now that she's back in the atmosphere with drops of jupiter in her hair

If you ever have to spend 24 hours traveling with 3 flights and 8 hours of layovers, here are some ways to keep entertained!
1.) Go to the OPI counter, open each nail polish and paint every nail a different color!
2.) Spray on 50 different types of perfumes until you make your very own new concoction
3.) Decide to move to Germany since all workers keep mistaking you for a local! COOL I fit in so well there.
4.) Sit next to an ER surgeon and listen to his crazy stories about how weird and demented people are!
5.) WATCH AVATARRRRRRRRR
6.) and eat. a lot.

And then, when you land in Chicago and immediately want to return to Europe, don't fret. This is a normal reaction. Here are some initial observations I made upon my arrival to the US..


America:
1.) Why does it matter if my zip-lock bag of liquids is pint-sized or a little bigger? Don't talk to me like I haven't been to FIVE other airports today and passed security with EASE in every single one.
2.) To those Americans NOT addicted to Starbucks: "tall" does not refer to a description of the tallest cup. That is their word for "small." Please don't hold up the line having an argument with the cashier over this.
3.) I have an idea! Why don't brightly colored coach purses, crocs, sweatpants, and fat people take over the nation! Oh wait..

Tomorrow's agenda:
-Panera for breakfast
-Panera for lunch
-Panera for snack
-Panera for dinner

There's no place like home :)

goodbye barcelona

I should change the title of this blog to "adios, barcelona" because barca is long-gone and family euro-adventures have now begun.. many updates to come!


barcelona, te amo.

feeeed meeee

oatmeal, soy yogurt, whole grain bread, soup, pop-tarts, sea bass and salmon from bonefish grill, pretzels, steamed broccoli, cookie dough

call me crazy but those are the foods I miss the most. No reason for posting this other than I need a list somewhere so I don't forget anything. I'm gonna go buck wiillldd at the grocery when I get home.

I ALMOST FORGOT. LUNA BARS, CLIF BARS, ODWALLA BARS, NATURE VALLEY TRAILMIX BARS, ANY KIND OF GRANOLA/PROTEIN/HEALTHY BARS BARS BARS. oh my god how did I forget I used to live off those things?!!


Almost done with finals! Then beach, traveling, family, yay!

today.. i miss my friends from home

here's to the people I can't WAIT to see when I get home! I LOVE YOU!

help me out said the minnow to the trout

please, I know that we're different
we were one cell in the sea in the beginning
and what we're made of was all the same once
we're not that different after all

grecia

solo un POCO mas corto

i finally got my first SPANISH haircut! So proud of myself. I've been waiting all semester with split ends visible from a mile away, and FINALLY today I made the move. The fact that it was a NYC English-speaking salon that only uses Aveda products is beside the point. I never actually had to explain in Spanish, BUT I did get 4 inches cut off and I look like a whole new person. YAY for healthy hair.

Other concerns:
1. GOING HOME. How am I going to deal with the American fast-paced lifestyle where people don't take 3 hour siestas in the middle of the day? How am I going to survive in a land where wine costs more than $4 a bottle? What if I want a smoothie from La Boqueria in between classes? More importantly, what if I want to DANCE until 6am at Opium but NOTHING IS OPEN THAT LATE IN AMERICA.
2. Kind of worried about papers. That was a lie I'm not worried at all but probably SHOULD BE since I have so many due so soon!
3. Beach, tapas, my friends, being able to speak Spanish, brown paper packages tied up with strings, these are a few of my favorite things.

Good things about going home?
-PANERA. oh my god. you pick 2? chicken noodle soup and sesame asian chicken salad with an apple PAH-LEASE.
-my carrrrrrrrr! its like music to my ears. more specifically satellite radio with hundreds of fabulous channels that i miss so dearly
-drive-thrus! I'm going to order fast food out of my car window when I get home (even though I hate fast food) just because I CAN.
-THE MALL
-Ok and all my clothes I was forced to leave behind due to the lack of space in the ONE suitcase I brought here for the semester. Yes I only have 3 outfits here. Don't judge me. So many clothes at home! Ah!


Something else I love..
I have no pictures for this post, so go to this WONDERFUL website isabella showed me and enjoy his pictures there

http://www.iwrotethisforyou.me/

FCBARCA!!!

When you don't understand any Spanish slang or any rules of any sports in general, just jump up and down while screaming "BARTHA! BARTHA!" Its equally as fun.
Bonus: SNACKS. Yes, that's right. They let you bring snacks. CORN NUTS! CORN NUTS!

best night ever.. (and I don't even like sports!)






Thanks to Allison for providing photos!!!

post without a title

I am a lady in Spain
I'll sing a haunting refrain
I am a lady from Mars
and I can unscrew the stars
I can be
anything that I see




just let me be obsessed with everything sparkly that shines.
also, I'm genuinely impressed with how many creative things I can come up with to do when avoiding homework. like editing all my pictures to try to make them look artistic or building the world's tallest tower of bugles. why.

sometimes all you need is a little snow storm to bring you back to life

its so refreshing. its cold and new. and it feels great.
plus it reminds me of skiing and home, both of which i was missing today.
good timing, weather.

Everything you need to know about Prague and more:

1.) Public transportation is FREE!!! (until you find out its actually not and you've been accidentally stealing rides the whole time)
2.) The official name of their currency is "Czecheroo."
For example,
Me: How many czecheroos is that?
Sales clerk: You mean Crowns?
3.) Talking out loud on the metro or tram is not socially acceptable. (This includes any form of smiling, laughing, or talking loudly in Spanish about the people around you.) They WILL glare at you.
4.) Authentic Czech cuisine includes meat. That's it. (Pork, sausage, hotdogs, etc.) Sometimes its accompanied with sauerkraut. Mmmmm mouth-watering.
5.) ITS COLD. Not cold as in cold, cold as in FREEZING.
6.) Their music is hilarious.
7.) There should be a height requirement to ride the escalators because they are ROLLER COASTERS.
8.) They love KFC and McDonalds! Yay America!

Now you're an official czechspert! (It never gets old to make puns on the word "czech" the whole time you're there.)

Sitges

In a nutshell:
Moshpit the size of an entire city.
Parade.
Camera gone.
Metro pass gone.
Driver's license gone.
Perfectly beautiful leather boots ruined.

Maybe I'll be able to give a more positive review when I'm less bitter.
Oh! I did see some great Avatar costumes though! WISH I HAD PICTURES TO PROVE IT.

Also just now I decided the definition of a snack is as follows:
snack [snak] (n.) 1. anything within reach smothered in peanut butter
2. heaping wads of peanut butter on spoons, forks, or knives are also sufficient

Prague tomorrow!!! IF I can even go without my license, AND without a camera. AH.

let it snow let it snow let it snow

While I'm here enjoying the warmth and the rain, all my friends and family at home are enjoying SNOW DAYS!!!! That's one thing I miss about home.. white, fluffy, beautiful, sparkling snow.
My mom sent me THESE lovely pics of our yard:


I'm sorry Jettie baby!! I'll be home soon enough to drive you so you don't freeze to death. I miss having a car.

SITGES TOMORROW! WOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Barca Nightlife Survival Guide:

1. When you meet Edward Cullen’s identical twin at a bar and he proceeds to carry you away while screaming, “I’LL MAKE HER INTO MY ZOMBIE GIRLFRIEND IF I WANT,” don’t panic. Simply have your friends rip you away, sprint out the door, and hop in the nearest cab.
2. If you enjoy living, don’t wear heels out. Ever.
3. When gagging on the potent licorice flavor of absinthe at the absinthe bar, make sure to have corn nuts nearby for chaser.
4. Despite popular belief, lighting sugar on fire over yellow alcohol will not make you see fairies. ‘Tis a myth. (Anyway, isn’t melting sugar how you make caramel and most other candies?? Unwrapped taught me that.)
5. Don’t be too loud when making a toast to “Eduardo” aka Edward Cullen, who you may or may not have met night before. Actually don’t make any noise at all in the bar or else the bartender will cut you off after one drink because you must be too drunk.
6. When the metro doors close on your body, hold hands with your friends and scream as loud as you can. Eventually 2 young Spanish men will come to your rescue, use their strength to push the doors open, and then hold them open while you climb out.

Now you’re ready to embark on your very own European adventures!

museu de la xocolata

Today I went to the CHOCOLATE MUSEUM!!!!! Sorry I just CANT CONTAIN MY EXCITEMENT (although its very evident in my pictures where I feel it necessary to make the same AH! face in every picture to show how thrilled I am.) Our museum ticket was a BAR OF CHOCOLATE. HELLOOO?? Why can't every museum/every thing in life have a chocolate ticket?? It SO makes you feel like you just won a golden ticket on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which is beyond exciting. Anyway, here are my pictures from the closest thing to my heaven on earth.

mmm... chocolate. my thoughts exactly.

thanks rachel for posing with the chocolate fountain :)

COCOA TREE. I bet these are rampant in Pandora.. just saying.

GET INSIDE MY BELLYYYYY
(chocolate sculpture)
I swear this blog makes me more and more weird by the post.

CHOCOLATE WALL-E!! supermegaguay

I AM chicken little

ME DAS.

xi <3 chocolate!!

In conclusion, I am 95% confident that if everyone ate more chocolate on a daily basis, the world would be a better place.

ALSO, I just added my video of the protest (in the feb 2 post). Check it.

el siete de febrero

TODAY, I:
-went for a run (duration: 2 1/2 justin bieber songs) until I thought I was suffocating
-walked the rest of the way to the BEACH !
-sat in the sand/laid in the sun
-2 street markets
-siesta
-photography exposition
-cena
-SUPERBOWL PARTY!!!!

obviously the second half of the day is tentative since it hasn't actually happened yet in real time, but in my head that is the the ending to my perfect february 7.

3x5

MONTSERRAT ADVENTURES!!


I'm writing you to catch you up on places I've been
and you have this letter
probly got excited, but there's nothing else inside it


maybe I will tell you all about it
when I'm in the mood to lose my way with words




today, skies are painted colors of a cowboy cliche

and strange, how clouds that look like mountains in the sky

are next to mountains anyway

let me say
you should have seen
that sunrise
with your own eyes
it brought me back to life


you'll be with me next time
I go outside
no more 3x5's


I guess you had to be there
I guess you had to be with me


Oh today I finally overcame
trying to fit the world inside a picture frame
maybe I will tell you all about it
when I'm in the mood to lose my way
but let me say
you should have seen that sunrise
with your own eyes

it brought me back to life