Going home at last!

I'm in the plane on my way home. The flight I booked 7 months ago. The trip I've been thinking about since I got to the UK. Being back, with friends and family and my house. And Christmas! Leaving is really bittersweeet. I'm looking forward to NOT stepping over vomit on the sidewalk. And there are many things and people I've missed. The weather, my shower, and good produce!

Edinburgh definitely felt familiar by the time I left, though, like I'd been there for years. I had this surreal moment yesterday on Waverley Bridge and stopped in my tracks-- I realized, or I guess fully internalized, that I'd been living in Scotland! A foreign nation. 13 hours by plane away from my family. 24 hours later, I'd be living in a completely different nation.

This semester was better than I could have hoped for. I had very few expectations, honestly. How can you even start to imagine a life on the opposite side of the world in a university with 25 times as many student as the one you're used to? In a city compromised of casual history treasures that predate, by far, your entire country? I showed up with an open mind, basically. As ready as I could be for any adventure. And I like to think that I was successful at going on as many adventures as I could and really making the most of my study abroad experience.

From people I met, to places I visited, to the linguistics community I joined, to the academic, practical, and cultural things I learned, the past few months have been so jam-packed, exhausting, terrifying, and rewarding. I learned about things from all sources: French cuisine tips and German syntax from Camille, capital punishment and tax evasion in Scotland from a cab driver, Lebanese cultural hallmarks from a couple in the airport, how to get the tangles out of my untamable hair in record time from Alex, the difference between being British and being Scottish from everyone local, the hidden secrets of Edinburgh from Tom, what to leave for Santa in the UK from Alex's flatmates, and how to cook a full English breakfast from Katy and Gemma. I went to WAY more museums than I can count, ran around Arthur's Seat and never stopped being thrilled by its beauty, and realized the value of picking up loose change.

I learned what it means to be an American-- what people think of us, how we look from the outside, what things make us awful, and what things really justify our arrogance. Every person has an opinion, and a strong one at that, of the United States. Being a 'dual citizen' made the terms "our" and "us" quite confusing: Edinburgh? Britain? The US? California? Pomona?! I feel an allegiance to many places. Being a temporary Scot has not made me more or less American- just a different kind.

On Friday, I finished my last exam! It felt great to have nothing to do for an afternoon but buy tons of Christmas presents. I ate a great dinner with Alex's family, who arrived on Thursday. It was just so nice to be with a family again. Siblings and parents, sharing food and inside jokes. I went home planning to get to bed early for my 4:45 am cab ride to the airport the next day. Instead, Camille and I ended up staying up all night talking. We discussed all things French, all things gossipy, and all things Christmas. It was the best way to end my time here. She even made me homemade Chai tea and scrambled eggs! It was her first time making scrambled eggs (since she always makes fancier ones). She learned from watching me so many times!

I hope I was able to teach my flatmates more than just how to cook a lazy student breakfast, though. And I hope that I'll be fortunate enough to go back someday, to give Mom, Dad and Ty a tour of the city I called home for a semester. I hope that my grades in this wonky system come out okay! I hope that I don't lose the Britishisms in my speech. I hope that kind and brilliant people, like the generous store clerks who let me slide on the 5 pence I was short, the professors who saw it from our point of view, the flight attendants who brought me extra cookies, the gym staff whose days revolved around helping disabled people work out, and this adorable young Danish girl next to me on this plane, continue to cross paths with me. And I hope you all enjoyed reading my blog.

Three hours until Los Angeles comes into view! Three days until Christmas!

It's been fun. It's been really fun. Can't believe I'm finally actually leaving home, to go home again...

The suitcases are out!

You know when you've been away for too long when your flip flops have collected a thick layer of dust in the corner...

California, here I come!

One more final, one more day, and then back to the Edinburgh Airport for the final time.

Too bad I JUST discovered the sauna in the gym...

(Read the Barcelona one first!) PARIS. I WAS IN PARIS.

-Written from the Metro on Day 2:

Day 1 in Paris was terrifying. I don't speak French. And I didn't have a very good map. So I spent literally 3 hours wandering around blindly trying to just find a Metro station, let alone my hostel. But in the process, I accidently stumbled upon the Arc de Triomphe. And from that point on, though my heavy backpack was killing me and my feet hurt, I knew that it was going to be okay. Because I found a world famous landmark through aimless wandering.

CRAZY drivers. This is an intersection, with cars going in all directions.

I was really there! Accidentally, of course.

Of course, I got a map ASAP, but the city is huge and I did spend a considerable amount of tine lost, especially before I got the hang of the Metro. Now I'm a pro, and I fit in with the French so much that I've been approached, in French, for directions 3 times. I realized I stand out MUCH less as a tourist when I'm alone, since they can't hear Alex and I speaking English... I do my best to disguise my American identity: lots of French greetings with my best Parisian accent, and only checking the map when no one's looking. It's more fun to fit in.

The French and their cultural superiority

Metro tunnel! Made sure nobody was paying attention before I took this...

So what did I actually do while equipped with a map? I explored Christmas markets, where I had a simple but exquisite jambon et fromage (ham and cheese) sandwich on a perfect baguette. Then I decided to take my picture with as many Parisian Santas as possible (stay tuned for the results!)

Stacks and stacks of chocolate at the Christmas fair

Un gafre (waffle) with Nutella and whipped cream. They love Nutella here

I window-shopped and gawked at the super fashionable, but ridiculous, displays. I people-watched Parisians with their berets and tiny dogs and fancy coats and delicate glasses and perfect shoes. Stereotypes: confirmed!

Some have ferrets instead of tiny dogs, of course. Or are they possums? We'll never know.

I also discovered an amazing patisserie and boulangerie down the street from my hostel. I ordered the most amazing pastry ever- un Suisse (Swiss Chocolate). Finished it in about 30 seconds and debated getting a second.

My awkward pointing and French-lish ordering has been working fine so far, and people seem to appreciate my effort. They're right though- immersion is seriously the best way to learn a language. I can understand signs now, at least, and greetings.

Sadly it was closed for a service, but I got to see the Notre Dame from the outside. It's massive! And then I took a walk along the Seine, munching a fresh baguette along the way. I was aiming for the Eiffiel Tower, which I could see in the distance. Discovered Pont de l'Archeveche, the bridge with all the padlocks along the way, and it felt pretty unreal, like when I saw the Arc- so famous and iconic! But... those locks and the glowing river at night had nothing on the Eiffel Tower.

I took the elevator to the top and saw the whole city. Took a few pictures for foreign couples, lost feeling in all parts of my body due to the Everest windchill, and I just soaked it in.

-Written from the airport shuttle:

The next day, I woke up bright and early (well actually, it was still dark until 9 am), and did what every tourist in Paris must: visited the Louvre. They aren't kidding- it's big. Too big, in my opinion. Quantity doesn't always beat quality, and if I had been in charge, I would have been more selective. No one wants to see 3,000 naked marble men. No matter how chiseled (get it?) their abs are. But still, it really is an impressive place. I learned a lot about Islamic, Greek, French and Italian art, saw all the essentials, and explored until my eyes stopped being able to focus on and appreciate what I was seeing. My favorite part of the Louvre, honestly, was people-watching. Lots of Asian tourists frantically snapping pictures, bored school groups, a bunch of very Southern ladies from Alabama or something, and the painters and sketchers recreating the works.

Bangs and pigtails are very in in Japan

If it's in the museum, it must be important enough for a picture

The crowd to see the Mona Lisa

My Mona Lisa smile, with her in the background. See the resemblance?

The artiste in action

Henry Winkler's long-lost twin? Or maybe Scorcese...

Another recreationist in action (on the right)

It's a big, big place.

Next, I took the Metro (my home away from home) to Montmatre, an artsy district with tons of windy, hilly streets and stalls. At the top of the mountain is Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart)- a breathtaking cathedral. Just like in Spain, cathedrals are a huge deal here, and worship is always accompanied by stained glass and gold plaques.

I dropped by the hostel after that for a free afternoon crepe! The guy asked if I wanted it with sugar or with jam. I said both. And then I was off again.

The Musee D'Orsay. Too much to say about this place. Definitely the best thing I did in Paris. And because I'm a student in the EU for now, I got in for free! With Dad's advice, I got the audio guide, and was super glad I did. The museum has all my favorite artists under one (gorgeous and ornate) roof: Van Gogh, Monet, Seurat, Renoir. And a beautiful model of the Opera House. And so much more. It was just... I was just so glad to be there. I stayed until they kicked me out at closing. (Side note- they say "Van Gof"in British English, since it's Dutch. Do all Americans say it wrong?!) I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside, sadly. Just use your imagiation.

My hostel's stairwell. Fancy wallpaper!

The restaurants in Paris really do look like the little places in the States designed to look French! But the waitress was so rude and abrupt that it was definitely still France. The quiche du jour- with beef, tomatoes and pesto- was out of this world. It really was, Nanny. Sorry to keep talking about food! But French food really is superior. All the French people in the UK and Spain that I've talked to are very proud of it. But then again, they're French. They're proud of everything that's French!

With only a few hours til it was time to catch my airport shuttle, I shopped at a farmer's market that popped up by my hostel (must be a Friday thing). So much cheese! Fresh fish, olives, flowers and gorgeous produce, some of which I didn't recognize. I bought the best apple I've eaten in months. Everyone was nice and very cheery.

Next stop- La Defense, a cool, modern part of town with lots of outdoor artwork, and a Public String. Every city needs one.

But on the Metro trip over there, we were packed on the train with not even enough room to bend our elbows. Other cities besides LA have terrible rush hour traffic. Ours just happens on the freeways, not underground.

I'm on the shuttle now, reflecting back on my exhausting few days in Paris, France. I spent a decent amount of time just eating bread and looking around. It was perfect. Heard people say "Excuse moi" and "Oo la la" without trying to be funny or snobby! Got mistaken for a Russian by my accent. (What?!) Had conversations with people from Tunisia, Israel, Spain, Canada, Britain, and Australia. Got grossed out by everyone smoking. Tried caviar. Hated caviar. Noticed couples are all cuter when they're speaking in French. Realized that tons of music in France is from the States. (Heard the guy next to me on the Metro blasting Ke$ha.) Also realized that the US is not very accommodating to tourists- the Musee D'Orsay made loudspeaker announcements in French, English, Spanish, Italian, German AND Japanese.

Andddd I discovered that I can survive by myself in a foreign country! I'm glad to be going back, but very, very glad I went.

Au revoir, Paris. Bonjour, Edinburgh. One last week.

Funny food stuff:

So expensive. So gross.

McDonald's all have a McCafe attached- with macarons and other fancy pastries and drinks.

Happy Hanukkah! Here's the matzo.

Didn't know these existed!

Anddd, for your viewing pleasure, me and Santas!

A bit out of order- Barcelona!

12/12/12- a date that looks the same in the US and the UK!

I'm getting to know the Edinburgh Airport like the back of my hand. I arrived here, flew to Dublin, London and Barcelona. Now I'm back again to go to Paris! It's been a whirlwind. I've been writing papers nonstop, only pausing to pack my bags and travel again. I'm not complaining- it's been amazing. Busy in the best possible way. But it won't be a bad thing to have a month to unwind after my European adventure. I'm pretty culturally confused right now.

Before I take off (literally. I'm in the plane as I write this) for France, I need to recap BARCELONA!!! Alex and I spent 4 days exploring the city, and loving it. My Spanish came in handy, but English signs and speakers weren't too hard to find. The hardest part was navigating the city! Especially in the Gothic Disrict, there's just a web of similarly-named alleys. Lots of hidden treasures: tiny restaurants, craft stores, and churro stops!

Churros and chocolate (under all the whipped cream)

Soup of the Day is whiskey at the Irish pub. Figures.

The food was great, and (typical to how we always travel!), we ate well. Tapas, paella, fresh fruit and cheeses from the markets, chocolate-dipped churros, empanadas, seafood-- all fresh. Eating pineapple and melon was really great- I'd been having separation anxiety!

Rice with squid ink and seafood- just like last time, Nanny

My favorite paella man

But don't worry, we did more than just eat. Our hostel was perfectly situated right by a Christmas fair overflowing with locals. We learned about Caga Tio, a popular Catalan Christmas figure who poops out presents for kids if they whack him- every stall had the little poop figures!

Overflowing. Seriously crowded.

We enjoyed a night show of the Magic Fountain, which played the Spanish Christmas favorites of Jingle Bell Rock and Holly Jolly Christmas.

Our hostel was right next to a gorgeous cathedral with impressive ceilings, tons of shrines to the saints, and views of the whole city.

Catholicism was definitely a theme in Spain, just as royalty and clan disputes have hugely shaped British and Scottish history and landmarks. Lots of castles in the UK, lots of churches in Catalunya. We visited the private collection of Frederic Marès. He owned several hundred figures of Jesus- a bit of a haunting sight. He also collected rare pipes, fans, human-hair artwork, "flower" arrangements made out of seashells, weapons, and stamps. Very eclectic museum, but definitely cool.

Keeping with the religious trend, Alex and I spent a day at Montserrat- a mountaintop monastery just outside of the city. The views from the hike were incredible! And we had fun on the funiculars to various different shrines hidden in the hills. Once again, the cathedral was gorgeous. This one is home to a legendary black Mary and Child statue... people were queuing for an hour just to get near it.

We spent a lot of time on the Metro, which is SUPER efficient. We never waited more than 5 minutes for a train, and we were always within blocks of where we wanted to be. LA needs a good public transportation! You don't realize how terrible it is until you experience how it should be.

On our Metro voyages, we took in all of Gaudi's masterpieces around the city. La Sagrada Familia, though I doubt it'll ever actually be finished, is so stunningly complex and intricate.

La Casa Batllo is very distinct and whimsical- it reminds me of the witch's candy house in Hansel and Gretel. 

And last but certainly not least, Park Guell! I don't know where the heck Gaudi got his inspiration. And I think his work is definitely not overrrated.

The view from the park

Moving from one famous artist to another, I really enjoyed the Picasso Museum. Though his later works are seriously weird, his earlier stuff shows how he was influenced by Barcelona and why his style tranformed into the abstract that he's known for. He was a very talented drawer and painter, and he even dabbled in sculpture.

Montjuic, on the way other side of the city, houses tons of gardens and the Olympic venues from 1992. We strolled through the Jardi Botanic, laughed at oddly-named plants, and walked around the Olympic Plaza. The weather was GREAT- low 60s, high 50s (which is about 20 degrees warmer than Edinburgh right now), and I was jealous of all the runners who were exercising in the (relative) warmth.

The torch

Taking advantage of the ideal December weather, Alex and I went to Barceloneta, the beach just at the end of La Rambla. Barcelona is so rich and dense: a huge market a block from a massive cathedral, from modern shops and restaurants, from world-reknowned museums, from the beach! Alex was MUCH braver than I was and actually went in the water, but just dipping my feet in was enough for me. We people-watched and sunbathed, fighting off incessant vendors and women who wanted to give us a five-euro "very good very nice" massage. No thanks.

Me and Columbus

We encountered vendors and musicians (with accordions, Mom!) on a bunch of the trains, too. And tons of street artists and performers who were completely painted, dancers, sandcastle builders, violinists, and just people with weird stuff, like ducks and trolls (who were actually not performing, but still).

It definitely felt more culturally distinct than what I'm used to. Beyond the food and the building styles, the people themselves are different in Spain. Expressive, romantic, sassy, but welcoming. Brits are far more reserved. It was a fun change.

I've got to wrap this up- I'm looking now at the French countryside, lightly frosted. Hooray for budget airlines that drop you an hour and a half from Paris in an airport with toilet seat-less toilets and too few chairs. But it's been an unbelievably successful semester, travel-wise. I loved Barcelona. The streets, the sounds, the colors, the sea. And now I'm ready (as I'll ever be, I guess) to begin my first solo foreign trip! I guess I'll have to read the map without Alex for awhile... Au revoir!