Well, I don´t wish for VERY bad things to happen...

¡¡¡¡Hola mis amores!!!!
Well, let me tell you a bit more about my Thanksgiving here. It was actually a harder day than I thought it would be...I finally got a hold of my parents and ended up bawling and asking if we could re-do Thanksgiving when I got home. My mom consoled me with the fact that all we would be doing when I get home is eating. Eating and then going to the gym so that we can eat some more. So I felt a little bit better, but still kind of sad that they weren´t even going to be in my house on Thanksgiving, instead they went to a friends, who asked my mom to bring...fruit salad. Honestly, who eats fruit salad on Thanksgiving?
But then again, who eats what I ate on Thanksgiving? We went to a very nice restaurant after our last classes. We started off with croquettes, which I don´t really know how to describe, all I know is that usually don´t like them and actually did here. Then we were served gazpacho with prawns...I´ve tried a lot of Spanish food by now and if there´s one thing that I absolutely hate, it´s gazpacho. There´s something about it that absolutely infuriates my stomach, so I saved myself that agony and passed my serving along to Alec. They brought out the turkey for us to look at before carving it up, and aside from being the size of a small chicken, it really didn´t look that bad. but when they gave it to us...my general reaction was...where the heck is the turkey? this was the first "turkey" I ate for Thanksgiving in 8 years, and quite frankly, I don´t see what all the fuss is about. It was stuff with some kind of WEIRD stuffing, to the point of which there was practically no turkey left! Molly also had prunes in hers, which I found very strange indeed. We were served approximately 2 baby potatoes and 6 baby carrots with our turkey, and then given chessnut (oh my goodness, how do you spell that?) and apple sauce to put on it...Carmela surprised us and brought cranberry sauce which was good, even though I usually don´t eat it. I preferred not to eat my turkey, and instead was very mature and mushed it up on my plate. Then Carmela made a toast, and had Russell read a short poem that she had just written for us, about us. It was a joking tone, one of those funny ones that people write, but the fact that she had taken the time to do this for us caused me to tear up again, because I was already feeling a little down. Then Raquel noticed that I was tearing up, and when Russell was done reading, came over to give me a hug. Of course, this caused me to completely lose it, worse than when I talked to my parents and I ended up crying for a good two minutes at the dinner table. Mikey´s mom was visiting, and was sitting at my table and came over to hug me and told me that I could be her daughter for the night...I´m starting to get teary-eyed again just thinking about it! Then we were served apple pie and pumpkin pie, which usually I don´t like either, but I ate it anyway.
Then a mariachi band came in (obviously this was a very traditional Thanksgiving) and played for us for a while, then we all went into the main restaurant (we had our own room) and danced. Then we went home, and I didn´t get home until 2am.
Basically, what I´ve learned is the secret to why Spaniards don´t celebrate Thanksgiving, which I´ve already shared with Alex. There´s that whole thing about not being American, but the real reason is that they can´t make turkey to save their lives. And they have bad turkey here. And that, mis amigos, es porque los españoles no celebran "Thanksgiving."
Then on Friday I was going to go out and look at the lights, which they turned on, but they turned them off really early so I ended up working on a history paper (which is actually the real reason why I´m in the computer lab right now) and going to bed early. I also went to a free choral concert near my house with Babis. It was actually quite good, not amazing, but fairly good. I´ve started to realize how much music means to me and how important it is in my life. I really want to go to a concert when I get back, like a really big one, because I miss just being able to sit and let music wash over me. Then on Saturday I worked all day (no...I fell asleep a lot too, my history book is really boring). I also read Lazarillo de Tormes for my class with Carmela. Turu, Babis and Emilio´s daughter, came over for lunch...unfortunately her credit card was stolen and 300€ was taken out. She´s a wonderful person though and didn´t get really upset and had a positive outlook on the whole situation. Babis told her that she would pray for bad things to happen to whoever did it...of course, Turu told her mother that she can´t do that. Babis responded with a vehement, "Well I don´t wish for very bad things to happen!" I don´t know, maybe you had to be there, but I started to laugh so hard that I almost couldn´t stop. And so that´s my quote for this weekend.
Then later that night I went out with my usual chicos, and we got Mexican food. Ok...I don´t know if it really counts as Mexican food, because secretly it was really bad...shh, don´t tell!!! Then we went to see Copying Beethoven, which I was really expecting to like. But I was sitting there in the movie theatre, waiting for it to get to the part where I would start to love it, because everyone who´s seen it loved it, and then all of the sudden it was over. So...kind of not really what I was expecting.
Then on Sunday, I baked with Babis!!!! Kind of sounds like a TV show doesn´t it...my pumpkin bread turned out quite well (although Emilio thinks it should be more done in the middle...Babis and I like it) and the cookies were a great success. I´m very pleased with it, especially because I had pumpkin bread and cookies for breakfast this morning, haha.
Tomorrow is my fancy dinner with the president of GW...I´m very excited, partly because I get to wear my 21st birthday pearls again!!! Then on Friday we leave for Rome! We´re actually going to the airport the night before, because our plane takes off at 6:45am and we don´t want to pay 20€ to take a taxi to the airport (the metro doesn´t run till 6am). So we plan to buy junk food and entertain ourselves for 5 hours before going to Rome. Molly and I have also made a pact not to shower while in Rome, because we´re staying at a hostal without private bathrooms (we have our own room though) and if there´s one thing Sarah does not do, it´s shower in public places. Why do you think I picked GW, for goodness sake?
Well, I´m going to pack up my stuff and go to the gym...I still haven´t eaten my lunch, which I should perhaps do, since it´s almost 5pm here, haha. I´m so Spanish.

¡¡¡¡¡¡¡Muchos besos siempre!!!!!

¡Feliz Día de Pavo!

¡¡¡Hola mis amores, y feliz día de pavo!!! (Happy Turkey Day, Happy Thanksgiving is too long here).
Today I woke up at 4:45am and almost started to cry because I started thinking about the parade...why is the parade so important to me? Sentimental, childish rubbish...but I restrained myself, mostly because it wasn´t even Thanksgiving in the US yet. Now, I´m sitting here in the computer lab at the UAM, finishing my presentation, and I realize that it´s about to start soon...I´m trying to imagine my house, but that makes me sad too, because there will be no turkey at my house, no sweet potatoes, no pumpkin bread in the oven...my parents have an easy day, and then later they will go over to friends to have dinner. It makes it seem empty all the way from here and that makes me quite sad. I have a card that Father Phil, the priest from my church at home in PA sent me, with a Thanksgiving prayer on it, that I´m carrying around in my backpack today.
Tonight we go to a restaurant to have tapas and turkey...it´s such a nice thing, such a nice gesture and yet it won´t, it can´t possibly be the same.
And yet, even though I´m feeling kind of down right now, I have to go back to my childhood and think of all that I´m thankful for...so naturally I have to share it with you, because I won´t be able to go around the table with you tonight and say it out loud.
I am thankful to be here in Spain, to be with kind people who take care of me and who helped me to adjust to living in a new country. I am thankful for all the people here in this program - I could not have asked for a better group, and I am thankful for the friends that I have made here in Spain. I am forever grateful to my parents for giving me this amazing opportunity, and for supporting me through it every day. I am thankful that I have friends at home. I am thankful that my life has been so incredible so far...I am thankful for being safe. I am thankful for the support that I receive daily from the people that I love.

Okay, enough mushy stuff.
Today, my train stopped about 1 minute away from the UAM and experienced technical failure. We were stopped for like 45 minutes...sometimes with and sometimes without electricity (luckily it wasn´t night!). It was pretty annoying, and it held up all the other trains, so we were all late for our flamenco theory class, which was actually amazing, because a guitarist and a dancer came. My poly-sci class is canceled for tonight (without reason) but apparently we have to make it up...we´ll see how that goes!
My school e-mail account isn´t working today, but apparently we´ve all been invited to dinner this Tuesday with President Trachtenberg, the President of GWU. I´m really excited...he´s coming to Madrid (who knows why???) and has invited all the students and professors to a VERY nice, VERY expensive restaurant for dinner! Apparently, you can´t have dinner there for under 120€...thank you GW!!!
Now, some people don´t like President Trachtenberg...they think he´s greedy, they think he doesn´t care about the students...I´ve always thought that he´s a very nice, very generous man. He´s always open to talking, and I remember his story about the hippo that he told at Colonial Inauguration, which hit close to home with my family (my father also brought home a hippo from Africa without consulting my mother...we kept ours though). So we´re going to dinner at a restaurant called Zalacain, which is apparently one of the best in Madrid (look it up, they have an English menu!).
This Sunday, my señora and I are planning to make pumpkin bread and chocolate chip cookies...I´m getting hungry just thinking about it! The idea of pumpkin bread seems very strange to my Spanish family...I can´t imagine life without it! I´m REALLY nervous that it won´t turn out right, cause then I know I´ll start to cry, haha. We´re going grocery shopping on Saturday and then Sunday will be our cooking day!!! I´m very excited to cook with her, I think it will be a lot of fun! She´s an excellent cook...the only complaint I have so far was the "tuna pudding" that she served one day...there are some things that you just shouldn´t puree, and tuna is one of them. But usually, the food is amazing here (I still can´t wait to go home to eat though! I´ve been having cravings for frosted flakes, of all things). She has decided that we have to have vanilla ice cream, because one time I mentioned that I like it and last night, when Emilio asked if I liked it, she replied with, "La encanta", which means more like she loves it. They are also concerned because I´ve been eating a lot of coconut yogurt (yogurt or fruit are my dessert choices here), because that´s what I told them that I like. So they think I´m all coco-ed out, and we need to buy a new kind, so we had a 10 minute conversation about all the different kinds of yogurts they have here (they have apple, isn´t that odd?).
So mis amores, I bid you once more Happy Thanksgiving...I wish you all the best and I can´t wait to see you!
***********A WEEK FROM TOMORROW I LEAVE FOR ROME!!!!*************

Las Fantasmas de Goya

Hola mis amores!
Luckily for you, I have to spend ALL my free time at the computer lab working on two papers and a presentation...whoever said studying abroad was easy LIED (actually...no they didn´t...this is pretty much the only assignments I´ve had).
SO I´m going to enthrall you all with a horrible story about a movie I recently saw. If you don´t want to know the plot, don´t read this entry, because I plan on describing it in great detail. I´ll tell more stories later, so skip down if you don´t want to know.
But basically, this movie is called Las Fantasmas de Goya, or in English, Goya´s Ghosts. For those of you who don´t know, Goya is an incredibly famous, incredibly incredible Spanish artist, who painted during the Inquisition and during the French invasion of Spain (don´t I sound smart?). So naturally, I thought that this would be about his life, because everyone knows that Goya went a little nuts during the last few years of his life, creating his "dark period".
Unfortunately, that is not what this movie is about. It was basically about Spain, which is good, but it focused a lot of attention on Natalie Portman´s character, who is the daughter of a friend of Goya (he paints her picture...but they never fall in love or anything). Well, she goes out to dinner one night and turns down roast pig, cause she doesn´t like it, which I totally understand. Then the inquisition guys get her, because she must be Jewish if she won´t eat pork. So she´s tortured, quite graphically if you ask me, and sent to jail, her family tries and fails to intervine. Meanwhile, there´s a priest who falls in love with her and tries to help her but can´t, and eventually has to leave Spain. So Goya watches as the French invade, blah, blah, blah, and the prisoners of the Inquisition are freed. Now, 15 years have passed while Natalie has been in jail. She comes out all pale, with her hair in total dissaray, all cut horribly (and decides not to wash it for the rest of the movie), her jaw´s been broken so her face looks all funny, she´s skinny, she´s in rags, and her feet are bare and bloody. She has cuts and bruises all over her body. So she goes to her house, she has no clue what´s going on in Spain, cause she just spent the last 15 years being tortured. She goes to her house and finds her family dead, so she goes to Goya´s house. We find Goya deaf, but she manages to relay to him that her family is dead, and now the only thing that matters is her daughter. Yes, because apparently she had a daughter with the priest while imprisoned and she wants to find her. Of course, the priest is now back in Spain, and he now has a French family, with three kids and a wife (how fickle). So Goya takes her to him, not knowing that this guy, Lorenzo is the father, and she goes nuts, saying that now they can be together with their baby.
So Lorenzo sends her to an insane aslyum.
Meanwhile, Goya finds her daughter, who is now 15 and a prostitute, but looks exactly like her mother. He goes to the insane aslyum and buys Natalie (whose name is Inés) so that she can meet her daughter. OF course, she´s completely insane by now (who wouldn´t be?) and goes around with a pillow in her shirt pretending to be pregnant. So he buys her anyway and takes her to the place where her daughter is...to be more specific, the pub where her daughter is trying to get some dinero. But right when he gets there, the police come and arrest all the hookers, including her daughter, and take them away to go to the Americas. Goya tries to chase her daughter but is unsuccessful...meanwhile, Inés goes inside, where she finds the baby of a prostitute and thinks it´s her baby from before, so she takes it and carries it around for the rest of the movie.
Then the British invade, so the French are out and once again Lorenzo is in trouble. His family flees, but he is captured, and the Inquisition men, who were in prison and are now free, condemn him to death for all his sins (he has the choice to repent but chooses not to). So he´s killed in a public execution, which is also quite graphic, and his daughter, who is now the mistress of an Englishman, unknowingly watches her father die. Meanwhile, Inés comes to the town square where she sees him and decides to say hi. So right before he dies, she holds up the baby and yells his name and then smiles at him. then they kill him, and he´s taken out of town on one of those carriages (remember in MOnty Python, bring out yer dead? it´s kind of like that).
So the last scene is his body being rolled out of the city, and there´s little kids dancing around singing, cause that´s how public executions were in those days, good, old fashioned fun. And then the scene expands and we see that Inés is walking next to the carriage, holding his dead hand and still carrying the baby. Goya comes up behind them and yells her name and she turns around and gives him a big grin.
So that´s the movie I saw on Friday.
I´ve never been more disturbed in my entire life.
Then on Saturday, I went to a free concert near my house...it was classical music and it was really good. I miss concerts...it actually made me want to play the bassoon again. Then I did a lot of homework until going out again for tapas.
On Sunday, I hit up the Rastro again and bought presents for all of you, so now you have to be nice to me, right? Haha...
Ok well...I better get started on my presentation, as it´s due Friday...I really miss my computer. But Lauren lent me a memory stick, so now I feel a little bit more comfortable. Oh well...
¡¡¡¡Muchos besos!!!!

Love(sick)

¡Ay mis amores!
How much tiempo has passed since I last spoke to you??????¿?¿?¿?¿ I´m sure you´ve missed me as much as I´ve missed you...
So much to talk about, how do I even start?
Well...first of all, my birthday was fantastic. I woke up that morning and opened up a card that Michelle had sent me way in advance...that was the only time of day that I cried a little bit.
***Small Disclaimer: If I was sad at all on my birthday, it was only because I was nostalgic for the birthdays that I used to share with my family and friends. My parents used to bring my birthday presents downstairs in the laundry basket, and that was just the coolest things in the world for me...I had such a wonderful childhood, how could I help but have a little bit of a bittersweet day so far away from them?***
Then, I got up and went to have breakfast, where I found a card from Babis and Emilio on my tray. It was so sweet! Then Emilio woke up earlier than usual, supposedly because he had ´things to do´but, being the self-centered individual that I am, I´ve decided that he wanted to wish me a happy birthday, haha. I then went to classes, where in Carmela´s class we read Don Gil de las Calzas Verdes, which is an amazing play by Tirso de Molina. I, being the birthday girl, had the read the protagonist´s part (que suerte). They also sang happy birthday to me, which was very sweet!
When I got home, I was warmly received by Emilio and Babis, and found the table all decorated, with pretty china and the good silver. They also had put out my presents - the pearls from my parents, a small gift from them (a little clutch that matches a pair of shoes that I have), and another gift that my parents had secretly given them! I was so surprised! It was a Will and Grace DVD pack, which I LOVE, but unfortunately can´t watch, cause my computer is still dead, dead, dead...Then we had a fancy lunch, which was DELICIOUS, followed by a VERY fancy cake from the famous pastry store here...oh my goodness...AMAZING. They put a 2 and a 1 candle on it, and they gave them to me to keep.
Then that night we set off to Portugal...we took the bus, oh what a painful experience! I slept more than I thought that I would, but it was still a loooooooong drive. We stopped way more than necessary, in my opinion. No one can have to pee that much, that often.
Then we got to Portugal...we ended up taking a taxi to the hotel, because the metro was closed. We were all exhausted, so most of us took a nap right away (luckily we could check in immediately). Then Molly and I got up with Heather and Lauren and walked around...we were right near a HUGE plaza with an even bigger garden behind it, and an enormous Portuguese flag in the back. We walked around there and let me tell you something...it was HOT. It was like summer time. Then we found a grocery store and bought stuff to make sandwiches...later we went back to the park and had a picnic, which was soo nice. Then was went to a huge castle, de San Jorge? It was up on a hill, and overlooks the entire city.
Let me ask you something...why doesn´t anyone talk about Portugal??? Portugal is one of the most beautiful places I´ve ever been, and I´ve been to a lot of places! They have a replica of the golden gate bridge (kind of funny) and Lisbon is right on the water. The view from this castle is absolutely incredible.
Then that night, as we were walking back, David and Lauren hung back and surprised me with a bouqet of flowers for my birthday. That was when I DID start to cry...I didn´t expect it at all. Then we went out to dinner, again, for my birthday, at a REALLY nice Italian restaurant. We met a couple as they were leaving from Florida, and they told us that we had to go in. I´m so glad that we did! The food was soooo good...I´m so sick of Spanish food by now that I think that anything would taste good, but this was exceptional. Then Andrew got the waiter to bring me a piece of cake with a candle in it and everyone sang happy birthday (i managed not to cry). Then we went to bed early because we were DEAD tired.
The next day, we went to Cascais, which is a beach city. The weather was gorgeous again, and we went to see La Boca del Infierno, which is a huge rock formation where people have died because the water can be so strong (hence the name, the mouth of hell). Some people decided to stay and go to the beach, but Lauren, Molly, Alec, David and I continued on to Sintra. The bus ride was about 45 minutes and went up, up, up a mountain...the views were unlike anything I´ve ever seen. It was absolutely incredible...until I got carsick and had to lie down for the rest of the trip. What luck...Then we went up to a Palace, which was incredible. It was old, with tile all over the place. The views...again, what can I say? I´m turning into my mother...
Then we went back to Lisbon...had kind of a crazy night. I debated telling you all about it, but ultimately decided to save that for another day (completely legal though, no worries, mis amores).
Then the next day we headed off to Belem, which is really close to Lisbon. I was starting to get sick, which of course, I still am, and was really craving white rice (don´t ask, cause I can´t explain it). There´s a huge monastery there, and we went into the main chapel (that part was free) and there was a wedding going on. It was so nice...the music was incredible. Then we went to the Tower of Belem, which was really lame. It´s all hyped up to be like the Eiffel Tower of Lisbon...it´s smaller than all the dorms at GW, it´s this tiny, lame little stone tower on the side of the river. I decided not to pay 1€ to go up and stayed down and sat in the sun.
Then that night, I went out to dinner with Molly and Lauren...we went to a nice little restaurant, and I ordered...the children´s menu.
Yes, I am really 21.
Then we went back to the hotel and watched Will and Grace on Molly´s computer...oh my gosh, I miss American tv! Then it was an early bedtime again...
The next morning we got up and went to a Collector´s Market. It was a lot of old coins, stamps, and postcards. It was really neat, I love stuff like that. I could have spent all day looking at the postcards, a lot of them had writing on the back and I love thinking about stuff like that. Then we had a nice lunch at a cute little café in the main plaza...I got an amazing dessert, with berries and a lemon creme...it was quite possibly one of the best decisions I´ve made since I got to Spain.
Then it was off to the bus station...we went back around 4, but didn´t get home until 2am. I was sooo tired that I decided not to go to my first class on Monday, especially because I was already getting sick. Then, as I went to the UAM for my next class, I fell asleep on the train! I was incredibly lucky, because a girl woke me up at my stop and asked me if I needed to get off. I never wanted to hug anyone so much!
Now I´m back at UAM...yesterday there was a ´protest´which was really lame...it consisted of the computer labs being closed and a ton of grafitti on the walls. None of it made sense, they combined ´Nazis-no!´with ´meat is murder.´ They are certainly not as good at protesting as we are at GW...
I´m sick here in Madrid, it´s just a cold, but enough to be annoying. Babis and Emilio have been taking great care of me, although I have to admit that it´s slightly annoying. I´ve been on my own for 2 years and I know how to take care of myself when I have a cold. They are always telling me to wear a scarf, to put on my socks, not to go out with my hair wet...the Spanish people think that if you wear a scarf and socks, you will never get sick. I wear scarves because they look nice. Babis has also been making me lemon juice and honey, which I gag down out of politeness...Emilio wanted to give me hot milk and brandy, but luckily I didn´t have a fever (yep, that´s right, they made my take my temperature) so I didn´t have to.
In my flamenco class, we had a guy come and play the guitar. We´re already done with the dancing part, now we will have theory classes (yuck). I can´t believe that my time here is really winding down...I have a little over a month left to see everything in Madrid.
Madrid is getting ready for Christmas. At the Corte Inglés near my house, they are building a little log cabin (no lie!) that is going to be a Christmas store...it´s so adorable, with fake snow and pine trees, and teddy bears peeking out the windows. They also set up a huge nativity scene all made of lights. I can´t wait to see it all lit up! All the streets in Madrid have lights now...they will turn them on in exactly one week and I can hardly stand it! The stores are all decorated...I miss Christmas carols, but the atmosphere is enough. Emilio told me that they will set up stalls in the Plaza Mayor with nativity scenes that you can buy and Christmas ornaments as well...oh, if I´m already broke, I´ll be in debt!
Well...I need to do some research for a presentation mis amores...Lots of love and of course,
¡¡¡MUCHOS BESOS!!!

Broken Down

Hola mis amores!!!
Well...the things I have to tell you! First of all, the dinner at La Vaca Argentina was incredibly fun...we got all dressed up and went out for a good meal (actually I didn´t really like what I ordered, surprise, surprise). But Alec and Molly decided to share a big steak, and when they brought it out, the thing was still bleeding. No lie. Alec, who had pretty much forced Molly to share it with him, decided to make the best of the situation and chowed down on the first piece, insisting that the texture was pretty good and the flavor wasn´t bad either. That was when the waitress brought out the hot plate, where you cook your RAW steak right at the table.
I almost peed in my pants.
Then on the way home, I was walking down the Serrano, minding my own business, wearing my headphones, cause it´s a safe neighborhood, when an older man, about 50ish, wearing a pink tie and an ugly face, stopped me. I figured that he wanted directions, because that´s what everyone wants from me, and the best I can usually do is point them in the wrong direction. However, after I had liberated my ears from my ipod, he invited me for a ¨copa¨which is a drink, followed by the ¨cama¨which is bed.
Now, my parents have done an excellent job of raising me. They raised me with morals and values, so I knew that when an older, ugly man who I don´t know asks me on the street to go get a drink and go to bed with him, I do not comply. However, they also raised a cultured daughter, with manners to boot. So I simply smiled at him, a dazzling smile if I do say so myself, and proceeded with a very polite, ¨No, gracias.¨and continued on my way.
Looking back, I will acknowledge that the proper response would have been to slap him.
Anyway, then we went off to Andalucia, which as far as I can tell is in the bottom right corner of Spain, or at least in that general area. We started off in Cordoba, where we visited the Mezquita, which I still can´t spell, and where we tried Bull´s Tail.
Bull´s Tail is a delicacy in Spain, and so we were all pretty much cornered into trying it. I was a little bit uncomfortable, ok I was REALLY uncomfortable, but I decided that I had to eat SOMETHING weird while I´m in Spain, so I decided to give it a go. And you know what? I liked it. It didn´t really look like bull tail, which probably really helped.
Ok enough about that...we did a lot of driving on this trip...six hours to Cordoba, followed by quite a few more to Sevilla (I lost track). In Sevilla, we saw the Virgen de la Macarena, which no longer reminds me of that awful song, and oh geez, what else did we do? It already seems like a long time ago. We got really good tapas at a CHEAP restaurant, and then I went to bed early. On Saturday, we saw the Cathedral? Yeah, that would make sense...we also took a carriage ride through the city, which was INCREDIBLE, and then we went out to a lunch that I didn´t like. I think I´m getting really tired of Spanish food. Then we continued on to Granada, where we stayed in a really sleazy hotel, with modern style, and the walls were painted grey and yellow...yeesh..
Granada wasn´t my favorite place...they have a beautiful cathedral, and they have a wonderful mix of different cultures, but it was a bit much for me. It was kind of dirty...the area we were at was covered with construction which didn´t help. But we did go out for some AMAZING Moroccan tea. Oh my gosh, I want to learn how to make it. I can´t even DESCRIBE it. So that was really fun. And the waiter wrote all our names for us in Arabic, which was really neat. But some people were smoking hookah, which tends to get to me even if I don´t smoke it, so Molly and I tried to go back early, but ended up getting semi-lost and getting back at the same time as everyone else.
On Sunday I got to go to mass at the Cathedral which was incredible. I got up at 7 to go at 8, forgetting that I am in Spain and people are still coming in from the night before at 8am. So I ended up having to wait until 10:30, and being slightly peeved. Then we saw where los reyes catolicos are buried (Isabel and Fernando), which I found really fascinating. They have a way better grave than Franco, which makes me happy, but I still think that they should have like a firework show where famous people are buried, so that you don´t miss it.
We also went to La Alhambra, which is a really HUGE palace in Granada. It has amazing gardens and the Moorish influence is absolutely incredible. We went for a two hour long tour, which usually kills me, but I actually really loved it.
And now we get to the reference of ¨broken down,¨I´m sure you were all wondering. Yesterday I went to a cafe where there is Wi-Fi, so that I could write to you all and start research for my poly-sci presentation. This is where my beloved computer crashed, burned, broke down, died a horrible, horrible death. Actually, I have no clue, but I´m pretty sure that it´s fixable, but basically it won´t start and it won´t tell me anything except that I have some software installed incorrectly. But I didn´t install anything.
However, one thing that I´ve learned is that you can´t panic, because panic will do absolutely nothing to rectify the situation. So I calmly packed up my computer, considered my options (I THINK I know someone who can help???) and proceeded to go shopping. I felt much better after I bought a t-shirt with a pig on it, holding a sign that says I love Vegetarians, which I am wearing today (I had a ham sandwich for lunch).
So basically...I have no computer, I am leaving for Portugal tomorrow, and oh yeah, today is my last day as a ¨child.¨ Ugh...I can´t believe my birthday is tomorrow...I kind of want tomorrow to just be over.
Thank you to all of you who have offered to call me on my birthday, thank you to all of you who have offered pre-birthday wishes (thank you Jeff!!), thank you to those who have already called me or made me smile (thank you Alex!).
¡¡¡¡¡Muchos besos!!!!!!

On the Subject of Turning 21

Hola mis amores!!
Things are still going well in beautiful Madrid…the last few days have been absolutely gorgeous, with 70ish degree weather and sun. You don’t need a coat to go out (of course, this happens immediately after my parents are here). This weekend was pretty low key, I went to see The Devil Wears Prada (El Diablo Viste de Prada) which I had already seen in English, so I enjoyed it in Spanish as well. And then on Sunday, I met Laurie’s boyfriend, Diego, to do a language exchange. He was very, very nice, and we went to VIPS (the infamous VIPS, where Americans apparently go to get a taste of home…you can buy Pepperidge Farm cookies there…and poptarts…mmm…ok, enough) where we mostly spoke Spanish. It was really nice to meet a Spanish person who is closer to my age, and he said that he had a lot of friends who want to meet me and my friends to practice their English. Sunday night, I woke up at least four times, so I was pretty tired when I went to class on Monday. We ended up watching a movie, Viva Cuba, in my language class. It was pretty good, I’d like to watch it again, because the sound in the video room was pretty lousy. It as kind of like a new-age version of Romeo and Juliet…mostly it made me want to visit Cuba. If I were in Spain longer, I think I would go, cause you can go from here (or I’ll just go to Jamaica, from where you can take day trips, haha).
Yesterday was Halloween, which is not a big holiday in Spain. I’m kind of happy about that, because I’ve never been a big Halloween person (haunted houses still make me cry/pee in my pants). So it’s pretty low-key…my mom brought Halloween candy when she came to visit, and I ended up opening it this weekend, so I brought it in the classes on Monday so that I wouldn’t eat both bags of delicious goodness. Some people went to an “American” bar in costumes, where they played beer pong, and then went out afterwards. Seeing as I’m not a big beer pong person (ok, admittedly, I think it’s the most boring game ever, aside from hearts), I went out to a different bar with Molly and her friend Bernadette, and Vanessa, because we don’t have classes, because it’s All Saints Day. We went back to the mojito bar where they give you mojitos in beer mugs for 6€, which really isn’t a bad deal. It was a lot of fun, we ended up meeting and talking to some Spanish people, and Babis was so impressed that I was going out at night. It was really funny, she was really cute, and said that she was so happy that I was going out; we’ve decided that I’m turning into a Spaniard. All Saints Day is a much bigger day here than Halloween, people go to cemeteries to pray for the dead and to clean the graves. I’m always amazed by how much prettier European cemeteries are then American. I suppose that Halloween has given cemeteries such a bad reputation…here it is not a scary place, but a place to pray and to be with loved ones. It’s a much more beautiful concept. They also have special candy that they only have this time of year, huesos de santo and something else that I can’t remember the name. Babis bought me some the other day so that I could try them (the ones that I can’t remember the name of are soooo good…actually they’re all good).
Today, aside from being All Saints Day, is precisely one week from my birthday, and I suppose that that’s what I really wanted to talk about. November 8, 2006, I am turning 21 (tonight, we are going out to a restaurant called “La Vaca Argentina” to celebrate my birthday). I have been considering the consequences of this birthday for a few weeks now…in reality, now that it is a week away, and now that I have had so many other birthdays only to realize that it does not change you as a person, it doesn’t seem like such a big deal. When I got to GW, it was something that we all looked forward to, so that we could really “go out” on weekends. Now that I’m in Europe, and I’ve been “going out” since I got here, it’s not really such a big deal. I’ve found that I’m not really impressed with alcohol (apparently some of you think that I’ve become the stereotypical study-abroader/alcoholic…the truth is that I haven’t been drunk once). I enjoy having a beer with dinner or when I go out to a bar, and I like having the option of trying different drinks, like the one I had with my parents at the hotel, and I suppose I do have to admit that it does make me feel older to be able to drink. But I know that in a week, I will be 21, and I will still be the same Sarah, with the same worries and fears and uncertainties. I feel like I’ve grown up a lot since I’ve been in Spain, well I suppose throughout my whole life, I’ve been growing up…but that has nothing to do with a date or with the fact I have a birthday. It has to do with experiencing life, with working with people, with learning day to day, but more with learning moment to moment. I don’t know if I would call myself mature…I still like being really goofy, and I still like stupid, little kid stuff. I still like little kid shows and movies, and my favorite Christmas CD is still the Muppets. I still stay up all night before Christmas, and I still leave cookies out for “Santa” (no joke). I still make up silly songs and I still like to dance around my house. My pajamas have happy sheep on them, and I miss sleeping with my stuffed bunny while I’m in Spain. The first word that people use to describe me is “cute,” and probably always will be; even if I were to go out in a leather bikini top and go-go boots, people would probably still look at me and say, aww, how cute. I still can’t read a map and I still use my fingers to help me count (but don’t tell my mom that). I prefer bubble baths to showers and I still think that Mr. Bubbles is one of the best bubble baths out there. Obviously, I still get really excited about my birthday.
And yet I’m not a child anymore. I’m interested in the world around me, I know exactly what I want to do after college. I collect shoes instead of dolls, and I when I go back to DC, I’ll work two jobs, just like I did this summer. I study politics and geography and language, and I can discuss them almost like I know what I’m talking about. I am not the picky eater that I was even five years ago – I’ll try almost anything (why just the other day, I licked an octopus…ok, that sounds weird, my dad ordered it while he was here and I tried a very, very small part…ok, I tried a potato that had octopus juice on it). I’ve been to six continents by the time I was 18. I’m realistic about my future…I am not the child that I was before. Until I was 16, I still thought that I would be married by the time that I turned 21. Now I realize that unless my parents arrange a quickie marriage for me, that that will not happen, that I will not be married for a while. I’ve been in love and I’ve had my heart broken…and I’ve gotten over it. I’ve watched my friends make mistakes and helped them through it, and I’ve made mistakes myself. I know that life is more than money and fame; I have learned to enjoy nice things, like going to the Palace Hotel with my parents, without taking them for granted. I know that life will not be easy, but I know how to handle both the bad and the good, and I put my life in God’s hands.
And as I look back on all these things that I’ve learned…I also look back on all the influential people in my life. People who have helped me, people who have changed my point of view, people who have taken care of me and loved me throughout the past 21 years. My parents, obviously, are some of the most influential people in my life. That seems like such a stereotypical thing to say, but as I get older, I realize that I have an outstanding relationship with my parents. I look at some people around me, and I realize how blessed I am to be able to trust my parents and to know that they trust me as well. They have taught me so much, and they are the most important people in my life. My sister, who I miss so much, and who has taught me more than she probably realizes. My grandparents, with whom I have memories that will remain with me forever. I think of my friend Ashley, who’s been one of my best friends for 15 years (she turns 21 exactly one week after me), and Sarah. People in high school referred to us as “the Sarahs,” we are so close. Susie, who has always been there for me, we have helped each other survive mini and real tragedies, helped each other when there was no one else there. Their parents, who are like aunts and uncles to me. I think of Ruth Malone, my 10th grade English teacher who is now a cherished friend, who first taught me grammar and then taught me about life. Mrs. Hagy, who taught me French, and then taught me to love all cultures and languages, and later Mrs. Fineman, without whom I would not be in Spain. And now, in only the last two and a half years, all the people at GW and in DC who have changed my life…Megan, Emily, Diane, Sarah Andy, and all the people at the Newman Center, especially Father Gurnee, who have become some of the people that I can count on for anything. Carrie and Chris, my roommates who taught me things that I probably shouldn’t know (haha), and who I miss living with. Zack, my first friend at GW, and Ethan, who even though I don’t get to see him anymore, still left his mark on how I see life. Kelly, who has forced me to try to understand politics and to stay awake in class. Alex, who stood by me when I needed someone and who has helped me to believe in myself, who has become one of my closest friends in such a short period of time. And all the people that I’ve been fortunate enough to work with during my internships and my jobs…people who taught me to work with a smile on my face and to give everything I have. I have to mention Jackie, if only because I know that she reads my blog (haha), who always makes me laugh, even when work feels like it will never end. And now all the people here in Spain, above all Babis and Emilio, who have adopted me as their American daughter.
I’m sure that this was kind of boring for all of you…but really…I just feel like I owe all of you a thank you. I know that I have not mentioned everyone, but please don’t be offended. If you are reading this, it is probably because you are interested in what I am doing…and I feel like there is a probability that you care about me as well. For this, I thank you for the influence that you have had on my life, for the lessons that you have taught me and learned with me, for the days when I needed you and you were there, and for the times when I could be there for you. I am the person that I am because of you, because of our experiences together, because of your strength that you have lent to me. I will always be grateful for what you have given me, and I hope that you realize how much you mean to me.