Well,,,it's been almost 10 days since i've blogged. That's because i've been so busy traveling and preparing for Italy, teaching, writing papers, going out with my friends, meeting new friends, planning new travels, being with Julia, being with her kids and grandkids, walking in the park, eating, dancing with Ruben, talking with Marion, and dreaming right along as i'm having the most incredible experience of my life. Today we lose an hour, so it's really 1 in the morning instead of midnight. I am so tired b/c i came home at 4am this morning, but i went out and had such a great time with my german girlfriends and other exchange friends at a bar. Every Friday night they do a different cocktail special, and last night it was carribean, so it was enjoyable, and there was a lot of fun people there that i love spending time with. It was also cool b/c i met some knew people..including two Spanish men (who i must add were VERY handsome). This was good to just get out b/c i wasn't going to at first, but it was one of those nights were you are SO glad you did when you;re on your way home. It's so funny b/c these to guys are number 5 & 6 who ask for my number within the last 3 months. I guess that has just never happened to me with such frecuency like here,,but boy the one from Valencia is guapisimo. We will see haha. The music was fun last night too, and I was with my best friend Marion and her sister who is visiting this week, eva, saskia, jan, paul, skyla, her roommates, another concordia girl here visiting (that was so cool to see a familiar face i just hugged her so long haha!), Nerea, Leslie, Sharmaine, everyone. It was fun.
I slept so good last night, and slept in this morning. I hurried to get ready b/c Julia and i left to go to Salinas today to have a big birthday party for me and her son Carlos. I'm telling you, i think it was the best celebration i've ever had and i'll never forget this day. Last night, after just 1 caramel chupito (shot), 1 pina colada, and 1 baileys, i was still feeling 'nice' today..a little tired...but that changed once i got in the car. The sun was out, the most beautiful blue' tint to the sky i've seen, and mom...a straight line flying high in the sky. It was so fun to ride in the car in the back seat and just look out the window. I forgot how much i miss riding in the car! And the roads are so nice and smooth here. Julia's son Javier and his wife Angelina picked us up and we would meet everyone else there. Javier and Angelina are so good to me...i just love them. Between Maribel (Julia's daughter), and two of her 4 sons (Carlos and Javier), they treat me like their own...like part of the family. It is such a cool feeling and i'm so blessed to have this time with them. We got there, and the dads (carlos and Inaki (maribel's husband)) already had the wood fire burning in the beautiful backyard, a fire built in a pit in the wall entirely made of stone...so beautiful words can't describe it ..i took photos. The pig (ham) was cooking in there all afternoon. So amazing. Maribel and Ainhoa and Inaki (the 11 yr old son) were there, as well as Carlos' wife Eva and their kids Jon (18), Alaine (12), and Julin (7). I just love them. So us kids hung out this afternoon, and it was so cool b/c i got to play tennis with Ainhoa and Alaine, lay in the sun and look at the mountains, listen to the birds--and also nothing at all but the sounds of nature :) ,,smell the fresh air, feel the pleasure of my heart and soul all around me. It was just awesome. I wasn't even thinking of all the homework i have to do, packing and planning i still need to do, nothing...b/c it was just pure bliss/pure heaven. For lunch (la comida: this is the biggest meal of the day eaten around 2 or 3 everyday), we had an amazing traditional meal of Spain. I ate salad with olive oil, Anchovies soaked in olive oil with peppers and garlic that you put on bread, white asperagus, the best cheese i've ever eaten in my life (it was like really old, RICH RICH RICH tasting), and i think the best red wine i've had yet, from a vineyard right here in Navarra. Then, the dads brought in the meat, and it was like ribs from the pig (or that's how i'll describe it b/c we had to eat it with our fingers and bite the meat off if you know what i mean hehe). For dessert, Angelina had made Notilla (a custard that is SO amazing i just am in LOVE with it, and there are my favorite cookies that i'm addicted too in there. Its so good b/c then they are soft and have soaked up all the custard.) It's amazing. Julia had also made Hornijadas filled with Chocolate: so good...i am in love with this too. I still need to go to Beatriz and buy some before i forget :) Later one, we went on a bikeride all around the pueblo! Oh man it was so nice to ride a bike,,,i just missed that! and then we took a walk to a little pueblo about 20 -25 min down the road from Salinas. We walked along el camino de Santiago path, so that was really historically cool for me, and it was breathtaking the views. ON one side of me were pine trees, leaves, decidious trees, and familar smells from Itasca state park back home, and on the other side i was looking out at some breathtaking mountains just a reach away, a wine vineyard were the grape plants are placed in there perfect rows and look so precise, and at a little pueblo with it's lights starting to come on (since it was dusk), and of course the moon was out tonight (as if it wasn't already cozy enough!!!). We walked there and back in about an hour, talking, and then at times not saying anything at all. I really enjoyed talking with Alaine the 12 yr old grandson. He's really awesome and it was enjoyable for me to talk with him b/c he did a great job of explaining things to me, answering my questions, etc. we talked about deer, grizzley bears, what types of animals are here in their woods, school, classes, just great topics for interesting discussions. The stars came out when we got home, and they took me to a river just 5 min from la casa *the house), where there is a natural spring fallin gffrom the mountain and is known by the people as the place you can take a drink of natural real-earth water. So, it was my first time drinking actual 'water' from the earth without having been through any processes, and it was very good actually :) Then we went back to the house since it was getting a bit cold. By this point, after all the activity and fresh air, the sofa was SO appealing, and all the parents were sitting at the table still talking, smoking and drinking their wine, the kids in their own rooms (the boys playing piano and guitar in the other room, and Ainhoa on the coach with me finishing a wii game on the tv.). So i laid down thinking i would just relax, and you guys i fell asleep! Like a hard sleep, and it felt so good. The fire was crackling, and i felt like i was in that cozy house in our favorite movie the Holiday. The entire house (walls inside and out) are made of stones, so it is just SO amazingly cozy. When i awoke, everyone was really happy that i'd fallen asleep though hhe. I was a little embarrassed, but i just felt so at home and comfortable. For me to fall asleep like that..i guess i really know now i was feeling at home :) I thought to myself, why don't i do this more often at home in Moorhead. I really need too.
I had some more notilla and bread and meat for la cena (a little supper at about 1030pm), with some wine. My camera battery died right when i got to Salinas today :( , but lucky for me Javier let me take his camera all around with me and take as many photos of everything that i wanted, and then he's going to come over and we're going to put the photos on my pen drive so i have them! He is so nice. Then, Maribel and her daughter gave me this bag from Zara, and i just couldn't believe it ! (Zara is a very expensive but AMAZING GORGEOUS AWESOME clothing store here in Europe). We dont ahve them in the states...there is only 1 in NY. Anyway, when i opened it, they bought me a really cute dress grey European looking dress, and a really nice creme colored/hazelnut colored sweater. Seriously, maribel must have paid about 60 Euro for everything. I just couldnt believe it. I thanked them over and over profusely, and bless her heart she kept telling me,,here is the reciepts, and you know where Zara is so if you want to change anything you just do it ok sweetheart"...Then they all sang this song to me in Spanish about being a "sweet girl who they are happy to know and for this i recieve their loves and gifts"..I will never ever ever forget this night for the rest of my life. I know there will be great birthday celebrations, but what a unique, amazing way to begin the next decade of my life. I"ll NEVER forget it, along with these people. And i'm so happy, b/c since mom and i extended my time here, I'm going to go back out to Salinas in April or May b/4 i go to las islas canarias to enjoy the flowers and walk somemore..and def take a nap on that couch that i'm in love with.
Yes,,its been so long i haven't told you that i'm staying in Spain longer :) by about 12 days. It's really amazing how this opportunity came about, but my really great friend took me out on our weekly dates for supper again last week, but this time he presented an all inclusive trip to Lanzarote, an island in the canaries that is known for it's beaches and volcanoes and hiking, snorkeling, trails for biking, and warm weather. I couldn't believe he had already gone to the travel agent, found out all the information and cost so he could be ready for every question i would ask, etc. However, in the price covers my plane ticket, all the food and drinks i want, and the 5 star hotel that we'll stay at. I must say, don't get the wrong idea..he is my friend :)...we've been 'going out ' on casual dates for about 1 month, and he hasn't kissed me the lips hehe, so i'm VERY sure that his intentions are not for just one thing with me. He has gone to these islands before with his family, so i am very lucky b/c he has so much excitement he said to show me around and 'in essence' be a 'tourguide'. It is this big extra thing, but then like i thought, it isn't everyday that i'll have an invitation to do this, let alone be so close to the islands already. It would be alot more hassle and money to fly here just to do this from the States..and money is just money. I can't take it with me to the grave, i have my whole life to work, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I am so blessed, and i can't thank you God enough. Thank you.
Last weekend, i went to Madrid, Toledo, and Segovia for a three day weekend with Kristen M and Kristen F from Concordia. We took in a bullfight in madrid on sat night, ate the most AMAZING food at a traditional spanish restuarant (paella, chorizzo, other unique pinchos like empanadillas de atun (tuna), bread, sandwiches, and of course sangrias. We ate there both fri and sat night. Guys,,,i' think im not losing weight anymore haha..and it doesn't help that my legs are back to the swing ofgiving me pain again. I'm hoping that the injections i can recieve in my legs this summer will help. Anyway, i will be back to eating normal soon enough, so i just am going to continue to eat and try and be open to anything presented to me.
Ha...my waistline isn't going to get too much help this upcoming week b/c we are going to seville on Tues night until Friday, then flying to Rome fri night, in rome until monday night, then train to Florence for 4 days, and then train to Venice for one night until we are back in Barcelona ..on to pamplona late fri/early sat morning April 9. It should be a trip of a lifetime as well, however i have a paper i'll have to write during my time :( and i'm stressed about packing. I still have 3 days though.
Anyhow, its passed an hour already so i best get to bed, but i'm sorry i've slacked with updating ou guys. life has just been so full and busy, but i love it that way, and i'm so happy. I happy to say too, that i am now sure i'll be ready to come home when it's time. It feels so healthy to have come full circle, to have experienced all these emotions, changes, and takes on life. But i'll be ready :) I'm getting there more and more with everyday. I am so blessed. Tomorrow i am going to church with Julia at noon and it is palm sunday (de los ramos) here, so i am excited for this. I will miss my family over easter, but guys i will have so much to share with you when i come back. It overwhelms me with how much i've learned, how much i now know about myself, who i am, what i want, what i like, what i can do, what i won't and dont stand for, and how lucky i am. The friends i have here, the family i have here, they ahve touched my life in a way that no other person or experiece could have done...they have brought out a Lauren that I love, that is truly me,,that i'm going to keep around forever. I can't wait for you to meet her.
Goodnight, and all my love,
Lauren
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