Hasta Luego

So I've decided that I need a proper capstone for my experience in Alicante, and I'm going to give it a shot with this blog post. Because I love alliteration and this all seemed to work out, I'm going to write about some of my favorite P's from my experience. Hope you enjoy!

PASSION-- Living in Alicante has sparked a fire in me that will surely last for the rest of my life. I have fallen in love with the Spanish language, and I'm excited to continue studying it in the fall because I still have so much to discover. Learning Spanish has been a challenge unlike anything else in my life, especially since I was constantly surrounded by it, but it has also been the source of immense happiness when I can carry on a conversation with a person in a language other than my native tongue. Talking-- whether in English or in Spanish-- will never be the same to me (and that's saying a lot coming from the queen of verbosity!) I have learned to appreciate the importance of communication and language, and it's been truly humbling.

I've also been inspired by the passion of the Spanish people. From those whom I've encountered, the Spaniards are incredibly passionate people in whatever they are pursuing. They don't always worry about being politically correct or too forward-- they speak their mind. And I like that. Sure, there is a limit and I can't clump this rich culture into one generality, but I really appreciate some of the passion that I've witnessed while in Spain (Even including the passionate make-out sessions that I've seen on the street, on the beach, or anywhere really. Ha!)

PEACE AND PLEASURE-- My time in Spain has also changed my perspective on productivity (I'm on a roll with the p-words today!) I can't express how much I've loved my walks along the beach, my reading times near my favorite fountain, my numerous glasses of wine shared with friends, and my late-night fiesta-ing. Life is meant to be enjoyed, and sometimes the rush of trying to be productive all the time can really get a person down. Spain has taught me the importance of peace and of pleasure-- leaving time for loved ones even when work is sitting on your desk, stopping for a moment to take a look around and perhaps re-walking the same path in the opposite direction just to see it from a different view, and keeping your mind open to new people and new experiences. I recognize that work has to get done, and I know that part of me is also motivated by accomplishments and by goals, but I think it's also important to take some time to remember what you love to do and to enjoy the beauty you have around you.

PEOPLE-- Over the past four months, I've met some incredible people. I've made great friends, and I've even had some meaningful one-time meetings of acquaintances. From my professor, to my host family, or even to an old couple on a bench, I've made connections with people that have surely shaped my worldview. (But don't worry- I still remember how important everyone is at home. In fact, studying abroad has really highlighted who is important and how blessed I truly am to have so many amazing people in my life!) My time here has also solidified the fact for me that people are often more important than the place you are visiting or whatever you are doing. My afternoon coffee sessions and exploratory walks with some of my best friends wouldn't have been the same without them. And having spring break with my parents was especially wonderful. It's not always about checking things off a list-- the time shared with others is what I always cherish.


So even if I come home a few pounds heavier and a few dollars poorer, living in Alicante has been worth it all. Although it hasn't always been easy, it's been exactly what I needed, and it's strange to see my time here drawing to a close. When I come back to the States, I'll try not to annoy you all by starting every sentence with "This one time in Spain..." but I can't make any promises at this point. It's been an amazing semester, one that I'm sure not to forget anytime soon. So thanks, Alicante, for some of the best months of my life. Hasta luego.

The Grand Finale (Spring Break Part 4)

Walking on the beach...
Feeling the symbolism: Our grand adventure!

So it's taken me over a month to recount all of my spring break, but I'm finally going to finish up my story. I'm going to do things a little differently for this post: I'm going to make a list of our experiences from Barcelona and from Alicante and let you all put them together stream-of-consciousness style, or something like that. Let's see how this goes!

My favorite picture from Barcelona!

BARCELONA: The pinkest hotel room you've ever seen, ice cream and beer on tap, lion rides, the miracle of a random run-in with my friend Katie in a crowded park, walking from the Sagrada Familia to the park (believe me-this is impressive), the view from the top of Park Guell, changing hotel rooms every night, a delicious sea-food dinner, gorgeous train rides, walking along the beach, quenching strawberry cravings in the market, celebrating my HSA presidency with a rose and a Nutella crepe, a lit candle for Pili, and of course, lots of laughs.

ALICANTE: Sharing paradise with my parents and going to all of my favorite spots, getting a kebab right after the train ride, meals at the best places in Alicante, becoming regulars at the restaurant Sale & Pepe, a long and peaceful walk along the empty San Juan beach, the classic castle climb, watching my mom jump on the little kid trampoline, the return trip to San Juan-- complete with hundreds of drunk 15 year-olds, an unexpected rainstorm, the host family meeting my original family, a visit to the University, walking, walking, and more walking, but eating and drinking like kings, a family siesta before goodbyes and the night bus, and the best end to our trip that we could have asked for.

The families meet!

This was the trip of a lifetime, and I'm so thankful that I got to experience it with my parents. We made so many memories, and I know that we will be talking about it for years!

Love you both!

As for me, I'm just trying to enjoy my last few weeks here before I head back to the US. The summer weather conditions have been perfect for beach trips and  pleasant night fiesta-ing.  Not going to lie, it's going to be really hard to leave Alicante-- I'm hoping that I don't cry on the entire plane ride home.  I'm excited to see the ones I love, but it's sad to see my study abroad experience come to a close. Luckily, I feel like this is just the beginning of my adventure: I will be back for sure!

The Many Adventures of Pili (Spring Break Part 3)

Hey y'all. I'm back. It's time to talk about the amazing Pili now! I already talked about meeting her, but the story doesn't end there. We met up with her the following day because she generously offered to drive us to Osses (the Lekumberry family has relatives there), and we were planning on meeting them and spending a night there before heading to Barcelona. Well, we didn't end up making it to Osses, but that didn't make our adventure any less enjoyable.

On our Pili Adventure!

Pili picked us up from the hotel, and that's when the real fun began. Our trip wasn't about efficiency; it was about leisure and fun, thanks to Pili. After a few hilarious traffic light mishaps, we stopped at a gorgeous castle near the Spain/France border with incredible views of the ocean and of the surrounding towns. But we couldn't just walk around it once. Pili insisted that we walk around it one way and then around it the other way-- you always see things differently from a new viewpoint she said. And she was right. This is a lesson that will be dear to my heart from this trip because taking time to enjoy and to really take in all of the sights made our time spent together even more special.

We then ventured to St. Jean de Luz, which is a small French port town. The sun had finally overpowered the rainclouds that seemed to have been following us, and we spent a pleasant afternoon wandering the streets of this little town. Another great Pili lesson: light a candle and make a wish in every church you come across. This is another one of my favorite Pili moments because although I can't do it justice with words, it was magical. Just do it someday- you'll know what I mean.

Yummmm!

At this point, we found out that the Osses trip wasn't going to work out due to logistics one way or another, so we headed back to San Sebastian. After Pili helped us find a new hotel, we called it a night and planned to meet up again the next day. Winging it at it's finest. Surprise, surprise: the next day brought rain, but once again, we didn't let this dampen our spirit for adventure. Pili invited us to share a lunch at her gastronomic club, which is basically a really nice kitchen to use at the disposal of a club member. And oh my, this lunch ended up being some of the best food that we ate on our trip. Pili treated us to some local delicacies, and I'm pretty sure that my dad was in heaven with all of the cooking power available at his fingertips. When we emerged from the club, contented and full once again, the weather had cleared up, and we were well-equipped (we thought) for another Pili adventure.

Somehow we ened up walking all the way to the other side of the bay, and then we took this cute little tram thingy called the Funicular up to Mount Igueldo, which is the area on the peak of the other side of the bay. After numerous photo opportunities, a round of bumper cars, and the realization that everything else was closed, we made our descent on foot all the way to the other side of the bay. Even though this was a really long walk, it went by super fast as we shared in great conversations. Pili's daughters asked me all about American high schools since they have seen images in movies and hope that maybe one day they will attend a high school in the US. So of course we talked about the hot topic with high school-aged girls: prom. It was a kick!

One of my favorites:
The group looking at the view from the top of Mount Igueldo.

Then, after a few more rounds of tapas and drinks, it came time for the bittersweet goodbye. We had shared a few phenomenal days together, and it was sad to realize that it was coming to a close. But the good news: Pili was already planning to visit Gardnerville in August. So even though it was goodbye for now, it wasn't goodbye for an indefinite amount of time. I honestly can't imagine what our time in San Sebastian would have been like without Pili, our guide and now good friend.

Rain and Shine (Spring Break Part 2)

So where did I leave off? Oh yeah, time to talk about San Sebastian! Our time there was definitely one of the highlights of our trip, thanks to friends old and new. We ended up staying there for four days, which was two more days than we had originally planned. Even the relentless rain couldn't dampen our spirits (at least not figuratively).

We arrived to San Sebastian by bus, and of course, it started raining about the time that we had to walk to the hotel. But no worries, we made it to our fabulous hotel despite the less-than-reliable weather pattern. The view from our room was gorgeous! This was our 'splurge' place, and it couldn't have had better timing. The rest of the day was spent walking, eating, and drinking, but a few crucial connections and plans were made for the following day: one with my parents' friend Carlos from Gardnerville and one with Pili, a mutual friend of the Lekumberry family in Gardnerville. These two played a vital role in helping us dive into the culture of San Sebastian and of the surrounding area.

One of our best ideas in San Sebastian:
Hotel room snacks break with local cheese!

So the next day we met up with Carlos in the morning, and he took us for a scenic walk around one part of the bay in San Sebastian. Then the real adventure began! We hopped in his car and headed for his hometown, San Esteban. Along the way, we made stops at my mom's old stomping grounds from 30 years ago, which was so interesting for us all to experience. I was awestruck by the beautiful countryside, and I was fascinated by the memories that my mom recounted from the summer she spent there during her teenage years. We finally ended up in San Esteban, and after a little walk and a quick drink, Carlos brought us to one of the local restaurants for lunch. SO DELICIOUS! Following the Spanish and Basque meal traditions, lunch was not just some small bite to eat, it was a full-on event. We ate a tasty fish soup as the first course, and then it was meat-to-your-liking for the second course, all the while drinking red wine and the traditional cider of the Basque Country. And naturally, we finished off with dessert and coffee. Fat and happy, we headed back to San Sebastian. We drove to France first, which sounds cool, but in reality it wasn't far out of our way. Once again, the views were break-taking, and hey, why not drive through part of France if you get the chance?

Carlos and Dad during our little adventure.

But this was not the end of our day, we ended up meeting with Pili, our new best friend, in the afternoon/evening. What a kick she was! So full of life and energy! The communication was difficult at times, but all in all, we hit it off almost instantly. She took us through the Old Town of San Sebastian, we met her daughters, we saw where she lived and where she worked, and most of all, we had an incredibly enjoyable time. It was great to get the tips about eating pinchos (that's the name for tapas in the north of Spain) from an inside source. Plans were made for the following day, and my bed was calling my name after an exhaustingly wonderful day. (SPOILER ALERT: I'm realizing that I pretty much need to devote an entire post to our adventures with Pili, so I think I'll take a break and leave off here for now. But believe me, there are great things to come! I'm going to leave some suspense... Haha.)

In other news, it's starting to feel a little bittersweet that I'll be leaving Spain so soon. Even though I haven't left yet, I'm already trying to figure out when I can come back. I love the Spanish culture, and I don't want my adventure to stop here. So if there is a will, there's a way, and I'm going to make it happen! Today my professor was talking about the Camino de Santiago, so maybe I'll come back to make that pilgrimage someday. Time will tell. But for now, I'm going to take advantage of the time I have left and keep engaging in the Spanish lifestyle. I'm really starting to embrace the life of a Spaniard-- I even went topless on the beach the other day. (Don't worry, my parents already know. Ha.) Time goes so fast, and I don't want to miss out on any experience here!

After our first pincho night with Pili and the girls.