Down to the wire.

Ten days left in my study abroad experience that has been unlike anything I ever thought I would do in my life. Heading into the semester I had heard so many different perspectives from so many different people about what to expect and what it will be like, and now I can confidently say there is no amount of mental preparation or explanation that could have begun to prepare me for this semester.

Every single day has been an adventure. Living in an international city for over three months I've realized there is quite literally always something to do. Regardless of your mood, your ambitions (or lack there of), you desire to spend money (or lack there of), I found it impossible to be bored. Adding traveling into that made this all the more true.

As the weeks have begun to wind down my desire to make the most out of every day and hour has increased ten fold. The realization has set in that Madrid, a place I will have called home for more than 100 days when all is said and done, will no longer be a part of my daily routine. There is no doubt in my mind I will be back to visit someday to revisit friends and memories, but not knowing whether that will be next year or 10 years from now is making this goodbye very different than the one I said to the US in September.

Things during my time here that have become daily occurrences will soon be memories that I will not have the opportunity to relive for an indefinite amount of time.

I have one more day of classes left in the semester. I then finish up with one paper and two final exams, at which point in time my spanish learning experience will come to a close.

I figure I have one last post for the semester: My end of experience final thoughts and wrap-up piece that will mostly be written on my plane ride home.

This semester has been like something out of a dream and I could not have asked for more. I feel as though I've squeezed all I can out of these first 12 weeks and now I've got to do the same for the penultimate and ultimate.

Looking forward to coming home for Christmas and being back stateside, however, the nostalgia for Spain and Europe has already begun to sink in.

One of my new favorite cities in the world (Parte Dos)

Don't mistake it, this title was certainly not for a lack or creativity nor was it a typo. But rather I wanted to express how truly amazing this semester has been. The fact I can say I have been to, in my opinion, two of the greatest travel destinations in the world within one month of each other is remarkable. I think that shows what kind of semester this has been for me.

In case you hadn't already seen the photos (which are worth checking out) I went to Amsterdam last weekend. Those who know me know I am a first impression kind of person. The first thing I see when I put my foot in another country says a lot about how I will remember it. And Amsterdam, like many other countries in Europe, was like taking a journey back in time.

The train station is centrally located to the city and upon walking out onto the street for the first time you're greeted my cable cars (no metro because it is essentially a floating city), bicycles, cobblestone streets, bicycles, old Dutch-style houses, bicycles, and canals. Oh, and lots of bicycles.

Know for having more bicycles than people (seriously, look it up) Amsterdam is the biggest bicycle city in the world. It seemed as though it was legal to lock a bicycle up anywhere as the bridges, light poles, and bicycle rakes were covered in old, unique looking bicycles.

As you work your way away from the train station you get closer to the center of town where everything is happening. It's impossible to get lost for several reasons: every building looks different in its own way but still manages to have the same classic feel to it, the streets are laid out in what I would consider to be a NYC layout, and every third block has either a vertical or a horizontal canal. To figure out where you're going look on a map, count the number of bridges you have to cross and you're there.

It's equally as beautiful a city at night as it is during the day. Whether the canals are lit by sunlight or street lights you can't help but take our your phone to take a picture every time you walk over a bridge. Locals ride their boats down the canal and canal tours are even available for relatively cheap.

All this and I haven't even gotten into the delicious food, the number of museums, and the unique experience of the Red Light District. I'll make it quick…

Food: Thick-cut French fries covered in an array of sauces, amazing Mexican food, Argentinian Steak Houses everywhere (still not sure why), and they claim to have some of the best Chinese food in the world.

Museums:

-We started at the Anne Frank House Wednesday night and were absolutely blown away. It is the most emotional and rewarding museum you will ever enter. Simply reading about the tragedy her and her family endured does not do their horrific time justice.

-Thursday we visited the Van Gogh Museum, which I quickly dubbed the Van (don't) Gogh Museum. Apparently "Starry Night" is in New York, which was a huge disappointment. Secondly, it cost more than it should have for a 45-minute walk through of a museum that included still lives and scenery paintings. I think I could've learned more by reading his Wikipedia page. Still, however, I am glad I went so I can say I did and now I know I never need to go again.

-Friday was by far my favorite when we went to the Heineken Experience. It is actually really difficult to describe what made it so great other than to say they showed me the old factories and took us through the entire process of making their beer step-by-step. It was a great experience and I will forever feel like an expert on Heineken.

The Red Light District:

-Something you only ever hear about in pop culture that was truly something to experience because of how unique of a concept it is. As you walk down the streets you are constantly passing large doors and windows lit in red. Through the windows you see prostitutes attempting to lure in customers. I was actually very surprised to see that most of the people walking around were doing exactly what we were: acting like tourists and taking in the experience of a lifetime.

All-in-all Amsterdam was a unique city with an incredible vibe, nice people and a city you cannot experience or see anywhere else in the world. I am already looking forward to going back.

And hey, the flight wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would - always a bonus.

One of my new favorite cities in the world

I arrived to Gare de Lyon train station last Thursday afternoon. When I left the station with my backpacks in tow and began walking around the city I was in awe of how much it felt like I had been here before. The familiar architecture, the central river, the numerous bridges and some of the most recognizable tourist attractions in the world, were the things I soaked in within my first hour in the city of Paris.

It was remarkable how having never been to Paris or even looked at it on a map I knew so many things about it. I felt like a tour guide.

The river
"Over there is the windy, one-way road that runs parallel to the river. It's the road Liam Neeson drove on in Taken to rescue his daughter where he eventually jumped off of...that bridge over there!"

The Louvre
"Does anyone else feel like we just stepped into the filming for The Da Vinci Code? I swear I can hear Tom Hanks and Jean Reno."

The Love-Lock Bridges
"Well the reason people put locks on these bridges is to lock away things of importance to them. In Now You See Me, Mark Ruffalo's character talks about how we all have secret hopes, dreams and loves in life. He referenced how there's no better way to share something with everything, yet no one, than to lock your thoughts away in a lock and toss the key to the bottom of the river where tens of thousands of people have done the same thing. It shows how we're connected, yet so different."

Random street rat
"See that massive rat running across the sidewalk up there? Yea, Pixar wasn't joking."

Notre Dame
"We should go to the top of the bell tower and maybe the Hunchback is still there..."

(Fine, a tour guide of recent pop culture that references Paris, but a tour guide all the same.)

And, of course, the Eiffel Tower which needs no quote to represent its jaw-dropping architecture and wonder because quite simply, there are no words to describe how amazing it is to see in person.

You have either visited the Eiffel Tower or you haven't. Period. And if you fall into the second category all I can say is it never seems real. It's a picture, reference, aura you see and hear about so often that you never think you will have the privilege to experience it with your own eyes.

Walking through the streets and along the river was a unique feeling on its own. Every large building is exactly like every post card, picture and movie has ever made it seem. It was the first city I have ever visited where I felt as though I was transported into a story book. Even when I replay the memories from that weekend I hear stereotypical Paris music in my head; and now I'm sure you can hear it too.

Aside from being the most expensive city in Europe (an argument can be made for London but I believe it's only because they're on the pound; plus they're not part of the EU so they're like Puerto Rico to the US) this city was an absolute treat - literally. The wine was sweet, the crêpes with Nutella were out of this world, and water is always free (something you really appreciate when you live in Spain).

To summarize it all I can only think of one thing.

Paris, yes, is "The City of Lights" and "The City of Love." The lights aspect I don't think anyone can argue, however, I always had a problem with it being called "The City of Love" because of everything I had heard about the way the French behave in a pretentious manner.

Having spent almost three days in Paris I can confidently say it was not given this name because you meet your wife here or meet lovely people, but because you yourself fall in love with the city.

"Vacation" abroad

The last three weeks have been full of adventures. From fine-tuning my knowledge of the city of Madrid to the point where I feel like I've lived here for years, to traveling the last three weekends I have  had an amazing first month in Spain.

My trip to Gibraltar and Africa was a unique experience because that was the first time my roommates and I had planned a trip in Europe. It was a lot of last minute planning and deciding what to do as we went but it worked out well and it was certainly a memorable experience. The monkeys on the Rock of Gibraltar were definitely the highlight that weekend.

A little over a week ago we traveled to Valencia, a city with a flair of old and new near the coast of Spain. There were calm waves on the beach and we got a good feel for the city when we rented bikes and biked about 15kms in two days. The Arts and Sciences Center was an experience unlike any other. It featured some of the most jaw-dropping architecture I have ever seen and there was so much to do it took us an entire day to explore.

Now Barcelona on the other hand has much more to do. Simple concept: bigger city, more touristy, thus, more to do. Highlights: climbing to the top of Park Guell, FC Barcelona game (more about this later), Sagrada Familia, the Chapel, the nightlife, La Rambla, the beach, and the IceBar. All-around excellent time in Barcelona. Minus a few quirks here and there in which I preferred the Madrid-style (i.e. the Metro) it was great!

As for the fútbol game...

To keep it simple, America does soccer an injustice. It is a beautiful sport that is made into an art form in Europe (Especially in Spain) and the insane, fanatic style of the crowd made it the experience of a lifetime. If you ever travel to Spain and are even a modest sports fan do yourself a favor and go watch Real Madrid or FC Barcelona play. Plain and simple.

Part of the motivation for staying within Spain (minus Gibraltar and Africa) for the first month was to get our feet wet. Learn the best ways to travel before having to ride trains for extended periods of time and clear customs. Also, I had a personal experiment to conduct on my own: Valencia v. Barcelona.

I had seen and heard amazing things from both cities leading up to my visits and I must say I was impressed with both in a different way. Having spent time in Valencia, Barcelona and Madrid I can safely say Valencia is like an offspring of Madrid and Barcelona - you get a little bit of everything.

Valencia was great for its history, contrast of old/new city, and a lovely golden, fine sand beach.

Barcelona, while I prefer it to Valencia, did not live up to the hype everyone had built for it. The best analogy I can give to describe the over-hype of Barcelona would be to think of a movie everyone said is "A MUST SEE!"..."It's the funniest movie you'll ever see"..."It will blow your mind"..."I can't believe you haven't seen it yet!" When you finally see this movie your expectations were SO HIGH there was no possible way it could ever compete. (Hangover and Avatar are great examples of this for me.)

Now, that's not to say the movie (or Barcelona in this case) wasn't fantastic, because I really enjoyed my time there. However, it did not live up to the expectations everyone had set for me.

In conclusion, if you ever visit Spain and have to choose between a day trip, or two days, in Valencia or Barcelona, go with the latter; assuming you can tolerate the pompous and ridiculousness that is Catalan. (You'll have to excuse me, my Madrid bias is showing).

We are headed to Paris and London this weekend so I will have more to come after those trips.

Good luck to everyone in the States, you know, not having a functioning government and all. If it makes you feel any better, next time you think about how poor our unemployment rate, our economy, or the differences that exist within our country remember it could be worse.

Spain's current unemployment rate is in the high teens (near 50% if you only look at the 18-25 demographic), their economy believe it or not rivals ours for disgustingly-horrible-ness (so bad it needed a new word), and hey, half their country wants to secede and start a new nation (that's not something to be proud of Cataloñans).

First week of classes are done

I learned a few interesting things about the way classes in Spain work.

1. "Syllabus day" does not exist. You can almost always expect to read through the syllabus really quick so the teacher can get as much learning into Day 1 as possible.

2. The time the class is supposed to finish (ex: 7 pm) will actually finish ten minutes early every single class. I thought it was a coincidence the first couple of times it happened until one of my professors explained it is a regular thing to get out early every day.

My professors are all easy going and understanding. They recognize the language barrier and for the most part are conscientious that we do not fully understand everything. They constantly ask if we need clarification on anything which is comforting.

Fortunately my program is small. We have eight participants in the Madrid program through Albany therefore all of my classes consist of anywhere from four to six students including me.

Another unexpected aspect of the Instituto Internacional (the building I take my classes in) are the other university programs from colleges in America. SUNY Albany shares the 3rd floor with Boston University while Syracuse University occupies the entire second floor. We have a cozy library, a small cafeteria and a beautiful garden to sit and spend time in between classes.

I've begun to plan out my weekend trips which I believe I will begin taking next weekend! Stay tuned for much more to come as I will not be spending all my time in the lovely country of Spain. Hast luego.

Los días primeros

Despite the first few hours the struggles have been little to non-existent. On Friday I wet shopping with my housemates for some basic essentials and finished the day by enjoying the night life with the rest of the students in the Madrid program.

Then on Saturday I had the experience of a lifetime when I traveled to Segovia. The program organized a free (eh, kinda) trip for the day as a welcome experience - and what an experience it was!

If you look at my pictures on Facebook they don't even do the town and the architecture justice. All of the buildings are so similar and they give the town a unification that I've only ever seen in movies. But at the same time all of the buildings are different in a unique way as you get closer.

The reality is, Spain (and many other European countries for that matter) have a history that can only be dreamed about in the United States. These towns, villages, churches and architectural feats were accomplished thousands of years before anyone knew of "The New World." As a result, small towns in Spain have a uniqueness to them that can only be fully grasped through personal experience and adventure.

El Catedral (the main church in Segovia) is the most amazing thing I have ever seen. The outside is absolutely beautiful, but the real history and wonder is inside. Unfortunately, no one is allowed to take pictures/videos inside but I can assure you it was the most breathtaking thing I have ever experienced. The ceilings are endless, the design is immaculate and it's unlike anything I have ever imagined in the largest cathedral I have ever seen.

The streets are slopped upward as you walk into town toward the church and after walking past the church toward the outskirts of town the streets slope downward. That alone shows the true importance and significance the church had in previous centuries.

In addition to the trip, I have realized how quickly the brain can adapt when truly tested. If you put yourself in situations where you have to speak Spanish and if you force yourself to speak Spanish with your American and Spanish friends then the language encompasses your brain. You get to a point where it is so forefront in your mind that it becomes difficult to use English. I have only been here three days and I already find it difficult to text or speak English after long periods of using Spanish.

However, what made me realize how much progress I have already made was when I sat down and began writing this post. Every sentence I try to write my brain is instinctively trying to type in Spanish. I have to physically concentrate on using English as the Spanish is primary in my brain right now after using it all day. I HAVE ONLY BEEN HERE THREE DAYS! I can't even imagine how much more difficult English will become in the coming weeks, but I can assure you I am excited.

Please look at the pictures and videos I have posted to Facebook in the last few days, they are worth your time, I promise.

I am having the absolute experience of a lifetime and every hour is better than the previous!

Thank you so much to everyone who has helped me get to this point. I will try my best to keep the posts in English but in the future it might not be possible.

Qué te vaya bien!

The journey and arrival...El viaje y el atterizaje

The last 24 hours of my life have seen more ups and downs than other day in my life. From nervous about the flight, to uncomfortable on the plane, exhausted from lack of sleep, overwhelmed as a result of cultural and language barriers, to now, happy to be here and finally feeling as though I can survive, it has been a challenge thus far.

The combination of no sleep, travel stress, not understanding your home combined with weird new smells and experiences made the first couple hours in Madrid unlike anything I have experienced. After lunch and my first siesta, however, everything turned around.

We toured the Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol while walking around the "kernel of the city" drinking Sangria and eating "the best ham in the world." A couple hours of walking and snacking was followed with another delicious meal. And what better way to be greeted at your new home than to walk in and see the Spanish national team playing basketball on the television. Wow.

Finally, what better way to complete my first day en España than to find a Tapas Bar with my housemates and disfruta la marcha (enjoy the nightlife).

I think I'm gunna like it here...