Yesterday we went to the Maltese island, Gozo. We took a ferry boat to the island, which was really cool and fun. Then we walked around the main city of the island, Victoria. We went to the top of this lookout point where we could see the coastline of the island is all directions. It was really pretty.
The water here is the most beautiful I've seen of the Mediterranean yet. Aqua. <3.
I think one of the things I am going to miss the most about Europe here is seeing the Mediterranean all the time.
Today we went to Valleta, the capital city of Malta. We met up with one of the guys who was in our program in Valencia, Rob. So we went to a market, walked around a bit. Saw the parliament.
Then we went to Mdina which at one point was the capital, but then they switched it to Valleta. So now they call it the 'silent city'. But, it was far from silent, it was actually pretty happening. The city is completely fortressed in, which was SOOO sweet. (Reminded me of LOTR.)
So we chilled in Mdina, had some lunch. Then we made our way back to Sliema where we are staying with the Luther peeps.
Malta has these bright orange janky buses... they are so funny looking. They're kind of famous for them though I guess...
Tonight we made the flat dinner as a thank you for letting us stay here for free. We made sweet and sour chicken, with veggies, and rice and then fruit pizza for dessert. It was pretty good. : )
Tomorrow we leave Malta and are headed to Rome to meet up with Lizzi Emery and Erik Halvorson! I'm excited!!!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Malta
We are now in Malta, hanging with the LC peeps. It's really really fun. Just chillin in their flat.
Malta is a really small island, 18 miles wide apparently.
They speak English and then Maltese, which is basically Arabic.
(It looks like if you slammed on the keyboard or something "jdjfdifiodfndjfhudgfiueyhfuidjkcnsdskjfhmkfdidhjnfdjnfuiehpfdi" very difficult to read.)
I thought it was an Italian island... but it's actually it's own country.
Last night we went out on the town... men creeped on me a lot though... and tried playing with my hair? = /
We went to the 'beach' today, which actually isn't really a beach because it's all rocks and not sand, but it was super cool. We chilled in this pool of water surrounded by rocks. It was nice.
It's one of the girl's birthday's here tomorrow, so we made all of her favorites. Walking tacos. French fries. Brownies. It was yummy.
Then we went to this music fest thing tonight for charity.
Yes, I am really loving Malta. It's a blast! We're just going to explore the island some more the next few days! : )
Malta is a really small island, 18 miles wide apparently.
They speak English and then Maltese, which is basically Arabic.
(It looks like if you slammed on the keyboard or something "jdjfdifiodfndjfhudgfiueyhfuidjkcnsdskjfhmkfdidhjnfdjnfuiehpfdi" very difficult to read.)
I thought it was an Italian island... but it's actually it's own country.
Last night we went out on the town... men creeped on me a lot though... and tried playing with my hair? = /
We went to the 'beach' today, which actually isn't really a beach because it's all rocks and not sand, but it was super cool. We chilled in this pool of water surrounded by rocks. It was nice.
It's one of the girl's birthday's here tomorrow, so we made all of her favorites. Walking tacos. French fries. Brownies. It was yummy.
Then we went to this music fest thing tonight for charity.
Yes, I am really loving Malta. It's a blast! We're just going to explore the island some more the next few days! : )
Friday, May 7, 2010
Goodbye Valencia... I will miss you!
Just kidding, this is my last post before I leave. I sent a bunch of things home today. And now all I have to worry about is my backpack… crazy.
I had to go to the center today to try and change traveler’s checks… I couldn’t actually exchange them. But… it was weird. I had like 10 different people ask me for directions… and I could point them in the right way every time. Yep. Just when I really start to know this city… now I’m going to leave. : (
It was raining earlier today. Valencia was crying for us.
Well, this is it. Leaving Valencia… sooo strange.
Now backpacking through Europe for the next 3 weeks. It’s going to be some good times!
Hasta luego!
I had to go to the center today to try and change traveler’s checks… I couldn’t actually exchange them. But… it was weird. I had like 10 different people ask me for directions… and I could point them in the right way every time. Yep. Just when I really start to know this city… now I’m going to leave. : (
It was raining earlier today. Valencia was crying for us.
Well, this is it. Leaving Valencia… sooo strange.
Now backpacking through Europe for the next 3 weeks. It’s going to be some good times!
Hasta luego!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
It’s come down to this…
Anne left already. Our room is pretty empty.
I have to ship my luggage home tomorrow. =/ Allison and I didn’t think we would have to worry about that, since our “friend” told us he was going to take it home for us about a month and a half ago. And kept saying it wouldn’t be a problem and he’d take care of it for us…
2 days ago he backed out on us. Sooo these past 2 days we’ve been freaking out trying to figure out what we’re going to do with our stuff now.
We tried to change our flight from out of Dublin to Madrid, that way we could store our stuff at the airport in Madrid and then bring it home. And we wouldn’t have to worry about the stupid volcano cloud and being stranded in the UK.
Well they said that if we could have changed it before May 3rd no problem… but it’s too late now and they can’t reroute the flight. So I’m really glad he told us this… oh wait May 4th. > : 0
So I’m throwing things away/donating clothes/fitting as much as I can in a box and spending a ton of money to send it home…. And then Anne is coming back here at the end of her travels, so she’s going to put her suitcase inside of mine and bring that and my computer back home for me. : ) <3 her!
Nonetheless, this is not how I wanted to be spending my last days in Valencia, but what can we do?
I’m really going to miss this city, and we’ve all been crying already. So the bus ride to Madrid tomorrow night is going to be ridiculous…
But now it’s going to be me, my backpack and Europe.
Here’s the itinerary:
Malta- May 8-13
Rome- 13-19
Florence- 19-22
Venice 22-25
London 25-30
Dublin 30-31
Then home. : )
I’ll try to write a bit on here if we by chance have internet… but I’m not going to bank on it!
But this has been the most amazing experience ever and I can’t believe it is coming to an end… :(
Well... see you all when I’m state side!
I have to ship my luggage home tomorrow. =/ Allison and I didn’t think we would have to worry about that, since our “friend” told us he was going to take it home for us about a month and a half ago. And kept saying it wouldn’t be a problem and he’d take care of it for us…
2 days ago he backed out on us. Sooo these past 2 days we’ve been freaking out trying to figure out what we’re going to do with our stuff now.
We tried to change our flight from out of Dublin to Madrid, that way we could store our stuff at the airport in Madrid and then bring it home. And we wouldn’t have to worry about the stupid volcano cloud and being stranded in the UK.
Well they said that if we could have changed it before May 3rd no problem… but it’s too late now and they can’t reroute the flight. So I’m really glad he told us this… oh wait May 4th. > : 0
So I’m throwing things away/donating clothes/fitting as much as I can in a box and spending a ton of money to send it home…. And then Anne is coming back here at the end of her travels, so she’s going to put her suitcase inside of mine and bring that and my computer back home for me. : ) <3 her!
Nonetheless, this is not how I wanted to be spending my last days in Valencia, but what can we do?
I’m really going to miss this city, and we’ve all been crying already. So the bus ride to Madrid tomorrow night is going to be ridiculous…
But now it’s going to be me, my backpack and Europe.
Here’s the itinerary:
Malta- May 8-13
Rome- 13-19
Florence- 19-22
Venice 22-25
London 25-30
Dublin 30-31
Then home. : )
I’ll try to write a bit on here if we by chance have internet… but I’m not going to bank on it!
But this has been the most amazing experience ever and I can’t believe it is coming to an end… :(
Well... see you all when I’m state side!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
It's the Final Countdown!
Right now is a whirlwind of emotions. I want to go home. I want to stay in Valencia. I’m freaking out, because we’ve been here for so long now. But I am officially done with class and the realization that we are leaving is starting to hit me a bit. It’s not going to be easy to see this chapter of my life come to an end… while I want to go home, I want this to go on for just a few pages more…
I think one of the things I’m going to miss the most is the fact that I have Spanish all around me. I know I’ve improved a lot here… Someone will say something to me, and I honestly don’t know what language they’re speaking sometimes. It’s the same in my head. I don’t have to think about it anymore, it just happens and I respond without thinking in Spanish now- same as English. I don’t have to make an effort to practice my Spanish here, it’s all around me. When I go home… that’s a different story.
Don’t get me wrong, I have a whole list of things I want to do at my homes:
Mosinee:
-There’s a whole list of foods I miss and will be eating within due time of my arrival:
•Real milk that doesn’t come from a freakish box and doesn’t need to be refrigerated
•Carrots and dip
•Spaghetti
•Marinated chicken with peppers and pineapple on the grill
•(It’s about to get American on you now) Hamburgers!
•Steak
•Spinach salad
•Cottage cheese
•Normal cheese (for example Mild Cheddar or Wisconsin cheese curds)
-I think you understand now… haha. I’ve basically been living on white bread and oranges here… I could honestly go without eating white bread for the rest of my life now. Give me the 7 Whole Grain bread I know and love! And my first meal upon arrival in the United States will be at the Olive Garden in Eau Claire, Wisconsin where I will be eating chicken marsala with many of their tasty breaksticks! : ) And oh wait, I can try the free wine samples there now too…
-Other things… going for nature walks.
-Going running on the back roads on the farm
-Brewers games!?
-Family gatherings, like my brother’s graduation party where we will be playing kick ball.
-The Wisconsin Valley Fair
-Nordic Fest in Decorah
-Being able to curl up on the couch and watch TV/movies with my fuzzy blanket
-Whoa! Driving my car!
-Reading all of the Harry Potter books as usual this summer…
-Going to church at home
Then Luther:
-Nature adventure walks
-Tubing in the Upper Iowa
-Whippy Walks
-Walmart runs that turn into not Walmart runs. Sword fights in the toy section. Emily Rixen pretending to have a gimp leg and limping around the entire store for an hour. ..
-Choir!
-And many other things…
It’s been a blast, and I love traveling soooo much. But I think after backpacking for 3 weeks in Europe and basically starving myself, I will be ready to come home. To enjoy the simple things in life. : )
I think one of the things I’m going to miss the most is the fact that I have Spanish all around me. I know I’ve improved a lot here… Someone will say something to me, and I honestly don’t know what language they’re speaking sometimes. It’s the same in my head. I don’t have to think about it anymore, it just happens and I respond without thinking in Spanish now- same as English. I don’t have to make an effort to practice my Spanish here, it’s all around me. When I go home… that’s a different story.
Don’t get me wrong, I have a whole list of things I want to do at my homes:
Mosinee:
-There’s a whole list of foods I miss and will be eating within due time of my arrival:
•Real milk that doesn’t come from a freakish box and doesn’t need to be refrigerated
•Carrots and dip
•Spaghetti
•Marinated chicken with peppers and pineapple on the grill
•(It’s about to get American on you now) Hamburgers!
•Steak
•Spinach salad
•Cottage cheese
•Normal cheese (for example Mild Cheddar or Wisconsin cheese curds)
-I think you understand now… haha. I’ve basically been living on white bread and oranges here… I could honestly go without eating white bread for the rest of my life now. Give me the 7 Whole Grain bread I know and love! And my first meal upon arrival in the United States will be at the Olive Garden in Eau Claire, Wisconsin where I will be eating chicken marsala with many of their tasty breaksticks! : ) And oh wait, I can try the free wine samples there now too…
-Other things… going for nature walks.
-Going running on the back roads on the farm
-Brewers games!?
-Family gatherings, like my brother’s graduation party where we will be playing kick ball.
-The Wisconsin Valley Fair
-Nordic Fest in Decorah
-Being able to curl up on the couch and watch TV/movies with my fuzzy blanket
-Whoa! Driving my car!
-Reading all of the Harry Potter books as usual this summer…
-Going to church at home
Then Luther:
-Nature adventure walks
-Tubing in the Upper Iowa
-Whippy Walks
-Walmart runs that turn into not Walmart runs. Sword fights in the toy section. Emily Rixen pretending to have a gimp leg and limping around the entire store for an hour. ..
-Choir!
-And many other things…
It’s been a blast, and I love traveling soooo much. But I think after backpacking for 3 weeks in Europe and basically starving myself, I will be ready to come home. To enjoy the simple things in life. : )
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Futbol game
I love my friends. :) Emily and Janielle took me to a Valencia CF futbol game tonight for my birthday. It was sweet... and Valencia won 3-1!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Mi cumpleanos... y la resaca
So, my birthday was pretty good... once class was over with we went into the rio and sat and ate lunch by some fountains. It was nice! We chilled there for a couple of hours, just chatting.
Then I came home. Anne and I ate dinner. Then we went and Anne bought some stuff for us to go out and botellon with.
So we botelloned in the park. And Eve, Kelsey and Zarah had more stuff for me... and we sat on a bench. In the rio and drank.
Then we went to this place called Cafe New Orleans, and more of my friends were there! A couple Robs, and Chris.
One of the Robs bought me Agua de Valencia, which is really good.
Then the place played 'Happy Birthday' to me. : )
Then someone bought a bunch of shots...
And then we went to Donner Kebab where Kelsey and I split a kebab as always, and then we made the trek home.
The next day however... that might go down in history as one of the worst days...
I was really sick. And I couldn't keep anything down. I was worried that I'd have to go to the hospital or something and have an IV stuck in me...
Finally at like 6, Elvira gave me something, and my stomach calmed down. And then a little later she gave me the equivalent of chicken soup without the chicken or the noodles.
I think I am more or less recovered now, but there is nothing worse than being sick in a foreign country. I've never wanted to be home so bad in my life...
Then I came home. Anne and I ate dinner. Then we went and Anne bought some stuff for us to go out and botellon with.
So we botelloned in the park. And Eve, Kelsey and Zarah had more stuff for me... and we sat on a bench. In the rio and drank.
Then we went to this place called Cafe New Orleans, and more of my friends were there! A couple Robs, and Chris.
One of the Robs bought me Agua de Valencia, which is really good.
Then the place played 'Happy Birthday' to me. : )
Then someone bought a bunch of shots...
And then we went to Donner Kebab where Kelsey and I split a kebab as always, and then we made the trek home.
The next day however... that might go down in history as one of the worst days...
I was really sick. And I couldn't keep anything down. I was worried that I'd have to go to the hospital or something and have an IV stuck in me...
Finally at like 6, Elvira gave me something, and my stomach calmed down. And then a little later she gave me the equivalent of chicken soup without the chicken or the noodles.
I think I am more or less recovered now, but there is nothing worse than being sick in a foreign country. I've never wanted to be home so bad in my life...
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