Barcelona - Mom - Jessie - and Life in General



Its been a while!  It’s a little bit absurd how busy I have been….and how much genuine FUN I have been having.  Allow me to give you a little peek into what my last 5 weeks have consisted of. 

BARCELONA:  I honestly don’t know if I have ever had so much consistent FUN in my entire life.  I went to Barcelona for 4 days with my 4 closest friends here in Spain…all of whom happen to be guys.  I don’t know what I was thinking to travel with four guys…nevertheless four guys that are DUCKS (eww u of Oregon…sorry mom!) but it worked out beautifully.  Ryan, Nick, Tom, David and I took off from Oviedo on a Thursday afternoon and arrived in the coolest city on planet earth (aka Barcelona) in time for our first night of tom-foolery.   First off, Barcelona.  Barcelona is in my opinion, a mixture of everything perfect.  City, beach, sun, business, shopping, party scene, multi cultural, artsy, creative, original….i could go on for days. 

THE CREW: david. me. ryan. tom. nick



We stayed in an amazing hostel on paseig de gracias (a main street) a block from the metro and right in the smack dab middle of everything- The building looked like something out of The Real World, with multi colored doors, huge couches in the common rooms and a sick outdoor patio.  By day we hit the beach,( floating in the Mediterranean, cruising the beach, and getting massages from Asian woman who swarm the beaching offering “masssag-ys” at incredibly cheap prices) and exploring everything touristy (sagrada familia, park guell, gaudi buildings, the markets, old town….). And by night…we took Barcelona by storm. 

Cool statues you can swim out to-



  Onenight, I even got to meet up with some fellow Seatt-lites!  A friend of a friend, named Jorge happens to LIVE in Barcelona, so the crew and I got to go over to an AMAZING 8^th story flat in the city….oh, and should I mention we were picked up and transported there via Spaniards on Vespas (I know, hard life I live).  Another highlight, BARCELONA FUTBOL.  The boys and I were lucky enough to get to go see a Barcelona vs. Sevilla Futbol game! The stadium was PACKED, everyone was screaming their lungs off, and we WON 6-0!  Please note I am an official barce fan now….:) to prove my new found love I even bought a flag and wore it as a cape to the game.  The flag is now hanging in my room-  !VIVA BARCE!



<>

VIVA BARCE!



 Other random tidbits about the wonder which is Barcelona:  because we were on a budget, the dudes and I decided to make the most of our food money by ONLY eating in buffets.  Yes. That’s right, Buffets.  Everyday, we had one monster meal- that put all of us into a coma every time.  Extremely nasty, but extremely effective….I ran into a girl from my UW Spanish class last year in front of the Segrada familia- SMALL WORLD….overall, the trip was amazing.  We did not have one even slightly rough moment.  All fun, all the time, no stress (which I might add NEVER would have happened with a group of 5 girls!) haha.  Ah Barcelona. I will be back soon.  (flights from London are significantly less expensive…..so when I say soon, I mean it.)  

Post Buffet. 

JESSIE:  My best friend Jessie whom I have known since the first grade came to visit me in Oviedo!  It was SO wonderful to have a little piece of home here with me.  J I loved getting to show someone else my world in spain!  My roommates cooked us an amazing Paella, we dined out like kings, and we partied like rock-stars.  OH, also, learned something new about my roommate, Ales….HE SPEAKS ENGLISH….PERFECTLY.  I was absolutely shocked when Jessie walked into the apartment and he busted out in perfect English…hmm, that would have been nice to know a little earlier when I was looking up every 10^th word I said to him in the dictionary.  Haha.  J

MOM: ALSO I got the recent treat of having my mom come and visit me!  It was SO amazing to see her and speak Spanish and all of that with her-  We spent a wonderful 2.5ish days in Oviedo- filled with wonderful food, wonderful chats and sightseeing .  Afterwards, we bussed off to San Sebastian and Bilbao in the Basque Country of Spain.  San Sebastian was incredible is every sense of the word. San Seb. Is on the northern coast of Spain, about 30 minutes driving from the boarder of France- The mixture of the two very different styles of architecture, music, basic way of life and most importantly FOOD is a foolproof combo.  Mom and I pretty much ate and drank our way through the city.  Having Zuritos (little beers) and Pinxos (tapas) every few hours and walking around.  The streets are all lined with little bars that are PACKED with people and filled with the most delicious food you have ever seen. 

 Little pieces of fresh fish on a still-warm croissant, mushrooms in different little sauces, thinly sliced ham and goat cheese on a little piece of baguette….my mouth is watering just thinking about it.  The bars all work on the honor system…you literally pick up whatever you want to eat off the bar and tell the cashier what you got and pay before you leave to go to ANOTHER little bar.  Too good to be true.  After two days of solid eating, we popped back on the bus and headed to Bilbao for the sole purpose of seeing the Guggenheim Museum.  We spent a solid 7 hours in the museum (with a one hour lunch break) and didn’t even get close to seeing everything.  The museum was phenomenal- and I felt extremely lucky to have my own personal tour guide to explain everything to me (thanks mom!). 

CONVERSATION PARTNERS:  To practice my Spanish more, I signed up for a speaking program called Tandem where a native speaker from the US and a native speaker from Spain meet up to talk and practice the language.  I hit the jackpot.  My speaking partners are the kindest and most generous couple in the whole world.  They have 2 kids (in there 20s/30s) and live 15 minutes out of the city in a amazing house in a tremendous green valley.  They have become so much more then speaking partners, they are my Spanish family.  They have taken me to their house, introduced me to their whole family, driven me around the small towns of Asturias, and always offer to take me with them if they go anywhere- (I might even get to go skiing with them this weekend!)  I am currently getting ready to go over there for lunch!  J  I feel so lucky to have met them, they have added another incredible element to my life here in Spain-

Beyond that, life in general here in Spain is incredibly good.  I feel happier then I have felt in a long time. I have amazing friends, an amazing place to live, and really feel like I am living like a Spaniard.  I come and go as I please, I walk the dogs, I cook, I clean….Its not vacation at all- its real life- and I love it. 

Madrid. Leon. Gijon.

In the past week I have gotten a bit of a larger-scale taste for Spain…and I feel like I can confidently say, Spain could not be much cooler. 

MADRID:



fighting off the rain...



Last weekend, four new friends and I made a very last minute decision to go to Madrid-  We bought tickets and hopped on a VERY early train with no travel plans, no return ticket, and no place to stay.  Not only was the trip beautifully spontaneous, every little piece fell into place perfectly.  We saw Madrid through a million different lenses- Our first day there, it was pouring.  Not sprinkling…POURING. 

We ended up buying 3 euro umbrellas and decided not to let it hold us back.  We explored the many endless and beautiful parks while they were completely desolate.  We would unknowingly come upon huge, stunning, and EMPTY monuments…making it feel like we were the first to discover them. 



"oh no way! Look at what we found"



 When we began to get cold, we could seek salvation in a café for a treat or into the Prado and Reina Sofia museum for a look at some of the world’s most famous pieces of art.  It was wonderful-  After a very long and slightly stressful hunt for a hotel, we finally found a cute little place right in the heart of the city and “hit the tiles” (bar / club hopping) regardless of the rain. 

 After dancing to a live band, struggling with the language in loud bands, and making new local friends, the night ended with the Churros con Chocolate at the most famous chocolateria in Madrid….The three story building was so packed at 6:30 IN THE MORNING with late night partiers that we had to wait 20 min for a table-  (and please note that the table we finally found was a group of 50ish year olds and a few 5 year olds, all of whom where jolly and had clearly been up all night as well…when do these people sleep!??)  

Day 2- Sunny and beautiful!

 When we woke up…a few hours later….the sun was out in full force.  The streets were packed and the same places that had been empty the day before were now bustling with street performers, kids, couples, and tourists.  It was like being in a completely different city.  Overall, Madrid was awesome- the whole experience couldn’t have been a whole lot better. 

LEON

As we sleepily stumbled back to the train station early Monday morning, we decided to make another pit stop…Leon.  So, we successfully bought train tickets and spent the day exploring the beautiful and small city of leon (very famous for its gorgeous gothic cathedral with some of the most impressive stained glass windows in the world).    

When the train finally pulled into the Oviedo station…I felt the most content feeling of being “home”.  Oviedo really really feels like my home in this moment, and I feel utterly confident that it could not be a better place for me to be this year.

Gijon: 

Today (Sunday) I woke up earlier then usual…and felt the NEED to get to a beach.   SO, I walked up the street, hopped on a 20 min bus and arrived in Gijon for the first time.  I WAS SHOCKED.  Gijon was one of the most charming little towns I feel like I have ever seen. 

Little stores and cafes stack up on a hill that is surrounded by ocean.  There is a very Santa Barbara-ish harbor and huge cliffs that plunge down from green grassy meadows.  I popped in my ipod headphones and just walked and walked and walked. 

The weather was sporadic, one moment pouring the next sunny and warm…which made my little mini adventure that much more exciting.  It felt wonderful to escape everything and have a little solo exploration on my day off.  J  

VIVA ESPANA!!!

friday night.  4 am:  I am standing amongst 400 spainards who are all my age in a 15th century courtyard next to a famous cathedral. 

Saturday morning 11am: I am on a running trail in the mountains overlooking the entire city of oviedo (ill bring my camera next time...)


Sat night 8 pm: drinking Austrias's famous cidra (a cider type drink that waiters pour very dramatically at full wingspan...apparently, it needs to be properly shaken before drinking) with new friends while the sun sets and the spainards chat around us..

Sunday: walking around Oveido with Lola and Chismo whatching the clouds roll in, laying in the grass and chomping on a 40 cent bagette. 



I wish i could paint the picture more vividly, but the life i have been living here in Oviedo has been too unbelievable to even describe. I am still in the "pinch me" stage...its almost seems to good to be true.

 Today was the 1st real day of school, and even that was epic!  My program is about 100 kids from all over the world- all of whom are extremely nice and excited to explore as much as i am...While here i will be taking 5 classes which meet monday through friday for up to 5 hrs a day.  Thus far, I love all of my teachers and classmates- especially my art history class. 

my explinations to come....but for now im just going to let my pictures do the talking.



My room!



My first experience with Curros con Chocolate.  Essentially a dark chocolate bar melted into a cup and sugar coated donuts.  What a combo  

My desk

OVEIDO:

haha Chismo LOVEs when i use my camera- he is quite the male model.   Lola could care less... 

ASI ES LA VIDA!

Oveido...a little bit of everything

Oviedo. Oviedo. Oveido. 
I could not be happier! 

After my 27 hour travel day (3 planes, 1 bus, 1 cab) I arrived in the most beautiful city I have ever been in.  I LOVE IT HERE.  Looking back, i really had no idea what to expect from Northern Spain-  Everything is clean, green, extremely safe, and incredibly friendly.  I was explained to today that people here love tourists- because they are so rare. The town its self is very confusing.  As are most cities in europe, streets go every which way- some are rounded and looking at a map still makes me confused.  As i sit here, smiling simply of the thought of how wonderful Oveido is,  i am realizing how incredibly hard it is to explain its charm-  but here is my best shot at it.

Oveido is part little town, part city.  Part Santa Barbara meets France meets a little farm in Ohio.  The ocean in 30 min away, and the city is nestled into the mountains. People on the street KNOW each other, in that "oh what a small world" type of way. People get genuinely excited when I say i am from the US.  A waiter at a restuarant sat down with me and told me all about Oviedos history during his work shift.  There are department stores, beautiful parks, McDonalds, and tiny mom and pop bars.  The city feels perfect dynamically- tons of kids, teens, young adults, midlife crisis-ers, and elderly.  Its old ad historical and its young and hip.  Its fashionable and trendy in the best possible way. Its incredibly romantic, AND it has a sense of fun and humor.  aka- its too good to be true.
 

My favorite part of the city thus far is the old quarter.  Its an area about a mile in width that is 100% car-less.  The walking streets are huge though, and packed with people eating, drinking, playing soccer, and just hanging out-  The floors are made of beautiful old tile and around every corner is a new spetactular church, fountain, or monument.  Every street has its share of wonderfully cute cafe-bars, where people are packed into the outside seating areas that line the street. I spend about 50% of my time walking and looking around wide eyed and 50% of my time drinking a "cafe con leche" in one of these little cafes and chatting with waiters.  I guess thats the pro of traveling solo for a week...the only english ive spoken is what i have murmured to myself- My spanish has already inproved ten-fold. 

MY LIFE:  I offically have a HOME!  Yes yes! On my very first day in Oviedo, a wonderful women named Charo took me around to interview / tour apartments.  We saw three.  And typically, my apartment experience followed the rule of threes.  The first one was too small, the second one was too big (and scary!) and the third one...was just right :).  I now live in a cute apartment right next to the University with a Spanish couple, an Italian (gender?) who i have yet to meet, and two wonderfully crazy dogs.  My first night sleeping here was wonderfully inturpted by huge wet pooch kisses...i think i am in heavan. The couple is absolutly wonderful-  They are very artsy and perfectly eccentric.  The man, Ales, loves to sing and cook...both qualities I have already learned to love seeing as I just ate seared fish and avocado salad literally whilst listening to him sing Italian opera.  Yes please!

School starts monday, so I am spending a lot of my time studying up for the placement test on the first day...I cant wait to meet everyone in the international school (there apparently are 100 of us, from all over the world!)

Updates to come....and pictures of my apartamento!

 Mi perros en mi cuarto....looking guilty for waking me up....

CHAO!

-Jackie

overview: TRIP OF A LIFETIME

My dear friends and family:

And here we go.  I am now officially 14 hours into my travel adventure of a lifetime.  The 10 hour sleepless flight from SFO to londons Hiethrow airport flew by…with the accompaniment of three and a half movies and a lot of language-limited awkward small talk with my English studying seatmate from Denmark…(he tried to explain his favorite place was union square…and it took about 20 minutes for me to have even the slightest idea what he was talking about.)

Today technically marks my first day on my 10 month abroad adventure. From September 24 until July 19, 2011.  Two countries. Two school programs.  Two different subjects.  Two languages.  Bring it on.

The first leg of my adventure will be spent in Oviedo, Spain (a very small town in the north of Spain) for the next 11 weeks.  The town is about 40 minutes via bus from the ocean, 4 hours by train from Madrid, and 9 hours from Barcalona.  Its located to the west of the grand Pryonese mountains, and directly below a large mountain range called Los picos de Europa.  The town is small, not a big tourist draw and supposedly has a “university town” type feel. 

The program I am studying with is extremely small- I believe there are only 4 of us…and we are all somewhat responsible for our own housing upon arrival.   Yes….i have no clue where I will be sleeping 2 days from now.  It makes me a little nervous how calm I feel about that fact.  

After Spain, I will meet my parents in London for Christmas which will morf into phase two of my adventure, London!  I will be studying at Kings College in London (a part of the University of London) from January until June- with a full month off in april and a month of extra spare time tacked onto the tail end of the trip.   I have lots of friends that are studying abroad in various places in Europe at various times of the year…so there is a lot of side traveling in order….Jessie in nice, Nicole in Ireland, 2 Rachels in Spain, and many many more J.

In my time abroad, I hope to see everything I can see, experience everything I can experience, and adapt and live in a way that is utterly foreign to me.  I picked my programs very specifically because they are both extremely independent.  My goal is to stay as far away from crowded tour busses as humanly possible-  and to mesh in with the cultures of every place I visit. 

I hope to hear from you all while over here!  I am determined not to be terrible at keeping in touch- if im not your friend already, friend me on skype Jackie.zupsic  or shoot me an email whenever at Jackiezupsic@gmail.com . 

Adios! saying goodbye at the airport-