'Where are you going this time?' my dad asked as he viewed the half packed cases lying on my living room floor. 'Barcelona.' I replied. He wrinkled up his nose. 'I've been there,' he said. 'Not really a place you'd take a holiday, is it?' Isn't it? I smiled at him, but I knew what he was trying to say. The same thing most of my friends and family say when I tell them where me, my husband and my two daughters are off to next. Not really … [Read more...]
The Lovely Inishowen Peninsula and More
As our plane dipped down below the mist, patchwork fields of green came into view. Then we went in for the landing in Belfast and could see sheep in a nearby pasture. This was hard to explain, but I felt like I was entering into an ancient homeland. Maybe because my family had distant Irish ancestry. My sister-in-law met my mother, sister and I and we went by car to the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal along the coast to Moville. The … [Read more...]
Alta Moda in Rome
Although I think of Paris when thinking of European fashion capitals, as the fashion show in the French capital might be the most prestigious fashion show that exists, I can't help but notice a majority of the label names are Italian. The most important Italian cities when it comes to fashion are without a doubt Milan and Rome. I have never been to Milan, but I stayed in apartments in Rome twice. The first time I was there I went in to some … [Read more...]
“The Day I Was Born”
I take a deep blue look at the Mediterranean Sea. Barcelona is so beautiful in the summer. Everybody knows that; everybody's written about it. Oh no, am I one of them too? It's so beautiful here in Parc de Montjuic; I have the whole hill to myself. I walk inside the fortress, pretend there's still something to protect. I watch the port activity from up high while I eat my juicy nectarines. The containers look like Lego bricks, the cranes are … [Read more...]
Grandpa’s Town
My husband wanted to go to Germany, rent a car and travel the scenic southern area. He had a yen to visit small towns and villages instead of big cities, which we'd already seen on earlier trips. Ken planned to drive the secondary roads and stay off the autobahn. For people who had relied on tour guides in the past, this was definitely an adventure. In January, we started planning. I did multiple Google searches on hotels, restaurants, … [Read more...]
The Swedish Swan Incident
"Shriek, inte. Shriek, inte." In her panic, Lisa resorted to Swedish. I tried to stop shouting, but my fear flew out of my mouth in a high-pitched scream. The flap of large white wings threatened boat upheaval. We clung to our paddles. "Why the heck did I come to Sweden, anyhow?" I thought. "I might die here today." *** When I filled out the exchange student profile, I checked the box for 'no pets'. Smoking - heck yeah, I'll inhale … [Read more...]
Visit Barcelona a la L’Auberge Espagnole
Besides telling us about the adventures of a year abroad it takes us on a tour of magnificent Barcelona. So next time we are staying in Barcelona accommodation, let’s explore the city through the eyes of Xavier, the protagonist of the story. On his search for a place to stay Xavier, a French exchange student, ends up moving into an apartment in the Raval district with 6 other international students. As you can imagine, things could get a … [Read more...]
Suds and Solace
"The future is an opaque mirror. Anyone who tries to look into it sees nothing but the dim outlines of an old and worried face." --Jim Bishop The morning of September 11, 2001, as a Peace Corps trainer I'd scarcely opened an HIV/AIDS seminar in a shabby hotel two hours north of Port-au-Prince, when the Haiti health program manager pulled me aside. "The World Trade Center and the Pentagon have been attacked by planes," she whispered. "It's … [Read more...]
Night at the Museum
I stood in front of the Galleria Borghese, my eyes darting between three lines that seemed to snake for equally infinite distances through the elaborate Baroque gardens before the villa, trying to decide which to join. It was Museum Night in Rome: the single night of the year when all of its fabled attractions are open to the public, and at 8:00 P.M., when the evening began, the most famous sights were mobbed. It was also my first night in Rome, … [Read more...]
The origin of Spanish stereotypes
When people hear the term "stereotype" it has somewhat of a bitter taste to it and one immediately assumes it is something negative and it slips into the meaning of "prejudice." However, if we are being accurate a stereotype is merely a popular belief about a specific group based on assumptions and conceptions. Curious about it, however, is that whether we condone them or not, we often use them as a point of orientation, when we don't know much … [Read more...]
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