Hola a todos!
I'm back in the states everyone! And I can't wait to see all of you! I will be posting a video slide show of all my pictures soon, but in the mean time, feel free to hitme up for coffee or something this week md ill tell you all about my adventures!
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
I live!
Hey everyone! I'm terribly sorry that I haven't been updating much, life here in Spain is hectic and the wifi is spotty. So I just wanted to fill you in on my life right now:
I am currently living with friends of my parents, Fran, Elena, and their 6-month-old Baby Elena, in Valencia, a city on the Mediterranean coast about 3 hours from Madrid. It's a beautiful city! The sidewalks are made of marble (which is a tad slippery when wet, but gorgeous none the less) and the buildings come in a variety of strikingly different designs, from antique apartment buildings dating back to the early 1900s to modern exhibition halls that look like abstract art! The weather has been around the upper 80s/low 90s consistently, cloudless in the morning but usually a bit overcast and windy by evening, and it has only rained once while I've been here, only for 20 minutes. Valencia is also the Mediterranean headquarters for the America's Cup so I may or may not have been doing a little sailing propaganda~
The apartment is very big and spacious with corner views over a park across the street where kids play soccer everyday. I have my own room, which is quite nice and has its own air conditioning (thank goodness!). It's a block from a major avenue called Blasque Bañez. That street is basically my life. It has everything: the Academy where I attend classes, the house of Elena's mother, my Abuelita, where I go for lunch, the store where I bought a dress today, tons of "Heladiendas" where I get Horchata (a local drink similar to a hazelnut milkshake-delicious!), and it's also the road to the beach, only a 10 minute walk!
Costa de Valencia is the Academy where I attend intensive Spanish class for 4 1/2 hours everyday. It's really sweet actually, because the classes are small, the people are nice, and you get free access to computers and a small library! And I'm meeting all sorts of people there! My class has 8 people in it, I am the only America and I am also the youngest by a good 3-5 years. In my class there are 2 Germans ,(*coughcuteGermanboythatsitsnexttomecough*), 1 Irish biologist, 1 French math teacher, 1 Japanese waiter, and a girl from Peru who is living in New York, who I have befriended over our love of Philly cheesesteak. They're all really funny and nice, we have kind of bonded over the past week and a half and have definitely opened up to each other. I appreciate that they treat me as an equal, or perhaps like a little sister of the group, but don't treat me like a child, despite the age gap. My teacher this week seems to push me harder than the others, but I think it because he wants me to show him, the others, and even myself that just because I am younger does not mean I am less capable.
A regular day in the life of Señorita Sophía Española:
8:00 AM - wake up, stare at the ceiling, roll over and sleep for 5 more minutes.
8:05 AM - Get up, take a shower, get dressed for the boiling weather etc.
8:45 AM - Pack my bag for the day, Read my daily devotion
9:00 AM - Eat Breakfast and help Abuelita with Baby Elena
9:30 AM - Leave the Apartment and walk to the Academy
9:45 AM - Arrive at the Academy, talk with Chameele (my Peruvian friend, always early)
10:00 AM - class begins with us wondering where the Japanese guy is. He's always late.
10:10 AM - the Japanese guy arrives, class actually starts
11:30 AM - break for snack, walk to Abuelitas (usually Ham & Cheese Sandwhich)
12:00 PM - class begins again, though we usually just review in the afternoon
1:30 PM - Class dismissed! Walk home, halfway with Chameele until her bus stop
1:45 PM - arrive at the apartment and proceed to do any homework I may have
3:00 PM - lunchtime! Eat with Abuelita and Fran, sometimes Elena if she gets off early
3:30 PM - Siesta~ Nap for about 1 1/2 hours
5:00 PM - finish any homework if needed, help Elena around the house, go for a walk with her or if there are any school activities, got to them
Time gap - free time, do whatever, Spanish soap operas are...intriguing
10:00 PM - dinner time, eat with the family
10:30 PM - watch NCIS in Spanish with Elena. She and I both love it~
11:00 PM - Buena noche! Bedtime for me!
That's basically it! If you want to know any specifics, email me and will try to post again soon with the information people want to know!! I'm sorry I haven't been too active for those of you who follow me closely (I love you Grandma Jo~), but I promise to try harder!
Hasta Luego!
Σοφία
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Friday, June 22, 2012
Pictures
Finally was able to upload some pictures!
First, Paris~
Jardin du Luxembourg, one of the lovliest green places in Paris. Just down the street from our flat.
The courtyard of our of our flat, on Rue Buci.
The elevator or stairs up to the flat. What an improvement from our last apartment! This elevator held 3 people, rather than 2 and a half!
Sorry, no pictures of the flat, it's too small to get decent pictures. I could only get corners and windows and things.
Sunset dinner in the Latin District.
Notre Dame at dusk.
A pleasant walk along the Seine to end our first day in Paris.
The Pyramid entrance to le Louvre (and Mallory).
Resteraunt Chartiers with Monsieur Fantastique in the foreground.
Le Sacre-Coer itself, a beatiful church, and the view of Paris from it. It makes me want to move to learn French just so I can go to Paris and learn to paint landscapes. It would be a dream come true to paint this scene.
In order: the blazing sunset, Chomps Elesee, and Eiffel tower from the top of the Arc de Triumph. Gorgeous views all around.
View of Sacre Coer through the clock window in Musee d'Orsee that used to be an old railroad station.
Oh hot dang-- oops Sophie did it again. Sorry, couldn't resist posting the hot Parisian boys for y'all back home. On that note: we discovered that the hottest trend in men's fashion in Paris is Scarves. With everything. Any of you guys want one? ;D
My computer is having problems, so I will post more later.
Hasta Luego!
Σοφία
First, Paris~
Sorry, no pictures of the flat, it's too small to get decent pictures. I could only get corners and windows and things.
Notre Dame at dusk.
My computer is having problems, so I will post more later.
Hasta Luego!
Σοφία
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Paris
Well, I'm glad we're finally here, let me tell you. I think I forgot how absolutely exhausting traveling abroad is. We were all a bit crabby after the long trip, especially a little someone who's name starts with "M" and ends with "allory".
The trip went pretty smooth. Pretty. The plane to L.A. was awesome, actually. My dad got to know the attendants and they kinda pampered us. That's my dad for you. I also finally got a good bit of my request writing done, which was excellent. It was even sunny when we landed.
But then we get off.
6 hours is a LONG time to spend with the same four people cooped up in a board room. Thankfully I had Inception rented on my iPad (I LOVE that movie) and thus was occupied, but Mallory...not so much. She was driving me crazy. But it got better when we go to our AirFrance gate. The line was humongous. At least we were all sitting together.
The plane ride itself was not bad, I suppose. I mean, for a 10 hour flight. I got to catch up on some movies I had been wanting to see (btw TinTin is SO predictable) and got a little more writing done. But I could not for the life of me get to sleep. No matter how much I tossed and turned, I only fell asleep finally from sheer exhaustion. The food was quite decent for airplane food. But apparently not enough so for Mallory. She threw up as we landed.
Short train ride later, we're in the city itself and get to our flat. As far as Paris flats go, it's not that bad. It's a bit smaller than we're used to but it's livable. I tried to get some pictures for you all but it's just too small to get decent ones. It's in a good location though: 2 blocks from Jardin du Luxembourg and a block from the Latin District.
So once we get settled in, we met our British friends Tony and Susan in Jardin Luxembourg for a classical concert and had a little walk 'round there before going for dinner in the Latin district. It's this wonderful little pizzeria we found last time that has THE best four cheese pizza I have EVER tasted. Delicious, but Mallory doesn't like the "stinky cheese".
After dinner we took a stroll down the Seine and watched the sunset fade behind Notre Dame. A simply marvelous first day in Paris.
For our first full day, we got up at...erm, noon. Baguettes and butter for breakfast before we go to le Louvre. I had been to see the glass pyramid entrance to le Louvre, but never inside. That place is HUGE. You could walk for miles and never reach a dead end. So of course we saw all the famous pieces: Mona Lisa, Winged Venus, the hall of Monarchs. Each room was like walking into a different time period! It was brilliant! The Greek rooms had columns and marble carvings and the neo-classic period had brilliantly carved golden frames around each picture. But I have to say, the hall ofMonarchs was my favorite. It was like walking into Versailles at the height of the 17th century! Gold leaf patterning everywhere, ornately carved furniture, windows a mile high, it was amazing.
For lunch, we met Tony and Susan at Chartier, my parents' favorite resteraunt in Paris. It used to be a Post office in the 1800s and has still retained its vaulted ceiling with globe chandeliers. The waiters all wear traditional waistcoats and white aprons and the menu is purely French (no messing about with burgers and such). My dad nicknamed our waiter "Monsieur Fantastiqué" on account that he said everything was just that, fantastic.
We walked off our sizable (and delicious) lunch all the way to le Sacre-Coer. I love that place. It makes me want to learn French just so I can live there and learn to paint the Parisian skyline. My parents always used to have a painting above their bed that they bought there named "Jardin du Sophie". I have ALWAYS wanted to find Jardin du Sophie. So we tried in vain for about an hour, asking all the vendors and tour guides and policemen we saw. But alas, they think that perhaps it is a madeup place. I still have faith that I will find it someday. But not this year, it seems.
It was now that my mother and Susan insisted we go shopping. Ah, Galleries Lafeyette never ceases to amaze, both in the grandeur of the stain glass ceiling, and how truly expensive it is. 128€ for a sundress. That's $175. Um, no. Instead I bought two shirts at H&M. My mother and I have been to H&M in Paris, London, Koln (Germany), New York, San Francisco, and of course, Seattle.
Oh, and my Hetalia friends will like to hear, we passed a manga shop and I saw the most hilarious poster ever in the window: it had a huge picture of Chibi Italy, being all cute with his pasta and white flag and the title was "Italia: Shounen Hero". Now that I look back I think it makes no sense at all, but I couldn't stop laughing.
To finish off the day, we headed off on the metro to the center of the city, to the Arc de Triumph. 217 steps is alot after walking all over town, but it was worth it. From the the top we watched the blazing sunset and surveyed all of Paris. As the sun went down, the Eiffel tower lit up and I tell you, it was like something out of a fairytale. I could see exactly why they call it the City of Lights.
After we all dropped dead from exhaustion and slept until 10 the next day, we set out for the Musée d'Orsey. We FINALLY met Tony and Susan after nearly getting lost and an extremely long line before heading to the only exhibit we cared about: the French Impressionists. Manet, Renoir, Dagas, etc. and Monet. Oh Monet. I love Monet so much. We have this huge book of Monet that my parents used to keep on the coffee table that I used to try and copy out of when I was little and said "I'm gonna me like Moan-Et when I grow up!" (so much for that). But the water lilies just took my breath away in person. How Claude managed it is beyond me. That I could write to reflect his painting would be the gift of a lifetime.
Our lunch was, as my father described it, a "true Parisian lunch". Aka a wonky little hole-in-the-wall on some random boulevard with a limited menu, a feisty old woman for a waitress, and excellent food. Unfortunately after that we had to say goodbye to Tony and Susan, who took the tunnel back to London after that. My parents, however, decided we needed to do a bit more shopping. So off we went to Rue Cler.
It was fun for the first mile or so. We stopped to see Cathedral St. Sulpice and there were some cute boutiques along the way. But once it started raining and my dad started to need the map, Mallory and I both looked at each other and knew this was going to be a long one. We did get to see les Invalides, the military hospital and we saw the Eiffel Tower from afar, but by the time we finally got to the little street market with sore feet, I was wondering if it was really worth it. It was not a choice to Mallory and I, we were taking the metro back.
My parents didn't get enough walking, apparently. They left us at the flat to go back to an art show they had seen on the way while I took a bath. Correction: ATTEMPTED to take a bath. The hot water only got about 3 inches before it ran out and I didn't realize the drain plug didn't work, so I had to wait 20 minutes for the hot water tank to fill up again and so washed my hair and shaved my legs in all of 5 inches of lukewarm water. Fun times.
We hit the sack early after packing, then woke up at 4:30 this morning (Morning Sunshine!) and took a taxi to the airport, only to find that they had changed our flight to 3 hours later. After frustration over finding breakfast and not being able to get into the lounge like we should have, I'm finally sitting here at the gate, waiting for our flight to Barcelona with frustrated parents, an extremely bored little sister, and poor wifi reception.
But all and all, I'm enjoying the trip so far. I miss you all back home!
Welcome home to Hallie, if you read this!
I will be posting pictures from Paris later tonight when we get to Carcassone.
Hasta Luego!
Σοφία (Sophia)
The trip went pretty smooth. Pretty. The plane to L.A. was awesome, actually. My dad got to know the attendants and they kinda pampered us. That's my dad for you. I also finally got a good bit of my request writing done, which was excellent. It was even sunny when we landed.
But then we get off.
6 hours is a LONG time to spend with the same four people cooped up in a board room. Thankfully I had Inception rented on my iPad (I LOVE that movie) and thus was occupied, but Mallory...not so much. She was driving me crazy. But it got better when we go to our AirFrance gate. The line was humongous. At least we were all sitting together.
The plane ride itself was not bad, I suppose. I mean, for a 10 hour flight. I got to catch up on some movies I had been wanting to see (btw TinTin is SO predictable) and got a little more writing done. But I could not for the life of me get to sleep. No matter how much I tossed and turned, I only fell asleep finally from sheer exhaustion. The food was quite decent for airplane food. But apparently not enough so for Mallory. She threw up as we landed.
Short train ride later, we're in the city itself and get to our flat. As far as Paris flats go, it's not that bad. It's a bit smaller than we're used to but it's livable. I tried to get some pictures for you all but it's just too small to get decent ones. It's in a good location though: 2 blocks from Jardin du Luxembourg and a block from the Latin District.
So once we get settled in, we met our British friends Tony and Susan in Jardin Luxembourg for a classical concert and had a little walk 'round there before going for dinner in the Latin district. It's this wonderful little pizzeria we found last time that has THE best four cheese pizza I have EVER tasted. Delicious, but Mallory doesn't like the "stinky cheese".
After dinner we took a stroll down the Seine and watched the sunset fade behind Notre Dame. A simply marvelous first day in Paris.
For our first full day, we got up at...erm, noon. Baguettes and butter for breakfast before we go to le Louvre. I had been to see the glass pyramid entrance to le Louvre, but never inside. That place is HUGE. You could walk for miles and never reach a dead end. So of course we saw all the famous pieces: Mona Lisa, Winged Venus, the hall of Monarchs. Each room was like walking into a different time period! It was brilliant! The Greek rooms had columns and marble carvings and the neo-classic period had brilliantly carved golden frames around each picture. But I have to say, the hall ofMonarchs was my favorite. It was like walking into Versailles at the height of the 17th century! Gold leaf patterning everywhere, ornately carved furniture, windows a mile high, it was amazing.
For lunch, we met Tony and Susan at Chartier, my parents' favorite resteraunt in Paris. It used to be a Post office in the 1800s and has still retained its vaulted ceiling with globe chandeliers. The waiters all wear traditional waistcoats and white aprons and the menu is purely French (no messing about with burgers and such). My dad nicknamed our waiter "Monsieur Fantastiqué" on account that he said everything was just that, fantastic.
We walked off our sizable (and delicious) lunch all the way to le Sacre-Coer. I love that place. It makes me want to learn French just so I can live there and learn to paint the Parisian skyline. My parents always used to have a painting above their bed that they bought there named "Jardin du Sophie". I have ALWAYS wanted to find Jardin du Sophie. So we tried in vain for about an hour, asking all the vendors and tour guides and policemen we saw. But alas, they think that perhaps it is a madeup place. I still have faith that I will find it someday. But not this year, it seems.
It was now that my mother and Susan insisted we go shopping. Ah, Galleries Lafeyette never ceases to amaze, both in the grandeur of the stain glass ceiling, and how truly expensive it is. 128€ for a sundress. That's $175. Um, no. Instead I bought two shirts at H&M. My mother and I have been to H&M in Paris, London, Koln (Germany), New York, San Francisco, and of course, Seattle.
Oh, and my Hetalia friends will like to hear, we passed a manga shop and I saw the most hilarious poster ever in the window: it had a huge picture of Chibi Italy, being all cute with his pasta and white flag and the title was "Italia: Shounen Hero". Now that I look back I think it makes no sense at all, but I couldn't stop laughing.
To finish off the day, we headed off on the metro to the center of the city, to the Arc de Triumph. 217 steps is alot after walking all over town, but it was worth it. From the the top we watched the blazing sunset and surveyed all of Paris. As the sun went down, the Eiffel tower lit up and I tell you, it was like something out of a fairytale. I could see exactly why they call it the City of Lights.
After we all dropped dead from exhaustion and slept until 10 the next day, we set out for the Musée d'Orsey. We FINALLY met Tony and Susan after nearly getting lost and an extremely long line before heading to the only exhibit we cared about: the French Impressionists. Manet, Renoir, Dagas, etc. and Monet. Oh Monet. I love Monet so much. We have this huge book of Monet that my parents used to keep on the coffee table that I used to try and copy out of when I was little and said "I'm gonna me like Moan-Et when I grow up!" (so much for that). But the water lilies just took my breath away in person. How Claude managed it is beyond me. That I could write to reflect his painting would be the gift of a lifetime.
Our lunch was, as my father described it, a "true Parisian lunch". Aka a wonky little hole-in-the-wall on some random boulevard with a limited menu, a feisty old woman for a waitress, and excellent food. Unfortunately after that we had to say goodbye to Tony and Susan, who took the tunnel back to London after that. My parents, however, decided we needed to do a bit more shopping. So off we went to Rue Cler.
It was fun for the first mile or so. We stopped to see Cathedral St. Sulpice and there were some cute boutiques along the way. But once it started raining and my dad started to need the map, Mallory and I both looked at each other and knew this was going to be a long one. We did get to see les Invalides, the military hospital and we saw the Eiffel Tower from afar, but by the time we finally got to the little street market with sore feet, I was wondering if it was really worth it. It was not a choice to Mallory and I, we were taking the metro back.
My parents didn't get enough walking, apparently. They left us at the flat to go back to an art show they had seen on the way while I took a bath. Correction: ATTEMPTED to take a bath. The hot water only got about 3 inches before it ran out and I didn't realize the drain plug didn't work, so I had to wait 20 minutes for the hot water tank to fill up again and so washed my hair and shaved my legs in all of 5 inches of lukewarm water. Fun times.
We hit the sack early after packing, then woke up at 4:30 this morning (Morning Sunshine!) and took a taxi to the airport, only to find that they had changed our flight to 3 hours later. After frustration over finding breakfast and not being able to get into the lounge like we should have, I'm finally sitting here at the gate, waiting for our flight to Barcelona with frustrated parents, an extremely bored little sister, and poor wifi reception.
But all and all, I'm enjoying the trip so far. I miss you all back home!
Welcome home to Hallie, if you read this!
I will be posting pictures from Paris later tonight when we get to Carcassone.
Hasta Luego!
Σοφία (Sophia)
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Itinerary
Well, hello there! Welcome to my new blog! If you are close to me you probably know that this blog was created for the primary reason of reporting on my adventures in Spain this summer. So I thought I might give you a little itinerary:
Tomorrow, June 16th -Fly out of Seattle
Leaving the hometown behind and flying to L.A., 6 hour lay over (oh joy) might be venturing out to a beach in that time before we take off again for Paris.
Sunday, June 17th - Arrive in Paris
We arrive at Charles de Gaulle Airport at apporximately 12:30 AM and take the subway into the city where we will be staying in a flat for 3 nights with our British friends Tony and Susan.
June 20th - Fly out of Paris, Arrive in Barcelona
Once we land in Barcelona, we are renting a car and driving up through North Spain, possibly passing through Andora, and back up into the South of France and staying with our other British friends Flo and Malcolm in Carcassone for 3 days.
June 23rd - Drive back to Barcelona
Staying in a historic hotel there and touring the city for three days (seeing a pattern here?).
June 26th - Drive to Valencia
We will be staying with our Spanish friends Elena and Fran for a few (undecided number) days and seeing the city before we go on a little road trip around the rest of Spain to the major cities: Madrid, Toledo, Granada, etc.
July 4th - Back to Valencia, Family leaves
On the day of our lovely home country's Independence, we drive back to Valencia where my family leave me with Elena and Fran and drive to Barcelona and fly back to the U.S. of A.
The next three weeks I am living with Elena and Fran to help take care of their six-month-old Baby Elena and taking conversational Spanish classes. Of course that's not all I will do, especially considering their house is 10 minutes from the beach and 15 minutes from downtown Velencia. I'm sure I'll be doing MUCH more.
July 25th - Fly out of Barcelona
When all my adventures are over, Fran will drive me back to Barcelona where I will fly to Paris for a 2 hour lay over before flying to Washington D.C.
July 26th - Washington D.C
As if my life hadn't already been exciting, once I get back to 'Merica, my dad pulled a few strings so they are meeting me in D.C. for a private tour of the White House. After possibly seeing a few of the other National Monuments, we stay overnight before finally going home.
July 27th - Home
After all that, I know I'll be glad to be home.
I will miss you all, but I will have Internet so I might be saying hi.
Keep me in your thoughts and prayers.
Σοφία (Sophia)
Tomorrow, June 16th -Fly out of Seattle
Leaving the hometown behind and flying to L.A., 6 hour lay over (oh joy) might be venturing out to a beach in that time before we take off again for Paris.
Sunday, June 17th - Arrive in Paris
We arrive at Charles de Gaulle Airport at apporximately 12:30 AM and take the subway into the city where we will be staying in a flat for 3 nights with our British friends Tony and Susan.
June 20th - Fly out of Paris, Arrive in Barcelona
Once we land in Barcelona, we are renting a car and driving up through North Spain, possibly passing through Andora, and back up into the South of France and staying with our other British friends Flo and Malcolm in Carcassone for 3 days.
June 23rd - Drive back to Barcelona
Staying in a historic hotel there and touring the city for three days (seeing a pattern here?).
June 26th - Drive to Valencia
We will be staying with our Spanish friends Elena and Fran for a few (undecided number) days and seeing the city before we go on a little road trip around the rest of Spain to the major cities: Madrid, Toledo, Granada, etc.
July 4th - Back to Valencia, Family leaves
On the day of our lovely home country's Independence, we drive back to Valencia where my family leave me with Elena and Fran and drive to Barcelona and fly back to the U.S. of A.
The next three weeks I am living with Elena and Fran to help take care of their six-month-old Baby Elena and taking conversational Spanish classes. Of course that's not all I will do, especially considering their house is 10 minutes from the beach and 15 minutes from downtown Velencia. I'm sure I'll be doing MUCH more.
July 25th - Fly out of Barcelona
When all my adventures are over, Fran will drive me back to Barcelona where I will fly to Paris for a 2 hour lay over before flying to Washington D.C.
July 26th - Washington D.C
As if my life hadn't already been exciting, once I get back to 'Merica, my dad pulled a few strings so they are meeting me in D.C. for a private tour of the White House. After possibly seeing a few of the other National Monuments, we stay overnight before finally going home.
July 27th - Home
After all that, I know I'll be glad to be home.
I will miss you all, but I will have Internet so I might be saying hi.
Keep me in your thoughts and prayers.
Σοφία (Sophia)
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