¡Hola Barcelona!

Sorry for the delay...

Oh my, where to begin!

The 12 of us landed in Barcelona on Friday at 7am. It was really complicated trying to figure out the different metro lines when we were all delirious from lack of sleep and need of nutrition, but we found our hostel, Kabul, at about 9:30am. It ended up being super amazing, with a great view, but unfortunately we couldn’t check in until 12 because they didn’t have enough beds for us. So they locked up our luggage for us and we decided to suck it up, explore the town, and sleep after check-in.

So we found a place to have breakfast, bought a map, and started walking. I really liked the city, it is really gorgeous and it reminded me of Catares, the first place we stayed in Spain. It was a big city, but it wasn’t nearly as metropolitan as Madrid. I poorly compared them as the difference between LA and San Diego.
We walked everywhere, fed some pigeons, and this really cool basilica called the Sagrada Familia which it is HUGE and has been under construction forever. We also saw a bunch of random stuff throughout the city.


As we were wandering around we also saw these two Spanish guys playing basketball, and one of the people in our group suggested we go play with them. So they boys went over and asked if they wanted to play a game. So we did!! It was pretty awesome. Totally random, but the Spanish guys seemed to have a good time. There were like of our 6 boys so there were two teams of four, I forget who won. But it was awesome.


Anyway, once we made it back to the hostel I feel asleep for about 3 hours, then woke up and my friend Matt and I were the only people who were up so we walked around the city and tried to find our way around. I went to bed early but the rest of the people who managed to sleep went out and didn’t come back until later.

Satarday- Woke up and had breakfast at 9, once again Matt and I were the only ones awake, so we busted out the map and figured out where we wanted to go. We headed up to the Park Güell to see the Gaudi Museum. Antoni Gaudi was this amazing architect and I really love his style. It was AMAZING! We hung out at the park, I took tons of pictures, then we relaxed on this hill overlooking Barcelona for a while. Then we weren’t sure what to do, but we saw this crazy looking thing on a mountain, and our map it said it was a science museum. So we decided to try and figure out how to get there. We asked a lot of people and most told us to walk! People are nice in Barcelona… a lot nicer than the Madridians, but they didn’t know what they were talking about. So we walked… and walked…and walked.



*above is what they used as the runway on the last ANTM!

We finally found a trolley, waited for about 20 minutes, then hopped on. However, it took us up the mountain, and around the corner about 200ft. Then the line ended. Grand. So we just walked to look for the train up the mountain. So we walked… and walked… and walked…. And there was no train. So we kept walking. We decided we had walked so far we might as well continue to the very top of this mountain. We wanted to see, what we determined wasn’t a science museum, but a big satellite tower that happened to be near a cool cathedral. So the cathedral was our new destination. We got fed up with the long switchbacks and found a straight path up the mountain, so we followed it and ended up in the backyard of some house, then we found a road, hiked up that and finally reached the top… 2 hours later.


But the view from the top was spectacular, not to mention there was also an amusement park at the top, which, had it been opened, would have been really cool to go into. But we met some cool American kids studying in Barcelona and took the bus back down to the city with them (yes, it turns out there was a bus!!) They invited us to go out with them later, but we never made it. Oh well! We got back into Barcelona, hit up a cool vegan smoothie place and I bought a piece of baklava! Then we headed back the hostel, went out to eat, then hung out around town and ended up in bed at about 1am. Our flight was at 10am and we weren’t totally sure how to get to the airport, so to be safe we took off at 7am.

Got back to Madrid safe and sound. Exploring Barcelona was so cool, this may sound strange, but for the first time I really felt like I was in a foreign country. It is still not totally real that I am in Spain, and I didn’t think it will really click until I got back home, so I am glad I feel it now. But I had such a great time. We have a break from traveling this weekend, but the next weekend we are going to Granada, Spain then the weekend after that we are going to Cadiz, Spain. I am excited about Granada, but Cadiz is going to be AMAZING, we are going for Carnival. It is the third largest carnival in the WORLD! First is Rio, then Jamaica, then CADIZ! I am super stoked, there are tons of Suffolk people going and it is MANDATORY that you dress up! I am stoked!

<3 Until next time… Chau

¡Hola Barcelona!

Hey, Just to let ya´ll know I am in Barcelona. I only have about a minute left on this computer, but I am here until sunday, rocking out. I´ll post lots of cool pics when I get back.

As my friend Konrad says,
Peace, love, stop the war in Vietnam...

*SNOW*

Okay so I was in the snow today!! I think it lasted about 5 minutes, but it was still cool! No pics, sorry, it was so light I could barely see it!

I have to pack for Barcelona. We leave at 6am. And because the metro opens at 6am, we are going to have to take a cab. However, my friends who were here last semester found a way around that by taking the metro to the airport at 12:30am, and then sleeping there so they don't have to pay an expensive cab fare. ANYWAY, I don't think that is going to happen. I am going over to Sandy's later and sleeping on her couch, then me and three others are gonna share a cab in the morning, I doubt it will be that expensive.

I don't know if I will be able to post over the weekend, but I will be sure to tell you all the details when I return. Chau!

I am Such a Loser

The past few days haven't been too interesting... sorry. But today it was brought to my attention that while I was sitting online there was all Madrid to discover. So I decided to walk around the town, I grabbed lunch at this cool restaurant called something like Euro Kabab Istambul. It was really good food and I chilled there for about an hour and read Atlas Shrugged, which I seriously CANNOT put down, it is SO good.

Basically, I walked around, connected myself to the city, figured out where stuff was in relation to me, found cool food places, ect. It was fun, but oh so cold. I walked for about 2 hours and I think the temperature was about 35 or so. It is supposed to snow tomorrow, I will let you know how that goes.

Lastly, this weekend I am heading up to Barcelona, should be tons of fun. I will be sure to post the pics!

<3

Um... SNOW?

Here is the weather forecast for tonight and tomorrow in Madrid...

Tonight: Rain showers this evening mixing with snow showers overnight. Low 28F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precip 40%.

Tomorrow: Snow showers early. Peeks of sunshine later. High 39F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 40%

Alright, SNOW!?!?!?!?! I did not expect this. However, once I actually have to go to class, it will most likely have stopped snowing and have just turned to water.

Actually, the above picture is how it looked in Madrid in February... So much snow! I hope I actually get to experience it and not just curse it. AH!!

USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, I did something today that I don't even do in the States... Eat at McDonalds. And, even though I dispise McDonalds. It hit the spot. Luckily Sandy and I had just walked for about an hour and a half straight, going from Puerta Del Sol to El Rastro (the big flea market) so I am sure my health is not in danger. Funny thing is, this McDonalds was next to a Burger King and KFC. I guess they like to stick together.

Also at El Rastro today I got a great travel bag for my Barcelona trip this coming weekend. I love going there because there is just so much stuff, however it is pickpocket central so you can never relax while you are there.

And tonight Sandy, me and someother people are going to head down the street to this pub called O'Connells to watch a Patriots game. I don't care terribly for American football but it is like little USA inside that place. Everyone speaks English. Although I do love Spain, it is simply a nice break from having to concentrate so hard while people are speaking spanish to you. Oh well, I orderd my burger in Spanish today, and tonight I can order chicken wings in English. <3

Check out my new album of stolen pictures... this top one is from O'Connells last Sunday..


Stolen Pics

Real-Madrid Futbol Game

Last night I went to a REAL-MADRID FUTBOL GAME! Aka. Soccer. It is the team David Beckham is leaving to come to the LA Galaxy…. Don’t even get any Spaniards started on that one… But anyway, it was crazy. The game was a tie and people were seriously peeved because Madrid scored two goals, but the refs didn’t count them, I think they were off-sides or something, but I couldn’t hear English over the Spanish swearing, let alone hear the muted Spanish announcer.
Also there was some seriously nasty language coming from two nine year olds behind me.
Here is a clip of some of the action....

I am SOOO European... well...

After today, one look at me and you will swear I was born in Europe. Well... okay my blond hair and Abercrombie jeans probably still give me away, but whatever. The point is I went shopping. Dad, please hold back screams. Because the secret to shopping in Spain is to go in January or August, because of one wonderful pearl of a word…Rebajas. Translation = SALES! Every store in Spain has giant rebajas signs in the front of the store and a lot of stuff is 50% off. It is great!

Okay so basically I bought tights, two jean skirts, one is blue jean, the other is dark gray. I also got a deep green skirt, two cute pattern sweaters, a black grandma sweater that is really long, a necklace, and two purses.
We broke up a long day of shopping with lunch at Plaza Mayor. It was amazing.




Lastly, here is the link to my latest Facebook Album Madrid Life

My Address!

***UPDATED***

My address was only up temporarily... since I know you all just can't wait to send me stuff. Feel free to email me for it, if you need it. <3

Barcelona Here I Come!

I booked my first weekend trip today!! Next weekend, I will be exploring the likes of Barcelona. I am pretty stoked. I fly out at 6am Friday and come back at 10am Sunday!! I´ll keep you all posted!

The Metro Sucks

I think the metro is cool and all but it takes me 45 freaking minutes to get to school!!!!! And today was the first day of class and it was long. I have a 2 ½ hour break after lunch and I have no idea what I am supposed to do? It took me like 5 minutes to do all my homework and I spent the rest of the time on Facebook being a useless human.

I am very tired. So I won’t burden you with too much info.
Here are my classes…

Mon/Wed 2:15-3:45 – Intro to International Business
Tue/Thurs 12:30-2:00- Politics of the Middle East
2:15-3:45- Elementary Spanish
6:15-7:45- Astronomy

And to answer my mothers questions…..

Yes, my classes are taught in English
No, I do not have to do my own laundry, Lidia does is every Monday, the washer is in the kitchen, next to the dishwasher. It’s so cute, there are no dryers so my clothes hang outside to dry. Very quaint. Then apparently she irons them to perfection, but she hasn’t done laundry let, so when that does happen, I’ll let you know how perfect they are.
Btw Mom, since you made me do my own laundry since I was 13 I appreciate Lidia’s washing more than most people can even understand!

<3 you all, I miss you dearly, I am now going to go watch episode three of 24

Suffolk Madrid Orientation

Okay so today was my first day traveling on the Metro.
It was very exciting. It takes me a while to get to school but the lines are really easy to understand. My senora went with us to school to show us the way, and it was so cute. She was like our mom dropping us off on our first day of kindergarten!



However, I do despise orientations of any kind. Today the Suffolk University people gave us our class schedules and told us all the rules ect. It was all quite annoying, however we did get a tour of the area around campus, the told us where to get cheap food and school supplies so that was cool. There is this store called La Tiende Verde, which means The Green Store, and it is literally a hole in the wall, but it is super cheap. For 5 euro I got a HUGE sandwich (the American kind!) a Bueno bar (chocolate with hazelnut inside) and a Coke Zero.

I also got see my friend Sandy’s apartment right near school, and it is pretty nice/huge, however I think, even though my room is small, that I prefer living with Lidia. Because the apartment kids have to make their own food and wash their own clothes, which totally sucks especially because there is not a single dryer in this country, and me and clotheslines to not have a friendly history. Oh yeah, I think I forgot to mention I don’t have to do laundry!!! I am very excited.


I apologize for my lack of pictures at the moment. I promise to take my camera out with me tomorrow. I will also post my class schedule as soon as I confirm it all.

I feel like you all have questions about Madrid and where I am staying, ect. So PLEASE por favor, leave me a comment and ask and I will gladly answer you! <3 adios

Hot Tunes In Spain

Um... everyone in Spain is in love with Paulina Rubio...

I thought I would share the love

My favorite song is called Que Me Voy a Quedar.. but I couldn't find the video for it, so I posted two other popular ones... enjoy.

Pictures!

Okay, I just used Photobucket. However, the function to let me create an album wasnt working, so there are some random ones at the end that are not from Spain. I am sure you will be able to tell. Just ignore them.

<3 goce

Pictures from Spain: Truillo, Catares y Merida

Finally in Madrid

I finally am in Madrid, it is a big city but it really isn’t overwhelming. The thing that is overwhelming is the fact that I suck at Spanish. In fact, my roommate and I were met by our host mother today. Her name is Lidia and she is very sweet and reminds me of my grandma. However, she ONLY speaks Spanish. And I can only understand like 30% of what she says.

Also my room is beyond tiny, and I share it with Tara, who I have decided is cool. Seriously this whole house feels like the cabin of a sailboat… that is how small it is. However Lidia is super nice and she is a good cook. I am going to go to the flea market in the morning with some people and wander around for a while so that I can orient myself. My roomie is sleeping so I’m keeping this short. Goodnight all!!

Sorry about the pics, any ideas of a good website to have host them?! That is the only reason for their delay.

Weird things in Spain…

1. It is rude to stretch in public or to yawn
2. It is rude to eat while walking, or even just standing around. There are no to-go cups or bags. Eating is a very formal affair.
3. It is totally normal to stare, people are shameless about it.
4. If you leave the lights on you have committed a holy sin, and will be burned alive
5. You are never supposed to be on time, for parties an hour late is best
6. No one takes home doggy bags from restaurants
7. No one grinds (grinding is how most US kids dance, it gets pretty dirty)
8. No one understands the concept of a line… but somehow everyone knows who’s next
9. You always wear plastic gloves when picking out fruit
10. You always bag your own groceries, and you’ve got to be speedy about it.
11. It is rude to be loud in bars, especially if you are speaking English
12. Mullets are in.
13. Eggs and milk aren’t refrigerated. Once you open the milk then you refrigerate it. But milk here is super pasteurized—it can have a shelf life of several months.
14. Never smile at strangers, especially on the metro, they will think you are a freak
15. No one wears baseball hats—very American
16. And despite the greatest of attempts, you will always smell of smoke.

I'll post more as I figure them out...

I survived the cold!

Today we took a tour of Cateres, which is the third best medieval town in the world to tour. It is where we are staying and it is really pretty. It was about 34 degrees during our 3 hour walking tour through the city, and I don’t think I have ever been in such cold!! However, I was well prepared, I had so many layers it would have put an onion to shame. We bought sweets from a nunnery where the nuns never leave, so you put the € down and then this thing spins, you tell them what you want, and it spins back with the sweets on it. It was very quaint.

Right now I am in the internet café around the corner from the hotel and it is pretty chill place, I will try and post pictures today or tomorrow, I keep forgetting to bring my camera with me when I come here!

Anyway, last night was the best one so far. We went all over town and danced the night away. Our huge mob of people was funny because wherever we went people wanted to talk to us because we spoke English, and I had my first encounter with, “The very forward Spanish Man,” we have all been warned about. He was very excited that I was from California and wanted to dance with me but luckily my friend Sandy and I worked out a plan for this certain scenario in which we simply act like Spanish women. Which means that we completely ignore them and pretend like they don’t exist, then dance with one another. It works flawlessly.

It is quite funny because Spanish men are so forward only because Spanish women treat them like dirt. It takes a Spanish guy 5 hours just to get a number from a Spanish girl, so naturally they think American girls are super easy hahaha.

Anyway I’ve made some pretty cool friends so far, most are from Boston, which is resulting in me suddenly acquiring a Boston accent. Mostly because Sandy, the girl I hang out with the most has the best stereotypical accent ever!

Lastly, I found out that I am living near the Prado which is famous museum in Spain, and it is in the center of all the action, near the subway and all the good bus stops. Unfortunately I am living with this girl Tara, who I haven’t quite figured out yet. Hopefully she isn’t a sloo. Also I live with just one woman and we all share one bathroom. Which also sucks because there are defiantly people here who get their own room and bathroom!! Oh well, I’ll get over it.

Okay dinner is about to be served, so I have to head back.

Goodnight!

OH Dear. I am in Madrid…

Well, as of now I am not in Madrid, I am in Catares, which is a city to the west of Madrid, almost to Portugal. It is in the poorer area of Spain and although it is a big city with some very cool looking castle-things it is rarely visited by Americans so they are all very friendly and want to talk to us.

I arrived in Madrid yesterday at about 11am Madrid time, or 2am Pacific. It was pretty much awful. I waited for my luggage for about 30 minutes before I finally asked someone where it was and they told me I was in the wrong place. Then, once I finally found my way to the right area I found myself with one bag…. And I left LA with TWO bags! So at this point I pretty much burst into tears because I had been traveling for 24 hours, I was an emotional wreck, and now I had no clothes, because the one bag that did arrive only had shoes and random

So I filed a claim with the airline and they said they thought it might be in Frankfurt, which was in no way comforting. So, I poorly navigated my way through the airport where the people from the school were supposed to pick me up. However, they were nowhere to be found. I had been trying to call them since my flight had been delayed in Frankfurt and when I landed in Madrid, but their numbers weren’t working. Finally I bought some crackers so I could get some change to make a call and the woman found me and I was able to make it over to the hotel.

THANKFULLY, this morning I was informed that my luggage existed, and was being flown into Madrid, so it didn’t fall into the Atlantic and I should get it Thursday morning.

Okay this is going to be a long post because I haven’t had internet for a while, and I don’t know when I will get it again….

But Spain is awesome! I love it, it is cool, I am excited about it, I am happy to be here. But dear God, I miss the people I love so bad! There are times when I am like crazy happy/adrenaline pumped and times when I would come home in a heartbeat. I find it is much better when I don’t think of it as 4 months away from everyone, and more of a vacation, that just won’t be ending anytime soon.

In total there about 150ish people here, which is way more than I expected, and about 15 of the students were here last semester and they all say that the first month is hard because you have to adjust, move in with your family and start school. But after that the time flies! So yeah, I know I will be happy here, I like it a lot, it is a really chill place and it feels very safe.

I will keep posting as long at this internet keeps up! And I will start posting pictures. I saw the most amazing Roman ruins today, so those will be the first up!


<3 Sarah


ps. For those who dont know, I am 9 hours ahead of Pacific Standard time

New Year, New You!

HAHA, I watched myself on the Tyra Banks show today. I went to see a live taping with a couple of friends on December 5th, and it just aired yestarday. I was the first person to hug Tyra, but other than that, I wasn't really featured, nor was I expecting to be. But the title of the show was "New Year, New You," and it was relativly boring. I was hoping Tyra would do something a little more outrageous, like she did here.

Anyway, Happy New Year, ect. I have a lot of things to do before I leave for Spain, I will be posting soon.

<3