Montserrat and a little history lesson..............

Hello Everyone,

These pictures are of Montsterrat, a large mountainous area with a cathedral and monestary. It has been considered as a national park since 1987 because there is also a lot of wildlife such as boars and rams. The area is so much prettier when you're actually there. This place is like a sanctuary. People like to come here to relax and get away. There is even a campsite. I think it is about 2 Euros a night.

I went with my friend, Alex. Since he leaves in the village nearby he offered to show me around. We went on a Monday, instead of the weekend to avoid the tourist crowds. And lucky for me, there weren't a lot of people at ALL. Yeah !!! It was peaceful and quiet.

I took the train to Monsterrat, and then I met up with Alex we took another train, (called the Cremallera) up the mountain to the monastery. Pictures #1-3 are of my train ride to Montserrat. Pictures #4-5 are of the Cremallera ride up to the monastery.

Pictures #6-7 are of the monastery. It looks old, but it was destroyed in the 1800s when Neapolean invaded it. I think it was rebuilt in 1844. What's nice about the monastery, is that people are welcome to spend the night there if they want. For 18 euros you can have a room to sleep, as well as eat and pray among the monks. Alex told me that he did this when he wanted to get away and study for his exams.

Pictures#8-14 are of the cathedral. It really is the most beautiful cathedral that I have ever set foot in. I have been to a lot of other churches in Austria and Germany, and though they are beautiful, they are really old, cold and don't feel welcoming. They almost feel like a thing of the past. This cathedral is beautifully decorated like a palace and it feels welcoming. It doesn't even feel like a tourist attraction, which was nice.(When I visited La Sagrada Familia by Gaudi it felt like I was seeing an attraction and not a house of God).

Picture #9 is a picture of "La Moroneta", a symbol of the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus for all Catalans. I believe that Mexicans have La Virgen Guadalupe. (But if I am wrong, please correct me. I got to touch her hand through the glass hole for good luck.

She is black, because she was found in the holy cave many many years ago, which is also at Montserrat. We would've been able to visit the holy cave, but we didn't have enough time.

What I was told is that Spain was invaded by the Moors centuries ago. When they came to Montserrat, the statue of the Virgin Mother was hidden in a cave, but was forgotten about. When she was found again, she had turned black from being in a cave for so long. Of course this isn't the real statue, but the replica was good enough for me.

I was also told that the Holy Grail was believed to be kept here. The Nazis stormed through here during WWII and demanded the people in the monastery to bring them the Holy Grail. Anyways, moving along..........................

Picture #13 was a very touching thing for me to see. People pray to La Moreneta to have their wishes come true and give thanks and leave things behind. They are allowed to leave their stuff for a week, and then it is taken away every Thursday.

 It is a room full of happiness and sadness. I saw baby clothes with writings, thanking La Moroneta for the new healthy child. Women sometimes leave behind their wedding dresses. Then I saw the sad stuff. Announcements for a missing young man. Someone also left behind a box of cigarretes behind with torn up cigarettes because someone died from smoking. I also saw walkers, probably for older people that passed away. It's a very personal room.

After spending some time in the cathedral, we walked around. We first went to a little chapel on the mountain that has been locked up for many years (Pictures 17-19). Lucky for me, my little lens on my digi cam could fit through the hole. People throw money on the floor to make wishes, so you'll see all the coins if you look hard enough.

After the chapel we went to the cross. Unfortunately, it was way to cloudy to see the beautiful view of the monastery. But it was still beautiful. We were high up on the mountains, and it felt like I was closer to God. The view below was beautiful, even though it was too cloudy. Hell, even my glasses were fogged up a little. #21-23 are of the view down the mountains. It almost makes me wanna grow wings and fly around a little.

Well, that was my day in a nutshell.............................

Unexpected Changes and some drama.............

Well Folks.....................................

I am not going to Austria tommorow after all. I found this out like 3 days before I was supposed to go. My grandma told me that it's not the best time. However, she is going to send me money to help tide me over which is a huge help.

The family from San Sebastian also told me that I will start work on Sept. 13th. I thought that I was gonna start earlier, but oh well ! Things change ! At least they told me that I can stay at their house if I don't have any place to go. I am still deciding on a date to go.

I don't really know how to feel about this. I need to have some structure in my life. Right now I live each day with no set plans. I need to be earning money too. That should be happening in San Sebastian, but the dates just keep getting pushed back.

Oh ! And more boy updates............................... Mr. Prince Charming that I mentioned in previous entries cancelled on me and wants to know when I am leaving. First of all, it took him forever to arrange that meeting, and then he cancels. We were supposed to meet tommorow evening. He keeps calling and trying to rearrange a time, but I have other plans and I don't know when I am leaving.

 After today, I don't think that I really want to see him anymore. He thinks it's okay to treat me like this, and it's not. If he were really interested in me, he would value the last few days I do have here.  I don't know if Spanish men are like this or not, but I am not sticking around to find out. So man: If you are reading this, I like you, but you are RUDE. En espanol, significa mal educado, vale ? After cancelling on me today, if you really wanna see me, you're gonna have to work at it a little harder, okay buddy ?

Wow. I feel better.

On a better note.....................I went to Montserrat yesterday with one of my new friends, Alex. It was very peaceful and beautiful and I took lots of pictures. Plus, I got a little workout from walking a lot. My butt kinda hurts. I will post the pictures soon.

Ciao.

Some of my favorite moments in Europe

Hello Everyone,

I am fully aware that this is my second entry for the day, but if I don't write it soon, I'll forget.

Look at the first pic above. It is SOOOO precious. It is of our first litter of puppies that were born around Christmas. The mother dog even made an appearnance. She is on the right. They have since been sold, and my parents now have a new litter. I am sad that I will never be able to see them. I keep asking my mom for pics, but I think she is a little too busy cleaning up all the shit they produce..........

Anyways......... although I am not able to see the cute puppies, I am still getting my doses of cuteness here in Europe.

The second picture wasn't taken by me. It was taken by Alex, one of my new friends here in Spain while he was traveling in Germany. However, the same thing happened to me in Austria while I was enjoying Austrian pastries with my aunt. Basically a little birdie flew down on my plate and started pecking away at the crumbs. I don't remember if I carried my camera or not, but I didn't wanna scare the little thing away. I just sat there while it made pecking noises with it's little beak against my plate. I was giggling for a good five minutes. It was a fearless little birdie....

Unfortunately, I can't capture all the cute moments. They come and go very fast, and they are usually unexpected surprises that brighten my day.

Here are some other moments worth noting........................

1.) I love observing little toddlers, and I especially love watching little girls play with dolls. I think it's so cute. While I was walking home from class one day I saw this little girl with a cute little pixie-cut walking her little baby doll in a stroller with her parents behind her. While she was walking, the stroller hit a rough spot in the cobble-stone street and the doll fell out of the stroller face first on the street. The parents mildly scolded her and told her to pick it up and put it pack. After they helped her pick it up and dust it off, she walked it again. But it happened again ! She wasn't paying attention and the doll kept falling and hitting the ground. I couldn't help but giggle and smile at them and I think the parents got a kick out of me being entertained.

2.) While I was enjoying ice-cream in the FNAC building, I heard a newborn cry. It was kinda cute. It was a baby girl all dressed in pink. The father was trying to comfort it and feed it. He was waiting for his wife to come out of one of the shops. He tried holding it, and picking it up, but it was on a mission to cry. 

When the mother came out of the store, she took the baby and comforted it. She was such a beautiful woman, and not in a model way, but more of a motherly way. She gently held the baby and comforted it. All of her energy went to making sure the baby was calm. She just looked and focused on the baby. I was watching closely, and she smiled at me for a second as I was watching. That was a nice moment.

3.) While I was Figueres, I had a LOT of time to kill before my train came to back to Barcelona. I sat and did a lot of people watching. I saw a little toddler in a stroller. One woman had a very small dog and held it up for her to pet, and she showed the little girl how to pet it. I love it when people teach little kids how to properly pet dogs. The little girl was shy at first, but then pet the dog after some coaxing.

I also saw this little boy in a stroller with his father behind him. The boy resembled him. It was cute to see. While the father was waiting for his wife to come out, the little boy was smiling and making noises at me. He was smiling wide and showing all his new little teeth. He was also shouting at other people passing by. It was cute to see the boy amuse himself. He even was trying to untie his shoes. While he was doing that, he kept smiling at me in a mischevious way. Of course the dad wasn't paying attention because I saw him check out another woman's ass.

4.) While I was at Port Vell, I decided to occupy myself by feeding the seagulls and fish. All the seagulls were busy fighting for bread on the dock and in the water. And out of the corner of my eye I see a cute little birdie hippity-hop on over, clueless as to what's going on. So I toss it a piece of bread. It cocks its head to the side a couple of times before it eats it. It was cute to see it try to eat the bread with its little beak poking at it. Before I was able to take a lot of pictures it flew away. By the way, it is picture #3.

5.) While I was in San Sebastian I saw a couple walk their new puppy. It was a little fluffy baby lab. It was on a leash, and walking with a little grin on its happy little face. And it didn't wanna move. The owner kinda had to drag it on it's little butt. It would walk, and then it would sit and get dragged.

Okay, well enough moments for now.......................

Ciao.....................................................

I Found Happiness at Placa Espanya !!!!

Hello Everyone,

I am leaving Barcelona in a couple of days. I feel mixed about this. I have done a lot of cool things here. I will make a full list later, because I will look back on my time here and smile. Almost every night I was out talking to someone. Didn't matter who the person was as long as he/she spoke Spanish/German and I could learn something new. And I learned a lot.

But after I go to Austria I should be going to San Sebastian to work for a family and look after three boys. There, I will hopefully enroll in Spanish and dance classes. I have no idea what my life there will be like. I just hope that I make a lot of friends and enjoy my time there.

On Friday, I did a language exchange with a police officer. It was so neat !! He's worked with police forces from other countries, including the US and he wants to go to the United States to work as an officer. That was cool to hear. I got to see his badge and listen to him tell me about his job in general.

I took advantage of our time and asked him about immigration laws. Basically he told me that if I stay longer than my allowed 90 days as a tourist, nothing will really happen to me as long as I don't break any laws. THAT was a relief to hear.

We then went to Placa Espanya and had a drink on the terrace. We also watched the water fountain shows. This place is amazing !! UNFORTUNATELY, I didn't bring a camera.

However, yesterday I went again and took pictures this time. I went with my classmate from my Spanish class. He speaks German, so I polished up my German for my grandma. We decided to go and watch the water show. This place is absolutely beautiful, and my pictures just don't do enough. You have to be there.

Y'all know I've been feeling a little down lately. This trip to the water fountain totally cheered me up. The water fountain show was amazing. Since we got there early, we got good spots to watch the show.

The waterfall show is a good symbol of happiness. There are lights, water and music. Everyone there seemed to be in a good mood. Kids were playing and strangers were talking to each other. While I was watching the show, I reflected on my trip here. I have had a lot of moments: Good, bad and embarrassing. But luckily the good outweighs the others by far.

I loved watching how the water danced to the music as well as other people saying "ooh" and "ahh". During the first show there was opera music. As the voice got stronger the water shot higher. As a man and woman would sing together, the colors and water patterns would change. Very beautiful.

After the first show we went down by the fountain to take pictures directly in front of it. While we were there another show started with pop music. They were playing my favorite jams so I got up and danced. I really didn't care what other people thought at that point. I was getting spritzed while I danced. It was fun.  It was nice being so close to the big fountain. How could one NOT be in a good mood with water spritzes, colors, lights and music? There were a lot of people taking pictures together, kids giggling and happiness overall.

After that, we decided to go and take pictures in front of La Sagrada Familia. I've been there during the day, but it is so much more prettier at night.

We also went to Pizza Hut. Now THAT was good and I was full. I almost forgot what that felt like. For five Euros I got some fried potatoes, a small pizza and large drink. We sat outside and had a nice view of the temple( La Sagrada Familia) all lit up.

I slept like a baby that night.

 

The Subject of Love :)

Hello Everyone,

I almost forgot to mention that my blog here was a candidate of becoming AOL's top pick of the week. This was back in July when I was way too busy with my TEFL course and without enough internet access. At the time passing my course was the only thing I cared about. Therefore, I couldn't respond to the nice people at AOL and send a picture. And now the opportunity has passed. Ah well !!!

I was reading Angela's journal (among my favorites) the other day and she was talking about her first true love. It was such a bittersweet story. I am sure that first true loves are ones that can never be erased. I also found this picture which I posted above. It's so pretty. And the guy there even looks like the guy I've met here in Barcelona. (But that's another story)

I wouldn't know about true love. I have never been in love. I have dated different people (good and bad). And I have even come close to thinking that I was somehow in love. I have also had crushes, but never true love. I have had guys compliment me, but no one has ever really made my heart flutter or make me feel like I am the only special girl in the world.

But I still believe in it. I believe that most people have one great love in their lives and are lucky to find the other person. Some people live their lives without never knowing. I don't know what category I will fall into. That's the mystery of life, I guess.

As I was growing up I had the fantasy of meeting my prince one day and was sure that I would meet him soon. I am all grown up now. Reality came and paid me a visit. Instead of being presented with princes, I was showed the frogs !!!

Am I bitter? No. I am glad that I met these frogs and they have made me a stronger person. I can stand up for myself, and I am learning how to get what I want for once. Plus, it makes for great story-telling.  I also now have a better understanding of how to become a better person for the prince that may or may not show up one day.

I know people that have met their prince at an early age. They don't know what life is like without the other person. If the other person were to leave them or die, they wouldn't know where to being. At least I know how to stand on my own.

Am I sitting by my windowsill with my hair down and waiting for him to hop off his white horse? Hells no ! And he can take his time.

I am out traveling and living my life the way I want it, for once. I am learning how to stand up on my own two feet and survive alone in a foreign country. It's not easy and I bitch about it here in my journal (and probably will continue to.......), but at least I can say that I gave it a shot.

And about the guy I met here? I won't say his name, but he looks kinda like the guy above. I like him because he is sweet, relazed and laid-back. He is also educated (RARE here) and doesn't like to get wasted every night. But he is acting strange. I am glad that I found out sooner than later. He doesn't want to go out and dance and do anything really fun with me. He won't really talk to me and tell me what's bothering him. We're suppose to hang out soon but he told me he'd call me when he feels better. And I haven't heard from him since. And you know what I did ? I made other plans. And if he never calls me again, I wouldn't be too bothered either. I hate being treated like this. If he wants to treat me like this, then maybe I don't want to see him after all. I have feelings too.

Ladies, please.........Here is some advice: If these words are somehow mixed into the conversation, you know you have a problem...

1.)"It's not you, it's me." ( Hell, even I've used that BS line before)                            

2.) "I'll call you later."

3.) "I promise I'll make it up to you."

When I hear these words, I always smile and pretend I never heard them.

I hope this entry hasn't depressed you too much. I am not a bitter person, but sometimes I gotta let my feelings out, and this journal is my territory and therapy at the moment.

Anyways, I AM going out tonite to do another language exchange. There is no way that I am staying here at home alone tonite. He says he's a police officer, so I am hoping that he'll tell me more about immigration laws here in Spain.

Ciao.

 

 

 

More Things I haven't written about

Hello Everyone,

Sorry, but I don't have any pictures. I have been a little lazy, and I know that I'll regret it down the road. But, oh well.

I forgot to tell y'all that I went to the movies this week. I was just thrilled that I got to watch the movies in English (with Spanish subtitiles, of course) I went with my classmate from Spanish class. He's from Germany so I got to practice my German. Cuz next week I'll be visiting Oma, and I don't wanna disappoint her..............

We went to the movies twice. The first time we saw Shrek 2. I liked it. And it sends out a good message...... Basically to stay true to who you really are. Plus, the animations were cute. I loved the characters.

The next day we saw Ladykillers with Tom Hanks. Though some parts were funny, I absolutely hated the ending. But there was a lot of swearing and slang and it was cool to see how it was translated into Spanish. And there was a lot of play-on-words in the movie. So, being the only American in the theater I was the only one that was amused.

Today was the last day of my Spanish class. Though I always went to class, I NEVER did my homework. I feel kinda guilty, but not too much. I just graduated from college AND my TEFL course. I just don't have the capacity to study anymore. Plus, it's not like I was studying for a degree or even a grade. Ah, the excuses................. I also sold my books to a girl in the class and used the money to buy myself dinner tonight.

Tonight I had another language exchange. I didn't really like the guy and made an excuse to go home early. But at least I got to improve my Spanish. He smoked a lot and kinda blew it in my face. And he didn't wanna even practice English. Not that I mind too much. I mean, after all its more Spanish practice for me. But come on now !! Why the hell did he arrange to meet me( an ENGLISH speaker) if he doesn't wanna even practice? I mean, sometimes I like to help people improve their English skills. It makes me feel a little smarter and I get to take a break from struggling in Spanish.

Anywho, I better go now. Ciao.

More Confusion...............

Hello Everyone.....................

First of all, I wanna appologize that I don't have any new pictures today, so this old one will have to do.I took it in Austria. I better take some more new pics soon if I want people to keep reading this journal.

I have so many thoughts that run through my head every day. I am lucky if I remember enough to fill a page.

I just wanna say that I worked so hard to come here to Spain and improve my Spanish and maybe find a job. I made so many sacrifices to come here. I  really thought that I was going to love every minute of being here. And I have enjoyed a lot of my time here. I have memories that I will never forget.

 What I didn't really think about is that I would have my hard times here. Right now I want to go back to the US. I really didn't think that I would feel this way. I am struggling with my Spanish, and running out of money. Plus, I miss my family and friends back home. I miss living in my comfort zone. I can't just go and apply for jobs here like I can in the US. I never really considered that it will take me a while to feel like I fit in.

Trust me, even though I feel this way I am not going home. That would be the easy way out. I know that as soon as I go home, I will miss Spain. I also know that one day I will look back on these times favorably and want to return. I know I would regret it if I went home early.

The grass is always greener on the other side. When I was in the US, I wanted to come here to Spain sooooo bad. And when I go to the US I know that I will want to come back here. SO when the hell will I just be happy ??  It is important for me to live my life in the moment and enjoy what I have right now. I was never very good at that. But I am at least trying. If living here has taught me anything, it is that life moves by way too fast and that I need to enjoy the moment that I have in front of me.

And before I go...............I just gotta say that men confuse the living hell out of me. There has got to be an easier way to communicate with them. I met a guy that I like spending time with. We went out today for the third time but this time he was acting different. He is so hard to read. It is so hard to get him to talk to me and tell me what's going on. He makes it so difficult for me to get to know him better. And I can't stand that. Oh well, I am leaving anyways next week so we'll just see where this goes.........................

Anyways, I am tired of writing. I will pour my heart out some more tommorow.

Yeah ! I am Certified !

Hello there my lovelies.............

I am listening to Missy Elliot as I am typing this. My flatmate here LOVES her. I just got up and did a little dance.

Well, I still feel a little shitty, but I sure as hell feel better than yesterday. Yesterday sucked and just didn't pass fast enough.

Although yesterday was bad, I did have a language exchange with someone last night. He was telling me about all the fun he's been having in Valencia and Galicia. That was cool to hear. We went to a bar and had virgin drinks. After that he treated me to the local Xocolateria (Chocolate shop). I had a chocolate soup with some churros. Damn !! That was good and it made me feel a little better.

Today I feel a little better. I did after all receive my TEFL certificate. I went by the school and picked it up. Now all I have to do is wait for my college diploma to get mailed to me. Can't wait to hold that in my hands. I worked hard for five years, and coughed up about $30K. I'll be paying that off for a while......................

Now I just need to get some actual teaching experience. When I move to San Sebastian I will be helping three young boys learn English. I think that should help.

Anyways, I should be going to the movies to see Shrek 2 tonight in ENGLISH (Imagine that, huh?) I think that should make me feel better.

Ciao.

Confusion

Hello Everyone,

I really like the picture above. Normally I wear glasses and have a chubbier face. This picture doesn't show any of that !!! Yeah for my digi cam :)

The past few days since I've updated have been cool. I had another language exchange on Friday and we went to the Fiestas de Gracia again. I didn't really like the guy but I had fun at the street parties........ There were a lot of people dancing and having a good time. We also met up with some other girls and talked for a bit. And I ran into my old classmate from my TEFL course !! It was cool to catch up a little with him. We've all went our separate ways since the course and it was cool to see what he's been up to since.

I also went to the beach yesterday with a new guy. I went for like a five minute swim. I am thrilled that I can actually swim in the oceans here. It's always too damn cold in CA. It was pretty peaceful and there weren't too many people. Plus we got to watch the sunset.

Lately I have been going through a roller coaster of emotions. Sometimes I just love it to death here and feel like I am going somewhere in my life and accomplishing something. Other times I just feel sad and confused. Today is just one of those days. Today is one of those days where I just don't even wanna wake up.

Now, forgive me. I can't just go and talk to people here about this. Nor do I feel like picking up the phone and crying back home to my momma and poppa. They have more urgent things to worry about. I just feel like dumping it all here on my journal and forgetting about it. Because I am hoping that this feeling passes. Soon.................

I love Spain. I really do. I just don't know exactly where I am going and how things are gonna end up for me. I am leaving Barcelona in less than two weeks.............I am going to Austria for a week and then I am moving to San Sebastian. At the time I made plans to go to San Sebastian, there were no other options for me to make money and stay here.

Now I have other options. I was offered a job by a cool New Yorker that I met here in Barcelona to make calls here at the WTC( The one in Spain. YES, there is one.) It doesn't pay very well, but its enough to live and there are opportunities to make more money and get promoted. Oh how I wish that I could say yes. Luckily I can still take him up on the offer when I come back.

I also met a nice guy, whom I really like spending time with. And now I have to move. Will we keep in contact for the time that I am gone? Who knows................Of course I'll try. But it's always the guy that I have to worry about. But it would be so naive of me to believe that we'll be in contact all this time. I think I grew up a little since high school. Ya know what I mean?

Meeting a new guy always makes my feel so vulnerable. I almost can't stand the feeling because I've always had a very hard time trusting any man. But at the same time I just can't live my whole life without giving myself a chance.

I am running out of money, and when my insurance runs out, what am I gonna do? I miss the security of talking to customer service agents in English and getting things done fast. I miss knowing that I can see a doctor when I feel like it.

I haven't been very hungry since I have arrived here. Plus I've been a little broke. I haven't been eating a lot and this totally affects my mood. Or should I say, sometimes my mood affects my appetite. I can't keep track of the order anymore.

These are the things that worry me here. Sometimes I am able to escape and enjoy the beauty Spain has to offer. And lately I have been doing that. I've been improving my Spanish, meeting cool people, going to the beaches, and eating some good food. But at the same time REALITY is just two steps behind me. I guess that we can't have everything we want, which is a part of life.

Today I just wanna go home so bad. I can't help it. I just wanna pack, get on a plane and go back to my old apartment and sleep. But I can't. I don't even have my own place anymore. Hell, when I go back to the US, my life will be so different. I will have to start all over. Just like I am doing here. There is just no easy way out.

I guess I just feel like I don't really belong anywhere right now. It's kinda hard to deal with sometimes. My whole life is up in the air.

Well, I better go and do something else now. I suppose that I should go and enjoy the rest of my Sunday. I gotta feel better sometime, ya know?

Ciao.

 

 

 

 

Thought Provoking stuff

Hello Everyone :)

Of course the words below aren't mine. They are from a woman named Angela. http://journals.aol.com/readmereadyou/MyThoughts/ and that is her journal. I don't know her personally, but I sure like reading what she has to say. This is what she had to say on August 17th:

Of course it is important to have both male and female role models for children but today, I want to talk about dads and daughters. I think fathers have an enormous amount of influence on their little girl's entire lives by the way they treat their own wives, as well as their little girls.    

I don't know how many men read these journals but I'm hoping at least one man out there will read this and think about his actions and reactions to his wife and to his daughter and how these behaviors are going to effect his daughter's entire future. Yes, future.    

You may feel love for your wife and daughter, but aren't showing it as you should. If you compliment your wife and daughter, your daughter, as a teen, won't look for validation all too soon in the eyes of teenaged boys. If you hug and kiss your little girl affectionately, she won't be found in the back seat of a car at 16 with the local Romeo because she wanted your affection so badly and you never gave it to her. If you shout your way through life, she may find herself one day in the grip of an abusive boyfriend or husband.    

If you don't pay enough attention to your wife, don't take the time to listen to your mate or your daughter, your daughter will marry someone just like you. No, not the best of you but the worst of you. She'll marry a someone who doesn't care if she's hurting inside or happy for that matter. Why? Because it will be all she's ever really known and the type of man she will think she deserves subconsciously. Oh, her first attraction to the guy she will one day marry will have all of your good points orthe good points she wished you had.....but, her unconscious self will pick someone with all of your faults. Why? Because she never got to resolve those issues with you. Subconsciously, she will pick the traits she wanted to fix in you and will try to fix them as an  adult with  her mate and she will fail....And, she will be unhappy. You don't want that to be.    

It's a proven fact that girls with close father/daughter relationships, marry good men or may marry later in life. First, they aren't in any rush because they feel whole and when they do marry, it will be for the right reasons; not to fill voids within....Prove it to yourself. Just look around at the women you know. Do you know one with a great husband? If so, you will find a great dad or father figure who gave her just what she needed, and as an adult, she will expect the same treatment from her mate and get it. Conversely, a woman in a bad or unfulfilled marriage, will expect or receive very little from her spouse and not get much from him in terms of emotional security, or whatever else her father deprived her of, if her dad were emotionally or otherwise unavailable to her. I know you don't want to see your little girl growing up and, one day, finding herself in a joyless marriage. It really doesn't have to be that way. Spend consistent quality time with your daughter and your wife. It is your life's work! Give your daughter a bird's eye view of how a woman (wife) is supposed to be loved and treated by the man in her life. First, you, her father, set the example and she will have the proper judgment and tools to choose a good husband in the future.    

You say you do treat your wife and daughter very well! Then, that's really great. You won't have to wonder when you see your daughter walk down the isle who she's marrying, because she will be marrying you.....The best of you. The you that only she knew behind closed doors; the you who treated her mother like a valued woman and her like a valued daughter.

These words hit very close to home and explain thoroughly why I chose the menI do. I love all of my parents dearly ( I also have stepparents) and don't really care to talk about my childhood here. However, I still couldn't ignore these words.

Interesting Conversation

Hello there my lovelies................

Haha ! I stole this picture. Isn't it kinda mean ? Nemo was so cute, but I still think it's kinda funny.

Today was interesting day. Let me first start off my saying that I am just tired of getting hollered at by nasty men. Eew !!! Fucking.............eeew !! I don't like perverted men making kissing noises or trying to whisper nasty things in my ear. Nor do I like being hissed at !!! Gah ! Especially if the offender smells like ass.

Don't get me wrong. I've gotten nice compliments, and I will graciously accept if the person is sincere. But if I get treated like an alley cat, I will show him the hand a move along. Okay, 'nuff said about that............

I had a nice language exchange with another Catalan guy today. We talked about Spain and California. I told him about what kinds of food we eat, and what kind of people live there. While we were talking about African Americans, he referred to them as the N word. I almost fell out of my chair. I spent the next ten minutes emphatically explainging to him that he would get killed if he even THOUGHT about using that word in public in the US. He made an innocent mistake and didn't know, but I wonder just how he would be taught the N word.

Then we talked about Mexicans in CA, and he referred to them as "wet backs". I couldn't friggin' believe it !!!! When I asked him how he learned that term, he innocently told me that he learned it from the media. Holy Crap !!!! WTF ???? I better pay more attention to the media here. Needless to say, I took up some more time to explain why he should NEVER use such terms. In fact, I wrote out a little list for him so he'd remember.

Anyways, its getting late and I better go. Tooteloo.........

 

I Love this pic !!

Hello everyone :)

I found ( *cough, cough*, stole !) this picture from someone else's journal. This birdie is sooooo cute !!  He looks like he is having a bad day and all he wants is someone to feed him and pat him on the head.

I can totally relate. Right now all I really want is some food and a hug. (Okay, and maybe some money ;) )

 I am going to Austria next week to visit my grandma. I hope she'll give me a hug and cook me a nice meal. I'm glad I have family on this continent.

Well, I could write more, but I chose not to. I feel lazy. Damn heat !!

Ciao.

Girls Night Out

Hello Everyone :)

Wow ! Today was a nice day..........................................

I would first like to start off by saying that I am losing weight !! I can't really afford to eat as much as I used to so I've cut back a little. I went to the store today to try on pants and I fit into a size 4 !! I am just thrilled that my love handles are gone. I was normally a 6 back in the US when I ate as much as I wanted. I also practically walk everywhere, which means that I am getting some exercise.

After my Spanish class I met up with some girls in that class, as you can see in the picture above. Besides me being from the US, the others were from China, Japan, Germany and Brazil. We went out for tapas. We all speak different langauges, but we managed to communicate in our broken Spanish. Normally I don't go out because I am broke. But today I made an exception. I also got a picture of the food. VERY good stuff !!! I was full after, which was nice for a change.

After I got back from having tapas, one of my old students from my TEFL school called me and invited me to go with him and a friend to Las Fiestas de Gracia. Every year in August there are parties on the streets in some neighborhoods. I wasn't going to go at first, but I figured I should experience something new and get out of the house.

Boy am I glad I did !! There were so many creative decorations on the street, and a helluva lot of music. There was salsa, slow songs and rock. One band even played "Jump" by Van Halen. Many people were jumping up and down during the song, including myself. Pretty much everyone in the streets partying seemed to be in a good mood and enjoying themselves. People were laughing, dancing, sitting, chillin'..................... It was cool to see. It's not like the parties back in the US where people get drunk for the hell of it and listen to awful ghetto music. I am gonna try and go back tommorow. I am just sad that I didn't bring my camera with me.

Anywho, it's late now and I better get to bed so I don't sleep my whole day away tommorow.

Tooteloo....................

My Latest Pics

My afternoon of cheap entertainment

Hello Everyone :)

Today was an interesting day. I had three language exchanges. The first guy was cool. We had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe.

I have been really homesick lately, and the Hard Rock Cafe made me feel a little better. I felt like I never even left the US. We split a huge cobb salad and talked about jobs, languages and Barcelona in general. I had a really good time. After lunch, we went to another place and had Horchata drink. It was good.

My second language exchange partner was cool. I met him again for the second time. He was the one that I went to Park Guell with last week. We went to Port Vell. Last time I went there I saw jellyfish. This time there were none.

But I did see a couple feed the seagulls. While they fed the birds, the fish wanted some of the bread too. It was so fun to watch !! So I decided to buy some bread and spend some time creating a little war. And I got pictures too ! Yay !

While we were at Port Vell I got to witness a beautiful sunset. It was a magical moment to behold !!

After that, I met my third language exchange. I didn't like him too much. But I did like the fact that I had a nice cold glass of iced tea in a beautiful open terraced cafe. So, not all was lost.

And now I am back here putting this entry together. The weekend surely went by quickly. Hell, in fact my whole summer flew by and I am moving soon to another city in 2 weeks.

As I was watching the sunset I thought about how short life is. The sun went down so fast and I realized that I can't stay here in Spain forever and that I will have to go back home soon. It's so sad.

Anyways, I better go.

Ciao

Dali Museum in Figueres. Be sure to click to make them larger !

Hello Everyone,

Last night I was at the beach till 3am doing a language exchange. It was beautiful !! We chilled out on the sand, and we were almost the only ones left. During the day the beaches are always packed. I hope to do that again.

I got up early (7:30) to catch a train to Figueres to see the Dali Museum. I was sooooo tired. I almost just wanted to stay in bed, but I am glad that I took the trip. The train ride was 2 hours and I slept pretty much the whole trip. I went alone. I would have liked to have company, but I think that it was best to be alone because I was able to really focus on the art in the museum.

When I got to the Museum there was a line wrapped around the courtyard with hot weather. This museum is popular !! Luckily it went fast.

This museum is a head trip. There is art in almost every corner. I walked through the museum twice and I know that I still missed some stuff. I tried to take it all in, but it's impossible. Dali was a very complex artist with different styles. I also noticed that he painted a lot of portraits of his wife, which was lovely to see. She was a beautiful person.

Dali's art is very complex with a lot of details. I honestly think that I could study a single picture for a while and discover something new each time I look at it. Because I've never studied Dali's art before, I really don't know what some of his art symbolizes. I can only imagine what it means. I guess that there can be different interpretations. There were a lot of people discussing their interpretations of the art with each other. I listened in and got a better understanding about some of the pieces from listening to others speaking amongst themselves. Here is a quote from Dali that I really like:

"Without an audience, without the presence of spectators, these jewels would not fulfill the function for which they came into being. The viewer, then, is the ultimate artist. His sight, heart and mind- fusing with and grasping with greater or lesser understanding the intent of the creator- gives them life."  - Salvador Dali

The train back to Barcelona left at 7:45pm, and I finished looking at everything at around 3pm. Therefore, I had about 4 hours to kill in Figueres. I also paid a visit to the cathedral. I went inside and did a lot of thinking and some praying. I thought that the cathedral was very beautiful and peaceful. Almost no one was there, probably because everyone wastoo busy at the Dali Museum.

Besides the Dali Museum and the cathedral, there wasn't anything else that was exciting. After visiting the Dali museum and the cathedral I was bored. I walked around the town, but I was too broke to buy anything. I was exstatic when the train back to Barcelona finally arrived.

The trainride home was beautiful. The sun was setting and I got to see a lot of scenery. Too bad I didn't take any pictures. I was seated next to a bunch of obnoxious French boys. They just wouldn't shut up and were horsing around the whole time. They were going to Barcelona to party and asked me where the hottest party spots are. Hell if I know !!! I am too broke to go out.

Over the past few days, I've acquired a lot of mosquito bites. The problem with this is that they all bite me on my feet. At least they could bite my arms so that I can scratch them easier. Gahh !!!

Anyways, I better go now. Hope you enjoyed the little art show. Thank God I am not making any money off this website. Otherwise I couldn't show you.

Ciao.

 

Sorry, still no pictures.............

Hello Everyone :)

I feel kinda bad because I haven't posted up any new pictures. I should be going to Figueres tommorow morning to see the Dali museum ( if I don't sleep in) so hopefully I will have more images.

ANOTHER language exchanged got cancelled on me. I was pissed, especially I since I could have made other plans for tonight. And thankfully I was lucky enough to find something else to do. It is after all Friday night. This is the THIRD time this has happened to me !!!

I live by a movie theater so almost every time I walk home there is man that begs for money. He stands right next to the box office and holds out his hand. So while you you are talking to the cashier, you get pestered for money by this guy.

There are so many people that beg for money around here. Soooooo many people that sleep on the street. Barcelona is a tourist city and it is full of tourists and there are many people that take advantage of that by begging and and selling cheap useless things. It's so depressing to see. You have to wonder what their stories are.

Anyways, gotta go !!

 

Minor annoyances that I could do without........

Hello Everyone,

This journal gives me a list of moods to choose from, but "irritated" is not included in that list. Oh Well   :P

First off, it is so hot. I feel so lazy. It is a huge effort on my part to just get out of bed every morning. It is humid and there is no air conditioning here. I take freezing cold showers every morning. After I shower and go outside it takes 5 minutes for my hair to dry and I have long hair. At home it would take at least an hour. I just have no energy to do anything. Aarrrgh !!!

What else??? Oh, I had an appointment with someone to do a language-exchange tonight . He's been e-mailing me all week and telling me that he's looking forward to our meeting. And what does he do at the last minute ? He cancels on me. Thanks, asshole ! If he had just called sooner, I could have made other plans with other people. But it's not too bad. I have things to do. Laundry, work on my resume, look for teaching opportunities, pay bills........... Things that NEED to get done.

Another major hassle is paying my bills back in the US. Not only is there a big time difference, but sometimes they are hard to get a hold of. For example, I can't call the toll-free 1-800 number there. It's not possible from Spain. I am also running out of money really fast, which makes me nervous.............

But I do have to thank God for Nochilla chocolate spread. Not only is it cheap, but it is GOOOD stuff. I love to spread it on my bread every morning. I also love Flaix TV. It is like MTV and I get to see all the latest music videos. Today Lenny Kravitz was singing a song about California. It made me a little homesick. I kinda miss my life I had back in the US, but not really. I know that things won't be the same when I go back to California. I will have to start all over and I know that it will take me a while to get back into the swing of things. I know life will be a struggle for the first few months when I go back. But I know why I took this journey and have very specific reasons for doing so and I don't regret coming here.

 

 

Nothing that a beach can't fix :)

Hello there my lovelies.................

I just got back from the beach with my friend Sara. It is hotter than Satan's asscrack in my corner of the universe. (I stole this brilliant expression) But the beach made it all better. The waves here are normally calm, but were a little rowdier today. I got knocked off my ass a couple of times. It was bliss. The water was perfect and we left as the sun started to set. Sooooo beautiful. Too bad I can't take pics with my digital camera. It would get stolen immediately and besides, it would get damaged from all the sand.

Earlier today I had a nice language-exchange with a guy that just happens to be a waiter. And I used to be a waitress. Needless to say, we bonded fast. Our language exchange involved discussing business vocabulary as well as............. surpise...... restaurant terminology.

As we were discussing the pay and rights Spanish waiters have, I also wanted to know what he did if he had rude customers. Oh my !!!!! I thought that people in the US were wicked........ Looks like people here got us outdone. And why not?? People here in Spain work just as hard as people do in the US, but make half of what we do. Needless to say, he is one of my new heroes.

I have never tampered with peoples' food. I believe in karma. But when people are soooo rude and think that they are God and that the waiter is the scum of the earth and treat them as such, they surely deserve what's coming to them. And my new friend has no problem sticking it to his holier-than-thou customers.

Anywho, I better go eat some chocolate now. Tootles :)

 

Back at square one..................

Hello Everyone,

I just have to say that now that I am practicing my German and Spanish here, I feel that my English is getting worse !!! That's not supposed to be happening, especially because I am trying to help people improve their English skills. This wouldn't bother me if I were becoming fluent in both languages. But I am not !!! I am still struggling.

For example, we went over subjunctives in Spanish class as well as pronouns. I am supposed to know this stuff ! After all, my minor WAS Spanish and I studied it extensively in college. And I just sat there struggling today. I feel like I don't know anything sometimes. Hell, I could barely understand the text I was reading.

And I also had a language exchange today with a guy from Barcelona. This guy spoke waaaay too fast, which didn't exactly boost my confidence either. I just sat there and smiled and nodded my head because I didn't know what else to do. I got tired of asking him to repeat what he just said. But I enjoyed our meeting nevertheless. We had a drink in Barrio Gotico in an open cafe. I had a cold chocolate drink. Good stuff.

Anyways, I am supposed to go to the beach tommorow. Yay !!! Last time I went to the beach, I found seaweed stuck to my body when I got back home. It hurt when I peeled it from my skin.

Okay, bye for now :)

Park Guell

Hello Everyone:)

Today was a nice day. I slept in till almost 1pm and I have to say that it felt so damn good!! The only reason I even got out of bed is because someone called me and I had to answer the phone. Otherwise, who knows ?

I had 2 language exchanges and both guys were nice. They were both Catalan. For the first language exchange we went to Park Guell. And of course I posted pics for  y'all to see. There were sooooooo may people there !! I am just thrilled that I got good pics out of it.

Like I mentioned in one of my previous entries, you simply can NOT go to Barcelona without learning about Gaudi. Gaudi built Park Guell alonng with La Sagrada Familia and other houses. And guess what ??? I didn't have to pay a single red cent to get in. It's free !!!! Yay !!

This park is simply amazing. Gaudi was asked by a rich family ( the Guells) to build this park for them many years ago. Now it is opened to the public. Though I had to hike up a hill in the hot weather, it was worth it. Not only did I get an AMAZING view of Barcelona, but I also got to drool over Gaudi's amazing work. There was also a water fountain at the top with cold water so I could get a quick drink and spash some on my face.

After I saw Park Guell, I met the next guy for my language exchange in front of the Zurich Cafe. We sat by the water fountains and talked for a while. Then we walked through La Rambla and sat at Port Vell. It is so beautiful at night. Sometimes you can see the fish jumping.

This guy, Juan, taught me a lot of colloquial expressions which is useful. He also corrected me when I made mistakes, which was good. There are a lot of differences between the Spanish here in Spain and the Spanish that I learned in school ( geared towards Mexico and Latin America.) He helped me learn the proper words.

And now I am back here. I am going to bed now. Adios ! or shall I say in Catalan Adeu !!

 

Sometimes the best things in life are free.......

Hello there my lovlies...............................

Look at these cute puppies !!! These are the types of dogs I want when I go back to the US.

Today was a pretty good day. I met with a girl for my language exchange. She's from Germany and wants to improve her English and help me with my German. We agreed to meet at the Zurich Cafe. I spent a good few minutes trying to find her in the crowd because it was crowded outside. Turns out she was standing in front of me for a while. I didn't recognize her because she was black !! In fact, I walked around and asked another girl if she was waiting for me.

After we met and had a good laugh over my assumption, we walked down Las Ramblas and went to Subway. I was sooooo hungry and just had to have something cheap and good. We also went to Port Vell and talked for a while. While we were there we were sitting near the water with our shoes off. We saw a lot of jellyfish and many schools of fish. I forgot my camera, but she took pictures with her digital. I hope she sends them to me soon.

We talked bout a lot of things, and I got to practice my German. She is a very nice girl and she looks like Alicia Keys. She even smiles like her !!!! I told her that people would stumble over her if she came to the US.

We walked around a lot and didn't spend any money except for the food. We walked down Barrio Gotico. While we were walking I heard this man sing opera. He had a stunning voice. Then I saw this couple doing the tango. They were soooooo beautiful together. I think that they are married to eachother. I can't even describe how beautiful they were, especially the woman. After they danced this man from the crowd danced with her. The tango is such a romantic dance. I am so used to dancing alone for belly dance. Sometimes I wish I had a dance partner for the salsa or tango.

After I met with the German girl, I walked home. On the way another guy called me for a language exchange and we met up for a few hours. I got a lot of practice with my Spanish. He is a smart guy. He is a chemical engineer and finishing up his masters and going for his Phd. He knows all the big chemical engineering vocabulary. He just needs to improve his social English. I love meeting intelligent people like him.

Before I go, I gotta say that I am broke and I hate it. I am used to receiving a salary and I don't have one right now. Hell, I thought working at Red Lobster was bad. It was, but at least I got money out of it. I am waiting for September to come so I canget a job.Being broke sucks. I hate worrying about how I am gonna make things work out. Can I stay or will I be forced to go back home ??? I won't know for a while.

But at the same time, being broke makes me pay attention more to my surroundings. Because I don't have money to do things that cost money like going to the movies or going shopping, I spend my time walking around around the city. By doing that I am able to observe people better. I pay attention to things I normally wouldn't if I were busy shopping or going to the movies. For example, I do a lot more people watching. I watch people beg for money. I watch people perform on the streets and see how the audience reacts. I get so happy when someone gives a beautiful performance and the audience loves it. I just wish I had money to give to people that perform on the streets. They work hard. I also love to watch pets. When I was in San Sebastian there was this couple with the cutest little puppy that didn't want to walk. It was smiling, but it didn't wanna move. So the guy had to drag it and it was so cute to see it slide on its little butt.

I am also doing language exchanges and speaking to a lot of interesting people. And it's all free. And sometimes I get a friend out of it.

 

Nice pics of where I am staying

Hello Everyone,

Well, I woke up around 10am today to clean up a little and get ready for my language exchange with someone but guess what?? When I went to wait for him at the cafe he never showed up. Either that, or he was there and we couldn't recognize each other because he never called. Oh well !

So I came back to my apartment and am just chillin'. I am gonna meet with a girl from Germany this afternoon to practice my German. Yeah !! She seems nice. Better than last night's exchange.

What happened was this guy wanted to practice his English and he'd help me wirh my Spanish. He offers to me to come over and watch a DVD with him. I tell him no, and that I'd meet him at Pizza Hut.

So I got there a little early because Pizza Hut is next to the temple La Sagrada Familia. I saw it light up at night. It is sooooooooo amazing. It's too bad I didn't bring my camera with me.

Anyways, when he calls me to tell me he is there he wants me to go to the other side of the street. This was because he has a girlfriend and her friends were around. He didn't want her friends to see him with me. What the HELL??? HE was the one that called me up and asked me to help him with English. So I told him that I would talk to him tonight, but we won't be meeting anymore. I did NOT come all the way out here to cause problems !!!

The good part about the evening was that I had some good pizza from Pizza Hut. I was sooooo hungry that I broke down and ate a whole small pizza and potatoes with a large drink. I polished it off like it was my job. I was barely listening to the guy. And we decided to call it quits early.

Tonight I am also supposed to meet with someone, but he cancelled out on me. Oh well. Monday will be here soon and maybe I can go see a chick flick with one of the girls in my class.

These pics that I took are of where I live right now. The mural was painted by the last roommate that was here. I also included pics of my new room and the view from the blacony. Gotta love this place. It it SOOO much better than where I stayed before.

Anyways, gotta go now

 

More updates

Hello Everyone,

I have been home all day today except for a few errands and I gotta say it feels kinda good.  This morning the construction across the street woke me up. One of the workers would just NOT stop banging his hammer. After I woke up I finally bought some food. I was so hungry. I've put off shopping for what feels like the longest time. I also paid a nice little visit to the Austrian Consulate, which is actually across the street from where I live right now.

I thought that because my mother was born and raised in Austria, (I also have a grandmother, aunts and cousins there that have lived their all their lives) that I would have a better chance of getting an EU passport faster without having to give up my US citizenship. HAHAHAHAHA!!! In reality, I have no chance. For me to become an Austrian citizen I think that I would have to live there for 10 years among a loooong list of other requirements. Plus, I think that I would have to give up my US citizenship.(Not gonna happen in a million years) I dunno why I even thought I had a chance. Well, at least I tried and the lady that explained all this to me was nice.

A couple of days ago I went with one of my classmates in my Spanish class (from Germany) to see a film on Montjuic. I got to practice my German with him, which was cool. Seeing a film on Montjuic is soooo pretty. We took a bus from Placa Espanya to Montjuic where we then walked up to the castle. There was a jazzband playing some awesome music until the film started. We watched the film outside on the grass, surrounded by the castle. And it only costed 2 Euros !!!! It was so beautiful. We saw the film Dancer in the Dark (2000) with Bjork, the singer. The film was very sad and depressing, but very beautifully done. Bjork has an amazing voice.

Yesterday was also a good day. My old student and new friend, Sara drove me to the beach. Most beaches here in Barcelona are crowded, but this one was not very crowed at all. I was in heaven !!!! We swam in the ocean and talked in English and Spanish. I also took some pictures with my disposable camera.

I also met with my new friend, Frank from the Canary Islands for the second time. He is sooooooo hilarious and makes me laugh !! He also loves Friends and knows the works to a lot of classic songs. We sang California Dreamin' and Hotel California. I was thrilled that he knows the words ! We had some sangria and walked to Port Vell and chilled out till like 1am. He also taught me all the slang and cuss words which comes into play later, I promise. In exchange, I teach him all the ghetto vocab.

After chilling out with Frank, I walked home. While I was waiting for the light to turn greet this old, dirty, perverted man tries to talk to me and I am just not having it. I wouldn't even shake his hand. So this man decides to be rude and cuss me out under his breath. I swear this old bag used all the nasty/cuss words that Frank just got done teaching me. So therefore, I understood everything ! I was so proud of myself !! Instead of yelling at the man, I just stood there and laughed until the light turned green and I could run away. After all, I had JUST learned these words and got to hear them used in action ALL at once. How strange. Don't get me wrong, I hate it when people insult me, but I was just happy to finally understand what these words mean.

Today, I have been online ALL day. At least I am getting out of the house tommorow. Thats all I gotta say about that.............

Barcelona -- Love and Hate Relationship

Hello Everyone,

This entry is gonna be brief today. I swear this trip is such a rollercoaster for me. I'll be feeling so wonderful for a few hours and then I'll feel like I've hit rock bottom for the next.I really don't have "good" or "bad" days. I have good and bad hours. So wierd. No wonder I am tired all the time. This morning I've been floating in a little "happy balloon". Then this afternoon it got popped.

Please don't get me wrong. I LOOOOVE Barcelona. I can't even describe the feeling. However sometimes you just can't have everything.

Anyways, I'll write more later.

Good ole' College Days......................

My coolest friend Nesto sent me this picture taken about 3 years ago..............

This was around Christmas time while we were still living in the dorms. All I really remember about that time is that I was having a rough year. I was taking a full load of hard classes and working 2 jobs as well as having other personal problems. I didn't think that I was gonna make it.

And Nesto was next door from me and was always smiling and saying hello. He also used to invite me over to watch the latest popular TV shows. He was just always happy and that rubbed off on me somehow.

I also didn't realize how fat I looked in this picture. Damn !!! The camera added a little more than 10 lbs if ya know what I mean ;)

So, I hope y'all have had friends like Nesto...............................

San Sebastian and a little bit of France

Hello Everyone,

I was supposed to write about this trip last week, but I have been way to lazy because a lot happened here. But as you can see, San Sebastian is SOOOOOO beautiful.

Unfortunately, the bus ride to get there from Barcelona was eight hours. LONG trip. The bus driver stopped once three hours into the trip to let us use the bathroom and get something to eat. The bus also stopped in Pamplona for a few minutes, where there is Running of the Bulls every year in July.

On the way back, I spoke to the guy next to me. We spoke in English so he could practice his English. He also spoke a little German so we practiced a little. We had interesting conversations about the US, our government and our CA government. I got to describle the abysmal condition CA is in right now. He also described the structure of the Spanish government to me. Overall, it was educational for me.

There was also this old guy sitting behind me that I'll just call Hannibal Lector. Every time I saw him he was looking at me. WTF???? Creepy. I was glad when the trip was over. Ew, Ew, Eeeeew !!!!

Anyways, I gotta go but I'll be writing more about this trip later.