A newfound inner compass

Today was another day of exploration and walking, not quite aimlessly, but just walking about and enjoying the sights. There were certainly plenty to enjoy! I don’t know how far I walked, but my feet would probably tell you it was close to a marathon! I had it in my mind to walk to the alhambra, one of the most famous tourist attractions in Granada (even in Spain), and even with a map I found it difficult to find the most direct way there. I know that if I was going uphill then I was going in the right direction and would eventually run into it, but the whole uphill thing kinda sucked! I did get rewarded with a most amazing view of Granada near the top of the hill! Once I stumbled on the alhambra, it’s really hard to miss its hugeness, I had every intention of touring it, but it definitely did Not cross my mind that I would have to pay just to get inside! Stupid me, thinking i could go everywhere for free lol So, I wandered back down the footpath to the main part of the city and wandered toward Albaycin along the Darro river. I sat under a canopy for a late lunch/early dinner with the Alhambra looming above me on the cliffs. It was a humbling sight and calming presence to say the least.

After leisurely eating my food and enjoying the atmosphere, I found my self debating on whether I wanted to continue on to Albaycin and walk about the district a bit, or head back home and give my feet some rest. My answer came not from my own words, but from something Gloria said to me this morning: Estas en Espana! Debes salir y goza el dia! (You’re in Spain! You should go out and enjoy/seize the day!) So obviously, my answer was simple: I walked on to Albaycin! And what an adventure it was! Now somewhere along el barrio Arabe (a beautiful neighborhood of Arabic influence in its structure) I lost the shoes because it felt way better to go barefoot than keep slipping and rubbing my feet raw. Plus, with 4 years of living in Eugene it sorta felt more natural 🙂 haha but most importantly I didn’t want to ruin these shoes because they’re super cute! You’re welcome mother 😉 So, even though I have a map I sort of stumble upon one of the best vistas of La Alhambra this city has! It had everything from a knee high stone wall to sit and look out, to a man playing upbeat Spanish songs with people singing along! It was wonderful and I got a video of it all so look out for it on my Facebook and/or Twitter sometime in the near future! I went on exploring Albaycin both following whatever caught my eye and using the map and found countless churches with the old-school bells, like in Robin Hood and the Notre Dame, a park for little kids with backgammon, and chess (or checkers if that’s more your cup of tea) boards painted onto the benches and with another beautiful view of the Alhambra, and after some more follow-my-curiosity walking, I found the most beautiful view of the entire city yet. Don’t worry I took a video of that one as well and will be posted soon! It started as a semi sketch side street that I almost walked passed without a second glance due to all the graffiti and all around sketchiness (it’s hard to explain but it just doesn’t feel too great while you’re walking through it with all the taggings on its narrow stone walls) but at the end of the little passage I saw a small open view. I decided to follow my gut and see what more that view came to and it ended up taking my breath away! Such beauty stemmed from something so defaced, it was remarkable.

It’s a good thing that view put me in such a good mood because I got so turned around after that trying to find my way home! Haha It wasn’t hard getting myself to a main street, the hard part was figuring what street that actually was! They don’t mark the streets at every light/corner like we do, so it was difficult trying to decide if I need to follow that street, cross it, or keep going till I hit another street that I need. Eventually, I followed my instinct and headed towards what I thought would be the center of town, which was correct until I found myself steered onto another street (unknowingly at the time of course) and going farther south and away than I wanted! But, with this keen sense of direction of mine…(that’s right folks, this girls got an inner compass!) I put the map away, mostly because it was doing me no good whatsoever, and put myself on the street that I knew would get me home. Turns out, I was right! I say HA to all you naysayers! So, after a long day, albeit well worth the pain, I get to kick my feet up on the balcony of my room, watch the sunset over Puerta Real (that’s where my place is) and listen to the people and traffic below me. Between you and me though, I can’t wait to get to a more quiet, country-like place with more space, less traffic, and less noise…but for now, I’m going to bask in all I have at the moment!

A day of firsts

I went on my first shopping trip today to the local mercado! It was a bit strange seeing all the different foods and not recognizing anything beyond the fruit, which even then there were some that I had to ask about. It was fun learning all the different names of the food though so next time I should be a bit more prepared as to what I want to buy…I hope. I think the biggest thing to get used to is using kilos and not pounds and buying milk that doesn’t need to be refrigerated…so weird! After we got our food, Gloria explained to me what we’re having for dinner tonight: Gazpacho! It’s a Spanish tomato soup that’s served cold and is typical on a hot summer day! I’m so excited to get my first taste of traditional Spain! In the meantime, we were all sitting/lounging in the pool and Rafa got the brilliant idea of bringing a table out with beers and ham! (Gloria and I called him our little cabana boy!)So we just bathed in the sun and talked about Spanish lessons, travel options and recommendations, and potential connections I could make while I’m here. Gloria even went so far as to say if I wanted to stay in Granada for all 6 months, it’s possible! What a sweetheart! She definitely was pushing me to travel throughout europe though, especially Spain (go figure haha). They’ve been so nice about letting me stay here and asking around for jobs, that the least I could do is cook them a typical, American dish of Washington influence! Especially since Gloria requires it as part of payment for my stay! So I’ll keep brainstorming but if you have any ideas feel free to comment!

And so it begins!

Mis padres espanoles estan aqui! My Spanish parents are here! I finally got to meet the wonderfully lovely Gloria and I immediately developed a soft spot for her in my heart. She’s already talking about getting me connected with people around here my age whom I can go out with and hooking me up with someone who can help me talk Spanish for free! She’s been in the door for all of 2 seconds and she’s thinking ahead I love it! I have a feeling my fluency is going to make leaps and bounds for the next few weeks I can’t wait! I have this feeling that I’m going to have a lot more stories to tell now that they’re back in town with 2 more Americans girls coming on the 1st! So rawer aide been doing ok exploring on my own, but it will be really nice to know someone in the city who knows all the hot spots, good (and cheap) restaurants, bars and such, and a little more history than what I’ve read from books and signs.

On another note, I got to talk to Kelyn today which was really nice. I forgot about the drastic time difference though and ended up Skyping him at around 6:30am I think haha…oops! I don’t think I woke him up but he called back around 7 looking a mess! (I know he isn’t going to read this so I’m free to say whatever I want muahahah) It was great catching up though and hearing that he’s been able to practice and play without limitations…which wasn’t the case a week or so ago. Plus, we always make each other laugh so it put me in a really good mood for the rest of the day…enough of one to have me wander into a gelato shop for some Italian ice cream! 🙂 It was my first one all week so you should be suuuuper proud of me and my willpower! I definitely savored every spoonful as I walked around town with a serene, (and slightly smug) smile  plastered on my face!

Anticipate some good stories coming your way over the next few days my friends, I’ve got a feeling my trip has just begun!

A slight change of pace

Have you ever woken up to about 20 guitars, tambourines, mini drums and a square full of people singing hallelujah in harmony? I have, and it was Wonderfully serene! At first I thought I was dreaming, which wouldn’t surprise me because I tend to have very strange dreams, but when I realized I wasn’t I thought  it was the coolest, gentlest way I’ve ever been woken up! Granted it was about noon, which is a first for me…Yes, even after all those Harry Potter and Twilight midnight showings thank you very much! It’s so weird but hard not to do with such a different lifestyle here. Between the hours of around 2-5 the streets are nearly completely empty (siesta) and restaurants don’t put out their menus till 8 for dinner. You’ll be going throughout your day and all of a sudden it’s 9 pm and you haven’t eaten yet…which is normal..Then you look up again and it’s 1 in the morning! The days go by so fast here, mostly because the sun stays up so late and the people are always out and about. I’m sitting outside right now and it looks and feels like maybe 7 at the latest, but it’s actually 9! I looked out my balcony the other night at 10 pm and there were families just leaving restaurants, kids just meeting up in the square to go out. It’s just so different and strange when I usually go to bed around 11-12 which I used to think was pretty late but not anymore! Like the other night, I went to bed around midnight and at 1:30 I hear Rafa trying to get in through the front door that I’ve already locked up. I open it and he says in a confused tone, “estabas durmiendo?” (were you sleeping?) From his tone of voice it sounded like I was the only one in the entire city that was! So, now that I’ve kinda set my sleep and stomach schedule to match the pace here, things have been a little easier. Although, it’s really hard to wait for dinner when I’m used to eating at 6!

Last night, I went to a local Irish pub to watch the Barcelona vs Real Madrid game with one of Rafa’s childhood friends, which was fun, difficult, and awkward lol it was a lot of fun being in a place that’s filled with futbol fans, especially for a rival game as this one, but it was hard to keep a good conversation going sometimes because I still have a hard time understanding what they’re saying and they don’t all speak English so there was a lot of groping for words! But, the hardest thing was trying to understand their jokes. They would make all these puns and such and I would be so confused! They once got me to admit that I’m going to a nude beach! Suuuuper embarrassing! I got through the night pretty well though…they all said that I spoke Spanish very well, albeit very properly, and that I’ll get the hang of it more quickly when the family gets back from vacay tomorrow night. I can’t wait to meet everybody and get to practicing 24/7!!! And for some home cooked meals, because I have no idea where to shop around here or what places are the best for euro-pinchers like me! Until then, I think I’ll just continue to soak up the rays in the terrace pool and live the leisurely Spanish life!

Pics and other media

Hey guys, just to let you know I can’t upload any media, including pictures, to this blog site through my iPad, so I’ve been posting a select few on my twitter account: @breearin, and putting the majority of them on my Facebook in collage form. So if you’d like to view the hundred pics I’ve taken so far, that’s where you’ll find them and more!

Previously, on Adventures after college…

Ok so since I haven’t been able to post since I left Paris here’s a little catching up post…”previously on Adventures after college” (yes it’s My blog and I can make it a hit tv show if I want to!)

I totally just got felt up by the security officer. I seriously wanted to start telling her my favorite color and that I like long walks on the beach so we could at least get to know each other better! Wow…it all seemed a bit unnecessary too because my outfit consists of sandals, jean shorts, (there’s nothing really left to the imagination there, if I could hide something in and around that area I’ll start calling myself Chris Angel!), and a women’s dry-fit that, again, leaves little to the imagination. So I hope you all sleep aver tonight knowing the security in France take their jobs almost as seriously as the ones in America!

Au revoir, Paris? Hola, Granada!

Ok, so the Barcelona airport has a fricken mall inside it! And I’m not talking about some gift shops or local t-shirt shops, it’s better than the mall we have back home in Federal Way! It was so cool, yet, who thinks to go on a  shopping spree when they’re at the airport?? Their bags are already checked and you’d think they’d have all their clothes there! Haha it was amusing…ok and also super awesome at the same time!

I feel as though I could survive anywhere! So here’s what went down… (nothing sketch mom I promise) I got to the Granada airport around 8pm and the sun was blazing! It was marvelous! Then after a brief panic and sigh of relief I retrieve my bags and go to the pay phone to call my host family so they can open the house when I get there, only to find out that I don’t have enough change to make a call! But never fear, I just grabbed a taxi and politely asked him in Spanish if he has a phone I could use…of course he doesn’t lol so he drops me off in the middle of what looks like the town square and tells me I’m here…hahaha you can only imagine my sense of panic at this point! So…naturally I pay him and set off across the street with my overstuffed purse and two very large suitcases and plop myself down on some steps outside a building. After a couple minutes, I pluck up the courage to ask a teen girl if she has a cell I could use (in Spanish of course) and call the family. I get ahold of the grandmother and after a lot of listening trying to get a grip on what she’s saying I finally work out that she’s about 15 minutes away and I’ll have to wait. What did I do sitting on random steps with all my luggage tagging me as a foreign tourist you ask? Why, I read…duh! Haha and that’s how Gloria found me on the steps, reading my latest book (the magician’s nephew if any of you were wondering…good, quick, easy read). So I spent my first night groping for words and phrases that seemed stubbornly stuck to the tip of my tongue, and made instant friends with the family’s grandmother!

Since Gloria left on Monday night I had Tuesday all to myself! I got all dressed up (I wore my blue, floral print dress…Baely’s favorite ;)…and my strappy brown heels!) and walked around town for a bit! It has been super sunny so I spent most of my morning tanning on the patio while reading. Oh I forgot to mention that the house, or loft, or flat, I don’t really know what you’d call it, is on the 7th floor of a building overlooking the square! From the patio I can see the Alhambra to my left, and the rest of the city everywhere else! It’s beautiful! Plus I even have my own room! What’s so great about Granada, or at least where I am within the city, is that ut looks as though you’re back in Paris or in some big city, but the feel is a small town feel… It’s hard to explain but there’s something peaceful here even through the construction, traffic, honking and people. It kind of reminds me of downtown Eugene on the weekends…hard to explain but just picture a quaint downtown area filled with locals and visitors alike. It’s really quite amazing, and I can’t wait to explore more of the city when the rest of the family gets here this weekend! I hope this helped in getting you all caught up!

Gene Kelly, eat your heart out!

I’ve done it! After a bit of bad weather and feeling a bit under the weather yesterday, I’ve gathered up my courage and put myself on a train to Paris! I have to admit I was a bit scared to try the train alone, especially after the guy at the front desk of my hotel said it would be difficult, but I did it anyways and actually know where I’m going! (Ok so that credit should go to Jeremy at the front desk since he gave me a map and circled the 4 hot spots, but being myself I left the map in my room and am doing this completely on memory!) I think I’m starting to get the hang of this French language…at least that’s what Jeremy said when we were talking in English while telling me that we were actually speaking French 🙂 random…but those smilies look weird right?! So my first stop is the Notre Dame! Check out my twitter page for pictures!

Its official… Paris is the most beautiful city in the world! I challenge anyone to go there and not feel the urge to take pics of every building, street, statue you come upon! I honestly could have spent days simply walking the streets and would continually be in awe of the beauty and authenticity of the city! It was challenging enough to try and see it all in less than 7 hours. Once I got off the train at the station just before the Notre Dame I simply just started walking…it was a bit of a journey just to get out of the underground part of the station, but once I figured out ‘sortie’ means exit I was good to go! Immediately after stepping outside, my jaw drops in awe of the building that stands in front of me. I’m not positive but I think it was a church or cathedral of some sort and it was breathtaking! And that was only steps into the city! Now imagine my fascination when I was walking through the Louvre courtyard, or standing next to a marble statue of “the good Samaritan,” or seeing the Iron Lady in person!!! (I’m talking about the Eiffel Tower btw…we’re on a nickname bases now that we’ve been acquainted) Needless to say my camera memory on my iPad was full by the time I got to her at the end of my day.

Like I said I started off near the Notre Dame. However, I never actually found it because I didn’t know where I was going,  but that didn’t bother me one bit! I managed to find my self parallel to one of the arms of the louvre, but didn’t realize it until I actually got inside the museum’s courtyard about an hour and a half later! Haha I gravitated toward a river, the Seine river if I’m not mistaken, and crossed it to Saint Germaine where I came across a garden, theatre (the thespian kind, not movies), and after seeing a fountain through an archway, walked towards it and found myself in the Louvre! I can only imagine what the inside might be like, because I could have just sat outside and wandered around it for days! I snapped quite a few shnazzy photos and took a couple videos to show it’s true vastness and wonder as I looked around. I ended up taking a break at an outdoor café for a ham and cheese baguette and a coke…no judgments I was extremely parched and craving something carbonated…and just sat, ate, sipped, read and soaked in everything around me. That’s one thing that’s different in paris than compared to other big cities, it’s much quieter here, sometimes even silent in a peaceful way. There’s traffic and cars mind you, but even with the traffic and tons of people, there’s a quietness in the air as if it’s showing respect to the buildings that occupy its space. It was amazing really. After walking through the Louvre I stumbled upon the Arc de Triumph and its immensity took me by surprise. The statues placed on either side are spectacular on their own, but together they are magnificent! I only wished I could’ve gotten a better quality pic to show it. After I got through those 2 wonders, I spotted the Eiffel Tower and was a goner. Even at a distance it was remarkable! The moment I saw it I felt a pull towards it. 

At this point in my day I’ve been walking for about 5 hours, my knees are starting to ache and my heels are bleeding from rubbing against my flats…but I HAVE to get to the Eiffel tower! So I start walking in its direction and the closer I get the more giddy I get with excitement! I soon forget about any pain and discomfort and only focus on the huge tower projecting itself over every building in Paris. When I finally get there, it’s as if I’ve opened a door to a whole other wing of a mansion… I could have spent an entire day just exploring that part of the city alone! Nevertheless, after 6 hours of walking I finally stood at the base of one of the most magnificent structures of the world and felt complete. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more satisfied or content than I was standing at its base craning my neck to see her in her entirety. Next time, though, I want to come back with somebody to share everything with. It was amazing to just walk around on my own and go wherever I pleased, but there is just way too much awe-inspiring beauty to keep to myself. So if you’re tall, dark and handsome I’m officially accepting applications! Haha jk……kind of. Well tomorrow afternoon I’m flying out of Paris and into Granada. It breaks my heart to leave this city, but I really can’t wait to see for myself what everyone has been talking about with Granada and Spain in general. I know I’ll be excited to actually be able to understand and speak the language for once! Au revoir pour maintenant!

The first step

I’m simply speechless. The beauty a simple village by the name of Roissy can hold at twilight is breathtaking. I only wished I’d brought a better camera that could capture the essence of the village, the colors of the sunset. I couldn’t go more than 10 meters (I’m on the metric system now so I figured I’d use it) without feeling the urge to snap a pic. At this rate, there will be no room left on my memory card and I’ll end up writing a picture book rather than a blog! Nevertheless, France is beautiful and I’ve only ventured a few miles outside the airport. I’m thinking tomorrow I’ll head in to Paris and have an adventure of a day…yeah that sounds perfect. Then I’ll explore a bit more locally on Sunday maybe…who knows I’ll probably change my mind a dozen times between now and then! I’ll definitely have to pick up a few more French phrases other than bonjour (hello), au revoir (goodbye) je ne sais pas (I don’t know), and je ne parle pa francais (I don’t speak French). I must admit though, I say those four phrases  like a pro!

I’ve gotta say, being here, 9 hours ahead of everything back home amazes me and makes me feel giddy with excitement. The littlest things will put a smile on my face because I realize where I am at that moment and the doors that are unlocked for me to explore! This small village is just the first step to a much bigger adventure ahead of me…

It’s a small world after all

I don’t think I have ever felt more scared/nervous than when I was approaching the check-in counter in the international part of LAX. Nervous first, because for some reason I always have that sinking feeling that I forgot something. Scared second, because I automatically jumped to the worst: that I’m not actually on that flight, or that they won’t let me go because I don’t have a visa. But it wasn’t like the nerves I got (and still get) before a game; the restlessness that can only be calmed by music, the butterflies that stay in my stomach until I get that first touch on the ball or solid tackle. No, these nerves were the kind where I felt sick to my stomach, my skin got hot all over, and clammy, which is never comfortable. It wasn’t a feeling I expected quite yet, nor one that I would welcome again, let alone wish upon someone else. I got through the checkpoint and even made it past security with a breeze, but I have to admit I called my dad just to hear a familiar voice and his reassurance. It was a weak moment, one that I wish would’ve waited until I was at least in Paris for a couple hours, if only for my pride’s sake. But, life goes on, and with it so does the realization that I’m gonna need to get a visa for when I’m in Spain…which I plan on taking care of as soon as I get there, (I really don’t feel like going all Bourne on the government, as fun as it looks on the big screen). So in the meantime, I’m just gonna milk Paris for all it’s worth and bask in the city of love!

As far as the flight goes, it’s hour 6 in my flight to France and my butt is really starting to get stiff. As I wake up a bit groggy from trying to sleep upright I take a look at the little airplane icon on the map and realize we just started flying over the Atlantic just east of Maine…in other words we still have a looooong way to go and I can’t decide if I’m hungry, thirsty or sleepy. Maybe a bit of all 3 but what’s new? Anyways, as I look a bit closer to our flight map, it amazes me how relatively close we are to Iceland…or maybe it’s Greenland…either way it hits me–I have this fierce longing to go to as many places as I can! Now, realistically, I’m not going to be able to see all the places I want to on this visit, but I understand that there is so much of the world that I haven’t even thought about. I mean of course Europe is the staple foreign destination for young adults and families, but that’s only One continent with tons of countries! there are 3 others I haven’t even really considered. I know this is just me getting miles ahead of myself, literally, and that I should really just focus on Europe, particularly France and Spain, but can you blame me? Before this summer, I had only been to one other country and that was Canada. Once or twice for soccer, and once on an Alaskan cruise for my grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary. Speaking of wedding anniversaries… Happy 26th mom and dad!  Mom you’ve been married since you were 2! Dad that’s creepy. All in all, I think I’m finally starting to understand that despite the enormity of the world, it’s proximity is far closer than I’ve ever realized.

Gearing up and heading out

It’s finally here. Nearly less than 24 hours and I’ll be on my way to Spain via Paris! For some reason, I can’t help but think of John Denver’s song leaving on a jet plane: “All my bags are packed, (fit everything into 2 bags! Impressive, I know) I’m ready to go… Im leaving on a jet plane and I don’t know when I’ll be back again (technically in 6 months but who knows? I don’t).” This last week has been nothing but goodbyes, see you laters, and 6 months?…Seriously?! Even with the beautiful wedding of one of my best friends this last weekend, the end of the reception was one big goodbye to my college family. Bittersweet I guess is the word for it. As hard as it was, here I am, one day away from taking the biggest adventure of my life, getting giddy with excitement and anticipation. I mean who am I to complain about goodbyes when I’m going to spend a weekend in Paris and live in Spain for 6 months! I just can’t do it!

So, a lot of people have been asking me, “so what exactly are you going over there for? School? Soccer? Teaching?” Well, firstly, I’m going over to simply live; to immerse myself completely in the culture and language I have studied for the last 8 years. Because soccer is year-round, I never really had the chance to study abroad or go on vacation to a Spanish-speaking country. So, immersion is my first motive and priority. Now, contrary to many beliefs, my parents are Not raking in the dough with they’re teaching and nursing occupations. Shocking, I know. So I’ll have to find a job since I can’t live off my savings. In the beginning, I will most likely be doing private tutoring for English and/or math to bring in some income, and the more I get situated and comfortable with the language and culture I will hopefully work my way over to the wine region and wiggle my way in there. See, wine is a very big passion of mine, and the industry in which I intend to have a career in when I’m done playing Where in the World is Bree Rowe.  However, I don’t want to schedule or make plans right now, I want to experience, take chances, and go where life takes me (responsibly of course). As soon as I start planning, I tend to get stuck or tied down, which is the exact opposite of what I want. So, the plan is to not have a plan, which will be different for me, but different is good!

Well, that’s it for now. Just think, in 2 days I’ll be the female version of Gene Kelly in An American in Paris! Eeeeeeek it’s so exciting! Until next time friends and family 🙂