Today, I lost an hour of my life. Not that that's really a big deal since that one hour of my life would've just consisted of me sitting here, being a big ass bum. But nonetheless, I really hate spring ahead. I know it's good because it means summer is closer, but for some reason, it really annoys me. Because of it, I ended up paying 8 Euros to hang out in a club for only an hour instead of two. Because of it, I am sitting here thinking it's 4 PM when really it's already 8 PM. It's totally screwing with my mind and messing up my life! Ugh!
Disclaimer: Fran is currently PMS-ing, crabby due to hunger yet she's too lazy to cook, annoyed with the crappy weather outside, and bored out of her mind. Please ignore her retardedness.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Ewwww!
So, I've taken a bit of a break from blogging. I've just gotten kind of lazy and running out of ideas. I could talk about my new job but I don't really feel like talking about it yet. But this story I just have to share...
Last night, Sara and I were walking around looking for a discoteca. It was already 4:30 and the lines for all the clubs were super long. As we were walking down one calle to find a less obnoxious line for a club, a man decided to show us his package. And people, this was not a good package! We were totally caught by surprise with this disgustingly lewd act. I mean, there were a bunch of people there! He was walking the opposite direction and as we got closer to him, he just veered a soft right and got closer to us with his hand in his nether regions. Sara and I looked down and just said, EWWWW, loudly to his face (more like his crotch since I didn't even get to look at his face) as we quickly walked pass him with a disgusted/shocked look on our faces. You should have seen this thing! He had this like shriveled up penis with giant balls! It was nothing to show off to people. If it was showoff material, then I would understand a little more. Yes, I would still think it's disgusting, but I would be a little less shocked!
Sara and I were/are so disturbed by this. We can't seem to get it out of our heads. That image will forever haunt me. Sick!!!
Last night, Sara and I were walking around looking for a discoteca. It was already 4:30 and the lines for all the clubs were super long. As we were walking down one calle to find a less obnoxious line for a club, a man decided to show us his package. And people, this was not a good package! We were totally caught by surprise with this disgustingly lewd act. I mean, there were a bunch of people there! He was walking the opposite direction and as we got closer to him, he just veered a soft right and got closer to us with his hand in his nether regions. Sara and I looked down and just said, EWWWW, loudly to his face (more like his crotch since I didn't even get to look at his face) as we quickly walked pass him with a disgusted/shocked look on our faces. You should have seen this thing! He had this like shriveled up penis with giant balls! It was nothing to show off to people. If it was showoff material, then I would understand a little more. Yes, I would still think it's disgusting, but I would be a little less shocked!
Sara and I were/are so disturbed by this. We can't seem to get it out of our heads. That image will forever haunt me. Sick!!!
Friday, March 21, 2008
Las Fallas 2008 - Images
Here are a few videos and photos from the festival. Now I know some people might think I just got these pictures off the interweb and I didn't actually go since there are no pictures of me at all. Well, there are two pictures I took of myself at the beach - and they are terrible...I totally need longer arms...or a tripod - but that could be any other beach. I really just hate bothering strangers to take pictures of me. Anyway, I hope you enjoy them. And I swear, I was there!!!
Photos
Video #1: A fallero on a parade. Their traditional clothing were so beautiful. I love the colorful, flowery designs.
Video #2: The Mazcleta.
Video #3: The first falla that I saw burn. I tried to capture the entire process from the beginning (when the fallero gathers around the falla) to end (when the firefighters take the fire out).
Video #4: The last falla to burn in Plaza Ayuntamiento.
Photos
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| Las Fallas |
Video #1: A fallero on a parade. Their traditional clothing were so beautiful. I love the colorful, flowery designs.
Video #2: The Mazcleta.
Video #3: The first falla that I saw burn. I tried to capture the entire process from the beginning (when the fallero gathers around the falla) to end (when the firefighters take the fire out).
Video #4: The last falla to burn in Plaza Ayuntamiento.
Las Fallas 2008 - How I almost got smushed
The First Time
As I watched the adult falla burn, the fire all of a sudden got really really big. Everyone started walking backwards away from the fire. It was getting so big that people started getting nervous and were trying to move away a little bit faster. For a second there I thought, "Oh shit, this can potentially get really bad and everyone would start running away causing a stampede". But luckily, it didn't. The firemen were there to keep it under control. We were all safe and happily enjoyed seeing a giant fire.
The Second Time
It was almost impossible to see the last falla burn. Everyone in town was pretty much in Plaza Ayuntamiento, which is not big by any means. So everyone was trying to find a good spot. Some people went as far as climbing on top of kiosks...I still don't know how those guys got up there. Some decided to sit on large garbage bins. All over the city were large industrial garbage bins. The lids are like a semi circle, so people can still sit comfortably on the peak of the semi circle. I, unfortunately, was standing next to one of these garbages. There was just no other place for me to go. The garbage was at full capacity, seating-wise. This dumb kid (who seem to be on something) was determined to place himself on this garbage bin. And somehow he did. Throughout this whole drama, you can tell everyone was just annoyed with him. He was pretty obnoxious. Three minutes before the burning was going to start, all of a sudden the garbage lid started sliding towards my way. Down goes the people sitting on the garbage, including the jackass. It was pretty ridiculous but pretty hilarious at the same time. Everyone around me started clapping. We hated that kid.
As I watched the adult falla burn, the fire all of a sudden got really really big. Everyone started walking backwards away from the fire. It was getting so big that people started getting nervous and were trying to move away a little bit faster. For a second there I thought, "Oh shit, this can potentially get really bad and everyone would start running away causing a stampede". But luckily, it didn't. The firemen were there to keep it under control. We were all safe and happily enjoyed seeing a giant fire.
The Second Time
It was almost impossible to see the last falla burn. Everyone in town was pretty much in Plaza Ayuntamiento, which is not big by any means. So everyone was trying to find a good spot. Some people went as far as climbing on top of kiosks...I still don't know how those guys got up there. Some decided to sit on large garbage bins. All over the city were large industrial garbage bins. The lids are like a semi circle, so people can still sit comfortably on the peak of the semi circle. I, unfortunately, was standing next to one of these garbages. There was just no other place for me to go. The garbage was at full capacity, seating-wise. This dumb kid (who seem to be on something) was determined to place himself on this garbage bin. And somehow he did. Throughout this whole drama, you can tell everyone was just annoyed with him. He was pretty obnoxious. Three minutes before the burning was going to start, all of a sudden the garbage lid started sliding towards my way. Down goes the people sitting on the garbage, including the jackass. It was pretty ridiculous but pretty hilarious at the same time. Everyone around me started clapping. We hated that kid.
Las Fallas 2008 - Highlights
During my trip, I took notes on my little book about anything and everything. Here they are:
- I made it!...on the 7 AM bus. I didn't get to the bus terminal until 6:50 and I had no idea where anything was. I've never been there before! Fortunately, everything went painlessly well: the ticket window was easy to find, my Spanish didn't fail me when I was buying my tickets, and the bus was parked not too far away. And the bus stopped for a 15 minute break at a rest stop and I got to eat breakfast. I just didn't have enough time in the morning and I didn't think I would last on Digestives.
- Mazcleta = awesome! It was loud and kinda pointless since you can't see the firework display with bright sunny skies in the background. But somehow it was still super cool. It went on for about 5 minutes. I've never had so much joy watching fireworks. Everyone was so into it that you can't help but get into it too. I just had this permanent smile on my face. Nothing could make me sad at that moment.
- Buñuelos, or bunyols. In Filipino, they are called bichukoy or buñuelos (maybe a different spelling), depending on the shape. They are basically fried dough covered in sugar (Awesome!). It totally brought me back to my childhood. You could only get them in a dozen or half a dozen. So I got half thinking I won't even be able to finish it. Oh but I did! No wonder I'm becoming Chubs McGhee!
- The fallas. Just seeing one of them made me sad to think they would all be ashes in less than 12 hours. They are beautiful, grand and elaborate. If I made one of those thing and someone set it on fire, I'd probably kill them. But I guess this festival wouldn't be as cool and interesting if they didn't do anything to the fallas.
- People. They are everywhere!!! On my way to the city center from the bus station, Valencia felt like a ghost town. For a second, I thought maybe this isn't as cool as it's hyped up to be. Then suddenly, I hear explosions and they get increasingly louder and numerous as I get closer to Plaza Ayuntamiento. I gradually get greeted by herds of people, and soon enough, there was no where for me to go. So, I just stayed where I was until the Mazcleta.
- Fireworks. Also everywhere! I'm constantly paranoid that one's going to explode on me and I'm going to lose a limb. As I was walking on the sidewalk, I was forced to stop suddenly because a family was blocking the way. As I stood on the side waiting for them to pass, I notice one of the adults give this little girl (no more than 2 years) a lit fire cracker. The little girl then threw it on the ground. It wasn't far enough from her so the dad kicked it and kicked it in my direction. Of course, I'm dumb and just stood there, panicked! It finally popped and luckily did not hurt me. Who gives firecrackers to 2 year olds??!!
- To kill some time, I went to the beach. I have so much time until La Crema. Everything is closed except restaurants since this day is technically a holiday. And I can't really hang out at a restaurant for 6 hours. I could but I don't have that kind of money or that much room in my stomach even if I am Chubs McGhee. It was nice to have the beach but it was so freaking cold. I was freezing my ass off, but I had nowhere else to go. So, I stayed there for 2 hours and got sporadic temporary relief from the sun.
- Valencia, the city, is beautiful. I really like the architecture. I don't even know what kind it is but I like the way the buildings look. They're pretty. I'm definitely coming back here!
- La Crema also equals awesome! The first children's falla I saw burn was quite sad. It was too pretty to be destroyed. The second one, I started getting into it. It was pretty exciting seeing something so grand burn. After I saw my second falla burn, I decided to stay with the same fallero so I can get a good spot for the burning of the adult falla. Even though it was one of the smaller fallas, I'm glad I decided to stay there. I got a really good view of the whole thing. About an hour before the burning, the falleros started preparing by stringing fireworks and strategically placing flammable agents all over the falla. Five minutes before midnight, the members of the fallero march in with a band and gather around the falla. Then a lady in traditional clothing, who I assume is like the "queen" of the fallero, lights the falla on fire. After 10 minutes, the falla is dead :(
- People seem to get really attached to the falla. I know I thought I would shoot someone if they destroyed my falla, but I was semi-joking. I mean, these guys should be used to it by now. They've been warned about the ending of the story. But I guess there's some kind of emotional attachment to it that I will never understand. When I was watching the children's falla burn, members of the fallero carried on their shoulders a little girl in traditional clothing around the fire. I assume she is the "princess" of the group. She was bawling her eyes out. The crowd tried to make her feel better by shouting "gwapa", but there was no stopping those tears. It was so sad watching her cry. I wanted to give her a hug.
- With thousands of people distracted by great fires, this festival was a pickpocketers heaven. I had expected this so I took precautions. I put my important stuff in my travel waist wallet, I had my backpack in front of me at all times, and no important things in my jean and coat pockets. During La Crema, I felt someone get very close to me from behind. I looked behind me and noticed a very old man. So I ignored him thinking he's just some old senile man. A few minutes later, I noticed there was commotion behind me. A couple of older Americans caught him in the act and told me he tried to rob me. I just thought WTF! He's old! And he looked like one of those old classy Spanish men. I guess you just never know...
- Bombers! In Valencia, people speak Valenciana, one of the many languages in Spain. In Castellano, the word for firefighter is bombero. In Valenciana, the word for firefighters is bombers. How awesome is that? Call me immature but that made me chuckle every time I saw the word on the back of the firefighters uniform.
Las Fallas 2008 - The "Plan"
I originally heard about Las Fallas from Amanda. I didn't really know much about it, except for the fact that people party and watch massive statues on fire. I knew I had to see this. I had a discussion about this festival with my students in my last class. They said it would be almost impossible for me to get accommodation...everything is booked several months before. Then someone suggested that I take the train to Valencia early in the morning, party all night, then take the train home early the next morning. That sounded a lot more fun to me.
As I was looking at my transportation choices, I noticed taking the bus would be way cheaper...actually not even half of what I would pay for the train. I've heard the National Spanish bus system is pretty awesome. It ain't no Greyhound. So I decided to do that instead.
Then this past weekend, Sara told me that when she went to Fallas, she went with a tour group and it's usually a bunch of students. I thought this might be better so then I can potentially make friends on the bus and tag along with them around Valencia. I really wanted to get Paella Valenciana (supposedly the best in Spain) and you can't get paella for one person! I definitely needed a friend.
So I found a bus tour, who I contacted on Sunday...pretty last minute. It only cost 56 Euros - 15 Euros more than if I took the bus on my own - and it included a bottle of alcohol, breakfast and a T-Shirt! They would also leave early Wednesday morning and come back early Thursday. It was an awesome deal! Well, They kept me in suspense until past midnight on Tuesday night. I just wanted confirmation but they finally said that they had to cancel the tour because they didn't have enough people...boo!
So back to the original plan. Late Tuesday night, I started researching Valencia. I had no books and knew nothing about it. I wanted to at least familiarize myself since I will be all alone. I wanted to make sure I knew how to get from the city center to the bus station, in case the Metro was closed or I couldn't get a map from the tourist office because it's closed also. It was like cramming for a test! It got me so nervous that I couldn't fall asleep.
In the end, the plan was to wake up at 5:30, leave the house at 6 to take the bus to the Metro, take the Metro to the bus terminal, and catch the 7 AM bus to Valencia. After arriving in Valencia at 11-ish, I would first track my way from the bus station to the city center so I would know how to get home 15 hours later. After I enjoy the festivities, I would take the 3 AM bus back to Madrid.
Next on Hola, Madrid: Does Fran make it out of Valencia alive, or does she get thrown in with the fallas???
As I was looking at my transportation choices, I noticed taking the bus would be way cheaper...actually not even half of what I would pay for the train. I've heard the National Spanish bus system is pretty awesome. It ain't no Greyhound. So I decided to do that instead.
Then this past weekend, Sara told me that when she went to Fallas, she went with a tour group and it's usually a bunch of students. I thought this might be better so then I can potentially make friends on the bus and tag along with them around Valencia. I really wanted to get Paella Valenciana (supposedly the best in Spain) and you can't get paella for one person! I definitely needed a friend.
So I found a bus tour, who I contacted on Sunday...pretty last minute. It only cost 56 Euros - 15 Euros more than if I took the bus on my own - and it included a bottle of alcohol, breakfast and a T-Shirt! They would also leave early Wednesday morning and come back early Thursday. It was an awesome deal! Well, They kept me in suspense until past midnight on Tuesday night. I just wanted confirmation but they finally said that they had to cancel the tour because they didn't have enough people...boo!
So back to the original plan. Late Tuesday night, I started researching Valencia. I had no books and knew nothing about it. I wanted to at least familiarize myself since I will be all alone. I wanted to make sure I knew how to get from the city center to the bus station, in case the Metro was closed or I couldn't get a map from the tourist office because it's closed also. It was like cramming for a test! It got me so nervous that I couldn't fall asleep.
In the end, the plan was to wake up at 5:30, leave the house at 6 to take the bus to the Metro, take the Metro to the bus terminal, and catch the 7 AM bus to Valencia. After arriving in Valencia at 11-ish, I would first track my way from the bus station to the city center so I would know how to get home 15 hours later. After I enjoy the festivities, I would take the 3 AM bus back to Madrid.
Next on Hola, Madrid: Does Fran make it out of Valencia alive, or does she get thrown in with the fallas???
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Las Fallas
There's so much to write about what I've experienced yesterday that I decided to break it down to a few different posts. Before I describe my trip to you, I will first try the best I can to explain the great Las Fallas Festival.
Las Fallas is an annual festival held from March 15th to the 19th in Valencia, Spain. This festival has been a tradition since the 18th century and it has grown so much that it has attracted international spectators as well. The custom came from the fact that every year, Valencians would throw away and burn old junk to celebrate the end of winter and the beginning of Spring. It was a way for them to purify anything and everything negative so they can start anew. The tradition eventually evolved to creating massive, elaborate fallas (paper mache statues) that represent anything negative. Thus, it is no surprise that these fallas are often political or satirical.
Valencia consists of about 400 falleros (falla groups). Falleros are an organized group that have fundraising events, parties, etc. During the festival, the falleros compete by creating the best falla in the city. I'm not sure if I have this right but I got the impression that each fallero creates two fallas, an adult and children version. Obviously, the falleros with the biggest budget create the best, most elaborate fallas.
Various events are held between March 15th to March 19th. Within these fours days, the falleros celebrate all throughout the day. The fallas are kept on display after March 15th, when the falleros unveil their fallas for the first time, and the falleros party around their falla. On March 16th, the fallas get judged. The falleros all dress in traditional clothing. I'm not sure if they wear them all five days or just on the last day. I'm assuming they wear them every time they have a parade, which I believe is constant during the festival.
At 2 PM everyday, the mazcleta takes place in Plaza Ayuntamiento. The Mazcleta is basically a fireworks show. On the 19th, the feast of San Jose, the festival ends with the burning of all the fallas, with the first prize winner being the last to burn. The burning event is called, La Crema. From 10 to 10:30 of La Crema, all the children fallas are set on fire. At 10:30, the first place children's falla is burnt. From 12 to 12:30, all adult fallas are burnt. AT 1 AM, the last adult falla is burned in Plaza Ayuntamiento. The burning process takes about five to ten minutes to finish. The next day, the falleros start planning for the next year. A whole year's worth of work gone in minutes!
Las Fallas is an annual festival held from March 15th to the 19th in Valencia, Spain. This festival has been a tradition since the 18th century and it has grown so much that it has attracted international spectators as well. The custom came from the fact that every year, Valencians would throw away and burn old junk to celebrate the end of winter and the beginning of Spring. It was a way for them to purify anything and everything negative so they can start anew. The tradition eventually evolved to creating massive, elaborate fallas (paper mache statues) that represent anything negative. Thus, it is no surprise that these fallas are often political or satirical.
Valencia consists of about 400 falleros (falla groups). Falleros are an organized group that have fundraising events, parties, etc. During the festival, the falleros compete by creating the best falla in the city. I'm not sure if I have this right but I got the impression that each fallero creates two fallas, an adult and children version. Obviously, the falleros with the biggest budget create the best, most elaborate fallas.
Various events are held between March 15th to March 19th. Within these fours days, the falleros celebrate all throughout the day. The fallas are kept on display after March 15th, when the falleros unveil their fallas for the first time, and the falleros party around their falla. On March 16th, the fallas get judged. The falleros all dress in traditional clothing. I'm not sure if they wear them all five days or just on the last day. I'm assuming they wear them every time they have a parade, which I believe is constant during the festival.
At 2 PM everyday, the mazcleta takes place in Plaza Ayuntamiento. The Mazcleta is basically a fireworks show. On the 19th, the feast of San Jose, the festival ends with the burning of all the fallas, with the first prize winner being the last to burn. The burning event is called, La Crema. From 10 to 10:30 of La Crema, all the children fallas are set on fire. At 10:30, the first place children's falla is burnt. From 12 to 12:30, all adult fallas are burnt. AT 1 AM, the last adult falla is burned in Plaza Ayuntamiento. The burning process takes about five to ten minutes to finish. The next day, the falleros start planning for the next year. A whole year's worth of work gone in minutes!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
St. Patty's Day
Next to Christmas, St. Patrick's day is my favorite holiday to celebrate. Every year, it's always crazy and fun. Well, except last year when I passed out at 5 PM and never recovered. I usually pass out early and recover shortly after. But those are minor details...no need to talk about it. The point is, I heart St. Patrick's Day. It really brings out the Irish inside of me (ha!). I knew this year's St. Patty's would be a bit different, but I was determined to celebrate it in any way possible.
Saturday, I made plans to go to an Irish pub with Sara and Andrew. Before going out, I made sure to make a phone call to my friends who were getting drunk at the annual St. Patricks's Day Party. I was very sad to miss it so I knew talking to them while they get drunk would be the closest thing I could get to celebrating "with" them. It was wonderful talking to them. I definitely wished I was home.
But I had to persevere...none of this wishing shit. So I put on my green shirt and went to O'Neills Pub. I was there a week before and I saw signs for St. Patrick's Day weekend. I have to say I was a bit disappointed. I was probably one of three people wearing green. But I tried to make the best of it anyway and drank my beer. And yes, it was still nice hanging out with Sara and Andrew, especially Sara since I haven't seen her since December. One thing that I did though that would make most people proud is that I vomited. Yup, it was gross. I was totally fine, only had one beer. I went to the bathroom to pee and as I was waiting in line, I suddenly felt sick and there was no stopping it. I just vomited everything on the floor. And Natania this one was for you, I tried really hard to catch it all on my hand, but it was just too much. I have no idea what came over me. Maybe it was the fact that I just had a salad for dinner three hours before. You could totally tell what I had eaten too. It was just this clear green liquid with pieces of leaves. My vomit was like St. Patrick's day!
Well, now that I've just grossed you out, I'll move on with the rest of the story. Yesterday afternoon, on the actual St. Patrick's Day, I went for another long walk. As I was cutting through Plaza Mayor, I noticed a group of people all decked out in St. Patty's gear: green shirts, irish flag color wigs, shamrock painted faces, etc. I stopped to check it out. They all started singing and dancing to some Irish jigs. It was great! Check out the videos I took below.
Later on that night, Iñaki was nice enough to celebrate it with me...I'd been talking about St. Patrick's Day for weeks. I was telling him about green beer and I think he was really curious about it. We went to a different pub this time - I didn't really feel like going back to O'Neill's where I left my mark. So, we went to Fontana de Oro, where there was NO green beer. However, there was a live show with a Spanish band playing Irish music (see other video). It was a lot better than Saturday. People were decked out in green and over-sized Guinness hats. I really wanted to steal someone's hat (I wasn't about to pay just to get a hat!), but there was just no good time to do it. It made me wish Brian was there so I could use his Guinness hat...he always let me. Anyway, we only stayed there for a couple beers; Iñaki had to work the next day, which was probably better because I was getting really drunk.
So that was my St. Patrick's Day, spanish style. It was fun but obviously nothing like Chicago. I really wish I was drinking green beer, playing flippy cup, and watching my friends break things/pee in non-toilets/Irish dance/get completely wasted. My group of friends might be getting "older" (getting engaged/married, having babies, buying houses), but on St. Patrick's day, we all relive the good ol' days and I love it!
Saturday, I made plans to go to an Irish pub with Sara and Andrew. Before going out, I made sure to make a phone call to my friends who were getting drunk at the annual St. Patricks's Day Party. I was very sad to miss it so I knew talking to them while they get drunk would be the closest thing I could get to celebrating "with" them. It was wonderful talking to them. I definitely wished I was home.
But I had to persevere...none of this wishing shit. So I put on my green shirt and went to O'Neills Pub. I was there a week before and I saw signs for St. Patrick's Day weekend. I have to say I was a bit disappointed. I was probably one of three people wearing green. But I tried to make the best of it anyway and drank my beer. And yes, it was still nice hanging out with Sara and Andrew, especially Sara since I haven't seen her since December. One thing that I did though that would make most people proud is that I vomited. Yup, it was gross. I was totally fine, only had one beer. I went to the bathroom to pee and as I was waiting in line, I suddenly felt sick and there was no stopping it. I just vomited everything on the floor. And Natania this one was for you, I tried really hard to catch it all on my hand, but it was just too much. I have no idea what came over me. Maybe it was the fact that I just had a salad for dinner three hours before. You could totally tell what I had eaten too. It was just this clear green liquid with pieces of leaves. My vomit was like St. Patrick's day!
Well, now that I've just grossed you out, I'll move on with the rest of the story. Yesterday afternoon, on the actual St. Patrick's Day, I went for another long walk. As I was cutting through Plaza Mayor, I noticed a group of people all decked out in St. Patty's gear: green shirts, irish flag color wigs, shamrock painted faces, etc. I stopped to check it out. They all started singing and dancing to some Irish jigs. It was great! Check out the videos I took below.
Later on that night, Iñaki was nice enough to celebrate it with me...I'd been talking about St. Patrick's Day for weeks. I was telling him about green beer and I think he was really curious about it. We went to a different pub this time - I didn't really feel like going back to O'Neill's where I left my mark. So, we went to Fontana de Oro, where there was NO green beer. However, there was a live show with a Spanish band playing Irish music (see other video). It was a lot better than Saturday. People were decked out in green and over-sized Guinness hats. I really wanted to steal someone's hat (I wasn't about to pay just to get a hat!), but there was just no good time to do it. It made me wish Brian was there so I could use his Guinness hat...he always let me. Anyway, we only stayed there for a couple beers; Iñaki had to work the next day, which was probably better because I was getting really drunk.
So that was my St. Patrick's Day, spanish style. It was fun but obviously nothing like Chicago. I really wish I was drinking green beer, playing flippy cup, and watching my friends break things/pee in non-toilets/Irish dance/get completely wasted. My group of friends might be getting "older" (getting engaged/married, having babies, buying houses), but on St. Patrick's day, we all relive the good ol' days and I love it!
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| St. Patrick's Day |
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Spanish Celebrity
Today I saw, actually, recognized my first Spanish celebrity. I was super psyched about it. People always talk about seeing actors/actresses in the streets of Madrid, but I never recognize them because I just don't know them. Once I met Juan for coffee and as we were leaving the cafe, he whispers to me that there's a celebrity in the cafe. I was like where? Who? What? But as I looked around, I didn't see a face that I might have seen on TV or a magazine.
I also live about 5 to 10 minutes away from Cava Baja, a street full of restaurants and bars. Celebrities and very important people usually go to this street because they eat at Casa Lucio. Casa Lucio is a super nice, super expensive restaurant where the King eats. Apparently Lucio is tight with the King. So every once in a while, you will see large muscular men in suits waiting outside the restaurant. Sometimes there's a convoy of police cars and bodyguards parked across the street (probably for very important people like the King or some politician). Once, a paparazzi with his big camera was standing outside. With that one, I'm sure there was a celebrity eating in the restaurant. But even so, I would never recognize any of these people if they were hanging out in Cava Baja. I mean, if I didn't recognize Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams in a tiny shop where there was no other people, what are the odds of me recognizing a Spanish celebrity walking among millions of other people.
Anyway, the guy I saw today was just a B-list actor...probably even C-list. He's probably like 18 years old. And the only reason why I knew him was because he's on this TV show I always watch. It's called Fisica y Quimica. I'm sadly hooked on it. It's like a Dawson's Creek type show about high school kids and their problems. I know that it's probably really really dumb (my roommates tell me I should be happy I don't understand everything), but it's the only show whose plot I can actually follow (now you know it's really dumb). I may not understand the details but I get the basic gist. It's the typical teen show story lines: a bully picks on a nerdy Chino, a rich kid who can't get enough of drugs, a teen girl who sleeps with a boy because he says so, teachers having an affair, a cute boy who has sex with a teacher, etc. It's all the same, but at least it teaches me Spanish.
Lastly, it teaches me one more thing: Teenagers are all the same, no matter what part of the world they come from. It just reinforces why I dislike them so much. God, they suck!
Here's the guy I saw today:
...at least I think it was him.
I also live about 5 to 10 minutes away from Cava Baja, a street full of restaurants and bars. Celebrities and very important people usually go to this street because they eat at Casa Lucio. Casa Lucio is a super nice, super expensive restaurant where the King eats. Apparently Lucio is tight with the King. So every once in a while, you will see large muscular men in suits waiting outside the restaurant. Sometimes there's a convoy of police cars and bodyguards parked across the street (probably for very important people like the King or some politician). Once, a paparazzi with his big camera was standing outside. With that one, I'm sure there was a celebrity eating in the restaurant. But even so, I would never recognize any of these people if they were hanging out in Cava Baja. I mean, if I didn't recognize Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams in a tiny shop where there was no other people, what are the odds of me recognizing a Spanish celebrity walking among millions of other people.
Anyway, the guy I saw today was just a B-list actor...probably even C-list. He's probably like 18 years old. And the only reason why I knew him was because he's on this TV show I always watch. It's called Fisica y Quimica. I'm sadly hooked on it. It's like a Dawson's Creek type show about high school kids and their problems. I know that it's probably really really dumb (my roommates tell me I should be happy I don't understand everything), but it's the only show whose plot I can actually follow (now you know it's really dumb). I may not understand the details but I get the basic gist. It's the typical teen show story lines: a bully picks on a nerdy Chino, a rich kid who can't get enough of drugs, a teen girl who sleeps with a boy because he says so, teachers having an affair, a cute boy who has sex with a teacher, etc. It's all the same, but at least it teaches me Spanish.
Lastly, it teaches me one more thing: Teenagers are all the same, no matter what part of the world they come from. It just reinforces why I dislike them so much. God, they suck!
Here's the guy I saw today:
...at least I think it was him.
I got videos!
So I actually figured out how to put personal videos on my posts. And I figured it out all by myself...woohoo! Check them out. I have them on the My First Visitors and Ibiza posts.
Also, I have decided to have two albums that I will constantly add on to: the Madrid and Party Pics photo albums. Make sure to check them every once in a while so you can see how beautiful Madrid is and how retarded I am even when I'm not drunk.
Also, I have decided to have two albums that I will constantly add on to: the Madrid and Party Pics photo albums. Make sure to check them every once in a while so you can see how beautiful Madrid is and how retarded I am even when I'm not drunk.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Summer Job
My new school will definitely be closed for the month of August. This means I am for sure coming home in August (party time!). The school said that there will be classes available in July, but my schedule just won’t be as full. So I am not sure if I will be home for longer than a month, but I will definitely be home for a month (depending on what’s more cost-effective).
Anyway, the point of this post is that if anyone knows of any summer jobs available for July/August, please holla! I would like to make some money while I’m at home so I’m not just sitting at home while everyone’s at work, watching TV, catching up on all my shows! I at least should try to make some money to cover my airfare.
I don’t care what kind of job it is…well, as long as it doesn’t involve cleaning bathrooms, working with birds/animals, and changing dirty diapers. So let me know!
Anyway, the point of this post is that if anyone knows of any summer jobs available for July/August, please holla! I would like to make some money while I’m at home so I’m not just sitting at home while everyone’s at work, watching TV, catching up on all my shows! I at least should try to make some money to cover my airfare.
I don’t care what kind of job it is…well, as long as it doesn’t involve cleaning bathrooms, working with birds/animals, and changing dirty diapers. So let me know!
Obama vs. Hillary
Will someone just win already??? I am so sick of this waiting and hearing all about it. I think even the Spanish are annoyed with it now. It’s been on the news since Super Martes! We just want a freaking democratic nominee. I don’t even care who wins anymore. But someone, please, just win.
March Madness
Ahhhh! I can't believe selection is on Sunday. I heart March Madness. Who’s got a pool going? I’m in! Someone spot me some money and I will pay you as soon as I get back! I’m gonna have to find some sports bar so I can watch the Madness.
Unemployment Continued
Some of you may be wondering about my current job status. Well, I am still unemployed. This is just an awkward time to start a job. Because next week is Semana Santa, most schools are closed. Thus starting a week before Semana Santa just isn’t very efficient. So I will not be working again until after next week, the last week of March. Even then, my schedule will not be full. I probably won’t have a full schedule until the second week of April.
At least I do know that I have a job in the near future. The new language school I am working for is where Andrew works. They seem very nice and definitely more organized than my previous one. This one will be quite different from my last class. I will be teaching several different classes and they are not back to back. Because of this, my schedule will be a bit funky. I will most likely start each day at 8 and not end until 8. There is a great chance that I will have long awkward breaks and the possibility of traveling in between classes (but not as distant as my previous class). As of now, the school has four classes for me to teach. Hopefully in April, she will get more confirmation from clients and we will build up on my current schedule.
I know this seems like a downgrade from my previous job. In a way it is, but there are also some pros to this one. For one, I will be working within Madrid, except for one class which is just outside of Madrid. Second, I will get a little bit more pay for certain classes (company classes are paid at a higher rate). And best of all, I get free Spanish classes for 6 hours a week! That saves me 400 Euros I was going to pay for Spanish classes.
I also just get a better vibe from this school. Andrew has said that the staff is very supportive. That is just what I need from an employer. As good of a deal as it was with my previous class, I just don’t think I can deal with that lady’s craziness in the long run. And anyway, this is the norm for most English teachers. I just got lucky with the last one…it’s very difficult to find back to back classes in one location. And I think by September when all new classes begin, I will get better class options because some teachers will leave.
I know some people are wondering how I am living with such limited funds…and I know some people are worried. Yes, I do worry about it a little but as always I get over it. Life is too short to worry about money. As long as I can still eat and put a roof over my head, right? That’s all that matters. All I gotta say is thank god for that tax rebate!
So for now, I have two weeks of doing nothing; hence, the numerous blog posts…I obviously don’t have much to do. I can’t do much since I will not be getting a paycheck for this month. So, I’m trying to enjoy Madrid without having to spend money. Right now, I am sitting in Parque del Buen Retiro and writing all these posts. I decided to pack a lunch and take a nice long walk here. I’ll probably do the same on Friday. Tomorrow, I will be substituting for a teacher at my new school (at least I will get 21 Euros for this month). I do want to travel a little since I have all this time off. So next week, I plan on going to the Fallas Festival in Valencia for a day. I’m sure I can do that cheaply…watching people set massive statues/floats or whatever they are on fire should be cheap good fun.
At least I do know that I have a job in the near future. The new language school I am working for is where Andrew works. They seem very nice and definitely more organized than my previous one. This one will be quite different from my last class. I will be teaching several different classes and they are not back to back. Because of this, my schedule will be a bit funky. I will most likely start each day at 8 and not end until 8. There is a great chance that I will have long awkward breaks and the possibility of traveling in between classes (but not as distant as my previous class). As of now, the school has four classes for me to teach. Hopefully in April, she will get more confirmation from clients and we will build up on my current schedule.
I know this seems like a downgrade from my previous job. In a way it is, but there are also some pros to this one. For one, I will be working within Madrid, except for one class which is just outside of Madrid. Second, I will get a little bit more pay for certain classes (company classes are paid at a higher rate). And best of all, I get free Spanish classes for 6 hours a week! That saves me 400 Euros I was going to pay for Spanish classes.
I also just get a better vibe from this school. Andrew has said that the staff is very supportive. That is just what I need from an employer. As good of a deal as it was with my previous class, I just don’t think I can deal with that lady’s craziness in the long run. And anyway, this is the norm for most English teachers. I just got lucky with the last one…it’s very difficult to find back to back classes in one location. And I think by September when all new classes begin, I will get better class options because some teachers will leave.
I know some people are wondering how I am living with such limited funds…and I know some people are worried. Yes, I do worry about it a little but as always I get over it. Life is too short to worry about money. As long as I can still eat and put a roof over my head, right? That’s all that matters. All I gotta say is thank god for that tax rebate!
So for now, I have two weeks of doing nothing; hence, the numerous blog posts…I obviously don’t have much to do. I can’t do much since I will not be getting a paycheck for this month. So, I’m trying to enjoy Madrid without having to spend money. Right now, I am sitting in Parque del Buen Retiro and writing all these posts. I decided to pack a lunch and take a nice long walk here. I’ll probably do the same on Friday. Tomorrow, I will be substituting for a teacher at my new school (at least I will get 21 Euros for this month). I do want to travel a little since I have all this time off. So next week, I plan on going to the Fallas Festival in Valencia for a day. I’m sure I can do that cheaply…watching people set massive statues/floats or whatever they are on fire should be cheap good fun.
Buenas Noches y Buena Suerte
Sunday, March 9th, was election day here in Spain. The Partido Socialista (PSOE) won for the second time in a row. The Spanish election process has been very interesting for me. It’s quite different from the way we do our elections. Here are some things I’ve learned about Spain:
• Spanish people vote by party not by the candidate. In the US, we vote for every open position in the government and we have the choice of mixing up the parties. Here, you only choose the party. Before the elections, people receive a long sheet of paper from various parties that list the names of the candidates for the party (see pictures below for samples I got from my student) . On election day, they bring the sheet, enclosed in the provided envelope, from their preferred party to a voting location. They register with an election official and drop their envelopes in the ballot boxes. When the ballots close at 8 PM, election officials count how many votes each party gets. The percentage of votes each party gets determines how many positions they get in the government.
• Number 1 on the list is the president of the party, and he chooses #2 to #35. Whatever number you have on the list will determine your position in the government if your party wins. For example, #1 (the President of the Party) will become the president of Spain, #2 will become the Minister of Economy (the second top position in the Government), and so on...I’m not really sure what the other positions are. It is also mandatory that there are at least two woman in the top 5 of the list (I love this rule!).
• There are two main parties in Spain: Partido Popular (PP) and PSOE. I think both are pretty center and cannot really be compared to American political parties. But if one has to, PP would be comparable to the American’s Republicans and PSOE to the Democrats. There are other parties, of course. Each of them get enough votes during the election that they are able to gain a few seats in the government. Most of these parties are from the left. Thus, it is sometimes easier for PP to win because PSOE has to share their votes with other left parties.
• Unlike the US where we get bombarded with campaign crap immediately after one election, the Spanish parties cannot technically start campaigning until 15 days before elections. On the first day of the 15 day campaign, posters go up and TV ads play. So yes, the parties start to campaign before the 15 days but they cannot advertise until the 15 day period. I love it! It’s not as annoying and people don’t get so sick of it. I think it is very easy for Americans to get voters apathy because the candidates never stop bothering us with their continuous bullshit. By the time we actually vote, people are just so sick of it.
• The Spanish never have presidential debates. The first and last time they had one was in 1993. This year, after 15 years, they decided to bring it back…and they had two. I tried to watch both debates but it was just impossible to understand. I can barely understand regular conversation Spanish, let alone formal Spanish. Since I couldn’t understand, I judged the two men by their faces, voice, facial expressions, and body language. As an outsider, I thought Jose Luis Zapatero, PSOE’s president, was more confident. It also doesn’t help that he is younger and has one of the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen (if only he didn’t have those crazy sharp arching eyebrows). On the other hand, Mariano Rajoy, PP’s president, is several years older, talks very fast (like he’s nervous), and says his “s” sounds with a “sh". Of course, to the Spanish, their opinions on the debate winner depended on which party they prefer.
By 10 PM on Sunday (the results are fast!), it was clear PSOE had won…they got about 10 more seats than PP. I guess I’ve become a Zapatero-ist just because of my roommates. And apparently, in the last election he promised to take the Spanish military out of Iraq and he actually kept his promise and got them out of there. Other than that, I know nothing else so I just keep my mouth shut when people talk about Spanish politics. Anyway, my roommates and I celebrated with champagne. I obviously have no real opinion about the results since I don’t know either of the parties that well, but hey, if someone gives you champagne, you take it.
And in case you are wondering about the title of this post, that is the line Zapatero uses when he ends his speeches. I’m not really sure if he stole it from Edward Murrow (aka the guy George Clooney made a movie on) or he just likes saying it. But it has become a joke around the house. We are constantly saying it to each other, and Xalba and I always make Iñaki do his impression of Zapatero and Rajoy.
Pues, buenas noches y buena suerte a todos!
a ballot for PSOE
a ballot for Izquierda Unida
the list of candidates for PSOE and Izquierda Unida
• Spanish people vote by party not by the candidate. In the US, we vote for every open position in the government and we have the choice of mixing up the parties. Here, you only choose the party. Before the elections, people receive a long sheet of paper from various parties that list the names of the candidates for the party (see pictures below for samples I got from my student) . On election day, they bring the sheet, enclosed in the provided envelope, from their preferred party to a voting location. They register with an election official and drop their envelopes in the ballot boxes. When the ballots close at 8 PM, election officials count how many votes each party gets. The percentage of votes each party gets determines how many positions they get in the government.
• Number 1 on the list is the president of the party, and he chooses #2 to #35. Whatever number you have on the list will determine your position in the government if your party wins. For example, #1 (the President of the Party) will become the president of Spain, #2 will become the Minister of Economy (the second top position in the Government), and so on...I’m not really sure what the other positions are. It is also mandatory that there are at least two woman in the top 5 of the list (I love this rule!).
• There are two main parties in Spain: Partido Popular (PP) and PSOE. I think both are pretty center and cannot really be compared to American political parties. But if one has to, PP would be comparable to the American’s Republicans and PSOE to the Democrats. There are other parties, of course. Each of them get enough votes during the election that they are able to gain a few seats in the government. Most of these parties are from the left. Thus, it is sometimes easier for PP to win because PSOE has to share their votes with other left parties.
• Unlike the US where we get bombarded with campaign crap immediately after one election, the Spanish parties cannot technically start campaigning until 15 days before elections. On the first day of the 15 day campaign, posters go up and TV ads play. So yes, the parties start to campaign before the 15 days but they cannot advertise until the 15 day period. I love it! It’s not as annoying and people don’t get so sick of it. I think it is very easy for Americans to get voters apathy because the candidates never stop bothering us with their continuous bullshit. By the time we actually vote, people are just so sick of it.
• The Spanish never have presidential debates. The first and last time they had one was in 1993. This year, after 15 years, they decided to bring it back…and they had two. I tried to watch both debates but it was just impossible to understand. I can barely understand regular conversation Spanish, let alone formal Spanish. Since I couldn’t understand, I judged the two men by their faces, voice, facial expressions, and body language. As an outsider, I thought Jose Luis Zapatero, PSOE’s president, was more confident. It also doesn’t help that he is younger and has one of the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen (if only he didn’t have those crazy sharp arching eyebrows). On the other hand, Mariano Rajoy, PP’s president, is several years older, talks very fast (like he’s nervous), and says his “s” sounds with a “sh". Of course, to the Spanish, their opinions on the debate winner depended on which party they prefer.
By 10 PM on Sunday (the results are fast!), it was clear PSOE had won…they got about 10 more seats than PP. I guess I’ve become a Zapatero-ist just because of my roommates. And apparently, in the last election he promised to take the Spanish military out of Iraq and he actually kept his promise and got them out of there. Other than that, I know nothing else so I just keep my mouth shut when people talk about Spanish politics. Anyway, my roommates and I celebrated with champagne. I obviously have no real opinion about the results since I don’t know either of the parties that well, but hey, if someone gives you champagne, you take it.
And in case you are wondering about the title of this post, that is the line Zapatero uses when he ends his speeches. I’m not really sure if he stole it from Edward Murrow (aka the guy George Clooney made a movie on) or he just likes saying it. But it has become a joke around the house. We are constantly saying it to each other, and Xalba and I always make Iñaki do his impression of Zapatero and Rajoy.
Pues, buenas noches y buena suerte a todos!
a ballot for PSOE
a ballot for Izquierda Unida
the list of candidates for PSOE and Izquierda Unida
My First Visitors
Last week was a great week because I finally had my first visitors, my sister and her friends. It was nice to see familiar faces…it’s been too long. It was also great because they caught me up on all the things I’ve missed in America – gossip, new music that doesn’t involve Rihanna, new trends, etc. They also brought me some American goodies. Thanks to my wonderful family, I got the summer clothes I couldn’t fit in my suitcase when I moved here, some seasonings I can use to make Mexican food, a huge bottle of honey mustard, a giant jar of Peanut Butter, and some current American movies!
Having them here also made me realize how long it’s been since I’ve been surrounded with girls. I forgot what it was like to wait for the bathroom for a long time; to constantly hear “OH MY GOD” or “So cute!”; to constantly talk about clothes and shoes; and, to have someone comment with after seeing/checking out a hot boy. It made me realize how badly I need woman friends in Madrid.
As expected, the week was super busy. We tried our best to do and see as much as we can in Madrid. We also did a lot of damage in our pockets every time we went into a Zara or in Topshop. The best was when we went out to the clubs/bars. I’ve always been curious about how Spanish men would react to a bunch of American girls. I always had this theory that when in a foreign country, American girls attract a lot of attention from the men. As far as my experiences and for most people I’ve talked to, it is very common for foreign men to be very forward - some might even propose marriage! - to American women. I don’t know if it’s because of all the American movies or the fact that us, American girls, perpetuate this notion of American women being “easy”…I think it’s both. I really haven’t had any of this reaction with the Spanish men. Probably because I don’t look like the typical “American”, or maybe because I am constantly accompanied by boys and a gay man. I was finally glad to test this with my sisters and her friends.
The verdict: my theory still stands correct. My sister and her friends were constantly surrounded by men. I guess men will always be men. But in the spectrum of male aggression, I have to say the Spanish men are not as aggressive. Yes, they flocked, but they weren’t as forward as other men from other countries (i.e. Argentinians, Italians). At least the Spaniards only get aggressive in the bars!
Well, now my first set of visitors are gone and I’m back to being alone again. It was very hard to say goodbye to them (I really need to get over this saying goodbye thing!). But it was better to see them for a little bit than nothing at all. I can’t wait for my next visitors next month and in May. Yay!
Having them here also made me realize how long it’s been since I’ve been surrounded with girls. I forgot what it was like to wait for the bathroom for a long time; to constantly hear “OH MY GOD” or “So cute!”; to constantly talk about clothes and shoes; and, to have someone comment with after seeing/checking out a hot boy. It made me realize how badly I need woman friends in Madrid.
As expected, the week was super busy. We tried our best to do and see as much as we can in Madrid. We also did a lot of damage in our pockets every time we went into a Zara or in Topshop. The best was when we went out to the clubs/bars. I’ve always been curious about how Spanish men would react to a bunch of American girls. I always had this theory that when in a foreign country, American girls attract a lot of attention from the men. As far as my experiences and for most people I’ve talked to, it is very common for foreign men to be very forward - some might even propose marriage! - to American women. I don’t know if it’s because of all the American movies or the fact that us, American girls, perpetuate this notion of American women being “easy”…I think it’s both. I really haven’t had any of this reaction with the Spanish men. Probably because I don’t look like the typical “American”, or maybe because I am constantly accompanied by boys and a gay man. I was finally glad to test this with my sisters and her friends.
The verdict: my theory still stands correct. My sister and her friends were constantly surrounded by men. I guess men will always be men. But in the spectrum of male aggression, I have to say the Spanish men are not as aggressive. Yes, they flocked, but they weren’t as forward as other men from other countries (i.e. Argentinians, Italians). At least the Spaniards only get aggressive in the bars!
Well, now my first set of visitors are gone and I’m back to being alone again. It was very hard to say goodbye to them (I really need to get over this saying goodbye thing!). But it was better to see them for a little bit than nothing at all. I can’t wait for my next visitors next month and in May. Yay!
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| My First Visitors |
I Hate British News
I just have to say that I am not a fan of British TV News. While in Ibiza, we watched Sky News, a British News Channel, to keep up to date about what's going on in the outside world. It was so freaking annoying that I preferred to watch the Spanish news and try to figure things out with the little Spanish I know.
It was just ridiculous! They can't seem to ever leave the royal family alone! It's like get the hell over it! They had a story on some ugly fat dude saying he was Princess Di's lover. Seriously, she's been dead for 10 years...leave her alone! The worst was about the whole Prince Harry/Afghanistan debacle. They interviewed a mother and a daughter whose son/brother was in the same unit as Prince Harry. They seemed more excited about their son/brother being in a picture with Prince Harry than him fighting for their country. If I was in their shoes, I would be so worried about my son being in a freaking war that why the hell would I care about Prince Harry??!!
I know American news isn't great either (we can't seem to get over Britney...and who the hell is Milly Cyrus??!!), but for the most part, I seem to always get annoyed with British news. Their cool British accent doesn't even make up for it! It's like, there has to be something more serious in the world to report on! It's like that freaking interview with the lady who would not shut up about Heather Mills and her PT Cruiser!
It was just ridiculous! They can't seem to ever leave the royal family alone! It's like get the hell over it! They had a story on some ugly fat dude saying he was Princess Di's lover. Seriously, she's been dead for 10 years...leave her alone! The worst was about the whole Prince Harry/Afghanistan debacle. They interviewed a mother and a daughter whose son/brother was in the same unit as Prince Harry. They seemed more excited about their son/brother being in a picture with Prince Harry than him fighting for their country. If I was in their shoes, I would be so worried about my son being in a freaking war that why the hell would I care about Prince Harry??!!
I know American news isn't great either (we can't seem to get over Britney...and who the hell is Milly Cyrus??!!), but for the most part, I seem to always get annoyed with British news. Their cool British accent doesn't even make up for it! It's like, there has to be something more serious in the world to report on! It's like that freaking interview with the lady who would not shut up about Heather Mills and her PT Cruiser!
Stuff White People Like
As I mentioned on my previous post, there is a great blog out there that my awesome friends introduced me to. It is called Stuff White People Like (I've also linked it to my blog if you would like to read it. It is hilarious. It has also made me realize how freaking white I am! No wonder Filipino Americans hate me!
My favorites are #11 (Asian Girls), #12 (Non Profit Organizations), #19 (Traveling), #26 (Manhattan, now Brooklyn too!), #35 (The Daily Show/Colber Report), #36 (Breakfast Places), #40 (Apple Products), #71 (Being the Only White Person Around), #72 (Study Abroad), and #80 (The Idea of Soccer), among many others.
My favorites are #11 (Asian Girls), #12 (Non Profit Organizations), #19 (Traveling), #26 (Manhattan, now Brooklyn too!), #35 (The Daily Show/Colber Report), #36 (Breakfast Places), #40 (Apple Products), #71 (Being the Only White Person Around), #72 (Study Abroad), and #80 (The Idea of Soccer), among many others.
Ibiza
Preface: this post is a bit delayed. I started writing it last week but never got to finish it. Hopefully I can still describe everything that we did in Ibiza.
What can I say about Ibiza? It's just a wonderful little island on the Mediterranean Sea. It's as close as you can get to paradise. As always, it's difficult for me to describe. I don't think any words or pictures will do justice to how beautiful it is.
June to September is high season for Ibiza. At this time, it is known to be the biggest party island: the prices go up (some clubs charge 60 Euros to get in), and tourists just take over the Island's beaches, clubs/bars, restaurants, and hotels/apartments/homes with their excessive drunkenness and insatiable appetite to be so ridiculously dark that they might as well ask for skin cancer.
But because the girls have no control over the timing of their spring break, we had no choice but to go in low season. As expected, Ibiza was quiet and ninety-five percent of the island was closed (all nightclubs shut down except Pacha, which is open all year round). But we didn't quite expect it to be as quiet as it was. It literally felt like we were on a deserted island.
The trip didn't quite start out as well as we wanted to. One of my sister's friends, Cindy, lost half of her luggage. It was very obvious it was stolen and we tried our hardest to get reimbursed for it. But because the concept of customer service is almost non existent here, we had great difficulty getting any help from the airline. Fortunately, Juan helped us out and translated for us once we got back to Madrid. They were definitely more receptive to him. Hopefully Cindy will get something for it.
This whole ordeal gave me an awesome idea: I will study Spanish until I am fluent and become a "customer service" consultant for Spanish companies. By now, I am like a customer service expert. That's all I've done since I started working at 16. And having dealt with crotchety old christian fanatics at A2H, I can deal with anyone! It's brilliant! Of course, this is just another idea to add on to my what-I-want-to-be-when-I-grow-up list...I obviously still haven't grown up!
Anyway, despite the bad luck, the trip was still very nice. We rented a car because it was cheaper than taking taxis everywhere. We were all nervous at first. Ibiza is so small that streets don't really have names and the map was just pointless. We literally just had to follow signs and hope that we were going the correct way. The roads were also never straight, and this made us very nervous. There were constant turns, and many were sharp and right on a cliff. Lastly, we had no idea what the driving rules were, especially on the rotundas (those things are ridiculous!). That one scene in European Vacation where they kept going around and around the rotunda in Paris just kept playing in my head. We pretty much made our own rules as we went along. I think my sister, the driver, was a bit freaked out because she's obviously not used to it. But I think she was also glad to be able to experienced it. By the second day, she was driving like a pro.
The resort where we stayed was awesome. It was situated right on a cliff. There were two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a living area, a terrace, and a rooftop deck. We basically stayed in my dream house (except the tap water was salty...that I could've done without). Everyday we would have breakfast in the terrace (that was my favorite part of the day), and then we would go to a cala, or beach, and lay out. Yes, I did participate in this (this activity, by the way, should be on the blog: stuff white people like! - see next post for explanation). I hate getting darker but I find it very relaxing.
A few times, we drove to bigger towns in the Island in the hopes of replacing some of Cindy's lost clothing items, or to go to the grocery store. That was quite a challenge because we could never get the store hours right. We had two things against us: siesta and low season hours. If only each Spanish city had a book that lists all businesses with store hours for all days of the year! We couldn't even ask the tourist office because it was closed!
Overall though, Ibiza was great! I would definitely like to go back in high season just to experience it in its fullest. However, I think I would probably prefer the peaceful Ibiza...I can only take so many drunk obnoxious tourists. I guess I'd have to go in the summer to really find out.
Here are my top 10 favorite parts of the Ibiza trip:
1) the sunset - the girls and I watched the most beautiful sunset. It was so ridiculously gorgeous/peaceful/moving that I almost cried.
2) watching the Mediterranean over breakfast - while I was eating my nutella, toast and banana on the terrace overlooking the sea, I thought to myself: I could definitely do this everyday!
3) paella - best paella I've had so far in Spain
4) cala bassa - most peaceful beach I've ever been to
5) "homemade" fun - because we were too scared to drive at night (no one wanted to go over the cliffs on all those unexpected sharp turns on unlit roads), we made the best of the nights by making dinner, drinking super cheap vodka or Sangria from a box (just the girls drank them, which made it entertaining for me), and having a dance party
6) Smoothies - while walking around, we decided to take a beverage break. The girls wanted smoothies, so when the lady came to take our order, we asked her, "Can you put some alcohol in that?". The look on her face was priceless!
7) the quiet - so nice to be away from a city once in a while
8) the rental car - we loved that damn Ford! If we didn't have it, we wouldn't have been able to do anything!
9) Es Cuco - the elusive grocery store that was always close every time we go there. When we did finally go there at the correct hour, it was awesome! I love Cuzco...I mean, Es Cuco.
10) Spring Break '08 - I freaking went to Springbreak! A 26 year old going on Springbreak...hahaha!
What can I say about Ibiza? It's just a wonderful little island on the Mediterranean Sea. It's as close as you can get to paradise. As always, it's difficult for me to describe. I don't think any words or pictures will do justice to how beautiful it is.
June to September is high season for Ibiza. At this time, it is known to be the biggest party island: the prices go up (some clubs charge 60 Euros to get in), and tourists just take over the Island's beaches, clubs/bars, restaurants, and hotels/apartments/homes with their excessive drunkenness and insatiable appetite to be so ridiculously dark that they might as well ask for skin cancer.
But because the girls have no control over the timing of their spring break, we had no choice but to go in low season. As expected, Ibiza was quiet and ninety-five percent of the island was closed (all nightclubs shut down except Pacha, which is open all year round). But we didn't quite expect it to be as quiet as it was. It literally felt like we were on a deserted island.
The trip didn't quite start out as well as we wanted to. One of my sister's friends, Cindy, lost half of her luggage. It was very obvious it was stolen and we tried our hardest to get reimbursed for it. But because the concept of customer service is almost non existent here, we had great difficulty getting any help from the airline. Fortunately, Juan helped us out and translated for us once we got back to Madrid. They were definitely more receptive to him. Hopefully Cindy will get something for it.
This whole ordeal gave me an awesome idea: I will study Spanish until I am fluent and become a "customer service" consultant for Spanish companies. By now, I am like a customer service expert. That's all I've done since I started working at 16. And having dealt with crotchety old christian fanatics at A2H, I can deal with anyone! It's brilliant! Of course, this is just another idea to add on to my what-I-want-to-be-when-I-grow-up list...I obviously still haven't grown up!
Anyway, despite the bad luck, the trip was still very nice. We rented a car because it was cheaper than taking taxis everywhere. We were all nervous at first. Ibiza is so small that streets don't really have names and the map was just pointless. We literally just had to follow signs and hope that we were going the correct way. The roads were also never straight, and this made us very nervous. There were constant turns, and many were sharp and right on a cliff. Lastly, we had no idea what the driving rules were, especially on the rotundas (those things are ridiculous!). That one scene in European Vacation where they kept going around and around the rotunda in Paris just kept playing in my head. We pretty much made our own rules as we went along. I think my sister, the driver, was a bit freaked out because she's obviously not used to it. But I think she was also glad to be able to experienced it. By the second day, she was driving like a pro.
The resort where we stayed was awesome. It was situated right on a cliff. There were two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a living area, a terrace, and a rooftop deck. We basically stayed in my dream house (except the tap water was salty...that I could've done without). Everyday we would have breakfast in the terrace (that was my favorite part of the day), and then we would go to a cala, or beach, and lay out. Yes, I did participate in this (this activity, by the way, should be on the blog: stuff white people like! - see next post for explanation). I hate getting darker but I find it very relaxing.
A few times, we drove to bigger towns in the Island in the hopes of replacing some of Cindy's lost clothing items, or to go to the grocery store. That was quite a challenge because we could never get the store hours right. We had two things against us: siesta and low season hours. If only each Spanish city had a book that lists all businesses with store hours for all days of the year! We couldn't even ask the tourist office because it was closed!
Overall though, Ibiza was great! I would definitely like to go back in high season just to experience it in its fullest. However, I think I would probably prefer the peaceful Ibiza...I can only take so many drunk obnoxious tourists. I guess I'd have to go in the summer to really find out.
Here are my top 10 favorite parts of the Ibiza trip:
1) the sunset - the girls and I watched the most beautiful sunset. It was so ridiculously gorgeous/peaceful/moving that I almost cried.
2) watching the Mediterranean over breakfast - while I was eating my nutella, toast and banana on the terrace overlooking the sea, I thought to myself: I could definitely do this everyday!
3) paella - best paella I've had so far in Spain
4) cala bassa - most peaceful beach I've ever been to
5) "homemade" fun - because we were too scared to drive at night (no one wanted to go over the cliffs on all those unexpected sharp turns on unlit roads), we made the best of the nights by making dinner, drinking super cheap vodka or Sangria from a box (just the girls drank them, which made it entertaining for me), and having a dance party
6) Smoothies - while walking around, we decided to take a beverage break. The girls wanted smoothies, so when the lady came to take our order, we asked her, "Can you put some alcohol in that?". The look on her face was priceless!
7) the quiet - so nice to be away from a city once in a while
8) the rental car - we loved that damn Ford! If we didn't have it, we wouldn't have been able to do anything!
9) Es Cuco - the elusive grocery store that was always close every time we go there. When we did finally go there at the correct hour, it was awesome! I love Cuzco...I mean, Es Cuco.
10) Spring Break '08 - I freaking went to Springbreak! A 26 year old going on Springbreak...hahaha!
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| Ibiza |
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
When you got no job, spend your money
If you just found out you were unemployed and you were in Spain, what would you do???
Exactly! You'd go to Ibiza!
Ok, maybe that's just me...
On Friday, after picking up my sister and her friends from the airport, we went back to my house so they could unwind a little. As I was waiting for them to get re-energized, I checked my email and got the dreaded you-got-no-job email. After, I took them for a walk around central Madrid (so they would stay awake and fight the jet lag) and try some real Spanish tapas. As I was enjoying the sights with them, I thought, "shit I got no job! I should go to Ibiza with them!!!"
I mean yes, I guess I could have saved that money for something more important (i.e. food, or a ticket home if necessary). I could've also used the free time to find a job. But the more I thought about it, going to Ibiza just sounded too good to pass up.
As stressed as I was about being unemployed, I was also a bit relieved. It meant that I would be able to spend more time with my sister, and I wouldn't be at work worried that she's lost somewhere in Madrid. Going to Ibiza meant I'd be able to spend even more time with her. Plus, when would I ever be able to go to Ibiza??? This might be my only chance!
So after tapas, I checked the flights and found relatively cheap tickets...only about 30 euros more than what my sister paid, which she got a few weeks before the trip. I thought that was cheap considering I was getting tickets for a flight that was leaving in 9 hours! After about ten minutes of me being annoyingly indecisive and freaking out, I decided to charge it on the good ol' credit card (what would I do without plastic???). As for finding a job, I thought I could just call and set up some interviews while still in Ibiza.
With my roommates help (I had to get it on a Spanish website), I was able to get the tickets by 11:30 PM. I even got to go on the same flight (at 7 AM) as my sister and her friends!
To learn more about my Ibiza trip, please proceed to the next blog...
Exactly! You'd go to Ibiza!
Ok, maybe that's just me...
On Friday, after picking up my sister and her friends from the airport, we went back to my house so they could unwind a little. As I was waiting for them to get re-energized, I checked my email and got the dreaded you-got-no-job email. After, I took them for a walk around central Madrid (so they would stay awake and fight the jet lag) and try some real Spanish tapas. As I was enjoying the sights with them, I thought, "shit I got no job! I should go to Ibiza with them!!!"
I mean yes, I guess I could have saved that money for something more important (i.e. food, or a ticket home if necessary). I could've also used the free time to find a job. But the more I thought about it, going to Ibiza just sounded too good to pass up.
As stressed as I was about being unemployed, I was also a bit relieved. It meant that I would be able to spend more time with my sister, and I wouldn't be at work worried that she's lost somewhere in Madrid. Going to Ibiza meant I'd be able to spend even more time with her. Plus, when would I ever be able to go to Ibiza??? This might be my only chance!
So after tapas, I checked the flights and found relatively cheap tickets...only about 30 euros more than what my sister paid, which she got a few weeks before the trip. I thought that was cheap considering I was getting tickets for a flight that was leaving in 9 hours! After about ten minutes of me being annoyingly indecisive and freaking out, I decided to charge it on the good ol' credit card (what would I do without plastic???). As for finding a job, I thought I could just call and set up some interviews while still in Ibiza.
With my roommates help (I had to get it on a Spanish website), I was able to get the tickets by 11:30 PM. I even got to go on the same flight (at 7 AM) as my sister and her friends!
To learn more about my Ibiza trip, please proceed to the next blog...
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Unemployed....again
Once again I am unemployed. Since I found out a month ago that the class I was teaching would end, I decided to wait until closer to the end of February to start actively searching for a new job. Hiring here happens very quickly and I knew it would be useless for me to set up interviews with people and not be able to start immediately.
About halfway through February, the same week I decided to start looking, my current employer called me and said she might have something for me in March. It was a really good deal: location was closer to Madrid, one extra hour, and back to back classes in the same location, at an engineering firm. Even though I was hesistant to work with this lady again, I decided to tell her I would take it. It was too good...I couldn't pass it up.
So for the next two weeks, I didn't look for anything else. But I also didn't hear anything from the lady. I kept emailing her and she was not responding. I called her and she says she is waiting to hear from the company for confirmation. I thought about contacting other academies but I had already said yes to this lady. I didn't want to have another academy schedule classes for me and have this awesome deal go through. I didn't want to screw anyone.
Well, now I'm screwed. I kept waiting for the lady to hear from the firm. Last week, she said she'd let me know at the end of the week what day they want me to start. I thought it was a done deal...she just didn't know the start date. Well, Friday afternoon, I got an email from her saying that the company had decided to cancel the class. The 5 out of the 6 students who I would be teaching will be working in San Diego for 3 months and they didn't think it would be cost effective for me to teach one person (duh!). So no job for me!
I was a bit frustrated of course! I was frustrated because I wish I knew about it before I was unemployed. I wish I had gone ahead and started looking for jobs earlier. Now I have to go through the trouble of looking again, and feeling insecure and unstable. I know that I'll be okay and I should be able to find a job, but I can't help but be annoyed and frustrated. This shit stresses me out. Not knowing if I'll have a job or enough money to pay for rent stresses the hell out of me. Food I can do without, but not having anywhere to live in a foreign city freaks me out. I just get frustrated even more because that lady is just retarded! It's like how can she think it's okay to leave me hanging and tell me three days before I thought I would start a new job???!!!! She's ridiculous!
So the moral of the story is, screw everyone else. I need to just stop waiting and let things happen for myself! What was I thinking??? Maybe I'm retarded too.
Ugggh!!! Anyway, tomorrow I have a job interview and I am calling another academy. Hopefully, it's not too late and they'll have something for me.
As Lisa would say, I hate everybody!!!
About halfway through February, the same week I decided to start looking, my current employer called me and said she might have something for me in March. It was a really good deal: location was closer to Madrid, one extra hour, and back to back classes in the same location, at an engineering firm. Even though I was hesistant to work with this lady again, I decided to tell her I would take it. It was too good...I couldn't pass it up.
So for the next two weeks, I didn't look for anything else. But I also didn't hear anything from the lady. I kept emailing her and she was not responding. I called her and she says she is waiting to hear from the company for confirmation. I thought about contacting other academies but I had already said yes to this lady. I didn't want to have another academy schedule classes for me and have this awesome deal go through. I didn't want to screw anyone.
Well, now I'm screwed. I kept waiting for the lady to hear from the firm. Last week, she said she'd let me know at the end of the week what day they want me to start. I thought it was a done deal...she just didn't know the start date. Well, Friday afternoon, I got an email from her saying that the company had decided to cancel the class. The 5 out of the 6 students who I would be teaching will be working in San Diego for 3 months and they didn't think it would be cost effective for me to teach one person (duh!). So no job for me!
I was a bit frustrated of course! I was frustrated because I wish I knew about it before I was unemployed. I wish I had gone ahead and started looking for jobs earlier. Now I have to go through the trouble of looking again, and feeling insecure and unstable. I know that I'll be okay and I should be able to find a job, but I can't help but be annoyed and frustrated. This shit stresses me out. Not knowing if I'll have a job or enough money to pay for rent stresses the hell out of me. Food I can do without, but not having anywhere to live in a foreign city freaks me out. I just get frustrated even more because that lady is just retarded! It's like how can she think it's okay to leave me hanging and tell me three days before I thought I would start a new job???!!!! She's ridiculous!
So the moral of the story is, screw everyone else. I need to just stop waiting and let things happen for myself! What was I thinking??? Maybe I'm retarded too.
Ugggh!!! Anyway, tomorrow I have a job interview and I am calling another academy. Hopefully, it's not too late and they'll have something for me.
As Lisa would say, I hate everybody!!!
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