Must Sees in Madrid: Areia

I guess while I have my blogging buzz back I'll continue with the list of my MUST SEES in Madriz.

One of my favorite bars in all of the capital is Areia; located in the heart of Chueca (Boy's Town), this bar is not just for the same-sex oriented.  Address: Calle Hortaleza 92

In my opinion, this bar is the perfect spot for after-work cocktails and schmoozing  or an ideal way to start off the weekend before hitting the clubs.  I've never been here during the day but I hear that they serve up some yummy lunch time goodies. 

The bar was renovated some years back to take on  sexy, Middle-Eastern jewel-toned, sofa lounger, incense filled love nest.  I would recommend coming here early in the evening to take advantage of the ambiance and excellent drink menu.  Now this place is catching on to more than just the locals so come mid-night, you have to squeeze through the single men and dolled up females showing off their latest mating calls.  (I say this in all seriousness as I was once one of those females).

This is also a great romantic date night as special elevated, private bed-rooms can be reserved for you and a special someone or a few close friends.  Anyway, take a look at the photos I found from other enthusiasts (because for some crazy reason I can't find any of my own) and judge for yourself. 

My Epic Return

I know you've all been on the edge of your seats waiting to hear updates on my last post back in September... and I am finally ready to write it!

So as you know, I was having a bit of a mental block on what I was doing with myself those past few months.  I have a great job. Amazing friends and family. New apartment.  New life, in some ways.... I just had a few unanswered questions that I needed to ask myself and work out the answers.

And I can say that I have found those answers....

The main and most important question:
Do I regret moving back to Chicago
(or maybe better said: Do I regret leaving Spain)?

I got on a plane destination Madrid on October 17th.  The entire trip was spent fidgeting in my seat, trying unsuccessfully to nap and daydreaming of the adventures to that await while dreading the decisions I might have to make.

I knew my first few hours were going to be a whirlwind....

I was stopping in Madrid for a total of 4 hours to drop of my suitcases as my friend Melissa's work and get back on a plane to Barcelona for Michelle's wedding extravaganza.  In that time, I lost my new leather jacket, spent an hour trying to buy a cheap phone (because the worker didn't know how to issue one to a non-citizen), missed my train so paid a taxi 40 euros to bring me to Barajas Airport, somehow found the lost leather jacket and argued with security for not letting me bring my duty free items on the plane. 

Now I was starting to remember the inefficiency of the Spanish system :)

But I made it to Barcelona and spent an amazing weekend celebrating the union of one of my very best friends to her amazing now-husband and acting as her Maid of Honor.  (Which will be a blog in itself).

Days later I made my way back to Madrid to start the real reunion.  I had to get my wits about me as many things have changed in the capital this past year or so... including the public transport system, tourist passes, on-going strikes/ protests and comings of old friends/ colleagues. Not to mention transitioning back into the Castellano accent.

I had a tight itinerary pretty well mapped out in the weeks preceding my departure.  My days were filled with touristy things like trips to my favorite museos and parks, luncheons with friends and ex-clients and relaxing ME-time which mostly meant shopping.  However, once 6 in the 'afternoon' rolled around, I was running from restaurant to bar to house dinners to parties.  By the end, I needed a vacation from my vacation!

I spent my nights cozied up with my dear friend Melissa and her demon-spawn of a cat.  (I joke, I joke....kinda!)  She gave me a spare key to her apartment and was able to come and go as I pleased.  Thank you Mely for being an amazing hostess that week!

Of course, I made the trek to Toledo and spent the afternoon in all the old places.  Reliving some of the moments that truly changed my life.  I visited my university, ate lunch at my favorite restaurant, stocked up on some souvenirs and finished it off with a 'clara con limon' at my favorite bar.  All in all an amazing and necessary trip. Never underestimate the power of nostalgia!

I'll share some of my highlights as well:

My friend Steph, who moved back to the States the year before I did and now lives in Wisconsin, was also visiting because of the wedding.  So we planned a dual reunion outing with her friends and old mutual colleagues at a local bar.  It was like neither of us had left.  We caught up on the small things (though most everything is already on facebook that anyone would need to know) and told stories of past shenanigans and fun times.  We shared raciones of tortillas de patata, salchichas, queso de cabra and lots LOTS of beer.  It was nothing crazy; just a group of adults, mostly ex-pats remembering different days.  It was a highlight because it showed me that even after being away a year, I could still fit in and connect to that important part of my life.

I came to tears twice on this trip... once was watching Michelle get married.  The other was the night I had dinner with my favorite little student, Ali and her family. 
I spoke of them in previous blogs.  I never liked teaching children... but a class had come up a few blocks from where I was living and it fit perfectly into my schedule; so I figured, why not? She was a little less than 3 when started classes.  Her baby sister was a few months old.  We went to the park, played flash cards and drew with crayons.  It was tough but I enjoyed every minute of it.   When I left Spain, saying goodbye to her was one of the hardest things I had to do.  I remember distinctly that she was being distant during our last goodbye.  Typically she held onto my leg as I walked out the door.  Her father Damian said, "I don't think she realizes this is the last time she'll see you for a long while."  To which Raquel, his wife and Ali's mother replied, "No.  I think she understands very well and that's why she doesn't want to say anything."  I cried the entire walk home that night.
So when they agreed to see me and invited me over for dinner, I had my reservations.  Would Ali even remember me? How would I feel seeing her again after more than a year?  As Raquel buzzed me into their complex and I climbed the stairs to their apartment, I heard what sounded like cattle and a cat going crazy.  Then I made out voices and realized that it was Ali jumping up and down and heard Damian, her father, laughing and saying, "Yes Ali... Brittany is coming! Brittany is coming!"  As soon as I knocked on the door I heard loud shrieks and even more laughter and was greeted by the biggest smiles I could have imagined! We spent the next 2 hours playing and cooking dinner.  I got caught up with Damian and Raquel who had become good friends over the past 2 and a half years.  I asked if they found a new teacher to replace me.  They said they tried 2 others but no one that really connected with Ali like I had.  And I gawked at how big Ali and her then baby sister Alba had gotten over that year.  It was an incredible night.  Leaving once again was very difficult and I she,d a few tears saying goodbye but happier tears when Ali said to me, "I see you soon, Bri-nee!"
I knew at that moment that I would see her again and she would remember me because I did have an impact on her life. 

I could go on for paragraphs and paragraphs about all the things I got to do.... but the point of this blog was to answer that question that had been plaguing my subconscious for months. 

Do I regret leaving Spain?

My answer is No.  I love Spain and the life I led with every ounce of my soul.  I made memories and experienced things that people can only dream of.  And that's because I lived a dream.  It was my life, but I knew that I would come back to the States one day.  Do I wish I had more time there... yes. There are things that I miss every day about my old life but there are things here in Chicago that I wouldn't trade for anything.  Going back helped me remember the small things that I disliked about life abroad and the reasons why I missed home so much.  This trip helped me realize that spending a few days there would be sufficient to get my fix.

But in the end, probably the most remarkable thing about this whole journey and the feeling that I was dreadind to discover was that I was happy to be going back to the States.  Getting on the plane, I didn't feel extreme sadness for leaving Madrid and my old life; I was looking forward to getting back home and telling everyone about the amazing vacation I had.  And that is how I discovered my place on this earth.  My life is in Chicago and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

Cheers!

Despicable Me....

So after a year of silence… I’m back! This comes on the eve of a momentous occasion for me. My first return to Spain. I tried desperately to visit after the New Year but a change in jobs and a new apartment made it impossible. With the upcoming nuptials of my dear friend, Michelle in mid-October and my presence necessary as her Maid of Honor, I have no excuse but to escape back into dreamland.

I would be lying to say that I’ve been anxious for my departure: counting down the months and now the weeks, soon to be the days then the hours. To my surprise I’ve actually been hesitant in thinking about my travel plans. Not that I’m not excited for the new Mr & Mrs. But because of the inevitable question I will have to ask myself…. Do I regret moving back to Chicago?

This questions has been undeniably plaguing my subconscious and a times bursting out of my drunken conscious for months. I moved back in August of 2011 for 3 weddings in which I was a bridesmaid. Do I regret that decision? Absolutely not! I couldn’t imagine missing any of those celebrations of 3 of my very close friends.

However, I have allowed myself to accept the fact that I don’t believe I had enough time in Spain. That my daily European, guiri adventures have been put on hold forever in exchange for the ever engrossing American life-style. Spain has become a distant dream that at times I find difficult to remember. I’ve met up with friends, Spanish and American, over the course of the year; yet, I still feel disconnected when talking about our old stomping grounds. Does this happen to everyone over time? Do memories become less detailed and lose their thrill? Or is it my brain actively not allowing myself to remember those feelings and sensations for fear that it would make me realize something… that maybe I wasn’t just an American living in Madrid. Maybe, I was a woman simply born in America but living her life where she was meant to be….



I’m clearly having a lot of mixed emotions right now. It’s taken me almost a year to finally put the ideas running rapid in my mind down onto paper (well, the symbolic paper of life if computers didn’t exist).
This trip could be a game changer for me… it undoubtedly will. And that’s what I fear. I’ve always known what I wanted. I knew I wanted go to college. I knew that when I graduated I wanted to go abroad. I knew that I wanted to return to Chicago to reconnect with my friends and family this past year. Yet, here I am completely uncertain of what I will want in a month’s time. I have an amazing life here in Chicago. I couldn’t be happier with my current job (unless they paid me more; then I could be happier). I love having my family so close that I can see them anytime I want and being there for birthdays and graduations and random movie dates. I adore being able to call friends without having to organize a time a week in advance. But is all that enough? I feel like there’s something missing. Is it Spain?

Check back in a month….

Weddings.... Weddings Galore....

I've decided to keep up on blogging about my past experiences in Spain.  I'm really behind on a lot of trips I'd taken in the past year.  Things have been a bit crazy on my side with a new job, rekindling old friendships and WEDDINGS!

One of the biggest reasons I returned to Chicago after more than 2 years living in Madrid was because of.... Matrimony! Yes, 3 of my best friends in the world all decided to get married in a 3 month time span..... and all 3 asked me to be a bridesmaid.  I knew that I couldn't afford to travel back and forth from Europe but I also knew that I couldn't imagine missing any of these weddings.  Therefore, I decided that it would be a good time to leave my fantasy life of jet-setting, ESL moonlighting and Spanish sunsets behind. 

So what's a better way to honor that decision and these momentous occasions than blogging about them....

WEDDING #1
BFF Carrie and her hubby, Dustin

WEDDING #2
College Roommate and her hubby, Tom

WEDDING #3
BFF Leslie and her hubby, Ron

Three absolutely amazing weddings for 3 of my favorite people in this world!  Thank you so much for allowing me to take par in your special days, ladies!

Dusseldorf, Germany

Though I only spent a few hours in this fantastic city, it left quite an impression on me.  I arrived here only for a layover on my way to Berlin with my amazing friend, Danny.  First thing I want to mention is their absolutely stunning airport. I actually spent another few hours months later as I was returning to the States on another layover.  This airport is not something to be missed!

About the city itself I'm afraid I can only tell you about the Old Town.  Danny and I took a 15 minute taxi ride to the main street in Old Town and we could already tell that Germany was going to be a wild time.  Here's some photos just to give you an idea.....

Spanish Withdrawl.... Part 1

I have been back in the States for 5 months... 5 MONTHS! Ay Dios Mio...

So I've compiled a list of some things that I'm just dying to have again in my life....
Of course, most of things I could get back here in the States but it's still not the same...

Case #1- Cañas/ Claras

So these are nothing special... small glass of beer (una caña) / beer & soda mixture (una clara) but it comes with the cultural significance behind them.  I enjoyed nothing more than running across the street to a local bar and sitting on a terraza (terrace) having a quick drink and big bowl of aceitunas (olives) between classes or after a long day of work or just spending a relaxing Sunday with friends. 

Yeah, back here in Chicago I meet up with friends at a local sports bar for the Sox or Bears games or just a few pregaming beers before hitting the clubs.  However, its still not the same.  We're all about chugging the beers down before running out, not just enjoying the moment.... but alas we are Americans.


Case #2 Late Nights

Ugh, I'm not trying to have an alcohol, partying theme here but that is one of the things Spain does best....

In Spain, if you're home before 4 am it's because you're sick, have an early morning class (for ESL teachers) or.... actually those are the only 2 I can really think of.  In Spain, typical time for getting back to the house during the weekend was when the sun was rising in the cab ride home. 

Now I feel like I have to start partying during dinner just to get my fix.  Becuase at 1 o'clock you know that last call is coming and you have to start sobering up for the drive home.  However, I must admit that these feelings come from being back in the suburbs.  Im sure city life in Chicago would be a little more my speed but still nothing in comparison to el estilo español!

Case #3 Public Transport

Again this probably comes from being a suburbanite and having to take your car EVERYWHERE but I do truly miss Madrid's public transport.  It's clean, efficient and quick.... nothing comparel to the El of Chicago that would take 500 million gallons of bleach to rid each station of it urine smell. Plus I really enjoyed those long rides... I have had some amazing conversations with complete strangers on the 'Metro' about life, culture, politics, history.... something that isn't as easy to find here in Chicago but I must admit.... I think Chicagoans (or Mid-Westerns in general) are a lot more open in this aspect than some other regions of the States.


Case #4 OLIVE OIL

Yes, yes I know we have olive oil here in the States but its not the staple that it is in Spain.  I got so accustomed to cooking everything with it that I do have cravings.  I still cook some things with it but Ive fallen back into my American ways to cooking with butter or just cooking food that dont need anything in general.  Mmm getting another craving... so thats all I have to say about this. hahaha

Case #5 Fruterias

About a block from my last house and every house in Madrid and all big cities are fruterias (fruit shops) filled with anything you could want.  But what I love, above their easy access, is their relatively low price in comparison to the Mid-Wests prices.  I could walk out with 2 bags overflowing with fresh fruits and veggies for over a week for like $15.  Low prices mean that people eat healthier and in general feel better.  Definitely something that Im missing these days!

Well of course there's dozens and dozens of other things I could add to this list but these are just a few gripes that I have with my current location.  I miss Spain everyday and if I could bring just 5 things to Chicago from España... it would be these....

Adios.... Better Yet: HASTA LUEGO Madrid!

I'm sitting here on my sofa at 'home' in the southern suburbs of Chicago.  I've been contemplating daily to start this blog because I knew it would truly mean that my time in Spain has come to an end.  I guess Ive been on vacation mode for the past month... God, I cant believe I left Madrid over a month ago. 

Well this blog will be about my last few weeks in Spain.  I dont have it in me quite yet to talk about how I currently feel about leaving.  Yep, I'm definitely in DENIAL!

I was even in denial before I left.  So as the weeks and the days were winding down, I decided not to say any goodbyes.  I told everyone we would simply say the overly used phrase 'See ya later!' I finished out the month of June at American Language Academy.  I had a falling out with my boss a few weeks before so I decided to finish my contract and take private classes for my last few weeks.  It worked out well.  Some classes I've had all year long and I picked up a few more little by little over the last few months. 

By the end of June, I was teaching my 25 hours a week with ALA and another 15-20 hours a week in privates.  Needless to say, I was able to put away a nice little nest egg for myself after I'd gotten home to Chicago.  For the past year I've been almost solely working for Tecnicas Reunidas, a prominent engineering company, through ALA.  I started at 8 or 9 am and working straight until 3 or 4.  After that, I was free to do what I wanted which was usually private classes. 

As for my privates, I continued some of the usual like Patri and MaAngeles.  I also started a pharmaceutical company called Incimed which was one of my favorite classes.  The my friend and colleague, Michelle started her own company called Talkbox English.  So I got a few more privates from her.  One of my favorites was a 2 year named Alicia.  I decided I wanted to take on a class with a younger child.  It was quite a struggle at first but after about 6 weeks, Ali and I became attached at the hip. I got along fantastically with her young family and her baby sister Alba.  Leaving her that last day was probably one of the hardest parts of leaving Spain.  Then I took on an entire group of friends, not at the same time.  I started with one young professional, Ana who gave my number to her other friends: Lourdes, Jaime, Maria and Fernando (who worked for Tecnicas)  So we became this giant circle of of English- learning friends.  Actually, Jaime hired me to help him pass the TOEFL and GRE exams so he could begin his Masters at Illinois Insititute of Technology.  He passed all his exams and I recently helped him move to Chicago! Its like having a piece of Madrid here in Chicago with me.

I spent my last weekends trying to stay as normal as possible.  A lot of my best friends left Madrid the end of June to take thier vacations.  That was rough, not getting more time to say goodbye.  But I did well of keeping it together.  I just wanted things to be normal. So we went to our favorite resturants and drank and partied at our typical bars. 

I knew however that I wanted a fun Farewell Party.  Thinking about sites, I decided that I wanted to rent out the basement of a bar so I could bring snacks and we could play drinking games.  The previous St. Pattys we went to this Irish pub in the center.  I realized it'd be the perfect place to have my 'DESPIDIDA'.  So I contacted the owner and reserved the night for my party. The day of the party, my roommate Nikki, friend Tisha and I got to the bar early to decorate it in 'El Estilo Americano'.  I spent the rest of the day getting snacks together then headed out.  It was a fantastic turnout of old friends, new friends, colleagues and students.  We drank and danced and even played Flip Cup which is a new favorite to a lot of my Spanish students. After the bar closed some of us headed out to a club to finish out the night.  Overall, I couldnt have asked for a better Goodbye Party!

Last few days in Madrid were spent finishing classes, packing and spending time with friends and favorite places. I made sure to go to Toledo one last time just to reminisce about everything that I had discovered and experienced over the last 2 1/2 years. 

Coming to the End....

I know I´ve been slacking on blogs as of late but I swear I´ll be back full force in the next few weeks.
My official countdown here in Spain has begun.... I´m down to a little over 3 weeks to go.
Not exactly sure how I feel yet.  I guess that will be one of my first new blogs ;)

CHECK BACK SOON...

Besitos.

Spring Break in Berlin

Next Blog about the MOST INCREDIBLE 7 days that I spent in Deutschland!

Brittany vs. Evil Ex-Roommate: The Saga

Shortly after moving to Madrid in September of 2009, I found an apartment just 5 minutes from my previous academy.  I wanted to live with a few Spaniards in order to practice Spanish more.  Being in a rush to move our of the previous place I was living, I took a room with 2 Spanish guys and a Swiss girl.  The roommates changed every few months as the Swiss girl returned home and other people moved in and out.  That is for the exception of one guy who we´ll refer to as El Diablo (aka ED). 

Well, we had our normal roommate drama within the house.  You know things like someone didn´t wash their dishes and who was the last person to buy papel higenico (toilet paper)... things like this.

I lived there until the end of June 2010 when I finally decided I wanted a change in scenery.  Plus, I went home to the US for all of July and didn´t really want to pay rent for a room I wasn´t going to be living in. 

I told my roommates at that time of my plans, including El Diablo and everything was fine.  I started packing up little things as I looked for a new apartment to move into that next August.  As May was coming to an end, I asked ED if he wanted to use my fianza (security deposit) to cover my last month of rent.  He said he´d prefer if I paid so he could collect my deposit by the end of the month.  I STUPIDLY agreed not thinking it was abnormal.

Make a loooooong story short, I never got my fianza back. He told me that another ex-roommate took it and after talking to that ex-roommate he said that indeed ED had it..... blah blah blah! So basically my money simply disappeared! To make matter worse (which I take complete blame for and still kick myself for til this day),  I never got a formal contract signed proving that I paid a deposit. I know I´m an IDIOT! So ED walked away with 400€ in his pocket.

After talking to the landlord and even a student who is a lawyer, I realized that there was nothing I could do.  Putting my tail between my legs, I moved out and went back to the US for the month trying to forget about this ordeal.  Well kind of.... for the first half of my vacation, I put comments on all the websites where ED was trying to rent my old room stating that nobody should rent from this apartment and warning people about what happened to me. 

Needless to say, I received some very disgruntled messages from El Diablo and also found out that he went to my work asking for my new address and trying to get in contact with my friends in order to find me.  Creepy Stuff!  I returned to Madrid in August to unpack into my new apartment and finish out the summer working.

Within my first week back to work, one of my administrators told me that someone was calling from the police station to get in contact with me. I asked if they left a number and but was told they didn´t.  The next day I received a call from a weird number while I was in class and afterwards listened to the voicemail.  It was from the COMISARÍA (police station) asking me to return the phone call.  Well, I was a little confused so the next day I walked sown to the station to talk with them in person and asked why they wanted to talk to me.  However, no one had heard of me or knew why I received these phone calls.  So I left convinced that it was my insane ex-roommate trying to scare me.  Well, the phone calls continued to my work so eventually I just got on the phone with my administrator next to me so I could figure out what was really going on.

Turns out it really was the COMISARÍA and I had to go down there again to talk to an officer.  They wouldn´t give me any other information over the phone but I had my suspicions that it had to do with ED; I just didn´t know why?  Few days later, I went to the station and talked to a very nice lady.  She explained that a claim had been brought against me... by guess who? EL DIABLO!  The officer must have sensed my suprise and aggravation.  He was reporting me to the cops???? He stole my money! What parallel universe was I living in?

She asked me before explaining what the charges were if ED had any reason to say I did something.  SO explained the whole fianza debacle even the part about my messages on the apartment websites.  SHe nodded and took notes, while also, keeping her patience as I was flustered and trying to get all this information out in Spanish.  After I said everything I could think of, she looked at me and asked, ¨Well, when you left the apartment, did you bring anything to your new place that wasn´t exactly yours?¨   It took me awhile to translate it and then I said in a state of shock at the accusation, ¨Wait, like did I steal anything?¨ She gave me a little smile and nodded.  Was she SERIOUS!? Oh, yes she was! ED went to the police and said that I stole a bunch of things from him including a Playstation (or Wii, don´t quite remember) and games and I never paid the last month of rent!  I mean what an A-HOLE!

Of course, I denied it.  And then got a little emotional as I realised the full extent of the situation.  She calmed me down and told me not to worry about anything... yeah, easier for her to say!

 I left after I signed the statement and right before asked the officer what would happen next.  She said she would have to call ED back in to get his full story and it probably wouldn´t go much further.  Worst case scenario, I would have to talk to a judge in the TRIBUNAL! Awesome, now I was really freaking out.  Was there a possibility I would have to pay this jerk more money? Even worse, was there a possibility that this situation could get me kicked out of the country? I had no idea´all I could do was wait for another phone call.

STAY TUNED FOR THE THRILLING CONCLUSION.....

Mercado de San Miguel

As my time continues to wind down here in Madrid (less than 5 months to go), I realized I should tell all of you some of my favorite places to go in the city.  A list of Must-Sees/ Eats in Madrid.

This one should be at the top of almost everyone's list: El Mercado de San Miguel (Saint Michael's Market, if you want a literal translation but it's easy enough to pronounce in Spanish so no use changing it)

I was first introduced to this place 2 Christmas' ago by my good friend Michelle.  She and her students were having a tapas/ holiday party there and she asked if I wanted to tag along.  I had no plans so I agreed figuring it would just be like a big bar or something.  It was anything but.... 

That night,in general, was probably in my top 20 nights in  Spain and a large part of it was my first experience in El Mercado de San Miguel.  Subsenquently, I've spent quite a bit of time in this magical place over the next year and a half.  Friends and I celebrated Valentines Day there, I've brought all my friends and family who have visited me to take part in at least a glass of wine and cheese platter. This is also one of my favorite romantice spots for a first date. 

The food in gourmet and delicious.  The wine flows with a sense of elegance and sophistication without a huge dent in your wallet.  It's a fantastic escape to the tourturous Madrid summer heat.  However, one would need to get there early or without being in a hurry, as it can be quite difficult to find a table especially for larger groups of people.

If you're in Madrid for a short time, I would recommend El Mercado for a quick glass of wine and small tapas before heading to dinner somewhere else in the center.  Or for a relaxing dessert break after a long lunch.  They have one of the best assortments of chocolates and small pastries that I've seen in Madrid.

It's located near Plaza Mayor, one of the biggest tour spots in the city.  However, it's hidden behind some of the side streets off the Plaza so a tourist that wasnt well informed probably wouldn't come across it by accident.

To sum it up, El Mercado de San Miguel is a MUST SEE here in Madrid and one of the places I will truly miss when I'm gone!

LA CRISIS hits home... and my wallet

So for 2 years all my students talk about LA CRISIS... the economic crisis that has swept the world.  I talked about the hard times in the US but more from the view of an outsider as I haven't felt the economic hardships of this troubled time for awhile.  I listened with a sense of pity and understanding as countless students told me about how hard it was to find work throughout Spain.  Almost every new class I start, I go around and ask them to share basic information about themselves and at least 3 of my 7 students say "Well, I'm unemployed at the moment hoping that learning English will help me get a better job!" Now similar phrases have been lost on me as the crisis has become more of a symbol of.... (as bad as it sounds) more work for English teachers. 

However, today I was hit with a fist full of reality. 

As some of you may or may not know, since October I've been working partly at the US Embassy here in Madrid.  I can't say much for 'matters of national securtiy' hahaha but no, seriously I can't.  It's a pretty sweet gig.  Only 6 hours a week but relatively easy money.  I've been teaching a lot of their maintanence and housekeeping staff along with chauffers and general Spanish office workers.  Classes were enjoyable.  I've gotten to meet a lot of Americans here in Madrid which is also nice.  Best part... full blown AMERICAN STORE downstairs with non-inflated prices!!!!! So since October I've been able to gorge myself on all those goodies I've been missing from back home.

And then the bad news.....

In the middle of my classes yesterday, my students walks in and looks at me suprised.  He said, 'Oh, I wasn't sure if you were actually going to be here!"   I looked at him with a smile and said, "Why wouldn't I be here.  It's class time."

With a sad face he quietly said, "Oh, you haven't heard yet!"

He goes on to explain in a mixture of English and Spanish that the US government sent in a huge budget cut to the Embassy in Madrid.  And the first thing to go.... ENGLISH CLASSES! Along with that, they're cutting several staff jobs in the residence and extreme power cuts where they can.

I was stunned as this was the first time I was hearing this. I asked when the classes were scheduled to end.  My student replied, "As far as I know, immediately!"  I couldn't believe it.  Surely they had a fixed contract with my agency till at least the end of the trimester??? I mean, RIGHT?

After all my classes, the story had been corroberated by 2 other students and 3 more non-students.  As I left the Embassy refusing to believe that was the last time I'd see my students, I called my agency to demand an explanation.  Apparently, they had yet to receive the memo either... but my colleague that also works for the Embassy informed me just minutes ago that it was true.  I am no longer employeed at the US Embassy. 

But how could this happen.  As told some of my other students and Spanish friends and they simply can't believe that a goverment like the UNITED STATES could be that hard up for money as to cancel a few English classes.  But it's true.... it's the first time in over 2 years that I have felt the sting of the economic crisis. 

Well, crap!

Brussels, Belgium

Yet another part of my whirl-wind adventure with my grandmother and aunt was a trip to the grand city of Brussels.  And can I just say.... WOW!

HISTORY

Independence


A revolution which preceded the achievement of independence, started on 24 August 1830. By July 1831, Leopold I was declared king. Subsequently, Brussels began to expand and new city districts were added in the 19th and 20th century which resulted in the demolition of the old city walls. Brussels gathered momentum as a place of libertarian thinking and as such provided a haven for people like Baudelaire, Marx and Hugo. Although production and facilities expanded, the overflow of population created a situation of inadequate housing. The second king, Leopold II, faced both these domestic issues as well as Belgium' s colonial decisions in Congo.



The 20th century

The beginning of the century saw a flourishing of Art Nouveau style in Brussels under the aegis of king Albert I, but this period came to an abrupt end as Belgium was occupied by the Germans in the First World War despite its neutrality. Flanders saw the worst of the warfare and today provides a resting place for the thousands of soldiers who died there. With the Peace treaty of 1919, Belgium gained the German-speaking area in the southeast.

The country barely had time to breathe as it was again occupied by the Germans in 1940, after which king Leopold III surrendered to them. After the war ended, the king, who had resided in Germany towards the end of the Second World War, was suspected of Nazi collaboration and abdicated in 1951. The throne was taken by his son Baudouin, later to be succeeded by Albert II.

The economic boom of the 1960-s and recession of the 1970-s and 1980-s gave way to Brussels' stature as the heart of Europe, as in 1958 it became the headquarters of the then European Economic Community (now the European Union), as well as NATO in 1967. Nowadays Brussels not only functions as the political and business centre of the region but also as the headquarters of many world famous corporations.

http://www.brussels.org/history/


Okay well there you have the historical significance of Brussels.... most of which I just learned on google.

When my family (My Aunt Colleen and Grandmother Sandy) decided to come and visit, I took on the responsibiltiy of finding places for everyone to enjoy.  Of course, the majority of our time would be spent in Spain (Madrid, Toledo and Granada) but I also wanted to check out someplace new for me.

We'd travelled to England and France in previous years.  My grandmother was planning a trip to Greece the following year.  I was heading to Germany for Spring Break.  And there was no way to do Italy or anything in Asia for the time span we had.  So I was open to suggestions when a few colleagues suggested Belgium. I wanted something very lavish without the lavish prices and language barriers.  I had never thought about traveling to Belgium but after so many people raved about the over-the-top city centers and lush country side and abundant food and beer supplies, I knew I had found our destination.

The three of us arrived in Brussels not really knowing what to expect except for a few map printouts and google city searches.  Boy or boy, were we surprised.  The way this city manages to mix the old world with the new is breathtaking.  The Baroque facades found in the main square mixed with the gleaming metal of the EU headquarters is jaw-dropping.  The elusive little peeing-boy that we spent 3 days hunting down added that comical touch we desperately needed.  The people... amazing! The food.... savory! The dessert... pants-expandingly delicious! The beer.... YUUUM!  I can't say enough about this city.

Since all three of us were tourists instead of my usual role as guide, we took the typical tour bus throughout the city.  We relaxed and enjoyed our snazzy hotel.  All three of us dined in the square and met an exuberant bunch of Norweigen men whom were awe struck by my grandmother (though we didn't dear tell them how we were related) We each split and went our seperate ways for an afternoon as I wanted to do more historical tours and the other wanted to relax and shop around.  Unfortunately, my last morning there I came down with a weird bug that lasted the last 2 days of their trip to visit but even that couldn't take away from the magnificance of Brussels. 

I completely recommend this city.  I definitely wish I had more time to learn their history better.  Enjoy the photos :-)

Granada (La Alhambra), Spain

A WORK IN PROCESS.... THIS IS GONNA BE A LONG ONE! :)

Granada is one of the most important cities within Spain and in my opinion around Europe in terms of diversity and beauty.  Located towards the sourthern part of the country, its warm tempertures and rich history make it a top tourist destination.  I know it was for me and after being in Spain for well over a year, I felt a bit ashamed that I had never made it down to the infamous Alhambra.  Well, in late August my grandmother Sandy and aunt Colleen made their first trip to Spain to come visit me.  I took a few days off of work to travel with them so what a perfect opportunity it was to discover this breath-taking city together!
HISTORY

Granada’s history reads like an excellent thriller, with complicated plots, conspiracies, hedonism and tricky love-affairs. Granada began life as an Iberian settlement in the Albayzín district. Muslim forces took over from the Visigoths in 711, with the aid of the Jewish community around the foot of the Alhambra hill in what was called Garnata al Jahud, from which the name Granada derives; granada also happens to be Spanish for pomegranate, the fruit on the city’s coat of arms.

After the fall of Córdoba (1236) and Seville (1248), Muslims sought refuge in Granada, where Mohammed ibn Yusuf ibn Nasr had set up an independent emirate. Stretching from the Strait of Gibraltar to east of Almería, this ‘Nasrid’ emirate became the final remnant of Al-Andalus, ruled from the increasingly lavish Alhambra palace for 250 years. Granada became one of the richest cities in medieval Europe, flourishing with its swollen population of traders and artisans. Two centuries of artistic and scientific splendour peaked under emirs Yusuf I and Mohammed V in the 14th century.






It all went pear-shaped as the 15th century wore on: the economy stagnated and violent rivalry developed over the succession. One faction supported the emir, Abu al-Hasan, and his harem favourite Zoraya. The other faction backed Boabdil, Abu al-Hasan’s son by his wife Aixa. In 1482 Boabdil rebelled, setting off a confused civil war. The Christian armies invading the emirate took advantage, besieging towns and devastating the countryside, and in 1491 they finally laid siege to Granada. After eight months, Boabdil agreed to surrender the city in return for the Alpujarras valleys and 30, 000 gold coins, plus political and religious freedom for his subjects. On 2 January 1492 the conquering Catholic Monarchs, Isabel and Fernando, entered Granada ceremonially in Muslim dress. They set up court in the Alhambra for several years.

Religious persecution soon ensued. Jews were expelled from Spain, and persecution of Muslims led to revolts across the former emirate and their eventual expulsion from Spain in the 17th century. Lacking these talented elements of its populace, Granada sank into a deep decline from which it only began to emerge with the interest drummed up by the Romantic movement from the 1830s on. This set the stage for the restoration of Granada’s Islamic heritage and the arrival of tourism.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/granada/history


PLACES TO SEE

Which destinations should you visit on-foot? One is the Generalife Gardens. This is one of the world's loveliest gardens, and was once the home of Arab kings. But there's more to the gardens than pretty flowers. You can also view fantastic usages of water in the gardens. In fact, some people have compared the way that the water flows throughout the Generalife Gardens, as music or poetry.

The Alhambra from the 1300s is yet another major attraction that's worth climbing out of your rented car or truck, to see. This is where Moorish king governed Southern Spain until 1492. One of the must-see objects to view here is the fountain that faces the central courtyard. A set of 12 stone lions are used to support the magnificent fountain. Recently the fountain's big cats have been restored.

(Unfortunately, the lions were moved into an enclosed area last year or so and not available to be photographed.  Therefore, I had to take this pic from the internet.  I wish I could have seen it in its original glory)


Santa Ana is yet another destination that justifies parking your rented vehicle and then viewing. It's located at Plaza Nueva's northeast end. The features of this structure include an ornate doorway and a tower that resembles a minaret.

Yet another site that you should include on a walking tour in Granada, is the Palacio Arzobispal. Known in English as the "Archbishop's Palace," this structure faces the Granada Cathedral's west side. It primarily dates back to the 17th century.



Another must-see site during your walking tour of Granada, is the Carmen de los Martires. The water nymph located at the entrance is one of the top sites to see here. Then once you enter the formal garden, you can also enjoy a terrace that contains tall palm trees. These trees help to shade a three-level fountain underneath. Then while walking along the path, you can also enjoy a viewing a huge circular pool. A statue of Neptune overlooks the large pool.



Visit the Convento de San Jeronimo. It's located southwest of the Hospital San Juan de Dios. The church's walls are adored with wall paintings from the 1700s. Take the time to view the figures of Gonzalo and his spouse, which are positioned on either side of the high altar.



Before arriving in Granada, you should book your hotel online. That will guarantee that you'll have accommodations once you arrive in the Spanish city.

La Virgen de la Almudena

Almudena Cathedral is the cathedral of Madrid, Spain. Dating from the late 19th and 20th centuries, It's very new by European standards, and its traditional-meets-modern design reflects its youth.

History of the Cathedral

The site on which Almudena Cathedral now stands was originally occupied by Madrid's first mosque, then by a church dedicated to one of Madrid's patron saints, Santa María de la Almudena.

Plans for a grand new church began in the 16th century after King Philip II made Madrid the capital of Spain. But construction was constantly postponed due to various political issues and opposition from the powerful archdiocese of Toledo.

Finally, in 1868, Madrid received permission from Toledo to construct a new church dedicated to the Virgin of Almudena. Construction began in 1883 based on a Neo-Gothic design. The first part to be completed was the crypt, which contains a 16th-century image of Madrid's patroness the Virgen de la Almudena.

A year later, in 1884, Pope Leo XIII created the Diocese of Madrid, giving Madrid a bishop and raising the status of the new Almudena church to a cathedral. The building plans were updated to reflect the elevated status of the building.

Construction on the cathedral progressed slowly and came to a complete halt during the civil war of the 1930s. The process began again in 1944, when the new architect introduced a Neoclassical style that would match the Royal Palace next door.

Almudena Cathedral was completed in 1993 and consecrated in person by Pope John Paul II that same year. A statue of the pope in front of the cathedral commemorates the momentous occasion. The cathedral was given another publicity boost with the sumptuous wedding of Prince Felipe and Doña Letizia in May 2004, the first such royal event in nearly a century.

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/spain/madrid-almudena-cathedral

History of the Virgin-
I read about the history of the Virgin in Spanish so I'll give you a small run-down of how it came to be.

Basically in 712 Spain's capital was in Toledo (Madrid didn't become the capital until the 13th century). That year, the king was overthrown by the Muslim army and they established their strongholds in Toledo.  However, Madrid was still a strategic place for any army.  Fearing the coming invasion, the cristians of madrid decided to hide their images of the Virgen Mary and protect her from the infieles "non-believers"

Sermon given by priests to the Madrilenos after the fall of Toledo:

"Hijos míos: Los enemigos de nuestra fe han invadido todas las ciudades, villas y aldeas de España. ¡Es inútil la resistencia! ¡Dios así lo quiere! Es preciso que acatemos su santa voluntad, pidiendo de rodillas perdón por nuestras culpas. El que se encuentre con fuerzas para pelear, que pelee hasta morir en defensa de nuestra sacrosanta religión. Y aquel que sobreviva al duro combate, en el que sin duda seremos vencidos, que corra hacia las montañas donde se reúnen las huestes de los soldados de la Cruz, al mando de don Pelayo, para hostigar cuanto puedan a los invasores y trabajar por la libertad de la Patria. (Ver: Virgen de Covadonga)
Muza está en Toledo; conquistada esta ciudad, pronto el infiel caudillo se hallará delante de nuestros muros; antes de que esto suceda, antes de que Madrid caiga en sus manos, es preciso que pensemos en salvar los objetos que nos son más queridos. La Virgen Santísima, a quien tanto veneramos, que siempre ha sido nuestra abogada y protectora, que siempre ha oído clemente nuestras preces, no ha de caer en manos de nuestros enemigos, no hemos de permitir que su preciosa imagen sea profanada por los infieles.
Ocultémosla, mientras peleamos contra ellos, en el cubo de esta muralla contigua a este santo templo. Si vencemos, todos sabemos dónde la hallaremos para darle gracias por la victoria, y si, por desgracia, somos vencidos, líbrese, oculta en la muralla, del furor de los mahometanos".

So the Madrileno christians built a hub in order to hid the Virgen and there she stayed for three centuries.  Her whereabouts were lost through the generations but carefully hidden away from the non-believers that occupied Madrid soon after the Virgen was hidden away. 

In 1085, Don Alfonso VI "The Brave" reconquered Toledo and then returned to Madrid to restore the power to the Christians.  He knew of the legend that the Virgen was hidden hundreds of years ago so he set out to find the secret hub.  The original church had been converted into a Mosque so Don Alfonso searched and searched until it is said that the Virgen herself appeared surrounded by light and led the way to her hiding place somewhere in the original site of the church turned mosque on the 9th of November 1085. 

The following day, the Christians of Madrid held a procession to the remains of the original church looking for her exact location.  Soon they encountered an ancient wall below the sub-level of the mosque.  And what would they find behind this wall, but the Virgen that was hidden centuries before.  She was placed back to her original status as the Christians regained power in Spain.  Over the next few centuries, the Virgen was moved from church to church throughout different cities but after the construction of the Almudena Cathedral where she resides today.

My Experience

The Virgen of the Almudena is a holiday only in Madrid.  Therefore, I never learned anything about this holiday nor its legend in my studies or really throughout my time here in Madrid.  As a matter of fact, most people I asked (even the Spaniards) didn't really know the exact history of the holiday.  All they knew was that it was a day off in order to praise the Patron Saint of Madrid. This particular holiday fell in line with Spain's Constitution Day so it made for a very short work week. 

Most of this windy, chilly day I stayed around the house cleaning.  But in the early afternoon I decided to hit up some shops up near Opera/ Sol and then stroll through the Palace gardens and towards the Almudena Cathedral to see what all the fuss was about.  Once I entered the gardens, there were buckets and buckets lining the street with vendors chanting at everyone to buy small bundles of flowers.  "Flowers for the Virgen! Get your flowers for the Virgen!" 

As I got closer to the Cathedral, I noticed that every other person had an offering of flowers.  Some were the small bundles from the street vendors while other had enormous, beautiful bouquets.  When I reached the corner I realized just how important La Virgen de Almudena was in Madrid. 

It was quite the spectacular sight to see.  I clicked some photos and walked around the Cathedral watching all the people give their offerings and say a little prayer at the base of the statue of the Virgen.  I wanted to step inside the Cathedral to see if there were anymore decorations but a service had just gotten out and no one was allowed to enter at that time.  So I made my way back around the side streets passing more and more people with their flowers.  Yet another great example of how much importantance Spain puts on the Christian religion. 

Websites:
http://www.corazones.org/maria/almudena.htm
http://www.madridpedia.com/node/1325/

An American Thanksgiving in Spain

This year I completely embraced the Thanksgiving tradition!  Luckily, I work at the US Embassy on Thursdays so being an American holiday, all my students got the day off.  Therefore, I did too! I took advantage of the oportunity to prepare a Thanksgiving feast for my roommates and some close friends.

I made several trips to the American store in the Embassy to pick up a few essentials and ordered my turkey from a local butcher.  Turkey isn't as popular here as in the US so we bought only parts of the turkey.  It was easier since there were only 5 of us and faster to cook.

My friend Melissa, a Puerto Rican girl who recently moved to Madrid, was super excited to try a traditional mainland US Thanksgiving meal.  She stopped by my place early in the afternoon to help me cook while all my other roommates were at work.  We cranked Christmas music all afternoon as we were starting the feel the holiday spirit.

By the time my all my roommates got home, it was around 10 o'clock (typical dinner time in Spain).  I put together the table and we all sat around where Nikki and I told stories about our past Thanksgivings back in the United States.  We had to explain what all the food was to our Spanish compadres as they hungrily and confusingly stared at all the rarities on the table.  When everything was out, we went around the table and said what we were thankful for that year.  I said for the opportunity to share my culture and for experiences that I have been blessed to have throughtout my time here in Spain.

Then we dug in everything and went to sleep content and FULL!


That Saturday was also my company's Thanksgiving luncheon. This year we had it at Nicoletta, a really nice Italian resturant. It was fun getting a big group of Americans and non-Americans together to share amazing food, wine and some laughs.





 

After the lunch, a large group of us continued to some pubs and bars where we drank, chatted and danced the night away.

It was yet another interesting Dia de Accion de Gracias and I wouldn't have changed a thing :)

I Can Still Be Shocked!

I thought I've gotten accustomed to all the odd traditions, manners and general activities here in Spain.
I'm used to turning off lights and taking quick showers.
I can ignore cat calls and general bias from people thinking I'm a guiri tourist.
I even know how to do a pretty mean 'smoke bomb' (inside jokes for any English-speaking Spaniards)

I've sampled all the finest delicacies this fine country has to offer...

but when I walk into the kitchen and see this:

well, let's just say that I was short of words for a few seconds!

Don't get me wrong.... PULPO is one of my favorite meals here in Spain! But I enjoy it when it's already cooked, cut and covered in yummy cream sauce!

For exampple this delicious steamed potato and octopus salad! DELICIOUS!

Not sitting on my stove, boiling next to a cup of its own ink!

Ugh, talk about loss of appetite!

Birthday #24

Another birthday flew past me about 6 weeks ago.  Once again it shot upon me unexpectingly as I was still on a family high from my aunt and grandmother coming to visit just a fews weeks prior and adjusting to a new work schedule. 

I followed the same theme as last year- simplicity.  Like I explained, summer months are usually tight on the wallet especially later in the month.  So I invited everyone to my apartment (my 2 wonderful roommates made absolutely gracious hosts), I cooked a variety of American dishes and bought liters and liters of beer for everyone.  My apartment is substantially bigger than the apartment I was staying in for my last birthday so I got to decorate and invite a lot more people.

I got a much better turn out than last year... especially considering I've made a lot more friends over the course of this year.  However, something still wasn't the same.  Dani, my Spanish best friend, didn't come and some other close friends that I was expecting had other personal reasons that kept them away.  But those who did, had a very good time if I dear say. 

ME AND MICHELLE

I spent hours preparing all the goodies.  One of my best friends here, Michelle came over a little early to help my prepare.  She also brought me some goodies including my adorable birthday cake.  My amazing roomie, Nikki helped my cook and clean all day too.  When everyone started to arrive, they were met with an incredible assortment of snacks like pigs in a blanket, spicy chicken dip, deviled eggs, pasta salad, all the essentials.  To top it off, for dessert we had Michelle's cake and tirumisu and mini- French Toast bites.  A breakfast food in our culture.... but a complete culture shock for all the foreigners! Everything was a big hit!

 I spent majority of my party in the kitchen but it was well worth it to see everyone having a good time. The beer and liquor flowed steady for the next 3 hours or so. When all the food had been administered, one of my favorite students asked me about a promise I had made to teach the Spaniards some American drinking games. haha! it was hilarious watching them trying to master flip cup and understand the rules to beer pong. We were all laughing so hard that it actually brought my next door neighbor over to complain about the noise level. Oops! I mean c'mon.... it's Saturday night, my birthday and the first time we've had anyone over at all. But I told my nosey neighbor that we'd be leaving soon and we'd try to keep it down until then.

I kept my promise as 20 minutes later we ran out of alcohol.  So obviously it was time to move on.  I didn't have a specific after-place in mind.  I figured we'd take suggestions and see how many people actually wanted to head out after.  Majority we still wanting to party and my good friend Martin knew a place not far from my house that played decent music and was a fun but chill place.  Everyone supported his choice and we headed there.  It was a really fun bar that played a mix of american rock and pop with some spanish singles.  We stayed there till I'd say around 530-6 when the place closed down.  I still had some energy left but everyone else was pooped so we called it a night and went home.

Overall, it was one FANTASTIC birthday.  The actual day was nothing special. I had work all day and called my family at night.  A lot of my friends and family sent me cards which is always a nice suprise :)  The party beat all my expectations... so than you to everyone who was apart of my special day! MUCHOS BESOS Y MIL GRACIAS A VOSOTROS!