Wedding 03.23.2018

The Colca Cayon

Breathtaking views at the Colca Cayon in Arequipa, Peru. It's one of the deepest cayons in the world

Adios Santiago de Compostela...

wow.. I have not blogged for the past few months maybe that is a good thing? means I´ve been busy having a good time or maybe just too lazy either way I want to update my life in Spain a bit before I say bye to this lovely country.

I've come to the conclusion that I adopt countries, lifestyles and relationships in different regions of the world. when you live in another place or abroad for a certain time this place becomes your new temporarily home, but when it is time to leave, that new home stays with you forever! most of the times it changes you, when you go back "home" you learn that you have a different perspective and outlook towards many things, sometimes you can no longer connect with older friends and they don't have to understand you because you have met likeminded people abroad that share the same interests you do... this to me is the whole point of living abroad, to grow as a person, to break stereotypes, to discover new life perspectives and adopt them and to meet likeminded and different people.




I´ve spend the last 8 months in Santiago De Compostela teaching English at an elementary school with the cutest children in a lovely small city in Galicia. Santiago is charming! it made me feel at home from the start, yes you can probably see it in a day or two, but I could never get tired of the beautiful old town, its delicious seafood and beautiful green surroundings. so when you live abroad for some time that place will always be part of your life, whether the experience was good or bad, you will most likely meet up with  friends you made there and you will always have so many memories to share and remember.

The things I miss about Santiago

1. Walking around the old town even during the rainy days ( almost everyday lol)
2. Seeing all the pilgrims reach the Cathedral after their long journey ( I have to do the Camino)
3. VINO Y TAPAS PORFAVOR!!  ( I miss that Octopus a lot!)
4. hiking to Monte Pedroso
5. going out with friends until 6am

Porto.... Portugal!

YES! I can say I made it to Portugal!

Porto, what a wonderfull city!! It is the perfect weekend get away if your looking for a romantic, affordable, fun beautiful city! It´s small and cosy with great food and ambient.



When I travel, I like to explore the local places to get a better understanding of the city and its people. I always end up getting advise from the locals of course. Luckily my roomate was from Porto so this is exactly what he recommended to visit while in Porto.

The Ribeira, Aliados, Rua de Santa Catarina, Casa da Musica, Se´s Church and the surrounding area, Clerigos ( the bookstore lello) and the Palacio de Cristal




La Ribeira

Visit the Port wine cellars




you must try the Francesinha, it is a delicious speciality from Porto, but I must warn you it will most likely give you a food coma.  My friend said that it could be found in many places but the best place to try it is called Santiago in the street Rua Passos Manuel near the Santa Cararin








La Ribeira is proabably one of the most beautiful places I´ve seen, the colorful rooftops, the bridges and the whole ambient makes me want to go back to go back to porto. I would absolutely recommend if your traveling to Europe and want to explore the beauty of smaller not so popular cities. I believe a weekend in Porto is more than enough time to enjoy this captivating city!

I am in Africa!

Morocco!

I

Visiting Morocco was a great experience because I was able to experience a completely different culture an world perspective. Morocco is an interesting country to visit...

I was in a bus for 26 hours, were I spent three very uncomfortable nights. I slept in a tent under 10 degree in the Sahara dessert to wake up in the morning without a voice. We were on a minor car accident in the middle of the dessert. I rode a camel for about an hour and a half into the middle of nowhere. I cross streets scared for my life because there were people, cars, bikes and donkeys coming from all directions. I tried their delicious mint tea and ate couscous and taginee for days. Talk about adventure! I felt forced and obliged to purchase things at the market in Marrakech

Now that I look back at the experience I can say that Morocco was a different type of trip. I visited extremely poor communitites were they receive water every two days and while we use it to wash our cars they save it for drinks and to cook later on.





 I danced in the dessert with native arabics around a bonfired and saw shooting stars. I attemped to communicate in French while they talked to me in Arabic.

Morocco, Africa is another world to explore. I do have to say that visiting an arabic country is quite an experience, I would not advice any girl to travel there alone and to be smart about it by respecting their culture.

   

I

Rainy days abroad...

Yup, living abroad is exciting and a great experience, but it also has it´s downsides. I am going to talk about  the disadvantages of embarking in a journey far away from your country, friends and family because life is not always a happy place and that doesn´t change because your living abroad. don´t get me wrong I am a very positive person and like to focus on the advantages of things, but I think it is also important to be realistic and honest with oneself. I think it is only fair to mention it all, the good and the bad. I do believe that the perks outwait the disadvantages but if  you are planning on moving abroad be prepared for it all.

somes disadvantages include...

-Loneliness, of course you will end up making new friends and all, but sometimes it´s hard to adjust to evrything quickly and to miss close friends and family

-Culture Shock, you do broaden your cultural horizon but sometimes the cultural difference put a strain in you.  In my case it´s not so much the culture itslef after all spaniards do have an easy going attitude that I can relate too. the wheather however is hard to deal with. It rains all the time and coming from Florida, the sunshine state I miss my sunny days.

-Starting from zero is a challenge, but you have to realize that although it can be very exciting it can also requiere a lot of work.

I am a little home sick right now because it hasn´t stop rainning, I am missing my family reunion in Peru that happends every 6 years or so and I am not there to help my best friend pick out a dress for her wedding. This things make me sad and I am not trying to be negative but just accept the fact that in life you can´t have it all. So instead of having a Christmas dinner with my family this year I will be experiencing a dutch chritmas with my boyfriend for the first time and, since  I didn´t help out my best friend pick out a dress I got to ride a camel in Morocco. Like I´ve said before, to me the adavantages of living abroad outwait the disadvanges, that does not mean that it is always easy. I would still encourage people to live abroad even if it´s for a short period of time.

My 24th Birthday in Spain!

                                I got to spend My birthday abroad!

24 añitos, plena juventud diría yo y con mucho que aún aprender. Este ańo la vida
Me regalo dos cosas por las cuales estoy muy agradecida y aunque no pueda celebrar mi cumpleaños con mi familia esté ańo tengo la suerte de poder disfrutarlo en España con mi novio.

Los cumpleaños son fechas especiales. Y estés donde estés siempre tiene que haber una celebración, no importa que sea pequeńa o grande pero que sea un recuerdo bonito y especial.

Pienso que también es importante reflexionar sobre nuestros ańos y anticipar nuevos retos para seguir alimentando los ańos que nos queden por vivir. En fin recuerda que es bonito compartir tu cumpleaños y aún más bonito hacer el cumpleaños de otros un día muy especial y no me refiero a ningún regalo.



In Santiago we ate at a very nice Tapas Place and enjoyed a delicious spanish meal with Vino tinto of course. 


My friends also surprised me with a cake the following day :)