Hasta luego

In Spain, they do this thing where whenever you leave somewhere, they say "luego" (which means "later") instead of "adios" (bye).  Even in a situation where it's obvious I'll never return, like a snack store in Ibiza or, hopefully, the doctor's office in Madrid, the people smile and say, "luego!" as I walk out the door.

I've also noticed people on the streets say "luego" instead of "hello" whenever they pass by friends as well.  The man on the corner snack stand waves "later" every time I pass by. In a way it makes sense, because anyone you are greeting you are probably going to see later.

It's taken me a while to get used to this slight cultural difference. I'm always sputtering, "Goodbye!"when I leave places. But today is the day that I'm finally sinking in to the Spanish way. As I make my way to the airport this morning, I don't want to say "adios" to anyone. My time in Spain has been amazing, and I have no doubt in my mind I want to come back. So I really mean it when instead of saying bye, I just say, "See ya later!"

Which is what I am about to go say to Mercedes right now. And though it's going to be hard and emotional, it has to be done because I heard there's this woman in the U.S. whose name also starts with an M who REALLY wants to give me a hug.

Burnt to a crisp

Welllllll, my whole non-responsibility thing continued as I got seriously sunburnt on my back yesterday. I'd been doing a good job of re-applying sunscreen and even covering myself up with clothes, but a mid-afternoon nap did me in. Two hours tummy down = super red.

Epiphany of today: traveling with sunburn is very uncomfortable. Especially when your back is what's burnt, and the only thing you're carrying is a bookbag.

So as terrible as sunburn is normally, I highly recommend taking extra precautions on the days before traveling. Hopefully this redness will fade some before my epic voyage back stateside tomorrow!
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Tanning trends

Being on the Spanish beaches for the past few days has been amazing. The water is beautiful, and the sand is great as well.

The perfectly blue tint of the water is not the only thing that distinguishes the European beaches from the American ones though. The dress code is distinctly different. Guys sport speed-o's, even if they aren't on swim team. Girls walk around topless and in thongs like it's no big deal.

Though I'd heard this is true on beaches over here, it was definitely different to experience it first hand. On one hand it's pretty weird, but it's also kind of just laid back.

Soooooo, how far did my friends and I take our whole study abroad mission to soak up the Spanish culture? That's just going to have to remain a mystery.

Hostel of the year award

This is the view from the patio of our hostel room. For 11 euros each per night, I was not expecting a patio, much less a view that includes beautiful blue water!

I kept thinking there must be a catch to our hostel here since it was dirt cheap. It all seemed too good to be true -- we got a private room with 3 beds (I'm with two friends), breakfast included, and it's right across the street from the beach.

But it all exceeded my expectations. The room is great, and having our own space is nice after a few nights in a crowded dorm in Valencia. And the breakfast includes cereal! So I'm happy.

We determined that the two main reasons we got such a steal are that it's still off season (summer hasn't officially started here), and we are only staying on weeknights. It's actually nice having less crowds.. More sand space for us.

I am thoroughly pleased that my last European hostel experienced turned out to be the cheapest AND the most luxurious. Definitely a good way to wrap up study abroad.
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Free as we'll ever be

Finished with finals and not yet on to summer internships, yesterday my friends and I celebrated our "responsibility-free" day. That was our theme as we played all day and acted like kids.

We started out the day by sleeping in. Then we went to the Mercat Central, which happens to be Europe's largest food market. We bought whatever our little hearts desired to prepare a picnic. The best decision we made was to each compile our own little bags of trail mix from the nuts stand.

Next stop was the bike rental store. I took the whole non-responsibility thing to an extreme and wiped out in the first five minutes from not paying attention to where I was pedaling. Anyways, we biked through a gorgeous garden slash parks to the day. We stopped along the way to play on a giant rope playground along the way.

The beach was perfect. We got a great spot near the marina with a view of mountains in the distance. The beach wasn't too crowded because it's still a little early, which was nice. And the weather could not have been better.

On the way home we stopped at one more playground. This one was shaped like a giant man, and we rode slides down his belt.

Today though our worldly responsibilities resumed as we had to make it to the airport on time, which is actually kind of a struggle. But we made it, and we are in Ibiza waiting for our bus!
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All hail the Virgin

Yesterday as we wandered around Valencia, we discovered we were here for their holy day celebration. I first got a hint of this when I emerged from the train station to a plaza literally jam-packed with people and the sounds of bombs going off in the background (I think they were fireworks.)

Streets were lined with chairs on both sides, and we stumbled upon a security guard trying to explain to some tourists that they had to pay if they wanted to sit there. After helping bridge the language barrier between the two, we found out that a parade was taking place that night.

So we headed out to the streets with the Valencian population to watch the procession. Four members from every original Valencian family (there were about 700 families) marched in costume. It was really interesting to see the different adornments. Then the Valencian flag came down the streets, which everyone cheered for and threw flowers at.

The main attraction of the parade was a float with a statue of the Virgin Mary on it. Everyone cheered wildly and thew lots of rose petals on her. She was preceded and following by armed men, kind of like the secret service for the president. My favorite part was watching people standing from their apartment balconies in the streets that lined the parade. When they threw rose petals, it looked like it was raining flowers.

The impromptu parade was a nice surprise that made us feel like we really got to soak up the local culture!

Choo chooo

Well, I'm off to Valencia today. I'm taking the AVE, Spain's high-speed train, which will get me there in about two hours. I'm using up one of the extra days on my Eurail pass that my parents so graciously treated me to.

Eurail passes are really awesome if you're planning to travel around Europe. The catch is, you have to buy them before you come to Europe; they are specifically for tourists. They mail the pass to your U.S. address.  You don't necessarily have to plan out your exact trips, just how many days you are planning on traveling and what countries you will be traveling in. You can go ahead and make reservations beforehand online, or make them at train stations in Europe if you want flexibility.

I was able to weasel my way around the lack of planning ahead by having a pass delivered to my parents, who brought it over when they visited in March. I got a joint Spain-Italy pass, so I used it for my Spanish adventures with the parents and Italian galavanting with Aunt Jan.

Anyways, if you're considering roaming around Europe anytime in the near future, I'd recommend looking into these passes. They seem to end up being a lot cheaper than buying individual tickets, especially for the high-speed trains. Oh and did I mention there are youth discounts?

In the mean time,  I've got a train to catch. I need to make it to Valencia in time for lunch. I hear they have really good paella.

Taking out the trash

I spent the morning cramming all of my belongings into my suddenly super small suitcases. So naturally, that meant I spent a lot of time throwing things away. Without any sort of environmental consciousness, I just threw everything I didn't want into plastic bags.

Apparently recycling laws are more stringent in Spain than they are in America. (Do they even exist in America?) Mercedes informed me that if you are caught throwing a way a bunch of paper, you can get fined. So we separated out the paper and plastics into separate piles for recycling.

Then she told me she has to take my burned-out hair-dryer (oooops, adapter) to a "punto limpio," which translates to "clean point" to dispose of it. So she took that with her on her way to her daughter's house this afternoon.

And finally, she offered to take my unwanted clothes and shoes to donate to church tomorrow morning. So now those things won't go to waste.

I never realized so much thought can go into trash, and thanks to Mercedes, I am leaving Madrid in a much more environmentally-friendly manner.

Donezo.

Do not be alarmed. "Donezo" does not mean this blog is over. It just means my finals are! I'm officially done with my junior year of college, which is slightly disturbing. Before I distract myself with last-minute Madrid fun, I'm going to take a few minutes to reflect on the semester.

Though studying can be strenuous, I actually found myself more mentally fatigued out on the streets this semester. Speaking and listening in Spanish can be tiring.

Though a learned a TON of things inside the freezing classroom -- from contemporary Spanish politics and cinematographic techniques to phonetic symbols and proper pronunciation -- I learned even more outside of the classroom this semester. For example, I now have the knowledge of:

• How to read a map.
• Just how short I really am. (Seems like all of my pictures are angled up these days.)
• What a tremendously huge influence Jesus/religion has had on the world.
• How much I love breakfast. (Deprivation of real breakfast has been rough.)
• The importance of making a budget. (Particularly when dealing with all cash.)
• The difference between Gothic and Romantic style architecture.
• Communication is more than just verbal language. (Body language = so useful.)
• The true definition of "walking distance." (Hint: It's actually farther than across Vanderbilt's campus.)

Here are some of the wonderful friends I've made during my semester abroad. This was unanimously voted our favorite picture after our weekend "Sleepless in Barcelona."

Over and over though, the most basic lessons and epiphanies I've had in the past four months go back to the basics of Kindergarten. As my mom always tells me, being nice to people is one of the most important things in life. Love and friendship are super important, which is why I am excited to go back to the United States in eight days -- even though I've formed some great new relationships here, I can't wait to see my old friends and family, too.  

Overheard in Madrid

Eavesdropping is one of my favorite past-times. I use the excuse in Spain that it helps me improve my language to listen in on others' conversations. The truth is though that when I eavesdrop on the madrileños, I mainly just pick up phrases and the basic gist of what they are saying. And it is rarely very interesting.

What I do understand perfectly, on the other hand, are the English conversations I drop in on. And those are usually much more juicy because they think that no one around can understand. 

Hanging out in cafés, I've heard a girl rant about how her girlfriend cheated on her with their guy best friend and a group of English teachers complain about how annoying Americans are. On a run yesterday I heard a father call to his two-year-old son: "Come over here, slime ball." The Metro is also a gold mine for, "Ugh, I am having the worst cramps," or "Yeah, I hacked his fantasy basketball team last night."

It was very clear in all of these situations that the speakers did not think anyone around could comprehend their English, particularly as fast as they were speaking. I've gotten a lot of personal entertainment out of it all; it's interesting how people speak more uninhibitedly when they think others don't know what they are saying. 

Moral of the story: just because the menus or signs are in Spanish, doesn't mean that's the only language the people are you speak. I'm going to take this lesson back to the States by remembering not to publicly divulge any personal secrets in Spanish, because who knows when a native speaker may be lurking behind you.

No olive oil left behind

The above title, as stated by my friend Shannon, summarizes the Spanish mantra when it comes to eating. But how do Spaniards make sure they soak up every last drop on their plates?  The answer is simple..

Bread, bread, bread.

Freshly baked bread is a daily staple in the diet over here. Shops on every single corner bake baguettes every morning in their ovens and then sell them very cheaply. It seems like every household buys a fresh baguette every day. Walking down the streets you see people of all ages, from children to grandmothers carrying bread under their arms (ask my dad, it's a phenomenon). 

Bread is literally eaten with everything, and you know you are becoming a true Spaniard when you find yourself soaking up all leftover liquids on your plate with your extra slices of bread (as Shannon and I found ourselves doing at dinner this weekend. We truly have become madrileñas.)

The convenience and low cost of fresh bread has been a treat for me over here. Mercedes serves fresh bread as a side to all meals, and I've enjoyed it very much. She actually travels farther than the typical Spaniard to get her bread. Even though there are a couple places right next door, she crosses the street to go to La Fornata because she likes the employees there. (They always ask her how her grandson is doing.) 

Hey, neighbor

In the spring, the landscape of Madrid transforms completely. Blooming trees line the sidewalks with green; restaurants move all their tables outside; and ice cream stands pop up on every street corner.

The result is a warm atmosphere that invites everyone to come live on the streets. And thanks to this outdoor-focused life that promotes neighborhood camaraderie, I've finally accomplished my life goal of becoming a "regular" somewhere. At the snack stand on the corner closest to my apartment.

A man with a beanie runs the stand, which offers ice cream, drinks, and other munchies. I stopped spontaneously to get a water bottle a couple weeks ago, and as I paid, he smiled and said, "You're the runner. You run well."

It made me so happy that he recognized me, and his 1.5 liter water bottles for only 1 euro are a total bargain, so I started going back whenever I needed a refill. Even if I'm not buying anything, we wave as I walk past (which I do every time I leave the house) and say "See ya later!"

The best part -- now when I make the turn towards the park on my runs, he throws me a giant thumbs up! It makes me feel like I'm running a road race every day. It's funny how simple things like being friends with your neighbor can brighten your day.

Celebrate good times

People around the world may be celebrating Osama bin Laden's death, but madrileños have been celebrating today for years. Dos de mayo is a local holiday, celebrated only in this autonomous community of Spain. Which means there are no classes at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, yipeeeee!

The purpose of the holiday is to commemorate the revolt against French troops that were occupying Madrid in 1808. This rebellion instigated the Spanish War of Independence, which lasted all the way until April of 1814.

The actual holiday is kind of similar to Labor Day in the U.S. There aren't any huge celebrations, besides a few parades, etc. The main things are that many stores are closed and school is cancelled. I walked by the "Dos de mayo" plaza to see if anything special was going on, but it was just a bunch of people hanging out, eating, and playing soccer like usual. Though it was very crowded. 

"Dos de mayo" is actually the name of a very famous Goya painting that currently resides in the Prado also. It depicts the violent revolt that occurred that day, and it sits next to another painting named "Tres de mayo," which depicts an execution on the day following the uprising. These are two of the paintings that actually stuck with me the most from my museum visits due to their historical significance and emotional impacts.

Happy Mother's Day!

If you don't have a gift, don't panic. It's only Spanish Mother's Day. Though this could serve as a friendly reminder that American Mother's Day is next Sunday, just in case you didn't remember.

It remains a mystery to me as to why these holidays have different dates in different countries. Father's Day was back in March over here, too.

Everyone walking around the streets today was carrying a bouquet -- a testament to all of the loved mothers around the city. Now that I have two mothers and all, it only makes sense that I celebrate the holiday twice, so I bought a little something for Mercedes as well.

I first noticed the holiday coming from all of the ads in store windows as I walked around the city. Sephora busted out new perfumes, and electronic stores are showcasing the most convenient household gadgets.

But let's be real -- what really caught my attention were the window displays of the pastry shops. Special "Mother's cakes" are all over the place. There's also "I love you" lollipops and assorted chocolate boxes around. Also, a lot of restaurants are advertising that mothers eat for free today! It's all been causing my mouth to water every time I leave the house.

In my opinion, dessert is the best part of Mother's Day, as with all holidays. So I'm going to share a chocolate treat I wish I could send to my real mother for American Mother's Day next week:

This martini glass filled with chocolate mousse has its own Spanish twist with olive oil and bread crumbs on top. The combination was actually one of the most delicious things I have tasted in Europe. Maybe we can learn how to make it one day, Mom.