familia

Yesterday, when I came home, my little hermano was in big trouble for some reason...my madre was screaming and he was crying, which actually isn't that unusual, but literally, he was sitting in his room for hours crying because he was supposed to be writing lines from Pinnochio. The poor thing broke my heart. He is just learning how to read and write, so he was having a really hard time and when I came out of my room I went over to him and rubbed his back and asked him what was wrong and told him that he could do it. He cried and cried until I sat down and helped him write it out and he perked right up and started writing. "D con la O con la N...don...D con la E...don-de...donde." I felt like such a good big sister! That was, until he went to show his mom and got in trouble for having me help him :( so I sat there with him and I told him that he has to do it on his own but I'd sit here if he needed help. It was very cute.

Today, the extended family was over and there were kids running all over the place. Someone gave them flutes, which was the worst idea in the entire world. They woke me up from my siesta. Then there was crying and screaming all night because someone would fall or push the other one...yikes. Not very cute.

From Valencia to Barcelona back to Alicante...

FALLAS Before^

FALLAS on FIRE^

Fallas was a success. I went with a bunch of people on the train in the afternoon on Friday, to get to Valencia for the last night to see lighting of the big fallas. Fallas are the huge floats that are placed all around the city. They range in size, but some of them are massive and take the entire year to make. Leave it to the Spanish to burn them and waste thousands and thousands of dollars as just another excuse to have a huge festival! Literally, the streets were packed; it was impossible to get in touch with anyone or meet up with anyone. It took 20 minutes just to cross the street. Everyone was drunk and disorderly and all the little kids had fireworks that they would throw at you. Honestly, I'm not sure how people don't get seriously injured at Fallas. I don't really think it's the safest thing in the world to set huge statues on fire all around the city, but somehow the Spanish manage just fine. I was with my friends Karim, Amanda, and Natasha and we were positioning ourselves in front of the huge Fallas to see it go up in flames (you had to get there early to try and get a spot in the crowd) and amazingly I see my friend Steve from high school in the middle of the crowd! I start screaming his name and pushing people to the side to get over to him. It was so bizarre...in the middle of thousands and thousands of people to run into someone I haven't seen for four years. I mean, I guess it wasn't sooo random because he is living in Madrid right now, but we had no idea that we were both going to be in Valencia that night and the chances of finding anyone in the crowd is unbelievable. I only got to see Steve for a few minutes because his friends wanted to leave, but it just felt like fate was on my side...I wanted to go play the lottery, but alas, stores were closed because everyone was preoccupied with the fires. The fires were the most amazing thing I've seen. I was standing quite far away, but I could feel the heat wave as the huge monster of a statue blew up into flames. The crowd was in awe and then cheering. It was very bizarre. And after 10 minutes, it was over, and the crowd dispersed into chaos. You weren't able to walk on your own. Everyone was just surfing through the crowd and you ended up in any direction people wanted to push you. Complete chaos, but completely worth it. Natasha, Amanda, and I ended up meeting some great people from England and the Netherlands just because of where we ended up!

I found Steve!!

The week after Fallas was the last full week before spring break. We all scrambled to get work done. It was Stacey's birthday, so we celebrated by going bowling again and yet, again, I won! 4 strikes and 3 spares in one game...I'm getting pretty good! But I think i get tired or something because, always, I lose the second game haha. The next night we all went out in true celebration of his birthday. I think he had fun!

The weather was finally starting to get nice the week before spring break. So we went to the beach a couple of times just to sit in the sand. It's not quite bathing suit weather yet because the wind is a bit chilly, but it's nice to just lay down and relax...Or, as Karim, Stacey, and Ross like to do, make Abby and I run around and play sports...and they laugh at us because we throw like a girls....well, we ARE a girls!

The Friday of Spring Break I went go meet my parents in Barcelona. I had a terrible 6 hour train ride because I was miserably sick, but I guess in comparison to their 20+ hours on a plane it wasn't so bad. The first day we scrambled to find something to do for the afternoon, and we took a walk down through the neighborhood near our hotel. We stayed in the lovely Fira Palace Hotel over near Montjuic, where the Olympics were held in 1992. We ended up taking the Funicular up the Monjuic mountain then the Gondola up to the Castle on top of the mountain for some spectacular views of the city. I'm pretty sure Dad was ready to strangle Mom and I for making him walk around so much after a long day of traveling but I think it was worth it. The next day, I took Mom and Dad on an adventure to the Barcelona Hospital because I decided I needed to see a doctor. Instead of dropping us off at the clinic, like normal people, I asked the cab driver to take us to the ER. So, he drives us underground to the trauma/triage entrance with all of the ambulances...NOT the entrance for walk-ins. The guy at the window was not too happy about me showing up with my cold. Mom and Dad pull out their maps to look at as a guy rolls buy on a gurney with hand-cuffs on. No big deal. I mean, my congestion and cough was an emergency to me! Well, I somehow talked my way through 4 Spanish nurses and finally got to the doctor who spoke English, thankfully! She explained that I had a viral and sinus infection. I tell you, when I get sick, I don't fool around. Following the hospital we went on an adventure to the farmacia to get me drugs and a rhinodouche, which we actually had to come back for. The rhinodouche, which the doctor informed me was the most important thing for me to get, was a water bottle that I use to squirt water up one nostril and make it come out of the other...hmm...all I can say is that I now have a very interesting talent.

We spent the day at the Boqueria, which is the food market on Las Ramblas in Barcelona. It's just like the Central Mercado in Alicante. We had a nice lunch...Mom got her second taste of Pay-ella (Paella) and I made Dad try the tortilla espanol (potato/onion omlette). Easter Sunday we had a nice brunch at the hotel (aka we engorged ourselves at the brunch buffet) and got tickets for the Tourist Bus where you hop on and off wherever you want all over the city. It was a fabulous idea, especially because it was raining in the morning. We got a nice feel for the city and dropped Mom and Dad off to see the Cathedral in the Barrio Gothic as I went around trying to find some socks....I forgot the first rule of Spain--Nothing is open on Sundays. I had to buy some touristy Barcelona Football Club socks which completely clashed with my outfit, but it was better than wet feet! We saw the Picasso Museum and then got on the bus again to see Park Guell. Park Guell was my favorite place in Barcelona...I just wish I was feeling better when we saw it. The uphill climb to get there didn't really help my cold either. But Park Guell was pretty awesome...imagine Candy Land meets Doctor Seuss meets a Park in the middle of Barcelona. The park was designed by Gaudi...that guy had quite the imagination.

On Monday I was able to hop off the bus and go meet my friend Mckenzie who was visiting Barcelona on her spring break. She was there with her friend Lauren who is studying in Barcelona (also from northeaster) and traveling with two friends from Greece. I think that Mckenzie, Lauren, and I are the only people crazy enough to be studying abroad in their last semester of senior year. I guess, if there is a will, there is a way. We went back to Park Guell and to Sagrada Familia, and then it was nap time. I met my parents to go up to Tibidabo, which is the huge mountain in the North of Barcelona. There is an amusement park and church on top of the mountain! It's crazy high!! (and cold!) You can see for miles....maybe even to France or Andorra...who knows?! However, it takes forever to get up to Tibadabo...you have to wait in line to take a street car up to the funicular and then wait in line again! I went back downtown to meet the girls for a fabulous Asian-fusionish dinner on the beach. Mmm sushi.

Tuesday Mom and Dad went up to the Palace Nacional to see the art museum and then we had lunch in the Gothic barrio. We walked around in an area called El Born to see the shops. For dinner, I made them go back to the Chinese buffet for the second time! I was jealous that they had Chinese food without me!! For the last day, we went out to Montseratt Monstery, about an hour outside of Barcelona via train. Of course, the Staley way to do things is to get off at the wrong stop and have to wait a half hour for the next train to come. Then I realize I lost my ticket for the rest of the day, so I have to talk my way onto the funicular, into the museum, lunch, etc. Aye Aye Aye. But it all worked out in the end. And I think by the end of this week my Spanish improved greatly because of all the odd situations I had to talk my way through (i.e. the hospital, lost tickets, translating etc) I wish it was a little bit warmer and nicer because it was pretty and the views were amazing, but I was cold the entire time. Seeing Mom and Dad was great and I was really sad to see them go. I hate to admit that I'm a little homesick again, but not enough to come home quite yet ;)

I decided to cancel my trip to Venice and Rome because of my viral infection. So, I am now back in Alicante trying to get better for my trip to Madrid next week to meet John! It's actually been really nice being in Alicante just relaxing and sleeping late. I'm still a little sicky, but its just the occasional horrid coughing spell and some congestion in my ears :/. But I've decided to use my time wisely while I'm here. Most of the students are gone, but I've been with a few girls wandering around to the beach, the Explanada (the boardwalkish street), the stores, and different parts of town that I never get to. Today we went to the Mercadillo, which is the outdoor market and then our plan was to hop on the tram and go beach hopping out to Benidorm or someplace, but none of us were feeling 100% and it was actually a little chilly. We tried to sit on the Alicante beach, but the wind was ridiculous! So, we went shopping instead ;). AND we found this amazing little cupcake cafe owned by a woman and her sisters from Reading, PA. She was so excited to meet some Americans and she gave us a grand tour (which pretty much just included the bathroom which was decorated amazingly) That is my dream...to own a little cupcake boutique one day...It's my back-up plan! I am very much enjoying free time in Alicante--being able to freely explore the city, just like the rest of the tourists! It makes me appreciate it much more than I have been.

Gah, now I'm feeling nostalgic for Alicante because I know I have to leave in a month :( I can't even fathom my transition back to the US...how strange!!