SB09 Part II: Florencia y Cinque Terre

I get to Patee and Colleen's apartment (which is adorable and I am so jealous they got to live on their own in the center of that beautiful city) and I meet one of their other roommates/friends Marielle, who goes to State with Colleen. We get to catch up, get ready and drink Italian wine from juice boxes (love it) before heading out to this bar where all the americanos hang out. My ND Toledo friends of course are there, a great coincidence. We watch the basketball national championship game (Carolina!) but Colleen and I only make it though the first quarter (if that) since it started at 3:30am anyways. We wake up the next day, say our goodbyes and I catch a train to La Spezia (I so wish I could have stayed longer.)

Normally I would be so nervous to go on a train all by myself for nearly 3 hours in a country even more foreign to me, but this time it was totally fine, even though I had to transfer in Pisa as well. I get to Cinque Terre without any minutes on my phone (oops) but by shear coincidence run into my friends at the top of the hill in Riomaggiore, where our hostel is. We enjoy a beautiful sunset and Italian dinner, which is a little tough to coordinate with 11 people. The next day we go to Monterossa, the 5th town, and lay out on the beach before doing the big hike back (which actually is a pretty good workout, even though we did not do the whole thing.) Such a beautiful and perfect day.

I got up early the next day to take the 10 o'clock train to ROME. I wish I would have pregamed that trip with a thorough viewing of Gladiator because the entire time I was thinking of Russel Crowe. I met my roommate Mary at the Termini train station. We both nearly cried it was so good to see each other. Then we hopped on the Metro and began our fabulous Roman weekend.

SB09 Part 1: un dolor en mi culo

SB09 for us studying abroad in Europe this year certainly was not your tropical beaches, fruity mixed drinks- haze of a week like it is for most college juniors. It was instead filled with train rides, spending Euros like Monopoly money, gelato, hostels and reunions. It was a fabulous break and a great way to spend my last trip here. It was so weird to be on the Madrid Metro yesterday because I knew that that was the last time I would take that hour-long ride from the airport to the bus station. Well, the last for this year at least. The next time I will be on a plane will be back to America, and I am so happy to finally say that. I officially hate flying.

After a relaxing an low-key weekend in Toledo, I get up super early Monday morning to take a bus to Madrid. There begins the first of my problemas. I learn that the flight is delayed two hours because of, yep you guessed it, the earthquake, which I later learn killed more than 250 people (had I known that when I was flying that morning I would have freeeaked.) Not a problem, I think, since I have a 2 hour and 35 minute layover in Rome. But the idiotman at the Alitalia counter in Madrid tells me I need at least 45 minutes to connect. Which I later realize is something he completely confused. Checkout closes 45 minutes prior to the flight, but I can check in to both right there at the first flight. What an idiot. So he tells me I am booked instead for a 9:30pm flight to Florence from Rome. Whatever.

I get to Rome (landed 10 min early, so obivously could have connected to my original flight) and enjoy white wine while peacefully readying my book for the several hours I had to kill (Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides- definitely recommend.) I get to the gate to board only to be told (whilst everyone and their mom is screaming and cursing in Italian, Chinese and I think every other language but English or Spanish) that our plane has something wrong with it and that we might have to be transported by bus that night, which would take us to Florence at like 4am. Finally, they say the plane is OK and that we can board (after like 15 mintues?! I am nervous to say the least and sure that I will die in some kind of freak plane crash.) We board and land safely in Florence (after a day of 14 HOURS of traveling) and I share a cab with some nice American boys downtown. Finally I get to meet Colleen and Patee at their adorable apartment. It has been SO long since I've seen them!

what is this

I am going through a weird time right now. I listened to my old messages on my cell phone today and cried and cried and cried. Why? Maybe I had too much wine. Or maybe it's because I can't believe I left my whole life behind and I feel so useless most of the time here. Tonight was so much fun-- I hung out with my intercabio Laura and her friends. I have been speaking Spanish all night with these awesome locals. But it just made me realize how much I really miss my own friends from home. And it makes me feel selfish to think it's OK to spend  a whole year away. What is going on? I am home soon. 

j-j-jaded

I have held out a lot to say this. I do not think I should and I know I will immediately regret this after I hit Publish Post. But. I just need to go home. I am starting to get jaded of the spontaneity of travel life, as well as the constant worry about my bank account. I know that I am going to cry my eyes out when I leave here, but there is something pulling me back. This urgency to start my life again. This year has been incredible, quite a vacation from reality. I have learned more here than I could have ever in a classroom back at school. But it has made me realize what I have. And what I miss. I cannot live this far away from my family and friends. I feel useless when I want to help my friends and out of touch when I hear about things going on at home. I need to snap out of it, and quickly. I just need to vent for a minute. Things I miss terribly right now about the US:

NPR
Summerlake
Harris YMCA
American Coffee
French Toast (I have not even eaten it in like ten years but today it just sounded fab)
my car
TiVo
English
Warm summer nights on the deck with Nobilo
c5
Lewis Hall
Notre Dame campus
oatmeal, soy milk, edamame
free water at restaurants

OK sorry. It had to come out.

Czech it out

(sorry. Puns like that came out left and right this past weekend.)

This past weekend I went to Prague with my friends Flannery and Hank. The plans for this one go way back, when I, halfway in passing, mentioned a half marathon to Flan when we were in London. She said she would run it with me. These past months we have been training and motivating each other so much— and I am glad to say we actually went. Upon arrival in Prague, Flannery and I literally gasped at the beauty of the old city. It was a rainy and chilly day, but with the sun peeking through the clouds dramatically and casting this gorgeous light on the old buildings that lined the cobblestone streets, it was perfect. We proceeded from the Metro, in which we could read absolutely NOTHING, to the race expo to pick up our packets, which included the cooolest and most intimidating breathable race t-shirt. We made our way to the hostel, this adorable really cheap place in Old Town, and later met our friend Hank. We explored the Old Town and ate outside at this beautiful hotel restaurant for next to nothing. We got plenty of rest that night. (Side note: We had been preparing physically for this race by getting lots of sleep and not drinking for a few weeks and let me tell you how good I still feel right now. A little time off is always so refreshing.)

The next morning we got up and ran the 13.1 miles. No biggie. But wow. What a gorgeous way to see the entire city. Flannery and I saw this as the last big hurdle to overcome before the homestretch of April. Motivating ourselves with thoughts of America and our year's accomplishments, we killed it. And what's more is that the race was big and attracted runners from all over the world, so we heard tons of crazy languages as we fought through every last kilometer of that beautiful city. Hank, our trusty photographer, met us at the end of the race and we headed to the medical tents to enjoy the complimentary, much-needed post-race massages. The day got chillier, but we kept warm in our aluminum race blankets (yes, those actually do work.)

After stretching out and cleaning up, we headed out again for some sightseeing. We went to this great fair in the Old Town, where they sold everything Czech-made from hot wine to decorated Easter eggs, sausages to shot glasses. We walked across the St. Charles Bridge to the Prague Castle, which was closed by the time we got there but beautiful to see nonetheless. After that we walked back to the old part and, thanks to the hostel guy, found a great place for dinner with huge steins of delicious Czech beer for the equivalent of just over a euro. Then, while we were strolling through the streets afterwards, some Czech gentleman took it upon himself to back his car up full-speed, unfortunately forgetting to look over his shoulder (Moose, that femcop who failed me on my 2nd road test, would have hit the roof.) Bam. You're not supposed to laugh when you get hit by a car, especially at such force, but this came at such surprise that I just lost it. Half of the reason for this is that the car more or less sped away. I am fine, no te preocupes. It's just kind of fun to say I got hit by a car in Prague. 

Tomorrow marks the 4-week point. I cannot believe how fast this is going. In the blink of an eye I will be back in Charlotte. I cannot believe I only have one trip left in Europe. I am still trying to cherish each and every second, but I cannot lie, I am really excited to get back. 

Mad City

This weekend started out interestingly enough Thursday night when I went out with my friends Ellyn and Jim to this awesome bar we had heard about. When we got there we realized that everyone except for us was wearing one of these adorable felt flower pins. Jealously we demanded one from the poor bartender, who told us it was this girl's birthday party. This girl, Alicia, turns out to be completely awesome, and she and her friends showered us with lots of champagne and Spanish practice. It was such a chill night and felt like I was just another Toledana. I also like when we can speak Spanish with local people in non-academic places like bars. We all agreed to meet for coffee at some point soon. 

Saturday we all went to Madrid and I meet up with Ellyn and her family for drinks and tapas. Her dad did not cease to be amazed by the fact that the city comes alive when the sun goes down, calling it "kind of like a clean and less stinky Mexico." I love Madrid. Later that night we met up with some ND friends and somehow got suckered into going to Kapital, this insane 7-level club. I have now not been there just 2 or three times, but FIVE. I thought I had said goodbye to that place in October. Now I officially declare I will never go back to that place. Usually a good time, but it is time to move on. I came home today in hopes of getting some homework done and then going running, but my host dad just fixed my shower and I have to wait until tonight. Oh well. Basically a month?! whhat

Un fin de semana muy tranquilo...

Dear parents, I hope you're reading this. I have to be honest. In the US I used to not really mind the smell of cigarette smoke. In fact, because so few people did it, I almost thought, like Carry from Sex and the City, that it was something kind of dark and deep and really cool. Then I came to Europe, where smoking is about as common as chewing gum. I hate it I hate it I hate it I hate it I hate it. Can I say that enough? I think that if you were to put a cigarette in my mouth today I would vomit for several consecutive hours on end. I hate it. I have been having the worst allergies of my life lately (I know, I never used to) and walking into smokey bars these past few nights certainly has not made matters any better. I hate it. I am sick of my eyes watering and having a water fountain for a nose. I hate it.

OK done with my rant. Today a few friends and I laid out beside the river for a few hours, enjoying the warm Toledo spring day. I think I got some color, finally. We decided to just hang in Toledo and then go to Madrid for the weekend– something a little calmer and definitely way cheaper. I cannot believe I go home in 39 days. I keep having these dreams that I am on my way there and I wake up shaking it off, thinking it never will actually happen, but now that it is so close I am starting to feel like I am living in some kind of surreality. I cannot believe it, but I am so excited. Only thing I am really not excited for is saying goodbye to my host family and this amazing place.