Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Look at this! Two posts in one month! Could be considered a record. Unfortunately, I have been feeling really rushed all the time for no particular reason so am feeling too rushed to put pictures up. But, I finished the Camino! Which means very little. I got this sweet little certificate thing though and I can say that I've walked over 200 kilometers (120-ish miles), so I will put that up on my 'accomplishments you might say at an interview to prove something but you won't actually put on your resume'. Other things like that are the marathon and reading the entire Harry Potter series in Spanish. Also I can do summersaults.

Currently I have been going to the beach in the afternoons and have slightly dimmed the blinding reflection my bare stomach causes and going for lots of walks around the town and stuff. There was an international jazz fest recently and I went up and talked to the jazz group afterward, they are from Detroit and one of their next stops, after some other Spanish town and Paris is Helsinki, Finland. Also I met the mormons here. Then I kept running into them. July is like Americans in Galicia Month! Who knew!! I didn't even get an invitation so I would know what to bring!

In annoying news, getting my residency card is becoming a big pain in the behind. I have made three trips to Ourense (the first one being a bust since I was misinformed of when I should be there and the bus was late, bad combo) but yesterday it FINALLY went through. So when I come back to Spain I can just go over there and pick it up and be all like legit. Hurray! I also tried looking for an apartment, no dice. Fortunately, the people at the school in Vigo will help me when I get there so I am not too panicked.

This is also my last post! When I was not in Ourense this week, I went to a barbecue party at a beach house and finally jumped in the frigid Atlantic waters because it has been mega hot here recently. Additionally, today is PeƱas which should be quite the fun fun time! I would think about adding some words of wisdom here, but since I will be back in two months time it doesn't seem necessary as a finality or anything. So I'll just leave this as my last post, hopefully during the summer break I can post some pictures of what I'd been doing recently. Cross your fingers! See everyone soon in Kansas!

xoxo

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

So, ironically, even though I have been on vacation since June, I have not put in the time to update this blog. Well, maybe not ironically, it IS summer and everyone is a little lazy during summer break. But my summer break is like 4 months, so tsk tsk me for not being on the ball.

As everyone IN THE WORLD knows, Spain won the World Cup. What does this mean? Very little, except for the huge people gathering to watch the last few games and celebrate downtown. Oh, and typically non-patriotic Spaniards have been chucking up the Spanish flag all over the place, so everything is littered in red and yellow. And they win like $30 million, which all the economists - with the excitement and increased tourism and drinking in bars/restaurants - claim will get Spain out of their economic crisis. Which is kind of laughable, but I guess positive thinking doesn't hurt? But it was fun watching and seeing the spectacle and how famous Pulpo Paul has become! Yesterday I was watching TV (omg, finally a tv, don't judge) and it was kind of like when KU won the national championship. There was a huge welcome home rally and parade and they were up on stage and giving speeches. Except more singing and dancing and fun little Spain cheers. Anyway, I'm considering offering my OBVIOUS talent for being in the place where a team WINS IT ALL to the highest bidder. So, professional sports teams, please get in touch and we can work out a fair and advantageous contract for both parties.

As another update, I moved out of Ourense and am bumming around in friends' apartments until I fly back to Kansas for two months. It sort of complicated my running schedule because Ourense had the perfect trail and I knew all the distances, but change is good even if I have to use more math. And now I'm using a different super market, so it's both exciting and frustrating all at once! It's more expensive but there are some new fun things to try in these last few weeks. This week Manu and I, and hopefully some of our friends, will be finishing the Camino de Santiago. We will be starting where we left, in Baamonde, but it would be much appreciated if everyone could do the rain dance where they are so it doesn't follow us on the pilgrimage, thanks. xD Also, hoping it won't be mega hot. My sleep schedule is typical summer (wake up after 11), so adjusting to wake up early to walk in the cool dawn will be trying at best.

In other news, I met a group of Texas Tech med students who are doing a course/practicum in Santiago. It was hilarious. They didn't speak much Spanish so when a group of Catalans came by wanting to talk with AMERICANS, they had me translating a lot. And didn't even buy me a drink for all that work! Texans. xD Actually, they were mostly really nice and didn't glare at me when I kept giggling at how they said y'all the entire time. Well, I guess that's it. I spend most of my day reading, watching tv, running and buying gummi candy (I've moved on from zaps and it seems to have transferred to things like gummi ham hocks, which don't taste like ham but instead a juicy piece of heaven) so nothing too particularly crazy happens. Next time I feel inspired, I'll put up some pictures of Ted's and my trip through Spain and some summer photos. Until next time!
xoxo