The Sun Also Rises: Thoughts

Well for English I am supposed to journal about my thoughts on Hemingway's novel, The Sun Also Rises. Here you are..
I'm not a huge fan of the book, to start off. I think Hemingway is a great writer but the book itself really isn't doing much for me.
There is an insane amount of alcohol being consumed in it. Like an INSANE amount. I don't know how they are still alive with the livers they were born with!
Also, Brett is really starting to bother me. She needs to pick a man and stay with him. She's in the process of getting divorced and she's already engaged to someone else and sleeping with a third guy and in love with a fourth! I just don't get it.
I like how it takes place mostly in Spain :)
I am scared for this upcoming paper just along with finals, the play, and going home!
But I'll be home for Christmas and that's all that matters at the moment (and my finals of course). But really, that's all I'm thinking about. I'm just really ready to go home for a rest.

I ate rabbit today! It was actually pretty good! It had a mustard sauce and I would definitely eat it again! Weird, right? But hey, it kind of tasted like chicken!

I was granted independent travel today! Now I can travel every weekend if I really want to! Although I have no money so if I can travel even once I shall be very happy!

Last Night the Wind Blew My Socks Off!

Last night, I believe was the first time we left the heat on all night. I woke up this morning and saw Julia making up another bed, as she then explained to me how she was so cold she had to switch rooms! I was embarrassed but then told her how I was so hot I could barely sleep with more covers than a single sheet! Silly Julia. 46 degrees F is NOTHING!

Skype is a wonderful thing

Today I got the privilege to skype with Mae Mullen! People who also popped in were Molly Mullen and Nadrina :) It was quite a great day! I love skyping with people and feeling connected again with people and things back home. I miss Westy dearly, which I did NOT expect but it has happened so I am accepting it. I miss my friends, musical season, crazy long rehearsals, chamber choir, Mr. Chrzz's jokes, and Candlelight.
I'll be home for Christmas!
Which is so SOON!!
<3

Windy

So I was all excited when I found out it doesn't snow here..but the wind is INSANE. I've never been in a place as windy as Zaragoza!
And it's crazy how the people here dress..they dress like it's 0 degrees outside! And when I say 0 degrees I mean like 0 degrees Fahrenheit! It's like they've never experienced the "true cold before". Although this is coming from a New Englander.. But still! Julia thinks it's crazy how I'm never cold because she doesn't believe me when I say it's colder in Connecticut! She thinks I'm insane. Oh well!

Independent Travel

Let's see..
I don't remember if I mentioned on my blog yet about Independent travel..
I currently do not have the opportunity to independent travel but that might change on Friday! Fingers crossed! Please send me some positive Spanish energy if you think of it :)
I am excited to hopefully be able to travel in the Spring. I am really looking forward to going to Sevilla and Granada with school and back to Barcelona with my parents. I also hope to maybe go to San Sebastian and maybe Pamplona on independent travel. There are so many places in Spain to go but I also want to save my money for when I travel Europe with my parents over Spring break! I'm super super excited to see more than just Spain, even though Spain is amazing! I don't know when I will get another chance to travel Europe as a European citizen!
I'm really not too upset about not being able to travel right now because a) I don't have any money! b) I want to spend the upcoming long weekend decorating the apartment with Julia and c) I kinda sort of don't have money because of all of the Christmas gift's I've been buying! And still have a lot more to get!

Another Card!

Got another card today from my Great Aunt Sister Claire! Thanks for your wishes of a great Thanksgiving! It was pretty great for being in Spain without my family! <3

Mail is GREATLY appreciated! :)

Thanksgiving Dinner..

Bought my dress three hours before the dinner, first off..
There were over 100 of us filling an entire room at a restaurant in Zaragoza.
It was so great to see everyone dressed up fancy, to see the faculty kids, and to meet peoples' parents and teachers' spouses! Everyone looked so beautiful!
When we finally sat down around 9-9:15, there were a few speeches from our two class representatives, and after we had watched the servers place the food down about twenty minutes before, no one had a problem just digging in! I ate. So. Much. Food. Good thing I was wearing a dress with a high waist line! The food was really great. Turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, mashed yams, green beans and almonds, stuffing, bread (of course), and then the desserts.
There were apple, pumpkin, pecan, and peach pies along with a cookie cake thing and a blueberry crumble. And vanilla ice cream!
It was a really fun night with my new friends and my new "family" here in Spain.
Then I still got to skype with my family back home at their Thanksgiving and see almost everyone :) It was a very rewarding night. I am so thankful for everyone in my life!
Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving as well! <3

OH! And our Thanksgiving present was that we don't have school tomorrow :) (well today technically speaking Spain time). Yay! Thanks SYA!

Wooo

THANK YOU to my wonderful family, Aunt Penny, Uncle Jay, and Shelly for my peanut butter (two tubs, it's like Christmas came early!) and my InTouch magazine (in English!)
Made my Thanksgiving so much better :)

Gobble Gobble

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you in the US or all of you who celebrate this wonderful holiday of giving thanks and lots and lots of fooooood. :)
Missing my family right now.
I will post later or tomorrow about our school Thanksgiving dinner that we are having tonight. Don't have very high hopes but I do hope this day turns around.

Mail!

Got more mail today! Woo! I love getting mail, it makes my day ten times better.
I got a Thanksgiving card from Noodles which was SUPER CUTE.
Also got a very cute letter from Mrs. Childs, my junior year Spanish teacher at Westminster. Love you, señora!!! Loved getting her letter today. It's people like her that make me feel like I'm actually missed back home<3

Random thoughts

I'm really going to miss Spanish juice boxes..they are actually juice mixed with milk! SO YUMMY!!

I just spelled bird as brid on my homework.. #spainprobs #forgettingmyenglish

I didn't get granted independent travel but a lot of people didn't so I'm not upset over it. Besides, then I have an excuse to NOT spend more money! They are doing more evaluations in two weeks so hopefully things will be more in my favor then. The teachers are just never around when I'm actually speaking Spanish, they are only around when I'm either having a bad day and can't think in Spanish or a lot of people around me are speaking English and I'm not really doing much of either. Oh well, just hoping for the best next time! Besides, you can't really go to Granada or Seville on a normal weekend and enjoy it!

Giving Thanks

What am I thankful for? Let's see, that's a pretty long list..
My parents
Julia
My Grandparents
SYA
My friends at SYA
My teachers, especially Griffin, at SYA
My friends back home from WL, Red Door, Westy, Band Camp, Pageants, SCA, and the list goes on
My family
My school back home
Mr. Rasheed and Bill for obvious reasons
Ms. Deveaux, Mrs. Childs, and Mrs. Carlisle for getting me involved in SYA
My bosses, Lyle, Megan, and Marliene
Especially Lexi, Lauren, Bryan, Stephanie, Jelena, and Karlie
My cat!!!
My home in the US and my home in Spain
My blog followers!! (you should subscribe or post more comments or both!)
My education
The Red Door Theatre!!
The opportunities I've been given that have gotten me to where I am today
Marymount Manhattan College!
Theatre
The power of Music
My clothes
FOOD!!!!!!!!
Internet!
Macs!
iPhones!
Communication
Technology
NYC
Food, one more time
WATER
And there's probably more but I think you get the picture :)

Today is Monday November 19, 2012. Otherwise known as the best day of my life. Otherwise known as the day I found Reece's :) <333333
And got another package from my parents! Yay parents! Thanks!!

Came on to post and saw that I have reached exactly 3000 page views! thanks everyone! <3

Sketchy, Creepy Man

When I was walking back from the beach to get a taxi back to the hotel, I went to a little corner store to buy saltines and gatorade.
At the store, there were two middle eastern men working there and it was fine. I got what I went for and was paying. He told me in English that I should take the bigger bottle because it was the same price as the smaller one so naturally I replied in Spanish and took the bigger bottle. He asked me what language I spoke and I said both. He started asking me where I was from and I thought he was just curious so I said the US but I'm currently living in Zaragoza. Then he asked me what my name was. I didn't want to tell him my real name so I told him the first name that came into my head. Chinasa, I replied. Then he asked me of my eyes were real. Of course they are. Thanks, bye. And I practically ran out the door. I got to the other side of the street and he had come outside and was calling my name so I turned around, said no quickly and loudly, and walked around the corner so I could find a cab. I got lucky and a guy was getting out so I hopped right in and told him where I was going. He had to think about where to go because of the strikes that were happening. As we turned the same corner as before, the guy was still standing outside of his store looking for me. Creeper!

Places We Went

Catedral de Barcelona
other churches and whatnot in or near the barrio gótico
Sagrada Familia (my favorite place)
Museo Picasso
4Gats
Park Guell (which I missed out on because I was sleeping)
Casa Batlló
La Pedrera (casa Míla)
Plaza Espanya
Old Plaza de toros
Teatro Museo Dalí
Parc Joan Miró
the beach

The Hotel

The hotel was awesome. Our room had a bath, shower, bidet, and tv! The keys had to be left at the front desk when we weren't at the hotel and inside the rooms you had to insert them into a little key hole for lights in the room. Very cool and very efficient, in my opinion!
Highly recommend this hotel
www.condadohotel.com

Ave

Friday morning I ended up going back home on the train instead of the bus. It was only 1:40 minutes instead of 4 hours and so smooth and so comfortable. They even played a movie! I think it was In Time.
I would describe the Ave as a combination of a train, a metro, and a first class plane.

Day 4

Day 4 was Thursday..
I was better! or so I felt better.
We took a bus ride to the Dalí museum in a little town north of Barcelona. That wasn't so bad.
The museum was absolutely amazing. Definitely my second favorite place on the trip.
After we got back, we walked around a bit and ended up at the old plaza de toros which is now a super awesome mall! We also walked around plaza Espanya a bit because it was so beautiful.
We ended up eating at the top of the arena and the view was so fantastic.
On the way back, we took the metro as a group back to the hotel. On the metro, we met a group of Scottish guys who were speaking to us both in English and Spanish but we were with our art teacher so she was telling them to back off. I can't nearly describe how much fun that was so you'll just have to take my word for it.
When we got back to the hotel, we ended up going to a "club" which was just a bar with music and a little tiny place where we danced for like half an hour with our art teacher! It was great!

Day 3

well, let's see now.
day 3 was probably the least exciting day for me
we went to la pedrera in the morning and then we walked down to the ocean. it was gorgeous. we went to the beach too!
then I went back and slept from 1-5, not realizing what time it was but also with little interruptions of calls from teachers checking in on me. then i went back to sleep until 7. they came back, I took a bath which was amazing because it was the first bath I had taken in Spain! then of course, went back to sleep until they got back which I realized afterwards was like 11:30!!
so Wednesday was basically a day of sleeping off a fever.

day 2

so day one consisted of throwing up of course day two would consist of diarrhea and a fever! woo. not.
I was still able to do anything partly because I refused to accept it. the only thing I missed out on was free time so it's ok. I know I'll be back to Barcelona at some point so I'm not too upset and I have participated in every school activity so far, just lost out on exploring time. I will post when we get back about all of the places we went with pictures attached!
buenas noches :)

Day one

wow. what a day so far. and it's only 4 pm! so let's see, I got to the bus station fine and ended up with another syaer so we stayed together to find the group and Julia left. she's so awesome. so we ended up finding the group and got on the bus (no excitement in between). I was seat 15 and was lucky enough to be sitting next to another girl from sya who is also in my advisee group! the first half of the bus ride I just slept which was nice because I had had a pounding headache and I had a little bit of a nervous stomach.
we stopped at a rest stop after about two hours of the ride and a good portion of the movie Hugo, and of course I got off to get some water and hacer pis before the rest of the ride. just standing in line no big deal and all of a sudden, I throw up. I won't get into too many details but it was nasty. luckily everyone around me from sya was so helpful and kinda during an event that could have been really easy to make fun of my for for the rest of the day.
so I washed up and bought some water and crackers that look like ritz and got back on the bus feeling fine! I was sipping on my water and trying to fall asleep but it wasn't really happening. with about 45 minutes left on the bus, the girl next to me asks me a question about broadway and all of a sudden I get really nauseous and sit up straight, hoping the feeling will just pass. a minute later, I throw up again all over the isle and my pillow and my shirt and the girl sitting across from me on the isle. yup, on the bus. with 45 minutes left. the teacher with us was so incredibly helpful; got me some towels and bags for my wet things and did everything she could to make me feel comfortable for the rest of the ride. people were really nice again about it too because instead of making fun they were telling me how I've left my mark on the bus and how I'm going to be legendary. we finally got to the dropping point and then had to fit four people in each taxi to get to the hotel. I was very nervous about this part because i was feeling I'll again and had proved myself wrong with the whole throw up once and you'll be fine for the rest of the trip. so I told the teacher and my group went first, me in the front with a really awesome, smart, and caring taxi driver!
he made sure every couple of minutes that I was okay, with previous knowledge of what had happened on the bus and the reason behind the plastic bag in my hand. we finally made it to the hotel! and I got to appreciate how gorgeous Barcelona is.
we met at the hotel, got our room assignments, and unpacked before a little meeting and presentation. then everyone went off to lunch and complete a scavenger hunt and I went to my room and slept which is currently where I am. my teacher came up about half an hour ago to tell me to meet her and the other teacher downstairs at 430 so I can take a taxi with them to our next destination which is the cathedral of Barcelona. hopefully I will get some awesome pictures!
I'm a little sad I missed out on time to see the city but I still have tonight and three more full days here and I knew I needed to rest. oh well. it's definitely been quite an adventure so far with so much more to go!
we did go to some really cool churches that I just can't remember at the moment because I'm still a bit exhausted from today in general.
and clearly I have Internet but I'm goin to try to limit my use to only blogging.

Barcelona Part 1!

On my way to the bus station. Leaving for Barcelona today and coming back Friday night! I won't have internet (I won't have my laptop but I might get wifi on my iPhone). I will still write a blog post every day but they might not get published until I get back.
Julia is so sweet; she's worried about me finding my way around the bus/train station by myself so she's coming with me because I told her I had a nervous stomach. Which I always have right before a trip of any sort!
Anyways, so I'm leaving for Barcelona today and I shall talk to you all this weekend! :)

Skyping with beautiful people

Skyped with Lexi today. I can't believe how long we've been friends. I love how we've stayed friends through everything and I honestly love this chica with all of my heart! Te amo! And I know you'll still love me even when I do have the Spain theta lisp when I come home :)

that super exciting moment when you are just about to go to sleep but then receive an email from the one and only MeganBanks and of course you have to read and respond before sleeping because you're just so excited you can't possibly sleep at that moment :)

emails are very much appreciated!!!

that really depressing moment when in your dream you wake up in your own bed at home in the USand then you wake up in real life and realize you're actually in "your own bed" that at least six other people have slept in before you in Spain..

My Spain Chiropractic Experience

Today I had my first appointment with the chiropractor!! Thank goodness he is American!! So much easier to explain my past and my symptoms in English. But apparently, according to him and his secretary, my Spanish and accent are very good! Woo!
I got there and did the usual filling out the survey and whatnot and he came over to introduce himself to me and Julia. And he found out that she is his friend's mom! Had never met her, apparently. Small world.
He was super nice and spoke English the whole time, which I almost didn't like because I wanted to practice my Spanish! But it was super helpful and I'm very grateful for that.
The experience was pretty much the same as when I started going to Turning Point Wellness in Suffield. Techniques are pretty much the same, only slight differences that I can't even describe because it's basically just where they hold your head while adjusting you. He also has a lot of the same philosophies as Don, which is really nice because I am already accustomed and used to them!
Overall, I feel really good about this. I'm sad I won't be here next week to see him again! It's been two months since my last adjustment so it will be a little bit to fully get back on track but I know it's already starting to help me! His office is also in one of my favorite parts of the city, in Plaza del Pilar, which is awesome and inside its just so cool, almost like it's from a movie shot. So European to me! I love it. It was a good choice to go see him and I'm so happy everything worked out!
Afterwards, Julia and I went to "the best churreria in Zaragoza" and for the first time, I had churros and chocolate! OMG SO GOOD.

Oh right, so I don't think I mentioned this yet but I'm spending next week in Barcelona!!! Monday-Friday. I'll explain more tomorrow. Time for bed early tonight :)

Daisy Miller: Geography and Identity

I definitely believe that who you are has something to do with where you are from but it isn't the only thing that defines you as a person. Everything in your life helps define who you are: location, friends, family, upbringing, education, life events, etc. One thing alone cannot define you because everything helps mix together to create you and everything that you consist of: emotions, physical appearance, ways and means of thinking, habits, etc.
A place can shape your identity, sense of self, and relation to the larger world. It influences your habits and how you adapt to certain customs and can really have an impact on who you are because of how you grew up in a certain environment.
I don't really know how to give examples but I think you can get a sense of where I'm coming from. (Ha! Get it?!)

Daisy Miller: American's vs. Europeans

(Foe English class as an assignment so don't pay these next two posts any mind if you aren't interested.)

In Henry James' novel, Daisy Miller, there is definitely a repeated comparison of Americans vs. Europeans. I have noticed that the Americans, especially while in Europe, are the tourists of the two. The Europeans are usually more immersed and more willing to immerse themselves into the culture around them whereas Americans usually want to be reminded of America and hold on to the homeland with all of their might. I have definitely experienced some of this in Spain because, of course, I miss my home. But I also know that I am not completely opposed to immersing myself in the Spanish culture and trying to live as best as I can as my host mom lives. I'm not going to give up everything that reminds me of my home in America but I am trying to choose my moments as to when I will do something as a true American or if I will choose to try to do it as an up and coming European or Spaniard. It's a balance and definitely a struggle most days. For example, in Spain I have to make my bed every day. Now this isn't a huge problem but it was definitely something to get used to. I didn't want to anger or upset Julia so of course I followed the rule of having to make my bed every morning and it really isn't so bad. However when I go back to the US, there is a good 98% chance I won't be making my bed every day. Sorry mom :)
Of course I'm going to want to experience more American things when I am homesick but the rest of the time I am willing to try to be more Spanish and more European because while I'm here why not immerse myself?!

100!

Woooooo post 100! Remember this day, it is monumental.
This afternoon I went to teatro principal with a friend and we thought we might be going to see Rent in Spanish. Turns out it only looked like Rent from the posters. It was basically like Blue Man Group meets Stomp. It was really cool! And the theatre was gorgeousssssssss.
Definitely going back there again sometime very soon!
Although now I miss theatre and performing so much!!! <3

Successful Saturday

Yesterday was a very productive and fun day! The sequence of events:
SAT Subject test= last standardized test ever!
Breakfast at VIPS kind of equal to Denny's except like five times better quality food.
Mall- Puerto Venecia= bought a lot and spent a lot of money but got sooooo much for the amount that I spent!
Lunch at an amazing Chinese Buffet in the mall. So heavenly.
Started Christmas shopping!
Tried finding our way to the movie theatre that was showing Skyfall in English but somehow we took the bus going the wrong way so we missed the earlier showing, ended up in my neighborhood, and decided to just go to the later showing.
Saw Skyfall= sooooooooooo fantastic. Highly recommend seeing it when it comes out in the US! Shocked it came out here first!
Then had dinner with 5 other girls from SYA at an Italian place in the same mall as the movie theatre. Pretty good food!
Walked home afterwards, ended up by myself which I didn't mind at all and decided to grab a cup of coffee at my favorite café before going home.
Overall a really decent day!
Today a friend and I are going to see some live theatre, finally!!!! The show is called Racconto but I'm not really at all sure what it's about so I guess I'll just have to wait and see! Hopefully they will still have tickets!

Heather's First Haircut!

I can't really explain or describe to you why but today was just a really great day. the sun was out and it was fairly warmer than any of us expected! I had to change out of my double layers to short sleeves! my host mom thought I was crazy but I was still hot when I hit the pavement and started heading towards the hair salon. before hand, I went to a cafe with a friend from school and had great coffee and they had awesome spoons! (see picture below.) then I was walking home and as I passed the gorgeous park I love near with the fountains, I decided to find a quiet spot in the shade and did some homework and college apps. it was so beautiful and serene. it was then that I remembered to get my hair cut and that's where the beginning of this post comes into play. the people at the hair salon were really nice and I think semi understood my broken Spanish while asking them if they could cut my ends, not entirely sure how to ask them to only cut the dead ends and nothing more. I could tell she was frustrated with how horrid my hair was and how incredibly difficult it was to put a brush all the way through it. we ended on a good note and while I was paying I said I would come back another time for my roots, commenting on her remark from earlier. she asked if I lived close and I said yes in torrero! but I said I'm American. apparently she thought I was Romanian... that's a first! she commented on how she's Moroccan and welcome to españa! she exclaimed very eagerly. I told her how I'm studying here for a year and she was suddenly very interested in my story. until next time she said with a smile.
I continued my journey of the day back home to grab some things to then journey back to the park for a serene environment to read some Daisy Miller. the park was more populated than it was before and I was a little surprised! there was a super cute little boy there who kept smiling at me and tried climbing up to crawl on the ledge of the fountain to be like me. I was waving to him and then realized that was probably provoking him so I stopped and instead tried telling him no by wagging my finger at him. so cute though! I got a decent amount of homework done before the sun went down, then headed to my favorite super artsy cafe in my neighborhood. it's so artsy I love it so much! and the coffee is amazing. but then again I think almost all coffee here is amazing. it overlooks the canal and the lighting and overall setup inside is so cosy. while I was enjoying my first cup of coffee, debating about a second (which I ended up getting, of course) I noticed some lady staring at me. she finally came over after I glanced at her multiple times and clearly noticed she was staring at me. apparently she thought I was someone she knew! I must look extra Spanish today! another plus on my good day!
it really was overall a good afternoon. I got a little done, not tons, but the sun and great weather just put me in an awesome mood. and I finally got my haircut, yayyyy!
time for my last SAT tomorrow! then some shopping to celebrate and possibly skyfall? we'll see. for now, I'm just soaking up the fact I'm in Spain and have so much freedom and independence. except I need to stop spending money.

 (this was my view from where I was sitting while I was doing my homework in the park!

 (my favorite café!)

Día de Todos los Santos

So today is All Saint's Day. We don't have school! Most people even don't have work tomorrow but sadly, we have school.
I am home alone (pretty much) today because Julia went to her pueblo to spend the day with family and to pick olives. Her daughter and her boyfriend came over for lunch and her daughter will be coming back for dinner. They are so cute! It's like they don't want me to be alone at all!
Basically today is the day that everyone spends the day with family and they visit the gravestones of their loved ones. It's kind of like the day of the dead in Mexico except not as elaborate.