Tag Archives: Community Engagement

Who knew a piece of my heart was in Florence?

The other day, I was sitting in my favorite place. The one where David and Andrea work. It sits on the Arno, and we call it “Caffè.” The sun illuminated the rough, uneven white-brick walls and the golden brown wood of the tables. Adam sat across from me. It was his birthday; he turned 32. David sat at a table behind me on his late lunch break. Andrea behind the counter continuing the daily grind of Caffè work.

IMG_6765David and Andrea are brothers, (“i fratelli”), and they look like twins (“i gemelli”), but Andrea is two years older than David. David is but 22, and I am 20. I could easily fall in love, but it surely isn’t meant to be. They brought out an omelet with a little heart reading, “With love! 32” on it, and their classic goofy smiles. (Earlier that day they gave Adam a two day old piece of cake with two candles that were shaped like 22, which wasn’t even the right age, and then another slice of cake after the omelet. So funny and sweet!) They are just cute for the fun of it, and they enjoy life. It’s refreshing.

Alexxus sat behind me and to my left at the barrel with her iced cappuccino and biography of Tiziano Ferro, her favorite Italian singer and songwriter. Alexxus is younger than I am, I learned this just yesterday. She is a deep thinker, and coming without knowing a single soul, brave indeed. The sun warmed my soul as did the presence of my friends.

The romance of a moment, irrepeatable.

I was wearing my favorite dress in my favorite caffè, where I always do my work while Adam does his, and we joked with David and Andrea that “we all work together.” My hair was neat in my ballerina bun as usual with the wispy tendrils framing my face, IMG_6762and my soft tan dress tied at the waste by my dark blue denim collared shirt–a bit warm on this sunny day but just perfect for me. I sat at the table with my laptop and phone in front of me, hard at work on my photography homework. Beside my computer was a copy of a letter. It was addressed to the editor of one of the english speaking newspapers in Florence where I hope to remain for the summer months. I had just submitted it online the evening prior.

In part, it read: “…before I arrived in Florence, I thought I wanted to see the whole world, but once I arrived here, everything changed. I fell in love with this charming city. As I enter my fourth and final month in my study abroad program, I can’t even fathom leaving…”

I held the paper in my hands with my shoulders back and the warm sunshine on my face. With one ear available for the sounds of the caffè and an earphone in the other, the soft music of Ben Rector’s Sailboat awoke me to the romance of this moment. Suddenly, I realized just how intricate it was, irrepeatable. This moment of longing, of loving, hoping, and desiring for this experience to last a little longer–a moment that defines my 20-year-old life in a way that I am now different, somehow transformed from who I was before.

Who knew a piece of my heart was in Florence?

Who knew I would find part of myself here of all places? I have grown a lot from this experience. Annie has taught me to be myself. Elizabeth says not to care what others think. Why need we be all the same? Santi Apostoli has given me a home and a mission. Gianna and Giovanna have made me smile with authentic zeal. Alessio teaches me to be free, to always try, and to never fear failure. Screen Shot 2016-04-09 at 2.08.46 AMAnd, my Florence family, and Cici, and Katie, and the staff of my school, and everyone! Florence especially, if I may personify the city. Everyone has taught me to love so deeply, so deeply that I am drunk off the sweetness of life–figuratively of course, but so deep that it almost feels literal.

The bliss, the riding of a wave that feels like a natural forever… But, in the back of my mind, and somewhere in my heart, I know I have to leave. I know the wave will eventually break against the shore. But, I just don’t know… how long will this loveliness last? And, I praise the Lord. I praise His holy name for giving it to me in the first place, and I hope desperately that my desires match His will. But, I also know that I need to trust Him. He is goodness and depth itself, while I am a little whisp… here and then gone in the blink of an eye in the whole history of human existence. My sight is so limited, tethered to here and now, latching onto the best thing I know in this world.

Fr. Mike Schmitz once said, “God knows us better than we know ourselves, and he loves us better than we love ourselves.” I love this. It reminds me that God has created me, His will is always and forever better than mine, and whatever He has planned for me is good. He has handcrafted this perfect bliss, one that speaks to my heart in ways nothing else can. And, whatever is to come is what is best. God is the bliss.

“The threshold which the world crosses in him
is the threshold of wonderment.” -Saint Pope John Paul II
“My soul doth magnify the Lord.” -Mother Mary

More sweet moments

Last night I went to Adam’s birthday party. It was an apperitivo at La Petite, near Piazza della Repubblica. Rena and Alexxus came too. There we had a drink and some Italian food and enjoyed conversation about nothing yet everything with Melinda. Melinda is a writer and expat here in Florence, a woman who fell in love with Florence just like I am beginning to drink up its sweetness, only three months deep. Little did I know I would come across a former writer from the very publication I was applying to. What a truly lovely surprise this was.

Long story long, I am loving it here, the friends I’ve had the pleasure to meet, and all life’s serendipity. More photos to come!

Ciaooo

Angela

xoxo

Lesson Six: Giving is Universal

Location: Rabat, Morocco

Now that we’d settled into normal life in Rabat, explored some of the country, and now were used to local practices and the changes that come with Ramadan, it was now time to make Rabat a little more like a home, to feel more connected to it. This was helped primarily by finally becoming comfortable with knowing our way around and confidently not looking like a tourist lost in the maze of streets in the medina. It gave me a huge sense of pride one morning when I was able to walk through the middle of the market and not get any strange glances or curious stares; I knew I was walking comfortably and casually enough to look like someone who lived there and not a visitor gawking at everything. It’s also really nice to be able to greet people and make small talk in darija. It really makes a difference, especially when shopping because it means that vendors realise that you’re not just a tourist, but actually know some of the language and are therefore less easily sold things at more expensive prices. We aren’t just passing through and therefore only have a small chance to find what we want at a good price but instead can afford to walk away and spend the time looking for other options if the price offered is too high (which it always is, I can’t do anything to change my skin colour, which is the first giveaway allowing people to hike up the price). I had a really good time one afternoon after school this week just walking through the medina window-shopping and enquiring prices and bartering in a mixture of french and darija just to see how low I could get the prices, but often not buying anything, confident that I can find a better deal sometime later. When the shopkeepers insist that this is the best price I’m going to find, I tell that I’m in Rabat for a few more weeks so have plenty of time to search harder. They usually have no response. (thinking inside my head: yeah you’re not going to pressure me into buying anything hastily, nice try)

IMGP1338

cooling off in the anteroom of a mosque in Meknes

Balglas (Moroccan slippers)

Balglas (Moroccan slippers)

Another thing that really connected us to Rabat a bit more was doing some local volunteer work. First we took plastic bags down to the beach to pick up trash. It was so nice to get calls from males that weren’t cat-calls, but calls of thanks. Multiple people came up to us and thanked us directly, and one bloke even asked if he could help as well. A few people outrightly asked why we were doing this, confused as to why American students would be cleaning up a tiny beach in Morocco. My favourite though was the entire class of schoolboys who swarmed around us and each picked up a few bits of trash to put in our bag on their way leaving the beach.

Then a few days later we went to the Moroccans equivalent of a soup kitchen that makes and serves an iftar meal for those who are homeless or who cannot afford a large iftar. We helped prepare food and set the tables for 144 people. Each table had to be set with dishes, glasses, milk, yogurt, orange juice, a hunk of bread, and napkins, and then we prepared all the plates (with a wedge of cheese, egg, dates, shebeka, those bread cake things, and meat pitas) and bowls of harira soup and set them at each spot in time for everyone to come rushing in. We helped everyone cram into a seat, made sure everyone was taking their fair share, and then went around with tea and coffee at the end. Everyone was very appreciative and thanked up in a variety of languages. However I think that this association has lots of groups come and volunteer for them so the recipients were more used to foreigners helping here. I was in my element because it was essentially a more chaotic and less structured version of the restaurants I work in at home, so it was a brief gap of familiarity for me.

I really enjoyed the fact that we had the opportunity to give back to Rabat a little. People appreciate benevolence anywhere you are, and it was refreshing to be the ones giving; when you’re away from home in a strange place the hospitality  of where you’re staying gives so much to you. And it just reminded me that there is need everywhere in the world. While volun-tourism isn’t exactly the most helpful thing for a place sometimes, there is never a time when you shouldn’t be looking to help people. However, it was mostly just nice to be showing people a good and giving image of Americans. I study diplomacy, but I’m convinced that no matter what relations are like between governments and heads of state, the real international relations is between the everyday citizens.

Sunset over Meknes

Sunset over Meknes


Location: Rabat, Morocco

The Top 5 Types of Things You’ll Notice in Spain

As it would be assumed, Spain and the US have their fair share of differences. While there are an unlimited number of them, there are a handful of things that stick out more than others.

1. Time
Everything is much more relaxed. In certain situations, it’s perfectly acceptable to say you’ll meet somewhere at 8:30 and not show up until 8:35/40. For example, social outings are much looser than things like the starting time of class. That being said, even class is more relaxed. We have a start time of 9 everyday but if someone doesn’t come until 9:05 it’s still seen as on time, not five minutes late.

Siesta takes place every day from about 2-5 and is both a blessing and a curse. It’s nice to have a break to nap or get ahead on work, but it’s frustrating when I want to go shopping for groceries or whatever else I may need right after school. In the bigger cities that we went to, siesta is less common but still occurs with the smaller, non-touristy, family owned shops. In Ronda, almost everything closes except the hospitals (of course) and the few tourist shops and restaurants near the New Bridge.

2. Attire
EVERYONE WEARS PANTS. ALL. THE. TIME. It doesn’t matter what the temperature is, nor the time of day. ¾ of the people in Ronda are always in pants when you walk around town. In fact, only tourists wear shorts really so it becomes a dead giveaway. Every once in a while you’ll come across someone in shorts, but it’s definitely a rarity. It’s also frowned upon to wear sweatpants or athletic clothes out of the house unless you’re en route to the gym. To this day, I have yet to see any Spaniard wear any at all.

3. House Etiquette
One must not go barefoot in the host house. Wearing shoes is a sign of courtesy—typically they’re slippers, but for the most part I wear flip flops since the weather is warm which makes the house warm.

I have yet to see a window screen. The windows and the doors are almost always open, but without screens attached. I’ve made a game out of getting flies out of my room via the window. It’s been quite successful so far.

In the US, it’s a common thing to see showers that have a mount on the wall but can also be moved out of the holster. My host house has this kind of shower, but without the mount…I put it between my knees every day when I shampoo.

 

Toilets don’t have actual handles to flush, but rather buttons, which are the most common substitute. At my host house, it’s a metal piece on top of the water bowl that pulls upwards.

4. Eating Schedule and the Food Itself
Food hours are more spread out than ours at home. Breakfast is still in the morning around 8 or 9, but lunch happens during siesta (a break during the day where all shops close and reopen later, meant to be a rest for those who are working to go home and eat lunch and/or take a nap aka siesta) which is from 2-5. Dinner falls between 9 and 12 am. People at restaurants ate between 9-11, but my host family commonly eats around midnight. Meal size is also different. Breakfast is about the same, but lunch and dinner are switched. Dinner is smaller whereas lunch has a few courses. And of course, actual food eaten at each is different too. For breakfast, my host family eats toast with chopped tomatoes and olive oil. Lunch can be anything from tortilla de patatas to soup to sausage or fish or all of the above. Our host mom likes to feed us A LOT. Sometimes I skip dinner because I’m still full from the hours before.

The weirdest things I’ve eaten thus far have been pig cheek and bull tail, both very good and unlike any other type of meat I’ve had. The pig cheek is tender with a lot of flavor, but it’s mostly meat and not a lot of fat. The closest comparison I can give it is a cross between veal and filet mignon. I had the bull tail in a burger and it might be my favorite thing that I’ve tried to date here. It has more fat than the pig cheek but less fat still than an average steak. Bull tail is also very tender but not really comparable to other meats. It’s definitely one to try for yourself. Other people have eaten morcilla (mor-see-yuh) which is a type of sausage made of (get ready) cooked blood and fat. My friends have had mixed opinions of it. A few like it, but most can’t get past the composition or the aftertaste. I’m not brave enough to try it myself, so I can only go by what they say. I guess one can consider it to be an acquired taste.

MILK COMES IN A BOX! Think about a box that soup broth would come in at a grocery store, but a bit bigger. When you buy milk here, it’s on a refrigerate-after-opening basis which is so rare to me. It’s unheard of in the States to let milk sit out for more than a few minutes let alone indefinitely like a juice box. My host mom keeps a few boxes at a time lined up in the pantry. They blend in with the cereal boxes. Apparently it’s perfectly safe to do it the way that they do because it’s very pasteurized, but I don’t think it’s a custom I’ll adopt myself when I’m back home.

4. Atmosphere and Environment
The climate and geography are more similar to the southwest than the northeast where Penn State is. For the most part, the air here is dry with little humidity and greenness is to a minimum. There’s more brush than anything else. When we went to Marbella though, a beach on the south coast, the humidity increased because of the nearness to the water. The north is supposed to be very green as well, so my understanding is that the climate is overall varied just as the US happens to be. (I’m writing this in Madrid’s airport and looking out the window at the mountains and realizing that I probably won’t be here again for a very long time because I’m flying home in an hour and this is extra weird to be leaving after so long—I feel like this place is my second home and even though I’m starting to miss things at my actual home it’s weird to think that it’s all over and this is very sentimental and shall be reflected upon at a later date. TEARS)

5. Miscellaneous Observations
In the US, we pull doors open to enter a building and push them to exit. In Spain, most doors are push to enter and pull to exit. Strange stuff.

Festivities are more frequent and extravagant. There’s a parade at least once a week for a holiday.

Getting married earlier than 35 is considered very young. It’s also normal to live in your parents’ house around that age and older.

There is no set side of the street to walk on. While we walk on the right, Spanish walking has no structure and is more similar to that of pedestrian traffic in a city.

The strangest part to me about all of the things that I’ve noticed that are different than what I’ve been used to in the States is that they don’t seem too different to me anymore. As I wrote this post, I had to think about what wasn’t the same. And I feel like when I go home all of the things that I thought were normal before are going to seem strange. I don’t feel like I experienced a lot of culture shock when I arrived, but I think that the reverse will almost certainly happen. We shall see how it actually turns out.

The Power of Passion

Ciao,

A business woman who I met through an event at IES, also my roommates boss, said something at a networking event last Friday afternoon that resonated with me so much that I decided to write a blog about it.

Back tracking…

My roommate Jessie is in the Journalism school at the University of North Carolina back in the US, so her internship placement is with a journalist, Filomina, who is an author of a recently published book. Jessie’s job is to translate the book into English.

26/6/2015: Networking Event at IES

A networking event was set up for the interns and employers of the IES summer program to share what they have been working on in their internship placements. Jessie explained to the group the book she is translating, and then Filomina explained to us her motivation behind writing it.

The book is a collection of stories about women who have left their careers (typically high paying, well-respected jobs) to pursue their dream jobs. Jessie explained her favorite story so far about a woman who opened a bakery to make gluten free food for people suffering from Celiacs disease. She loved baking and knew that there were limited options of food for people suffering from Celiacs here in Italy.

Listening to Filomina talk about these women was inspiring because she explained to our group that “it is our time” (our is referring to women). During her spiel is when she said “the power of passion can change your reality”, AKA my new mantra. The more I thought about this, I connected it to my life. She was right. With passion, you can create your own version of fortune, but that drive is valuable. I believe in doing things that scare you, testing your limits, taking a leap of faith, not only in your career but in all aspects of your life.


“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs


 

Other employers at the networking event expressed gratification towards their interns. They explained how cultural exchange is vital. Although it takes time to adjust, it is an asset for both the student interns, and the companies of our employers. They shared about how much we have to offer being responsible students and employees- which is true. Not to toot our own horn, but this made me think about all of the hard work I (and all other study abroad students) put in to getting to our abroad destinations. Jet lag and culture shock are not the necessarily the hardest parts about studying abroad- the application process through your home school and your abroad program is tedious and time consuming. Each of us worked hard to get here, and now are focusing time and energy on learning in this new work environment. It is something to be proud of, and I am grateful for the internship employers here, as well as my study abroad experience, that made me realize this.

NIHMP

My internship is going really well. On the 30th of June I recorded the minutes of the South European Network for Health Inequalities meeting, and I gave doctors and professors from France, Greece, Slovenia, England, Portugal, and Morocco a tour of Saint Marias church in Rome. Each person I met that day offered me a lot of insight and advice, and taught me so much about their nations. They told me about things that you barely see on the news in America, also things that made me grateful to call America home. In my last post I said something along the lines of  “I don’t want to act too American and embarrass myself”, now I see that being an American is nothing to be embarrassed of.

IMG_1906

Left to Right: Dr. Marmot, researcher, professor, and director of UCL Institute of Health Equity in London; Dr. Mertens of the World Health Organization; Dr. Yfantopoulos, professor at University of Athen

Also, they recognized Penn State after they asked where I studied, which gave me even more of a reason to be Penn State Proud.

I have been helping with research on candida in the lab here as well. We make slides of the epithelial cells, both infected and non infected with candida, treat them with antibodies and observe the effects under a microscope. This microscope shows zeta space (3D pictures of the cell) which keeps me preoccupied for hours. The microbiologist, Dr. Calcaterra, has taught me so much since I wrote last, which I am so grateful for. For my science people: You can check out her published research here if you are interested http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=calcaterra+R

Until next time,

Michelle xo


Location: Rome, Italy

The End of the Beginning

When I was young, I was obsessed with the book The End of the Beginning by popular children’s author Avi.  The book, about an ant and a snail that travel all around the world meeting many different creatures, instilled in me an intense desire for adventure.  I would read it over and over again, often aloud to my little sister and grandmother during sleepovers.  I dreamed of going on my own adventure and meeting new people, but was always held back by the fact that it is generally frowned upon for children to travel the world alone.  To cope with this minor limitation, I read every book I could about people going on their own adventures.  That way, I could be ready when embarking on my own travels.

My love for adventure and reading never died.  Currently, I’m a senior studying English and Community, Environment, and Development with a minor in Sustainability Leadership.  This is hardly the first time I’ve traveled abroad without my family, but it is an adventure all the same.  I will be spending four weeks in the picturesque country of Ireland studying English and art.  The program is entitled Representing the Irish Landscape, Literature, and Visual Arts.  For the first week, I will be staying in Trinity College Dublin housing in, you guessed it, Dublin!  Then, we will be traveling West to Achill Island, where our accomodations are holiday homes.  National University of Ireland Galway, also in Western Ireland, is next.  The longest leg of the program, however, is in the small Southern town of Allihies, where local families will host us for a week.  Finally, The last three days are spent back in Dublin wrapping up the program.

Ireland is a beautiful country.  I flew over a few days early with my mother, grandmother, and grandmother’s friend since they had never seen Ireland before.  Now, they have returned home and my program starts today.  While I am very excited to see the beautiful Irish countryside, I am most excited to experience Irish culture and engage with the local community.  Both of my professors have led this trip five times and my art professor, Helen O’Leary, is actually from Ireland.  I know they will help us understand and respect the culture here.  Helen and Janet Lyon, the English professor, know so many small nuances found in Irish culture that an outsider like me would completely miss.  I’m excited to see Ireland through a new cultural lens and understand it as I never have before.

– Katelynn (Kat) Conedera


Location: College Green, Dublin 2

Field Trips on Field Trips

I’ve only been here for about a month and I’ve already been to so many places in Shanghai. I visited some places through my classes and some because CIEE has their own field trips on certain Fridays, but now I just want to travel everywhere!

A model of Shanghai at the Urban Planning Museum

A model of Shanghai at the Urban Planning Museum

One Friday we went to the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall and I couldn’t even believe how big Shanghai actually is. If you can just imagine how small a person is compared to the buildings in this model….it’s just amazing! Sometimes I still can’t grasp the fact that I’m in China and I have two months left to explore as much as I can.

Look at that Skyline

Look at that Skyline

 

Some of the field trips held through CIEE are called “Old Shanghai” where on our free days we can learn more about the older and more historic areas of Shanghai. Although it is awesome to see all the new, modern things here I actually like exploring the older areas. I think that it’s more interesting to see what life in Shanghai used to be like compared to all the tourist areas. Don’t get me wrong, the tourist areas are awesome, but it’s nice to also see areas where there aren’t so many tourists.

A market in old Shanghai

A market in old Shanghai

And with that said, this past weekend I went to Hangzhou with some classmates and our teachers and we went to all the areas where there are all the tourists. We went to Leifeng Pagoda, a boat tour on the West Lake, Linying Temple and also a tea farm.

Leifeng Pagoda

Leifeng Pagoda

A view from the top

A view from the top

An ice cream break after climbing all those stairs up the pagoda

An ice cream break after climbing all those stairs up the pagoda

(When it’s 75 degrees out and you’re walking around all day, an ice- cream break is obviously needed.)

And flower crowns because why not?

And flower crowns because why not?

On this trip we actually had a decent amount of time to go explore the area on our own. I think one of my favorite pictures from this trip is from Saturday evening when the sun was setting. I was told that Hangzhou is beautiful and I can also confirm that so if you ever have a chance to go to China, check out Hangzhou!

A sunset in Hangzhou

A sunset in Hangzhou

On Sunday we went to Linying Temple and I was mesmerized by all the carvings in the side of the mountain. I always think, “Wait, someone actually carved all of this by hand…..”

Linying Temple

Linying Temple

A tea farm

A tea farm in Hangzhou

So I can say I’ve seen a little bit of China, but I really want to see more. I still have so many places in mind and I’m so excited that it will happen sometime in the next two months!

Snowshoes, Cycling, and Spring Break!

Snowshoeing the Black Forest

Finally made it to the Black Forest yesterday! With our weekly weekend trips, I’ve realized how little time we’ve actually spent on the outskirts of Freiburg! Every weekend there’s something to do, some place to go. And after almost 3 months of being in Freiburg, it was TIME to venture to the Black Forest. One of our friends from our German language course invited us to come snowshoeing there. “Bring waterproof shoes” were our instructions but since most of us hadn’t packed hiking shoes to Europe, we made do with what we had. So equipped with a pair of sneakers, 2 extra pairs of socks, and optimistic minds, we strapped into our snowshoes.

snowshoeing in the black forest

Our group chose the longer 10 km (6.2 mile) route and for 4 hours we went hiking. Because of the uphill path and constant movement, we didn’t get very cold at all! Three fourths of way in, we came across a small lodge where we stopped for warm drinks and some food. The last fourth of the path was flat land and quite easy and quick! Our socks were soaked but we were warm and had made it!

We definitely have plans to go back to the Black Forest during the spring and go on one of the many hiking paths.

TIP: Our student public transport passes are valid not only for the trams in Freiburg but also for the regional trains that take us up to an hour outside of Freiburg (into the Black Forest). If you study abroad, get the student discounted transport passes and take the free rides places!

Buying a Bike!!!

my bike!

My bike!

I bought a bike! This is Pegasus and I am so excited to finally have a bike in Europe. Biking is much more common here than in the States so I wanted to take advantage of a prime opportunity to bike away! Since I only need him for a couple of months I bought the cheapest (working) one for 90 euros and have been told I could expect to make most of the money back when I sell the bike. There is someone always looking or selling a bike in Freiburg. Can’t wait to ride him!!

Spring Break 2015?!

Lastly, here comes Spring Break right around the corner!! 3 weeks. 1 backpack. 7 countries. We will be traveling for 3 weeks around Europe and I am completely stoked! The itinerary is

  • Innsbruck
  • Salzberg
  • Vienna
  • Prague
  • Barcelona
  • Rome
  • Florence
  • Cinque Terre
  • Milan

After hours and hours of booking and itinerary planning, I can’t wait for the 3 weeks and to see even more of Europe. I keep realizing how I’m basically living on a cloud. I know how fortunate I am to have the chance to travel and I am taking in every place and sight I see to learn as much as I possibly can. Can’t wait to share some stories once I return!

Since I will be traveling, I may have less computer access but info about the trip will be out within the month – so stay tuned!!!!! Until then, AUF WIEDERSEHEN!


Location: Black Forest, Feldberg

Cheetah Girl, Cheetah Sista

Cheetah Girl, Cheetah Sista

Barcelona beach

Barcelona, Spain (Disney’s Cheetah Girls Movie Location)

Over the past 9 days I was on spring break, and it was an amazing experience being able to travel through 3 countries during that time. The next several blog posts of mine will consist of each country from that trip.

We started with Barcelona leaving Rome on Friday morning. And with that this is where my spring break begins!

We landed in Barcelona Friday evening around 5 pm and the first thing we saw in the airport after unloading the plane was a Burger King; which made us laugh pretty hard because it was the first one we had seen in the past 2 months. We were given directions to the airBnB location where we were staying by the owner, and followed them via a bus of the city transportation system. We were in Barcelona for 3 full days and 4 nights, and not once used a taxi. I was so impressed with our navigation skills – Ayanna, my friend that I traveled with, has an international phone plan and therefore data coverage outside of wifi areas that helped tremendously.

The metro and buses of the city each cost 2.15€ each way per person which is a pretty good deal. But to maximize the transportation services even further, we purchased 3 day passes. These are called Hola BCN! Which you can buy at the airport or any metro station. These passed can be purchased at a discounted rate for any number of days – our 3 day pass with unlimited use of the metro and buses during that time was 20.95€. It came out to be a pretty good deal because we used the buses and metros several times daily and had to change buses and trains en route to city destinations, so in one day I think we used a bus or train 8 times which would have been 17.20€ in one day and would have cost almost the same as the three day pass if we had not purchased it and paid 2.15€ per person every single time. So when visiting Barcelona, I HIGHLY recommend purchasing one of these passes for each person in your party if it makes sense logistically.

After dropping off our stuff at the airBnB, we went out into the city to explore and find a sport for dinner. We came across Tapa Tapa, which is probably a more touristy place but all the food was great. I found it to be a great transition into Spanish food because it is all Spanish tapas (little plates) all around 5€ each. So you can share or have to yourself for dinner or probably lunch too. I had great fresh squid and the best calamari I have ever eaten.
squid
 We then accidentally came across the miraculous fountain show infront of the National Catalan Museum. It was a gorgeous view overlooking the city at the top of the hill, with the colorful fountain show that played Spanish music synchronized with the water show.
barca3
barca4
Saturday
1. Sagrada Familia – 11:15 am
2. Chill bar – MUST GO FOR LUNCH
3. Gaudí House/ Park Guell – 17:00 pm
Saturday morning we took the metro to La Sagrada Familia which is an extremely famous cathedral in Barcelona. I can say, hands down that it is my favorite church I have ever been to. I have been to Notre Dame in Paris and several churches in Italy but this topped them all. My pictures will definitely not do it justice. It’s really hard to explain what it’s like at La Sagrada Familia because it is nothing I have ever seen before. The best way I can explain it is as something that belongs in It’s a Bug’s Life. The interior of the church is made of these columns of marble but look like they belong underground kind of like a cave. They also have a nice little spot in the back that plays a short documentary about the church in Spanish and in English that was very informative. It is very hard to get into, and I HIGHLY suggest booking tickets several days in advance for this. My friend and I booked La Sagrada Familia and Park Guell as one package and saved money that way – total price for 2 places per person was 17.50 euros.
La Sagrada Familia
We read restaurant reviews on TripAdvisor and found this fun place called Chill Bar a block or two away from La Sagrada Familia. I highly suggest going there. It’s this hidden away restaurant that has this cool eclectic feel. It’s like a lounge inside where the tables have either couches or cool comfy seats to sit in. They had amazing sangria and some of the best nachos I have ever had. When you go, get the nachos machos or something that’s 8€ and the option with carne chili, you won’t regret it.
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Park Guell has the famous mosaic animals and structures as well as the house, now a museum, of the architect of La Sagrada Familia, Antoni Gaudi. It is a pretty cool place that is free to enter but tickets are required for the museum of his house if you are interested in that. I found it interesting, but his house is really small so you could go through the whole thing and watch their documentary there in under half an hour. So not a big deal if you aren’t able to do it in my opinion.
Park Guell
The place we went for dinner was on the beach and made both my friend and myself sick after, so I will not give you the name of that as a recommendation.
Sunday
1. Museu Picasso – 11:15 am
2. Beach day
3. Seafood paella
4. Antilla Dance Club
For breakfast we tried this place called El Taller de Supan, a block away from La Sagrada Familia. It is a café that has every baked good you could want. I was quite pleased with their quiche and coffee, they also  sandwiches. If in the nieghborhood, I recommend going there for breakfast.
taller
The Picasso museum was nothing like I had expected. This single man, Picasso, produced over 4,000 works of art in his life time, and seeing his large variety was incredible. From drawings of farm life and country side, bronze casting of statue heads, paintings water colors and oil pantings of Madrid and Barcelona in they early 1900s, portraits of his family friends, and himself, and probably the most famous abstract art.
It was in the high 50s and a really beautiful sunny day. So after the Picasso Museum, my friend and I walked to the beach that is close by. On the way there, we stopped in a chocolate shop and I got this lemon cake dipped in chocolate fudge icing that was amazing. And then we grabbed BLT sandwiches to go , not very Spanish I am aware, and hit the beach. We sat on the beach eating french fries, BLTs, lemon chocolate cake, and drinking Coke. It was one of the best feelings. Italy is alot coolder than I had anticipated before coming here, and going to a beach with somewhat warm weather was exactly what I needed 2 months into winter.
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For dinner we met up with other girls in our study abroad program that were also traveling in Barcelona that day. They took us to this tiny and from what I understood, authentic Spanish restaurant. It was a pretty generic place from what I could see. I ordered seafood paella which is this famous Spanish dish of rice and lots of seafood all cooked together. It’s very common to find in Barcelona and I’m sure there are a hundred other restaurants there just like it. There was nothing that really stood out at this place, so I wouldn’t really recommend it.
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That night we went salsa dancing at this Latin Dance Club called Antilla. They have salsa dancing lessons during the day and only Latin music club at night on Sundays (other days too, check per season). It was really fun and I would recommend going with a large group of friends or significant other if you plan on trying it out without previous Latin dance experience. I felt out of place and had lots of people help and teach me some moves, but I would recommend doing some lessons before your trip to Spain if going out dancing is something that you would enjoy.
Monday
1. Las rambas street – boqueria market
*get a bag of fruit to munch on for the rest of your day’s or week’s adventures with a refreshing snack
 2. Bus tour – blue turistica don’t recommend
We went to La Boqueria Market on La Ramba Street on Monday morning and it was my favorite place in Barcelona other than La Sagrada Familia. It has every type of food you could ask for: a butcher shop, a fish stand, lots and lots of fruit stands, lots of smoothie and fresh fruit juice stands, chocolate stands, candy stands that are separate from chocolate stands, and so much more. I got a strawberry and banana smoothie which was amazing. At a fruit stand I got a cup of strawberries that was the most freshing thing I have had in awhile. In Italy they eat very few fruits and vegetables – salads are unheard of and never seen here. So I am definitely deprived of fiber and lots of other nutrients due to my constant pizza/pasta and gelato only consumption. I also had a banana and avocado the next day for breakfast from one of these stands and they were the best pieces of fruit I have ever had. My two cents:
 Do not get churros or eat at a restaurant that has a list of and pictures of their plates advertised outside.
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Barcelona was very touristy and not nearly as Spanish in style as I had expected. Only when I was in alleys and hidden away side streets did I feel like I was actually in Spain. The main city centers looked like places in Philly and D.C I have been to which was actually disappointing, looking for something new across the ocean. I would like to go back with a significant other and possibly my own family. It is pretty kid friendly but a great deal of references to marijuana and the largest distribution of condoms sold at little souvenir shops that I have ever seen. I was also not too pleased about the amount of extremely R or plus rated postcards that I didn’t find amusing at all – wanted to hide from little eyes.
Barcelona was a nice city, but definitely did not top Paris as my favorite place in Europe so far.
Onto my next post about London!

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Singing for Strangers

On Tuesday, February 23rd, I attended a Hudson Taylor concert at the Black Box Theatre, which is just a short walk from my apartment.  For any of you who don’t know, Hudson Taylor is an Irish band, formed by two brothers from Dublin, Alfie and Harry Hudson-Taylor.  I’ve been a fan of their music for years, but they aren’t very popular in the United States.  When I found out that they were playing a gig in Galway back in the fall of 2014, I bought tickets as soon as I could (which meant waking up early on a school day and ordering them on my phone… at the time, I wasn’t in the right time zone for getting them at a decent hour!).  Whenever I had anxieties about leaving home before coming to Ireland, I would remind myself that I had tickets to Hudson Taylor because I knew there was no way in the world I would ever miss that!

Three of my friends joined me: Amara, Kaity, and Kelly.  We got ready at my apartment before heading over to the venue early, but on the walk over, we got caught in a torrential downpour that made straightening my hair completely useless!  But we laughed it off and took a photo of ourselves to remember how we had been soaked by the Irish rain… and definitely not for the first time!

Two friends and I soaked by the Irish rain

Rain soaked, but still glad to be seeing Hudson Taylor!

Arriving early was definitely a good thing, as the concert was general admission, or standing room only.  The four of us were delighted when we entered the theatre and walked straight up to the front to claim our space.  We couldn’t have been any closer – front row was better than any of us had expected.  Needless to say, I was over the moon.

There were two opening acts, one of which was a band called Southern composed of a brother and sister from Belfast as well as a drummer and bassist from England.  They were really great and I definitely hope they gain popularity.  Below is a video of a song they performed at the concert:

After Southern finished, there was a period of excruciating anticipation while the stage was set up for Hudson Taylor.  In the interim, I tried to guess which of the brothers would be directly in front of us on stage, and I decided it was going to be Alfie because the microphone was shorter and Alfie’s instruments were eventually brought out and placed on our side.  And soon enough, my prediction came true.

Alfie singing right in front of me

Alfie Hudson-Taylor

Alfie took his place just in front of us as he, Harry, and their band started the concert with a high energy performance of “Just A Thought” – a song I’ve been singing so much that by now all my housemates should know the lyrics from memory.

Alfie and Harry Hudson Taylor performing right in front of us

Could we get any closer?

Fortunately for me, they played a bunch of my favorite songs, so I got to sing along very loudly.  Because of that, I’ll include a Hudson Taylor music video for you to watch instead of the ones I took from the concert… I didn’t realize how loud I was singing until I could hear myself on the video when I got home.  It’s equal parts embarrassing and funny, but it’s more pertinent for you to watch a video of Hudson Taylor, not Hudson Taylor featuring special guest Maddison.

The video I’ve included below will always hold a special place in my heart because it was filmed in Galway, not too far from where I’m living now.  As of late, I’ve adopted it as my Galway theme song, so it’s frequently listened to on my iPod on walks to and from class.  In fact, I had a conversation with a kid I met one night in a pub and we got talking about Hudson Taylor, and surprisingly enough he told me that he was there the day Hudson Taylor filmed this video.  Apparently, he was asked to spot Harry and Alfie when they jump in the water at the end of the video.  He could have been making it all up, of course, but part of me wants to believe it.  Even if it isn’t true, it makes a good story, so I’m sticking to it.

I didn’t want the concert to end, but the guys did mention that they would be going to the Roisin Dubh pub afterwards if any of us wanted to meet them there.  After singing, dancing, and cheering for hours, my voice was all but gone by the time the concert ended.  I booked it out of the theatre with my friends in tow so that we could stop by the merchandise stand and then get to the Roisin.  Luckily, I was already familiar with the Roisin and how to get there quickly, so Kaity, Kelly, and I made it there in record time.

The pub was packed when we arrived, as expected.  It took us 35 minutes just to weave through the crowds to get up to the bar.  After we all ordered drinks, we found a seat with a good view of the entrance so we could see if Alfie and Harry showed up.  After the better part of an hour, a lot of people started leaving, probably because they were impatient and didn’t think the guys were coming after all.  However, I was determined, so we enjoyed our drinks and our conversation, gleefully aware that the thinning crowd worked to our advantage.

Soon enough, I saw the band walk in the front door, so I assumed Alfie and Harry weren’t too far behind.  But then, I thought it would make sense for Alfie and Harry to come through a back door if their band came in the front, so I told Kaity to hold our seats at the bar while I checked the upstairs area for Alfie and Harry.  As soon as I reached the top of the stairs I ran into Harry, who was surrounded by girls… which made me cringe at the thought of being associated with fan girls, so I turned the corner instead and saw Alfie talking to a group of guys.  But I ended up catching Harry and having a conversation with him before a group of guys came over and asked me to take their photo with Harry.  I did and since I had asked Harry previously if I could get a photo with him, I thought one of the guys would take my photo for me.  Unfortunately, though, one of them dropped their glass and it shattered on the floor, so Harry was ushered to another location before I could catch him for a photo.

Though I was disappointed about that, later in the night I ended up standing next to Harry and talking to the drummer from Southern, Eoghan.  He was really nice and was also glad that I was having a Guinness, so we drank to that and to Southern’s successful performance that evening.  I still didn’t manage to get a picture with Harry – soon after, he left the Roisin, but I was glad I got to talk to him.

Meeting Alfie was my favorite part, though.  I just went up to him and said “Hi Alfie!” and we started talking.  He was really friendly; he gave me a hug when he found out I was from America and had been wanting to see them for such a long time.  He asked me my name and when I told him, he said that Maddison was a “lovely, beautiful name,” which, of course, made me melt! Alfie seemed really genuine – he even introduced himself to me and shook my hand (as if I didn’t already know who he was) and he kept using my name in conversation, which made me feel like I was having a chat with a friend.  He also got a little bit emotional when I told him I wished that their show would never end.  Similarly, he was humbled by the fact that I was American; it must have been amazing to realize that his music has a wider reach than expected.  After a quick photo and one more hug, we said goodbye, though I didn’t want to!

Alfie and me at the Roisin Dubh

Alfie and me hanging out at the Roisin Dubh

All in all, it was a great night that I will never forget.  My friends and I might be going to see Hudson Taylor again in early May, but this time we’ll take more friends along with us.  I’m sad that the concert is over, but I’m thankful I had the opportunity to see Hudson Taylor from the front row and meet them at a pub afterwards.  Only in Ireland!

Until next time,

Maddison


Location: Galway, Ireland

Hello Wicklow!

Last weekend I had the amazing experience of spending the weekend in Wicklow with my friend Sally and her family at their home in Baltinglass.  Three of my other American friends came, too, which made the weekend one of discovery and adventure for all of us.  Looking back, I can definitely say that last weekend was one of the best I’ve had in Ireland by far!

On Friday we boarded the train in Galway and traveled across the country to Kildare, where Sally’s mom picked us up and drove us to Baltinglass.  Once there, we were introduced to Sally’s family and were allowed to spend some time relaxing before heading down to the shop, which was only a two minute walk from Sally’s front door.  At the shop we picked up ingredients to make brown bread, which is a staple in Ireland and is served as a side to many dishes.  It’s also a bread I have fallen completely in love with and plan to make at home.  Thankfully, Sally’s mom gave us her recipe.

Our brown bread baking in the oven.

Brown bread baking in the oven!

Sally then set us all to work – we teamed up and began making a loaf of brown bread each.  Team Mary and Kelly competed against Team Maddison and Nicky… and things got pretty competitive.  In the end, though, Sally and her mom said that it was a tie because both loaves of brown bread turned out well.

Two fully baked loaves of brown bread sitting out on the kitchen counter.

Two perfect loaves of brown bread!

The next day we woke up early, got ready, and headed out to Glendalough, which is a national park in Wicklow with medieval monastic origins.  Sally drove and I read the map to ensure we knew how to get to and from where we were going.  A lot of the roads we drove on were narrow country or mountain roads with a lot of hills, so even the ride to Glendalough was really fun. Before we arrived in Glendalough, Sally stopped to let us have a look at the incredible beauty of the Wicklow mountains.

A mountain with fog overlay at the top.

A lovely view on a foggy day.

Once we arrived at Glendalough, we walked around the grounds, taking in all of the natural wonder and history of the site.  A large, old cemetery takes up a large portion of the land; it is eerily beautiful.  Some of my favorite parts were visiting the immensely large round tower and attempting to get my arms around Saint Kevin’s cross, which is a large stone Celtic cross that visitors hug in an attempt to get their fingers to meet around it.

Me with my arms wrapped around a large stone cross.

I didn’t quite get my fingers to touch, unfortunately!

Me with my arms around a smaller stone cross.

Luckily I found one that was more suited to my size.

We also visited the lakes around Glendalough and were overwhelmed by how picturesque the views were.  It was easy to see why scenes from the movie “Leap Year” were filmed at the upper lake in Glendalough – cameras simply can’t capture how breathtaking it is to stand at the bottom and look out at the lake and up at the mountains.

A lake with mountains and blue skies in the background.

The Upper Lake at Glendalough.

After we spent hours walking around Glendalough, we all boarded our lovely coach and drove to Avoca, which is another town in Wicklow.  Avoca is better known to some as Ballykissangel, which was a television series filmed in Avoca in the 90’s.  The town was called the fictional name Ballykissangel in the show, but Avoca, looking vastly unchanged, still represents its claim to fame today.

A sign reading "Ballykissangel" on a panel at the front of the pub.

Ballykissangel sign at the front of Fitzgerald’s Pub.

My parents and I watched Ballykissangel back home and really enjoyed it, so naturally I was very excited to be visiting Avoca.  It was strange to arrive in a town and know exactly where everything was and how to get around, even though I’ve never been there before.  We walked up and down the main street, admiring the quaint atmosphere and then eventually stopping into the most recognizable film location, Fitzgerald’s Pub.

Me standing outside of Fitzgerald's Pub.

I was so glad to be at Fitzgerald’s!

Once inside, my friends and I enjoyed chocolate cake and Guinness (the epitome of health!) while watching Ballykissangel on a television that the pub plays on a loop.  There were also several decorations around the pub that denoted its involvement in the show.  I was a little bit disappointed because the main bar area is where most of the show was filmed, but I couldn’t sit in that area because there was a rugby match on and the bar was full of people who were invested in nothing but ensuring a good view of the television.  But even so, it was really cool to see how all the locals gathered in the pub to watch a match, just like many of the characters did in Ballykissangel.

Me standing with a Guinness in the front bar of the pub.

Standing proudly in the front bar area where much of Ballykissangel was filmed.

We left Avoca and headed back to Sally’s, where we got fish and chips from the “chipper” just down the road from her house.  We were all really hungry, so we were glad to see that the portions were generous.  They were, by far, the best fish and chips I’ve had in Ireland so far… I might have to stop back sometime or ask Sally to bring some to Galway!

Thanks for reading about my adventures in Wicklow!

-Maddison


Location: County Wicklow, Ireland