Snowy with a chance of... sausages?

QUICK! Think of three things that complete the perfect Christmas scene. What were the first things to come to mind?

Mine are as follows: Snow, lights and hot beverages. (Don't judge, this is my Christmas fantasy... yours can be different ;) For me, Christmas is not Christmas without those three things. 

Now, imagine a Christmas without those things. Kinda sad right? Well I was feeling a little down myself this year when I realized my Christmas here in Spain wouldn't quite live up to my traditional Christmas fantasies.

Enter: a best friend and a proposed trip to Germany. Now, to be honest, I've never been particularly interested in the German language or German culture. Blame it on the overbearing presence of Spanish in my life but I guess I had just never really given it much thought (except for maybe studying the Holocaust in the 8th grade and that didn't exactly get me hyped up to learn more).

Oh how my mind changed stepping off the plane in Hamburg at the beginning of December. You see, there is this magical thing called the Weihnachtsmarkts or "Christmas markets" in Germany and they are like a Christmas dream come true. The weihnachtsmarkts are various clusterings of gift, food and drink stands in the German architectural style complete with a healthy coating of snow, garland, and twinkly lights as far as the eye can see. Generally they are packed with people staying close together to stay warm. And when that's not enough they crowd around the food stands that sell a hot mulled wine called gluhwëin. Snow, lights, hot beverages... thus completes my perfect Christmas scene and so also begins my new love affair (don’t tell Spain) with Germany. 

My friend and I spent the weekend in different cities peeking into the various gift stands of the weihnachtsmarkts, eating our fill of German sausages and pretzels and taste testing the various flavors of gluhwëin. The markets in Hamburg alone were so extensive that, along with a short tour of the city hall and two churches, our first day in town passed by quickly.

One of our most interesting stops was at St. Nickolai’s church in downtown Hamburg or, at least, it’s museum and what remains of it. The actually church cathedral was burned down in the bombings of World War II. You can still take an elevator up 76 meters inside the steeple and, after wrapping your scarf a little tighter in the frigid air, snap a few photos of the city from a bird’s eye view.

Next to the remains of the church is a small museum in which you can see before and after photos of the city from the 1940’s and stand in disbelief of maps indicating the amount of destruction caused by bombs from Allied aircraft during the war. Hamburg was one of the most targeted cities in Germany with 42, 388 buildings destroyed, 37, 797 damaged, 35,000 people killed and approximately 120,000 injured. Just before leaving for Germany I mentioned in an email to my Grandpa that I would be headed to Hamburg. To my surprise, he told me his mother’s family emigrated from that area in the 1800’s. That knowledge, combined with the statistics and photos from the war got me to thinking how different things could have been for my family if they hadn’t made that one decision to move. As an American, I can hardly imagine what a war carried out in my own country would be like. The photos and the statistics in that museum really opened my eyes.

On the second day, and on a lighter note, we took the train (only my second ever at the time = totally thrilled :) to Lüneburg, a town my friend had studied in for five months in 2010. Going there was a great excuse to see small town German life and sample, yet again, another array of weihnachtsmarkt stands. Although the markets were quite similar to Hamburg’s, it was nice to walk around the cobblestone streets, take in the warm lights coming from the cute little German houses and wonder what Christmas might have been like in this city so many years ago.

On the last day of our travels we decided to conclude our Christmas market adventure in a small town called Schwerin which is a few hours outside of Hamburg and also happens to be home to a perfectly picturesque castle in the middle of a snow covered lake. Nowadays the castle is very well kept, fully restored to its 19^th century glory and used for parliamentary business, but it is estimated that the original castle that stood there was built in the 10^th century. After oogling over the castle and its decor for a couple hours we headed back outside and to the nearest weihnachtsmarkt. We ordered some eggnog, hot chocolate and sausages and suddenly, as if on cue, huge fluffy snowflakes began to fall, completing the already fairytale like scene.

In that moment it was decided… Germany had won me over and I would definitely be back for another round, preferably at Christmastime ;)

Travel Lessons from Sevilla

If you have ever in your life imagined what it might be like to walk the streets of a city in Spain I can now say with almost certainty that what you have imagined is a city very much like Sevilla. Getting lost in the narrow maze of streets in Sevilla is like going back in time, where everything is wonderfully and stereotypically… Spanish. The flamenco dresses, the wine, the ham, the historic buildings, the bull fighting, the picturesque streets… Sevilla has it all, and more.

This trip was significant for me as it was the first one I’ve taken completely on my own. I also decided to go less than a week before leaving so it was practically an improvisation for me in comparison to how much time I normally spend planning my travels. I was a little wary about how it might turn out, if I would like traveling on my own or if I would feel lonely and lost in a foreign city. As it turns out, traveling alone definitely has its perks. For example…

You get to visit what you want, when you want, and for however long you feel like. One morning I decided to visit Sevilla’s Alcázar (aka 10^th century castle) and after paying only 4 Euros to enter I was able to spend almost three hours wandering around the castle grounds, stopping to take in the most breathtaking views and snapping as many pictures of as I deemed necessary to obtain the perfect shot.

You get to (or for introverts like me… you have no choice but to) meet tons of new, awesome people. Within the first 12 hours I had already met a travelers from Germany, Mexico, Italy, Brazil, Argentina, Belgium, the United States, and (of course) Spain. By the end of the weekend I had already made fast friends with girls from London, the Canary Islands, Wales and Illinois, all of them traveling or living alone in Sevilla.

You get to budget your own spending. I stayed in a modern, exciting, well kept, 12-bedroom dorm in a hostel that cost me a little over $10 a night. I spent only what I thought reasonable and only on the sights that I really wanted to see.

You get to try as many new tasty foods as you like without being judged by your fellow travelers. Okay, maybe this one only applies to me… but if you really want that extra pastry or perhaps a few extra slices of that addicting jamón serrano the only people there to witness you stuff your face are people you will most likely never see again in your life so… buen provecho!

And finally, and possibly the best of all, you get a wonderful sense of empowerment and overall self-confidence. There is just no feeling like the one you get when you manage to plan, execute and successfully complete something (almost) entirely on your own. That’s not to say I didn’t get lots of advice and encouragement from others along the way, but there comes a moment when you realize that your own planning, passion and determination got you somewhere awesome and unforgettable. And that, my friends, is priceless.

Why I Travel / Thanksgiving Thoughts

Let’s be candid for a moment. Traveling isn’t always easy. It isn’t always fun. Homesickness is real and culture shock is rough. But like an addict I somehow keep coming back for more. Why? Well let’s look at an example.

This Saturday I slept in later than usual. Of course, I had a to-do list circling in my head the moment I woke up, but I allowed myself to push it aside for the time being and met a friend for churros at a nearby cafetería instead. Afterwards, I decided to take a stroll around town (with the half valid reason/excuse that I needed the exercise and the weather was nice), and by mid-afternoon I found myself in a park on the opposite side of town from my house, sitting on a park bench, watching young families play on the playground across the way. And then, it hit me...

{Life is good.}

Of course, this may seem like an insignificant realization on a better than average day (and even more so when you’re living in Spain). But, think about it for a moment. When was the last time you were made aware of just how good you have it in life, of just how many opportunities you have ahead of you, or of just how much you’ve been blessed with up until this point?

Under everyday, “normal” circumstances it is so easy to lose sight of how good life really is. I’m guilty of this. I’m pretty sure I spent the better part of a year during college wishing I were “anywhere but here,” not even stopping to think of all the good things I already had around me. So maybe I can’t always practice what I preach, but the optimist in me says that no matter what my situation is I should be wholly thankful for what I have. Travel helps me maintain that perspective.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying those who don’t travel can’t be truly happy or thankful. In the last year I spent in the States living the typical study-work-eat-sleep-repeat lifestyle, I’d like to think I reached a very healthy level of thankfulness and optimism towards life. It’s just that, at least in my case, the act of displacing myself from somewhere familiar, exposing myself to new ways of life and new scenery, makes me hyper-aware of this life I’m living.

Now you may be thinking, of course you can be thankful… You’re living in SPAIN, Hannah. What’s not to love? But I’ll tell you, it’s not always in the most glamorous moments associated with travel that I realize just how good I have it. Yes, of course it happens when I come upon a breathtaking view or when I try an out-of-this-world new dish (duh), but sometimes it happens when I’m just waiting in line at the bank or watching TV in my living room. All of the sudden I’m overcome by this overwhelming feeling: This is my life. I am blessed.

From an outsider’s perspective it may be hard to understand what the heck is going on with me in these moments. Its those times when I end up just standing there immobile with a half grin, half emotional wreck look on my face, caught between laughing, crying and beaming.

In the moment, of course, I can’t explain it. No words will come out. But, I hope this blog helps with that a little. I hope it also inspires you to be a little optimistic too. To realize, no matter what your situation, just how good life is and just how much we all have to be {thankful} for.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

What's Thanksgiving without the hand turkeys?

All made from scratch with Spanish ingredients,
 it tasted wonderfully and surprisingly American.

American pies with Spanish flair :)

Thanksgiving 2012: 12 people, 3 countries, 10 dishes... Priceless.

The {Original} Córdoba

As many of you may know, my first experiences abroad were in Córdoba. Córdoba, Argentina that is. But this month I was able to make a trip to that city's namesake in Spain. Of course, Córdoba, Argentina will always be my first international home, but I couldn't help but notice some very distinct differences.

Some facts and observations about Córdoba, Spain:

It is over 2000 years old, founded in 169 BC. As such, there is no lack of ancient ruins, buildings and architecture. Córdoba’s ancient history can most easily be seen in the Medina Azahara, the original Arab Muslim capital of the region al-Andalus. It's 1000+ year old buildings are so well preserved, it's not hard to imagine what it might have been like to live in this city on a hill so many years ago. Córdoba's Alcázar (meaning "palace" in Arabic) is also a reminder of the extensive history of the city, once owned by the Visigoths then the Muslims and then the Christian Monarchs, Isabel I and Ferdinand II.

It is an intricate mix of cultures. It has been inhabited and influenced by everyone from Romans to Muslims to Catholics to Jews. The columns of a Roman temple in the center of Córdoba continue to stand only a few blocks from La Mezquita, originally a Muslim mosque and later converted into a Catholic Cathedral when the Spanish Christian king, Ferdinand III, took power during the Reconquista in 1236. Also located in the historic district of Córdoba is the judería or Jewish quarter that was built before the Jews were expelled from the city in the 15th century.

It is colorful. Even outside of springtime there are flowers everywhere. The white buildings and rod iron detailing act as a perfect backdrop for all colors of flowers and brightly patterned Spanish tiles. Of course, my love of all things Spanish and, as many of you know, floral, Córdoba seems a city modeled directly after my dreams :)

It is has typical Spanish food. Spanish ham (jamón serrano) hangs from the windows of butcher’s shops and egg-potato omelets (tortilla española) can be found in restaurants all around town. I was lucky enough to visit the city with friends and therefore also get to enjoy some authentic homemade dishes. After all, everyone knows there's no recipe like mom's recipe (if she even has one). Gambas, cocido, torrijas, cordero, pizza.... {Rico. Delicious. Buenísimo. So tasty}

So thankful to have been able to experience Córdoba flair on both continents. And one thing's for sure: I will be back to visit (both :)

1st Week as an Española

I swear it has been more than a week since I arrived in Spain. Too much has happened in that time... so much has changed.

For the sake of time, here's a recap:


I....

Dragged my 70+ pounds of luggage four blocks to my hotel from the bus station.

Visited my new school for the first time.

Called 20+ Spanish phone numbers inquiring about apartments.

Attempted to feed myself for four days without a kitchen and without knowing what or how to order anything at a restaurant.

Visited five different apartments across town.

Picked one.

Dragged my 70+ pounds of luggage across town again to my new apartment.

Proceeded to drag said luggage up four flights of stairs by myself.

Went to the grocery store for the first time (after four days... real food! Success!)

Took the bus (not so successfully, I arrived almost an hour late) to my school for the first day of classes.

Somehow managed to teach about the hydrosphere, the Enlightenment in Spain, whole body stretches, complex integers, American culture and the manufacturing of plastics in English to students that can barely say "How are you today" in a normal English accent.

Ordered my first tapas. Or more correctly: ordered my first Spanish drink and was brought tapas (basically Spanish hour devours) to eat with it.

Was integrated into the car pool system with teachers from my school for every day of the week = NO MORE BUSES!

Went to Jaén and received my temporary foreigner’s ID card (have to go back in a month to pick up the real one).

Learned two new card games completely in Spanish.

Acted as walking dictionary/translator between my Spanish friends and their English (only) speaking Polish classmates.

Ate my first Spanish pizza… Mmmmm.

~AND FINALLY~

Visited the nearby historic town of Baeza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has been around since Moorish times in the 9th century.

WHEW…

{Sunday: Day of rest}

Cathedral in Baeza

Mi {Piso} ... My Apartment

So what did you guess? Which piso do you think I picked?

(If you haven't made a guess yet stop reading now and go read Piso Hunters International first)

I picked Piso #1! (Did you get it right? :)

Why that one? Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words...

The view from my bedroom's balcony

My favorite things about the apartment:

1. The view (obviously ;)

2. My roommates. Samira is originally from Morroco, speaks Spanish, French and Arabic fluently and has worked in the field of immigrations here in Spain. Jorge from Córdoba and is a student at the local university studying for a technical degree in something that I'm fairly certain I wouldn't understand in any language.

3. It is right in the center of town, just a few blocks from the supermarket, tons of stores, all the best restaurants and beautiful plazas.

4. A nice big living room with heat and air conditioning (although I'm not sure when we'll have to use either. That's what tank tops and sweaters are for right?), cable TV and another small balcony.

5. Two bathrooms instead of one. 'Nuf said.

When looking for an apartment I told myself I would trade convenience and modernity for good company because I knew that close friendships more than anything would be what would make my stay here most comfortable. Luckily, in this case, I really didn't have to make any major sacrifices in creature comforts to also gain wonderful friends. I have already been out with Jorge and his friends to a tapas bar around the corner and this weekend we plan to take a short trip to Jaén and the following weekend to Córdoba. Samira helped me settle in by showing me where to buy sheets and towels, how to find the nearest supermarket and even made me a welcome breakfast the morning after I moved in.

Throughout this whole transition I have had to stop and wonder at how blessed I have been for everything to have gone so smoothly. I certainly don't have much to do with the fact that it has gone so well (the worst things can happen even to the most well intentioned people). And I'm convinced luck has nothing to do with it. More than anything I have always known I had a place waiting for me here in Spain... it was always just a matter of me taking the initiative and coming along to fulfill it. And now that I'm here to live it, I am so glad I did :)