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A late goodbye

I am back in Columbia finishing up school now. Florian and I talk about once a day over skype. I am super busy with Journalism classes. I miss Madrid and my friends muchisimo. But life is busy here, and there are friends to enjoy in Columbia too!

In Prague!

A quick update, lack of internet lately...

Berlin=awesome. I loved: Tiergarten, the sweet hippie cafe where Florian and I ate a vegetarian buffett breakfast and all the history. What an amazingly interesting city. We saw the wall, tons of commie apartment buildings, amazing uber-modern skyscrapers and a lot of great Doner Kebaps (Turkish gyro).

Before that I was in Giessen with Florian. It has been nice to be with more people who speak Spanish! Although the Argentinian accent of my dear friends can be hard to understand :). Early on I got to see Marburg, where Florian studies, which is just north of Giessen. It has a castle and several very old churches. We had a coffee at a cafe by the river. Between the river and the castle, I was ready to spend another month just in Marburg.

Also got to see Amsterdam with Helen and Allie, though the rain and lack of planning limited severly what I got to see. We still managed to enjoy ourselves. It is a beautiful city, loved the canals.

I am currently panicking about moving back to boring old America, trying not to get emotional about leaving Florian and trying to figure out this Czech language. I want to devote my life to studying languages.

Also wondering if I could handle the winters in Berlin. I am thinking no, but will you all still love me if I run away to Europe? I am very much looking forward to coming home. I am already planning potlucks in my head. And I am in desperate need of a good dance party, so you all have to fill me in on where to go now that Shattered is closed.

Love & besos! Be home soon!

Last moments in Madrid

I have mixed feelings about leaving. I'm tired, I've gone out every night this week and am sleep deprived. I am sad to leave my friends, terrified of how I'm going to feel when it really hits me that I can't jump on the metro and go to Aluche.

I have only had bad interactions with Spaniards in the last couple of days. I shared an elevator with our new neighbors last night and instead of introducing themselves they demanded to know if I was a smoker. She's pregnant. What a lovely goodbye for me, being accused of killing an unborn baby in the last civilized country to allow smoking in public. Seriously, you can't even smoke in the bars in Amsterdam anymore! The fact that they pardoned me was no consolation.

That has been the worst thing-I feel like this city is kicking me out. I was literally woken up by the roommate who will take my place this morning. I'm sitting on the couch with my luggage. I keep trying to figure out what the one thing is I want to spend my last 20 minutes doing, and all I can think about is taking a nap.

Giessen, I hope you are sympathetic.

My last night in Madrid

Looking forward to Germany.
Scared of how awful I'm going to feel when I have to go home.
Sad that this year is ending.
Tired from going out every night & don't feel like cleaning the kitchen.

I'm just going to focus on the first one. AND the fact that the European Cup final is tonight! Go Alemania!

Anna & I's home away from home:

Nearing the end

The title of my blog limits me a bit. But I'm going to keep it going through July when I will not be in Madrid. I'll be in Giessen, Germany!

Things I've done this week:
1. Got reprimanded by the super for talking too loud. Go figure.
2. Stole lavander to dry & make things smell pretty.
3. Watched Germany work their way into the final game of the Euro Cup!!
4. Hung out w/ two of my oldest friends (Helen & Allie were here!)
5. Kicked Flo's butt racing him back to his apartment. I'm faster, stronger, better.

Seriously?!

Looks like I won't be getting the Adelante beat. But how freaking sweet would it be to work for the radio station? I hope that is an option for me. If not, fall semester is not looking good.

Acabo de...I mean, I just had this dream...

So. I'm starting to have epic dreams again.

A few nights ago, I was in the states and I almost missed a train back to Spain. And I hadn't packed at all. Exactly like the recurring dream I had in the fall.

Just woke up from a dream that was very blatantly about how I am not looking forward to going home because I expect to miss Spain and the Erasmus life terribly. I kept trying to speak in Spanish to everyone. Have to find a way to speak Spanish daily in Columbia! I really hope I get the Adelante (Latin American community) beat for the Missourian.

There were also performing orca & belgua whales...but I don't think that meant anything. They were just sweet.

Cost of living in Spain

I'm not worried about running out of money in Madrid anymore. I already did! What is there to fear now? The worst has happened and I am just happy to be blessed with parents who wish me shelter & food.

However, having Hannah & Kyle & Kristin here has reminded me how expensive it is to live on the dollar in a European city. I did some research at the (fully stocked!! strikers are taking a break for the weekend) Carrefour today.

Loaf of bread: 1.40€ or $2.15
Peanut Butter (small jar): 4.15€ or 3.40€ from a natural foods store or $5-$6
Milk (1L): 1.25€ or $1.92
Soy milk (2L): 2.40€ or $3.69
Diet Coke (2L): 1.32€ or $2.03
Clean&Clear face wash: 6.70-7.25€ or $10.30-$11.14
Herbal Essences shampoo: 2.95€ or $4.53
store brand shampoo: 1.60€ or $2.46
Olive oil(1L): 3.45€ or $5.30

For bread & milk, these are the cheapest prices or the milk I've seen Anna buy (I go soy). Also keep in mind that US brands (like that face wash) are more expensive than local brands. I've tried many knock-off shampoos & conditioners and all have been lacking in quality.

What I would love to know is: how do these prices compare to US prices?

The trucking strike is apparently still on.

Just now, in the midst of a well-warranted study frenzy I realized I don't have any notes over one of the poets I'm being tested over tomorrow. On my walk to the library I realized how light headed I was from only eating fruit and chips and drinking too much coffee.

So I decided to stop over at the local CarreFour Express and get something to eat. I was also interested to see what was left.

Last night Florian made me some amazing pasta and on limited supplies.

In the fruit section there is a handful of spotted apricots and probably 20 apples (okay, and a ton of ginger).
The fresh fish section is empty and the lights are turned off.
screens are pulled over half of the empty meat section.
There are no vegetables.
There are no eggs.
Milk is getting low, OJ too.
No onions or potatoes.
The sausage section is about half-full.

Yea for bacon and mustard sandwiches?! I'm not as creative as my novio.

Trucking strike!

So, I went to go buy spinach for a salad this weekend. As usual, CarreFour was out. I kind of expected it, they aren't the most reliable with produce. When I went in yesterday, they had no lettuce or salad-making produce at all. This is unprecedented in my year in Madrid. But, in a very untypical fashion, CarreFour had posted a helpful sign explaining the absent produce.

The truck drivers are on strike because of high fuel prices! I expect if I walked into CarreFour this morning the fruit section would be a bit lacking as well.

Getting serious.

This is my second night in a row staying up way too late, but at least I accomplished something tonight! I am about 6 pages done with my supposedly 10 page paper. So basically, I have a really sweet introduction and a great outline of the meaty stuff which I'm avoiding until tomorrow. Going to turn the paper in on Thursday.

Tomorrow: Kyle, Kristin & Hannah!

Friday: First final. Should probably start studying for it. Also, Vincent is having a big dinner at his & John's piso that night (crepe!), which will be a lovely way to show off my life to my friends from home.

A conclusion

I am growing so much here in Madrid. Florian told me recently that I am an adult. And I realized I am an adult. I am learning that things can be done differently than I was taught. For example, over-easy eggs. We always scrambled them growing up. I LOVE over-easy eggs.

Check out this lady. She seems to be thinking for herself, which is inspiring to me right now. She's my sister's age also, which is pretty cool and makes me feel kind of old and unaccomplished. Ha!

Yum!

Made Florian a pizza last night (we even had ranch dressing!). It was probably the tallest pizza I've ever seen.

Just whisper sweet (past perfect) nothings into my ear...

Finally finished signing up for classes today. I signed up for an introductory German class. I am craving a third language. I then was immediately gripped by the senselessness of that act. If I am going to graduate from MU anytime in the near future with a double major, I really should take classes that give me credit for at least one of my majors. I double checked, and wouldn't you know it, the Spanish class I needed had opened up. I took the last spot and dropped the German class. Maybe in the spring. I want to speak it so badly!

Florian and I bought our tickets to Frankfurt the other day. From a German website. I hate having that wall up. I hate not understanding. But this feeling isn't about being lost in the dark. On the contrary, when I learn a word in another language, when I learn how to pronounce a group of letters or how to conjugate a verb, I get this rush through my body. Languages just turn me on.

Así, gute nacht a todos. I'm going to fall asleep to The Sound of Music (since Grey's won't be online until tomorrow) and dream happy little dreams about the apple muffins Anna made tonight. Sweet dreams to you too!

Tag!

My dear friend Amanda tagged me on her blog, Hoi Polloi, so hear are some fun facts about Cassidy Diane Shearrer. The rules:

1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. If I could be a superhero, my power would be communication. If I could live forever, I would learn every language in the world. I like to talk.
2. I love God and believe the Bible. I've also been rejected by Christian friends and disgusted by evangelists. Living in Europe amidst the Catholic church history makes me queasy. My closest friends don't share my beliefs but also never judge me. The mistakes of the church make me very sad.
3. Creating is my favorite thing to do by myself. Having left behind my sewing machine and film camera in the states, I've been really into cooking here. Learned how to make my own pizza crust yesterday!
4. I have an unhealthy attachement to my laptop. Celebrity gossip sites, illegally downloaded TV shows & facebook are my biggest vices right now. The celebrity obsession began when Mary-Kate Olsen started dressing weird-people.com was a fashion consultation site for me. Now the Olsens have better security and my taste for fashion has devolved into perezhilton.com.
5. Living in a this new culture has made vegetarian resturants the freaking mecca of all establishments. Found one last week in La Latina, Viva la Vida. Holy scheiße.
6. I want to live in a big city, but I really don't want to be a suit. I would be content to serve coffee for the rest of my life.
7. I always wanted to be in the boy scouts. I am still angry that I'm not an expert fire builder. Survival stories were my favorite as a kid! I wish I could say with 100% certainty that I could make it on one of those deserted islands (unfortunately, I am pretty sure they've all been bought up, so I may never get a chance to prove myself).

Though I barely know 7 people with blogs, I will tag Anna, David, Marta, La Revolutonista, and Cafe Con Soja.

Eurovision '08

Last night we watched the Eurovision Song Contest & ate an amazing Italian meal. For the estadounidenses, this Eurovision thing is pretty freaking awesome. Think American Idol with less hate, more ridiculousness & more languages. It has been around since the '50s. Russia won. Mostly because of the Olympic ice skater in their act? What that has to do with music, I do not know. There were also Latvian pirates, fohawks & well, Spain. Most of the acts were bad pop with pretty outfits. Spain's submission...was original, to say the least:

In case you didn't catch it, the third dance move is the "maiquelyason" or Micheal Jackson. Sweet.

Toledo-third time around

Florian & I took a bus to Toledo on Saturday and spent the weekend sitting in coffee shops and getting lost in winding alleyways. Poppies are blooming here right now and the view from the bus was incredible-brilliant streaks of red on each side of the highway.

We saw an old monastery where Isabella & Ferdinand were planning on being buried (ended up in Granada)-old and cool; Florian got bored somewhere during my commentary (probably at the phrase 'nave lateral') but I think at one point we were actually standing in a crypt. Sweet! We drank lots of café con leches and café solos-several in a cafe that was obviously a straight portal to 1988 (check out the couch in that photo & think lots of Tracy Chapman). My favorite part was that the cafe wasn't trying to be stuck in the 80s, it literally was.

Also ate some yummy pizza in Plaza Zocodóver and talked with a Portuguese woman who had 13 kids. Decided that was a few too many.

P.S. Happy Birthday Dad!!

Fuegos Artificiales!!

Last night we met my friend Megan in Retiro Park for a picnic. A bunch of ERASMUS kids showed up and we had a good time listening to Vincent play the guitar. The weather is finally really nice here! There were cute little Spanish kids dressed up in costumes for the holiday and we saw some bats after the sun set, but clearly the light and firework show was the highlight.
Vale, here we've got a photo of the lovely Anna & friends in the radiance of the explosions. Super cool! Also a still of the lake and some of the first fireworks. The video didn't work, so I threw in another firework picture. Imagine music and explosion sounds!


































We had a big group and got desperately split up in the crowd, but we all met at a cueva in Sol afterwards. I first came to this bar in the fall with Giovanni and couldn't understand any of the quotes on the wall. It was very rewarding to realize how much I have learned this year! Also, John's mom is still in town and I got to talk to her again which was wonderful. And I finally taught Vincent the cup rhythm we've been working on. It was a great night. And I was in bed by 1:30!

I am anything but a madrileña.

Went to Canal today for the first time. One metro stop away from my piso. Anyway, played some padel (I think that's how it is spelled). It is just tennis on a smaller court with smaller rackets. Super fun! Luckily Florian had never played tennis before, so I didn't look like a total idiot, just a bit of one.

Today is another fiesta. This is the first madrileño holiday I actually know something about, though sadly, only the name of the Saint: San Isidro. I get two days off school and all the little girls in my neighborhood are wearing dresses with red flowers on their head. And there are fireworks tonight! I don't get it, but I like it.