¡Rubia! ¡Rubia! ¡Rubia!

 It's more difficult that I thought it would be to update this blog, but I am going to try to do it at least once a week! There was another minor hiccup in my Spanish adventures last Friday night when my camera fell out of my purse and then someone stole it. Surprise. Unfortunately, I'm getting used to this theft thing in my life. Luckily there's a new one on its way from Minnesota and I should get it on Monday :) I had to borrow a few pictures below from Chelsea's and Kelsey's cameras, thanks!! 

Back when I still had a camera I took it running with me one day because the scenery is unbelievable and I'm never coming home :)

Last Thursday (still pre-camera theft), we toured Toledo and it was like almost Minnesota cold… no never mind you guys have it way worse, but it was chilly enough where I did not think pictures were worth taking my hands out of my pockets so I didn’t take very many. 

Blonde (rubia) is a rare breed here is Spain. Chelsea and I always end up together, which doesn’t help us blend in at all. Sometimes I don’t have a name, it’s just “the other blonde” (la otra rubia). She’s complained of people petting her head like it's not real hair; so far I haven't encountered that. But seriously, how are you supposed to react to someone petting your head??

I LOVE the other students I've met here. There are students here from Japan, Puerto Rico, Notre Dame, and a couple people from random states that didn't come with a group from their school.  Most of my friends are from the U of M, however Chelsea is the only one I knew before coming here. Now, it's been just over two weeks and I feel like I've known them forever.

La Otra Boveda

Yep I live here!

We've become such good friends with the bar owners of La Otra Boveda that they invited 7 of us back to their home town of San Pablo, about 45 minutes outside of Toledo. There were 9 of us in a 7 seat car so it was a tight squeeze, but totally worth it when we got there. San Pablo is a very small town up in the mountains of Spain. I'm fairly certain that we were the only Americans to ever set foot there and absolutely the only blondes. We saw a 3 year old girl point and say in Spanish "Look mom, blondes!" We stick out like a sore thumb. When we went there this last Tuesday, Jan 25th,  the town was having the festival of San Pablo. It was a really cool cultural experience that not many people get to have.

We never pass up a chance to hang out with the locals and practice our Spanish

They had a little different version of run with the bulls. In this version the crowd parts and forms an isle down the street and I am the bull. All of these children latched on and ran away with me through the crowd. I'll remind you that I have no idea what's going on or where they're taking me. Luckily it was only the traditional drink of San Pablo and some kind of nuts waiting for me at the end. You're supposed to drink the beverage fast, eat the nuts, and then they kidnap you again and bring you back. They poke you with a pitch fork if you don't run. Sounds not fun, but it seriously was.

The thing that Kelsey is drinking out of, I forget what it's called, is what was waiting for me at the end of the "bull run" along with the nuts below. It's some kind of really sugary lemonade mixed with other things. Everyone was just walking around the city with them for the San Pablo celebration.

We're still not sure what this guy's purpose was, but he was wearing more makeup than I was.

This giant log that we're sitting on is what they used for some kind of tug of war game. Obviously we participated still having no idea how it works. Chelsea was taking pictures and heard people in the crowd laugh and say in Spanish "Look, the Americans are trying to play!" haha

This is "Mama Vicki" and "Mama Paula". Mama Paula owns the bar, La Otra Boveda, in Toledo with her husband, Pablo. Mama Vicki is their friend who welcomed us into her home in San Pablo for wine and tapas before the festival and for lunch after the festival. Here we're at the town bar before lunch. The entire day none of the 7 of us were allowed to pay for any food or drinks. The 3 of them bought and provided everything for us. We offered to pay, but they told us it would be disrespectful for us to pay for anything, which is more than okay with me.

After that, Pablo drove us up into the Mountains and the view was breathtaking.

Later we had lunch (at 5pm...) in the basement of Mama Vicki's house. Pablo is sitting in the middle. If you'll notice most of us are all still wearing out coats. Utilities are so expensive here in Spain that they rarely use the heat. Currently it is a cool 54 degrees in my room back in Toledo. I sleep with my winter coat on..

This is café con leche and it's at the top of my reasons for not returning to the U.S.
Best. Coffee. Ever.

American behavior to car passings. It's a close call every time.

That's all I have for now! We went to Madrid this weekend and stayed in a pretty nice hostel. It was located right by La Plaza del Sol, which is the main shopping area. It's an absolutely insane city and we will be going back asap. It's also a very expensive city at night.. I had bought a small bottle of coca-cola and choked a little when I signed the receipt for 8 euro ($12)... I'll stick to rain water, thanks. I don't have pictures up of Madrid yet because I didn't have a camera, but I'll steal some from a few people when I get a chance. 

LOVE YOU MISS YOU

¡Bienvenidos a Toledo, España!

¡Hola amigos!

6 days and 4500 miles later I have a blog :)

My travels were off to a rough start on Thursday, January 13th. I finished packing my clothes into vacuum air tight storage bags at 4am and left my house and my passport at 8am. Yes, I left my passport. My mom and I arrived at the MSP airport a little before 10am for my flight to Atlanta at 1pm. It wasn't until around 10:20 after my mom and I were done adding and removing things from my bags and ready to check them that we realized my passport was at home in Rochester still in the scanner. Being on time for an international flight only matters if you've remembered the one single item that you need to board an international flight and I did not have it. Mom was quick to move and out the door before I knew what was going on. Conveniently, a tiny blizzard started outside as mom raced to meet dad (who had to leave work, sorry!) in Cannon Falls, which slowed things down. Additionally the airport informed me that my bags needed to be checked before noon or I was not getting on a plane. Mom parked illegally and made it with 7 minutes to spare and after a few more minor complications with the bag check my 50lb and 49.5lb suitcases made it through. How will these bags get home after shopping in Europe for 4 months? I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

 

This picture was pre- forgotten passport realization

 

15 hours, 2 flights, and one bus ride later I arrive in Toledo around 11am (4am US time, Spain is 7 hours ahead). I have moved from the dirty streets of Minneapolis to the cobblestone, cat filled streets of Toledo, España. These are not pet cats. These cats are mean as hell and thrive on garbage. Mackenzie Davis, you might have to fly out here and take care of some cats for me. I wish I had a cooler intro to Toledo picture haha that'll come later I just haven't gotten to it.

...Other than that, the city is GORGEOUS and so much bigger than I remember it. I feel like I’m living in a Spanish history book. Toledo has an old city of about 10,000 people and a new city outside of the old city walls of about 70,000. I live in the old city and only a 4 minute walk from school with a host family. I have a mom, dad, and three brothers: Jorge (33, married and lives in Madrid), Emilio (26), and Diego (20). The houses in Toledo are all connected so that the outside just looks like 4 or more doors in a wall. They’re built to be narrow and deep. The house has two floors and I have my own bedroom and bathroom (I think?) on the main floor. Everything is really nice, extremely clean, and spacious. I am happy :)

Front door

Hallway to front door from my bedroom

My bedroom

This leg is in my kitchen, but I guess that's normal here..culture shock.

I will inevitably be hit by a car this semester. These are the narrow streets of Toledo in which both myself and a rapidly moving car are supposed to fit at the same time. I think it might be fun for the locals when they spot an American because we freak out and glue ourselves flat to these walls when a car passes. Somehow the locals have other ways of avoiding passing cars.

This is the name of my street. I think the street signs are small and not noticeable because they don’t help at all. Toledo is a maze. 

I brought several pairs of heels that I will never wear again the rest of the duration I am in Toledo. I didn’t know that by cobblestone streets that they were referring to giant pebbles protruding from the ground. I wore heels out once and it felt like the Rocky Mountains. 

This is José and he makes us sopresas y chupitas gratis at a bar called La otra boveda

I was served beer in a wine glass? If you'll notice there is a single tap. It is confusing for an American to only have one beer option, but we're dealing with the situation.

For whatever reason they are in support of the Minnesota Timberwolves.. this was on the bar. haha

There are 35 people in this itty bitty bar :)

I haven’t taken very many pictures of the city yet because it hasn’t been sunny, but we have a city tour on Friday so I’ll post pictures from that. Here are a few that I took on my way to class :)

La catedral

La catedral

I go running pretty much every day on a path that goes down along the river, across the bridge, and around the mountainside of Toledo. The weather is in the 40s, which is perfect for running. It was a really hard adjustment, especially living with a family that doesn’t speak any English at all, but I'm getting better! The first day of classes was today and it was not good, but everyone else except for the Puerto Rican students feel the same. I may have to switch a few things around.. the last thing I want to be doing in Spain is any kind of homework. It is now 2am here and I feel like I will never adjust to the time change. It has been a blast so far and I am unbelievably excited for the rest of the semester!! 

Miss you all so much!! <3