Classes start today

So last night after a day of shopping, we hung out at the apartment for a while. Byron is an AMAZING cook and like 15 of us were pumped to try his amazing chicken potato thing. I think it actually had a name, but meh. Then Erin, Kelly, Emily, and I went to the plaza just to get a drink and people watch. Getting a drink turned into sharing two pitchers that cost us a freaking fortune. Then we decided to go to Finnigans. We drank a beer there and shared funny life stories until it closed at 1. None of us planned this, but we ended up going out to the club afterward. First we got free shots from Bolseria, so we went there. We met some Croatians and became friends haha. Then we walked to Fox Congo and made friends with some Valencians. Let me tell you, they were some fun. I had such a good night last night but it didn't leave me much time to sleep.

I got back at maybe 3 and then woke up at 8. Ignacio wasn't mad at all for us missing his meeting. My first class was business Spanish and I loved it. Our teacher is so cute and fun and we just got to talk in Spanish the entire time, which I loved. Then we took a field trip to a market about 15 minutes away. I got the cutest shoes for 2 euros! Then we went to a bookstore and I bought Sarah's Key in Spanish. I can understand mostly everything so I'm really excited to read it. Our professor kept emphasizing how important it is to make Spanish friends and talk in Spanish to people.. I was like whelp, I'm pretty darn good at the friend making part haha. When I got back I walked with Dominic to get a sim card for my phone. It was quite a bonding experience. We had to stand in line for over an hour behind only ONE OTHER CUSTOMER. Only in Spain. But we talked about Star Wars and Lord of the Rings and it was beautiful. We got back like 10 minutes before my next class, which was my history one. Now I'm headed to the "chino" to get some things that I've been needing to get for a long time. Aka I don't even have groceries yet.

Ciao!


Our little cafe group


The Croatians hahhaa


We would find this on the ground and take a picture with it..

Shopping Day

Mer mer mer. Ok so yesterday went by really fast and I went out to lunch with Jacob, Murt, Erin, and I and we sat and talked for so long. Embarrassing, we went to the same place that Josh and I went for coffee and had the same waitress. All I could think about is that she knew I was a cup stealer. After we ate we walked around for so long. We went to the train station and through lots of plazas. Then we stopped at Finnegans on the way back and watched the soccer game. Eventually basically our whole group showed up and it was so fun! I broke out the gollum and my suction cups. All my weirdness came out. We stayed up till like 3 just hanging out in our apartment. I left some pretty sweet videos on people's walls haha.

This morning I got up at 9. Whhhhyyy can't I sleep in?!? At least Erin woke up early and we stalked my embarrassing life and then didn't shower even though we were up way before everyone else. Academic orientation was good and it got me excited for my classes. Then we had a tour of more of the city. I had seen mostly everything on it already...except for the shopping streets. Mistake. Oh my gooodneesssss, i loved it though. It got 3 dresses, parachute pants (YESSS), a watch, and a satchel. It was me, Erin, Monica, and Emily on our shopping excursion. We literally shopped from like 2 until 6:30. We got back at 7 and then realized we realized we missed our meeting with Ignacio. Everyone was supposed to meet him before 5 to talk about classes. FAIL. I feel sooo bad. I'm really responsible when it comes to school and I think he's going to be annoyed. Mehhhhh. Oh well, shopping was awesome.

Classes start tomorrow!


Erin and I on our walk


hahahaha

Don't you want me baaaabbbyy, don't you want me OHHHHH

Last night was so much fun! A few of us went to dinner at like 9 and the food was really good. The place was practically empty because people don't eat dinner on weekends till at least 10 usually. We got back and everyone was just hanging out until like 12:30 and then we went to the club. Cati is a DJ on the weekends and she was spinning last night at this gay bar. It was SO MUCH FUN! I just danced all night long and met a lot of people. Our group of Americans was hilarious. We were fist pumping and just being crazy. I remember shouting the lyrics to the American songs that came on like Material Girls. The club closed at 3:30 and I told Cati that I was obsessed with her life and wanted to be her. We walked back and I went to bed at like 4:30.

I slept in until 10 today but NOBODY was awake. I need to learn how to sleep in haha. Finally people started waking up and I made Josh get coffee with me down the street. We sat there for literally like an hour and half just chatting and people watching. I got the tiniest espresso cup in the world and I kept it as a souvenir haha. I'm going to make a collection. Now it's 3:30 and finally people are awake. I love life here!


Obsessed with Cati's life, no big deal


We might've been struggling night #1, but we are champions of night #2

Let's try to piece last night together...

So let's see. Yesterdaaaay. We went to the grocery store and I got a bottle of wine for 95 cents and a 6 pack of beer for like 2.30. Although apparently I missed the 12 pack for 50 cents, because you know I would've been on that. We got dinner around 10 and we ended up at this Italian restaurant after walking around forever trying to decide where to eat. We got really good pizza and a pitcher of sangria. I was already feeling drunk after the sangria.

When we got back to the apartment, everyone was playing kings and drinking so we joined in and I finished my wine and drank a couple beers as well.



Roomski and Erin

I have never been so drunk in my entire life haha. Fail. Did exactly what Cati warned us against and drank too much too fast and didn't last the whole night. But at like 12:30 we went out to a bar called Ghecko. I just have these images of wandering around this club filled with waterfalls and trees, but that's about all I remember. I ordered another drink which I definitely did not need. Paid with a 50 euro bill. I'm cool. And then I was determined to make "Spanish friends," so I met some 40 year old Spanish men and I couldn't tell you one thing I said to them, but apparently I was really funny and they were all laughing Especially when I stole their hats and put them on. Such a trademark Rosie thing to do. So some boys in my group saved me and by then it was obvious that I was extremely intoxicated. So they're trying to walk me home and I thought it would be funny to run away from them, leaving two boys chasing me down the street. Today when I woke up, about 6 people told me "saw you running away last night." Hahahahaaa. Whelp. People say I'm funny at least.

Then I made it into bed (slept in my dress duh. Why did I even pack pajamas?) and I slept until 11:30 today. A big group of us rode the tram to the metro and went to the beach all afternoon. Loooove it. There was this huge rope thing that we climbed on the sand. Obviously I love climbing, so it was a delight. We came back around 5 and I've just been hanging out with friends. I think we're going to dinner at like 9 and then out to the DISCOTECAAAA!! We're going to the one where Cati is a DJ, so I'm pumped.


Jacob and I at the top of the rope thing on the beach. Bahahaha sweet leg shottt

I always wanted to be a girl scout!

Yesterday was so much fun! I love everybody in the program! I was nervous about not making friends, but obviously I'm just retarded haha. We went to dinner at the Italian restaurant and then went to an Irish Pub. Most people were really tired from jet lag, but we all just got a beer and sat around and bonded. We stayed out till like midnight and then hung out in the common room and played card games and watched the most ridiculous music videos on Earth.

This morning we had a tour of the city at 10 and some more orientation things. I'm obsessed with our program staff. They're so awesome and Cati gave us the whole low down on going out in Spain. I was laughing the entire time. Can't wait for tonight!



Jordan, Erin, and I :)

Moved in! Room 7E What Uppppp

I'm moved into my room! It's amazing. It's a huge two story suite with 4 girls on the top half and 5 boys on the bottom half. My roommate isn't here yet, but I've met two girls in another suite and I'm SO excited! I just came back to my room because my parents went to get lunch and they don't really have any way to contact me except by knowing I'm here.

So the view from my room looks right at the towers that I took pictures of earlier. It's perfection. I can't wait to show yall! I claimed the window bed since I was the first here.

Ok so let's see. Last night we rented bikes. We got rather lost trying to find the place to rent them, but discovered this amazing potato world restaurant that we went back to for dinner after our ride through the park. There's the HUGE park right across the street which stretches for miles and miles. I went for a run in it this morning. It was already so hot at 10 am, but I loved it nonetheless. I got sangria from the restaurant last night. It's much better than the stuff from the box. What a surprise! Ha.


My bed and window:


View from my bed:

Day 2: Already in Love

Ok so yesterday after a shower and a nap, we headed out into downtown Valencia. Thanks to the wonderful Claire Marks, who did this same trip 2 years ago, and wrote me a novel on good things to get started on seeing, we sort of had some idea where to go. We spent most of the time exploring these 3 huge, beautiful plazas. I'm obsessed with all of them and they're just unlike anything in America. We drank zumo de naranja (aka valencia orange juice aka tastes exactly like an orange in liquid heaven format) and horchata which is some traditional milky sweet drink. We also had gelato and ate dinner (the restaurant didn't even open for din until 9) at this place Claire recommended called Pappardella. It was glorious Italian food.

I was so exhausted when we got back that I just passed out from about 11:30 pm until 10 am. We walked to La PLaza de la Reina and ate breakfast at Bertol, my new favorite cafe. Then we got on this thing that is like the lightrail to the beach. Here's the metro card. I think it's so funny! It looks like it's meant for Halloween or something...



It took us a minute to figure it out, but once we did it's like the easiest way to travel. It was about a 10 minute ride to the beach. We walked out to the shore and then decided we wanted to stay the day, so we purchased some towels (obsessed with my new Espana Champions World Cup towel) and rented a little umbrella to stay at. We swam in the Mediterranean and laid out in the sun. Let's talk about how smart I am for a second. I got sunburned and was thinking "wow this is the first time I've been burned by the Spanish sun." FAIL. Like there are multiple suns for the different continents.... I'm in college, no big deal. Here's us under our "sombra," me at the beach, and my new towel:





We ate lunch at a place right on the beach and I wanted my parents to try the traditional paella. What we got was really good and we liked our waiter. I speak Spanish to most people I talk to, although mostly everyone knows English so half the time they speak in English since they can tell my parents are Americans. But with our waiter it was the first time I actually felt like my Spanish was necessary.

After lunch we had our siesta on the beach. 11 hours of sleep and I still took a nap. I could live like this forever. So by the way, the beaches here don't require bathing suit tops. I saw a lot of nipples today. A lot.

I MOVE INTO THE PROGRAM CENTER TOMORROW!!! SO EXCITED!

I'm HERE!

I’VE MADE IT TO VALENCIA! Yaaaay! My computer says 7:10 am, but that’s false. So I believe it’s actually a 1:10 pm here. I’m so exhausted because I didn’t sleep much this past weekend and then I only slept like 2 hours on the plane to Paris. We got there around 8 am and then we had a straight trek between terminals. But we made it in plenty of time to make the flight to Valencia, which my dad was nervous about missing. I literally couldn’t even keep my eyes open that entire flight. I only woke up when the city of Valencia was in view and I was in awe. It’s SO pretty! I saw all these things I recognized just from pictures. We easily got our luggage and then got a taxi to the hotel. We’re at the hotel that’s literally like a minute walk to where my program will be. We took a walk down there and got lunch in the little terrace. There are these huge towers right next to my building, it’s incredible! I can’t wait to move in!

P.s. I can't figure out why the spacing of my captions with the pictures isn't working right. But I don't actually care enough to fix it.

Here is a view of the towers from my hotel room balcony:



And the yellow one is my home for the next 3 months :)



Me at the front door!



Yay!

Going to Spain today!

Well I had so much fun this past weekend with all my friends. I got to see so many people and I'm beyond lucky to have the friends that I do. I definitely didn't expect to cry, but saying goodbye to my big killed me and then on the way home I almost had to pull my car over on 64. Baha. But now I'm done being sad and I'm just excited to go! We leave for the airport around 2 and then the flight leaves around 7 pm. I'll land in Paris at about 5 am, and then land in Valencia at about noon. I'm not sure if I'll have internet or not in the hotel, but I should definitely be able to get online and update yall on Thursday when I move into the FSU study center. Lots of love until then!


partners in crime :)


i have a ton of pictures from club fair and i'll put them all on facebook! but for now here's one of me and the lady who made me cry like a baby

The Final Stretch

I thought those pictures of Valencia were pretty! I can't wait to post actual ones that I took on here soon enough!

Well. I just googled most efficient way to pack a suitcase. I have a long road ahead of me haha. I need to finish up my laundry and somehow stuff my clothes into two suitcases. Then tonight around 7 or so I'm driving to Newport News. I'm SO excited to finally see all my friends again! I'll be there from tonight until Sunday night, so yesterday was technically my last night in MD (which consisted of me laying on my kitchen floor surrounded by candles, watching troy on my computer, because the power went out for 14 hours). I worked my last shift at Barnes and Noble this morning. Bitter sweet! I honestly will miss it there, but I'll be back in the winter. So I drive back to MD Sunday night after club fair, and then Monday around 2 pm we're leaving to the airport. Hence why I need to have the majority of my stuff packed tonight. Merrrrr. I hate packing! But I guess two suitcases is nothing compared to loading up an entire car for an apartment. My little brother just got moved into his first dorm today. I'm excited for him! Ok... I need to stop procrastinating on packing. I'm off.

ONE WEEK!

I can't believe how FAST this summer went by! It's so ridiculous. It feels weird seeing all my friends moving back to Newport News while I'm not joining them, but honestly I'm happy to have a semester away so I can come back refreshed. I registered for my classes in Valencia. I can't remember exactly right now, but I think I'm taking History after 1815, Women in Literature, Hispanic Cinema, Regional Studies (like a study of Valencia), annnd I can't remember the last one. Meh. We have classes Monday-Thursday and then we have Friday-Sunday to do whatever. Go out, take trips, etc. I CAN'T WAIT! This is going to be the best 3 and a half months of my life!