Donde fueres, haz lo que vieres

A Kickass Invisible Tree House

2009-02-24T19:15:00.003+01:00

Well, I've decided that in addition to talking about things that I've done on here, I'm just going to blog about whatever "me de la gana" (whatever I feel like).

Check out this sweet tree house designed by Swedish firm Tham & Videgard Hansson Arkitekter that blends in with its surroundings... you can find more about this project right here.

'Tis all for now.

xoxo,
Alison.

The Bloody Olive

2009-02-13T14:54:00.003+01:00

So the other day I was in a café with a few friends and I ordered a drink. I asked for a vodka martini with an olive and when the drink was delivered the olive was covered in blood........... nah, just kidding! But with an entry title like that, how could I resist?!?

Anywho, earlier this week I went to a little short film screening with my conversation partner Onaney. This screening was put on by Future Shorts, a film label that puts on these expositions of short films in various cities in the world each month. Luckily for me, Gijón happens to be one of these cities! Here is the web address for Future Shorts if you are interested.

I really enjoyed the screening and I've posted here my favorite short film that I saw. It is called The Bloody Olive and was directed and co-written by Vincent Bal. For those of you who don't speak Dutch (the language that the film is in) there are subtitles in English. Even though it is a bit long for a short film (just under 11 minutes) I think you will enjoy it.

You can also watch more films including this one at Future Shorts' YouTube page, or read more about The Bloody Olive at this page from IMDB.

Enjoy!

Holiday Fever

2008-12-10T22:42:00.004+01:00

Well, since I'm becoming super excited to go home (7 days and about 3 hours) next week and I've got a fever... I thought this is an appropriate post. As you may know, I'm obsessed with Christmas music at this time of the year and other holiday traditions like making Christmas cookies and decorating and best of all... Christmas shopping!!

I wanted to first share my favorite Christmas song in the world All I Want For Christmas is You by Mariah Carey. This has got to be the greatest modern Christmas song, and the only Christmas song that I can listen to at any time during the year.

This website distracts me majorly... you can make your own snowflake, without all of the little pieces of paper that are left over. The link is : http://snowflakes.barkleyus.com/ and here is a sample of what you can do there.... I made this one.
And lastly, this funny site powered by Office Max called Elf Yourself where you turn yourelf and 4 other people or pets into an elfin family.... here's my fam! (PS. be patient because it takes a long time to load!!)

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

I should be posting before the holidays, but just in case... I wish everyone and their families a safe and happy holiday and new year!!

Un besin,
Alison.

George Bernard Shaw

2008-12-02T21:52:00.002+01:00

I just found this quotation the other day and think it's really great. It's pretty much a philosophy that I try to live by but could never put into words as eloquently as he did.

People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them.: George Bernard Shaw, "Mrs. Warren's Profession" (1893) act II

Smart guy, that G.B.S.!

An Important Article, I think...

2008-12-01T22:44:00.004+01:00

Well, as it seems, I've picked up a little momentum on this blog again, and I'd like to share this article from the New York Times that was recently passed on to me.

I really agree with what Kristof writes and I really hope that Mr. Obama takes this into account. I think, well really I know, that teachers are underpaid and undervalued in our country these days and it really isn't fair. And honestly, I know that this sounds cheesy, but the children of today are really the future. If we don't invest in them now, we don't really have a right to criticise them in the future. They're only kids after all... they don't know any better. On the same note, a greater amount of involvement on behalf of the parents is also required to make this function.

After living abroad for so long (FAST FACT: In the past 3 years [2006, 2007, and 2008] I've lived more months in Spain that in the US. This month makes 20 months in Asturias and 16 months in the US! Crazy, huh?) and seeing the way that America is viewed by the rest of the world, I really hope that we can improve our image. I'm so sick of the snide comments that people make every time I mention that I'm American. I'm proud to be American (just like Lee Greenwood) and I wouldn't trade my citizenship for anything, but sometimes it's borderline offensive to see and hear how other people's opinions of my country.

Anyhow, like it or not, we're just going to have to wait and see what Barack has in store for his White House days.

xoxo,
Alison.

Gijon

2008-11-28T17:21:00.001+01:00

Ok, so.... I'm a really big slacker and haven't written in a long time. I had a ton of stuff that I wanted to write, but I have honestly forgotten everything.

Anyhow, I'm in Gijon now. It's really great. I think I've gone out more times in the last month than I did all last year living in Luarca. I'm not being irresponsible, just in case you're wondering, Mom. I really like the school where I'm working and the teachers have all been really helpful and fun to work with. I've also got a great schedule: I only work 12 hours a week and only on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. So yes, I have more "weekend" days than weekdays each week. Sounds awesome, but I can easily get bored too. I'm not complaining though.

Someday soon, I'll be getting internet at home, so I'll be able to do more things with this like upload pictures and music.

Here are two pictures of Gijon. The first one I found online and the second one I took when I was in Gijon in 2006 on a visit with my group.

Lots of love,
Alison.

Back in Action!

2008-08-04T22:29:00.003+02:00

Well, it's been quite a while since I last updated my blog. I wanted to dedicate this entry to our trip to Germany, which was really amazing.

Our first stop was Berlin, and I was actually surprised by how much I liked it there. I learned so much about the history of Germany, and was totally "wowed" by the buildings and monuments that we saw. I think probably the most amazing thing for me to see was the Berlin Wall - or shall I say, the fragments that are left of it. I can't believe that Berlin has changed so much since the Wall came down and this is something that has happened in my life time! It was just so cool to be able to see that. Another place that I really liked was Checkpoint Charlie, which was a border stop between the American and Soviet sections of Berlin. They have now put a museum on that site, and the museum is dedicated to telling the stories of people who attempted successfully and unsuccessfully to cross the Berlin Wall. It was a really heartwarming place, and for those of you who really know me, I'm sure you know that I had many a tear in my eyes. Katy and I also read on our in-flight magazine on EasyJet about a new food craze in Germany, which is "currywurst" which is basically a sausage with a curry/tomato sauce on it. It was indeed delicious!

Next we went to Bavaria to visit Munich. I can't really pick a favorite thing about Munich really, because it was all really awesome. We did a free tour that brought us all around the historic center of the city and we learned a lot again about the history of Germany and it was cool to hear about famous events right in front of the buildings where they took place. One of the monuments that most stands out in my mind even now, 2 months later, is this gold line that marks a path through an alley way. It commemorates the people who took that certain detour to avoid being forced to do the Hitler salute to a Nazi plaque when they walked by it. I find it especially moving because those people who took the detour were logged, and if they took the detour too many times, they were sent to concentration camps, but most people still did it anyway. We also took a day trip to the famous Neuschwanstein Castle, which was every bit of the straight-from-the-fairytale-book as it was rumored to be. We also really enjoyed the German beer, and tried a few different kinds, and of course, drank customary one-liter beers at the Hofbrauhaus.

I enjoyed the trip a lot, and really want to go back to Germany when I can. I also found the Germany people to be quite nice and friendly, in contrast to the typical stereotype that I'm used to. Inappropriate as it may be (or not!) I'd like to leave you with this short clip, which is a spoof of the German Coast Guard.

Tschüs!

(more updates to come shortly!)

C'est la Vie

2008-05-12T16:59:00.009+02:00

Well, there is a lot to update about now. Here's a song to listen to while you read:

I chose "C'est la Vie" (the Bob Seger version), because it reminds me of driving around with my mom when I was little during the summer. I also remember that she played this song to demonstrate how cool the stereo of her new Camaro was when my uncle visited from Texas.

So, since I last wrote, our Polish roommate moved out. She was a lot of fun to have around and we miss her a lot. Our little apartment is a lot quieter without her. She also made us some really yummy pierogis. I'm hoping to be able to visit her this summer in London where she'll be working as a bartender.

Also, we took a trip to San Sebastian in the Basque Country. We absolutely loved the city, also called Donostia in Euskera, the Basque Language. We had heard so many good things about the food there, and everything that they said was correct! We ate pinchos (very small portions of food - they make them that way so you can try a bunch of different things at different bars) and the traditional "Pastel Vasco" (Basque Cake) ... everything was delicious! The city was a great and we got to see a lot. We hiked up a small mountain and got to see some beautiful views from the top. We went to the beach and got a little tan, and really walked around a lot. We met Katy's friend Kate there and had a nice time catching up with her. I took some really beautiful pictures, especially of the sunset over the harbor.

Well, I might as well break the news for those of you who don't know... I'm officially staying in Spain for the summer. I'm going to be living with Sonia, Katy's old host mom. I'm really excited to live with her because she's sooo nice and really fun. I'm going to give private English lessons, and try to find a job where I have to speak Spanish, like at a bar or restaurant. I'm coming home in June for 2 weeks and then going back here and staying for the school year too, although I'll be home again at Christmastime. So, if you want to see me while I'm home, you had better make a reservation far in advance, as I have limited availability (wink, wink).

I can't believe that the school year is almost over! After this week, there are only 2 more weeks of school, and then we're outta here! I'll miss Luarca though, and I'll especially miss looking out my window and seeing the harbor every day. I'll also miss some of my teachers and students a lot too. But I'll be able to visit next year!

Oooh, and some most important news: I've finally, after many unsuccessful attempts, managed to make a Spanish Omelette (Tortilla Española). It was picture perfect and tasted pretty darn good too. You can see a picture of my culinary delight above at the right.

That is all I have for now. Enjoy the weekend!

German things I love....

2008-04-24T11:00:00.009+02:00

Here's another song for you. It's by a recently popular artist, Ingrid Michaelson, and it's called The Way I am. It's very happy and relaxing, so that's why I like it. Also, I happen to think that the lyrics are sweet... a little sappy perhaps, but sweet. Plus, isn't the name Ingrid of German origin? Ah, ah, ah? I might be grasping at straws here... but it's my blog and, "Whatever, whatever, I do what I want".

I miss my puppies! It's so strange to not have someone greet you at the door every time you come home, wagging their tails. Lucy would be spinning in circles and Bella would be swinging her head and hopping down the driveway. I want to have my own dog sooo badly, but it wouldn't be fair to the dog. I'm not home a lot and I want to travel. Plus, I'd have to take him back to the U.S. with me because there'd be no way in hell that I'd leave him in Spain when I go back for good. My mom would kill me.... that is until she saw his cute face and wouldn't be able to resist loving him too. I had a dream a while ago that I came home from Spain with a small white dog that I named Esteban. Every time I walk down the street in Spain someone is walking their dog, and I hate that I get really weird stares if I look at their dogs, or if, god forbid, I try and pet one.

Another thing that I'm thinking about because both of my dogs are of German breeds, is the fact that I'm finally going to Germany!!! Yes, we've bought the tickets and are ready to go! We're going to Berlin and Munich, and I'm excited beyond all belief! I finally have my chance to meet the tall, strapping, lederhosen-wearing, German man of my dreams! Plus, I also get to see some cool stuff like cuckoo clocks, beer steins, and an amazing castle that looks like the one Cinderella lives in at Disney (among many other, more historically important and less dumb tourist things). We also might stay on a hostelboat... which as it sounds, is a hostel on a boat. Plus, I hear they have bagels in Germany. Europe is awesome!

Auf Wiedersehen!

I totally chaperoned a school trip...

2008-04-22T15:48:00.012+02:00

I've decided to always open with a song. Today's song is by Tim McGraw, from his eighth album, Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors, and it is called Home. And yes, it is country, and no, I don't care. Try it - you might like it!

So, I just got back from a trip to the Mediterranean Coast of Spain. It was pretty sweet because I actually got paid to go there, as one of two chaperons for a school trip to "English Camp" for a week. The town we were in is called Santa Susanna, and it's between Barcelona and Girona... here is a map for your reference. It was a very nice and relaxing trip for me. I stayed in a bungalow about 30 yards from the Mediterranean Sea, and got a tan and a couple new freckles for the collection. We brought 21 students in the 4th grade of secondary school (equivalent to sophomores in high school in the U.S.) from Luarca, and they are all really good kids and had a lot of fun.

Us teachers (I had to fight the urge to giggle every time someone called me "profe" last week - it's short for teacher in Spanish - because I haven't gotten used to having a job title) got to have some free time while the kids had their activities during the day, so I took a lot of walks on the beach and did a little shopping too. We did have the option of participating in some activities with our students. I did horseback riding (as if you wouldn't have guessed that), orienteering, the low ropes course, and archery and rifle shooting. Orienteering was pretty cool, because I actually learned how to use a compass. The counselors for our group were these two really cool Irish college students and the Luarca kids really looked up to them, and wanted to be involved with the activities because they thought they were "la leche" (really cool).

It was a little difficult for me relating to the kids though. First of all, only about 1/2 of them knew that I speak Spanish, so the other half didn't really talk to me. Plus, my being closer in age to them than to the other teachers (by about 20 years), made me want to hang out with them, but as you all know, it's totally not cool to be the loser who hangs out with their teacher on a school trip. Oh well. I spoke a lot of Spanish, so at least I got to practice.

Other news... I just bought my plane ticket home for 2 weeks in June! I'm really excited to go home, and this was the inspiration behind the song for this post. I think it's pretty much self explanatory if you listen to the lyrics.

Ta ta for now!

New Shoes

2008-04-10T21:44:00.008+02:00

Here's a blog about one of my favorite topics; shoes! You may not know this about me, especially if you've met me in Spain, but I actually do really love shoes. And when I turned this song on today, I got in the mood to buy some shoes. And dance around the room.

But then I remembered that I'm in Spain and can't. Well, it doesn't hurt to do a little "window shopping" on the internet, right? So I found some things, and most of these I will never buy. However, I'm happy to report that all of these shoes can be found in at least a size 11. That makes me happy, because for so many years I went without stylish shoes because my feet are actually clodhoppers. And if you've seen my footwear over these past few months, you'd probably just think that I don't care about fashion. Au contraire, mon amie.

1: "Erika" by Tibi, found at www.barefoottess.com a nice, dressy flat, that is just really cool.

2: "Irina" by Chie Mihara, found at www.barefoottess.com I'm not usually a big fan of yellow, but I think it works nicely here, especially for summer. I really want to meet Chie Mihara....

3: "Swain" by Matt Bernson, found at www.barefoottess.com I'm thinking, trendy, yet simple and versatile.

4: "Callie" by Corso Como, found at www.zappos.com for some reason, I've got an obsession with purple shoes these days....

5: "Twyla" by J.Crew, found at www.jcrew.com a fun, bright color for spring and summer, and a simple enough design that I feel it would last a while.

6: "Pandora's Box" by Poetic License, found at www.piperlime.com this was actually a "Rachel Zoe Pick" and while I usually boycott them (who does she really think she is, anyway??), I do like these because they're fun and sparkly for the summer sun.

Also, this song is called "New Shoes" and is by Paolo Nutini.

That's all.
XOXOX

Summer in Spain

2008-04-07T22:14:00.005+02:00

Heyyyoooo....

This song, written by Paul Simon, Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, is one of my favorites. This particular version, I believe, is a duet with Simon and Al Garfunkle, but the original version was just a Paul Simon creation. In addition to being pretty much amazing, and having written three songs for the soundtrack for The Graduate (one of those movies that I've always been meaning to see, but never got around to it, until this weekend, and I really liked it, but clearly not as much as I love runon sentences) Mr. Simon really get me with this: "I'm on my way/I don't know where I'm going/I'm on my way/I'm taking my time/But I don't know where". Even though the rest of the song doesn't really apply to my life, these few lines really, in my opinion, sum up what's going on with me at the moment. And come to think about it, they'd apply to Benjamin Braddock from The Graduate too, although this song didn't make it to the movie.

So, I'm pretty sure that nobody reads this but me, but oh well. Perhaps some lonely blog surfer will stumble across my page and fall madly in love with my witty prose.

Anyhow, here's the deal with my life at the moment. I'm doing well. Our new Polish roomie moved in last week and we love her! She's funny and exciting and brings the spark back into our old married couple relationship. As you may or may not know, I'm planning on coming back to Spain for another year of teaching. Same job really, but I can't (and don't want to) repeat in the same school where I am now. It's not that I don't like Luarca, because I really really do, but it's just sort of a boring place to live for someone who is 23 years old and sociable. Anyhow, they're giving preference to the schools with bilingual programs, so I'll most likely be placed in one of those, and luckily for me, those programs are mostly in the bigger cities, like Gijon, Oviedo, and Aviles. So that's pretty much a done deal, although I do have to wait for them to officially accept my application and all that.

Now, my major issue is the summer. I'm hoping to find a job here in Spain, although the outlook isn't very bright at the moment. I don't really care what it is, but I really want a job where I can speak Spanish all the time. I also want to live with some Spanish students of my age, so that I can socialize and go out and all that. So, I'm looking into jobs and all that at the moment. I'm hoping that I find something, because I don't think that I can stand another whole summer in Syracuse doing nothing. No offense, 'Cuse Town, but it's getting a little old. Plus, saving money is important, and with the exchange rate being very bad for the dollar, it's probably better just to stay and earn some Euros. It'll be just another part of my excellent adventure!

One love.

Return of NKOTB!!!

2008-04-04T23:28:00.009+02:00

So as you may have heard on the news recently, the greatest boy band of all time, the New Kids on the Block, is making it's comeback this year. They've recently announced that they're going to release a new album, and I have to admit, I'm pumped. I remember them being so cool and oh-so-dreamy from my childhood, and I will also admit, that if they come to Spain, I'd probably go see them. I would also elbow my way to the front row.

I give you the video of my favorite song of theirs, "Tonight", and I hope that you enjoy it. I would also like to mention that in addition to their good looks, they were actually pretty good dancers. Perhaps their moves are a little outdated at the moment, but you have to admit that they knew how to dance. Jordan Knight does a particularly nice dance solo, so you should be on the lookout for that. For those of you who don't know which one he is, shame on you!

New Kids on the Block - "Tonight"

So, I hope that was every bit as wonderful for you as it was for me! One half of me, the little kid listening to the cassette tape of "Step-by-Step" on her friend's boom box on the school bus, is really excited and wants to go to their concert and scream when they come out on stage. The better half, the 23 year old, who would never scream like that at a concert because she thinks it's annoying and the equivalent of fingernails on a chalkboard, also wonders if they should have quit while they're ahead... Only time will tell!! Until then, I'm going to listen to their old hits on my iPod. Rock on!

Could I be the next Andy Warhol?

2008-03-30T22:47:00.007+02:00

I made it for another post! Here's a song, while you're reading.

The singer is Sara Bareilles, and the song is "Love on the Rocks". Sara recently became popular in the US, but she's been around for a while. I heard of her back at UMass when she played at our Spring Concert, and she was great. I can't help but sing along!

Anyhow... I figured out yesterday how to piece together panoramic pictures using a software program that came with my camera called Stitch Assist. It's pretty awesome and does all of the work for me. I was messing around after that in Photo Shop and came up with some cool things. I liked this one the best:

"Luarca in the 80's"

And here's the original one...

Both were taken/edited on 3.29.08 (click on them if you want to see them larger).

Enjoy your Sunday night!

It's Raining!

2008-03-28T00:19:00.002+01:00

So, I figured I'd start a blog today, and here I am, and there you are. Hopefully I don't get lazy and stop writing, but that is quite possible. Anyhow, above is some music for you to enjoy while you read this. It's by Irma Thomas, a singer who I've been listening to a lot lately. This song is called "It's Raining" and since it's been raining for the last few days here, I thought it would be apropos. Love that word, by the way.

We had our trip to Portugal last week and had sooo much fun. We started out in A Coruña, Galicia (Northwest Spain, right above Portugal). We really liked it there. We had some awesome fresh seafood, including some awesome garlic shrimp and some other fish I can't remember. We also paid 6 euros for one scallop. We were imagining a plate of scallops, but were really surprised to receive only one, to share. It wasn't worth it. Funny story though.

Our first stop in Portugal was all the way in the south in Faro (in the Algarve region) and had such nice weather that we got to sit on the beach for a while. It wasn't quite bathing suit weather though, so don't get jealous yet... I was wearing jeans! Although I do have a lot more freckles now and apparently I look like a shoe. (That's a literal translation from the Spanish expression meaning more or less "My, don't you look tan!"). We also got to see a chapel made from the bones of over 1,000 monks. That's kind of gross, but it's apparently supposed to remind us of our mortality. Mission accomplished.

Anyhow, after Faro, we went to Lisbon (that's the capital of Portugal for those of you who may have failed Geography) and had a grand old time. We went to an Irish pub to celebrate St. Patty's Day, and I pretended that I was Irish. We met some real Irish people and I told them I was from County Clare, and they believed me. I also tried an Irish beer called Kilkenny's and thought that it was nice. We stayed at a pretty cool hostel and met a lot of Americans who are studying in Spain but were there on vacation. We also met a girl who is working in the same teaching program as us. She was kind of an ignorant ditz though. I wouldn't want her molding the minds of my children. My favorite part of Lisbon was the Belem neighborhood, that had a lot of cute cafes, some great monuments and cool architecture. I'd definitely go back. We took a day trip from Lisbon and went to a town called Sintra, where there are a ton of palaces and castles from the ancient times. It was nice, but would have been better if it didn't rain the entire time we were there. It's a shame, because all of my pictures from that time are horrible, and we didn't even get to see the high parts of the castles because they were covered with fog. :(

Our last stop was Porto, the home of Port Wine. I can say that I'm not a big fan of it... we tried it there and it was a little sweet for my taste. We had our final meal in Portugal in a nice restaurant in the back of the "stock market palace" and had bacalhou (cod), the national dish of Portugal. I was very disappointed to find out later that all of the cod in the country is imported from Norway. That's strange, no? My favorite part of Porto was the Ponte de D. Luis I bridge. If you look at my pictures from there, you'll probably get sick of looking at it. I apologize in advance. It's just too cool for school.

Other than my foray into another country, things have been the same around here. I'm still having fun and learning new things every day.

Well, I think that sums it up for now. I hope you liked the song!