I'm home!

I'm home safe and sound, I had a fantastic weekend in France with our friends that Whitney and I stayed with in Arles. We went around Southern France to Arles, Avignon, and Aix, and it was beautiful and so distinct from Spain that I really believe if I learn to speak French I could spend an extended period of time there.

Unfortunately my purse was stolen in Avignon, but I didn't have my passport or iPod (wallet, camera, and sunglasses are gone) and our French friends helped me get police reports because I lost the key to the luggage locker in the Madrid Airport where I stored my bag, so I didn't have to pay extra for the lost key. I lost some money and that's unfortunate, but since I was with french-speakers and the only thing that really sucks is my camera being gone, it was the "best" time (if there is a good time to be robbed).

I love sleeping in my own bed, but unpacking is daunting, so I have to start on that and start practicing songs for my cousin Joan's wedding. I'll be up in McCall next week working (after going to the John Mayer concert because my amazing parents bought me tickets).

Love to all and I hope everyone enjoyed reading this. I was lucky enough to get pictures from Whitney's camera so I can post a few of those when I have more time.

Mi familia

I had to put up some fun pictures of my host family and I before I forgot about it and left. My suitcase is packed and Whit and I are leaving for Arles tomorrow (over 12 hours of traveling.. yuck) and we´ll be there until Saturday when we fly back. I´m in complete denial about leaving, it feels like home here, but I think I´m ready and will hopefully return someday.

Whit and my host mom in the kitchen, Whitney is "helping."

Isa (my beautiful 13-year-old sister) is taking out her aggresion for all those peas we had last night.

Madre, Isa, me, and Fernando.

Antonio and me!

Fernando and Whit with the "puppy."

Fernando is cuuute but a terror sometimes.

We play gangsters!

Todo que empieza, tiene que acabar.

Everything that starts, has to end.

My last weekend in Granada was bittersweet. I studied for finals of course, and our group had a final goodbye dinner at an amazing restaurant up in the Albaicín. It was sad but I'm about ready to go, although leaving my host family will be really hard. I've had a great semester and have so many amazing pictures and stories to show for it. Next stop, France!


Gettting ready for the final dinner. This is my sister Isa, she loves to watch us get dressed and tell us she likes our hair and give opinions on clothes.
Courtney and Laura, two of my closest friends I have met here.
Whit and I in Plaza Nueva, just like a picture from the beginning...
The guapos! All the boys in our group.
Tara bought flowers for our professor.
Alex and I enjoyed nerdy bonding over biology.
Melissa, Whit, and I look like we're going to prom or something..
Zach and I up at the Restaurant where we ate, with beautiful Alhambra views.
Laura and I at the dinner table.
The table next to us had a bottle of wine spill... Poor Kat stained her dress. The waitress sprayed Troy down with de-stainer and he looked pretty hilarious. My fellow Idahoan Randall.
Our professor reads the card we signed.
Mark, our amazing director, and Tara.
I think this is one of my favorites from the evening, getting besos from two guapos!
I'm going to miss Courtney sooo much.
Tara and Courtney pretty much behave like this all the time.
Granada is beautiful right now (although super hot) and there are so many wonderful flowerbeds.
This is Juan, Whit's Spanish boyfriend who is really sweet.
I just love this picture.
My Spanish friend Domingo showed us a good time on more than one occasion, and he stopped by to say goodbye.

I have some really cute pictures I took with my host family last night and I'll get those uploaded and some from France as well. I can't believe I'll be home in less than a week!

Joe´s Visit and my 20th Birthday!

Joe will be studying this summer in Segovia, Spain (up a little west of Madrid) and his program starts today, the 16th, so he came a few days early down to Granada to visit me and spend my birthday with me! It was a fantastic birthday present and I had the best birthday I could have possibly had away from home and my family. It made me realize how much I have changed here for the better; I´ve become more outgoing and relaxed and open, and I´ve been able to make many amazing friends that made my birthday so special. Of course I am so excited to see my family, but I have created a network of love and support here that exceeds my expectations and I will miss all my friends very much.
I start exams on Monday and I leave Wednesday morning for my final bus ride to Madrid for a flight to Marseilles, France. I will be visiting friends in Arles then flying back to Madrid 12 hours before my flight home (that´ll be a great night in the airport!)
I can´t wait to see my family and start working and go to Joan´s wedding and be home and settled for awhile.

Now for some pictures!

Joe and I out for Tapas in Granada.

We took a day trip to Nerja, a beach 2 hours south of Granada. It´s really beautiful.

But the water was preeeetty cold and the waves were kinda big and scary!

We were on a small beach with a Spanish family and their adorable boy who loved to play naked in the sand!

From that beach, we took a path to Playa Burriana.

I swear I like him...

A fisherman turns the beach into a postcard moment.

I got sunburndt, but it has yet to start peeling too badly so I´m coming home with a tan!

I even went swimming in the Mediterrannean, and Joe can´t call me a wimp anymore!

The next day we climbed the wall again to watch the sunset. Here´s the Alhambra

A line of friends on top of a very very old wall.

Fantastic view!

Spain makes us happy :o)

We brought some box Sangria up with us, and of course it had to be in the picture!

This makes me laugh. Sangria is good, but not godly as it appears here.

My poor friend Tara tried for over an hour to climb the wall and just could not do it!

Of course I had to be last in line getting down.

But I scaled it and fell into Whitney´s loving arms (Joe just watched.. haha)

We started my birthday celebration at Granada´s new fountain.

My amazing friends Courtney, Laura, and Whitney brought all the necessary party supplies!

We had ice-cream and sangria floats and they were actually quite delicious!

Tara brought me a birthday banner

Then we went to a Mexican Restaurant for Margaritas and yummmmy food. I can´t wait for Chapala´s!!!!!

We took some pretty hilarious photos, and I had to add this one of Courtney´s chipmunk face.

I´m kind of blocking Tara but it´s a cute picture nonetheless of my favorite ladies.

I´ll miss him but I hope that he has a fantastic Segovia experience!

Perfect birthday!

Road trip to Portugal

Last weekend, my girlfriends and I didn't want to stick around Granada, so we rented a car and drove to Lagos, Portugal! It was pretty spur-of-the-moment and we had an amazing time. My friend Courtney is an amazing driver and I was so impressed by her ability to naviage the roundabouts! We rented a car on Thursday night and were planning to leave Friday early in the morning, but we didn't want to pay for a parking garage so we set off around 10:00 pm and go to Lagos really early in the morning. We got lost trying to find our hostel (which was completely unmarked) but we finally got help from an Australian in the street and found The Rising Cock hostel (yes, that's the name). Because we only reserved rooms for Friday and Saturday night, we ended up sleeping on couches in the lounge but it was free, so we crashed for a few hours before heading to the beach. I got a nice tan and had a great time with my girls. Picture time!

Packing up the car on Thursday night... before we got lost twice and Whitney sat in a puddle of water from a leaking water bottle and had to go without pants for the whole trip.
We made it! Friday morning we found the beach.
The weather really cooperated and we were excited for some sunbathing.
Portugal is gorgeous.
But navigating those scary stairs down to the sand was scary!
After crawling through a cave, we found an even better beach.
Tara, Courtney, and I enjoy the sun!
We found a starfish but of course I threw him back in.
Some cave exploring before the tide came in.
They thought they were hiding but I can see feet!
I did actually swim in the ocean I promise.
The next day, we took a boat-tour of the grottos.
Laura and I sit in the back with our very funny boat driver who barely spoke any Spanish or English.
Pretty arch over the water.
Those are the crazy stairs we climbed down and the cave on the left that we crawled through.
The wind in my hair... sun on my face..
Going through The "Arc du Triomph," all the rock formations had different names.
I had never seen water so clear.
An elephant supposedly.
Hmmm can you guess what this rock is supposed to be?
Another boat but no passengers!
Beautiful turquoise water.
Party in the back of the boat!
There were a bunch of sailing/drinking tours but we declined to pay the money for one. We preferred our sober little private boat tour.
Whitney and I get into the spirit of Europe!

Well, that's it for now. Joe is coming on Friday and I'll put picture up of his visit and my birthday that's in 6 days! It may be the last post because after that I'll probably just be studying for finals, but I'll be going to Arles, France, after my program ends and will try to get some pictures up of that.
Love to all!

El País Vasco

I just spent a wonderful 5-day weekend in The Basque Country in northern Spain with 3 of my best girlfriends, Courtney, Laura, and Tara. We had an amazing time, and San Sebastián is probably the most beautiful city I've ever been in. I was afraid it was going to rain the whole time, but the weather cooperated enough to explore the city and the nightlife! I met a lot of great people (mostly Australians) in our hostel and we went out with them, and we're going to try to meet up with Jane in Lagos, Portugal on Friday. My friend Courtney is renting a car and we're driving to Portugal this weekend! I can't believe I'll be here for two days (just enough time to put up pictures on my blog) and then leave again. We had 10 friends go to Lagos last weekend and had all amazing things to say about it, so we're excited to go.

The semester is almost over, 3 weeks left of classes (well this week barely counts with only a day and a half) and then finals, and then France, and then home. Joe comes next week (can't believe it!!!) and then I'll be home with my family. I'm loving being here and will be sad to leave, but I know that I'm just appreciating it more now that it's almost over.

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the springtime, it's pouring right now and I don't know if it'll ever really turn into summer here, but I'm hoping!

Now for pictures...Walking to our hostel, we spot a Cathedral!
This was on a random hill near our hostel, an old school.
Jesus peeks through the trees.
Tara, Courtney, and Laura and the Cathedral.
La Concha beach... gorgeous!
Cute little Basque men in Berets stroll along the Concha.
City Hall and the carousel.
We cooked for ourselves the entire weekend, it was divine. I made my famous pasta.
We went out for Pintxos (Basque tapas)
Dancing!
Another bar.. the way to do it is hop from place to place.
We cut Laura out!
Jane, our fearless Australian pub-crawl "tourguide."
It's a race!
I love to swing.
We played on the beach but the water was cold!
Me and Courtney love the Basque Country.

Day 2: The weather was good and we walked on the beach.
Courtney: "I love Kraig." Me: "I love Joe." Laura: "I love boys." Tara: "I love besos!"
Tara loves her besos.
Courtney loves me!
Me and Tara
Someday that'll be Whit and I
Really pretty moss-covered rocks were uncovered when the tide went down.
Cave lurking!
Up the funicular to the top of the mountain!
Gorgeous views from above.
We had a great girls' weekend.
We decided to walk down, and saw some sheepies on the way!
Turning around to take a picture while they were all walking downhill was probably a bad idea.
We took fun wherever we went
In Bilbao at the Guggenheim museum and the flower-covered "Puppy."
Entrance
Illegal inside picture
Cool maze exhibit
LED lights displayed phrases about love and reflected off the walls.
Venus de Milo big and red
The building was by far the best part.
We went with two Australian girls from our hostel and they took this picture of us.
Scary spider statue!
Probably one of my favorite artsy-shots of the weekend.
Park in Bilbao
La Concha at night.
We met Mark, who's a chef from England, and he got us to try some pretty adventurous pintxos.
Some sort of sea creature... I actually ate one, I swear. One was enough.
Laura and Tara fear the weird sea "penises"
Our Aussie friends!
Our first hamburgers in Europe.
We bought a cheesecake mix and it even came with a doily!
Laura proudly displays our cheesecake.

El País Vasco

Hey to all. I´m in San Sebastián, Spain, in the northern part (The Basque Country). I came up for a long weekend (Tuesday is labor day here so we don´t have class Monday or Tuesday) with 3 of my girlfriends. We are staying in a really nice hostel FULL of Australians, who are all super nice. The city is gorgeous although rainy, and I would love to come back when it´s warm because the beach is unreal it is so beautiful. Today we´re hiking up a mountain!
I´ll post pictures when I get back. Love to all!