Farewell to Santander

I left yesterday to Madrid for a couple of days so I should consider this a late post but I'm not going to. Why? Because I had a migraine yesterday on the bus ride (6 hours) and I got sick because my head hurt so much. I'm not kidding you. I was wrapped around the porcelain throne like I was a noob on their twenty-first birthday. But I hadn't been drinking. And I definitely was not in a partying mood. Anyways, that's not the point. The point is I had a legit reason not to give a farewell on the appropriate day.

I also I know that I haven't written in a while. And the reason I haven't is because I was trying to enjoy my last couple days/weeks. It was great. I picked shells off the beaches and enjoyed the water and the sand. It was fantastic. And guess what? I even took a farewell picture.

But I'm not kidding. Santander, it's been real. I will miss you. I will miss my host-family, the food, the people, the streets, the beautiful shells that wash up, the way the concrete smells when it rains and it's fresh from traveling over the oceans. I know this isn't goodbye, it's only see you later. No adios, solamente hasta luego. As weird as this may sound for a male, but this place will always hold a little piece of my heart. Shit, I lived here. It wasn't for long but I lived here all the same. I absorbed bits and pieces of it into my being. I even say "Ay" when something happens or when I'm shocked I say "Ay Dios Mio." Yes I say that. And it's all my host family's fault. I say "Si, Si, Si," and "Bien, Bien, Bien" all the time. Why? Because, even though I only lived here for a little bit I let it fully overwhelm me. I was open to it. And that, my friends, is a beautiful thing.

Being able to say you went out of your comfort zone and tried something out of the ordinary in order to better yourself is beautiful. And anyone who says otherwise is ignorant. I feel there are parts of me that have completely done a 180, but you know what? I'm okay with that. I experienced something not a lot of people have. I was stretched to the limit of my patience and then some. I was stressed. I ate some weird food, then puked up that weird food (squid in it's own ink. Apparently it's a delicacy). I got too drunk and stumbled home leaning against the shoulders of new friends. I learned how to make authentic Sangria and Mojitos. I got topless at a beach. I buried my feet in the Spanish sand. I took a city taxi and spoke to the cabdriver by code switching (between English and Spanish mid-sentence). I took a nine hour flight and had swollen feet. I cried because I missed home; because I wanted to watch television in English, because I hadn't received even a hug from anyone in three months, because my bed here hurt my back, because I was missing halibut season back home, because I had a migraine... But you know what? Looking back, I still would have done it a million times over. Yeah I was homesick. But I was also 7000 (yes 7000) miles away from home. That's enough distance for anyone to long for the comfort of home. But I couldn't do that. Through that discomfort came growth.

It was beautiful. And I know this won't be the last time I put my feet in the Cantabria Sea. This won't be a real goodbye to my host-family. I will return here. Because like I said, a little piece of that place is now a part of me. And in order to make room for that new part of me, I needed to leave some of me behind. In order to visit that old me, I'll have to return. Because that part of me, will never be able to be a part of me ever again. Why? Because I like my trade. Also, I just need another excuse to come back.

Hasta Luego, Santander.

Tchaikovsky en La Noche

I haven't really talked about Santander and I'm a little sad I haven't. I figured this post would be dedicated strictly to the city I'm in. After all, I am living here for the next month and a half. It's insane that my journey to Europe has already been over a month. Time has really flown by, but as they say, it tends to do that when you're having fun. Soon I'll be on the flight home wondering where in the heck my three months went.

In case you wondering, yes it is 11 pm here. And yes, I am listening to Tchaikovsky as I write. If I am sound prodigious in my language or my style is eloquent it's because my brain neurons are firing. I hear your brain thanks you when you listen to classical music. Apparently is stimulates brain function. I believe it. They have all these tests out there if you don't believe me.

So Santander. It's beautiful. Every morning I walk to class and when I look down from the top of the hill over the harbor, it takes my breath away every time. This is what I see:

And yes, if you're wondering, I take those stairs. I counted them over the weekend. There's 315. One way. Which means in a day I take 630. If you know math. And sometimes I take walks to the upper part of town. Okay, most days I do after Comida (big meal of the day at lunchtime). Which means 1,260. On a day where I'm feeling particularly spunky, like two days ago and the day before that, I take them three times and run the third. Are you following me? That's a lot of steps. But it's worth it every time I get to the top. I see the laundry hanging outside on the lines and I sigh. A piece of (I know I'm a male, but I'm sensitive) me will always belong to this town. I know that this won't be the last time I'm here. I've fallen in love. I mean, if you saw this view every day on your way to classes wouldn't you? Did you know it's the only city on the northern coast of Spain that faces south? Betcha' didn't! Well now you do. I couldn't be happier here.

Also good news (a little off the topic of Santander, but it's relevant)! I just sent my Letter on Intent to Fulbright through Oregon State and if all goes as planned I will be teaching Spanish and English in Costa Rica. It's relevant because 1.) my host mom has a daughter in Costa Rica and 2.) I am learning Spanish here and will have the opportunity to go abroad again. Which means more adventures for this traveling giraffe.

Back to Santander. It is the capitol of the autonomous community of Cantabria. Which all cities, big and small, are amazing here. There are a lot of small (VERY SMALL) little towns. But in the summer they boom with "gente de Madrid con mucho dinero, mucho mucho dinero." The words of my host mom. She cracks me up.

Tomorrow I am off to Comillas and Santillana. Which I am excited about. When I went to my host mom's other house in Comillas we drove past Santillana and I really wanted to stop. It looks like a stereotypical country town in Spain that you see in the movies. Exploring will be nice. As expected of me, I will take photos.

Hasta Luego.

Madrid

I have successfully and safely landed in Madrid, Spain! I'm immersed in the culture and the language and already I'm a little overwhelmed. I couldn't check into my hostel until 2:00 pm and I arrived into the city, by bus from the airport, at 10:30 am. After getting lost for two hours and going in circles, I finally found my home for the next two days. The streets remind me a lot of New York City.

The hostel let me put my luggage in a safe and secure storage until I checked in. That was awfully nice of them, my suitcase was heavy and my arms hated me by the end of those two hours. However, I still couldn't relax and sleep yet. I went and got something to eat, walked the streets, passed la Puerta del Sol (which was beautiful and so busy) and studied some people. I feel that the first week I'm here I'm going to study people, figure out how to function appropriately in society. Then maybe I won't stick out like a sore thumb. Everyone knew I was American. Some of the looks I got as my hooves clomped the cobblestones...

It's a whole different world over here. People dress so elegantly. I can't wait for my Spanish to be good enough to have a solid conversation. I'm currently a little apprehensive at the moment and a little too overwhelmed to confront complete strangers in another language and make a fool of myself. I'm not so worried about the fool part because I'm always one of those... At 2:00 pm I came back to the hostel, got my key, unlocked my luggage and went to my room. It was so clean. If you ever find yourself in Madrid and are looking for a good hostel, Room 007 is quality. The staff are nice, the rooms are clean, the sheets and beds are comfortable (or maybe I'm just biased because I was so tired when I first laid down), and they have activities organized for the current residents. They have dance classes, tours of the city, and every night as a group they bar hop at local bars. Since my location is excellent that will have to be something I try. This hostel is a four minutes walk to Puerta del Sol. It's amazing. The ratings for this place are nothing but good. I highly recommend.


As soon as I got in my room I took a nice cold shower (my legs were swollen from the flight) and napped. Oh lanta, did I nap. Nine hours of napping. I woke up and now I'm all out of whack. IT'S THAT STUPID JET LAG! Now I'm wide awake and it's ten o'cock at night. I'm going to attempt to read and that might put me to sleep. But it's hard because just outside my open window is a roofless restaurant and they have live music now. There is a woman with a beautiful voice serenading me out of bed to look out the window and listen to her covers of The Foo Fighters, REM, and Fleetwood Mac. This place, I have a feeling, will be a magical journey.

Tomorrow I'm going to adventure to a large historical park nearby and see some of the sites that Madrid has to offer. Don't worry, I'll bring my camera to document.

Pre-departure Freakout

I’m Daire. I plan on traveling the world before the end of my days. I know what you’re probably saying… “He’s a giraffe, he can’t possibly travel!” Oh, you haters. I will be the best dang traveling giraffe ever, and the first of my kind too!

The countdown begins. 

I leave for Europe in two days, and I am all packed. I’m beyond stressed. This is my first adventure traveling abroad. Europe, I know, it's quite a ways away. 

I'll be flying out of Sea-Tac International Airport, then switching flights in Dallas. I have a seventeen hour flight from there to Madrid, Spain. I'm staying in Madrid and adventuring about for three days. I also need to get used to that blasted jet lag. I might sleep for a whole day. Who knows. Help us all if there's a cranky, sleep-deprived giraffe roaming Europe. Nobody wants that. I don't want that. I love sleep.

Since this is my first post I don't think it's too egotistical to talk about me. I like.. well... adventuring. I love the outdoors, the beach, and I have a not so secret obsession with humans. I think they are so awkward and interesting. They pace about like rushed ants wearing clothing. Who wants to wear clothing? I don't. I'll leave it to them.

Did you know that human sneezes exceed 100 mph, on average? That's so intriguing! I mean, fun fact about me, I have four stomachs. That's not as interesting. It's still kinda cool, though. Thanksgiving is a literal feast at my house. Now THAT'S a sight. 

I like bumblebees too. I know, I'm a male. But I think it is totally acceptable to appreciate tiny, little, fluffy creatures that do the work of creating fruit and pollinating plants. 

I like the color blue. It's the color of the sky. Which my head is in often. 

I'm looking forward to the many different sites I will be seeing in the coming months. I want to visit Italy, the UK, France, and Germany. I want to see as many places as I can, but I'm also on a budget. There are a lot of destinations far and few between those countries. We'll see what shenanigans I can get myself into. 

I'm Daire, and I dare to adventure. Care to join me?