Awkward and Awesome Thursday: Familia Feliz

Neme, Kristen, and Kaci (Kacita)

Yesterday I photographed the intimate wedding of two very dear friends surrounded by their family in a candlelit living room in the Finger Lakes--a wedding that I've known about since last weekend, lol.  I guess it's a long story.

Kristen studied abroad with Josh and I in Spain and met Nemesio while there. She already had a boyfriend at the time, and he was sure that he would never fall in love. He was wrong. After months of wooing the beautiful girl that had come into his life, Neme and Kristen became a couple--unfortunately just in time for Kristen to return to the United States.

In a move that surprised even those of us who knew him well, Neme made a trip to the US this fall on a tourist visa. While here, the two fell even more in love and decided that they wanted to be together forever. They couldn't let Neme's soon-to-expire visa keep them apart. Neme gave up everything that he knew and asked Kristen to marry him--which she did yesterday, the day that his visa expired :-)

How awesomely awkward can you get?

Awkward:

• US immigration laws. Not sure where I stand on those after having an experience with them that was so close to my heart.
• Trying to take artistic photos in the dark with a flash. It's a losing battle.
• Josh couldn't come because he was a) taking the Spanish lit final exam that Kristen missed to get married and b) studying for the GRE he has to take this Saturday.
• Driving an hour and a half to watch my friends get married instead of studying for my two hardest finals.
• Said finals. Two essay exams back-to-back. I think I have carpal tunnel.

Equally Awkward and Awesome:

• Kristen's wedding was officiated by her high school driver's ed teacher and interpreted by her high school Spanish teacher! So sweet and funny :-)

Awesome:

• Their wedding date is 12-12-12!
• Such a small and intimate wedding. It was absolutely beautiful.
• Finally seeing these two start a life together. I've been waiting for this for months :-)
• Ferrero rochet cheesecake for a wedding cake.
• Being done with final exams.
• Getting to see The Hobbit soon!
• The brand new Garcia family--Neme, Kristen, and little Kaci the yorkie-poo.

Photo Shoot: Spanish Sands

 

The Jacket That Saw the World

All right, I swear on all that is holy that I did not plan this in the least, but it is just about the cutest coincidence in the world!

While looking through all of the 4,000-some photos from our life-changing trip to Europe this spring, I noticed an interesting trend. I may have only sported my turquoise blazer in a handful of outfit photos, but I can be seen sporting my (apparently) favorite jacket in at least one set of photos from each and every "touristy" trip we took to a country outside of Spain!

This coincidence ended up being a fun way to track of all of the traveling we have done in the past five months. There is a constant in all of the photos regardless of which country they were taken in. Who new that an article of clothing could come to contain so many memories? As I type this, my good old blazer is tucked in the drawer next to me in case I get chilly in the library's AC.

As of May 2012, the turquoise jacket has seen the following countries (including the US of course):

• Spain
• France
• Italy
• England
• Ireland
• Sweden

And now for some visual representations of the adventures of this intrepid piece of outerwear!

I challenge you to look through some old photos to find evidence of that one fallback piece that has always been there for you--and that has seen a lot of interesting places as a result!

World Traveler: Then and Now

Dulles International Airport January 7, 2012

Dulles International Airport May 15, 2012

Note that Joshy is wearing his favorite shirt for both trips ;-)

Just a few more hours and we will be home sweet home! It feels so surreal, but so good. I think we're too tired to be appropriately excited--or appropriately sad about what we're leaving behind. Both will come in time, I'm sure.

The Last Night in Avila

The past few days have been during the patron festival of our neighborhood in Avila.The neighborhood or "barrio" is called la Plaza de las Vacas--the square of cows, haha.

We haven't slept much the past several nights as this local party wears on until all hours of the morning night after night. We've also been subject to hourly bombings as unimpressive but incredibly loud fireworks go off. Last night we finally decided to drop in and see what all the fuss was about. We spent a little while in the wild atmosphere and then ended up retreating for some quiet gelato by the wall. Turns out it ended up being an early night at Las Vacas--3am instead of the usual 7am.

Today, poorly rested and with itching feet, we finished packing and then watched la Virgen de las Vacas  (a gorgeous statue of the Virgin Mary) dance on the shoulders of scores of young people to the sound of the energetic Paso Doble . Now we sit in wait of one last round of Spanish tapas with friends Kristen and Neme--and then our last train to Madrid.

I don't want to write too much about what last night meant for us, because I'd rather not think about how long it will be until I get to experience this place and these people again while we're trying to enjoy a few days in Madrid. Once we get home, then I'll be able to let it all sink in. I'll cry for a little while, and then I'll start planning how to come back for a visit.

Good night :-)

And of course, Spanish samurai?

What I (Almost) Wore to Church

These pictures crack me up. They were taken months ago but never made it onto the blog. I didn't think the dress I almost wore to church here in Avila but instead ended up trading for a sweater and slippers a few short hours after the photos were taken would hold any particular interest for you all. I say "almost" because our darling host mom forgot on this particular Sunday that we had told her of our plans to go to church. She started making us an elaborate lunch minutes before we were supposed to leave. Yes, lunch. Church starts pretty late over here in the land that honors sleep enough to devote three hours a day to its healthy maintenance. Viva la siesta!

Anyway, we probably should have gently reminded her according to the boundless honesty of the Spanish culture, but in reality, we really needed to stay home to work on homework anyway.

What's worse? We had to catch a flight yesterday and didn't go to church yet again. *GASP!* I know. Heathens one and all.

Thrifted dress and headband, K-mart sweater leggings, Charlotte Russe T-shirt, Payless shoes

Just pretend I'm winking in the above picture instead of awkwardly holding one mascara-smudge eyelid half open. "LOL, I'm so cute in my sundress and sweater leggings. Wink wink! GTG to Sweden now. BRB!"

Also, don't be jealous about the short sleeves sans jacket. It wasn't (and isn't) anywhere near being warm enough to leave home dressed like this. I took my coat off just long enough to get the photos taken and then slithered right back into it. Can't wait to return to New York where we get four seasons in the standard order and where church typically doesn't interfere with eating or sleeping schedules.

Actually, I take that back. Sweden is the most beautiful place I have ever visited in my life, and I kind of want to live here forever. Pics tomorrow!

Photo Shoot: Athletique Chic Part 2

Find Part 1 here. It was really good!

More pics and a few bloopers after the jump!

Awkward and Awesome Thursday: So Little Time

Awkward:

• The wall is the most iconic thing about Avila, and we still haven't climbed up on it after more than four months.
• I mentioned a certain Mary in last week's A&AT. This girl went to high school with Josh and I in the tiny trailer school back in northern PA. How on earth did we all end up in Spain at the same time?
• Cowering under the table in grammar class as the imperfect subjunctive mood gets the better of me--and my dear professor taking a video and posting it to YouTube!
• My little sissy having a bad day and not being able to be there for her :-(
  
• Fertility goddess statues in art class.
  
• The Spanish train system hating my friend who came to visit Monday, but she finally made it here!
• Finals coming up muy pronto!

Awesome:

• The projects my classmates put together to sum up our experiences in Spain. I laughed and cried. Mostly laughed. 
• Prezi. I haven't had an excuse to use this program in so long.
• Allie spotting me 20 euros to buy red desert boots. I am really European now!
• Having Monday afternoon coffee with choir buddy Monica Claire. Haven't seen the girl in five years, and now here we are in Spain! Talk about names I haven't heard since high school . . .
• Mary coming to visit Avila this Saturday.
• Spending time with all of our wonderful Swedish friends next week!
• Meeting up with Rob in Madrid and then giving him a tour of good ole Avila.
• Hopefully going out one of these nights with all of our Madrid-based computer engineering buddies we met in Dublin. 
• My Nuria <3. She lights up my days. Unless it happens to be grammar class . . . then I hate her.

Equally Awkward and Awesome: So many places to go and people to see, so little time.

The Final Countdown

Today was an incredibly bittersweet day for me.

Today marks the last day that our class will be together under the instruction of Jose and Nuria, our amazing though slightly insane professors. We still have a week of travel time and then finals, but we will never be sitting together in that room again with these two people who have taught us so much more than Spanish.

Twenty days from now I will be on an airplane crossing the Atlantic Ocean for my home, and this is the first day that it has crossed my mind that Spain might be a home of mine as well.

It's so cliche-- "I studied abroad and it changed my life. I wish I was there now."

In all honesty, I was so busy viewing this as the best vacation of my life that I almost missed the fact that there are people here in Avila that I love. I didn't want to be that sentimental or condescending girl who left her heart in another country far superior to the cultural illiterate United States. Without noticing it, I became that girl who is crying one moment because of how much she is going to miss her European friends and laughing the next because of how blessed she has been to know them.

With its odd customs, uncomfortable social norms, confusing city structures, and foreign language wrapped in layers of incomprehensible accents, Spain seemed like an exciting place to visit but too strange a place to call home.

How silly of me. Home isn't a place. It's people who love you <3

So this is me refusing to say goodbye, my loves. I plan on enjoying every moment with you these last twenty days in Europe. Know that you have changed me and that, God willing, we will see each other again. If it doesn't happen in this world, we know it will in the next. So there is no good bye--

There is only "hasta luego" . . . see you later.

What I Wore: Miss America

Target jacket and t-shirt (the shirt is Josh's), DIY tie-dye corduroys, and Payless boots

Yes, we're still wearing jackets here in Avila. Sometime full-blown winter coats. I think this particular freckle on the face of Spain is a little confused when it comes to the seasons, because it reached sunny and 70 in January here while it is now rainy and (if we're lucky) 50.

On the other hand, I could really care less, because in a little over three weeks, I will be enjoying Rochester's balmy spring weather. And you know what? I really couldn't care less if it wasn't sunny in my hometown right now. I'm so excited to go back to my busy life.

Not that the break hasn't been absolutely lovely and the experience of a lifetime. It's as if Josh and I got to have a gap year and work towards our college degrees at the same time. How many young married couples get to do that? No, we're really at a place right now where we're excited about everything. We can't wait to squeeze every drop of enjoyment out of our last few weeks in Avila, every drop of knowledge out of our last few Spanish classes, and every memorable moment out of our final trip--our friend-filled trip to Sweden; but of course, we also can't wait to return to the US.

I may be a world traveler now, but I am also an American girl. 

While I wouldn't trade the mind-opening opportunities I have encountered here in Europe for anything, I miss the breadth of opportunities my home country has consistently provided for me all of my life. I am thrilled to be able to return to take advantage of them with new appreciation.

Take that, Avila weather!

Spain in the News

Photo credit

I've been reading the New York Times lately. I feel that's a good hobby for an aspiring author to pick up, don't you? Well, it just so happens that when I went to the NYT website (yeah, we're on a nickname basis), the first post under "Travel" was about Spain, the first post under "Art" was about Spain, and the first post under "Most Popular Right Now" was about Spanish!

I figure it's a sign. You should all read (or skim) these articles to learn about the waves that little old Spain is making in the world at large.

Prado Researcher Finds Insights Beneath Copy of Mona Lisa

The Benefits of Bilingualism

Minorca: Off the Coast of Spain is a Tranquil Biosphere Reserve

I really do love this country, but in a sense very different from how I love the US. The cultural, economical, and academic activity here is buzzing and exciting but relaxed and in no rush.

That being said, I would never live here, haha. More specifics about these sentiments after we get home.