The cleaning lady comes twice a month and I'm pretty sure she's actually a retarded person that Rosé takes pity upon and pays to hang out in our apartment for a few hours here and there. Usually she just mops the floors over and over again and then yells at Caco (the dog) as he runs across them, falling down and making them muddy.
Rosé has coordinated her schedule with the cleaning lady's so they are never there at the same time, but I'm ALWAYS there since I'm less included in this coordination process. Basically, this means that I constantly walk into the kitchen holding a water-free mug with a teabag in it, then look at the disassembled stove that is undergoing her "cleaning" process and just mumble something incoherent and to back to my room. Tea-less.
Caco and I don't like her very much. She used to be on my better side back when she would make my bed but now she just mops my floor which may or may not make it dirtier than it was before she showed up and then goes on her merry way to inhabiting the rest of the house so I'm banished to my room. I'm coping with it.
Monday, January 28, 2008
My Life
For the first time since starting classes in Cádiz I feel like I actually have no responsibilities now that finals are over. So, I've been spending a lot of time sitting around my apartment and watching Nip/Tuck and other TV shows that can be found on the internet (e.g. "True Life: I'm Happy and Fat"). Last night, Ross and I decided to go on a walk up behind his house so we snuck out and ended up walking through the woods. It ended up being a pretty good adventure and we saw a sign advertising "Esquaix," which took me a while to figure out. (IX is pronounced SH in Catalán, so it says "Esquash" as in squash.)
Walking around in the middle of the night was probably not the best idea ever, but Ross apparently knew where he was going and it all worked out fine. On the way back to my house I saw this window full of plants that I've never seen before because I'm always looking down to make sure I don't step in dog poop. Today I went back and took a photo of it:
The other day I was telling Zoe about how when you're in Spain you have to adapt your taste in music with your taste in fashion and everything else. My example of this was that I was listening to E-40 (I was a little homesick) on my iPod and walking to the beat and I kept almost trampling small children, dogs, etc. Then, I switched the music to Mika (VERY popular here) and walking to the beat of Mika actually worked, and I managed to not run into anything. Videos of my Spanish walk versus Bay Area walk to come.
Walking around in the middle of the night was probably not the best idea ever, but Ross apparently knew where he was going and it all worked out fine. On the way back to my house I saw this window full of plants that I've never seen before because I'm always looking down to make sure I don't step in dog poop. Today I went back and took a photo of it:
The other day I was telling Zoe about how when you're in Spain you have to adapt your taste in music with your taste in fashion and everything else. My example of this was that I was listening to E-40 (I was a little homesick) on my iPod and walking to the beat and I kept almost trampling small children, dogs, etc. Then, I switched the music to Mika (VERY popular here) and walking to the beat of Mika actually worked, and I managed to not run into anything. Videos of my Spanish walk versus Bay Area walk to come.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Semester One Reflections
First of all, I'm done. So for all you people who aren't done yet, that totally sucks. I was like you once. And then I took my last final and spent all day holed up in my room finishing my essay and now I'm free. It's amazing.
Semester One Reflections:
I went to every single class one week of the entire semester.
My classes kind of sucked and were really long and painful to sit through.
I asked what the word "solipsism" meant on my final today (answering a really stupid prompt on Rip Van Winkle) and was told that I was supposed to know that term. That teacher sucked.
Today I finished for the semester and it was amazing.
That's about it. I'm now on vacation until February 4th. Because we didn't just have Christmas break or anything.
Semester One Reflections:
I went to every single class one week of the entire semester.
My classes kind of sucked and were really long and painful to sit through.
I asked what the word "solipsism" meant on my final today (answering a really stupid prompt on Rip Van Winkle) and was told that I was supposed to know that term. That teacher sucked.
Today I finished for the semester and it was amazing.
That's about it. I'm now on vacation until February 4th. Because we didn't just have Christmas break or anything.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The Final Stretch
I have one more final to go at this point (and a paper to write, but I'm pretending it doesn't exist right now) and it's getting really hard to stay focused to finish studying. I'm going to be so happy when this semester is over. All I have left right now is my Intro to US Lit class (English) so hopefully I pass that one, or that's pretty humiliating.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
And Then There Were 70-Something People Minus One
I have now been in Spain for roughly five months, Barcelona for four, and up to this point no one has permanently left or been sent home. But tomorrow this will change.
A girl in my program is being sent home, and initially we didn't know what happened to her. It started circulating that she was leaving and we all assumed she got caught smoking pot or something (especially since I read the EAP rulebook to see what she could have done to be asked to leave).
The other night she came and hung out with us and told us why she's leaving. There was a "Welcome The New Abroad Students" party at a club on the beach last week and she decided to go with some of our friends. She ended up getting really drunk and splitting off from the group. She left the "Dance Floor" area and headed to the "VIP Seating" area to meet some new people. She met a group of French boys who were all ganging up on this one guy, calling him gay. She started taunting him as well and asking him things like "What, you don't like girls?"
He took her hand and started to lead her toward what she thought was the dance floor. He was pretty cute, so she was fine with dancing with him. He ended up pulling her into the bathroom and raping her - during which she lost her coat check card that she was keeping in her tights.
He left, and the club closed and she had no way of getting her coat back. She went back to the French boys and asked them if they knew where their friend was, since she thought he might have her coat check card. It turns out that they had just been talking to him because they were all French, but they weren't actually friends. Luckily, the French boys were willing to help her out and got her coat back for her. Since she didn't have money for a cab, they offered to let her come stay at their hostel for the night. Which she did.
Three days later, after having multiple threesomes with the French boys (turns out they are brothers who had immigrated to the United States and went to Cornell), she decided to go home.
All the things that had happened over the last few days caught up with her and she was extremely depressed. She ended up taking 33 Valium (since 33 is her favorite number) and chasing them with half a bottle of gin. She passed out for two days and then fell out of her bed, waking herself up.
She went downstairs and talked to her roommates for a little while, and messaged one of her friends. A couple of her friends came over and one took her to the hospital where she drank two liters of Charcoal (the blood stabilizer for when things like this happen) and then was checked into the psyche ward for two days.
They let her go, but our program director decided it would be best if she went home. So, she called her dad who wired her $2000 to buy a plane ticket, found a ticket for $1000 and went on a shopping spree (where she bought a D&G jacket, a Tous bag, a couple piercings, etc.). Later that night she called her dad and asked him for more money and went on another shopping spree the following day.
She's been with us since Cádiz, so it's really strange to be losing her, but it's probably best she goes home at this point.
A girl in my program is being sent home, and initially we didn't know what happened to her. It started circulating that she was leaving and we all assumed she got caught smoking pot or something (especially since I read the EAP rulebook to see what she could have done to be asked to leave).
The other night she came and hung out with us and told us why she's leaving. There was a "Welcome The New Abroad Students" party at a club on the beach last week and she decided to go with some of our friends. She ended up getting really drunk and splitting off from the group. She left the "Dance Floor" area and headed to the "VIP Seating" area to meet some new people. She met a group of French boys who were all ganging up on this one guy, calling him gay. She started taunting him as well and asking him things like "What, you don't like girls?"
He took her hand and started to lead her toward what she thought was the dance floor. He was pretty cute, so she was fine with dancing with him. He ended up pulling her into the bathroom and raping her - during which she lost her coat check card that she was keeping in her tights.
He left, and the club closed and she had no way of getting her coat back. She went back to the French boys and asked them if they knew where their friend was, since she thought he might have her coat check card. It turns out that they had just been talking to him because they were all French, but they weren't actually friends. Luckily, the French boys were willing to help her out and got her coat back for her. Since she didn't have money for a cab, they offered to let her come stay at their hostel for the night. Which she did.
Three days later, after having multiple threesomes with the French boys (turns out they are brothers who had immigrated to the United States and went to Cornell), she decided to go home.
All the things that had happened over the last few days caught up with her and she was extremely depressed. She ended up taking 33 Valium (since 33 is her favorite number) and chasing them with half a bottle of gin. She passed out for two days and then fell out of her bed, waking herself up.
She went downstairs and talked to her roommates for a little while, and messaged one of her friends. A couple of her friends came over and one took her to the hospital where she drank two liters of Charcoal (the blood stabilizer for when things like this happen) and then was checked into the psyche ward for two days.
They let her go, but our program director decided it would be best if she went home. So, she called her dad who wired her $2000 to buy a plane ticket, found a ticket for $1000 and went on a shopping spree (where she bought a D&G jacket, a Tous bag, a couple piercings, etc.). Later that night she called her dad and asked him for more money and went on another shopping spree the following day.
She's been with us since Cádiz, so it's really strange to be losing her, but it's probably best she goes home at this point.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Brett
A lot of you don't really know my family. This video of my little sister at the airport pretty much sums her up.
Finals
Right now I'm about halfway through my finals. Here, you get three hours for finals but you really only need about twenty minutes. Yesterday I missed the excursion to Montserrat (some mountains near here) and Codorniu (a winery that produces cava) because we would have gotten back at 6pm and I had a final that started right then. Arguably, I could have just been late for my final but they frown upon that here. Weird.
All finals are held in these special classrooms that I've never actually had class in, where the seats are actually benches with dividers (think old school church pews but less comfortable) probably so you'll be as miserable as humanly possible. That's the only possible explanation.
All finals are held in these special classrooms that I've never actually had class in, where the seats are actually benches with dividers (think old school church pews but less comfortable) probably so you'll be as miserable as humanly possible. That's the only possible explanation.
Insomnia Update
Now, instead of not being able to fall asleep at night, my body is doing this new really hilarious thing (it loves playing tricks on me, it has a great sense of humor) where this morning it woke up at 7am and wouldn't let me go back to sleep (even though I didn't go to sleep until after 3am).
This is how people with infants must feel. Only they get to blame it on something instead of lying awake with their eyes hurting from lack of sleep for no apparent reason.
This is how people with infants must feel. Only they get to blame it on something instead of lying awake with their eyes hurting from lack of sleep for no apparent reason.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Insomnia
I've had a really hard time sleeping lately and I think it has to do with the fact that my newest hobby is to sit around and think of completely ridiculous hypothetical situations that will never happen to me and how I would confront them. For example, if I became a singer/dancer/actress (known as a "triple threat" in the biz), how would I deal with the paparazzi? Would I ever stoop so low as to accept money from them to let them into my hotel room/house/etc. as an alternate source of income?
I had a final today at 3pm but I had to go to school at 11am for office hours (which involves waking up at 10am). So, last night, I got in bed at 1am, tried to fall asleep, and was up until 4am. I just found out that my last final (a week from tomorrow) is at 8:30am. I'm screwed.
Even though I really enjoy that school is such a joke here and they expect next to nothing out of you, I'm starting to miss actually learning things that you may be able to bring up in a normal conversation (instead of a conversation about how Latin evolved into medieval Spanish) and having some sense of accomplishment at the end of finals. Instead, I just feel like I completed some sort of day-camp.
If you have access to Zoe's blog, you should go read it right now, it's hilarious. If you don't have access, you should friend her on Facebook and harass her until she gives it to you.
I had a final today at 3pm but I had to go to school at 11am for office hours (which involves waking up at 10am). So, last night, I got in bed at 1am, tried to fall asleep, and was up until 4am. I just found out that my last final (a week from tomorrow) is at 8:30am. I'm screwed.
Even though I really enjoy that school is such a joke here and they expect next to nothing out of you, I'm starting to miss actually learning things that you may be able to bring up in a normal conversation (instead of a conversation about how Latin evolved into medieval Spanish) and having some sense of accomplishment at the end of finals. Instead, I just feel like I completed some sort of day-camp.
If you have access to Zoe's blog, you should go read it right now, it's hilarious. If you don't have access, you should friend her on Facebook and harass her until she gives it to you.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Vall D'Hebron
Today I went to the Vall D'Hebron tennis club because I was supposed to play this British guy (Chris) who never actually showed up.
When I got there, there was a huge gathering of 30-something year-old guys who were probably arranging some sort of tournament. I made my way to the bathroom, since I have no idea what Chris looks like and didn't want to creepily loiter outside the group of guys.
At the tennis club, the bathrooms only have one stall, and the women's room was occupied. Since I had time to kill, and the men's room is gross, I decided to wait. In the time I spent waiting, three guys managed to use the men's room. There wasn't a line or anything - a guy would use the restroom, leave, a few minutes would pass and another guy would come in and use the restroom.
I had already tried the door so whoever was in there knew I was waiting and was intentionally pacing herself. After what felt like half an hour, a really gross couple comes out of the bathroom together. By really gross, I mean some young girl (she looked about fifteen) and her male tennis coach (who looked about fifty).
After I got stood up by Chris, I was leaving the tennis club and saw them playing paddle (this bizarre cross between tennis and badminton that only exists in Cataluña) and him yelling at her about her strategy. Strategizing in paddle and getting mad about other peoples' strategies is the equivalent of training for ping-pong.
When I got there, there was a huge gathering of 30-something year-old guys who were probably arranging some sort of tournament. I made my way to the bathroom, since I have no idea what Chris looks like and didn't want to creepily loiter outside the group of guys.
At the tennis club, the bathrooms only have one stall, and the women's room was occupied. Since I had time to kill, and the men's room is gross, I decided to wait. In the time I spent waiting, three guys managed to use the men's room. There wasn't a line or anything - a guy would use the restroom, leave, a few minutes would pass and another guy would come in and use the restroom.
I had already tried the door so whoever was in there knew I was waiting and was intentionally pacing herself. After what felt like half an hour, a really gross couple comes out of the bathroom together. By really gross, I mean some young girl (she looked about fifteen) and her male tennis coach (who looked about fifty).
After I got stood up by Chris, I was leaving the tennis club and saw them playing paddle (this bizarre cross between tennis and badminton that only exists in Cataluña) and him yelling at her about her strategy. Strategizing in paddle and getting mad about other peoples' strategies is the equivalent of training for ping-pong.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Stye Update
If I did have a stye, it's gone now. I had it for about 24 hours and it never got that big so I'm pretty sure it was just allergies and not a stye. Phew.
Also, Edward, I don't know if we ever discussed the Ricky Martin "She Bangs" video, but I feel so honored that it reminds me of you. Supposedly he got to pick what went in the video and REALLY wanted a box of naked people that he could dance on top of. He's so amazing.
And Zoe, if you're going to go online to read my blog and comment on it, then you should update your own, damnit. Don't make me unfriend you on Facebook.
Sorry for all the people who aren't Zoe and Edward. This blog was probably really boring for you. You should scroll down and read about Ross.
Also, Edward, I don't know if we ever discussed the Ricky Martin "She Bangs" video, but I feel so honored that it reminds me of you. Supposedly he got to pick what went in the video and REALLY wanted a box of naked people that he could dance on top of. He's so amazing.
And Zoe, if you're going to go online to read my blog and comment on it, then you should update your own, damnit. Don't make me unfriend you on Facebook.
Sorry for all the people who aren't Zoe and Edward. This blog was probably really boring for you. You should scroll down and read about Ross.
Some Ross Anecdotes
When Ross was in elementary school, he was lining up to go in after recess and tapped the girl in front of him on the shoulder (coincidentally the girl he liked) then vomited as she turned around. He had peed his pants earlier that week.
Ross peed in a bottle once while driving (he was in the car alone) by putting the car on cruise control and steering with his knees.
Today Ross asked Marc "Would you rather lose your testicles AND balls (I'm serious - he said this) or your penis? Like, if you had to get one chopped off?" And then, when Marc was unsure, told him that HE would chop off his penis because he "doesn't want to turn into a girl and you turn into a girl if you don't have your testicles."
We're about to go out, so more to come, I'm sure.
Ross peed in a bottle once while driving (he was in the car alone) by putting the car on cruise control and steering with his knees.
Today Ross asked Marc "Would you rather lose your testicles AND balls (I'm serious - he said this) or your penis? Like, if you had to get one chopped off?" And then, when Marc was unsure, told him that HE would chop off his penis because he "doesn't want to turn into a girl and you turn into a girl if you don't have your testicles."
We're about to go out, so more to come, I'm sure.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Stye?
Yesterday I was watching "Office Space" at Joanna's apartment and my eye started itching a lot. I ignored it, but by the time I got home I had developed a small bump on the edge of my eyelid. I assumed it was an allergic reaction to something, since my mom gets bumps on the inside of her eyelids all the time, but after Google-ing things all morning, I'm starting to suspect that it's a stye (which you can do nothing about aside from put a warm pack on it for 10 minute increments, four times each day).
I thought back to high school when a boy in my Spanish class had a really bad Stye - his turned red and was inflamed and obstructed his vision. You couldn't look at him without fixating on it. Mine is still borderline microscopic, but I'm terrified that it's going to grow into a massive blood-mound like his did.
I considered going to the Farmacia, but they can't really do anything about it; antibiotics are helpless when it comes to styes. It kind of hurts and I can feel it every time I blink. Apparently the last thing you're supposed to do is pop or touch it, so I'm going to just leave it alone I guess.
I thought back to high school when a boy in my Spanish class had a really bad Stye - his turned red and was inflamed and obstructed his vision. You couldn't look at him without fixating on it. Mine is still borderline microscopic, but I'm terrified that it's going to grow into a massive blood-mound like his did.
I considered going to the Farmacia, but they can't really do anything about it; antibiotics are helpless when it comes to styes. It kind of hurts and I can feel it every time I blink. Apparently the last thing you're supposed to do is pop or touch it, so I'm going to just leave it alone I guess.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Life Update
I'm back in Barcelona.
I went and saw "The Darjeeling Limited," and it was really good. If you like Wes Anderson movies, you should probably see it.
"Juno" is one of my favorite movies now, but my standards might just be lowered since they tend to only bring cheesy Hollywood blockbusters to Spain, then dub them.
Wes (not Wes Anderson) is coming to visit me in less than a week.
I start finals soon.
I'm still taking the same classes I was before I left because of the semester system.
I'm still working on the whole "not being a hater" thing. It's going well.
I went and saw "The Darjeeling Limited," and it was really good. If you like Wes Anderson movies, you should probably see it.
"Juno" is one of my favorite movies now, but my standards might just be lowered since they tend to only bring cheesy Hollywood blockbusters to Spain, then dub them.
Wes (not Wes Anderson) is coming to visit me in less than a week.
I start finals soon.
I'm still taking the same classes I was before I left because of the semester system.
I'm still working on the whole "not being a hater" thing. It's going well.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Oh, Rosé
I got back to Barcelona last night and the first thing Rosé told me was "I thought you weren't coming back!" Apparently she thought I was only going home for a week, realized I took a GIANT suitcase and assumed I had left her forever (with some of my clothes and grocery store membership cards). I think she's excited to have me back.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Guess Who's Back?
ME! Almost. I'm in Frankfurt right now enjoying my 6 hour layover but I'll be in Barcelona tonight at 6pm.
So, if you're sitting at home constantly refreshing my blog waiting for this update, now you know.
So, if you're sitting at home constantly refreshing my blog waiting for this update, now you know.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
New Year's Party
I spent my New Year's acting as a designated driver for my friends, which involved surrounding myself with obnoxious Tiburon kids while remaining completely sober. It's not as bad as it sounds. Especially since I'm working to be a more positive person.
My friend Kevin Wu got a little too drunk, and after almost starting fights over things he couldn't remember saying, he passed out with his head in his own lap for a little while.
We were at a friend's house, but his older sister (3 years older than us) had all her friends over as well. Instead of the two groups mixing fluidly, we were segregated in different sections of the house, and Kevin had passed out in their section.
The older kids (er, adults) wanted to make sure Kevin was okay, so they consistently poked him and tried to feed him water/give him bowls to vomit in/etc. When it was time to go, they were loudly yelling at him and trying to carry him, even though he was fully conscious and just wanted to be left alone. Once he got up and told them to "Get the fuck away" from him, they still followed him outside to make sure he didn't fall down the stairs or anything.
When we got to the car, they thanked us for coming and Kevin drunkenly turned around and responded: "Hey! How annoying were you guys?"
My friend Kevin Wu got a little too drunk, and after almost starting fights over things he couldn't remember saying, he passed out with his head in his own lap for a little while.
We were at a friend's house, but his older sister (3 years older than us) had all her friends over as well. Instead of the two groups mixing fluidly, we were segregated in different sections of the house, and Kevin had passed out in their section.
The older kids (er, adults) wanted to make sure Kevin was okay, so they consistently poked him and tried to feed him water/give him bowls to vomit in/etc. When it was time to go, they were loudly yelling at him and trying to carry him, even though he was fully conscious and just wanted to be left alone. Once he got up and told them to "Get the fuck away" from him, they still followed him outside to make sure he didn't fall down the stairs or anything.
When we got to the car, they thanked us for coming and Kevin drunkenly turned around and responded: "Hey! How annoying were you guys?"
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