports since we were crossing the border…and so when Joy and I were walking the two blocks to get picked up by the bus I asked Joy if she had hers….im guessing you can now guess what her answer was….lets just say that was probably the quickest run back to the apartment building that she will ever have to make….but she made it back in time for the bus and everything was smooth sailing from then on out. The south of France was super fun. Soo beautiful and it was in the 60’s the whole day and not a drop of rain….amazing. We went to Bayona….a little French town not far from the Spain boarder. It was soo cute and since it was Friday they had the market out and after our tour of some history stuff we were able to walk around and go wherever we wanted. Little side note…while we were on our tour, we came upon the set of a movie being filmed right when we were there….we think it was a WWII film…or something along those lines…although it was just cars driving and some people walking around it was pretty sweet to see it…(some pics on facebook). After the tour we walked around to see the town and then we wanted Crepes, since we were in France and all, and so we found a Creperie and sat down and ordered some….yum yum yum. Luckily Michaela was with us because she knows how to speak French…she studied abroad in France not long ago so she helped us out a lot that afternoon. After that we drove back to San Sebastian for lunch and then headed to another small town that was right on the Spain coast and we had free time there as well. We went down by the water and just relaxed for awhile. Then Sarah Michelle and I went to another part of the town and found a big green hill and sat and had a good ol heart to heart chat. It was a good day.
That night when I got home Amelia had some of her family there. One of her daughters, her son-in-law, and two of her grand-daughters (I had met both of her granddaughters once before. One is about 13 I think and the other is 18…freshman in college in Victoria…a town not too far from Bilbao). Her daughter is a teacher and so she can speak about 4 languages…including English...and also the oldest granddaughter can speak some English as well. But they were very good about talking to me in Spanish unless I didn’t understand something. The two girls are surfers….the oldest is actually studying sports so she can be a athletic teacher, trainer, or coach…. or really anything involving sports…she says it will take her 5 years to get the degree. They both love surfing and do it year around…the oldest told me that they also play instruments…she said that she plays the accordion and her younger sister plays some kind of brass instrument. An accordion playing surfer….pretty much the coolest person I’ve ever met. Amelia’s family is so nice. They were very welcoming and asking about Nebraska and my family back home and things like that. We ate dinner together and then they had to leave because the youngest had a surfing competition in the morning so they had to get to the bus station.
Saturday morning/afternoon was pretty uneventful….slept, studied, read my book (Wicked, great book!), slept, played Solitaire, studied, read some more, slept some more…..slept a lot because I was getting a cold…and my throat wasn’t feeling the best…so thanks for making me take those cough drops mom….they were much needed, but by late afternoon I was feeling a lot better .
SOO last night was pretty great. A group of us went out downtown and had a great time…it was just Ish, Michaela, Joy and I to start out with…then we met up with more friends and went to a Salsa bar. Basically I can’t dance…but in all reality, that has never stopped me from dancing. It was fun and laidback. Then we got our group together to go to another dance club. OMGOODNESS….I have never been in a place with some many people. We just all grabbed hands and pushed our way to get something to drink and then slithered like one big American worm towards one side of the club…it was like one large mass of people dancing…dripping sweat…and standing shoulder to shoulder with people you will never see again…which is probably for the best. While we were dancing with random people, I leaned over to Joy and yelled in her ear, “This is going in the blog!”…I guess it’s just not something we experience every weekend in good ol Lincoln, Nebraska… haha….I would have taken pictures so you guys could get the full affect on just how crowded this place was, but I didn’t want to be THAT American haha. Our guy friends are also the best (This is just a little side note for Momma Miller and Momma Roos)….they were very aware of who all of girls were dancing with, and if we didn’t want to dance with whoever we were dancing with anymore they would intervene. Ish was always on the ball making sure all of us girls were safe and comfortable…..what a great amigo! We were in there for a couple hours and then when it hit 5 a.m we decided it may be time to head home….yep 5 am…and we were the people heading in early, crazy. Joy and I walked home and hit the hay a little before 6. Buuuut I was wide awake and alert at 10:45, so I am not a bum….nap later?....yes. Today Amelia’s daughter was over for just a little bit and Amelia told her I went out to a fiesta last night…she asked me what time I got home and I was like ohhh around 5…Amelia started to laugh and I was said ok maybe it was closer to 5:30…and Amelia said ohhh I don’t know I’d say maybe 6…(think she wanted me to look tough)…then she turned to her daughter and said “Now Melinda is going to get on the internet with her parents and tell them this…uh oh…” haha it was pretty funny. Every time Amelia’s daughter has left the house she always shakes my hand when she says bye. I know she does it cause it’s the “American” way of saying good-bye….she adds a bye-bye! with that handshake…pretty funny.
(So since I have written this Monday has come and gone since I am posting this late….and so I was able to talk to my mom on facebook this afternoon…she wanted me to tell Amelia Hello and Thank you for her and so I did tonight at dinner. She was pleased, and then said did you tell your mom that you didn’t get home until 6am on Saturday and I started to laugh and said no…she ok good…and I said oh I will another day…and she started to laugh and she noooo not another day..dont tell her because she will be like OMGOODNESS….haha little does she know my mom wouldnt mind….maybe I should have told her that haha)
So the weekend was successful…Joy and I only got lost once….got on the wrong bus when going to Corte Ingles…kind of left that out…got to see the South of France….met the family…and had my first real Spanish disco bar experience.
Today is Super Bowl Sunday and I am a little sad I am missing the game but the Super Bowl party that they are having here tonight is from 10pm-3am (obviously because we are ahead 7 hours)…and I know I wouldn’t get home until 4ish and I have class at 10…and it’s at a bar that is not even remotely close to my apartment…so since last night was a late night, id say I better stay home tonight….but really who am I kidding, all I really care about is half time, so someone let me know who performs and how it was, thanks. I know someone back home will be making Melinda’s famous puke chip dip…Have some for me, and enjoy the game!
I hope my dad is reading this because that means he made it home safely from Haiti…still constantly thinking about all those people and what they are going through.
Love you all, Abrazos y besos -Mel
P.S. I have officially been here for one month…seems like just yesterday when the taxi driver dropped Joy and I off in front of building number 29 with our luggage, scared shitless, not having any idea why I was doing this…...so crazy, one down 3 ½ to go. How time flies!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
The last two days have been beauuuuuuuutiful!! It is currently 59 degrees out, and I am loving it. It makes me want to skip...or something like that....just want to say hello...i mean hola to people on the streets...but I wont, simply because they dont really do that here. The sun totally flips a frown upside down...so great. Although people dont smile on the streets here either...Joy learned in her culture class that when you smile to people on the streets they will either think that you are crazy or flirting with them. The crazy part would fit me, smiling or not, but me flirting with the whole city of Bilbao may not be appropriate...so i will half smile...and keep the big smiles on the inside. (But little do they know, they could be seeing my new pearly whites after getting those stinkin braces off a month ago)
I have my frist test tomorrow...a tad nervous, but I think it will be ok. I am meeting some classmates a little after 6 tonight to study for awhile, just so we are all on the same page. I also have a presentation tomorrow...well kind of a presentation. For my culture class each week we have to find a Spain current event, read it, know it, and present it (without any notes or anything) to the class. This doesnt seem hard, but when your talking about a country you dont really know about..nor live in..., talking about people you dont know, talking about towns you´ve never been too, in spanish...it becomes a tad difficult...but it should increase my speaking skills...and thats all that really matters at this point.
I want to send out a big thanks to all of those that are reading my blogs...my mom said people are constantly telling her that they are reading it and it makes me so happy because it makes it really worth writing...She seemed to have a friend in about every state keeping up...thanks!
Also want to send out another big thank you to my girly friends back in Nebraska for the videos you guys are sending me...they are soo awesome and I feel like im right there with you guys.... I laugh sooo hard. Brings a big ol smile to the ol face!
Well this seems to be it for now.
Prayers for Haiti
xoxoxo
-Mel
P.S. almost forgot....my friends here all seem to be booking/ or have booked flights for spring break and I have done nothing yet...dont know where I should go...my two thoughts were either Ireland or Egypt....sooo if you are not a facebooker and have not already posted your thoughts on my wall...please leave comments for suggestions. Im up for anything at this point. Thanks!!
I have my frist test tomorrow...a tad nervous, but I think it will be ok. I am meeting some classmates a little after 6 tonight to study for awhile, just so we are all on the same page. I also have a presentation tomorrow...well kind of a presentation. For my culture class each week we have to find a Spain current event, read it, know it, and present it (without any notes or anything) to the class. This doesnt seem hard, but when your talking about a country you dont really know about..nor live in..., talking about people you dont know, talking about towns you´ve never been too, in spanish...it becomes a tad difficult...but it should increase my speaking skills...and thats all that really matters at this point.
I want to send out a big thanks to all of those that are reading my blogs...my mom said people are constantly telling her that they are reading it and it makes me so happy because it makes it really worth writing...She seemed to have a friend in about every state keeping up...thanks!
Also want to send out another big thank you to my girly friends back in Nebraska for the videos you guys are sending me...they are soo awesome and I feel like im right there with you guys.... I laugh sooo hard. Brings a big ol smile to the ol face!
Well this seems to be it for now.
Prayers for Haiti
xoxoxo
-Mel
P.S. almost forgot....my friends here all seem to be booking/ or have booked flights for spring break and I have done nothing yet...dont know where I should go...my two thoughts were either Ireland or Egypt....sooo if you are not a facebooker and have not already posted your thoughts on my wall...please leave comments for suggestions. Im up for anything at this point. Thanks!!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Well this weekend was quite the weekend...since we had a four day weekend, we decided to travel and we assumed it would be full of excitement and going out and having a good time. I have...well we have (the four other girls I was with)...concluded that going out isnt really our talent. But none the less it was a great weekend....here we go.
Joy Michaela and I left for San Sebastian on Thursday around 2 oclock. We decided to take the train so after a quick lunch and some travel munchie buying we walked to the train station...which was obviously the wrong one...so luggage and all we walked to the other side of Casco Viejo to find the right one. After getting inside we took a good oh I dont know, 25 minutes trying to figure out how to buy our tickets on the automatic ticket thing. We even changed it to English but when all the names of stations and towns and what not are in Spanish it just all seems the same. After successfully buying three tickets we found our train and waited. After getting on we figured that it would take about and hour or so to get to San Sebastian (SS)...and hour came and went....hour and a half....2 hours....at about 2 1\2 hours we kinda started to wonder if we had missed our stop...but we were pretty positive it was going to be the last one and we were excpecting to see paradise when we were getting close, and paradise had not yet appeared. At the 3 hour mark we finally arrived.
For the weekend I had booked rooms in hostels for us for each city..after asking for directions we trecked out to find our first hostel....long story short...got lost...asked for directions...twice...got a taxi....got to the hostel an hour later.
Joy and I had never stayed in a hostel so we really didnt know what to expect...but the first one was pretty decent. There were several bedrooms...two bathrooms and three showers. The room that we had, had three bunkbeds. The three of us girls shared a room with three other people. A girl that was only there the first night..dont know her name, and then two boys...we like to refer to them as Creepy Pete (Sam) and Sinky Feet boy (Rob). Both very nice haha. That night we didnt really know what to do cause like always it was raining....lets just say for the whole 4 days we were gone it rained 97.4 percent of the time. So Thursday night Joy Michaela and I first went to go find something to eat because we were pretty hungry. We found a little bar that had sandwiches. After that we decided to go to the grocery store to get stuff for breakfast for the next morning. At the grocery store we got simple things...granola cereal, oranges, bread, cheese, and some drinks. While trying to decide our drink choice...a guy came up to us and started talking to us in english....very accented, but none the less english...lets just say he had had waaaaaay to much to drink and all three of us nice innocent girls about knocked him in the teeth. He kept following us and we told him in spanish we didnt speak english and to leave us alone...and hes like nooo u guys are americans! why wont you speak english to me??? and Micheala...who is party Hispanic said no we are from Mexico...so after laughing and me speaking english cause i just couldnt help it we got in line where he again followed us...he budged in front of us and kept making weird comments to us...It was hard not to laugh because he was clearly embarassing himself in front of everyone else in the store. We got our stuff and high tailed it back to the hostel so he didnt see where we went.
That night we assumed that we would get dolled up and go out...another long story short...we played a game...brushed our teeth...and were in bed at 11 pm to chat for a while before we hit the hay...haha. That night was pretty hilarious...at about 6 am...Sam aka Creepy Pete decided that he wanted to sleep in the same bed as Michaela...drunk of course...he climbed up into her top bunk and kept telling her he wanted to spoon...and she kept saying umm no thanks, get out of my bed....pretty funny...he finally got out of her bed and crashed in his. That is how he got the name creepy pete.
The next morning we got up at a decent time, ate breakfast and got a move on it to go out and walk around, shop, and what not. At around noon, Sarah and Ashley called us and said that they had gotten to SS and had checked into the hostel and would meet us at the bridge. After meeting them we went to this mall...I bought a new camera (Mom, I will explain at a later date)... and then the 5 of us headed to lunch. We ate at this place right on the coast...beside the fact that it was windy....really windy...and raining....reallly raining...it was beautiful haha. We ordered Paella (rice and seafood dish...yum yum yum).. and sat and talked and then had coffee after dinner like a bunch of old women. We then headed back to the hostel because it was so dang cold out... (oh and a side note...Joy and I thought we would be awesome and just bring our jackets for the weekend...not our winter coats....really AWESOME idea). At the hostel we hung out for awhile, talked to some other people that were staying there and then decided to go to the store to find stuff to cook for dinner (we wanted to save money as you can tell...) We bought spinach noodels and sauce, some chicken nuggets, more granola, and more oranges. Cooking dinner that night was a lot of fun. We figured that we would go out that night after dinner....another short story...after dinner we talked...watched some music videos, met more new people, went to bed...at about 1am-ish. Again, another successful night. The next morning we wanted to get a good start since we had to go to Pamplona. We ate breakfast, packed up our things, and headed on foot to find the bus station. Fail. We walked around way to long with our heavy backpacks\duffels and did NOT find the bus station (P.S. I cant wait until my dad gets here...because I will spend two and a half weeks never being lost). Sooo we got two taxis, piled in, and finally got to where we needed to be. Another long story short....Joy almost got hit by a bus (not her fault)...we got tickets, waited in the raining....went the bathroom....then it started pouring, didnt know which one was our bus...finally found it with 10 minutes left...got on the bus..half wet...half dry...laughing of course...and headed off to Pamplona. Arrived in Pamplona (city where the running of the bulls takes place for those who dont know) early afternoon....checked into our hostel. This one was way less sketchy than that other one, and didnt smell like stinky feet. The rooms were nicer and the the common room was waaaay nicer. All five of us were in the same room with one other guy (who didnt sleep in the room that night...hahah i wonder why....)We then decided to go out in the rain and walk around to see the arena where the bulls fight and to walk down the path where they let the bulls loose chasing people. After taking lots of pictures...we found someplace to eat...bocadillas y tortillas....yum. After that we headed back home to put on dry socks and to warm up. We played some card games...met some new people...and hung out while it poured. At about 8:40 we decided we should look for a grocery store to buy stuff for dinner and breakfast....we asked the guy where one was and what time it closed and he said right down the street and at 9....lets just say we hightailed it out of the building...all forgetting our umbrellas of course, and sprinted down the street so we could make it. After thinking of stuff to make, we decided on rice...we could use it to make spanish rice for supper, and cinnamon rice for breakfast...and it was cheap...so along with that we got more oranges, yogurt, rice cakes, nutella, and of course some teramasue icecream. We headed back...made dinner...like a bunch of old women...ate...laughed...cleaned dishes....ate icecream....talked to new friends...got ready for bed...and talked in our beds for a good hour before we all passed out. Oh wait I forgot a part....we had bought some Cava...basically bubbley white wine...had a bottle of that...then went to bed. In the morning we got up, showered, made our cinnamon con leche rice...packed up and got ready to leave when the guy at the counter said that he would check what time the next bus left....it was 11:45...and yes with our excellent luck, the next bus didnt leave until 4 pm....haha. He said we could just chill at the hostel and do whatever until we needed to go. So another long story short....we talked....watched some tennis....wathced some music videos....wathched it rain....made more rice...ate the rice....cleaned dishes...and then hit the road towards the bus stop. From here on our the rest is pretty much got on the bus got off the bus..got to Bilbao...got on the metro...got off the metro...got on the bus...got off the bus...got to the apartment...did homework...ate supper...went to bed.
This weekend was a lot of fun....a time to relax and bond...a lot of laughing...a lot of memories...but we all decided to do the same trip again in late April or early May so we dont freeze.
Sorry this is so incredibly long and not to eventful, but I need to remember it somehow...haha
Love and miss you all
Prayers for Haiti
-Mel
Joy Michaela and I left for San Sebastian on Thursday around 2 oclock. We decided to take the train so after a quick lunch and some travel munchie buying we walked to the train station...which was obviously the wrong one...so luggage and all we walked to the other side of Casco Viejo to find the right one. After getting inside we took a good oh I dont know, 25 minutes trying to figure out how to buy our tickets on the automatic ticket thing. We even changed it to English but when all the names of stations and towns and what not are in Spanish it just all seems the same. After successfully buying three tickets we found our train and waited. After getting on we figured that it would take about and hour or so to get to San Sebastian (SS)...and hour came and went....hour and a half....2 hours....at about 2 1\2 hours we kinda started to wonder if we had missed our stop...but we were pretty positive it was going to be the last one and we were excpecting to see paradise when we were getting close, and paradise had not yet appeared. At the 3 hour mark we finally arrived.
For the weekend I had booked rooms in hostels for us for each city..after asking for directions we trecked out to find our first hostel....long story short...got lost...asked for directions...twice...got a taxi....got to the hostel an hour later.
Joy and I had never stayed in a hostel so we really didnt know what to expect...but the first one was pretty decent. There were several bedrooms...two bathrooms and three showers. The room that we had, had three bunkbeds. The three of us girls shared a room with three other people. A girl that was only there the first night..dont know her name, and then two boys...we like to refer to them as Creepy Pete (Sam) and Sinky Feet boy (Rob). Both very nice haha. That night we didnt really know what to do cause like always it was raining....lets just say for the whole 4 days we were gone it rained 97.4 percent of the time. So Thursday night Joy Michaela and I first went to go find something to eat because we were pretty hungry. We found a little bar that had sandwiches. After that we decided to go to the grocery store to get stuff for breakfast for the next morning. At the grocery store we got simple things...granola cereal, oranges, bread, cheese, and some drinks. While trying to decide our drink choice...a guy came up to us and started talking to us in english....very accented, but none the less english...lets just say he had had waaaaaay to much to drink and all three of us nice innocent girls about knocked him in the teeth. He kept following us and we told him in spanish we didnt speak english and to leave us alone...and hes like nooo u guys are americans! why wont you speak english to me??? and Micheala...who is party Hispanic said no we are from Mexico...so after laughing and me speaking english cause i just couldnt help it we got in line where he again followed us...he budged in front of us and kept making weird comments to us...It was hard not to laugh because he was clearly embarassing himself in front of everyone else in the store. We got our stuff and high tailed it back to the hostel so he didnt see where we went.
That night we assumed that we would get dolled up and go out...another long story short...we played a game...brushed our teeth...and were in bed at 11 pm to chat for a while before we hit the hay...haha. That night was pretty hilarious...at about 6 am...Sam aka Creepy Pete decided that he wanted to sleep in the same bed as Michaela...drunk of course...he climbed up into her top bunk and kept telling her he wanted to spoon...and she kept saying umm no thanks, get out of my bed....pretty funny...he finally got out of her bed and crashed in his. That is how he got the name creepy pete.
The next morning we got up at a decent time, ate breakfast and got a move on it to go out and walk around, shop, and what not. At around noon, Sarah and Ashley called us and said that they had gotten to SS and had checked into the hostel and would meet us at the bridge. After meeting them we went to this mall...I bought a new camera (Mom, I will explain at a later date)... and then the 5 of us headed to lunch. We ate at this place right on the coast...beside the fact that it was windy....really windy...and raining....reallly raining...it was beautiful haha. We ordered Paella (rice and seafood dish...yum yum yum).. and sat and talked and then had coffee after dinner like a bunch of old women. We then headed back to the hostel because it was so dang cold out... (oh and a side note...Joy and I thought we would be awesome and just bring our jackets for the weekend...not our winter coats....really AWESOME idea). At the hostel we hung out for awhile, talked to some other people that were staying there and then decided to go to the store to find stuff to cook for dinner (we wanted to save money as you can tell...) We bought spinach noodels and sauce, some chicken nuggets, more granola, and more oranges. Cooking dinner that night was a lot of fun. We figured that we would go out that night after dinner....another short story...after dinner we talked...watched some music videos, met more new people, went to bed...at about 1am-ish. Again, another successful night. The next morning we wanted to get a good start since we had to go to Pamplona. We ate breakfast, packed up our things, and headed on foot to find the bus station. Fail. We walked around way to long with our heavy backpacks\duffels and did NOT find the bus station (P.S. I cant wait until my dad gets here...because I will spend two and a half weeks never being lost). Sooo we got two taxis, piled in, and finally got to where we needed to be. Another long story short....Joy almost got hit by a bus (not her fault)...we got tickets, waited in the raining....went the bathroom....then it started pouring, didnt know which one was our bus...finally found it with 10 minutes left...got on the bus..half wet...half dry...laughing of course...and headed off to Pamplona. Arrived in Pamplona (city where the running of the bulls takes place for those who dont know) early afternoon....checked into our hostel. This one was way less sketchy than that other one, and didnt smell like stinky feet. The rooms were nicer and the the common room was waaaay nicer. All five of us were in the same room with one other guy (who didnt sleep in the room that night...hahah i wonder why....)We then decided to go out in the rain and walk around to see the arena where the bulls fight and to walk down the path where they let the bulls loose chasing people. After taking lots of pictures...we found someplace to eat...bocadillas y tortillas....yum. After that we headed back home to put on dry socks and to warm up. We played some card games...met some new people...and hung out while it poured. At about 8:40 we decided we should look for a grocery store to buy stuff for dinner and breakfast....we asked the guy where one was and what time it closed and he said right down the street and at 9....lets just say we hightailed it out of the building...all forgetting our umbrellas of course, and sprinted down the street so we could make it. After thinking of stuff to make, we decided on rice...we could use it to make spanish rice for supper, and cinnamon rice for breakfast...and it was cheap...so along with that we got more oranges, yogurt, rice cakes, nutella, and of course some teramasue icecream. We headed back...made dinner...like a bunch of old women...ate...laughed...cleaned dishes....ate icecream....talked to new friends...got ready for bed...and talked in our beds for a good hour before we all passed out. Oh wait I forgot a part....we had bought some Cava...basically bubbley white wine...had a bottle of that...then went to bed. In the morning we got up, showered, made our cinnamon con leche rice...packed up and got ready to leave when the guy at the counter said that he would check what time the next bus left....it was 11:45...and yes with our excellent luck, the next bus didnt leave until 4 pm....haha. He said we could just chill at the hostel and do whatever until we needed to go. So another long story short....we talked....watched some tennis....wathced some music videos....wathched it rain....made more rice...ate the rice....cleaned dishes...and then hit the road towards the bus stop. From here on our the rest is pretty much got on the bus got off the bus..got to Bilbao...got on the metro...got off the metro...got on the bus...got off the bus...got to the apartment...did homework...ate supper...went to bed.
This weekend was a lot of fun....a time to relax and bond...a lot of laughing...a lot of memories...but we all decided to do the same trip again in late April or early May so we dont freeze.
Sorry this is so incredibly long and not to eventful, but I need to remember it somehow...haha
Love and miss you all
Prayers for Haiti
-Mel
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