“I can’t use Francs! I’m not in France!!!”

Fun fact of the post: There are 27 countries in the European Union. I think three of them use their own unique currency: One of those is Switzerland. They use the franc. France on the other hand uses Euros. The quote which entitles this post is from the one and only Natalie, who made this intelligent comment after spending about 2 days in Switzerland and France and being fairly familiar with the way everything was working. This is why we’re friends J

Thursday night we landed in Switzerland. (And then crossed the border to our hotel in France…what what?) Random tidbit: crossing that border is basically like crossing towns in the states…I mean, they had a little booth thing, but half the time no one was there, so anyone really could’ve come or go to Switzerland and France as they pleased…I guess border control isn’t an issue here?

Friday morning we arose bright and early and had croissants in France (okay okay technically we bought them in France and ate them in Switzerland…but hey, French croissants: que guay!!) [side note: other highlights of food origins: we ate French fries in France, and Swiss chocolate in Switzerland…so that was cool] and then we headed into downtown Geneva and walked around to see all the best that Geneva had to offer. We ended up going to a botanical garden (love gardens) and also passed by the UN Headquarters. (that doesn’t look nearly as cool as you would imagine…its basically some big cement buildings, gated off and guarded).

And then in the afternoon we went to Montreaux (which is on the other side of Lake Geneva). That was absolutely amazing! Everything was just soooo beautiful. We took like an hour long walk along the lake over to a castle. During this walk we had the most gorgeous views of the lake with the snow-covered mountains and all kinds of flowers; it was just one of those scenes that looks like it came right from a movie, or a magazine or something. Sigh.

For those who regularly follow the blog...yeah, these are the pants...

Saturday quite possibly was one of the most memorable days of my life. We took a bus to Chamonix (France) where we took a cable lift thing (I don’t know what those guys are called…) up to the top of Mont Blanc (the tallest peak of the Alps, and I think the tallest mountain in all of Europe). The view from up there-sighhhhh- just indescribable. In every direction there were just mountain ranges of snow covered peaks. As far as you could see. It was just awe-inspiring.

Those people that you see are the skiers preparing to descend

All for one...one for all!!

Afterwards, we went to a glacier, and walked around an ice cave! That was so crazy- like, I stood inside a glacier…

Preparing to enter the glacial cave

This is glaciar...I know, it looks like mountain...do not be fooled!

It’s so funny, like I’m here doing these things that are just unbelievable. These are things that I would probably say, “that’d be cool to do someday”, but I’m actually doing them. That’s actually the same reason I started a bucket list…because why let fear or excuses stop us doing from the things we want to do? Speaking of bucket list though: the low of the trip:

All I had to do was touch the little bugger and I could've checked something off my list!! DANGIT!

Anyhow, on Sunday we didn’t have too much time, so we stuck around Geneva. We went and got starbucks (yummm…although I’m not telling you how much we paid for that lovely experience) and went and sat in a gazebo in the park area overlooking the lake and just spent a couple hours chatting and enjoying the scene.

But yeah, so that about sums up the trip to Switzerland. Oh no it doesn’t- I forgot to mention the unfortunate situation, entitled, “my debit card wouldn’t work, and neither would my ATM card”…should have probably checked on card functionability before heading to a new country…Stressful situation- I hate money…But I love my friends who make sure it all works out J (thanks!!)

Welp, time to head off to business class! Hasta pronto!

I love you guys!

Rachel

Catching up on Galicia trip!

Hey there,

So I never did talk about Galicia, which did seem like a very important thing to catch up on!! We spent the entire weekend travelling through Galicia (the province up in the Northwest, above Portugal). It was such a great trip! We did a lot of touring Cathedrals and what not. (which were beautiful, don't get me wrong...I'm a little bit cathedral-ed out at this point) I think Javier knows we've basically reached our limit with cathedrals... how do we know this? Well, he planned us a boat trip, which basically involved a few hours on a boat with mussels and wine. Oh heyyy. And we also went to a "chocolate museum" which basically translated to listening for 5 mins about the history of chocolate making in Spain, and then eating chocolate...so that was amazing. We also went to Coruna where I caught up with the lovely Kelsey Cappetta and Nora Marino. (oh heyyy) . Okay some Galicia pics:

Hercules Tower!

My first mussell...I know, attractive!!!

<3 <3 <3

 Let me tell you about the higlight of my Spain experience thus far: You may remember a certain goal I set a few weeks back, regarding learning the "Waka Waka" Zumba dance...Well friends, let me tell you, I did that successfully. The highlight...while we were on our boat, all of a sudden they start playing it. Boom. I danced the Waka Waka (full dance) on the top deck of this boat. Photographic evidence:

Waka Waka :)

  Javier seemed to flash a couple dirty looks my way...I think he may have thought I was slightly intoxicated...nope. That was a 1000% sober decision and dance...which normally I probably wouldn;t have the confidence to dance in front of about 25 people, but this was one of those opportunities that you just gotta seize! Wanna see what my mood is like at this moment?

Sheer joy and excitement :)

Why am I filled with sheer joy? I basically have a weekend with no work, to be spent with two wonderful friends in the lovely land of GENEVA, SWITZERLAND!!!!!! Oh heyyy!!!We're gonna hopefully knock some bucket list goals off! (Oh in case I didnt mention it, I started a bucket list...so far its about 40 items strong!) Additionally, we will hopefully be intaking massive amounts of swiss chocolate (yummmmmm).
Today, in this moment, life is perfect. Absolutely perfect. How did I get to be so lucky? I won't be posting again until Monday! So have a beautiful weekend!

Love,
Rachel

Hasta nunca pantalones de Saggy Butt!!

Hey there,

So before I talk about my weekend trip to Galicia, I'm going start with some advice, rather than a fun fact for the post: My advice is, if you are headed for an extended period of time to a place where you know you will be doing outrageous amounts of walking, you really should bring pants a size smaller than what you wear. I know you would probably think, hey I'm going to an established, commercial, and fashion-oriented country, so hey, I can just buy stuff there if need be...it's less fun than you might think.

Good news: I'm down two pants sizes from when I left the states.
Bad news: pants options. I think there exist 4 options for females who don't want to wear skirts or dresses:
1. tights under shorts- my opinion: dumb. It's not warm enough. And I think tights belong under skirts or dresses and not shorts.  (my afterthought: this would allow me to extend my no-shave timeframe by a good 2 months if I adopted this style trend...is that why people do it? Is the whole european female population ahead of me on that one?)
2. Skinny jeans (of the suffocating variety)- my opinion: There are pants that just no one looks good in. No one. It doesn't matter your size, shape, gender. If your pants are too tight that you have lost your ability to move in a normal manner, then you really shouldn't wear them.
3. skinny jeans (of the almost-breathable variety)- my opinion: I'm taking the 5th on this one...
4. cross-dressing- my opinion: the most desirable of the four, but also the least socially acceptable.

You are now reading the blog post of a proud owner of 2 pairs of the number 3 variety. These are the tightest pants I've ever owned. I would put a picture, but I'm hoping to lose another 10 lbs or so before anyone dare take a picture of me in those pants. (But honestly, Europe offers few pant-ing options, so its really not my fault!.)  --I just couldn't wear saggy-butt jeans anymore!! (and I dont know how much longer my friends could've tolerated me whining about my saggy-butt jeans)

I just re-read this and decided it's fairly long, and so I'm going to postpone my discussion of Galicia to tomorrow's blog! (because while I would love nothing more than to sit here blogging all day, I do have to finish reading a novel (only 60 pages more) before tomorrow)

Amor!
Rachel

Barcelona Pics :)

Catching up...here are some picture highlights of the Barcelona experience:

Have you seen "Home Alone"?....Pigeon woman in training...

La Sagrada Familia (Gaudi's famous cathedral)

Me and Sammy absolutely annihilating the best meal ever! Yummmm

Lost in the maze (more or less)

Park Guell (recognize this from Cheetah Girls?)

One of my favorite bench sections.

My favorite wall tile mosaic part...

More of Park Guell

This is beneath the benches you saw above

Las Ramblas (main road of Barcelona)

At the Water. Que bonito!

Oh, and my fun fact of the day: When I feel like I'm in physical danger I close my eyes and wait until it passes (which I recognize is not a good thing)...(yeah I have a story about getting pounced by this ferocious dog in the park)

But I'm fine. No permanent harm on that one, so all is well.

Hasta muy muy pronto (a causa de estoy para poner el post de Galicia :p)

Rachel

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