Something I've been having a lot of trouble with lately is feeling unwanted and misunderstood by people who don't appreciate my tendency to be politically incorrect and/or inappropriate for the sake of comic relief.
I've come to realize that my closest friends are my closest friends precisely because they EMBRACE my tendencies to be those things and they appreciate the humor. Not only that, but they understand that being politically correct and appropriate does not change the realities of the world. I simply say that which is true, and I guess some people can't handle the truth
Coming into contact with people who just don't understand or appreciate my humor and who consider it something that makes me, in some way, unacceptable to them, is disheartening, especially when I don't consider those people in any position to judge me.
I suggest you grow up. Infancy was short lived and ended decades ago. There is no excuse for it anymore. Your self righteousness and intolerance make me sick.
Monday, December 13, 2010
King of Anything
"Who cares if you disagree? You are not me, who made you king of anything? So you dare tell me who to be? Who died and made you king of anything? You sound so innocent, all full of good intent, swear you know best, but you expect me to jump up on board with you and ride off into your delusional sunset. I’m not the one who’s lost with no direction, but you’ll never see."
-Sara Bareilles
-Sara Bareilles
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Don't make an example out of me.
"Us", Regina Spektor
They made a statue of us
And it put it on a mountain top
Now tourists come and stare at us
Blow bubbles with their gum
Take photographs have fun, have fun
They'll name a city after us
And later say it's all our fault
Then they'll give us a talking to
Then they'll give us a talking to
Because they've got years of experience
We're living in a den of thieves
Rummaging for answers in the pages
We're living in a den of thieves
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
We wear our scarves just like a noose
But not 'cause we want eternal sleep
And though our parts are slightly used
New ones are slave labor you can keep
We're living in a den of thieves
Rummaging for answers in the pages
We're living in a den of thieves
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
They made a statue of us
They made a statue of us
The tourists come and stare at us
The sculptor's marble sends regards
They made a statue of us
They made a statue of us
Our noses have begun to rust
We're living in a den of thieves
Rummaging for answers in the pages
Were living in a den of thieves
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
They made a statue of us
And it put it on a mountain top
Now tourists come and stare at us
Blow bubbles with their gum
Take photographs have fun, have fun
They'll name a city after us
And later say it's all our fault
Then they'll give us a talking to
Then they'll give us a talking to
Because they've got years of experience
We're living in a den of thieves
Rummaging for answers in the pages
We're living in a den of thieves
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
We wear our scarves just like a noose
But not 'cause we want eternal sleep
And though our parts are slightly used
New ones are slave labor you can keep
We're living in a den of thieves
Rummaging for answers in the pages
We're living in a den of thieves
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
They made a statue of us
They made a statue of us
The tourists come and stare at us
The sculptor's marble sends regards
They made a statue of us
They made a statue of us
Our noses have begun to rust
We're living in a den of thieves
Rummaging for answers in the pages
Were living in a den of thieves
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
Monday, November 15, 2010
Pablo Neruda
Soneto XVII
No te amo como si fueras rosa de sal, topacio
o flecha de claveles que propagan el fuego:
te amo como se aman ciertas cosas oscuras,
secretamente, entre la sombra y el alma.
Te amo como la planta que no florece y lleva
dentro de sí, escondida, la luz de aquellas flores,
y gracias a tu amor vive oscuro en mi cuerpo
el apretado aroma que ascendió de la tierra.
Te amo sin saber cómo, ni cuándo, ni de dónde,
te amo directamente sin problemas ni orgullo:
así te amo porque no sé amar de otra manera,
sino así de este modo en que no soy ni eres,
tan cerca que tu mano sobre mi pecho es mía,
tan cerca que se cierran tus ojos con mi sueño.
No te amo como si fueras rosa de sal, topacio
o flecha de claveles que propagan el fuego:
te amo como se aman ciertas cosas oscuras,
secretamente, entre la sombra y el alma.
Te amo como la planta que no florece y lleva
dentro de sí, escondida, la luz de aquellas flores,
y gracias a tu amor vive oscuro en mi cuerpo
el apretado aroma que ascendió de la tierra.
Te amo sin saber cómo, ni cuándo, ni de dónde,
te amo directamente sin problemas ni orgullo:
así te amo porque no sé amar de otra manera,
sino así de este modo en que no soy ni eres,
tan cerca que tu mano sobre mi pecho es mía,
tan cerca que se cierran tus ojos con mi sueño.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
No digo adios, digo hasta luego...
So I’ve been terrible about updating my blog, but that’s only because I was having too much fun! But so it is, that my first post was written from the United States, as will be my last.
All in all, Sevilla was like a dream. I know people like to get all sentimental about their experiences, but for real people, it was. I don’t think I could have asked for more from the trip. I just felt like I really got a feel for what the culture was about, something I couldn’t real say in all honesty after my last time there. I learned to appreciate or at least to tolerate the differences in between my own culture and that of Sevilla. More than that though, my Spanish is better than it has ever been in my life (C1, Avanzado, for those of you who are curious, with C2 being considering fluency ☺), and taking classes at CLIC introduced me to people from all of the world. And I can say proudly that I now count several Brits, two Danes, one Swede and one German among friends that I will surely stay in touch with, not to mention a few new Americans. As a result, not only have I learned a lot about Spain, but I’ve learned a lot about quite a few other countries as well.
I went to Spain because I was feeling lost and unfulfilled, and though it remains to be seen whether or not I’ll be able to hold on to what the experience taught me, I have come back from this renewed, and that’s refreshing. The pulse of Spain…of Europe…beats in my veins, and will hopefully continue to beat.
So I say “goodbye for now”, with the hope that I will return soon to the colorful, tranquil, yet energetic place that I called home for 3 months. Until we meet again…
All in all, Sevilla was like a dream. I know people like to get all sentimental about their experiences, but for real people, it was. I don’t think I could have asked for more from the trip. I just felt like I really got a feel for what the culture was about, something I couldn’t real say in all honesty after my last time there. I learned to appreciate or at least to tolerate the differences in between my own culture and that of Sevilla. More than that though, my Spanish is better than it has ever been in my life (C1, Avanzado, for those of you who are curious, with C2 being considering fluency ☺), and taking classes at CLIC introduced me to people from all of the world. And I can say proudly that I now count several Brits, two Danes, one Swede and one German among friends that I will surely stay in touch with, not to mention a few new Americans. As a result, not only have I learned a lot about Spain, but I’ve learned a lot about quite a few other countries as well.
I went to Spain because I was feeling lost and unfulfilled, and though it remains to be seen whether or not I’ll be able to hold on to what the experience taught me, I have come back from this renewed, and that’s refreshing. The pulse of Spain…of Europe…beats in my veins, and will hopefully continue to beat.
So I say “goodbye for now”, with the hope that I will return soon to the colorful, tranquil, yet energetic place that I called home for 3 months. Until we meet again…
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Life is not fair.
Allow me to complain for a hot minute. I resent what I have come to know as being the truth; that you CAN have it all, but you can't have it all at ONCE.
Monday, April 26, 2010
The true meaning of Spanglish.
I am of the opinion that a typical American's view of the meaning of "Spanglish" is one of two things: a Ricky Martin song, or a native Spanish speaker mixing the use of Spanish and English words in everyday conversation.
While at one time I would have counted myself among those who share that view, "Spanglish" has come to mean something different to me.
Spanish is a language that does not share the same grammatical structure as English, nor do all the expressions translate. Therefore, when on a daily basis you are switching back and forth between thinking and speaking the two languages, their paths often cross. While my Spanish undoubtedly sounds strange to Spanish speakers when I translate from the English, my English is beginning to sound equally strange. Some examples.
"Maybe I will go..." a.k.a. "I might go..."
"We are going to take one more drink and then leave." a.k.a. "We are going to have one more drink."
"Do you want to take something?" a.k.a. "we are going for tapas, not to rob a store."
“My dad was wanting to stay at the Alfonso XIII” a.k.a. “My dad wants to stay at the Alfonso XIII.”
These, among many other equally if not more embarrassing examples have become part of my daily English vocabulary. If my Spanish is improving then surely my English is getting much worse. I also in advance ask everyone to forgive the tendency I will surely have to start speaking Spanish while intoxicated when I get back to the U.S.
While at one time I would have counted myself among those who share that view, "Spanglish" has come to mean something different to me.
Spanish is a language that does not share the same grammatical structure as English, nor do all the expressions translate. Therefore, when on a daily basis you are switching back and forth between thinking and speaking the two languages, their paths often cross. While my Spanish undoubtedly sounds strange to Spanish speakers when I translate from the English, my English is beginning to sound equally strange. Some examples.
"Maybe I will go..." a.k.a. "I might go..."
"We are going to take one more drink and then leave." a.k.a. "We are going to have one more drink."
"Do you want to take something?" a.k.a. "we are going for tapas, not to rob a store."
“My dad was wanting to stay at the Alfonso XIII” a.k.a. “My dad wants to stay at the Alfonso XIII.”
These, among many other equally if not more embarrassing examples have become part of my daily English vocabulary. If my Spanish is improving then surely my English is getting much worse. I also in advance ask everyone to forgive the tendency I will surely have to start speaking Spanish while intoxicated when I get back to the U.S.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
You know you haved lived in Spain when...
1. You think adding lemonade, fanta or even coke to red wine is perfectly acceptable. Especially at lunch time.
2. You can’t get over how early bars & clubs shut back home - surely they’re shutting just as you should be going out?
3. You aren’t just surprised that the Spanish plumber / decorator / electrician has turned up on time, you’re surprised he turned up at all.
4. You think it’s fine to comment on everyone’s appearance. And to openly stare at strangers.
5. Not giving every new acquaintance dos besos seems so rude.
6. On msn you sometimes type ‘jajaja’ instead of ‘hahaha’
7. Every sentence you speak contains at least one of these words: ‘bueno,’ ‘coño,’ ‘vale,’ ‘venga,’ ‘pues nada’...
8. You know how to eat boquerones.
9. You eat lunch after 2pm & would never even think of having your evening meal before 9.
10. You know that after 2pm there’s no point in going shopping, you might as well just have a siesta until 5 when the shops re-open.
11. You know you must take two days off when you have to do any official paperchasing, for cars, residence, etc.
12. You know how to change a bombona.
13. It’s not rude to answer the intercom to your flat by asking ‘Quien?’(or maybe that was just my flatmate…)
14. You know the difference between cojones and cajones, tener calor and estar caliente, bacalao and bakalao, pollo and polla, estar hecho polvo and echar un polvo...and maybe you learned the differences the hard way!
15. On some Sunday mornings you have breakfast before going to bed, not after you get up.
16. You have friends named Jesus, Jose Maria, Maria Jose, Angel, maybe even Inmaculada Concepcion…
17. You know that ‘ahora’ doesn’t really mean now.
18. When you make arrangements to meet friends at 3, the first person turns up at 3.30…if you’re lucky!
19. To avoid that cheap Eristoff vodka you have to ask for ‘un esmirnoff’.
20. Blonde girls actually start to think their name is ‘rubia’. If something is great, it’s ‘de puta madre’.
21. If you see someone wearing a T-shirt with something written on it in English, you can almost guarantee it won’t make sense.
22. When you go into a bank/bakery etc, it’s standard practice to ask ‘Quien es la ultima?’
23. When you have the habit of answering the above question “Ahora es Usted”.
24. Who needs a dryer when you have a washing line outside the window of your apartment?
25. You are more likely to call your friends tio/a, nena, chaval, machoor even tronco than their real name.
26. You answer the phone by saying ‘Yes’. Or even ¿Diga?
27. You prefer UHT milk.
2. You can’t get over how early bars & clubs shut back home - surely they’re shutting just as you should be going out?
3. You aren’t just surprised that the Spanish plumber / decorator / electrician has turned up on time, you’re surprised he turned up at all.
4. You think it’s fine to comment on everyone’s appearance. And to openly stare at strangers.
5. Not giving every new acquaintance dos besos seems so rude.
6. On msn you sometimes type ‘jajaja’ instead of ‘hahaha’
7. Every sentence you speak contains at least one of these words: ‘bueno,’ ‘coño,’ ‘vale,’ ‘venga,’ ‘pues nada’...
8. You know how to eat boquerones.
9. You eat lunch after 2pm & would never even think of having your evening meal before 9.
10. You know that after 2pm there’s no point in going shopping, you might as well just have a siesta until 5 when the shops re-open.
11. You know you must take two days off when you have to do any official paperchasing, for cars, residence, etc.
12. You know how to change a bombona.
13. It’s not rude to answer the intercom to your flat by asking ‘Quien?’(or maybe that was just my flatmate…)
14. You know the difference between cojones and cajones, tener calor and estar caliente, bacalao and bakalao, pollo and polla, estar hecho polvo and echar un polvo...and maybe you learned the differences the hard way!
15. On some Sunday mornings you have breakfast before going to bed, not after you get up.
16. You have friends named Jesus, Jose Maria, Maria Jose, Angel, maybe even Inmaculada Concepcion…
17. You know that ‘ahora’ doesn’t really mean now.
18. When you make arrangements to meet friends at 3, the first person turns up at 3.30…if you’re lucky!
19. To avoid that cheap Eristoff vodka you have to ask for ‘un esmirnoff’.
20. Blonde girls actually start to think their name is ‘rubia’. If something is great, it’s ‘de puta madre’.
21. If you see someone wearing a T-shirt with something written on it in English, you can almost guarantee it won’t make sense.
22. When you go into a bank/bakery etc, it’s standard practice to ask ‘Quien es la ultima?’
23. When you have the habit of answering the above question “Ahora es Usted”.
24. Who needs a dryer when you have a washing line outside the window of your apartment?
25. You are more likely to call your friends tio/a, nena, chaval, machoor even tronco than their real name.
26. You answer the phone by saying ‘Yes’. Or even ¿Diga?
27. You prefer UHT milk.
Life
"I am so thirsty for the marvelous that only the marvelous has power over me. Anything I cannot transform into something marvelous, I let go. Reality doesn't impress me. I only believe in intoxication, in ecstasy, and when ordinary life shackles me, I escape, one way or another. No more walls."
Friday, April 23, 2010
"The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain..."
"The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain..."
Interesting sentiment.
Unfortunately not true in Sevilla this week, seeing as I see no plains in this city and quite a lot of rain. My feet are stained black from the dye on my shoes and I have trudged through more puddles that I care to count back and forth from class. Yesterday I got caught in a torrential downpour on the way to class, and neither my raincoat nor my umbrella did much to keep my dry, and today I was stuck at CLIC for 45 minutes, unable to leave as a result of another downpour. Sevilla, apparently, is as fickle as New England, and no sooner did it stop pouring than the sun came out and the temperature escalated to about 85 degrees.
Sevilla, I would appreciate it if you would make up your mind. Or that Abril, llueves mil, becomes May flowers tan pronto como posible. Gracias.
Interesting sentiment.
Unfortunately not true in Sevilla this week, seeing as I see no plains in this city and quite a lot of rain. My feet are stained black from the dye on my shoes and I have trudged through more puddles that I care to count back and forth from class. Yesterday I got caught in a torrential downpour on the way to class, and neither my raincoat nor my umbrella did much to keep my dry, and today I was stuck at CLIC for 45 minutes, unable to leave as a result of another downpour. Sevilla, apparently, is as fickle as New England, and no sooner did it stop pouring than the sun came out and the temperature escalated to about 85 degrees.
Sevilla, I would appreciate it if you would make up your mind. Or that Abril, llueves mil, becomes May flowers tan pronto como posible. Gracias.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Jessica and James eat Spain.
I have been considering changing the name of my blog to "Jessica eats Spain," because more than anything else, that is what I have been doing: eating. Luckily, I had a visitor this weekend that was perfectly content to help me do so.
James and I ate tortilla Espanola, albondigas en salsa verde, espinacas con garbanzos, gambas al ajillo, queso de cabra con miel, a 400 gram leg of lamb that was literally falling off the bone, paella mixta, ostrich carpaccio with argula and parmesan, bacalao al pil pil, (codfish in a garlic/olive oil sauce), solomillo del toro el salsa whisky, (bull steak in whiskey sauce), and a warm salad whose ingredients were unidentifiable, yet it was one of the best things I ever ate. We also made our way through a couple of chocolate soufflés, chocolate cake with pistachios, a Venetian crepe stuffed with ice cream, chocolate con churros, and more than a few bottles of wine/cans of cerveza/glasses of tinto de verano/cups of café con leche.
Besides eating and drinking excessively we managed to tour Sevilla. We visited Plaza Nueva, Calle Sierpes and Tetuan, Plaza del Salvador, Sevilla’s Catedral and Giralda (cathedral and bell tower), Plaza de Espana, the Universidad de Sevilla, the Hotel Alfonso XIII, Sevilla’s nicest hotel, took a walk along the Rio Guadalquivir, saw the Torre del Oro and the Corrida del Toros, crossed over to the other side of Sevilla by way of the Puente del Isabel II to see Calle Betis in all of its colorful glory, walked through the barrio de Santa Cruz, losing ourselves (LITERALLY) in the narrow, winding streets, took in a Flamenco performance at Casa de la Memoria, went out for drinks with some of my CLIC friends, and even paid a visit to Sevilla’s Arabic baths, where for an hour and a half we submerged ourselves in warms pools, cold pools, hot pools, salt water pools, Jacuzzis, aromatherapy steam rooms, and topped it all over with a full body massage and some Moroccan tea. La vida es buena.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
"You say TiggAH, I say TiggER!"
Hi all! So my third week in Spain is coming to a close. It is really amazing how time flies. I am going to be receiving six visitors here in Sevilla in the next six weeks which I’m sure will make it go even faster. Not as though I am lacking in ways to spend my time. It seems as though every day I meet someone new. My beautiful friend Maria Kristina Kolmos Liokouras (how’s that for a name?) is back from vacation in Greece and since she has been here for a while she already knows lots of people whom I am also getting to know. Friday night she had a party at her house and I met a lot of British guys…hence the title of this blog. One of Maria’s roommates had a Tigger stuffed animal, and they kept calling it TiggAH. And I was like, it’s TiggER! It’s really fascinating to be here spending time with people from all over the world. How often can you go to a party and there is a girl from Poland, a girl from Germany, a girl from Lichtenstein, two girls from Denmark and a bunch of British guys in the same room? I was the lone American and the Brits were having a grand old time mimicking the tendency for Americans to say “Oh my God!” and “You’re SO annoying!” I also learned that the Brits don’t say “to hook up,” to indicate a sexual encounter. They say “I pulled a girl last night.” Colloquial language is fascinating. Thursday night was also amazingly fun, as a large percentage of students at CLIC met at the bar Corral del Esquivel in the Alameda de Hercules to drink and talk. I met a Spanish couple around my age who were really awesome that I hope to befriend during my time here. After Corral del Esquivel we went to a discoteca called Buddha Bar and stayed there until 5 in the morning. This schedule I’m on is going to be the death of me. My French friend Michael Verdier ya ha salido from Spain. He arrived back in France yesterday. But most of the people I am now spending most of my time with are going to be here at least as long as I am, perhaps even longer.
Basically I just love it here. I wake up every day not knowing how the day is going to go, which is refreshing. Just yesterday I had promised Maria that I would tutor her in the subjunctive in the Alameda at 2, and it turned into somewhat of a party when she brought her friend, Melisssa, another classmate passing by the Alameda joined us, and then later Melissa’s boyfriend and Michael showed up and we just sat in the sun, eating, talking and laughing. I’m not really sure how I’m going to manage going home after living this idealized life for 2 months, but I’ve been weighing my options. The British guys I spoke about are all teaching English here, and some of them are teaching it to adults, which I obviously prefer compared to teaching children. I’ve asked one of the guys to e-mail me information regarding the program he is doing so that I can at least secure some work out here if I were to come back for 6 months to a year. But I am getting ahead of myself, because I have something at home that is too special to leave…
Monday, April 5, 2010
I knew when we collided, you’re the one I have decided is one of my kind…
For the first time in a long while I feel like the world is speaking to me, and this time I am listening, really listening. I ask you, my dear readers, have you ever returned to a place after a time and seen it in a completely new light?
I ask because that is what Sevilla has been for me. I left this city 4 years ago and the entire time I was gone from it, Sevilla sought me. In a way I feel that it was calling to me, beseeching me to return, to understand it in a way that I had not been able to the last time.
I hope, Sevilla, that now we are beginning to understand each other.
I did not appreciate the narrow sidewalks and even narrower streets, the abuelas walking slowly arm and arm down the street, the siesta, the smell of freshly baking bread in every corner bakery, the fresh fruit being sold on the street, the fact that you cannot get your waiter or waitress to bring you the check at a restaurant anywhere near the time when you actually finish your meal, or the colorful beauty of a country whose people are equally colorful and beautiful.
But now I look at things a bit differently. I peer down those narrow streets curiously seeking adventure unafraid of whatever moped may come my way, imagining a day when I might also waddle down them, arm in arm with my oldest friend, a midday break, a solace for those of us who rely on coffee to get us through the day, the comforting aroma of homemade bread, the colorful stacks of boxes filled with everything from strawberries to eggplant, the lack of a need to collect money as soon as possible from people enjoying their dinner and the delicious diversity of a culture so full of energy that you can’t help but be uplifted by it.
Yes, Sevilla, I think I am starting to get it.
That is not to say this country does not sometimes frustrate me. Machismo is rampant; I can hardly go anywhere without getting hit on. Stores close at odd hours and on random days. People try to navigate their cars, bikes and mopeds down the street and since they are truly so narrow, this usually means that you must stop walking, press yourself up against a building to avoid the oncoming traffic and wait until it passes. Beer and alcohol are cheaper than water (good or bad, depending on how you look at it), and overall you just must understand that things just take longer here; you must never be in a rush. I waited 15 minutes at the dry cleaners yesterday because the lady working there could not find my very expensive and very beloved black Theory blazer. At some point you have to tell yourself, this is not the USA, there are things they are going to do differently. Some will be worse, and some will be better. Don’t judge. Again, easier said than done, but I’m getting there.
But truly, truly, at the end of the day I go to sleep and I am happy to be going to sleep in Spain, and I wake up and I am happy to be waking up in Spain. And unlike my last trip, when most of the time I eagerly awaited the day I could return home, each day that passes makes me a little sad, because it is one day closer to the day I will be leaving Sevilla.
Being back here has taught me a lot and I’m sure the life lessons will continue. I’ve quoted a Rob Thomas song in the blog before, and listening to it reminds me that these little discoveries every day are what really matter: “Our lives are made, in these small hours, these little wonders, these twists and turns of fate, time falls away, but these small hours still remain…”
I ask because that is what Sevilla has been for me. I left this city 4 years ago and the entire time I was gone from it, Sevilla sought me. In a way I feel that it was calling to me, beseeching me to return, to understand it in a way that I had not been able to the last time.
I hope, Sevilla, that now we are beginning to understand each other.
I did not appreciate the narrow sidewalks and even narrower streets, the abuelas walking slowly arm and arm down the street, the siesta, the smell of freshly baking bread in every corner bakery, the fresh fruit being sold on the street, the fact that you cannot get your waiter or waitress to bring you the check at a restaurant anywhere near the time when you actually finish your meal, or the colorful beauty of a country whose people are equally colorful and beautiful.
But now I look at things a bit differently. I peer down those narrow streets curiously seeking adventure unafraid of whatever moped may come my way, imagining a day when I might also waddle down them, arm in arm with my oldest friend, a midday break, a solace for those of us who rely on coffee to get us through the day, the comforting aroma of homemade bread, the colorful stacks of boxes filled with everything from strawberries to eggplant, the lack of a need to collect money as soon as possible from people enjoying their dinner and the delicious diversity of a culture so full of energy that you can’t help but be uplifted by it.
Yes, Sevilla, I think I am starting to get it.
That is not to say this country does not sometimes frustrate me. Machismo is rampant; I can hardly go anywhere without getting hit on. Stores close at odd hours and on random days. People try to navigate their cars, bikes and mopeds down the street and since they are truly so narrow, this usually means that you must stop walking, press yourself up against a building to avoid the oncoming traffic and wait until it passes. Beer and alcohol are cheaper than water (good or bad, depending on how you look at it), and overall you just must understand that things just take longer here; you must never be in a rush. I waited 15 minutes at the dry cleaners yesterday because the lady working there could not find my very expensive and very beloved black Theory blazer. At some point you have to tell yourself, this is not the USA, there are things they are going to do differently. Some will be worse, and some will be better. Don’t judge. Again, easier said than done, but I’m getting there.
But truly, truly, at the end of the day I go to sleep and I am happy to be going to sleep in Spain, and I wake up and I am happy to be waking up in Spain. And unlike my last trip, when most of the time I eagerly awaited the day I could return home, each day that passes makes me a little sad, because it is one day closer to the day I will be leaving Sevilla.
Being back here has taught me a lot and I’m sure the life lessons will continue. I’ve quoted a Rob Thomas song in the blog before, and listening to it reminds me that these little discoveries every day are what really matter: “Our lives are made, in these small hours, these little wonders, these twists and turns of fate, time falls away, but these small hours still remain…”
Thursday, April 1, 2010
La vida es una gozada.
For my non-Spanish speaking followers, I have just learned that "una gozada" is a colloquial expression for "A very pleasant experience," and I am pleased to report to you all that Spain has finally become just that!
As of Monday my classes changed and new people arrived or moved up. This was una cosa muy buena because a Swedish girl named Marushia and a French guy named Michael (pronounced Meek-hail) became my classmates and we almost instantly became friends. Michael is unfortunately only here for 2 weeks, but Marushia has been here for 2 months and is staying at least until May and perhaps longer. She has been a great resource for where to go to "ir de tapeo" and "tomar copas". The three of us have also taken a Japonese guy named Sato..."under our wing," so to speak, as he speaks hardly any English, unlike most of the CLIC students, and being around him forces Marushia, Michael and I not to speak in English. In our class there is also a Korean girl, Han-Mi, who seems really nice. Classes go from 9 until 1 every day with a 20 minute break in between, and during the break our class usually goes and has a coffee. After class though, it's usually time for some vino or cerveza and some tapas, and the weather has been beautiful so we sit outside and enjoy the sun and the breeze. This week is Semana Santa...Holy Week...and as today is Holy Thursday and tomorrow Good Friday, Sevilla is more or less CERRADA. For this reason, tomorrow I shall either be off to the beach in Huelva, to stay at Maria and Antonio's house there until Sunday, or I will go once again to Granada to visit the Alhambra, a really old Moorish palace that I had the displeasure of getting lost in for over a hour last time I visited. Nevertheless, Michael is going and I have been considering accompanying him. So, it'll be either the beach or the palace. What terrible choices I have in this life.
So, although I didn't really mind passing my first few days in Sevilla sin amigos, its really nice to have somewhat of a social life at this point! And now, since I know you all are curious, I describe to you the tapas we consumed last night:
baby artichokes wrapped in bacon (not like American bacon), deep fried
asparagus and zucchini gratinee
roasted peppers with tuna in olive oil
seafood salad
warm goat cheese served over honey and nuts with crudites to spread it on (heaven on earth)
ANDDDDDDD....mucho vino tinto!!
So for those of you who are coming to visit me, I apologize in advance si he puesto gorda como un globo when you all arive.
Much love until next time.
XOXOXO
As of Monday my classes changed and new people arrived or moved up. This was una cosa muy buena because a Swedish girl named Marushia and a French guy named Michael (pronounced Meek-hail) became my classmates and we almost instantly became friends. Michael is unfortunately only here for 2 weeks, but Marushia has been here for 2 months and is staying at least until May and perhaps longer. She has been a great resource for where to go to "ir de tapeo" and "tomar copas". The three of us have also taken a Japonese guy named Sato..."under our wing," so to speak, as he speaks hardly any English, unlike most of the CLIC students, and being around him forces Marushia, Michael and I not to speak in English. In our class there is also a Korean girl, Han-Mi, who seems really nice. Classes go from 9 until 1 every day with a 20 minute break in between, and during the break our class usually goes and has a coffee. After class though, it's usually time for some vino or cerveza and some tapas, and the weather has been beautiful so we sit outside and enjoy the sun and the breeze. This week is Semana Santa...Holy Week...and as today is Holy Thursday and tomorrow Good Friday, Sevilla is more or less CERRADA. For this reason, tomorrow I shall either be off to the beach in Huelva, to stay at Maria and Antonio's house there until Sunday, or I will go once again to Granada to visit the Alhambra, a really old Moorish palace that I had the displeasure of getting lost in for over a hour last time I visited. Nevertheless, Michael is going and I have been considering accompanying him. So, it'll be either the beach or the palace. What terrible choices I have in this life.
So, although I didn't really mind passing my first few days in Sevilla sin amigos, its really nice to have somewhat of a social life at this point! And now, since I know you all are curious, I describe to you the tapas we consumed last night:
baby artichokes wrapped in bacon (not like American bacon), deep fried
asparagus and zucchini gratinee
roasted peppers with tuna in olive oil
seafood salad
warm goat cheese served over honey and nuts with crudites to spread it on (heaven on earth)
ANDDDDDDD....mucho vino tinto!!
So for those of you who are coming to visit me, I apologize in advance si he puesto gorda como un globo when you all arive.
Much love until next time.
XOXOXO
Sunday, March 28, 2010
The Quest for Internet Commences!
So in just a few hours I will have completed my first official week back here in Spain. The past few days have been spent, mainly, with a very tall Spanish man named Jesus Marquez who owns a company called SevilleServices.com whom I called in hopes of having internet installed in my pequenito apartamento. Unfortunately, the signal from the original modem he tried to install was so low that I could not connect. Then we tried for WIFI, but that wasn’t working either. Finally he decided to give me a Vodafone broadband USB port signal thing which is working just fine and dandy, the only problem is that it is the only one Jesus has and I can’t keep it. Worst case scenario is that I will have to buy my own, but that wouldn’t be so terrible.
So, here I sit in Starbucks (gotta love it) in Sevilla, among throngs of people waiting to watch the first day of the Semana Santa parade. The weather is absolutely perfect and there is barely a cloud in the sky. Maybe the weather Gods look fondly upon Holy Week, haha.
On another note, I must admit that I am REALLY proud of myself. My Spanish, for whatever reason, seems to have improved in the years that have passed since I last left Sevilla, and I find that I understand the people on the street, the people talking in restaurants and in bars around me, and that I can communicate without much difficulty. Not to mention the fact that the last time I was here I was somewhat hesitant to explore the city by myself, yet I think nothing of it this time around simply leaving the house equipped with my map, wandering the narrow cobblestone side streets and knowing that even if I get lost, it’ll be ok.
I’m constantly thinking about new ways to improve my Spanish. A lot of the students here seem to be content with the idea of being able to simply communicate. Since communication does not seem to be a problem thus far, I am looking for ways to sounds more like a native speaker. I endure a reasonable quantity of stares on a day to day basis considering my skin is far too pale to allow me to pass myself off as a Sevillana, but if I can’t LOOK Spanish, I can at least SOUND Spanish. Or at least so I tell myself. So, passing by Casa del Libro the other day, an idea dawned on me. Last I was in Spain, I bought Harry Potter in Spanish. Reading books of that difficulty without having read them before in English would probably be too challenging to keep up with, but reading them afterwards is an amazing way to learn because you know what happens, you have parts of the books memorized, and your brain goes, “OH! So that’s how you say that in Spanish!” Since my latest fantasy novel obsession has been the Twilight vampire books, I bought the first one, Crepusculo, in Spanish, and have been diligently trucking through it. On average I circle about 4 words a page that I don’t know the meaning of. Maybe by the end of the book I’ll be able to cut that number in half.
So aside from my lack of a social life en este momento, I am happy. The reason I came to Sevilla…well, at least one of the reasons, was that at home, I felt stagnant and unchallenged. Here, I’m doing something different and learning something different every day.
It’s definitely a refreshing change.
So, here I sit in Starbucks (gotta love it) in Sevilla, among throngs of people waiting to watch the first day of the Semana Santa parade. The weather is absolutely perfect and there is barely a cloud in the sky. Maybe the weather Gods look fondly upon Holy Week, haha.
On another note, I must admit that I am REALLY proud of myself. My Spanish, for whatever reason, seems to have improved in the years that have passed since I last left Sevilla, and I find that I understand the people on the street, the people talking in restaurants and in bars around me, and that I can communicate without much difficulty. Not to mention the fact that the last time I was here I was somewhat hesitant to explore the city by myself, yet I think nothing of it this time around simply leaving the house equipped with my map, wandering the narrow cobblestone side streets and knowing that even if I get lost, it’ll be ok.
I’m constantly thinking about new ways to improve my Spanish. A lot of the students here seem to be content with the idea of being able to simply communicate. Since communication does not seem to be a problem thus far, I am looking for ways to sounds more like a native speaker. I endure a reasonable quantity of stares on a day to day basis considering my skin is far too pale to allow me to pass myself off as a Sevillana, but if I can’t LOOK Spanish, I can at least SOUND Spanish. Or at least so I tell myself. So, passing by Casa del Libro the other day, an idea dawned on me. Last I was in Spain, I bought Harry Potter in Spanish. Reading books of that difficulty without having read them before in English would probably be too challenging to keep up with, but reading them afterwards is an amazing way to learn because you know what happens, you have parts of the books memorized, and your brain goes, “OH! So that’s how you say that in Spanish!” Since my latest fantasy novel obsession has been the Twilight vampire books, I bought the first one, Crepusculo, in Spanish, and have been diligently trucking through it. On average I circle about 4 words a page that I don’t know the meaning of. Maybe by the end of the book I’ll be able to cut that number in half.
So aside from my lack of a social life en este momento, I am happy. The reason I came to Sevilla…well, at least one of the reasons, was that at home, I felt stagnant and unchallenged. Here, I’m doing something different and learning something different every day.
It’s definitely a refreshing change.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Vida Sevillana.
Hola a todos!
So, today is my official 4th day in Spain. I arrived late on March 22nd and the Spanish couple with whom I lived when I studied abroad at Northeastern picked me up at the airport. (The perks of having stayed in touch with them for 4 years...free rides!). They drove me to my apartment and stayed with me until Lorenzo (the rental coordinator) met me there. The next day I was supposed to start classes at 9:15 a.m., but being a little overwhelmed with the idea of getting up more or less at the crack of dawn in order to make my way over there without getting lost so as not to be late for my first class, I decided to postpone my start date until the next day. That being said, I spent my first day walking around, rediscovering Sevilla and buying necessities for my pequenito apartamento. Yesterday was my first day of classes. My teachers are great and the classes are very focused on conversation. I am one of two Americans in the class but the other girl is leaving Sevilla this coming Wednesday. The other students are from Denmark, Palestine, Bulgaria and Japan, so we have been having great discussions regarding politics and religion and lots of interesting stuff. Yesterday I struggled a bit with my Spanish, but today I was very happy with how well I spoke. The director of studies recommended that I begin at an Intermediate Level and that I could always move up if it was too easy. Right now I feel like I am probably the strongest speaker in the class and I have already learned verb tenses that the intermediate students do not know, so in 2 weeks or so I think I will move up to a higher level, but I figured it would be better to start slow and not stress myself out too much as I adjust to this new Spanish life!
Sevilla is a great place to live. The people are lively, active and expressive and overall, quite friendly. Some attention is unwanted, but I try to blend in with the locals as much as I can. Most people are very helpful and CLIC is a great support system to have. My apartment is in a pretty little yellowish stucco building with a big wooden door. It has an open air patio inside the building. It is right next to a church and I have a bar next door with indoor and outdoor seating that serves toasted sandwiches, tortilla espanola and lots of other tapas, including coffee, beer and wine. Last night I went for a glass of vino tinto and tortilla espanola with spinach and it cost me under $4...2.90 euro. And let me tell you, the Sevillanos do not skimp on the wine. It's just such a pleasure to walk around, discovering the neighborhood. It brings me such joy to just be learning and discovering every day. Despite the fact that each day is infinitely more exhausting than it would be if I were speaking English and driving everywhere instead of walking, I am really enjoying myself so far. I met the American girls who are living with Maria and Antonio, the Spanish couple I spoke of earlier, and they are 21 and want to go out and drink some copas with me, which will be nice, as I have had limited social contact for the past few days. I know I will meet a lot more people in the days and weeks to come.
I will update again soon. Love to you all!
-Jess
So, today is my official 4th day in Spain. I arrived late on March 22nd and the Spanish couple with whom I lived when I studied abroad at Northeastern picked me up at the airport. (The perks of having stayed in touch with them for 4 years...free rides!). They drove me to my apartment and stayed with me until Lorenzo (the rental coordinator) met me there. The next day I was supposed to start classes at 9:15 a.m., but being a little overwhelmed with the idea of getting up more or less at the crack of dawn in order to make my way over there without getting lost so as not to be late for my first class, I decided to postpone my start date until the next day. That being said, I spent my first day walking around, rediscovering Sevilla and buying necessities for my pequenito apartamento. Yesterday was my first day of classes. My teachers are great and the classes are very focused on conversation. I am one of two Americans in the class but the other girl is leaving Sevilla this coming Wednesday. The other students are from Denmark, Palestine, Bulgaria and Japan, so we have been having great discussions regarding politics and religion and lots of interesting stuff. Yesterday I struggled a bit with my Spanish, but today I was very happy with how well I spoke. The director of studies recommended that I begin at an Intermediate Level and that I could always move up if it was too easy. Right now I feel like I am probably the strongest speaker in the class and I have already learned verb tenses that the intermediate students do not know, so in 2 weeks or so I think I will move up to a higher level, but I figured it would be better to start slow and not stress myself out too much as I adjust to this new Spanish life!
Sevilla is a great place to live. The people are lively, active and expressive and overall, quite friendly. Some attention is unwanted, but I try to blend in with the locals as much as I can. Most people are very helpful and CLIC is a great support system to have. My apartment is in a pretty little yellowish stucco building with a big wooden door. It has an open air patio inside the building. It is right next to a church and I have a bar next door with indoor and outdoor seating that serves toasted sandwiches, tortilla espanola and lots of other tapas, including coffee, beer and wine. Last night I went for a glass of vino tinto and tortilla espanola with spinach and it cost me under $4...2.90 euro. And let me tell you, the Sevillanos do not skimp on the wine. It's just such a pleasure to walk around, discovering the neighborhood. It brings me such joy to just be learning and discovering every day. Despite the fact that each day is infinitely more exhausting than it would be if I were speaking English and driving everywhere instead of walking, I am really enjoying myself so far. I met the American girls who are living with Maria and Antonio, the Spanish couple I spoke of earlier, and they are 21 and want to go out and drink some copas with me, which will be nice, as I have had limited social contact for the past few days. I know I will meet a lot more people in the days and weeks to come.
I will update again soon. Love to you all!
-Jess
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Bella, bella, bella, como il sole!
Hello friends,
So I write to you now from Italy. The past few days have been packed. Our last day in the Loire Valley we did not go to a wine tasting because my dad had a minor stomach bug. Instead we took a drive up to Chatres to see the famous cathedral there which was well worth seeing. Then we had lunch in the town and I had French onion soup and a crepe...so very French. The next day we began our 4 and a half hour drive to Lyon first thing in the morning and upon arrival my amazing Aunt Donna was waiting there for us. The first night we had dinner at a 2 star Michelen restaurant where I made friends with some Korean girls. The next day we did a tour of Lyon followed by a tour in wine country which culminated in a 3 wine bottle lunch that left me more than a little intoxicated. The chef at the restaurant had worked for Daniel Bouloud in NYC for 2 years and the food was exquisite. So I left France on a good note so far as food was concerned. We also had a chance to see Complexions perform an AMAZING program at the Maison de Dance in Lyon and had a really fun dinner with the entire Company. The next morning wasn't so fun as we had an early flight out to Milan and the French literally raped us for excess baggage charges. But upon arrival at our hotel in Lake Como, Villa d'Este, I felt immediately at home. When I come to Italy it reminds me why I have been here 3 times already because the food, the shopping, and the beauty of this place keeps calling me back. We saw Leonardo DaVinci's The Last Supper, we saw an opera at the Teatro alla Scala, and had more amazing meals than I can remember...including one in Switzerland (which, by the way, is about 15 minutes away from the town in which we are staying, gotta love Europe). Tomorrow we are taking a boat cruise around Lago di Como and the next day it's off to Spain.
My trip has been amazing and I have had the chance to spend time with some of the people I love the most, but now it's off to Spain to deal with my existential crossroads. Maybe by June 1st I will be closer to discovering the meaning of life, what I want out of it, and why. At this point I certainly hope so. It is a difficult thing to not know why, intellectually, you want or don't want something in particular out of life.
So I write to you now from Italy. The past few days have been packed. Our last day in the Loire Valley we did not go to a wine tasting because my dad had a minor stomach bug. Instead we took a drive up to Chatres to see the famous cathedral there which was well worth seeing. Then we had lunch in the town and I had French onion soup and a crepe...so very French. The next day we began our 4 and a half hour drive to Lyon first thing in the morning and upon arrival my amazing Aunt Donna was waiting there for us. The first night we had dinner at a 2 star Michelen restaurant where I made friends with some Korean girls. The next day we did a tour of Lyon followed by a tour in wine country which culminated in a 3 wine bottle lunch that left me more than a little intoxicated. The chef at the restaurant had worked for Daniel Bouloud in NYC for 2 years and the food was exquisite. So I left France on a good note so far as food was concerned. We also had a chance to see Complexions perform an AMAZING program at the Maison de Dance in Lyon and had a really fun dinner with the entire Company. The next morning wasn't so fun as we had an early flight out to Milan and the French literally raped us for excess baggage charges. But upon arrival at our hotel in Lake Como, Villa d'Este, I felt immediately at home. When I come to Italy it reminds me why I have been here 3 times already because the food, the shopping, and the beauty of this place keeps calling me back. We saw Leonardo DaVinci's The Last Supper, we saw an opera at the Teatro alla Scala, and had more amazing meals than I can remember...including one in Switzerland (which, by the way, is about 15 minutes away from the town in which we are staying, gotta love Europe). Tomorrow we are taking a boat cruise around Lago di Como and the next day it's off to Spain.
My trip has been amazing and I have had the chance to spend time with some of the people I love the most, but now it's off to Spain to deal with my existential crossroads. Maybe by June 1st I will be closer to discovering the meaning of life, what I want out of it, and why. At this point I certainly hope so. It is a difficult thing to not know why, intellectually, you want or don't want something in particular out of life.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Bonjour du France!
Hi All :)
So I write to you now from Chamont sur Tharonne. This is a tiny French town in the Loire Valley which is essentially French wine country. We are staying at a chateau on 60 acres which is actually a nice change from a hotel. The first night we arrived, a chef came to the chateau and cooked us a 5 course meal, complete with wine and coffee. He made a sushi grade salmon amuse bouche, with what tasted like a soy sauce marinade, shrimp ravioli, duck with asparagus and carrot puree, a hot cheese dish made with filo dough and a salad on the side, and the most deliciously perfect chocolate souffle I have ever tasted with a garnish of clementine in a thin syrup on the side. It was tres magnifique! I never thought I liked salmon or duck, but apparently, I do!
Yesterday we got a late start, had lunch at an adorable little restaurant in town and then headed to Chambord, the CHATEAU of all chateaus. This is a 440 room palace built in 1518 that housed many a French king...perhaps most notably Louis XIV. Afterwards we took a drive to Blois, a picturesque French city situated along the Loire River and spent an hour walking around and visiting shops before dinner at a restaurant called Au Rendesvous a Pecheres...the fisherman's meeting place. The menu was a challenge to decipher but I ended up with a pretty good steak and all was well.
This morning we had planned on having a quick lunch en route to yet another chateau (the Loire Valley in famous for them), but at our driver's suggestion we ended up at La Grouilliere, a Michelin rated restaurant. What was supposed to be a quick lunch turned into a 3 hour boozefest where I ate a delicious lobster bisque and a cheese plate fit for the Gods and even tried a liquor that was bottled in the 1700's. That, unfortunately, was not so delicious. Overall, though, I have to admit I do not care for French food. Aside from the 5 course meal the chef made us our first night, I have found French cuisine to be a little too heavy and rich for my tastes. Yet nonetheless, "when in Rome," so I am trying to give everything that is put in front of me a chance, even if I can't identify it and the French can't explain what it is in English. After lunch, we visited two more chateaus, and at my most fervert request, had an italian dinner, as I was not sure I could stomach any more French food at the moment.
The trip so far has absolutely met, if not exceeded my expectations. While a traveller should always expect and prepare for certain glitches along the way, the worst I have dealt with is a 4 year old European hairdryer that decided to pucker out on me the first time I tried to use it, and a cell phone that, despite having global service, decided not to work upon my arrival. After spending an hour on the phone with Verizon customer service from a French landline troubleshooting the problem and trying to reconfigure the phone from abroad, I was convinced that all was hopeless. I had originally intended to purchase an inexpensive international phone, send my dad home with my phone and have him FedEx it back to me once the problem was fixed back in the Etats Unis, but magically the phone began working after some delay, and I once again became a happy girl.
Tomorrow we are off to visit several different wineries, and the day after that we will be en route to Lyons. I will try and write another update from there.
XOXOXO!
So I write to you now from Chamont sur Tharonne. This is a tiny French town in the Loire Valley which is essentially French wine country. We are staying at a chateau on 60 acres which is actually a nice change from a hotel. The first night we arrived, a chef came to the chateau and cooked us a 5 course meal, complete with wine and coffee. He made a sushi grade salmon amuse bouche, with what tasted like a soy sauce marinade, shrimp ravioli, duck with asparagus and carrot puree, a hot cheese dish made with filo dough and a salad on the side, and the most deliciously perfect chocolate souffle I have ever tasted with a garnish of clementine in a thin syrup on the side. It was tres magnifique! I never thought I liked salmon or duck, but apparently, I do!
Yesterday we got a late start, had lunch at an adorable little restaurant in town and then headed to Chambord, the CHATEAU of all chateaus. This is a 440 room palace built in 1518 that housed many a French king...perhaps most notably Louis XIV. Afterwards we took a drive to Blois, a picturesque French city situated along the Loire River and spent an hour walking around and visiting shops before dinner at a restaurant called Au Rendesvous a Pecheres...the fisherman's meeting place. The menu was a challenge to decipher but I ended up with a pretty good steak and all was well.
This morning we had planned on having a quick lunch en route to yet another chateau (the Loire Valley in famous for them), but at our driver's suggestion we ended up at La Grouilliere, a Michelin rated restaurant. What was supposed to be a quick lunch turned into a 3 hour boozefest where I ate a delicious lobster bisque and a cheese plate fit for the Gods and even tried a liquor that was bottled in the 1700's. That, unfortunately, was not so delicious. Overall, though, I have to admit I do not care for French food. Aside from the 5 course meal the chef made us our first night, I have found French cuisine to be a little too heavy and rich for my tastes. Yet nonetheless, "when in Rome," so I am trying to give everything that is put in front of me a chance, even if I can't identify it and the French can't explain what it is in English. After lunch, we visited two more chateaus, and at my most fervert request, had an italian dinner, as I was not sure I could stomach any more French food at the moment.
The trip so far has absolutely met, if not exceeded my expectations. While a traveller should always expect and prepare for certain glitches along the way, the worst I have dealt with is a 4 year old European hairdryer that decided to pucker out on me the first time I tried to use it, and a cell phone that, despite having global service, decided not to work upon my arrival. After spending an hour on the phone with Verizon customer service from a French landline troubleshooting the problem and trying to reconfigure the phone from abroad, I was convinced that all was hopeless. I had originally intended to purchase an inexpensive international phone, send my dad home with my phone and have him FedEx it back to me once the problem was fixed back in the Etats Unis, but magically the phone began working after some delay, and I once again became a happy girl.
Tomorrow we are off to visit several different wineries, and the day after that we will be en route to Lyons. I will try and write another update from there.
XOXOXO!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Farewell!
To my dearest friends, family, and all else who blur the line between them,
I am moving to Sevilla.
In less than 48 hours I will be in a plane, Europe bound. Although I have spoken more or less nonstop about this trip with nothing but excitement for the past several months, now that my departure is imminent, my feelings are a bit more complex than that.
For those of you who know me well, you know that this trip is mostly a challenge I am presenting to myself in the hope that it will take me far away from my comfort zone and force me to analyze what it is exactly that I want out of life, and WHY? Many people aspire to settle down, have a family, and live a calm, easy life. Although I often ask myself why it is exactly that I DON'T want those things, at least not right now...even as a large percentage of people my age tend to be doing just that...I haven't quite been able to put my finger on it. I just know that I've seen enough of the world to know how much is out there, and I want to see and experience as much of it as I can. Sometimes I envy the people who have lived in the same town their whole lives. They have history there, they know everybody and everybody knows them. They have had the same friends since they were born. I've lived too many places to have one of them feel enough like home to tempt me into staying there. For this reason, among others, I wander, perpetually a nomad at heart, in search of something that draws me in enough to make me stay. For me right now, that place is Sevilla, a city that has been calling to me ever since I left it four years ago. So, to Sevilla I go, in hopes that I will find what I am looking for.
At any rate, it's bound to be a wondrous adventure.
I am moving to Sevilla.
In less than 48 hours I will be in a plane, Europe bound. Although I have spoken more or less nonstop about this trip with nothing but excitement for the past several months, now that my departure is imminent, my feelings are a bit more complex than that.
For those of you who know me well, you know that this trip is mostly a challenge I am presenting to myself in the hope that it will take me far away from my comfort zone and force me to analyze what it is exactly that I want out of life, and WHY? Many people aspire to settle down, have a family, and live a calm, easy life. Although I often ask myself why it is exactly that I DON'T want those things, at least not right now...even as a large percentage of people my age tend to be doing just that...I haven't quite been able to put my finger on it. I just know that I've seen enough of the world to know how much is out there, and I want to see and experience as much of it as I can. Sometimes I envy the people who have lived in the same town their whole lives. They have history there, they know everybody and everybody knows them. They have had the same friends since they were born. I've lived too many places to have one of them feel enough like home to tempt me into staying there. For this reason, among others, I wander, perpetually a nomad at heart, in search of something that draws me in enough to make me stay. For me right now, that place is Sevilla, a city that has been calling to me ever since I left it four years ago. So, to Sevilla I go, in hopes that I will find what I am looking for.
At any rate, it's bound to be a wondrous adventure.
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