Last weekend I finally got a chance to visit Fell again and had the MOST AMAZING weekend! In Barcelona there was a festival called La Merce going on. I'm not really sure what it was celebrating but throughout the weekend they had different events going on in different parts of the city.

Our adventure began on Friday night around midnight when I got to Barce. Fell picked me up at the train station and we dropped my stuff off at her apartment and then went out to see what was going on. There were a few concerts going on in some of the plazas so we listened to music for a while.

Then we just walked around the streets of Barcelona and eventually came to where a group of people were hanging out, playing music and chatting. We ended up spending a few hours there and I got to meet people from all over the world (Brazil, Morocco, Ghana, France, ect). I ended up having a conversation with a guy from Ghana that made me feel really encouraged/happy/special. I won't get into too much detail, but I have always wanted to go to Africa and spend time there learning just like I'm doing here. But for some reason I have always thought that Africans have a particular image of or attitude toward African Americans. blah blah blah...anyway, so I was telling this guy all of this and he was just like why would you think that, we are all family ect ect. It's hard to really capture all that was said and what that conversation meant but what I can say is that it was really powerful.

And that was just one example of the kinds of conversations and interactions that I had that night with all of these cultured travelers. I think for the first time since I've been to Europe I didn't feel like 'an American' I felt more like a part of the international community. (as cheesy as that might sound)

So the next day (since we stayed out until about 7am!) we didn't get up until early afternoon. We (me, Fell and her roommate) just sat around and chatted and then walked around some and saw street performers like these people on La Rumbla.

At around 8pm the "fire run" began so we made our way to the street it was on. The fire run was this crazy parade of dragons and devils and scary firey things like that who would walk down the street with these huge sparklers. They would spray the crowds from time to time but mostly stayed in the street where tons of other people stood/walked underneath them. It is a little hard to explain lol. It was kinda scary because all of the sparklers made these really loud noises and those of you who know me well, know that I startle really easily.

After the fire run we ended up in a plaza where we thought there would be another concert but instead there was this crazy light show on one of the buildings. Lights were projected onto the building to music and it was like cartoons mixed with real life looking images. It was perfectly choreographed to the music and design of the building.

After that I met a few more American friends of Fell's and we went to another concert. It just so happened that we were standing next to the drummer's daughter! We all just kinda danced together and enjoyed the music and other peoples' wacky dancing. After the concert we pretty much just hung out with people like we did on the previous night.

On Sunday we went to see the human castlers. I was a little bit disappointed because even though it was really impressive, I was expecting these massive human castles but it was about 6 level individual towers of people. On the very top they had these really small children which were really cute.

After the castles, I didnt have much time before my train so Fell and I went to an Irish pub to grab some lunch. Aaaaaannnndddd I had some hot wings for the first time in months and I swear it was like heaven in my mouth!!!! I'm drooling a little just thinking about them! They were like Hooters...yummy. The perfect end to my Barcelona adventure!

Finally...Espana!

Okay, so I've been here for one month now and am just now blogging
about my first impressions of my new home...very lazy on my part...sorry guys.



Anyway, let's rewind to about a month ago...I was spending time with my family that lives in the south of France and originally I was going to go straight from there to Avila but decided instead to overnight in Barcelona so that I could spend time with my pal Fella! So I left France early in the am and got to Barcelona at about 6:30pm and Fella came to get me at the train station. It was so good to see her! I hadn't seen her since we parted ways in Germany in June!! So I spent that night (and half of the next morning) hanging out with her and her friends. I met some amazing people and had the best time (I'll talk more about my Barcelona adventures in another bloggie) but alas I could only stay the one night so that I could get to my new job and home!




So the next morning I left Barcelona and made my way to Avila, which is a smaller city close to Madrid (which is known for the walled city center). When I got here, I was greeted by my host and the youngest of the three children. Shortly after I got to the house, the other two children came with my host's mother and I was pleasantly surprised that the oldest already spoke English really well! (Part of my job is to help the children learn English)




It just so happened that the annual Medieval Festival was going on that weekend. So not only did I get to see a little bit of Spanish culture but I also got to meet a lot of my hosts' family. I also got to try some traditional Spanish food including Spanish tortilla (which is basically an onion and potato omelet) and paella (which I have to say I was really disappointed in).




Anyway, since then I've pretty much just been getting used to things here. I've gotten into a routine (which includes a lot more free time than I anticipated, but hey I can't complain). I so a lot of walking around the city, some shopping and little bit of picture taking but in general nothing really worth blogging about.

Overall, I have found that typical Spanish life is much like life back home. There definitely aren't bull riders everywhere and flamenco dancers in the streets lol. I am honestly the slightest bit disappointed because I assumed that things here would be all cultural and different. But that's not to say that I'm not enjoying my time here and I'm not learning about the differences there are. I'm really excited to learn Spanish and see more of the country!!

My New Favorite Aunt...

This is my new favorite aunt...aka my grandmother's oldest sister

Monique

My uncle and I left Les Arc in the afternoon and due to some train delays, we arrived in Evreux later that night (I think around 10ish). My poor aunt was worried about us because she didnt know that our train was late so she had been at the train station and had seen 2 or 3 trains coming from the direction we were go by. Anyway, once we arrived, she greeted us at the train station wearing the coolest outfit ever! She had on a pair of pants that looked like they were skittles print and a bright colored top (i think it was lime green but im not sure). Right away I couldnt help but think "how cute is she!" When we got back to her cozy abode we had a quick meal together and got to chat a little (well I did more of the listening because I don't speak French) and then went to bed.

(this is a pic of my 82yr old aunt's flower flip flops)

Even though I speak no French and my aunt speaks no English, we had a connection almost immediately. Her mannerisms and life are so much like the image I have of how a grandmother should be. She is concerned (a little bit too much at times) about people and about making sure everything is ok. She says what's on her mind and doesn't hold back. And she is just unapologitically herself. She's kinda like the woman I want to be in 60 years! Anyway, while we were staying with her we got to meet one of her friends, Julian who spoke English and with whom we spent two of the days with. Julian was very sweet and it was a pleasure to hang out with everyone and enjoy Evreux.

After spending 3 days there, we went to another town in the Normandy region, called Le Havre where my cousin Fabienne lives. We took the train to this place called Deauville (I think) which is this really nice/wealthy area with amazing buildings and top of the line shopping! Too bad I'm not on Louis Vuitton's level or I would have been in heaven!! Anyway, as we drove to Le Havre, we were going along the coast some of the way so the view was spectacular! On the way we stopped at my uncle's favorite place called Honfleur which is a really funky artsy harbor town with great shopping!

We finally made our way to my cousin's house had lunch followed by a siesta :)...and then some pictures hahahahah.

While we were in Le Havre, where my cousin lives with her husband, Louis, we had plenty of adventures, including going to a really beautiful park and going to this rocky-cliff place on the coast. It was really windy but the view was well worth any weather conditions. I loved being back on a coast of some kind...the smell of the salty water, the sea breeze, the sound of the waves...good times.

This is kind of a funny shot...everyone is gesturing differently and I assume trying to explain something to one another.

Fabienne and Louis were phenominal hosts and were very helpful to me and my uncle. We had a really nice time there and I got to meet two of her daughters, Rachel and Anna. It was good to finally meet people closer to my age!! Anyway, learning about another branch in my family tree was awesome and I'm so glad to have come here!

Discovering another part of me

For those of you who do not know my family history, I'm going to tell you a little bit of background. My grandfather was in the military waaaaaaayyy back in the day and when he was stationed in France, he met my grandmother, Annick. They ended up getting married and he broght her back to the States. When my mom was a young child, my grandmother passed away so I never met her and my mom doesnt remember that much about life with her. But, my mom's oldest brother was old enough at the time to have more memories of her and has been our main source of information about who my grandmother was as a person.

My grandmother was the third of four siblings and was the only one who left France. So growing up I always knew about my French family but it was something like a fairy tale to me. The collection of stories, names, photos, cities, and towns all fored this collage of a family that existed somewhere in a far off land. So, coming to France for the first time, I am finally able to look my great uncles and aunt in the eye. It allows me to connect with my grandmother and essentially with part of myself that before was obscure.

My uncle came to Europe to take me around to meet as much of the family as possible and our first stop was my grandmother's older brother, my uncle Jean-Marie. He lives with his wife Nicole in a beautiful house in the south of France. While we were there, his daughter, Marie Helen was there as well.

When we got there, we were kind of hungry so my uncle Jean Marie fired up his oven and made us some pizza which we ate with Rose (the pink colored wine). While he was making the pizzas I asked if at some point I could help him make a pizza, and the next day I was able to learn to make it! AAaaaaaaaannnnnd the following day he let me make one on my own! It was probably some of the best pizza I've had!

On the second day that we were there, my cousin took us to Les Arc which is an ooooold village that most of the buildings are now expensive rental homes and a hotel. The village was so beautiful though. It was up on a hill that over looked a town (I think the town of Les Arc) with narrow cobblestone streets and buildings older than the United States probably.

For the most part, we all just sat around and talked with each other. I told them about my Europe adventures and plans for Spain and I was able to see pictures of more cousins of mine. It was just really nice to be with family and enjoy the company.

Family Affair!!

My last two days at the farm were pretty chill. The day after I went on the horses, I went down to the town again to call my sister. On the way to the town I got up the courage to run through the corn field...even though it was just a quick run in and run out(I didn't have enough time to ask God to make me a bird, so I can fly far, far far away from here). Anyway, as I spoke with my sister, I decided to go back up north to her house instead of going to Rome because my brother had leave and was at her house. I had not seen my brother in almost two years (since he left for Japan on orders). So I knew that as soon as I got back to the farm I would have to make plans so that I could get there. I had previously told my brother that I wouldnt be able to make it so I was going to surprise him and just show up.

In the afternoon I had my cooking class in which I learned how to make pasta. When I was in Florence I was going to take a class but saw that they offered it at the farm so decided against it. Looking back I wish I would have taken the one in Florence. Not that I didnt enjoy and learn from the one on the farm, just because I thought it would have involved more. When we went into the kitchen, Maria (the owner of the farm) measured out about a cup of flour and another powder something and put it in a little pile in front of each of us students. She then gave us an egg and instructed us to crack it into the pile and mix them together with our fingers and add flour as needed. We then kneaded the dough for a while (she said, the more the better). Next we rolled it out into a circle that was really thin and then she had us cut the strips. That was pretty much it for the pasta and then we made a really simple sauce for it and the class was over after sharing some lemoncello. (The other class I would have taken would have had 3 courses and then dessert). It was a really good experience and now I know how to make pasta!

The following day I didnt feel well at all so I just took it easy and read a book most of the day. In the afternoon some of the guests were going to a nearby lake so I decided to go along with them. It was pretty relaxing and we went on a paddle boat around the lake for a half hour. The rest of that day I just chilled out and got to know some people that were guests at the farm as well.

My last day at the farm I woke up early and had breakfast and then I had to get ready to head up north. It took me 2 days, 1 bus, and 4 trains later I arrived in Mons. The good thing for me was that I had a long enough stop-over in Rome that I could take my shoe picture next to the Colosseum.

I was probably more excited to get to my sisters house than I was to see anything else on the trip. And when I walked upstairs and into my brother's room, he looked at me with surprise and happiness and at that moment it was all worth it!

I have spent the last three days at my sister's house with my brother and uncle and it has been really fun going down memory lane and just being the three of us again. It seems like we had been around each other the whole time because we interact with each other the same as we always have. My brother is still his tough, annoying yet sweet self. My sister is still her corny and emotional big sister-trying-to-be self. And I am still my know-it-all, silly, relaxed self. Its just really cool to be together again. Aaaaaannnnnd, starting tomorrow, I will be on my other leg of my adventure in which I will get to meet a whole other side of my family and have more laughs and good times!

Call Me Farmer Apes

This morning when I woke up, I had expected to go on the horseback riding trip I had signed up for on the previous day but found out that we weren't going until the afternoon. So just as I was about to go lay back down or grab some breakfast, one of the volunteers walks by with a pot and says "we are going to kill a chicken, wanna watch?" Of course I did! Sure enough the owner of the farm but two chickens' neck and we watched them flop around for a few minutes until they fell lifeless. As sick as it is, it was a little bit funny to watch (sorry chickens). The guy then put them in boiling water to loosen the skin and had the volunteers start to take the feathers off. They asked if I wanted to get in on the action and of course I did. I'm normally an 'increase the peace' kind of person and wouldn't have watched or participated in killing an animal but I thought, when in Rome...or I guess in Sora, do as the Sorans.

After the chicken adventure I had breakfast and was able to talk to a couple who were French but living in Germany. Again, it was really awesome being able to talk to people from around the world and finding out how similar people really are.

I decided to walk down to Sora so that I could call my mom and buy some bug spray. It was about an hour walk which was cool going down but *heck* coming back up! On the way I saw more farms with grapes and olives and apples and even with corn fields which I promised myself I would run through one of them before I leave. (Ever since watching Forrest Gump, I've always wanted to run and then pray in a corn field...don't judge me).

When I got back it was about time to go to the horses!! When we got to the ranch and they were getting the horses ready, I really connected with this one particular horse and wanted to ride her but instead rode a different one. It was kind of funny because on of the girls in the group started to get terrified once she was on the horse and we thought she wouldn't go through with it but she was a trooper. We rode off of the rance property along this really pebbly road and then into the river! We were deep enough that my feet and ankles got wet. By the way this was first time riding a horse (besides I think when I was a young kid one time) so that made it a little bit scary. Overall, the ride was amazing, we had beautiful views of mountains and trees and the river. The horses kept trying to eat the plants and trees but the leader would yell at us in Italian telling us to direct them away from the trees so that they would keep walking and not stop.

After we got back I read and did some planning and then I got into one of the hammocks and just swayed with the breeze and listened to my music as the sun was setting...the perfect afternoon.

City Girl on the Farm

Even though I am covered in mosquito bites and scratching non-stop, I am having the best time since I've been in Europe! I am currently at an Italian oraganic farm that also rents out rooms, dorm beds and camping space. Being the adventurer that I am, I opted to spend the week camping in Italy! My tent is no where near like the one I use for camping back home, it is HUGE and camouflage and very dark inside because the rain cover always stays on. It is tucked nicely under apple and pear trees on the farm.

Let me back up to when I first got here. The farm is on a hill close to a National Park and close to a town called Sora. Because it is too far to walk with a big backpack, I was picked up by one of the staff at the bus station in Sora and taken to the farm. Upon arriving I was greeted with bread, olive oil and fresh tomato along with a glass of wine (all made fresh at the farm). I was also given a few plums plucked straight from off one of the trees! Talk about hospitality. Then I was shown the dorm and the tent and decided that I wanted to go ahead and camp for my stay.

After I got my tent settled in, I walked down to the creek near by and on the way saw some of the animals (sheep, a few goats, a horse and the donkey). I was a tiny bit scared at first but they didnt seem to notice me much so I much better walking across the pen-area.

A couple of hours later dinner time. Having dinner here felt like being at home in a way. The food was simple but extrodinary; the pasta was made fresh that day, the vegetables were picked from the farden that afternoon and the cheese was made by the local shepherd that morning! I don't really have that discriminating of a palate but I most certainly could tell the difference in the fresh fresh ingredients. Not only was the meal delicious, but the company made the experience great as well. The people that own the farm are an older Italian couple and their son is the one who mainly runs the business part of it. There were HelpX volunteers (look it up on google) who assisted with making the meal and also ate with us and then there were the rest of the guests coming from all different parts of the world. Overall there were prbably about 5 or so languages being spoken at the table! We all just ate and got into different discussions ranging from dogs to politics. It was the Italian experience I had been waiting for (however corny that may sound).

After dinner I turned in for the night and though it took me a little while to fall asleep (because of the hard ground) I actually slept pretty well!