Spain So Far

near the piso I'm staying at

I love how many sweet old people there are in this city! Seriously awesome.

on the way to a farm an hour from Madrid in a town called Villa del Prado. One of the most beautiful sunsets I've seen in a while.

Springtime in Holland!

another reason to love Madrid: dulces. Been wanting to order Meringues but, between the two, still just can't say no to Napolitanas. Neither could the cashier that day.


La Teteria de mi Abuela--one of Biz and my favorite places in Madrid! I got to go here last night with a new Couchsurfing friend--so great.


It's been so nice to be following spring around the world this year--I got in a few warm walking evenings in Greenville before I left, and Madrid's spring was at its peak when I arrived, then I got to see spring in its glory in the Netherlands for about a week (Kuekenhof gardens: stunning. MILLIONS of tulips and other flowers). Now I'm back in Madrid, heading to Malaga/Nerja tomorrow for some Mediterranean organic farming adventures with WWOOF. I'm super excited, though, I have to say, there are a lot of appeals to staying in Madrid (which I was thinking about doing for a little while). The last week I've been staying with a friend I met in my TEFL course here about 3.5 years ago (already been that long?? No way!). She's stayed in Madrid and is now teaching English, writing, and starting a website where artists can sell their work with her husband Alberto, who she met here. (They are AWESOME--Laura's a UGA gal and kind of reminds me of my BFF Ellen, another UGA grad--very full of life, exciting new ideas, and interesting things to discuss.) I wonder what my life would be like if I'd decided to stay here for the past three years. It's good to be back.

Madrid is even more breathtakingly gorgeous than I'd remembered. The first day back, I would climb the stairs out of these metro stops and, even on the more "boring" streets, just be compelled to take photo after photo (on my super low-res iPod touch). There's so much cool art stuff going on in Madrid: the Prado, of course, and the Caixa Forum, which has a new free art exhibition every month or two. And a new place, La Tabacalera, which is a huge abandoned old tobacco factory-turned coffee shop / music venue / workshop space (offering about a hundred free workshops open to everyone, from French to Photoshop to Flamenco). Every Tuesday night at 7:30 the music venue becomes a drawing workshop. Models sit on stage with funky props around them and a couple dozen artists can do their work and meet other artists. There's a library in one of the rooms, a "clothing swap" in another, and a couple gardens anyone can take part in outside. It seems like a great place to meet people, too. Oh, and there are some cool nonprofits I've heard about in Madrid that would be so neat to get involved in if I were staying around.

Anyway, this city's got it going onnnnn. But I remember living here, and every time I would leave the city, I felt so refreshed--to breathe clean air, walk in the mountains, or even the streets of a smaller town. So, knock on wood, I'll be at this farm near Nerja for a couple weeks, then probably exploring a little bit of Asturias or Galicia, which I've never been to but of which I have heard nothing but marvelous, green, bagpipey, hard cidery things. Don't know how much internet communication I'll be able to do in the next couple weeks, but I'll try to update.

Megabus, etc

Snow Day!!

(written yesterday--not able to publish till today)

Right now I'm sitting on the Megabus across the aisle from Kyle and Elizabeth, heading to D.C. from Charlotte. It's been too long since I've written. Eliz and I will be staying with dear, dear friends Justin and Erin in D.C.. This will be the second time seeing them this month after almost two years (!) having flown by without a reunion. We'll also hopefully see my cousin Marlie in NYC, whom I haven't seen since her sister Sarah's wedding two and a half years ago.

I think I woke up the other day, suddenly conscious of the fact that it's been four years since I was a senior in college. This time four years ago I was running a lot, listening to Guster and the Shins, taking night photos in black and white, pulling almost all-nighters finishing papers the morning they were due. That was an emotional semester. I thought the decisions leading up to and during college--where to go, what to study, which professors and classes to choose, where/if to study abroad--were the most important ones I would make in my life, but I've seen that the few years after graduating have been laden with as or more weighty decisions.

I've been thinking a lot about more travels this year. Having a hard time narrowing down which countries I'd be interested in living in and what to do there, if I'd be able to go at all (volunteering with a medical group = attractive, but can be expensive...); I've definitely thought about Nicaragua again (I felt like I left my heart there when I was coming back) or another C. American place (ummmm, Alice is going to be in Costa Rica this spring! It'd be so fun to be near her), Chile's been calling me for a while now; Argentina, Peru, Venezuela and Ecuador also sound amazing. Europe is also attractive, for a few reasons. A Holland visit would be quite lekker this year. French-speaking countries are appealing to me these days, too--why not? India--I've wanted to go there for a long time, but I think it'll be a little while longer till that comes to pass.

It's been a really lovely winter so far: dinner parties, new friends, trips to Asheville, Columbia, and Ohio, some stellar conversations, bike rides and broccoli nabbing, my first white Christmas, time with my family, fireside reading sessions, and getting snowed in. (By the way, I love that there are still little piles of snow in various street corners of Greenville--little molecules of snow trying to protect each other from the warm rain and air.)

Nicaragua

Some of the girls at the orphanage. All total sweethearts, each with a different, very gripping story.

I am confounded by how quickly time flies in this laid-back, "Raff-time," "pick you up at ten-ISH," country. Really, the last week--I don't know where it went. Which is probably why I'm only now getting around to writing about my incredible time in the bonito, amable, complicado country of Nicaragua.

The orphanage I'm helping out at houses around 40 kids--actually, many of whom are not orphans. A lot of the kids here have families or extended families who may not have the parenting skills or the money to provide for their kids, so the orphanage takes care of them/feeds them during the week and some of the kids go home on the weekends.

I LOVE these children. Most of them have already gone through more heartache than all of us put together--but they are so joyful. So thankful to be taken care of. One girl here is 17 and grew up on the streets of the dangerous capital, Managua. She never got to go to school, but now she can read and write. She loves singing praise songs and talking on the swing set. Another thirteen-year-old boy's parents were murdered by robbers when he was ten. He plays piano and guitar (beautifully--naturally very talented); I almost cried when he played me and my roommate a song he wrote about how God is his father. Two girls and their little brother (11, 7, and 3) lost their mother soon after the youngest was born. Their dad works around the orphanage and their aunts live close-by, but they can't afford to take care of the kids. They are incredibly smart little girls--the top of their classes--and the younger one loves insects and knows everything about the local bugs: how they smell, which ones are poisonous. Every time I see her she has a new pet spider in her hand! Those girls are actually good at everything: sports, drawing, dancing, and being adorable. Gosh--so many stories--childhood is such a sweet time of life. One of the most ridiculously charming boys here, in the point at you and wink at you while he's walking by kind of way, which is especially precious from a five-year-old, started crying during the final fight scene in the animated movie "How to Tame Your Dragon" and used my hand to wipe his tears. A seven-year-old, very rambunctious boy was moping around all night because he missed his mom. The only thing that could lighten his mood was playing Bear vs. Wolf with him. I'm usually the bear, and he makes a pretty ferocious wolf--he loves howling.

I am learning a ton of Spanish here! Really, understanding almost everything and being able to communicate with most people here. My Spanish is way better than it was in Spain--not sure what happened in the last two years. :) I like the Nica accent--even though they don't use "tu" for the second person singular; they use "vos" (not like Spain's "vosotros"--it's totally different). I loooove the people here--incredibly laid-back, generous, helpful, not pushy, and with hearts of gold. Yesterday a guy who visits the orphanage regularly with some people from his church in Managua took his whole day off to drive me and my roommate to Mombacho volcano. When that one was closed--it was no big deal to him; he drove us to another volcano thirty minutes away.

Anyway, there's a lot more to say, but I can't hog the internet forever. :) Some more photos:

Michaela and I visiting some girls at an orphanage about 5 km from ours. They loved picking flowers for us and taking photos with us!

Three sisters playing in the community where our orphanage is located. The balloons were from a fiesta celebrating Colombus Day earlier that afternoon.

Spaghetti, a fried plantain, and the staple rice and beans. Not bad!

Granada, Nicaragua--about an hour and a half away. One of the most beautiful cities I've ever visited.

Really great weekend

our limo ride! totally set the tone for the rest of that wonderful evening :)

eating CREPES in the Paris casino


Sisters No Misters trip to LAS VEGAS! Our farthest, most exciting trip thus far. Thank you, Aunt Tricia, for sponsoring our trip! And Aunt Kate, for letting us stay in your timeshare! We had a blast visiting Paris, Venice, seeing Cirque du Soleil, riding in a limo (Aunt Kate! thanks!), shopping, eating, etc.

communion before the wedding ceremony at Daniel's house

My bestie best friend Hannah just got married last weekend, too! It was a beautiful ceremony at an old Swedish Lutheran church in their small town in MN, officiated by Hannah and Daniel's dads, who are both pastors. Reception was also lovely--twinkle lights and zillions of Hannah's own cut flowers transformed their American Legion hall into a contra-dancer's paradise.

Cate y el dia terrible, horrible, espantoso, horroroso

Today was great, actually--but tonight was a little rough! I met up with Maggie Brown and my sister Jessica to talk about the logistics of bike riding from Canada to Mexico next summer (!! anyone else interested in coming?). At 5:45 I realized I was already supposed to be somewhere. Searching through my purse, I discovered I didn't have my keys. Went back inside--they were nowhere. Dangit. Must have left them in my car. Opened my car door with Jessica's last wire hanger and apparently left my purse on top of the car. Drove off. Realized in the car my purse wasn't there. Did I leave it at Jess's house? Tried calling her but my phone died on me before she had the chance to pick up!! You are kidding me.

Got in touch with Jessica. No purse there. Combed Main and Augusta Streets--trash cans, bushes--everything. No luck. :( Ordered a new debit card. Need to go to the DMV to get a new license tomorrow.

And I had just put a good chunk of cash in my wallet earlier today--which I never do!

Anyway, on the bright side, I got to catch up with some great people today. I'm going to Nicaragua in a week, for a month, to learn some Spanish and hang out with some orphans! My friend Logan worked at this orphanage outside of Managua (the capital) a few years back and hooked me up with the director, who told me to come on over! I am super excited! Just came up with my packing list today, including the book in the photo. And hopefully a debit card. :)

Qualitative, not quantitative.

birthday party picnic at rock quarry garden

in Asheville with Leah and Carrie. We may or may not have made an Urban Outfitters detour immediately preceding the taking of this photo. :)

at the French Broad Chocolate Lounge in Ash-vegas before seeing Mates of State

Events from the last couple of weeks:
-I turned 26. I can now check the "26 to 30" bracket when subscribing for things like Table 301 newsletters. Dangit. :)
-Took the MCAT, again, on Thursday. Ah, what a relief to have that behind me!! I definitely worked hard for whatever score I will find I earned in six week's time.
-Have been going to some pretty killa weddings: Katie and Eric last weekend, and Catherine and Lyle this weekend.
-I'm looking into going to Nicaragua, or somewhere in Latin America, this fall... Maybe in October, even for just a few (or several) weeks. I had just been thinking about how neat it would be to help out in an orphanage (probably after seeing Alex's story on "This Emotional Life") (on Netflix watch instantly), when I met a girl at (two of my favorite people) Catherine and Lyle's wedding this weekend who worked at an orphanage in Nicaragua last summer, through an organization called Orphan Network. Nothing's set in stone yet. We'll just see where this late October brings me.
-In the meanwhile, I plan on working at the nursing home still (and/or anywhere else? It's hard to get a new job for only six weeks), go to yoga with Anna/Jessica/Eliz/Carrie/Haley weekly (call me!), :) do an interview with VCOM's early decision panel Sept. 16 (!!), go to VEGAS with the sisters, and see my best friend Hannah get married to a kind-hearted Minnesotan.
-I want to do more artwork this year. Ummm... hold me to that! I'm thinking about creating some silhouettes. Gotta love them. I'd also like to get into med school this year, go hiking waaaay more, read a lot, and learn muchissimo mas de Espanol. Oh, and I want to use the pasta maker I just got for my birthday. Viva la cucina italiana!

Notice I'm speaking using qualitative terms, not quantitative. After 26 years, I know myself better than to do otherwise. :)

Kreisler's plays Kreisler

Liebesleid ("Love's Sorrow")--isn't this piece named appropriately? So moving.