barthelona

Just got back from Barcelona a few hours ago. We took the overnight train (note to self: NEVER again) Friday and Sunday nights so as to 1) maximize our time in the city and 2) save about 150 euros or so. I am glad to have done it just this once, but it was not worth the extra money at all. It smelled like body odor and old food and the people (2 rando strangers) were completely making out in our cabin on the way back. It was disgusting and after the 9 and a half hours were over I don't think I have ever been so happy to see the inside of the Madrid train station— where not only did they speak and write in Spanish instead of Catalan but also advertised in bright neon that Toledo was only half hour away. 

OK enough bitching. Seriously this weekend was more than incredible. For once (kind of sad to admit) I had WAY more fun during the days than at night. We got in Saturday morning at like 7:30 and emerged at the bottom of the Ramblas (big touristy strip of Barcelona with restaurants, etc.) only to be greeted by fresh Mediterranean air and the huge statue of Christopher Columbus. I was grumpy at first but then realized, like everyone else, how incredible is this?! When else will we be able to see Barcelona at daybreak before the bustle of tourists? Great start to the weekend.

We continued the day with a visit to the Picasso Museum. I honestly was not too thrilled going into it because I knew I was not a huge fan of his- cubism really is not my style. It ended up being pretty cool actually. The museum, located in the heart of Barcelona, took you through the many phases of his career and proved me wrong about thinking Picasso was only about weird geometric shapes and distorted faces. 

We later took a visit to the Chocolate Museum, as recommended by Rick Steves. Interesting, but kind of disappointing. Don't you just think of free samples galore when you think of a chocolate museum?

We later walked the Ramblas and ventured into a huge outdoor market, where we picked up fruit, bread, cheese and wine to take to the park. We sat on benches and enjoyed our two-buck chuck while Spaniards walked through hand in hand, dogs barked, children laughed and the sun shone. It was one of those genuinely beautiful afternoons that I just wanted to sit and feel everything going on around me. We went to this little lake and took boat rides in these cute dinky rowboats. 

The next day was hot and gorgeous. We went to mass (yea, can you believe it?) at the Catedral and visited Gaudi's Sacred Family Church, which was started back in the 1880s and is not expected to be finished being built for another 50 years. Another Steves recommendation, and while I paid the 8 euro entrance fee very begrudgingly, it was definitely something I am glad I saw. We later went to this one huge park at the edge of the city (can't remember the name but it had Gaudi buildings all over for the city's nobility back in the day) and finished off the day with a walk to the Olympic Stadium and of course, sangria.

One thing I have come to realize for certain is that Europeans have no shame whatsoever. Chunky Europeans will wear whatever they want proudly, no matter if they should have thrown it away four or five waist sizes earlier. They make out mercilessly and passionately in the streets, no matter who is watching. They proposition you most disgustingly, no matter who you are or what kind of other guys you are with. They tell you the honest to God truth, no matter how frustrated or disappointed you already are. These are things that are delightful and shocking about this place. All things that make me think and rethink my everyday as well.  

can't believe 3 weeks have gone by

I was blow drying my hair the other night and I blew a fuse. All the lights in the house went out and my host dad cursed and I quickly put down the secadora and scampered to my room, as if they wouldn't know it was me. I emerged and pretended I had no idea what was going on. "Que pasó?" I asked Alvaro. "No hay luz." Thanks. I think he thinks I am the biggest idiot in the world. They came back on after a second. oops.

These days are passing so fast. I heard we only have 9 weekends left after this, which is crazy. Weekends here are neither relaxing nor homework-filled, as they often are at school. They are, however, times when I feel the most worldly and overwhelmed. Maybe that's why we are all so exhausted all the time. It's so much more tiring during the days here because you're so out of your element every second of the day. I can't sleep through the night anymore and I don't know why. The weird dreams continue. 

I downloaded four episodes of Gossip Girl yesterday. Some things I just cannot change about my American self. Dad I promise I will pay you back. I wonder-- if Spaniards watched our TV shows like we watch theirs, would they think our shows are as weird and random as we think theirs our? The TV is usually on at the house when my host family is home. They watch this one show every night during dinner that I swear is a cross between Bozo the clown, Jackass and Bill Bye the Science Guy. I swear it is the weirdest thing I have ever seen but they get the biggest kick out of it. There was one segment where they showed a picture of this questionable patch of creased skin and on the bottom of the screen flashed the words "codo o culo?" or "elbow or ass?" I don't just don't know.

hope I am doing this right

My friend Eric said that his host mother had to have a talk with him about the lights. She said that they are very expensive and that we must be careful to use the electricity sparringly. Not only did I feel bad for my friend, but I also got to wondering if my family is secretly thinking the same thing. Do I use too much water? Do I keep the lights on for too long? Am I messy? I find myself nodding and saying Si! and entiendo and por supuesto after a lot of what my family says, often because I have no idea what it was. What if they know that half of what they say goes right over my head? What if they don´t want to say anything to me about my domestic faults because they are just sure I won´t get it?

I think thought that we do have an ok thing going on. Yesterday Laura, my host sister who is 13, came into my room after school and asked, in broken English, what are the names of your parents? How old are you? thus demonstrating the English she learned on her first day. I hope that I will help her with her English just like she, knowingly or not, has helped me with Spanish. Even if I use the wrong article in front of a noun, she will correct me. Her mom I think is not too thrilled when this happens but I appreciate it more than anything. I am learning so much from screwing up my everyday speech and asking people what they just said or what this means or how do you say this or that.

The unfortunate thing is that the Internet at the house usually does not work, thus making skype at night pretty tough. Anyone able to talk in the mornings (your time?) when it is afternoon here and I am at the Fundacion with my working laptop and internet??

All my family and friends who post on this blog-- thank you!! I am so glad to hear from everyone and to know that you are keeping up with my European shenanigans. I am not sure if I have everyone´s e-mail so if you want to shoot me one, my address is kperalta@nd.edu. Miss you all very much. And very proud of my favorite middle sister who is taking ND by storm.

I bet my perpetually dirty feet disgust my familia

Another weekend and another few hundo dropped. Good times, gorgeous city. The difference between traveling with my friends and traveling with my family is that we estudiantes tend to have no idea what is going on. We waltz in without much of a game plan and get lost in the city— a feat which is definitely an adventure in and of itself. We will stumble upon local cafés and bars per suggestion of the concierge at wherever we are staying— only to discover thousands of people and counters crowded with churros con chocolate or sangria con tapas... all places which are obviously local favorites. I kind of like this spontaneity. 

There are definitely times when I wish I were just with my family— when we have a nice rented car and hotel and dad whips out this extensive itinerary of hikes, museums, restaurants. I guess you could say I just miss my family. Oh and I also like being taking care of. All part of growing up though. 

I cannot help but feeling like I am still 14 years old when I just smile and act like I know exactly what is going on. That seems to happen quite a lot here. If you act like you have it all together, I think you eventually will. It sounds cliché but honestly I don't know one person in our group here who is too scared to go out and try something new just for the hell of it. It takes a lot of guts and trust in yourself but that is the awesome thing about this kind of opportunity. The idea of being somewhat "settled" right now or anywhere in the near future scares me to death. 

I keep picking up little Spanish idiosyncrasies and using them in everyday speech, which is superb. They say vale after like everything. Necesita apuntarse en la lista. Vale? Which was really weird getting used to because I has never heard it before. It is the equivalent to us saying something like "ok" or "got it?" after sentences. 

My family ordered pizza for dinner last night and it was like an hour and a half late. By 11, Angel, mi padre, was so frustrated I felt a little bad for the delivery guy. It was hilarious. I understood the whole ordeal though and proposed they should get their food gratis. Very proud I got what was going on. 

el kapital

Madrid. is. awesome. It´s the coolest thing that we are only an hour and less than 5 euros away from this incredible city. It´s rich in history, cultural, fashion and tourism of course. Tons of Americans here. Three girls in our hostel apparently live down the hall at Wake Forest from a few kids I went to high school with. Small world.

We went to this 7 level club last night downtown. The crowd there was like the Manhatten upper east side version of Spanish people- so Gossip Girl. The guys there were some of the most attractive European men I have ever seen. Everyone here is so formal and fancy. I felt underdressed in my little black dress but still had a big time. The good news is though that they looove Americans- more specifically the girls, which is why you have to be on your toes the whole time but it´s alright because our ND guys, more like brothers, always are making sure we are alright. It´s a pretty awesome group.

This hostel situation is quite an experience. I have said goodbye to personal space, privacy and always having to feel clean. I have felt slightly dirty ever since I came here, I have no idea why. I would kill for a pedicure.

The bad news is money is pouring just flying out of my pocket. What do I spend on? Honestly itç´s insane. I am pretty frugal and don´t really like shopping. Traveling is expensive but seriously so worth it.

This is like a big kid version of summer camp, except I won´t come home after just a few weeks with a tan, mosquito bites and scrapes on my kness. This camp will enable me to speak a different language, will make me a little stronger and a little smarter, will introduce me to worldly concepts no professor on campus could teach me, and will leave me devastatingly, completely, and hilariously broke as a joke.

me gusta la biblioteca

Hope ya like the reference above.

Yesterday I asked for directions all by myself, found the library all by myself, filled out weird Spanish forms all by myself and aquired a library card all by myself. Sounds pretty mundane, right? Wrong. I was so proud of myself. People ask me for directions, like I am a native or something. It´s excellent. And when they hear my last name they just assume I am. I want to meet the family in Madrid asap.

I also had a full throttle politics chat with my family last night over marisco. I learned neither of mis padres like Zapatera, the president of Spain, or Bush, which is also excellent. Mi padre is an avid Obama fan. It is so crazy how much more they know about our politics than we know about theirs. I actually am kind of embarrassed. And I could understand like 65% percent of what he said, instead of the usual 20-30%. Kidding. But seriously, it was progress.

Madrid this weekend with mis amigos. Should prove to be as much of a success as Valencia. I hate money though. It´s starting to stress me out.

I have been at school all day with one contact. It´s been weird.

dios mio

I keep having these wild dreams at night and I wake up not knowing where I am. It makes this new life even more surreal and makes paying attention in class even harder. Which is superb because there is no spacing out here. On campus it was so easy (sorry Mom and Dad, but it is true. I still learn a lot.) 

We have been booking trips to these crazy awesome places all over Europe— Lisbon, Dublin, London, Amsterdam, Paris. I am so glad I worked a ton this summer but when all is said and done I know I did not make enough. Money is something I really hate thinking about and it feels like the stock market in here when people are planning. Who wants Paris for 150 euros???? Yea yea yea!!! and other cities over and over and over and over again. 

My head is spinning. And then there's next years housing to think about and homework and missing family and understanding the language...

Good news though. Tendonitis seems to be gone and I am running again. That huge hole in my everyday is gone. That is one thing of which I can be sure of these days. But outside in the morning it sometimes smells like rotten eggs and industrialization. I miss los lagos de ND..