Giving thanks

Welp. I survived my first major holiday away from home. I also got to cook my very own version of Thanksgiving dinner for my Spanish family. They seemed to really enjoy it. I made some green beans, mashed potatoes and a chicken (they don't really do turkey in Spain...). It was delicious and I felt...

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The Broke Girl's Guide to Travel: London & Glasgow

One of the most compelling reasons for moving to Spain was the ability I would have to travel around Europe, so I'm planning my first weeklong trip to the United Kingdom in January. My birthday is January 9th so I figured I would consider this trip a little birthday gift to myself. My flights and buses have been booked! I even have a couch to crash on in Glasgow. As plans emerge I will...

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Last Place

Yesterday I ran my first race. It was a 7K road race along the Paseo Marítimo in Coruña, it was also the most excited I've ever been to fail miserably. I was so far beyond unprepared it's not even funny. And despite it all, I was able to finish absolutely last with a ridiculous grin on my face. The...

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Amen.

On a scale of 1 to the Jonas Brothers, how ridiculous is it that I'm listening to this on repeat? (No offense, Jo Bros) So many thanks to my friend Rachel for bringing this magical version of Nick Jonas' Jealous into my life. Where has this guy been anyway? Apparently he's been working out... a lot....

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Descendant Records

Listen to this song from The Lone Bellow before, during, or after reading this post and I promise you won't be sorry - unless you have terrible taste in music... (just kidding...but not really...) In all seriousness, even if you aren't usually a huge fan of folksy American, indie music...

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Helping Hounds

The mission of Helping Hounds Dog Rescue is “to take unwanted, neglected, abused or homeless dogs, and provide them with emotional, medical, behavioral and physical support so they can be adopted into loving, permanent homes.” They are located at 6606 Kinne Road, Dewitt, NY. HHDR is a non profit...

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Hating Pork in Spain

I hate pork. I live in Spain. Hating pork in Spain is not only difficult, it basically makes you an outcast. I never thought I'd be one to discuss my eating habits, but moving to a different country isn't only a physical adjustment, it's a gastronomical one as well. I thought moving to Spain would be...

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Cancer costs, so she's doing something about it

Watch this video. It will change your life. Then, donate to her incredibly worthy cause #standbuy ...

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And maybe stories are just data with a soul...

This TED talk by Brené Brown is easily one of the most inspiring I've ever seen. ...

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Standbuy

Dear friends, As you might know, I've been given the tremendous privilege of working with the super incredible internet startup, Standbuy.us. I'm really excited and proud to be working for Standbuy because of the amazing ways in which they are helping people. Standbuy allows people to create...

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The best laid plans...

"The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry..." of this I am certainly certain. Since I last wrote about a month ago, a lot has happened. I've moved to a new city in Spain, A Coruña, and well... that's about it, but it took a lot to find a place to move to and I've been very busy since the move...

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Toros in Las Rozas

I got to class early yesterday so I decided to sit and have a coffee. I was doing some writing when I looked up to see people gathering in the streets. I could feel the energy so I decided to make my way down to see what the commotion was about. I stopped and asked a sweet lady, Julia, what was happening....

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Writing Contests

The following are links to a few writing contests I've entered. I figured in addition to blogging I should be building my own personal writing portfolio. I'm enjoying working on a few short fiction pieces. It would feel pretty incredible to get recognized for my work. https://ellipsis.westminste...

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My First Weekend

This weekend was my first free weekend in Spain so I decided to do a little exploring. I caught the 622 bus from Las Rozas which took about 40 minutes to arrive into the Moncola station in the Madrid city center. From there I walked down Calle de la Princesa, passing the Plaza de España. When I reached Calle Gran Vía I stopped into a book store for a guide to Spain. I walked along...

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September Playlist

Love. Love. Loving this cover of Whitney Houston's How Will I Know by Sam Smith. This is some first dance material right here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwHACITShSI This girl's got some major talent. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv-fqXGum2g You haven't really lived until you've bought bottle service with your rent money. I couldn't help myself. It reminds me of...

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I'm too tired to blog...

I'm too tired to actually blog (#jetlag) but I'm rather proud to let anyone reading this know that I have learned to drive a car with a manual transmission! My motto from now on is, "CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH" - it's what my host mother kept saying while I was learning because she can't remember the word "clutch" but I got the idea. Bueno, ahora, voy a descansarme porque mañana tengo que levantarme...

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Your choices will change the world.

"Your choices will change the world." Some of the most profound wisdom I've ever received happened to be via a quote on a tea bag. Ironically, I don't like tea very much.&nbs...

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I should be packing...

I should be packing... but instead I'm watching New Girl and eating leftover red velvet cake, feeling the anxiety build up in my brain. Since Sunday I haven't been able to shut my thoughts off and unfortunately, I now find myself in the position of having only one day left to gather and pack all of the belongings I will need for an undetermined amount of time in a foreign country. Oh...

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