Chamonix, France

I'd skied the Swiss Alps.  I'd skied the Italian Alps.  Heck, why not ski the French Alps?  While Zermatt still reigns as my favorite ski destination in Europe (and Beaver Creek still tops the entire list as my favorite place in the States), Chamonix has a lot going for it -- if only we hadn't been there when the rest of Europe was on ski week!  Nevertheless we had a blast exploring the town, meeting tons of people, eating excellent food, and getting a few runs of early-Spring skiing in.  My first snowshoeing experience was also amazing, I can't wait to do it again!

It was a great 5-day getaway with a wonderful group of ladies but I can't say I'm sad to be putting away the ski gear.  It's beach time now!!

Chamonix

Au revoir, Linds

London

Every so often I get an intense urge to be around English speakers.  Not that I'm not around them daily at my job... but once I leave the confines of my workplace I'm bombarded with Spanish.  Loud, fast, obnoxious Spanish.  The lisp is starting to drive me bonkers (you all know why the Spaniards talk with a lisp, don't you?  If not, google it).  I thought Puerto Rican Spanish with their dropped letters and slang was bad... wow.  I've picked up a ton just through listening but needless to say I can't wait to get home at the end of the day and get out of the Spanish madness. 

So, with that being said, I jumped at the relatively cheap tickets to London one weekend and made it a 36 hour trip.  To say it was a whirlwind is an understatement.  Dana and I literally traversed the entire city, saw every major sight, stopped more than enough for a pint (or four) and even caught a show in the West End.  It was tiring, it was crazy but it was so much fun.  And the Brits didn't disappoint.  More than once we found ourselves saying, "Wouldn't life be so much different if we lived here?  I think I could actually live here permanently!  The people are so nice!  The men are actually attractive!"  None of those phrases are ever uttered in Madrid  :) 

London



Cheers!

Linds

And Happy Valentines Day!!

Real Madrid Game

Although I find watching soccer to be right next to eating vegetables and reading science fiction on my list of least favorite things to do, I got the opportunity to go to a Real Madrid game and couldn't pass it up.  Not only are tickets to games extremely hard to come by, if you do they are super expensive and typically in the nosebleed sections.  A coworker of mine has season passes because his wife works for Real, so she had a few extra tickets and I was able to go along.  It was quite the experience.  Not only is the stadium bigger than anything I've ever been in (I think it holds 80,000) but the people are insane!  Since it's Spain, we went to the bar for a few hours before the 10 pm kickoff.  Our seats were on the goal line about 20 rows up--- incredible.  While it wasn't the most exciting game (Real scored their two goals in the last 4 minutes of the game) I thoroughly enjoyed watching the people heckle one another, yell at the refs, and laugh at the "injured" players.  And in true Spanish style, we went to the bar during half time and after the game.  Not a smart decision on my part considering I had to get up for work 3 hours later...

 The Stadium

 My coworker Juan Carlos and I

 The view from our seats... amazing!

 The beloved Ronaldo

Our crazy crew, out way too late!

Now that I've seen both a bullfight and a futbol game, I feel I've truly had the full Spanish experience. :)

Ciao para ahora, L

A New Beginning

For the first time in my life, I've entered a transitional phase where I am not only hopeful but fearful.  Never before have I quit a job without having another job already lined up.  The ease with which I've found finding a job internationally makes it all the more frightening to attempt to move back to the States in the recession and poor economy.  At times I find myself thinking, "What the hell am I doing?" but am quickly reassured that I'm making the right decision when I think about all I'm looking forward to come summertime and beyond. 

But needless to say,  it was hard to resign from a job that I enjoy so much.  In Puerto Rico, I loved my life on the island and my ability to go to the beach at whim, but I didn't love my job, per se (there were definitely things I enjoyed a great deal but I didn't jump out of bed eager to go to work on a daily basis).  In Spain, it's quite the opposite.  I love my job, the challenge and stimulation it provides me everyday, how much I learn from my coworkers and my students, but I don't enjoy my day to day life in Madrid.  It's hard to live in a place where you constantly feel as if you have to be "on" in order to communicate, protect yourself, travel from one place to another, etc.  I get home after a nearly 12 hour day, each day, mentally and emotionally drained.  To be honest, I think I might go crazy if I didn't know I was leaving in 5 months (exactly!). 

Who knows if I'll ever get to a place in my life where I love my job and love my life simultaneously but I will be constantly seeking it out until I do!  I should be hearing back about grad school acceptances in the coming weeks, I have applications in to a few public school districts, I have a head hunter looking for jobs in the private school sector, and I'll be coming back to Portland the week before my spring break (April 9-16) to attend a 2-day job fair and hopefully set up some interviews and/or look for an apartment to move into July 1.  It'll be a very busy next few months, so keep your fingers crossed!

And it wouldn't be life in Europe if I wasn't traveling!  I've tried to plan a trip every few weeks to keep my mind off of things and to see the last few corners of Europe that I've been dying to get to before I move away.  As I always say, if anyone is ever in this neck of the woods or if you'd like to do some traveling in the next few months and Spain is part of the intinerary, please let me know.  My tour guide skills have gotten quite good over the past year and half, and my home is nice and cozy, just waiting for visitors!

Here's a few pictures of some of my closest friends in Madrid... the very reasons (and pretty much only reasons) it will be really hard to leave.

 Watching the Seahawks

Celebrating Birthdays

 Our favorite bar

 Blondies

 Don't know what I'll do without these two

Streets of Madrid



Flamenco aprons

 Good friends and good times together

Hope all's well in your corner of the world.  Until next time... ~L

Swiss Alps

I love sun.  I love warm weather.  I love the beach.  I dislike winter immensely.  But I love to ski. 

Since there isn't much warm weather to be had in Madrid in the near future and the beach is a long haul, I decided the best way to beat the winter blues was to indulge in a bit of snow.  And considering that a friend of mine lives so close to the Swiss Alps, I figured, why not?  Aside from one week spent in Zermatt last January and a 5-day trip planned for Chamonix-Mont Blanc this February, I haven't taken advantage of the proximity of excellent skiing here in Europe nor have I made lugging my ski gear across the world worthwhile. 

While there wasn't too much skiing that was done throughout the weekend (due to going out Friday night which caused everyone to sleep in, due to multiple beer pit stops on the slopes on Saturday, and due to an impromptu sledding adventureon Sunday), the thought and effort to put the ski gear to good use was not lost!  It was a wonderful 48 hours spent in a gorgeous country with pristine weather and great friends.  What more could one really ask for?

Skiing the Swiss Alps

~L

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Boy, was 2010 a good one!  I don't think I could feel more lucky for all that happened in the past 365 days--- this truly has been one of the best years of my life.  The monthly highlights include:

January:  Rang in 2010 at one of the craziest New Years parties I've ever been to in Madrid, then spent a week skiing the Swiss Alps.

February:  Collin and Erin's gorgeous wedding in Puerto Vallarta (we are so lucky to have an amazing new member of our family!) and a solo, weekend trip to my favorite city in the world, Rome.

March:  Turned the big 2-7 and visited my friend, Carol, in Lugano.

April:  Spring Break in Ireland with my best friend from grade school, Calli.

May:  Beer drinking in Belgium (one of my favorite trips of the year)

June:  Springtime in Munich and many, many parties in Madrid marking the end of our first year.

July:  Greek Isles... the most relaxing 4 weeks of my life (aside from Spain winning the World Cup!)

August:  PNW!  Also, a cruise to Alaska, one of the best family vacations we've ever had.

September:  Another school year-- an extra class, two additional job titles, excellent students, and a brand new apartment.  Lots more work but lots more money, too (insert sarcasm...).

October:  Oktoberfest.  Enough said.

November:  Conference in Tunisia and Thanksgiving in Istanbul.

December:  Winter break in Prague then HOME for 3 weeks. 

If there's anything I want to do in the early part of 2011, it's to appreciate Spain more.  While living in a foreign country has its perks, when you aren't fluent in the language and the culture just isn't the same that you grew up with, it's hard to really love a place.  There are soooo many things about Spain and Spanish people and the Spanish culture that really tick me off and I feel I have a right (whether deserved or not) to get ticked off because I deal with it on a daily basis--- I'm not just there on a week-long vacation.  But, aside from all our differences, I want to leave Spain on a good note because whether I like it or not, the country has opened my eyes to so many diversities, has brought together some of the best friends of my life, and has given me opportunities I never thought possible.  I feel I'd be doing myself a disservice if I didn't leave Spain on a good note, loving (or maybe just liking) the place I called "home" for two years (although you won't find a happier soul at Madrid-Barajas airport the day I leave, June 28-ish!)

Although it will be bittersweet to leave my family, the TV, Mexican food and the golf course this week, I go back to Spain knowing, without a doubt, that I want to move back to the US.  Many of you know the anxiety I've had in recent months about wanting to move back, not wanting to move back, where do I go, what do I do, etc. I wanted to use my time home to really figure out if uprooting my life is something that made sense right now when I love my job so much. While I still don't have the answers to many of the those questions, I at least know with confidence that living abroad has lost its luster.  So..... the teaching test has been passed. The teaching license has been applied for. The grad school applications are in. Now, I play the waiting game. Here's to hoping Lindsay gets a job in 2011!!

Christmas 2010 in AZ

Here's to another great year--- Salud, Sláinte, Prost, Salute, Santé, Na zdravi, Cheers,

Linds

Prague, Czech Republic

When you hear people telling their "trip from hell" stories you never think it's actually going to happen to you.  Well... it did.  But, it has a good ending so at least there is a silver lining!

Here's a "brief" play-by-play.  Arrive 1.5 hours early for our flight from Madrid-Frankfurt-Prague.  Check in, check luggage (don't normally do this but we had to pack all the winter gear plus some), go through security, sit for a few drinks (this has become standard procedure), get to gate... and everyone is standing around.  We hear some random English and someone saying, "Flight to Frankfurt is canceled."  Turns out it was about 20 military guys returning to their base in Germany that were on our flight and they heard from so-and-so who heard from so-and-so that something was going on with the air traffic controllers.  We debate whether e should stay at the gate and see if things get resolved or go back out through security to the check-in counters to see what the deal is.  We decide to leave the gate,.  They close security behind us and now all departure TV's have "Canceled, Canceled, Canceled" flashing across them.  As we rush to the check-in counter my bag breaks and tumbles to the floor, with my fancy camera inside.  Luckily, it was protected by my 500-page book and 2 scarves.  So... we keep running and then we see it.  No joke, no exagerration... at least 3,000 people waiting in the terminal.  And in just the Lufthansa line, at least 500.  This terminal is not large.  Probably 300 yards by 50 yards.  Filled with 3,000 Spaniards whose flights just got cancelled due to striking bastards?  Are you catching my drift yet?  And now... it's filled with international journalists too. Newscameras, flashes, spotlights, microphones, etc.  No one knows what the hell is going on, women are going hysterical, men are pounding their fists and screaming.  And what do the three of us do?  Fall to the floor in a heap of laughter.  What else can you do at this point?  It was such an outrageous scene I'm not even doing it justice.  We begin calling the Lufthansa customer service number and by the grace of God, someone answers, helps us and rebooks one of the three flights.  Then the phone goes dead.  Sidenote:  we have to use pay-as-you-go phones here until you prove you have lived in the country for 2 years... and the phone ran out of money.  On another phone we try to start calling again but by this time the 500 people in line are doing the same thing.  Waiting... waiting... waiting.  Finally get through and get the agent from hell.  She begins to yell, and in true Lindsay fashion, I start to yell back. I ask for her name, her boss, then click.  She hangs up on me.  Sweet.  We all start calling again and finally get someone, an hour later, who helps us, gets all the tickets rebooked... but for two days later.  By this time all of our friends who are at home are trying to call us telling us we are on all the news channels.  If I'd had known that I'd have made myself look presentable!  We go to reclaim our luggage and head home (now 5 hours after we got to their airport) and our friend Fil, who went to the bathroom, is no where to be found.  I finally go to try to find him and I hear him, yelling my name.  He got locked in the bathroom stall.  No one would help him, he couldn't climb under or over.  And now at this point, I really start to laugh.  Uncontrollably....  We finally make it home at almost midnight.  It's Friday.  We were supposed to be in Prague at this point.  And now we don't leave until Sunday night.  :)

Hope you enjoyed the tale.  Once we finally made it to Prague we had a wonderful time full of snow flurries, holiday cheer and lots of beer.  Sometimes it's the trips where nothing seems to go right where you have the most fun.  And this was one of the most interesting to date, that's for sure!  I'll spare you the details of our journey through the enchanting city that is Prague but if you choose to view the pictures, you can find out about all that we discovered in the captions.  Enjoy!

Hezké prázdniny!  ~Linds

The Best Job

Everyone has the days where they hate their lob and they love their job.  Luckily, I'm typically very excited to go to work because every day is truly different. 

Today I had a moment while watching some of my students in a Christmas concert where I sort of tuned everything out, looked around the auditorium and thought to myself, "This is the coolest job.  I can't believe I get to do this every day."  Why did this come about?  I'm not quite sure.  I think part of me is really struggling with the fact that I know I won't be here at this school next year.  I love my coworkers and my students and it's hard to think of life without either of them.  If I didn't have such a strong desire to live a life with some sort of normalcy and/or if I was in a city where I felt more at home, then I would probably never leave.  But maybe this perspective has been good for me because it has made me not take any of my time here for granted and really cherish the moments at school when the students aren't annoying the hell out of me!  :)

Another reason I felt so lucky today is because the students that I have are some of the most inspiring people I know.  They are so overly talented it's sickening sometimes.  I look back at my middle school days and all I can remember is playing sports and doing homework.  The majority of my students here speak 3+ languages fluently, play an instrument or sing, play a sport, and still excel at school.  It boggles my mind.  Many of these students do all of this without the support of their parents at home because the reality is, many of them are being raised by their nannies, butlers, drivers, etc.  They crave love and attention and I think that's why many of them enjoy coming to school-- they have the attention of 8+ adults at all times!  As I always do, I've become pretty attached to the majority of my students and the thought of the last day of school nearing breaks my heart... I don't even want to think about it (and luckily I have 6 more months of not having to).

Here's a video that I think any educator, past or present, can appreciate and enjoy:



I'm so proud of my students and what they accomplish on a daily basis.  Getting to see them grow and mature and become knowledgable global citizens is so rewarding.  And they aren't even my own!  I can't imagine what I'm going to be like as a Mom...

~L

Istanbul, Turkey

It has become a tradition of mine to go somewhere for Thanksgiving (although since living in Europe... I go "somewhere" just about every weekend!) The past five years I've spent the holiday at Macchu Picchu in Peru, diving in Dominica, cruising through the Caribbean islands, lounging in the Canary Islands... and Turkey Day 2010 was spent in, none other than, Turkey!

Istanbul has been near the top of my list of places to visit since I moved to Spain, so I had high expectations and was armed with my guidebook and camera.  The city did not disappoint.  I'm not sure which gained more weight during the trip: me or my luggage!  The sights were breathtaking, the food incredible, the shopping, oh, the shopping.  There was even a marriage proposal (from our waiter one night at dinner... he informed me he wanted to have seven kids together... I was frightened). 

We made many friends during our four days of traversing the city.  Everyone was so warm and knowledgable and always invited us in for a cup of tea.  I'm a total coffee snob (unfortunately) and have never been particularly fond of tea but I accepted every offer and am now obsessed with their version of tea-- basically glorified apple cider, delicious!  I was totally shocked by the liveliness and buzz in the modern area of Istanbul and the availability of alcohol.  My ignorant perception of Turkey was that every woman would be in a burka, younger Turks would be very conservative and it would be hard to find a good time.  Boy was I wrong.  And I thought Madrileños liked to party... damn!

It was a wonderful trip with three of my closest friends.  I don't often just stop and realize I have quite an amazing life with the most supportive friends and family, a job that fullfills me, and a thirst for adventure and travel that is quenched by living in one of the best continents in the world for both.  I truly am thankful for the ability to do everything I could ever want at this time in my life. 

Istanbul

Aşk için tüm, Linds

America's Favorite Cities 2010

Travel and Leisure, a magazine that I always thumb through in the airport, recently came out with a list of American's Favorite Cities.  They picked 35 cities from across the country and ranked them on their culture, food, shopping, nighlife, etc.  I found it very ironic that this article just came out since many of the cities listed are ones that have been on my "wish list" of places to move back to.  Embedded in the article is a tool where you can compare two cities to each other.  So, of course, I spent the next hour seeing how Portland vs Seattle, San Francisco vs San Diego, and San Juan, PR vs anything stacked up. 

Here are a few highlights:

Portland: #1 for summer, microbrew beer, farmer's markets, intelligent people, environmental friendliness and public parks (hence why I want to move here...)

Seattle:  worst for any season other than summer (duh...), but high up for coffee bars, skyline views and intelligent people.  Not really many surprises here.

San Diego:  #1 for weather, and also high for athletic and attractive people (why am I not moving here??)

San Juan, PR:  This one really cracked me up.  Having lived on the island for 2 years, there were many things I knew it was known for (highly ranked for good weather, spending the winter, romantic escape, and happy hour) but two things that San Juan was highly ranked for I can assure you are false:  New Years and attractive people.  Let me explain both.  Spending New Years in San Juan might rank in the bottom 2 of places I've ever spent it (with the bottom being at home when I was 14).  Nothing was open and what was closed at 1 am (when most places in PR stay open till 4 or 5 on a regular night).  It was a complete let down.  Not worthy of making the list AT ALL.  And attractive people?  Just because someone is tan and in a bikini does not qualify them for being attractive.  Now, if you only took the cross section of people that live in Rincon and surf everyday, this might be correct.  But PR has to have one of the highest obesity rates of any place I've ever been and unless you like men with long, greasy mullets, this is not a place to find a significant other.
 
If you'd like to see the article for yourself (and not just my commentary on it) you can find it at the following link:  http://www.travelandleisure.com/americas-favorite-cities/2010

As you can see, it looks like Portland suits me the best.  Not that I haven't known that since July...but this was some good reassurance.

Cheers!  Linds

Tunis, Tunisia

One perk of teaching internationally is that the schools have a lot of money.  When all students, K-12, are paying on average 30,000 euros/year to attend, you know you aren't hurting for money.  At ASM, our headmaster throws money around like it grows here--- want a new computer?  ok.  want to go to grad school?  ok.  want to go to Africa for a conference?  ok.  How about taking 70 staff to said conference?  ok.

So... off we went to Tunisia for 5 days for the annual Mediterranean Association of International Schools's conference.  I was in charge of arranging/planning the aforementioned conference this year, so while last year was all about eating and sightseeing (what else would you do in Florence?!?), this year I actually had to be responsible and in attendance.  Luckily, the conferences were excellent.

We did have some downtime where we were able to explore a bit of the country.  One day we spent driving to Dougga.  It reminded me a lot of the ruins I saw in Greece this past summer but the amazing part was that it was so well preserved.  And we were the only people there (that'd never happen at ruin in Greece, or any other European country for that matter).  Another afternoon we spent in the picturesque town of Sidi Bou Said.  Again... reminded me of Greece.  The colors and ornate doors were beautiful.  On the last day I had to be in meetings but many of my friends went into the medina of Tunis.  I've stolen their pictures to pretend I was actually there, too!

Of course, when you think of Africa, Tunisia probably isn't what would come to mind.   And while it isn't a country I'll ever return to, it was another African country to "check off the list."  Now I wait for my ultimate, dream vacation, the real African experience, a safari.  That'll be the day...

Tunis

 خدى بالك وداعا‎, Lindsay (I think that means "take care and goodbye" but I'm not positive!)

Year #2 in Madrid

I had very mixed emotions coming back to Madrid after the summer; while I knew I didn't want to stay here past this school year, I also didn't know where I'd go when I left.  Now that my plans are a bit more solidified and I'm 99% sure I'll be moving back to the PNW, I've really been able to enjoy and cherish my time here in Spain knowing that I won't ever have this experience again.  It's made me have a bit different of an outlook than I had last year at this time when everything was so new and exciting-- while living in the middle of a European capital that lives to party has it's perks at times, what I most enjoy now is being with my friends, drinking a glass of wine at the Mercado, having a Belgian beer at Cafe Eke, a quiet dinner party, sitting on a terrace, an American dance party.  These are the times I'll miss when I leave here, not the nights we spent at the club partying till 7 a.m (although I never will forget our first clubbing experience when I chipped my front tooth on a beer bottle).  I've grown to love my job and second family here and it will be really, really hard to leave them in June. 

Included are some pics from my first few months back after summer vacation.  Enjoy!

Year #2 in Madrid

Dos besos a todo,  Linds

OKTOBERFEST

Wow.  That sums up our 48 hours in Munich.  Never will I have another experience that is quite like the last weekend of the biggest party in the world.  I always knew I loved beer (it just might be another food group in my diet as of late) but after this trip, I really love beer.  Words can't even describe the sheer magnitude of Oktoberfest-- this truly is one party you have to see and experience to believe.  Although there's no way to enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed living them, they give you a sneak peek into the crazy world of dirndls and lederhosen.

Oktoberfest

Genießen!  ~Linds

Alaskan Adventures

I have the best father (and mother) in the world.  No doubt.  A few examples:  he loves his family more than anyone I've ever met;  for three years he traveled from Ohio to Washington every weekend to see me play basketball; he still takes my brother and I out golfing whenever we are home, even though we never took advantage when we lived on a golf course our whole life;  he put my brother and I through college;  he lets my Mom spend money on clothes and shoes... sometimes even when it's for his daughter;  and of course because we have a common bond of migraines and a love for Mexican food!  My Dad has always been one of my biggest sources of support, encouragement and honesty and for a long time I've wanted him to retire so he could finally enjoy life at a slower, less-stressed pace.  Well, my dream came true in April when he reluctantly decided to leave Ohio (and the Buckeyes... Go Hawks!) for the good life of retirement in Phoenix. 

In celebration, our entire family took an Alaskan cruise from Vancouver, B.C. to Seward, Alaska, where we then spent a few days with my aunt and uncle who live in Anchorage.  It was one of the most amazing trips our family has taken together, made even better now that we all live so far apart.  We had many, many laughs and I don't think any of us wanted the vacation to end (unlike past years when as pesky teens, I'm sure my parents couldn't wait for us to get back to school!) 

While there are a lot of pictures, some of them have to be seen in sequence to truly understand the magnitude and beauty of Alaska.  My fancy camera doesn't even do the scenery justice... I didn't think Hawaii could be topped as my favorite state but it just might have been after this trip.

Alaska

Enjoy the pictures,

Linds

My Brother's Wedding Video

Although Collin got married in February, I have never gotten around to sending out the video I made for he and his wife.  And to be honest, I thought it was lost forever because I left the CD in the computer at the wedding site.  But have no fear, it was found today!

This video was played at the reception, although due to different systems in Mexico, the music didn't coincide with the pictures (all that time and then it doesn't work...)  So, for those of you who were at the wedding, THIS is what it was supposed to look like.  For those of you who weren't at the wedding, here's a look at a video I made for two of my favorite people on their special day :)

Collin and Erin's Wedding Video

Since it is quite long, it takes a while to load--- be patient!

Enjoy!  Lindsay

H.O.M.E.

When you live abroad (or are gone for an extended period of time) there really is no feeling like stepping back into familiarity, whether it be your house, your car (not that I have one...), old bars, friends' houses, where ever.  I hadn't been back to the States in a year so to be back was both shocking and relieving all at once.  I'd just gotten into the Spanish groove when summer hit (i.e. eating dinner at 10, staying out late, riding public tranportation everywhere, speaking Spanish), so to be back home where I understood everyone, drove a car, ate dinner at 6 and was in bed by 10 was strange yet so relaxing.  Being able to experience what I am at this point in my life is rewarding and a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I would never change.  Since catching the travel bug in 2005 I never would have dreamt I'd be able to see all the places I have in the past 5 years.  Yet with that being said, I can't wait to move back home.  I can't wait to own a house and a car and a dog and a blackberry and have a relationship and a somewhat "real" life, whatever that means.  My biggest fear, though, is that when I move back I'll realize I didn't really want all that after all.  But I guess it's the risks we take that can potentially give us the biggest reward.

Here's a small album from my time at home this summer

Summer '10

Whatever corner of the world you may be in, I think of you often and hope to see you soon!  

Con todo mi amor, Linds

Mallorca

In between my trips to Greece and my trip home I hopped over to Mallorca for a few days to visit two close friends of mine.  They are completing Masters degrees during the summer on the island so I came for the weekend to distract them for a bit!  And boy was I a distraction--- the conclusion we've made is that we think I was slipped something at a bar, which resulted in me being sick for the two full days I was there.  It was a total bummer because I missed our on visiting the bodegas (up in wine country) and having precious beach time (not that I needed it at that point) but most of all, Ididn't get to really see Mallorca for all it's cracked up to be.  The town, Palma, is adorable and the cathedral stunning.  But other than that, I didn't get to see much.  I hope to go back next summer before moving from Spain to see a bit more and really get a feel for what life is like on a Spanish island.

Mallorca 2010

Besos, Linds

24 days, 12 ferries, 9 islands.

I'm a beach girl through and through and traveling through the Greek islands has always been a dream I didn't think I could fulfill (since the ticket to get to Greece costs as much as the trip itself...)  Well lucky for me a ticket from Spain is about 1/5 the price as flying from the States, so off I went on a trip of a lifetime.  Now I will say this-- I normally try to seek out vacations that I know I won't want to do 10 years from now (i.e. Cambodia, Nicaragua, India, etc.) and while I saw my fair share of honeymooners and lovers walking hand in hand, I'm so glad I took this trip when I did because I think I was really able to see more out of each island than I would have had I been on a honeymoon or quick trip.  I've been really missing my life on an island and this gave me the fix I needed to get through another year in the big city! 

Greece lived up to all my expectations and in many cases exceeded them.  I didn't think it was really possible for a place to look as beautiful as postcards make it out to be but the Greek Isles proved that thinking wrong.  Time and time again I thought to myself, "This can't be real.  I'm not really in the Greek islands right now, am I?"  Since I went to so many places in such a short amount of time (and to prevent you from being bored out of your mind) I'll give a brief synopsis of each place but explain specific details in my photo album at the end of the post.

Naxos:  Naxos is one of the most fertile of the Cyclades and has its highest peak, Mt Zeus.  The port town, Hora, is divided into two towns:  Bourgos, where the Greeks lived and the hilltop Kastro, where the Venetian Catholics lived.  On Palatia Islet is Naxos’ most famous landmark, the unfinished Temple of Apollo.  The historic village of Halki is full of handsome facades of old villas and houses. 

Santorini:  Once you venture past the tourist and cruise ship portions, you see an island that is rich in beauty and history and it truly is a living postcard, perfect from many angles but always magnificent no matter where you see it.  Lonely Planet said it best when introducing Santorini:  “Fantastic, fabulous Santorini deserves all the superlatives.  Even the most jaded traveler succumbs to the awesome drama of this surreal landscape.”  Santorini was once called Stongili (Round One) until a volcanic eruption in 1650 BC caused the center to sink, leaving a caldera with steep cliffs.  Now, the caldera shimmers with white buildings, blue cathedrals, turquoise swimming pools, and hordes of tourists.  The main town, Fira, is breathtaking looking out from the edge of the caldera during the day and glistening with lights up and down the cliff at night.  Oia is much quieter than Fira... that is, until the sun begins to go down.  Then, it is a crazed frenzy to get the best spot for what has to be one of the most soughtafter sunsets in the world.  Even better is the hue that the town’s white buildings get when the orange and pink sun is setting against them, it’s magnificent! 

Paros:  Paros has the reputation of being a friendly island and it did not disappoint.  The main port of Parikia is not much to look at but once you venture out of the port you are pleasantly surprised.  On the northern part of the island the little town of Naousa is said to quickly be stealing the glitz and glamour of Mykonos.  It has a great waterfront area, wonderful restaurants, and an eclectic bar scene.  There was even a fish and wine festival going on while we were there, full of dancing, drinking and new friends.  Behind the waterfront is a maze of whitewashed streets filled with magenta bougainvilleaand small boutiques.  This was, by far, my favorite island because I felt it had the most charm and down-home feel.  I'd return in a heartbeat!

Sifnos: An island I wish I had gotten to spend more time in but due to ferry schedules we could only spend one night. With high barren hills, it was easily navigated in one day on a moto. The “capital” Apollonia isn't much to look at but the Kastro, a walled cliff-top village was incredible, with a small church perched on the tip of a long, rocky point.

Syros: The port town of Ermoupolis grew out of a refugee town that sprang up during the Greek War of Independence. The main square of Plateia Miaouli is lined by palm trees, bars and cafes, and the beautiful town hall. A small village to the north of town, Ano Syros, sits atop a large hill and was originally a medieval settlement.  Now, it is an eerie, quiet/deserted maze of homes and restaurants with a church at it's peak.

Tinos: This ultra religious island is home to the Church of Panagia Evangelistria, which is said to be the spot where the sacred icon of the Megalochari, the Holy Virgin, was found in 1822. The icon is one of the most famous in Greece and its so-called healing powers lead to mass pilgrimages each year (not really my thing but interesting to see...)

Mykonos: What do I say about this island? I think I had the highest expectations for Mykonos just because I'd heard so much about its party scene.  And while I caught a brief glimpse, the "partying" was nothing I was looking to take part in.  While we stayed at Paradise Beach (along with thousands of other 18-year-olds), most nights we ventured into Hora, the small, seaside village dotted with restaurants, bars and boutiques.  The Little Venice area was an absolute maze and I'm sure I walked in a circle at least 10 times before I found my way.  So while I liked the island for nothing more than it's craziness, I would never go back and found it to be far to expensive and hyped for what I got from it.


Delos: Delos is one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece and the most important in the Cyclades. With no permanent population, you really feel as if you are there thousands of years ago. Delos was the birthplace of the twins Apollo and Artemis and was first inhabited in the 3rd millennium BC. Delos reached the height of its power in Hellenistic times, becoming one of the three most important religious centers in Greece. In 167 BC the Romans made Delos a free port, with up to 10,000 slaves sold per day. But by the 3rd century AD there was only a small settlement on the island and in the following centuries it was looted, which is how it remains today.

Ios:  Probably my second favorite island (although not much different than Mykonos--- not sure why I had such a different experience) I had the most fun here simply because of where we stayed.  Our hotel (Francesco's, recommened to ANYONE who visits this island) was on a hill overlooking the sea and surrounding villages.  The same view could be had from the pool, bar, and patio.  Each night everyone got together for drinks and then ventured into the city for what has to be one of the coolest bar scenes I've ever witnessed.  On one street alone there had to be over 100 consecutive bars, one after the other, all full and all fun!  One night when we went home at 2:30 people looked at us like we were crazy, most places were just opening then!  The beaches on Ios were also incredible and the party feel spread across all parts of the island.  People go there to have a good time and it's hard not to!  The only disappointing thing about the island was the 3 hour 4-wheeler ride (on our POS) out to Plato's grave, which ended up being nothing more than a pile of rocks.  All in all, I felt I had the most well-rounded experience on Ios because it captured all you think about when you think of the Islands:  sun, beach, party, beauty.

And Athens, there's far to much to explain about Athens.  The history is so rich there you could spend days in their museums looking at rocks and pottery and still not see everything.  Just walking around town and riding the metros feels like you are walking back in time.  The city is incredible and vibrant and full of energy and life.  The locals are so proud of their culture and their history and willing to share it with anyone that will listen.  I loved every minute I had in Athens and don't even feel like I scratched the surface of what there is to see and do.  Much more detail about Athens and what I saw will be described in the following photos.

So, as you can see, in typical Lindsay style, I crammed as much as possible into my 3.5 weeks and loved every minute of it.  I look forward to going back with someone special in the future to have a completely difference experience! 

Greek Isles 2010



Until then, yassas!

Madrid Madness

I often don't spend much time reflecting because I'm always planning for the future, whether it be what new job I want to have or what big trip I want to go on.  But with the school year over and summer about to begin, I've spent a lot of time thinking about how I got here.  I don't want to call it fate but I can't imagine being anywhere else at this point in my life.  I've never felt more fulfilled and excited about life and all that lies ahead.  My job this year, while demanding and stressful, has allowed me to grow as a teacher and mentor for my students like I never imagined.  I'm lucky to go to work everyday and have students from around the world that are eager to see me, eager to learn, and willing to lend a hand.  For that I'm truly grateful.  I've never felt more ready and more excited to come back to start a new year. I'll be assuming a few new roles in my job next year (while still remaining a middle school math teacher); one being the new activities advisor and the other being one of four coordinators of the middle school.  It should be a lot of hard work but I'm ready to step out of my comfort zone and see if there are other areas of teaching I may want to explore.

Along with my job comes the many coworkers that have grown to be great friends.  Last night at a going away party for three very dear friends I looked around the room and wondered how in such a short amount of time our group of friends has become so close.  They are my second family and our common bond has made us all the more fortunate to have one another in times of joy and sorrow because with our job it's often thousands of dollars and many thousands of miles to be in the comfort of "home."  I'm grateful to have these wonderful people in my life and know that many of them will be lifelong friends.

The best part of living in Europe (as is pretty apparent in my many posts and is the true reason why I accepted the job here) has been the opportunity to travel.  I've always loved to travel but never thought I'd be able to have work and travel coexist as easily as they do.  Work hard, play hard is the motto around here... and that we do!  Often times people will be talking on the morning bus about what they are doing the following weekend and if nothing is planned, within 3 days we are in another country. When else will I ever have the opportunity to do this?  When looking back at old pictures I'm truly amazed at the experiences I've had in just the 9 short months that I've been here; I can't imagine what the next year brings.

Here are a few photos of what life has been like the past few months when we haven't been on vacation and instead have been here enjoying the wonderful city we live in!  At some point I'll post Madrid photos from the whole year... but that will take a while!

(click on the photo below to view the album)

Madrid Madness

 

I look forward to a relaxing month of July on the beaches of Greece, followed by a quick trip to the Spanish island of Mallorca to visit friends, and then a month home in August, where I finally get to go to the one place I've been dying to see for many years-- Alaska!  I can't wait to be back to shop at Target, eat peanut butter, sit on my deck at home and gaze out at the water, and catch up with friends.  It will be a fabulous summer!

I hope you all have a restful and enjoyable summer wherever you may be in the world and I look forward to catching up with many of you in the coming months.

All the best, Linds

Munich

I can't believe how long it has taken me to make it to this city!  My good friend (and former Puerto Rican roommate) Agnes has been teaching in Munich for the same amount of time that I've been in Madrid.  I was going to visit for Oktoberfest but the tickets shot up in price as the date neared (good thing I've already bought them for this year!) and I never made it.  But, with a weekend free and the weather across central Europe finally starting to warm, my friends and I decided to bombard Agnes for 48 hours.  What a weekend it was!

From our airport drinking games and late night clubbing to the bike tour around the city; from the biergarten and soccer game to the Hofbrauhaus and Dachau and everything in between, we squeezed in as much as we could.  Agnes was a wonderful hostess and tour guide and I look forward to returning in a few months.

(click on the photo below to view the album)

Munich Blog

Auf Wiedersehen, Linds