Valencia

We are leaving Valencia this morning.  We had two full days here and they flew by.  I think that is how the rest of our trip is going to go.  I'll finally be home in one week.  For each of the next two cities we'll be visiting, we'll have almost as many travel days as we do visiting days.  I don't mind the long train rides but it's always a workout getting all of our luggage to the platform and into a taxi.  Our next stop is Granada and then, weird as it will be, my folks and I will be back in Salamanca.  Valencia has been great.  If I've ever visited a contradictory city, this has been it.  Our hotel was in the historical center of the old city.  But we spent our whole first day at the way-ahead-of-its-times City of the Arts and Sciences.  The buildings that formed part of this complex looked like something out of Star Trek.  Within the complex, there is a concert hall, an IMAX theater, a science museum, and an aquarium.  Pretty nifty, right?  Dad had fun playing with the interactive exhibits in the museum and Mom got some great pictures during the dolphin show.  And to top it all off, we had paella for dinner.  Yum!  Yesterday we spent time in the old city center visiting the cathedral and a few other important sites.  But the highlight of the day and a perfect way to exit this city was going to the beach.  As someone who just a few months ago had never been to a beach, swimming in the Mediterranean was pretty dang cool.  The water was so clear and so blue.  It was absolutely stunning.  Without even asking my folks, I think it's safe to say that we're all very tired.  Valencia was a pretty laid back stop and our visit to Salamanca will definitely be relaxed.  I'm looking forward to going back to Granada but I'm looking even more forward to being home.  Traveling, while enjoyable, is exhausting.  And I haven't been home in almost five months.  Our trip has gone smoothly so far and once we're in Salamanca, I think I can stop being such a worry-wart.  Sorry for the lack of pictures.  I'll post them on Facebook as soon as I'm home.  Hasta pronto.  Os quiero.         

Round Two

I think my parents and I have used just about every possible means of transportation since arriving in Spain.  As our time in Barcelona comes to an end, we have traveled via plane, bus, taxi, metro, train, high speed train, boat, funicular, cable car...and feet.  We are off to Valencia this morning.  I'm really excited because it's the one place on our itinerary that I haven't visited before.  Of course that makes me a little nervous too.  If it didn't, well, I wouldn't be me.  But before I get too ahead of myself, let me recap Barcelona for you all.  We had three full days in what has become one of my favorite European cities.  It's big, like Chicago.  And it is absolutely beautiful, just like Chicago too.  Everywhere you look there are elaborate buildings, vibrant colors, and fragrant blooms.  When we arrived in the train station from Madrid, we purchased our train tickets for the next journey:  Barcelona to Valencia. After that was taken care off, we set off adventure-ing.  Number one on the must-see list was La Sagrada Familia.  I think it's safe to say that Mom and Dad were speechless when we walked in.  It is a cathedral, but nothing like you could ever even imagine.  The outer facade looks like melted wax and honeycomb structures combined with futuristic, sci-fi figures.  The inside provides a stark contrast with its crisp white walls and columns, lit by the rays of sunlight coming through the stained-glass windows.  In the afternoon, we trekked up to Park Guell.  It is one of the highest points in the city and is full of Gaudi's mosaic masterpieces.  You can see all the way to the Mediterranean from the hill with three crosses on top.  It is breathtaking to stand up there.  On our second full day, we tackled the main thoroughfare of Barcelona:  La Rambla.  There were thousands upon thousands of people strolling down this historic pedestrian street.  It was so different than when I was there in January.  We reached the port at the end of the Rambla and decided to take a coastal boat cruise.  It was a great end to the day.  For me personally, my favorite day was yesterday, our last day.  We made our way up to Montjuic, a large area in Southern Barcelona full of parks, walking paths, and beautiful views.  We took the metro, the mountainside funicular, and cable car to reach the top.  My folks and I spent the entire day up on that hill.  I was so happy to be there because Julia and I didn't have time to visit this neighborhood when we were in Barcelona in late January.  The highlight of the day was seeing the Magic Fountain...at least for me anyway.  I think Mom and Dad liked it too.  We had to wait quite a while for the sun to go down, so we ate sandwiches on the steps leading down to the fountain.  And then...the magic began.  People came out of nowhere to watch this spectacle.  It was so beautiful.  As we walked home, we could hear fireworks being set off...surely from Camp Nou to celebrate FC Barcelona's victory in the King's Cup.  All in all, I think my folks enjoyed Barcelona as much as I did the first time I saw it.  I am so happy that I had the chance to visit again.  On to Valencia!   

And they're off!

Because we have to pay for the internet in most of the hotels, I will be writing the next few blog posts in Microsoft Word instead of on Google Blogger.  I’ll publish them when I get a chance, so bear with me if they’re a bit delayed.  We’ll be home soon!     

First Stop

With happy hearts and tired feet, my folks are dozing off in our Madrid hotel.  Outside our window I can hear the shouts of protestors, the hum of helicopter wings, and a slight wind rustling the leaves.  We are taking a well-deserved rest from almost five days of full-blown tourism.  We have seen all of the major sights in Madrid and yesterday we even took a day trip to Segovia.  I think I’ve tuckered them out.  This was my third time visiting Madrid and my third time visiting Segovia.  Despite that, I’ve never had this much time in either place.  Mom and Dad saw all of the things it would be shameful to miss in the capital city of Spain:  Museo Nacional del Prado, Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Palacio Real, and Plaza del Oriente.  But we discovered some new places together as well:  Jardines de Sabatini, Parque de Buen Retiro, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Mercado de San Miguel, and El Rastro flea market.  We spent a chilly but beautiful day in the fairytale town of Segovia, northwest of Madrid.  That place is one of my favorites in Spain and I’m so happy that I was able to share it with my folks.  Aside from being caught in a brief hailstorm in the middle of Puerta del Sol and the cold winds in the mountainous region of Segovia, we’ve had wonderful weather.  I’m always thinking about finding a reasonably-priced restaurant that serves food Dad will try.  I’m always looking behind me, making sure that I haven’t gotten too far ahead of Mom as she snaps a picture.  I’m always reminding myself to just relax.  As I sit in our hotel room, resting my exhausted body, I am thinking about our next stop:  Barcelona.  Who knows what adventures await us there.  Just like in Madrid and Segovia, there will be places that my folks will have to see and that I’ll want to see again.  But I’m excited to visit the places I didn’t have time for when I was there in January.  January.  That seems like a lifetime ago.  As my year abroad comes to an end, this Spanish adventure with my parents is just beginning.  I’m sure it will be full of jokes about how many miles I’ve made them walk, but I know it will be full of amazing memories too.                    

D-Day

Día de Despedida.  Dramatic Day.  Day of I-Can't-Possibly-Say-Goodbye-To-You Feelings.  Au revoir.  Adéu.  Adiós.  Adieu.  Aloha.  Hasta siempre.  Nos veremos pronto.  So long, farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, goodbye.  Well, there haven't been any waterworks...yet.  My first thought this morning as I rolled out of bed was, "I have to say goodbye to a lot of people today."  I have to say goodbye to the best professor I've ever had.  I have to say goodbye to the best friend I've made here.  I have to say goodbye to the person I was when I first arrived in Salamanca.  That seems like a century ago.  Tomorrow, all of my friends will be leaving Salamanca before the sun rises and I will be waiting to catch my bus to the airport at 11:00 am.  From there, my folks and I will begin our Spanish adventure.  I still can't believe that they are going to be here with me.  It is absolutely surreal.  As I wrote earlier, I will try to post some blog updates while I'm traveling with my parents.  Otherwise, we'll be home on June 6th...which actually is D-Day.  The thing is, I just can't quite say goodbye to Salamanca yet.  So I'll write a much more thoughtful and heart-wrenching post when I actually have to do that.  For now, I'm just in utter shock that my study abroad experience is ending.  That thought leaves me speechless.  Saying goodbye is easier knowing that I will see some of these people again...we'll make it happen.  I'll see the girls from Chicago.  And Julia and I have already made a pact to see another Cirque du Soleil performance together some day.  Road trip to Las Vegas, anyone?  But that isn't the case with all of the friends I've made here.  If I'm being honest, I won't say goodbye to some of them.  There is sort of an unspoken understanding that even if we don't see each other one last time today, at least we have all of these amazing memories to look back on.  That is the most important thing.  Right now I feel anxious, excited, scatter-brained, sad, happy...everything all at once.  I will never be able to fully describe in words what this experience has meant to me.  It has been my life for the past eight months.  Now it's over...and it's time to move on.  More than any other emotion, I feel grateful.  

           

Cinco

The past few days have been filled with good times and amazing friends.  On Thursday evening, we attended our farewell dinner.  This semester's dinner had a completely different feel to it than last semester's.  Last year, there were speeches, tears, hugs, and good-byes.  This year, it was just happy.  We haven't had to actually say good-bye yet, thank goodness.  We still have five days.  One of my closest friends here, Patricia, made up a song to the rhythm of Miley Cyrus' "Party in the U.S.A." as a tribute to our experience abroad.  My stomach hurt because I was laughing so hard.  On Friday we were finally able to go paddle-boating on the river.  The weather has really warmed up over the last few days.  A former AIFS student came to visit Salamanca this past week and she was in my boat.  You'll never guess where she was from.  Chicago.  And she used to go to Northern on the weekends to visit friends.  Small, small world.  I spent nearly all of yesterday running around Salamanca participating in a scavenger hunt.  My team didn't win but it was a blast.  Otherwise, my free time has been spent in coffee shops with friends...the usual.  We're all a little nervous for finals and most of us have started to pack up our things.  Today I'll be studying for my Hispanic-American Literature final, updating my Academic Writing Glossary, and attempting to pack.  Packing is proving to be a nearly impossible task.  I'm not saying that I have too much stuff.  In fact, I have less than my two housemates who have only been here for the semester.  What is difficult is that I have to decide what I'm taking with me when I'm traveling with my folks and what I'm leaving in Salamanca to be picked up on the last leg of the journey.  Dios mio.  My parents and I will be visiting six Spanish cities over the following two and a half weeks once the semester ends:  Madrid, Segovia, Barcelona, Valencia, Granada, and of course, Salamanca.  I will have my laptop with me so I'll try to post a few updates while the three of us are out adventure-ing.  And then...home at last.  June 6, 2012.  I write this in nearly every blog post but I'll say it again:  I can't believe how fast the time has gone.  This experience has been everything I had hoped it would be.  Before I close, I want to wish a Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful mom.  I'm so happy to be sharing this experience with you and Dad.  See you soon!  Os echo de menos.  Hasta pronto.   

Inspainity

It is an absolutely gorgeous Spring day.  Not a single cloud is present in the vibrant blue sky.  The breeze is blowing so softly, but enough to keep you cool under the intense sunshine.  Today I finally did something that I've been meaning to do for a while.  In past blog posts, I've mentioned a park in Salamanca called Huerto de Calixto y Melibea.  In this park, there is a water well covered in locks inscribed with names and dates.  It's enchanting.  You can find places like it all over Europe but this one is special to all of us who study here.  Today I took two locks to the park and threw the keys into the well:  One was inscribed with AIFS Fall 2011 and the other with AIFS Spring 2012.  It was sort of sad...it felt like something had ended.  I guess something is ending...all too soon.  Days like today, when Salamanca is blooming and beautiful, make me want to stay.  Days like today make me forget all of my frustrations.  Days like today put everything that is good in the world right in front of my nose so that it is impossible to ignore.  This upcoming week is going to be filled with studying, taking pictures, drinking coffee, packing, and saying good-bye.  I don't know if I'm ready for that last one.  One of the most gratifying things about studying abroad is the bond you build with people.  I have met some of my best friends here.  And I have met people from all over the United States who have voluntarily transplanted themselves all over Europe.  When I was in Prague, I met a group of girls studying abroad in Ireland.  In Barcelona, I met a young woman who was from Argentina but had lived with her parents in Des Moines, Iowa for ten years.  And during my last trip to Paris, I met a guy named Shale who was studying in Rome but lived in Chicago and had friends who went to Northern Illinois University.  If that doesn't tell you that our world is small, I don't know what else could convince you.  We talked about the Cubs, Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, and how amazing our study abroad experiences had been.  Deciding to study, live, or travel abroad is a very personal decision.  In Shale's case, he chose Rome not to learn Italian, but to eat pasta, drink wine, and travel around Europe.  I chose Salamanca to enhance my Spanish, but I got so much more out of it than that.  People go abroad to find themselves, ironically enough.  People go abroad for work, for adventure, for love.  I recently listened to a speech given by a psychologist studying human relationships and vulnerability.  She called herself "a story collector."  She listened to her subject's stories and grew to understand her own.  We are all a part of the great human experiment.  We collect stories...our own and those of others.  No matter where we've grown up, who we've met, and what we've done...we are all here on this tiny particle of cosmic dust called Earth.  We are that small.  But our stories can be as grand as we choose.     

Two Weeks

One week from today, I will be at a local restaurant with all of my friends for our AIFS farewell dinner.  Two weeks from today, I will have finished packing and I will be spending my last night in this room.  How is it possible that time has flown by so quickly?  I am at the end of this wonderful journey...and everyone is pointing it out.  Everyone.  My professors, my host mom, and my friends.  I wish they would stop.  I'm so torn between wanting to be home and wanting to stay here...between starting a completely new journey or continuing this one.  I'm soaking up every possible experience with the people I've grown to love here.  Last night, we were treated to a private flamenco guitar performance.  And after dinner, I went out with my girl friends to have a few drinks and sing karaoke.  For all of you who are asking yourselves, "Did Kristen actually get on stage and sing?!," I can honestly tell you that yes I most certainly did.  Song choice:  Man!  I Feel Like a Woman! by Shania Twain.  And it's true:  The best thing about being a woman is the prerogative to have a little fun, yea.  I was six years old when that song came out and I know I never sang the words correctly until last night.  It was a blast.  In other news, I want congratulate my favorite singer, Neil Diamond, on his recent nuptials to Katie McNeil.  Does anyone else find it funny that her name is now Katie McNeil Diamond?  I do.  And I want to wish my amazing mom a happy birthday.  Mom, I love you so much and I can't wait to see you!  In two short weeks, you and Dad will be arriving in Madrid to start the adventure of a lifetime.  Get those suitcases packed!  Besos.