Welcome to: Galicia!

Hey there friends, and family, (and maybe strangers),

So I just threw that Barcelona blog post onto the web...Im so sorry its been so long until that one...I am alive, well, and currently travelling through the lovely province of Galicia: which, fun fact is the only province of spain which always has been a Matriarchal (sp?) province...interesting yeah? (I think so)

My current thought: why the heck do they need so many churches and cathedrals? I mean its really a little frustrating to think about the millions upon millions of dollars that is being put into the churches which the church really could be using to change the world...sorry, I´m not anti church or religion by a long shot, but I think Jesus wouldve preferred the millions of dollars go to help people than to build golden crucifixes...I just don´t get it...

Okay, one of my friends is waiting for the computer so I  have to jet now. I´ll type more about what I did in Galicia when I get back to Salamanca Monday.

oh and fun fact of the day: I get absolutely terrified when I´m lost...yes I´m 20 years old and I still just don´t handle being alone and fending for myself very well...don´t judge.

Love you all muchisimo!!
Rachel

Because 'stranger danger' is quite the understatement...

Fun fact of the day: My favorite tv station is the Disney Channel (second place goes to ABC family)

So Natalie and I travelled to Barcelona this past weekend together, which was amazing!!!!! The weather was beautiful and the city was cool. (although it was really touristy, and I think english may have been more common than castellano...) We went to this really cool park called park Guell which had the most amazing tiles (like mosaic esque tiles....work slash design of Gaudi maybe? I was really confused if he designed the park or what....) we also went shopping in Barcelona which was fun. I bought a dress.... what what?

Things that freaked me out about Barcelona...basically just the strangers in the hostel. They were totally legit, but I woke up in the morning with stranger feet a mere like 3 to 4 inches from my face....if any of you know my feelings about feet then you know what that was like for me...oh yeah, and someone stole my bed...so I had to take the most vulnerable bed of the hostel room...the bottom bunk right in front of the door...

Its kind of funny...I dont know if anyone else has stereotypes about Spain slash Europe like I did...but when I think of Spain I think of cathedrals and really really old buildings, I dont think of like modern cities...that´s what Barcelona was. Me and Natalie may or may not have galavanted (sp?) through the Barcelona streets singing Cheetah Girls (anyone who thinks they´re judging negatively right now...youre actually feeling jealous, and my advice is you get on youtube and watch¨´strut´ if you want to basically experience what we were doing)  (PS side note: Mrs. Hartmann, I´m really sorry that there hasn´t been a blog lately, I´m trying to catch up so that you can be updated on Natalie´s life... ;)  )

But that´s all for now about Barcelona. I want to put up pics but I will have to do it later, because I´m using the hotel computer... Hasta pronto!

Rachel

Natalie-Rachel Barcelona :)

It is currently 4:56 and in less than an hour I will be on board a train headed to Madrid. I will then be passing the night in the Madrid airport with tres amigos and tomorrow morning me and Natalie head to Barcelona!! (Hah we keep saying Natalie-Rachel Barcelona, like the movie I think called "Vicky-Christina Barcelona...something like that...Our trip is going to be NOTHING like that, but we're still gonna steal the name...) I am soooo excited! After this week, I feel quite entitled to a vacation ;)

I know I know, you're probably thinking, "shut up Rachel- you're in Spain, your life is a vacation right now" to which I would respond with nothing but laughter. I got my exams back this week...um...embarassing story- it started with everyone having to meet with our Art and Architecture professor to just discuss how we're doing...it ended with me in tears in his office after receiving a 60 on my midterm and having him tell me that my Spanish is just deficient in terms of grammar and expression. The saddest part of this experience is that I worked really hard for that 60...talk about a blow to the ego. (Mom, Dad, please don't freak out about that...I'm trying my best, so let's just not ever talk about this and just hope it works out...) I did get an 85 on my Latin America presentation and my Latin America exam...so that's good :) but yeah- academically; this week just really sucked.

And then I was trying to apply for this internship, and my comp deleted it the first time around...that was awesome...so I just went on a wild goose chase trying to find internet to submit it, and ended up spending 4 euros ($6) to get that submitted...I had to go to two cafes, because the first one after they said they had internet...well the internet was not working...convenient. But anyhow, that is submitted. And my fingers are crossed. I'm feeling good about it though- because I was able to mention Ashton Kutcher and wedding cakes- and if that doesn't scream "Hire me!" then I don't know what does!!!

Okay, I have to jet back home, or I am seriously going to miss my train to Madrid! t-minus 50 minutes til take-off! But I wanted to just post real quick, because it's been a while since I've talked to a lot of people, and I wanted to let you all know that I'm still alive and making it!! I will post again when I get back from Madrid!!

I love you all muchisimo!!!!
<3 Rachel

Daytrip to Arribes

Let me tell you about the most awesome daytrip ever...It started off with a 2 hour boat ride down the river separating Portugal and Spain...All I need to say about that is: GORGEOUS!!

We also passed this green covered rock face which had a '2' on it...legend has it that if you are a girl and you don't see the 2, you're never getting married. But have no fears, friends, I did see the 2 :) (Giovanna wasn't so happy with the '2' situation...)

Next up we went to a Vinyard and tasted wine slash got an informative tour of the production process line (whatever you call that...) in the winery. (and tried the wine)



After that, it was lunch time! (Yum) And the highlight of my dining experience: Jeff broke a wine glass; the stem just snapped...The most terrified look right at Javier...bahahahahahahahaha mental image which I hope will last forever! (sorry Jeff)

Next up we headed to this like underground wine-society winery. That was so cool. I don't like wine that much, but I still want an underground wine distillery...it was soooo cool. (Perhaps this is what the Wake tunnels really are....is that why they don't let us in?)

We finished off the day with a museum-esque visit, and a trip to the dam. So pretty!! I loved Arribes!!

(I mean, just look how happy I was!)

Anyhow, exam manana!! (Y paper for tuesday!) so I must be off!

Abrazos,

Rachel

Oh yeah, PS: Fun fact of the day: I don't really like watching movies without doing something (I get bored and lose interest)...so I normally make friendship bracelets, crochet or work on homework in front of the tv if a movie's on.

rif -raf (shout out to Nataliaaa)

fun fact of the day: The only days that I have absolutely no inhibitions on wearing sweats in public is days when I have tests. (I think sometimes comfort trumps appearance completely)

So in case you can't guess what I'm wearing right now....boom! sweats :) I turned in my paper and just finished my two exams...the first one...well....uhhhh, we had to identify the style of the building based on the image we were shown. We were shown five images and I think I owned four of them...but then along came number five...I just said the completely wrong style and wrote about all these things that were just wrong...so that was really sad...

And then I went to business exam...50% was a take home essay question, I think that part went well. then there were multiple choice, which was not too bad. And then we arrive at the true or falses. Let me tell you a story called "I HATEEEE true and false questions..." why, you ask? well the style of true and false questions is that if they're false you have to say why. So sometimes I know something's wrong, but I can't correct it, because I don't know what it's supposed to be...so, I'll report back when I recieve the results of this experience...Or I'll just never mention anything if they're too terrible, and hopefully you'll all forget about this post ;)

How did we fix the test slump? a post test strawberry/whipped cream extravaganza! WOOHOO! How am I further going to ammend this situation?- NATALIE RACHEL SHOPPING TRIP!!!! Oh heyyyyyyy. Yup its gonna be a great afternoon! And out to Chinese with the ammended fantastic four!!! And then to Arribes tomorrow! THIS IS THE LIFE!! (and then studying like a lunatic for the rest of the weekend, because I have these fun little things called another exam and 5 pager next week!!! huzzah!)

In this moment I feel dirty (yeah I didn't mention, I really don't shower the night before or morning of a test...hygeine goes right out the window with exams), I'm sleepy, and I'm in sweats- But can I just tell you, in this moment I feel completely perfect- I don't feel stressed, I'm not worried, I feel good. I love that. I love this :)

And furthermore I love you all!!

Have a beautiful Thursday!!
<3 Rachel

so...about those things called midterms...

fun fact of the day: I hate bridges. I get outrageously unsettled everytime I have to drive over a bridge- and I strongly dislike walking under bridges...which I do at least 4 times a day here...

And now for the post. Last week, this week and next week are just this god-awful string of midterm/paper-laden horrors. Tomorrow I have exams in Art&Architecture, and Business. I also have a 2000 word paper due tomorrow...Im at 800 words right now...So that's fun...I was outrageously productive yesterday, now i just need for that to carry through the day and night today. I'm skipping Bible Study today, and staying at the centro to hopefully finish my paper. Goal is to be done by 5 PM- (right now its 2 PM my time...that means I have to average 400 words per hour. Thats not hard at all- its just finding the thoughts thats the tricky part (and figuring out how to effectively relay those thoughts...). I feel outrageously calm for my current position... (Which I mean I'm glad for...I just find it odd...)

But I do have some wonderful things ahead that are really making me maintain happiness- Friday we're going to Arribes, which I guess is just absolutely beautiful (it's kind of one of those just pretty, nature places I think?) And we're hitting up a vineyard, and taking a boat ride- so that's pretty awesome. And then next week after one exam and one paper come Thursday- BOOM.  Barcelona!  So  things are looking good!!

And now I best get going on my paper or I am never going to meet my goal...Oh, want a visual aid of my paper topic???:

What you're looking at right there is the fachada of The Saint Sebastian Convent...good stuff yeah? yeah? Anyone interested in reading 7 pages about in Spanish, I got the hook up! ;)

All right, Hasta luego!
Rachel

Dancing: the universal language

GREAT NEWS! In the cyclical relationship that I have with my hermanitos, we are currently in the good part of the cycle of mutual like and respect! Which means today I am very very happy!!! So I had this ribbon that had been tied around the flowers that I was keeping, because Im drying the flowers, but was going to re-tie them when they're dry. So I left the ribbon on my desk, but told Natalia she could borrow it because she needed something red to serve as a penalty flag while we played soccer. Well, without asking she went and cut it to fit size for what she wanted, so when she came back, and I saw it was cut, I was like, "oh no, you cut it?" and I was kind of expecting her to just be obnoxious, but instead she responded: "Ay Dios! Te valia?" which means like, 'oh my gosh, was it important/special to you?' and so I said yes, I was saving it, and she just got the saddest look on her face...she felt so bad, and started just apologizing a million times and saying she didn't realize it was special. Obviously I told her it was fine, and honestly it is fine. It made me so happy to see that she does care that she doesn't disrespect me or my things, because every now and again it does not seem to be the case.

Then we ate dinner (turkey sandwiches! THATS RIGHT---NOT HAM!!!!! :)  ) And after diner comes the highlight of my host family experience thus far: 2 straight hours of playing 'Just Dance' on Wii. (Sidenote: I don't normally brag, but I won almost every time...except for this stupid song called 'mashed potato time' which just had a god-awful rythm (if you can even call it that) that I could not master...) It's all english songs, which made it really fun!! They love the song 'girls just wanna have fun' and I think we did that dance 8-10 times. But I loved it. I really really hope that we get to play the dance game like every night from now on, that would just make my life so great!! It was so cool that even though I feel like the majority of the time we have serious communication issues, that that has no effect on our ability to have a ridiculously good time dancing together!

Anyhow I gotta jet home in case we get to dance again!! Oh and, I forgot about giving fun facts about myself last blog, right after I said I was going to in each blog, so two fun facts:

1. I love dried mango but I ABHOR fresh mango (it literally makes me gag)
2. I hate vanilla scented things- air fresheners, candles etc...I think it's overwhelming and I sometimes get nauseous if there's a continual vanilla scent (ie; those air fresheners that continuously spray)

all righty thats all for now!!
abrazos,

Rachel