Thoughts at the Halfway Point

For some reason that is still unknown to me, I actually have internet more than 50% of the time.  Mind you this is after a series of frustrating texts in which my landlord has told me that I don't have internet on my computer because there is no double frequency in Spain. Not only do I not know what that means, but my frustration was further aggravated every time I went to any other WiFi location anywhere besides my house without at problem.  Thankfully I am up and running just in time to be moving out of The Casa Loca.

As some of you know, my travels in Ireland led me to some realizations that I am in the process of actualizing.  I remembered that I had some vision about what my life was going to be like when I got to Spain.  Living with Spanish roommates was a big part of that vision.  From my comfortable resting place in The Casa Loca it was hard to imagine being uprooted again and placed into yet another uncomfortable environment.  However, with the changes going on in the house at the moment, and my increasing exposure to English via my job, my boyfriend, and current roommates, I decided to move.  

Tomorrow I will be moving into the center of Malaga with three Spanish folks.  I think they're about 27 or 28 in age.  The two guys work and the girl is a student.  The apartment is small, but clean and relatively new, and my room is about two times the size of the old one. I also will have an oven (home baked cookies!!!) and I won't have to walk outside to get to the shower. Living in Pedregalejo has been charming.  The neighborhood doesn't feel like a big city and the area is relatively pristine.  Thus, I'm thankful for my new nice apartment.  Walking around the neighborhood of my new apartment today made me realize really how unattractive most of Malaga is, but I'm so central to everything in my new place I really can't complain.  I feel like I will really be getting two experiences in one; with the first part of my trip living in a big house in a quaint neighborhood with people from all over the world, and then living with only Spanish in the middle of bustling downtown Malaga. 

Just a quick word on the weather and then I'll run down a list of future events.  There was a tornado in Malaga on Monday.  A tornado, yeah.  Tore the roof off of the bus station and put a dozen people in the hospital.  From where Cillian and I were sitting about a 20 min. walk away we didn't notice a thing.  Although, the thunder and lightning storms from Sunday and today have been pretty dang powerful.

Alright... events ahead.  I am going to Prague, Vienna, and Budapest at the end of this month for a week and a half.  I am going with some west-coasters and an east-coaster from the program, Cody, Liam, and Taylor.  Mom and Dad are coming to Spain for the last two weeks in March.  We are going to be doing a road trip from Barcelona through Andalucia.  I have another week off in April when I would really like to go somewhere.  It is Semana Santa in Spain so I will want to be here to experience some of that, but heading to London, Switzerland, or Morocco with Cillian are also on the table for options.  What do you know... we're at May!  My program ends at the end of May and I'll be heading home the first week in June with a fairly conflicted heart. 

Well folks, that's the midway point.  With functioning internet in my next place I might actually keep a more consistent log of monthly events. Hasta pronto!

The one where I come back to life for my blog readers...

My adventures have continued despite my communication lapse and now I have much to relate during a space of time for which I’m hoping to hold your attention. Scroll down if your worried, it’s okay, I’ve condensed it… kind of.

My weekend in Granada seems like the best place to start.  My friend Elo (Eloisa) and I spent 2 nights in Granada and stayed with Amy Johnson (whom I believe some of you know from school).  Amy walked us up the cobblestone “streets” through the hills that oversee the valley between the traditional white walled neighborhoods of Spain and where Alhambra sits opposite the residential Spanish fairy-tale.  I’m not even sure how they managed to get cars or even buses up in that area (they were so cute and little!).  Mosaic style cobblestone walkways, large artisan carved wooden doors, large fountains spouting fresh drinking water, and windows with inspired metalwork, adorned the streets and homes.  I had a strong urge to knock on a door and invite myself into one of these antiquated houses for a look inside. 

Then we found ourselves in a Spanish square on top of the hillside overlooking all of Granada with a great view of Alhambra across the valley.   An artisan market and musicians playing Spanish guitar completed the European scene.  Something simple, but that I must relate regardless, is an effect that the sunset creates on the walls of a church in the square, and one that the square is famous for.  The picture above hardly does the display justice, but you can see how it looks as though there is an artificial light being cast on the church.  Really, it is just the sun shining through a couple of obstacles between it and the church.  Fantastic!

And at last, here is the most wonderful thing about Granada (besides the breathtaking scenery), when you order a drink you receive a free tapa (a small dish of traditional Spanish food).  You order a drink.  You get a Tapa. Drink. Tapa.  You get it.  It’s amazing!  I can barely conceive of it, being an American.  We didn’t pay for food the entire time were there, and were full the whole time.  Elo and I kick it travelers style, not tourists style, which means we wandered aimlessly until we found the places that looked the most interesting and the most traditional.  Our success was 3 for 3 that night and if you’re going to Granada anytime soon I’d be happy to give you a couple recommendations.  We didn’t make it inside Alhambra, but I can’t wait to go there on my next visit. 

Events leading up to Winter break were relatively uneventful and then Emily and Brook arrived in Malaga on the 18^th and 19^th of December! Yay!!!  To be honest, we were sick pretty much the whole time they were here.  We had waves of flu, cold, and some weird stomach thing (still not sure what).  This basically means we spent a lot of time intensely enjoying each others company; the evidence of which can be seen above…  We did go to a small town called Ronda near Malaga for one day.  It’s a lovely and small Spanish town northwest of Malaga.  And the girls spent a couple of days in Granada.  Christmas and New Years were perfect because I was with them.  I couldn’t have asked for more except for maybe being at HOME with them for the holidays.

Some flaw in all three of our judgments had us awake at 7:30 on the morning of the 1^st heading out of Malaga.  Brooke and Emily returned to London and I headed to the enchanting land of Ireland.  I stayed at my friend Sinead’s home in the district Rathgar in the South of Dublin.  And my boyfriend Cillian is from Dublin as well.  He was there for winter break so we decided to do some traveling together.  We took a trip west to a town called Galway.  It is located just north of a place called The Burren, which was my main reason for heading west.  Galway is your perfect picturesque Irish town and it is known for its traditional Irish music, which I had the pleasure of hearing the first night we were there.  The second floor of a pub called “The Crane” was packed and about 15 musicians sat in a big circle and treated us Celtic music.  Although, its not a treat for tourists, its simply common practice in Ireland where the traditions are still really strong.  Celtic Irish is still considered the first language in the countryside.

We spent one day in the region of The Burren.  It’s stunning with its sprawling farmland that is divided by typical Irish stonewalls and the harsh ocean fronts along the coast.  Castles are scattered throughout the landscape and some of the views offer nothing more than barren limestone rock.  The Cliffs of Moher, hailed by Lonely Planet to induce vertigo with their sheer drops (I think that might be plagiarism), only inspired awe in me and a little bit of light-headedness for Cillian.   We returned back to Dublin the next day and I spent two more nights there.  I met Cillain’s family (mom and 3 siblings) and friends (an intimidating seven boys all at once), and did some walking around Dublin.  It’s a beautiful city.  I’m going to have to praise Ireland though for being one of my most favorites countries I’ve visited.  And the people are lovely! 

I’m sitting at my favorite little spot I found in Cala del Moral just down the street from my school.  It’s this great old man’s bar so I don’t get harassed, the owner is a dear to me, and the tapas I try are always wonderful.  Right now I’m enjoying some bread, a new Spanish tapa dish of marinated chicken and a vegetable sauce, and a coffee (all for only 3 euro) before I head off to teach a tutoring lesson.  Thanks for reading this far down the page.  You are officially caught up! Feliz ano!