January 29

Our (me, Brittany, and Jacqueline) start time today was 5:15. By the time it hit about 6, though, I was already done with the day. Our taxi driver decided to take us to the complete other end of the city, only to drive all the way around it to get to the airport. He was probably thinking we didn't know where the airport was, but, we did, and I was getting very frustrated the farther out of the city we got. He got us there, about 5 minutes later and 7 euros longer than necessary, but, I can't do much about it now. I was super annoyed.

Brittany never printed her tickets, so we had to get her there and in line to do that, but the security line was a but longer than normal so Jacqueline and I just went to security and let Brittany fend for herself. Once in security, these two ladies in front of me did not take out their dumb liquids beforehand. What the heck. You're getting on a plane, the liquid rule hasn't changed, what's your problem. The Europeans are dumb. They hand out the bags that people can use, at the security line...why?! Then people just stand there, sending half their luggage through the scanner, and getting angry when I try to go around them. Seriously, just do it before, no need to open your bags and the bag inside of that and start pulling stuff out...I was really, really bitter at that point. I am running on about 3 hours of sleep and everything is annoying me.

On the bright side no one sat next to me on the plane, so I was on the aisle and then there was another woman at the window seat. Downside though: I couldn't sleep. So, that was rough.

Once we landed we found a place for Brittany to print out her train tickets, it took her 15+ euros and didn't print anything...we found the bus to take us into town, Bergamo, and that's where we spent our morning. We got a little breakfast, and I got warm chocolate pudding, literally, it was hot chocolate, Italian style. I couldn't sip it, I actually dipped my croissant in it, because the only way to consume it, was with a spoon. After breakfast we headed towards the town on the hill and ended up at this market like area, that we thought was fresh market like, we were wrong, it was a chocolate market.

There were over a dozen tents with these chocolatiers selling their goods. We got so many free samples, it was absolutely fantastic. So much chocolate. I actually bought a dark chocolate chunk with cranberries in it, Dove had nothing on this.

Our train to Venice was about two hours and we met Aleesia at the train station. We walked to the hostel she stayed at the previous night and dropped our bags off. We walked towards dinner/lunch, which was some delicious pizza. We walked around the city and browsed through a few stores, by 6pm it was dark. We decided to get dessert, the famous Venecian, fritelles. We were on the bus to the hostel we were staying at tonight, by 7:45, because everything in the city was shutting down already.

We ended up getting off at the wrong stop, but some very polite man have us directions. He lived near where we were staying, so we got on a different bus and he walked us to the hotel, we were a bit leery at first, but it was 4-1 so we felt okay. It all worked out and he was nice and everything is going well right now.

Photo Update

Cheque Dinner

Aleesia, Jacqueline, and I before going out

Fam dinner with Emily (bottom center), Jacqueline (bottom right), Logan (top right), Brielle (top center), Me, and Aleesia (bottom left)

January 26

I have already finished module one of four for my online micro class, and I am super excited for Venice this weekend. That's all the report at the moment. Fun stuff. :)

UPDATE: I Skyped Dara and it made my night. That is all.

January 23

Our first stop on Saturday was to the pancake house for breakfast and poffertjes. They weren't as spectacular the second time around, but that could be because I wasn't starving, I wasn't freezing, and I didn't know what to expect. I also had a very large "banana pancake" which was a crepe with a banana cut up and cooked into it. It was delicious and reminded me of home.

After breakfast we headed to the train station to get to Haarlem, a suburb of Amsterdam. There was a market going on and we got loads of delicious, fresh French fries covered with different sauces. We also went inside the church and it was FREEZING inside, it was huge and colder inside than it was outside. We strolled around to find the windmill and started hurting back to the train station. We just made the train that took us to Rotterdam, the industrialized Amsterdam. It was pretty nice, this city felt more like America. There were large buildings and weirdly shaped houses. The shopping malls were all lit up and were stories high...It was very, very different from Amsterdam. We ate lunch there and did a little tour, with the help of Joanne and her Rick Steve's book.

Once we were back in Amsterdam we took a 15 minute break before heading back out for a small dinner and dessert. We walked through the Red Light District and then we called it a night.

January 22

This will be a short "to the point" update, because I'm tired.
I woke up at 4:15 so I could shower and get to the airport by 5:15.
The flight was a little rough, but the landing was super smooth. No one sat next to me and yet I still couldn't sleep.

I met Kathy and Bob at the airport, we headed back to the hotel to drop off my stuff and get Joanne. We walked to breakfast, which was really lunch (at noon) then made our way halfway across the city to Anne Frank's house.
I finally made it inside and I'm really glad I did.
We went back to the hotel for a sista before dinner, but instead of napping I had an amazing bath instead. (It's one of those bathtubs that I can actually fit in, it was also more like a hot tub, but that's even better).
We went to this pancake house, that I found last time I was in Amsterdam, that just happens to be right across from the hotel, but they had just closed. At 7pm, on a Friday night (???).
We went in search of other places and everything seemed to be closed, we find one place to snack at before dinner and this place had really great bitterballen...anyways, after that we went for actual dinner, but they didn't have us saved as a reservation. We ended up getting more snacks and drinks at this bar place...because it's the only thing actually open at 9pm here. Spain is messing with my mojo. I can't even leave my apartment until after 8 to get dinner, and here everything is closed by then.

Also, at some point during the day we walked through a market where we stopped to try stroopwaffles and poffertjes...which I love. I love them more from the pancake place that wasn't open...but, we'll go tomorrow, it's a must do.

January 21

This morning I was awoken by our cleaning lady arguing with someone, on speaker phone, loudly, in Arabic. It was around 9:30, but still, it was very obnoxious that early. This ended with my everyone in my apartment sitting in the common area waiting to shower, get into our rooms etc.

I only had Spanish class today and it was very uneventful. Our professor confuses herself and doesn't have a plan, so she really just wings her lessons. I have no idea what we're actually learning right now.

Later Brittany and I walked with Jacqueline to her gym and I bought some warmer socks on the way. Then 10 of us went to San Tammaso's for dinner and it was amazing per usual. This was the restaurant we were dressing for a while back. We found it this time, and even called ahead, which was great planning because they were full. Still, we had to cram because we only planned on 9 people coming, but 10 did...oh, and the bartender gave us free limoncello chupitos. I'm currently in bed at an attempt for sleep before my alarm goes off in approximately 5 hours. Eugh.

January 18

Today's excitement was going out to dinner with Jacqueline and Brittany. We actually went out on a search for a restaurant, that we did not know the name of, nor did we know the exact location. We ended up eating somewhere else, but the search was fun. It was nice for just the 3 of us to go out, especially after Brittany had been gone in Madrid this past weekend. This night, for whatever reason, just made me extremely thankful for my friends that I have made here.

We're currently, attempting, to buy Brittany plane tickets for spring break and find train tickets to get us between countries. It's been over an hour and we've since booked her the wrong plane ticket...things are going well here! :)

Side note: The orange trees in Valencia are in full bloom

January 16

Yesterday we made "fam dinner" which consisted of bbq pulled pork and macaroni and cheese...I'm living with a bunch of southerners ;)

We went out afterwards and got back earlier in the morning and Jacqueline, Aleesia, and I stayed up really late playing cards. It was definitely an amazing night.

This morning we woke up...around 1pm and we rented bikes. We rode through the entire riverbed in about 2 hours. It was cold, and people were walking around in their fur, puffy coats, and I was riding a bike in a t-shirt and jeans. They thought I was insane, I just know it. Our goal is to do something, like this, around Valencia every weekend we're not traveling.

January 13

I bought plane tickets for just about every trip I will go on within the last three days. After classes, around 5, we decided we wanted to travel to Venice for carnival. Within 3 hours we had found cheap flights and trains, as well as our hostel booked. It was really impressive. Then, because we were on a roll, we went on to book our spring break plane tickets too! It's been an insane week here in apartment 2.

Also, yesterday I had my first trig class, and there are three of us. I don't know how well that'll work out, but we're going to attempt it...at least it's only 2 hours instead of 3.

January 14

Today I woke up and went got a run in the park and when I got back, the cleaning lady was there. So everyone in the apartment are sitting in the living room in their pajamas or workout clothes because we got kicked out of our rooms. We also couldn't shower because they took our towels...and none of us have class until 12:30, so the 10am, Thursday cleaning schedule will take a lot to get used to.

I also got my first ensiamada of the year for breakfast this morning and pdq for lunch, which is amazing. However, it made me miss Dara, but, oh well.

January 12

Yesterday we argued over Switzerland plans and we tried to resolve them, but that didn't happen. We don't know who is going, what we're going to do, etc. It was a very, very late night with about 10 of us in the apartment planning 3/4 different trips, it's great!

Today my roommate was super quiet leaving this morning, which is amazing, because I've had bad luck with very loud roommates, so I'm excited about this semester. Lia and I talked about Switzerland some more, this morning, and then I left for class. English class dragged on, it was the absolute worst. The grammar "rules" we're going over are things we should've known years ago, years. It's ridiculous, and the class is 3 hours, I sat through 3 painful hours of that. Eugh. Tomorrow my only class is Spanish and, and I've got no clue how that'll go...fingers crossed.

The rest of tonight was filled with friends in my apartment and lots of memories being made. I'm so glad to be living where I am this semester, it was definitely one of the best decisions I've made here.

January 10

Today I went for a run, went to the grocery store, and took a nap...I am not nearly as adventurous as all of the new people here, basically because I have been here before, it's home. Jacqueline got in today and the evening has been packed with people in my apartment. Currently, we've found flights for Switzerland and Lia, Brittany, myself, Lia's new roommate Emily, and Cici (Sierra), a new student bought tickets for Geneva. Now it's 1 am and I have orientation and classes tomorrow.

January 9 Continued

I made it to my apartment by 1 pm and my roommate was not there, but my two flatmates, Lia and Logan were. We talked while I unpacked then we went out for lunch. The couple of hours after that consisted of us sitting in Lia's tiny room with her roommate and her roommates friend. I finally finished unpacking by 6, but I no longer wanted to go to the store...so I'm hoping to do that tomorrow...anyways, it is currently 7:32 pm and I am still awake, which was unpredictable by me. Lia hasn't been letting me go to sleep, but I don't know if that makes her a good friend or a bad one :)

My roommate is Maddie, she's a sophomore and a business major. She's very talkative, but can also be really quiet. Also, she doesn't party often or drink, so no more drunken roommates for me.

January 9

Hola! I'm currently sitting on the floor of CDG airport in Paris. I really detest Charles De Gaulle, it's an awful airport. My flight over wasn't too bad, except for the rough turbulence about halfway through. I didn't sleep at all so these next few days Wil be rough, I can feel it. I should land in Valencia around 6am home time.