My home for 4 months! CITY LIFE
Friday, June 4, 2010
Back in the USA
As I sit here writing this in my living room in the United States, I have had a lot of time to reflect and think about the amazing 4 months that passed me by in the blink of an eye. The most amazing part about being in Europe for 4 months was the new and exciting things each day had to offer. It became normal to choose a country, like England, on a Monday and find myself in Westminster Abbey by Friday. I only have my parents to thank for that freedom. As many of you know I had a lot of difficulty making the decision to go abroad. My grandfather was very sick with Alzheimer's at the time, I wasn't confident enough to leave my comfort zone of family and friends, I wasn't confident in my own abilities to live alone in a huge city like Madrid and honestly the thought of being out the country for 4 months terrified me. I am not saying the entire semester was as easy as one long vacation, but I will say that I have never experienced something more amazing. I visited countries across Europe, experienced new cultures and history I could not even fathom, gained a complete new confidence in myself and truly found out what I stand for and who I am when, and had the opportunity to share my new world with my family for one amazing week. It is hard to put into words what the past semester has meant to me but my life has changed for the better. My family spent so much time and money on making this possible and for that I will be forever grateful. Finally, if there is one thing I learned it is that my life at home is irreplaceable and rare. I am so lucky and blessed because of all of you and I will know that cannot be taken for granted! Love you all and thank you for supporting me and following me through Europe this last semester!
My home for 4 months! CITY LIFE
My home for 4 months! CITY LIFE
Last week in Madrid
My last week in Madrid was possibly one of the best weeks of my life. I got to experience everything Spain had to offer, that I hadn't experienced yet in the semester, yet was only a week away from seeing my family, friends and my home I had been away from for four months. Although my last week was filled with the pain of finals (that only us Wofford people had to worry about since we were not blessed with the pass/fail grading scale) I managed to fit in more of the richest experiences Madrid had to offer than I had the entire rest of the semester.
Friday night, a week before I left, it was my good friend Berkeley's 21st birthday so we went to Mexican and then met up with some other people from the program. We then took part in the very Spanish "botelloning" with a lot of our other friends we had met up with. It was my first time "botelloning" the whole semester and I felt pretty Spanish. Botelloning is the Spanish way of meeting for drinks the cheap way, drinking in the streets. It was fun to sit in a plaza with all of the Madrilenos and socialize and hang out until we were ready for the bars and craziness Madrid night- life has to offer.
The next morning Jenn and I woke up and decided to go shopping around Sol. Sol is the center "Times Square" of Madrid and has all of the big Spanish stores like H&M, Zara, Mango, and TopShop. Jenn decided to be daring and get her ear pierced in one of the tatoo parlors on one of the main streets because we both agreed it would be a great story. We shopped around and got bocadillos (a sandwich made of a baguette with anything from ham to calamari on it) until it was time for me to leave for the soccer game. I met 3 of my good friends from the program outside of Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, one of the coolest places I have ever been as a sports fan.
But what we found inside was much cooler! The soccer field was gigantic and because it was a night game (9:00) the field was under the lights! The culture of a European soccer game is something everyone should experience once. A sea of jerseys, scarves, and horns were jumping up and down, chanting, and dancing. Luckily, we chose a game where Real Madrid scored 5 times and had 2 penalty kicks inside the box. I remember when the first goal was scored, the feeling I had was indescribable. I was connected to a bunch of rowdy Spaniards by our united feeling of pure and crazed happiness. I can without a doubt say the soccer game was one of my favorite things I had ever done, let alone in Europe.
The next morning two of my roommates and I woke up early to go to the Rastro. The Rastro is a street market that opens in Madrid on every Sunday morning. Vendors sell items from scarves to prints to jewelry and everything in between. After experiencing the leather markets in Florence it was hard to compare but it was still a Madrileno experience I was happy to get under my belt. After spending the morning walking around the market I met a friend at Starbucks to begin the painful experience of studying for finals.
Finals took up the majority of Monday and Tuesday since I had my History of Spanish Painting, Management of Cultural Heritage, and History of Madrid exams right in a row. Wednesday morning I finished my last exam, Spanish Language for Business, and then my roommate and I got on the metro en route to the Madrid Open. The Madrid Open is a qualifying event featuring names like Andy Roddick, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, the Williams Sisters and many more. Jenn and I got to not only show a little USA pride by supporting our American players but also got to sit center court and watch Rafael Nadal play on the red Spanish clay court. That day we watched Megan Shaughnessy, John Isner, Rafael Nadal, and the Williams sisters. We had a great time and we were so lucky to get the opportunity to do such a thing in our Madrid.
I also made an effort to go visit the beautiful royal botanical gardens, a pretty plot of land along the beautiful Paseo del Prado and near the museum. The only way to express the tranquility and beauty of the gardens is through pictures so enjoy:
The day had finally arrived, my last day in Madrid and my roommate and I ended it with a bang with the most Spanish thing we could imagine. Jenn's parents flew in Thursday morning for the beginning of their week through Europe with Jenn. After resting off the jet-lag they took us to a bullfight. The magnificent bullfighting ring is one metro stop away at Las Ventas and is the only building with the old Spanish look among the modern city buildings. Upon entering the rink the Spaniards were all sitting on concrete stands eating sunflower seeds and drinking beer like any other American sporting event. What we weren't expecting was the sporting event we were about witness. It was violent, bloody, and almost hard to watch as the matadors took about 20 minutes to entirely kill the bull. Nevertheless we had a great time and it was a perfect way to end the semester...like true Madrilenos!
Friday night, a week before I left, it was my good friend Berkeley's 21st birthday so we went to Mexican and then met up with some other people from the program. We then took part in the very Spanish "botelloning" with a lot of our other friends we had met up with. It was my first time "botelloning" the whole semester and I felt pretty Spanish. Botelloning is the Spanish way of meeting for drinks the cheap way, drinking in the streets. It was fun to sit in a plaza with all of the Madrilenos and socialize and hang out until we were ready for the bars and craziness Madrid night- life has to offer.
The next morning Jenn and I woke up and decided to go shopping around Sol. Sol is the center "Times Square" of Madrid and has all of the big Spanish stores like H&M, Zara, Mango, and TopShop. Jenn decided to be daring and get her ear pierced in one of the tatoo parlors on one of the main streets because we both agreed it would be a great story. We shopped around and got bocadillos (a sandwich made of a baguette with anything from ham to calamari on it) until it was time for me to leave for the soccer game. I met 3 of my good friends from the program outside of Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, one of the coolest places I have ever been as a sports fan.
But what we found inside was much cooler! The soccer field was gigantic and because it was a night game (9:00) the field was under the lights! The culture of a European soccer game is something everyone should experience once. A sea of jerseys, scarves, and horns were jumping up and down, chanting, and dancing. Luckily, we chose a game where Real Madrid scored 5 times and had 2 penalty kicks inside the box. I remember when the first goal was scored, the feeling I had was indescribable. I was connected to a bunch of rowdy Spaniards by our united feeling of pure and crazed happiness. I can without a doubt say the soccer game was one of my favorite things I had ever done, let alone in Europe.
The next morning two of my roommates and I woke up early to go to the Rastro. The Rastro is a street market that opens in Madrid on every Sunday morning. Vendors sell items from scarves to prints to jewelry and everything in between. After experiencing the leather markets in Florence it was hard to compare but it was still a Madrileno experience I was happy to get under my belt. After spending the morning walking around the market I met a friend at Starbucks to begin the painful experience of studying for finals.
Finals took up the majority of Monday and Tuesday since I had my History of Spanish Painting, Management of Cultural Heritage, and History of Madrid exams right in a row. Wednesday morning I finished my last exam, Spanish Language for Business, and then my roommate and I got on the metro en route to the Madrid Open. The Madrid Open is a qualifying event featuring names like Andy Roddick, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, the Williams Sisters and many more. Jenn and I got to not only show a little USA pride by supporting our American players but also got to sit center court and watch Rafael Nadal play on the red Spanish clay court. That day we watched Megan Shaughnessy, John Isner, Rafael Nadal, and the Williams sisters. We had a great time and we were so lucky to get the opportunity to do such a thing in our Madrid.
I also made an effort to go visit the beautiful royal botanical gardens, a pretty plot of land along the beautiful Paseo del Prado and near the museum. The only way to express the tranquility and beauty of the gardens is through pictures so enjoy:
The day had finally arrived, my last day in Madrid and my roommate and I ended it with a bang with the most Spanish thing we could imagine. Jenn's parents flew in Thursday morning for the beginning of their week through Europe with Jenn. After resting off the jet-lag they took us to a bullfight. The magnificent bullfighting ring is one metro stop away at Las Ventas and is the only building with the old Spanish look among the modern city buildings. Upon entering the rink the Spaniards were all sitting on concrete stands eating sunflower seeds and drinking beer like any other American sporting event. What we weren't expecting was the sporting event we were about witness. It was violent, bloody, and almost hard to watch as the matadors took about 20 minutes to entirely kill the bull. Nevertheless we had a great time and it was a perfect way to end the semester...like true Madrilenos!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
No Paris? Let's go to the beach!
Jenn and I had planned yet another trip to Paris the third weekend in April but unfortunately the volcano had other plans for us. Jenn and I were both very upset about spending an entire semester in Europe and not being able to see Paris! Therefore we decided to do something to cheer us up...find the beach. We went to the bus station and found a secure way of traveling to the coast that the volcano had no ability to ruin. After buying two tickets to Malaga, we found ourselves on the coast six hours later.
We stayed in a little town on the Costa del Sol (located in Andalucia in very southern Spain) called Torremolinos, a short ride down the coast from the big town of Malaga. The weather was perfect for the entire weekend and Jenn and I had a great time doing nothing but sitting and reading on the beach. I will say it was not as good as Sunset but it cured our frustration from Paris and gave us some good time of relaxing before the craze of exams started. The entire weekend was 80+ and the Mediterranean was beautiful! Our hotel was perfect as we overlooked the Mediterranean and the hotel pool and had our own kitchenette so we could relax and cook when we didn't want to get dressed to go in public. We went to the super market the first day and got plenty of food. We made tacos one night, and of course had cold cuts and salt an vinegar potato chips for lunch every day. I loved the FANTASTIC seafood we had as well! We did have to get used to one thing, that I was not prepared for - European sunbathing. Topless women (of ALL shapes, sizes, and ages) and men in speedos were everywhere! It was a glorious 3 days on the beach (minus the sun burn). Here are a few pictures:
The beautiful beach!
Excited about the palm trees
Our Mexican meal the first night!
Jenn enjoying the wonderful seafood
Night photo of our hotel
Swimming in the Mediterranean! It was FREEZING
We stayed in a little town on the Costa del Sol (located in Andalucia in very southern Spain) called Torremolinos, a short ride down the coast from the big town of Malaga. The weather was perfect for the entire weekend and Jenn and I had a great time doing nothing but sitting and reading on the beach. I will say it was not as good as Sunset but it cured our frustration from Paris and gave us some good time of relaxing before the craze of exams started. The entire weekend was 80+ and the Mediterranean was beautiful! Our hotel was perfect as we overlooked the Mediterranean and the hotel pool and had our own kitchenette so we could relax and cook when we didn't want to get dressed to go in public. We went to the super market the first day and got plenty of food. We made tacos one night, and of course had cold cuts and salt an vinegar potato chips for lunch every day. I loved the FANTASTIC seafood we had as well! We did have to get used to one thing, that I was not prepared for - European sunbathing. Topless women (of ALL shapes, sizes, and ages) and men in speedos were everywhere! It was a glorious 3 days on the beach (minus the sun burn). Here are a few pictures:
The beautiful beach!
Excited about the palm trees
Our Mexican meal the first night!
Jenn enjoying the wonderful seafood
Night photo of our hotel
Swimming in the Mediterranean! It was FREEZING
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Spring Break: Rome
After our relaxing time in one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, Jenn and I headed back to the Naples Central Station en route to Roma! We boarded TrenItalia for the last time and found ourselves in the same train car as a Wofford professor and his family. I was so happy that all the way across the world I found a piece of home right in my own train car! After arriving in Rome after another beautiful 2 hour train ride we checked into our hotel and met up with Jenn's friend from school, who is studying Paris, and her friend from her Paris program.
Jenn and I started off the day with the Colosseum but after finally finding among the crowd of people found out that it was closing early due to the Pope's Via Crucis that he does every Good Friday.
After realizing we didn't have enough time to go in both the Colosseum and the Forum we decided to aimlessly walk around Rome and take in the sights along the way. We ended up at the Trevi Fountain where we somehow battled the crowd long enough to make a wish and toss a coin in the fountain.
Rome was probably the craziest place to be the weekend of Easter but we somehow managed to battle the crowds. After making our wish and hanging out at Trevi Fountain we continued to the Pantheon. Unfortunately there was restoration projects taking place on the outside of the Pantheon and an Easter Mass taking place in the inside so we weren't fully able to experience the Pantheon but it was still just as old- looking and cool.
From the Pantheon we walked through a bunch of shopping districts in Rome where we drooled over the window shopping once again. Our trek through the shopping streets finally led us to the Spanish Steps where you could only actually make out one or two stairs due to the amount of tourists sitting on them!
Jenn and I thought it was pretty neat that Spain had its own plaza in Rome and especially that it was complete with 3 perfect palm trees and fountains in the middle! Since we had spent the whole day walking aimlessly around Rome we were worn out and returned to our hotel to shower and get ready for dinner. We are spoiled with the million metro lines in Madrid because we were very disappointed with the 2 lines Rome had running around the perimeter of the city that forced us to walk more than we preferred to walk! Needless to say we got some exercise!
After showering and resting for a little the four of us ate dinner outside at a side street cafe in which we all satiated our craving for Italian pasta!
We then decided to go hang out around the Trevi Fountain by night and eat gelato. The street vendors decided to take a liking to me as they offered me roses, tried to give me kisses, and begged to take pictures with me.
Tossing my penny in the Trevi Fountain to make my wish come true!
After I had had enough of that we finally returned to our hotel knowing we had a BUSY day ahead of us.
Jenn and I decided to wake up early and head back to the Colosseum to do the full tour inside on a beautiful day. We were beyond amazed by the size and the history of the Colosseum... we could almost picture Russell Crowe fighting!
Reenacting The Gladiator...I chose for the gladiator to live, and Jenn did not!
The four of us had reservations for the Vatican Tour at 1:30 so we hurried over to Vatican City to start one of the longest tours I have ever been a part of. In my head we would walk in to the Vatican to find the Sistine Chapel and then leave. Let me just say that after about 180 rooms, filled with the Easter weekend tourists, I was ready to see the Sistine Chapel. It was different than I had pictured but still amazing and beautiful. Along with the Sistine Chapel we saw ancient Egyptian ruins and mummies, statues, tapestries, and beautiful artwork.
My illegal picture of the Sistine Chapel
The famous part of the Sistine Chapel!
The tour wore us all out as it took us almost 4 hours (by the end we were running through rooms trying to get to the Sistine Chapel finally). We decided to get gelato and then go sit and hang out in St. Peter's Square. St. Peter's square was crowded yet still stunning with the sun setting on the basilica.
After gaining our energy back we returned to our hotel to get ready for dinner and my 21st birthday night. We went to dinner near our hotel and once again got our fill of wonderful pasta, bruschetta, and bread.
Some other guys from our program who were also in Rome for the weekend came and joined us and then we all headed down to Piazza Spagna after dinner to find a bar to celebrate my 21st! Unfortunately since it was the night before Easter Sunday, not many bars or anything were open. We eventually found a restaurant to get a late night snack and some drinks and with a waiter willing to check my id. It was fun to sit around and listen to their music while eating and drinking but it made me a little homesick on my birthday. I missed being with my family and friends on my birthday!
The next morning we woke up EARLY to eat breakfast before heading to St. Peter's Square for Easter Mass. I was in a bad mood since I had to stand in line with a million other people with umbrellas in the rain but I soon realized my mood needed to disappear because I was about to take part in something rare for a lot of people. After 3 hours we finally entered the square to find the Pope on the big screen delivering something in Italian. Once I stopped and took in the scenery and the beautiful hymns in the background I felt connected to God at one of the most wonderful religious sites in the world! It was a really neat experience that not many people are able to do in a lifetime and I know am very lucky to have taken part in the mass!
We sat in the square for a little while listening to the Italian service and the beautiful songs and then went to get Italian paninis and a street-corner cafe near the Vatican. The rest of the group decided to go see the Palatino and the Forum but unfortunately my sinuses had other plans for me. I was feeling very under the weather and the rain and cold were not helping so I decided to head back to our hotel for a nap.
Unfortunately being sick and alone in a hotel room on a cold and rainy day with nothing but Italian on the t.v does not lead to the most optimistic attitude. I also could not get in touch with my family and friends making me feel very alone on what was supposed to be a BIG birthday! Jenn finally returned back to the hotel and could tell I was feeling a little off. Knowing me well, she decided to make me feel better she would try to give me a little piece of home...the Hard Rock Cafe! Without missing a beat she found the Hard Rock in Rome and took me for my birthday dinner. We got enormous hamburgers and fun drinks and listened to music that reminded us of home.
Jenn about to chow down...don't worry mine looked just as good!
It was the perfect solution and I finally felt great about my birthday. It was the perfect ending to a perfect spring break and 10 of the most action packed, fun, and culture rich days of my life. I am so lucky to have gotten the opportunity to travel throughout four very different regions of Italy and experience parts of the world many people have never seen. I will never forget this Spring Break and all the things I fit into the last 10 days because I truly learned so much while having the best time in what turned out to be my favorite place I have ever traveled to in the world. Ciao Bella!
Jenn and I started off the day with the Colosseum but after finally finding among the crowd of people found out that it was closing early due to the Pope's Via Crucis that he does every Good Friday.
After realizing we didn't have enough time to go in both the Colosseum and the Forum we decided to aimlessly walk around Rome and take in the sights along the way. We ended up at the Trevi Fountain where we somehow battled the crowd long enough to make a wish and toss a coin in the fountain.
Rome was probably the craziest place to be the weekend of Easter but we somehow managed to battle the crowds. After making our wish and hanging out at Trevi Fountain we continued to the Pantheon. Unfortunately there was restoration projects taking place on the outside of the Pantheon and an Easter Mass taking place in the inside so we weren't fully able to experience the Pantheon but it was still just as old- looking and cool.
From the Pantheon we walked through a bunch of shopping districts in Rome where we drooled over the window shopping once again. Our trek through the shopping streets finally led us to the Spanish Steps where you could only actually make out one or two stairs due to the amount of tourists sitting on them!
Jenn and I thought it was pretty neat that Spain had its own plaza in Rome and especially that it was complete with 3 perfect palm trees and fountains in the middle! Since we had spent the whole day walking aimlessly around Rome we were worn out and returned to our hotel to shower and get ready for dinner. We are spoiled with the million metro lines in Madrid because we were very disappointed with the 2 lines Rome had running around the perimeter of the city that forced us to walk more than we preferred to walk! Needless to say we got some exercise!
After showering and resting for a little the four of us ate dinner outside at a side street cafe in which we all satiated our craving for Italian pasta!
We then decided to go hang out around the Trevi Fountain by night and eat gelato. The street vendors decided to take a liking to me as they offered me roses, tried to give me kisses, and begged to take pictures with me.
Tossing my penny in the Trevi Fountain to make my wish come true!
After I had had enough of that we finally returned to our hotel knowing we had a BUSY day ahead of us.
Jenn and I decided to wake up early and head back to the Colosseum to do the full tour inside on a beautiful day. We were beyond amazed by the size and the history of the Colosseum... we could almost picture Russell Crowe fighting!
Reenacting The Gladiator...I chose for the gladiator to live, and Jenn did not!
The four of us had reservations for the Vatican Tour at 1:30 so we hurried over to Vatican City to start one of the longest tours I have ever been a part of. In my head we would walk in to the Vatican to find the Sistine Chapel and then leave. Let me just say that after about 180 rooms, filled with the Easter weekend tourists, I was ready to see the Sistine Chapel. It was different than I had pictured but still amazing and beautiful. Along with the Sistine Chapel we saw ancient Egyptian ruins and mummies, statues, tapestries, and beautiful artwork.
My illegal picture of the Sistine Chapel
The famous part of the Sistine Chapel!
The tour wore us all out as it took us almost 4 hours (by the end we were running through rooms trying to get to the Sistine Chapel finally). We decided to get gelato and then go sit and hang out in St. Peter's Square. St. Peter's square was crowded yet still stunning with the sun setting on the basilica.
After gaining our energy back we returned to our hotel to get ready for dinner and my 21st birthday night. We went to dinner near our hotel and once again got our fill of wonderful pasta, bruschetta, and bread.
Some other guys from our program who were also in Rome for the weekend came and joined us and then we all headed down to Piazza Spagna after dinner to find a bar to celebrate my 21st! Unfortunately since it was the night before Easter Sunday, not many bars or anything were open. We eventually found a restaurant to get a late night snack and some drinks and with a waiter willing to check my id. It was fun to sit around and listen to their music while eating and drinking but it made me a little homesick on my birthday. I missed being with my family and friends on my birthday!
The next morning we woke up EARLY to eat breakfast before heading to St. Peter's Square for Easter Mass. I was in a bad mood since I had to stand in line with a million other people with umbrellas in the rain but I soon realized my mood needed to disappear because I was about to take part in something rare for a lot of people. After 3 hours we finally entered the square to find the Pope on the big screen delivering something in Italian. Once I stopped and took in the scenery and the beautiful hymns in the background I felt connected to God at one of the most wonderful religious sites in the world! It was a really neat experience that not many people are able to do in a lifetime and I know am very lucky to have taken part in the mass!
We sat in the square for a little while listening to the Italian service and the beautiful songs and then went to get Italian paninis and a street-corner cafe near the Vatican. The rest of the group decided to go see the Palatino and the Forum but unfortunately my sinuses had other plans for me. I was feeling very under the weather and the rain and cold were not helping so I decided to head back to our hotel for a nap.
Unfortunately being sick and alone in a hotel room on a cold and rainy day with nothing but Italian on the t.v does not lead to the most optimistic attitude. I also could not get in touch with my family and friends making me feel very alone on what was supposed to be a BIG birthday! Jenn finally returned back to the hotel and could tell I was feeling a little off. Knowing me well, she decided to make me feel better she would try to give me a little piece of home...the Hard Rock Cafe! Without missing a beat she found the Hard Rock in Rome and took me for my birthday dinner. We got enormous hamburgers and fun drinks and listened to music that reminded us of home.
Jenn about to chow down...don't worry mine looked just as good!
It was the perfect solution and I finally felt great about my birthday. It was the perfect ending to a perfect spring break and 10 of the most action packed, fun, and culture rich days of my life. I am so lucky to have gotten the opportunity to travel throughout four very different regions of Italy and experience parts of the world many people have never seen. I will never forget this Spring Break and all the things I fit into the last 10 days because I truly learned so much while having the best time in what turned out to be my favorite place I have ever traveled to in the world. Ciao Bella!
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