15 Hours and Counting

My suitcase is packed. I called the taxi company and reserved one for tomorrow morning at 5am. Finally got through to confirm my seat on the shuttle service that will take me from the taxi to the airport (because Madrid has a great transportation system, unless you need to get ANYWHERE between the hours of 1:30 and 6am- and then its nearly impossible). Then I weighed my bags, and converted from kilos.

Friends are already on spring break. Elvira is out partying. Mom is on a plane. (sigh) Maybe ill paint my nails and watch 30 Rock with hilarious Spanish subtitles?

T-minus 12 hours and 30 minutes unil takeoff. 15 hours until Munich/Mom.

You Know What I Like...

Almost 2 months now and I've achieved "Regular"-status. Renee and I walked into the cafe across the street from the university for our usual midafternoon pick-me-up, and the bartender came around the bar, pulled out our stools, and before we could even sit down, our fresh cafe con leches were placed in front of us-- mine without sugar, of course. SIKE, I wish. Today, she recognized us though and remembered we took our cafe with hot milk. baby steps.

Actually, I go to the same fruteria every week, and the cashier and I exchange knowing smiles every Monday after my 8am class. I did get free garlic one time...or maybe it's just procedure when a customer only wants 2 cloves. (side note: at said fruteria, I bought 2 artichokes for the first time this week to experiment with- not sure if theyre worth the cutting process)

And its really cute- every time I go to tutor, I can hear the boys running to the door screaming "Bonnie" when I ring the doorbell.

I guess I have to stay here forever.

Procrastinating

This is monumental- the first blog post that's a product of procrastination. A first really because I haven't had work to procrastinate with and now I have a paper due tomorrow! Its not that the paper is in Spanish, thanks to Gtown's Spanish Department- done that, and surely it can't be the article written in English that I have to read for the paper... yeah, nope, it's the English part. "Mr. Turkentine", this is asburd- just because it's written in English doesn't mean I understand complex mathematical models of organizational structure optimization.

I guess it takes a lot of the fun out of procrastinating if I talk about it the whole time! So... today I took a quick 5 hour break from the paper to go to my intercambio's house to make paella with her family. It was soooo good. They went all out too...when I got there, her mom had set everything out cooking-show style and the counter was covered with mounds of different types of seafood. I was in heaven. She gave me her secret recipe, so if I can get my hands on a really big pan, I'll make it at home! It made a ton of paella too, and she started to make a salad, so I thought wow this is going to be a lot of food. Then she brought out the bread- this was getting ridiculous. And then, for dessert I had brought little pastries, so I thought she went into the kitchen to get those after we finished...but she came out with a huge fruit basket instead. I can't resist the pears here (have I mentioned how good they are?- unlike at home when 95% of the time they taste like a water-flavored rock). Maybe this food coma is why it's so diffcult to focus.

Oh and before I took this ^ break, I took a 2 hour break with Alex to grab coffe at this really neat cafe called Cafe El Espejo. Its in the middle of the street (kinda) and the whole dining room is a peninsula of glass. Anyways, I was in a fancy-mood and didn't want the everyday cafe con leche, so I closed my eyes and picked one off the list. I asked for cafe ruso, and after I went back to my table, I realized ruso=russian=vodka. nasty. I got it, and it was in an obnoxious goblet with some ice cream in the center--- drinking it was so sweet that I second-guessed the vodka. Then I got home and looked it up- yep- espresso, vanilla ice cream, and vodka. I wouldn't recommend it.

Dreams- Do your part to stop the nightmares

The past week the weirdest thing has been happening... I wake up with a distant sense of homesickness for no reason other than a dream I had the night before. Unfortunately, I only party remember one: I was staying with the Palmers and they were eating the same frozen seafood meals that I eat here (note: I don't actually eat frozen seafood meals in Spain, only in dreamworld Spain).

So over breakfast, I try to figure out whats causing that fleeting pang of homesickness; and then I remember, oh wait, no Im in Spain and definitely not homesick, and I get on with my day. Maybe my dreams are telling me I am just really ready for my mom to visit (it's only next week!).

So, I had an idea when my mom was compiling the list for her to pack of all of the things I left at home. Aside from my summer clothes, highlighters, and some Reeses cups, I left all my friends and family home too (aww). To bring all of you here with me, anyone and everyone who wants please e-mail my dad with one song (title and artist) as a piece of home. He will download all of them onto a mix cd and my mom will bring it on Saturday when she comes to visit. So, whoever you are- Family, Friends, Rando Pedofile, e-mail your song contribution to my dad at burgesshome@verizon.net ASAP (definitely by Wednesday next week) because I would really love to have a piece of you here with me! I know my relatives will have the e-mail sent before I even have a chance to post this blog entry, so especially my friends, just do it. Thanks guys.

They're taking me to Marrakesh- All aboard that train

Oh where do I begin?! The trip started off on a really bad note, with Mikey not able to go because of those Florida tornados and our train from Casablanca to Marrakesh cancelled for 2.5 hours BUT the trip was so incredible, Alex and I are looking into going back again later this semester. We realized on our way home that we hit all 3 "goals" we made waiting in the airport:

1. Drink some orange juice (check- twice once with our breakfast, and once mixed in a fru fru drink with vanilla ice cream)
   
2. Hang out on the rooftops (check- hostel pm and am plus the terrace cafes overlooking Djemaa el-Fna)
   
3. Meet cool people (check- plane friend, train friends, and of course our peace corps boys)

So, while waiting in Casablanca for our train, Alex and I decided to go up to the American we noticed on the first train to see if he knew anything about the delay. (Meet Joe)--- we're really glad we did. Turns out Joe is in the peace corps volunteering in the mountains just outside of Marrakesh and was heading into the city to meet his friends (Brian and Blake). Aside from speaking the local dialect, giving us Harira recipes, and being personal wikipedias, they were awesome to hang out with and really made the trip.

Alex and I had booked a hostel in advance, but instead of trying to find it in the dark, down narrow back alleys, we decided to skip out and book at our new friends' hostel, Sindi Sud, once we found out it was cheaper, had a terrace, and it easy to remember (Cindy Sue). We were all starving, so we went to the tents in the main square that were still cooking away at midnight. We ate with Brian's tajine-guy and had the best first Moroccan meal anyone could ask for- harira, tagine, tanjia, and pastilla. (I bought some tagine spices the next day at the market- and now everything in my backpack smells wonderfully of Morocco- yum). Then, the view of Marrakesh from our hostel terrace was the perfect end to a very hectic day.

Saturday, the guys were only planning on having breakfast with us, because they were going to the beach with friends, but some plans changed and they were able to hang out with us all day. For breakfast, I got some of the famous mint tea- and it was great minus the 8.5 cups of sugar they put in. Then we walked through the market, which I swear was the same one alley that we paced for 2 hours, but then the alley dumped into a small square with hanging dead animals everywhere, Rahban Qedima, which a guidebook aptly described as Harry Potter's Diagon Alley. I was set on seeing some gardens, so we went to the Koutoubia mosque, and walked through and saw local woman picking oranges. For lunch, we tried another Moroccan essential, Chwarma, aka gyro, followed by some black market ice cream since it was "out of season". We toured the Bahia Palace, and then sat on a terrace above the square.

The boys left us to go to Agadir- we were seriously thinking about blowing our flight and going to the beach with them. (Im regretting not thinking even harder about that now- Moroccan beach sounds too good right now). So Alex and I were on our own for the first time, and we went around and did some more in-depth shopping-- I got some almonds (unlike the ice cream, they're in season) and some Fatima hand earrings. Thank you China for the haggling skillz. Then we got attacked my some children after I tried to take a picture of a 3 year old peeing into the garden fountain- Alex and I are pretty sure that's when she got the 2 napkins in her back pocket pickpocketed. suckers. We were in love with the terrace overlooking the square, so we went to another to watch Djemaa el-Fna at night.

Sunday morning we planned to catch the train back to Casablanca at 7am to make our flight and account for any more unnanounced 3 hour train delays. I woke up to check the time and it was 6:47 am. I still don't know how we packed up the room and paid for the hostel, but at 6:53 we were running through the alley, dodging small children, and stumbled into the taxi men's morning tea at the mouth of the square. We sprinted alongside the driver to get to his cab, and he whisked us to the train station. We were running into the station at 7am and got on just as the train pulled away. (Im still amazed Alex and I are not stuck in Marrakesh crying right now). The ride back was smooth and we got to see all of the beautiful countryside we missed coming in on the late night train. We also met 2 of the most hospitable and sweetest Moroccan girls.

This recap does not do our short but jam-packed Moroccan adventure justice and Im not completely satisfied:

What is the feeling when you're driving away from people, and they recede on the plain til you see their speacks dispersing?- it's the too huge world vaulting us, and it's good-bye. But we lean forward to the next crazy adventure beneath the skies. -Jack Kerouac via Alexandra Koys

Por quién doblan las campanas

Milestone number 987324 complete. I finally finished the book I started on the plane over here- For Whom the Bell Tolls. It was so sad, but so good. Loved it because:

• It takes place in Spain, and in case you forgot, Im here too. Somehow reading a novel set in the place youre traveling makes the book and the traveling that much better. I've read pleanty that are set in DC, but its another thing to live in Spain and read a book which refers to the iron gates that surround el parque del retiro. <--- I GO THERE

• The obsession here with Hemingway adds to the authenticity. Every other old cafe boasts, "Ernest Hemingway once sat on this stool right here and drank out of this exact cup- he may or may not have used our bathroom too". His presence is overhyped, but sitting in a smoky cafe reading his book does feel pretty authentic.
  

• I never read for pleasure while Im in school because I feel like I can never fully enjoy it. But lets be real, school has been limited to just attending class, so far. (I actually did get a legit assignment yesterday...so hopefully my luck isn't up.)
  

But, just in case it is- I didn't waste any time deciding on my next book. I brought about 4 other books with me that are sitting on my shelf, but as I was reading this last one, I decided Im not helping the Spanish immersion with the books in English (addionally all future blogging will be in Spanish), so I made my Spanish friend, Ana, take me to a used Spanish book store. We browsed the kids section for a "young adult" novel and selected 2 intended for ages 10 and up. Part of my book-selection criteria: a cover without cartoon animals, and font no bigger than size 20.

*A lot of people have asked about the baby. From what I hear, he's doing well- still haven't met him myself though!

Jet-setting

In 4 short days I will be taking my first international trip since Ive been in Spain. We're going to Morocco!!!!!!!! A few weeks ago late one night, Alex was looking on the internet and found a flight for 50 euro, so we bought it on the spot in case the deal didn't last. In our spontaneity, we failed to notice that Casablanca, our destination in Morocco, is highly unrecommended for tourists wishing to experience Morocco. Our travel plan failure is like Love Actually, when Colin goes to America; Im flying to the Wisconsin of Morocco. So, instead of being stuck there, we're getting off the plane in Casablanca and hopping on a train straight to Marrakesh. It's going to be a short trip, but I can't wait.

The following weekend is a festival in Valencia called Las fallas. Basically they light huge paper-mache figures on fire while everyone parties in the street. Some friends and I are buying our bus tickets tonight. This one is going to be a better planned Cadiz- It's organized by a company so hopefully we are there on the right day for the actual celebration!! We leave on a Friday morning, go to the beach-eat some paella- and then at midnight the burning begins. Then, our bus leaves at 2:30am back for Madrid.

I am headed to Amsterdam in the end of April! This one is farther away, so it's not fully planned- don't even have a hostel yet. but I WILL be doing a bike tour through the city.

ANDDDDDD of course Spring Break with da mama. Munich/greater Bavarian countryside for 4 days= castles and beer, and then Prague= more castles and more beer, and then Madrid!= all the restaurants I can't afford and parks.

I want to go to Istanbul too, but I think Id have to live on the street for a month to afford it.

Baby Baby Baby

Elvira came home early today, which isn't especially unusual for a Friday, but today it was at 11am. She announced that her daughter, Blanca, was in the hospital and was ready to have her baby TODAY! I can't wait for baby Tomas to come, so I cannot even imagine how excited Elvira must be to have her first grandchild. --she did look pretty excited as she skipped out the door. I want to be at the hospital with all of them!!! Instead, I'm inside watching Family Matters dubbed in Spanish. I guess understand why I wasn't invited though- I mean, I wouldn't invite me either. "Hey mom, you should definitely invite that foreign girl who lives in your house to the birth of my first child." I guess Ill just search for a store where I can buy some blue balloons to decorate the house until it's time to go to photography class.

Profesor

You know how sometimes someone you know looks creepily similar to someone else? Well if Mr. Turkentine from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Facotry and my dad reproduced...

Meet Profesor Vara, my professor for business strategy:

I cannot focus in his class now because it creeps me out. And I find myself doing professor-celeb comparisons in all of my classes- although nothing Ive thought of is nearly as dead on as this is. Profesor Vara is a pure physical combination (especially if I had a picture of my dad 20 years ago) of these two, AND has the exact personality of Mr. Turkentine: he's energetic, blunt, expressive, and witty. Somehow I'm going to take a picture of my professor to prove it.