#WEverb11: Revive

26. Revive

Share a favorite photo from the past year. What was happening behind the scenes? What were you thinking or feeling? What could you smell, taste, see, hear at that moment?

L to R: Myself, Andrew, Ashley and our teacher Alberto

I particularly love this picture because at this point of my life I was on the cusp of being thrusted into the real world but still had my "college student" mind frame. I had just graduated college and was going to Spain for an internship. I believe this was still within the first week of our arrival, when our Spanish professor Alberto told us that we could go on a tour of the Cruzcampo factory with the school.

Cruzcampo is Spain's national beer and owned by Heineken. I'm not much of a beer drinker (Guinness is the ONLY beer I drink) but I decided to go anyway because both Ashley and Andrew were going. We literally took a 30 minute tour of the factory and saw how the beer was made before embarking on a three hour (or maybe it was four...or five) open bar...with food!

This picture is the four of us still coherent before the drinks took over...well for me at least. I tried everything and was feeling quite nice before we boarded the bus to go back to the city. I love this picture simply because it represents a time where everything was still euphoric in my life and in Spain. A time before the many weeks of interning, looking for a job back home, tears, fears and everything else in between!

Great people, great beer, great food, great times!

Travel Challenge: Day 11--Milestones or “Firsts” While Traveling or Living Abroad

It was quite hard for me to think about any milestones or "firsts" I had while abroad, but I finally thought of two good ones.

Doing my "business" in a trashcan.
This may be TMI for some, but it was for a good cause! My first trip out of the country was a missions trip to Saltillo, Mexico when I was 15. I was told that the toilet system at the hotel wasn't up to par and that it'd be best to do my "business" in a trashcan and then take it to the dumpster once I was finished. Of course, I followed the rules, only to find out that there was nothing wrong with the toilets! It was quite embarrassing and a "first" for me on my first trip outside of America, but hey, we were there to help those in need and that's what  was important!


Traveling to Spain alone.
Believe it or not, my most recent trip abroad was actually my first trip alone. I've always traveled with a group and a set itinerary. ALWAYS. This trip was something that I really wanted to do and I did it! As Murphy's Law goes, everything on my first trip alone went horribly wrong. I missed two flights, lost my luggage, couldn't find my apartment among many other things, but I survived! Once I got into the groove of things, I asked myself, "why did I not do this sooner?" It was definitely a milestone to be completely alone in a foreign country, but I loved every minute of it!

My second day in Spain, taken before I went to work.

Travel Challenge: Day 8--A Favorite Food From Another Country

I'm a fatty and I don't care who knows it.

I love to eat. I love trying foods from different cultures and different countries. It makes me feel more connected to the place that I am visiting, rather than ordering "Americanized" food in a different country.

I've always loved Shepard's Pie. I first tried it at a tea house in, of all places, Kansas. I've been hooked since then, and when I finally went to Ireland and had authentic Shepard's Pie with Guinness, I died. As a birthday present, our bus driver bought me a recipe book of Irish foods. It's been thoroughly abused.

Photo via ifood.tv

Tortilla de patatas. I thought I knew about Spanish food before I traveled to Spain but I was sadly mistaken. Living with a family, I was able to eat typical Spanish meals and the day my host mom made tortilla de patatas, I kissed her. Seriously I did. A few weeks later, my friends and I had a dinner party and we made tortilla de patatas, but it didn't taste the same as it would from a woman who's been making it for years.

Photo via Chicho's Kitchen

 I had this in London and my mouth thanked me for it! I can't remember the name, but as you can see, I had carrots, a huge flaky biscuit/bread type thing, parsnips and beef with Guinness flavored gravy.

 Obviously I thought it was excellent! Now if you'll excuse me, I have to wipe the drool off my keyboard.
 

Travel Challenge: Day 4--A Picture of You in Another Country

This is me in the Plaza de España in Sevilla, España! This is one of my favorite places to go, but I try not to go so often because of how hot it is! Of course, there's no type of shade unless you walk across the plaza to get to the actual building. It really isn't that far of a walk, but when it's over 100 degrees, you feel like you've given the Devil a piggyback ride! Still, it's gorgeous nonetheless.

What? You've Never Seen a Black Person Before?

I'm Black.

Whether it's been negative or positive, my skin tone has always caused quite the commotion when I travel. It's almost like I'm a celebrity.

People either look at me like I have three heads or worship the ground I walk on. Sometimes I want to scream at them and say, "HAVE YOU NEVER SEEN A BLACK PERSON BEFORE?"

Then I realize that maybe countries like Australia and Spain don't have many Black people and even if they do, maybe they don't know how to interact with them..Who knows.

"For you, 50 percent off because I just love Black people."

All I know is that whenever I travel I am either, stared at, whistled at or am the victim of a flash run (take a picture without me knowing until the flash goes off and all I see are butt cheeks and elbows running down the street), and I'd like to happily do without any of that.

I'm happy to take a picture with a local if they ask. I love having my picture taken!  It actually brightens my day when someone says, "Excusa...photo...you?" Just ask for my photo.

Lights, Camera, Bookstore!

It's no secret that I love books.

I'm obsessed with books. I could easily spend an entire day in a bookstore. They don't have to be fancy chain bookstores like Borders (slowly R.I.P.) or Barnes and Nobles. They can be a little "Mom and Pop" bookstore. As long as I'm in a place that sells books I'm absolutely content.

So imagine my surprise as I was walking home I came across Libreria Beta, a bookstore, on Calle Sierpes. I casually asked Ashley if we could stop in and then it happened.

I entered book heaven.

Sevilla has numerous locations of Libreria Beta. There's even a Libreria Beta located five minutes from my apartment, but this one was different.

This one was a former movie theater!

Libreria Beta on Calle Sierpes

Bird's eye view from the top floor

Books of every language surrounded me and I could hardly keep it together! I'm sure Ashley thought I was going a little bit overboard but I couldn't help it!


I rushed home still in a daze and immediately looked up the store and some background information on it. Unfortunately, there was no other information about it, but I did find other movie theaters (and other interesting places) turned bookstores.

image courtesy of Buenos Aires for 91 Days

Then I came across something worth putting on my bucket list.

El Ateneo Grand Splendid.

Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina it holds over 100,000 authors  in all languages.

The theatre was built in May1919 by Peró and Torres Armengol under the name Teatro Gran Splendid in May 1919. It entertained Buenos Aires for about a decade with top-tier tango concerts.

In the late 1920's it was converted into a popular cinema  and in 2000, the building was leased by a publishing house and became this wonderful monstrosity of a bookstore.

image courtesy of Buenos Aires for 91 Days

In 2008, The Guardian, named El Ateneo second in its list of the World's Ten Best Bookshops.

I personally would like to give adulation to the person who thought that leasing out a theatre would be a good idea.


Alas, until I can get  to Buenos Aires, I shall give Libreria Beta too much of my money and spend an unnecessary amount of my time sating myself in the confined comfort of their books.

P.S. Here's a video of me having a "bookgasm" after my discovery of Libreria Beta. Book nerd? Sure. Do I care? No.

The Dog Days Are Here

Contrary to Florence and the Machine's song "The Dog Days Are Over," here in Spain they have only just begun!

For starters, it's usually about 100 degrees here and living in a house with no air conditioning is making it absolutely UNBEARABLE.

However, part of me wonders if my argument would be different if I were in Florida right now with all of its lovely humidity and heat.

The "dog days" also refers to the ever growing political unrest I've witnessed since I've been here.

There have been many protests since I first arrived. According to my intercambio Melanie, the unemployment rate is at 23% and a rough estimate of about 5 million are out of jobs, herself included.

Melanie told me over coffee one day that the people here are, "tired of the corrupt government. They're tired of not being listened to and now we're doing something about it."

Well what exactly are they tired of?