September Night Out

School has started and we all wanted to get to know each other better--and get away from school on a Friday. We decided to go bowling.  They got creative with the names, for example, I was paulipoop--I know, mature. Pictured below are all in my class. Artur and Jeremi are from Poland, Liban from England, and the rest are Swedish, but have been exchange students in the U.S.

I was second-to-last, but I'm proud!




After bowling, I met up with my other childhood friend, Lisa, who goes to the same school as I. She introduced me to her friends at the English pub--in Sweden. Uppsala is known for being a student-city, due to the large University here. A magician (who was studying to be an electrician) ended up entertaining us; I was very impressed!






The prius that I get to drive to school everyday, has really grown on me.The drive home offered such a beautiful sunset that I had to take a picture! Taking pictures while driving is a new habit of mine.

Swedish Summer

So I have left the Californian summer for Sweden. Sweden's most beautiful season is the summer, so I did not at a bad time! This is the view of Odalgården, which is my grandmother's conference hotel a bit outside of Uppsala. 
 I went first through fourth grade here in Sweden, so I have could contact some old friends from school. Rasmus Andersson went to same school as I, and he still lives around the area, so I invited him over to Odalgården. It was 68F and We found some worms and started fishing.


We took the little boat out on the lake. I only caught small bate fish, but Rasmus caught a 2kg pike. However, the electric motor was dying, and I had lost all hope, so we showed the catch to the kitchen. My grandmother later made a soup from the fish, which felt really old-fashioned, but cool! There might have been some bones, but overall it was good.

On the otherside of the lake, tre örningen( three corners), some were jumping into the water. Rasmus was completely against swimming, but I was hoping to take a dip with some brave souls later on! I work at Odalgården as a waitress, receptionist, or whatever is needed at the time. On the otherside of the lake (about a two minute drive) is where I live with my grandmother until later.

Vi ses!
Pauline

My month in photos

 Had a day off school for a Europe-wide strike

So, I spent it at Parque del Retiro with exchange students taking pictures

                                                            

Me and my favorite New Yorker, Marissa

Jen from Louisiana

Emily from Missouri, Jen and I

Had some fun in the adult exercise section of the park

Had two exchange student friends staying in another part of Spain come visit for the weekend

Caitlin (from Australia), Josh (Canada), Sophie (Canada), Margeir (Iceland)

 Took them to see the sights

...they brought tights

Josh, me and our Spanish friend Ana

Caitlin, Josh Margeir, Sophie and I at the royal palace

Took them to see the Templo de Debod

The gecko made of CD's

Gran Via (Madrid's Broadway)

More pretty buildings and neighborhoods

Sarah (from Germany), Jen, Marissa, Emily, Me and Katherine (another California girl)

Exchange student dinner night (Pawel from Poland and Katherine) 

The girls with Captain Jack

Sarah, Katherine, Emily, Marissa, Jen and Conley (from Texas)

#mugshot. Don from Missouri locked up abroad

My Canadian friends are very patriotic

Me, Bella (my Jersey girl) and Sophie

Photo opp with our new Spanish friends

Went to a Real Madrid football and basketball game with my brother

Attended my brother's bball game with his girlfriend Paula, my host dad, Paula's mom, and my host mom 

Toured congress

Discovered my favorite spot in the city, the view from my roof

My garden

Cena de Accion de Gracias (thanksgiving dinner)

Holidays while on exchange can be a slightly bittersweet experience, thanksgiving for example. This was my first thanksgiving without my family, but luckily I had my exchange student family to celebrate with.

Rotary's attempt to plan an American thanksgiving meal in Spain was no doubt a difficult task. So we forgive them for substituting apple tart for pumpkin pie (the pumpkin soup they gave us was amazing). BUT...that was definitely not turkey they gave us.

We were all a little curious why our families and rotary and even the waiters were so interested in how we liked the pavo (turkey). Then we found out (afterwords) that it was because we were actually eating pato (duck)...they even had the waiters lie to us.

Definitely the most...interesting thanksgiving i've ever had, but also one of the best.

What's for dinner?

"What's for dinner?" has never been a question the answer to which I fear. My mom's a talented cook who enjoys challenging dishes. So, I've been raised to eat what I'm given. Her continuous appeal to "just try it," was never a problem for me. Then I came to Spain.

I tackled whole pigs legs, blood sausage, salads made of various smelly cheeses and covered in small, slimy, silvery, raw fish. 

My host family showered me with praise, "this Americana! She eats everything!" (Quite a compliment since they expect most Americans to eat nothing but tater tots, Heinz 57 and coca cola). I relished asking them before each meal, "what is this?" Hearing their hesitant responses (waiting for the dish that would send the little American girl packing) and then seeing the surprised but very pleased looks when I cleaned my plate.

That is, until the pigs ears. Covered in a tomato sauce truth be told they didn't actually taste badly. But while I could stomach (literally) Bambi, desert wines with the consistency of house paint, and the once beating heart of one of Bugs Bunny's relatives...the idea of a pig's ears did me in. I won't go into details (nor attach pictures). I'll just say I no longer ask what I'm eating, till after I've eaten it. But, on the plus side, I'd say I had quite an Anthony Bourdain moment there.

Or so I thought, till I talked with an exchange student friend in Portugal. If I had an Anthony Bourdain moment, then he IS a young Anthony Bourdain. A D.C. kid born and raised and living in rural Portugal for a year asks his host family "what's for dinner?"..."oink oink" is the response. Yes, you know you're in rural Portugal when you ask what's for dinner and dinner answers. My friend, the young Anthony Bourdain, found himself treated to a sacrificio (an Iberian tradition where an entire village turns out to kill a pig, it's as common there as the Super Bowl is here). And as guest of honor he was the butcher. An important fact I should also mention is that part of the tradition includes not wasting a single piece of the pig. So, while I ate a pig's ears...he ate the. Entire. pig.

He wins.



Here's a look at some of my less...scarring food experiences.

                                                        There's a fish under all that salt.

                                                Made my first Spanish tortilla with my host dad.