Writings by a Fountain

Last night I went for a walk and wanted to write. Since I'm still in this towns nd today I haven't yet left my hostel (waiting for laundry to dry) here is a little of what happens in my head. 

Estoy casa enfermo. Sitting in a Spanish plaza I listen to my music, headphones in my ears, looking at the starless night sky. I enjoy the sound of nothing but the glacier-like waterfall that reminds me of the river back home. Except where the water back home is fresh and twists and winds through the valley, past farms and under bridges, this waterfall is in the middle of the town and the water just continues to be turned on or off depending on the time of day. Many tourists walk by and take photos of it; I'm not sure if they are all tourists, my friends and I take pictures with tourist attractions back home all the time. I get the feeling that there is something happening in this town. First, there was some festival yesterday and now at the chapel behind this waterfall there are a lot of black shiny cars and people in suits and police and guards. I wonder if there is a president or some sort of importance in town. A police van is driving through the courtyard. Two in fact. This is very odd indeed. 

This is one of those nights where I wish I had a pack of cigarettes and a table in the corner of the world. I would sit and watch the going ons around me and eventually somebody would come ask me what I'm looking at and id tell them "everything." 

I want to ask someone what's happening. "¿Qué pasa? Y puede hablas dispació, por favor." And could you speak slowly please. But I know id still only understand a word or two and id have to piece together things with my own imagination. You know, sometimes I wish I didn't have to imagine. That life was just so brilliant and adventurous that I was to busy enjoying it to imagine something better. Something better could not be imagined.

I have been going to bed early since I've been here, 8 or 9. That's when the Spanish people eat dinner though and now at 7:30 there are far more people out and about than I expected. People walking out of churches and restaurants, children running and looking for their parents, tourists taking pictures of themselves in typical tourist poses - peace sign; falling; with food. This new language swirls around me and I grasp to understand even a word; but, one word streams into the second without a hint of a breath and I lose any understanding of the conversation I was hearing. 

~~~~~~~

And that's where typing my thoughts ended as my fingers became frozen. Now I'm going to continue waiting for laundry to dry. It's about as much fun as watching pain dry. :/ Madrid soon. Can't wait! 

It was just the names.

I accidentally booked myself in this town for 6 nights when I have already seen the town in its entirety in the last two days. Zaragoza is charming and beautiful but for a lone traveler who needs to meet people, it's as boring as a plain biscuit. The churches and cathedrals are cool and today I found a castle that I checked out. It used to be for Christian, Muslim, and roman use and then as military barracks. Now as a museum. I thought I could go into all the little rooms and up the stairs and scurry around but it was all blocked off and I had to be content with imagining what was behind the big iron gates in certain parts. However, I hope to go to Toledo in the next couple of weeks and I hear it has a couple castles. We shall see. If all else fails I will simply go to Ireland or Scotland sooner and find their castles. 

This town is not without its own entertainment though yesterday I took a walk and as I stepped into the same plaza that had been so empty just a few hours earlier was now swarming with people. And every church had a form of mass happening and there were weird scary puppets and cotton candy and chocolate and bread. I asked the tourist lady what was happening and she kindly told me all about it and have me some flyers. They were in Spanish. So I still have no idea what happened but it was cool. There was music all around and different bands playing. I heard a Spanish version of "hokey pokey" sung by am Spanish version of The Wiggles. Something about a band of adults purposely performing kids songs just seems so creepy. Personally, if either of my parents were to do that I think I'd assume they had committed a crime and were doing community service. Oh to be 5 and naive and happy to sing along to any song. 

I have no clue what I will do for the next three days. Maybe ill take their train to a weird old town on the outskirts. My hostel is so cold (or maybe I'm getting sick) and so while I'm here I just try to sleep. Which is also fun. Anyway, sorry for the monotonous post. I promise next time I will try to make life sound more exciting. Madrid on the second :) 

Buenas tardes world. All my love, 

Sarah. 

Let the Confusion Begin Again

There are few things more awkward than goodbyes; however, foreign goodbyes in a foreign country with foreign people gets to be one of those things. As I was bidding farewell to my new Barcelona friends, I was the awkward recipient of hugs, handshakes, two-cheek air kisses, three-cheek air kisses, and two-cheek physical kisses with a hug. For a girl who thinks hugging is weird, this blew all my limits. But I have to admit it was nice to feel like I will be missed by people who were only strangers to me a week ago. 

At 1, I took the bus headed toward Zaragoza. Or, as the receptionist has now confused me, "tharagotha" with the accent. You know that incredible feeling of excitement you get when you board a bus about to leave town? You've got an awesome song and the best playlist you've ever made ready to go and as the engines start up you hit play and nostalgically stare out the window to watch the memories roll by. Well, that's all fine and dandy when leaving a small town like my home, but when leaving a city it's a whole different world. First, the bus engines start up and you hit the play button on your iPod thinking "yes! This is it!" And then you sit there for another fifteen minutes. Next, the bus finally starts to backup and so you restart the playlist and begin that melancholy glance out the window--- into a bus station filled with other busses and people who are staring at you wondering if you're okay. After that the bus gets on the highway and its just trucking along and as soon as you pass the big apartment building you replay the begging of the playlist. Finally, finally it's working out like you had imagined. And 30 minutes later you pas a big "leaving Barcelona" sign and realize that the movies must skip a huge time frame between the awesome song and nostalgic window glances. 

But movies can't really grasp the awkwardness of a first night in a new hostel. Here I am in an amazingly cool hostel in Zaragoza and after 20 minutes of arrival I've managed to say hello. That's it. If this trip teaches me anything I hope it's to be more outgoing. I always seem to leave he introductions up to others, scared of saying the wrong thing or being talked about in a foreign language. But I guess we have to over come silly fears. So I'm off to greet my fellow hostellers and find food. Ill probably try to find food first though.... 

Good evening world. All my love, 

Sarah. 

P.S. everyone I've met assumes I'm French because of my last name. Now I'm pondering if my parents lied about my British ancestry. Hmmm

This is my Siesta.

It is the middle of the afternoon here when the shops close up for a couple of hours and the locals sleep and the tourists whine about nothing being open. Around noon I found the Arc De Triumf and sat and wrote for a while, basking in the warm sunshine. With not a cloud in the sky I wanted to take the moment to tan (freckle) and wondered why people kept staring at me as they walked by. They weren't just casually looking either. It was straight up staring. I thought it could be my red hair or maybe they were just looking at the lamppost/ statue/ bench I was on; but, my red hair isn't that odd (shh..) and there were lots of other lamp post thingamajigs. I finally clued in. It's January. Everyone was bundled up in long sleeves and hoodies and there were even some people on fur winter coats WITH THE HOOD UP!!!! I wanted to ask "are you allergic to the sun?!?!" But alas, I don't know how to say that in Spanish nor the local language, Catalan. Eventually I wandered around the beautiful Parc de Ciutidell and made my way to the beach. Those places are not that close so I took a long walk in the sun until I saw the Mediterranean Sea. It was stunning. Did you know I've never been to the beach on a perfectly sunny day? Not an ocean beach at least. Today is simply blue skies meeting the sea. I again wondered where all the surfers were and why no one was tanning. Again, it's January.... 

However, there were about five people wearing less clothes than I. (Mom, stop freaking out. I'm in a tank top and jeans- modest as ever.) They were guys playing some awkward form of volleyball/futball. Using a volleyball and net they kicked or chest bumped the ball over the net. It was interesting to watch but judging from the shouts and sighing I heard, they weren't very good. Also, they weren't in beach clothes. At least, not beach clothes I was used to seeing on men. All were clad in underwear that must be a European fashion because it was neither the boxer shorts nor the tighty whiteys Canadian and Americans often wear. Unfortunately , it was an odd mix of both therefore resulting in an unflattering, saggy, male version of granny panties. 

All in all it was an educational day and now I am lying in my bunk trying to stop the soreness that has come from all my walking in this city. 

Good day world. All my love 

Sarah. 

Morning Adventures

This morning I woke up at 4 and watched movies. Then I kinda slept again and suddenly it was 8 o'clock. I'm briefly going to fill you in on my bunk partner. No, we are not sharing but we are both top bunkers and if we were really tall our feet would touch when we lie down. Anyway, he is old and grey and looks about 67 or something and he always sleeps! Every day when I go into the room he is sleeping. Last night at around 8 when I was going to my bed I passed him as he was leaving the room. I didn't really think of it except this morning at four his bed was suddenly empty and it was still so when I went for breakfast at 8. When I came back around 8:45 he was sitting in bed wearing a leather jacket and texting. So I have the idea that he is either a hardcore partier or a pimp. Who else sleeps all day and stays out all night while living in a hostel? 

Around 10 I decided to take a walk through a little alley I keep passing and I found a market, a liquor store, and a drugstore. I just wandered the streets taking in the morning business in a little spanish town. The buildings reach up so high and beneath various windows are balconies from which colourful clothes hang drying. When I glanced in front I me again I realized I had stepped off the street and into a park full of stone arches and playgrounds and trees. It was beautiful and mystic and seemed like I had stepping into an old castle. I came across some old men playing a game that looked like "Boche" and I watched them play for a while. One person would roll the ball in an attempt to knock their opponents ball out of the way and everyone else would stand around with cigars in their mouths humming and hawing about what kind if throw it was. I gestured to my camera and asked "photo?" And one old man said yes so I snapped away. Shortly after, I was making my way back to the hostel when someone behind me said "hello! Where are you from?" I turned to see an older black man carrying a loaf of bread. 

"Uh... Canada." I told him. He began talking to me in accented English and as we walked he casually spoke spanish and said hello to a few people we passed. Suddenly we stopped at a door by the sidewalk and he asked "you want to come in for tea and bread? One day I will make you African food! But for now you can see my house." I didn't really know what to say but I didn't get a bad vibe from this guy so I said yes. And I walked into the smallest apartment I've ever seen. The man, Teru as he was called in Spain, showed me the shop, the kitchen and the living room- all basically one place. It was fascinating especially as he pointed to closed doors and staircases and said "people live there and there." About 6 people lived in private quarters all in this tiny apartment. We had tea and I told him I had to get back to my hostel to meet my friends. I now am sitting here recounting the most random adventure that ever came from accepting tea. 

In other entertainment, I am somewhat friends with two brothers from Ohio and they are pretty cool. They asked me if I wanted to go to the gym with them and i said I would meet them there. I decided I only wanted to swim but I found out that if I want to swim I must wear a bathing cap. And since those feel like condoms for the head I decided to forgo the gym altogether. So unfortunately those boys with have to work out on their own. I have no clue what I will do for the rest of the day but I don't seem to have much problem finding stories. 

I hope you are sleeping well as I write this. Much love 

Sarah 

Lets jump on a train and see where it takes us.

Day one in Barcelona! I just wrote m family a huge email and so I'm goin to simply copy and paste so I don't have to retell :) buenas tardes 

Hola familia! thats probably not right but its okay. At the moment it is a quarter after 1 pm here and already my day was so adventurous I´ve come back to the hostel.It started 12 hours ago when I finally walked into my hostel. I arrived late and after dark so finding my hostel was more difficult than necessary and everyone who offered to help was drunk or knew less English than I knew Spanish. Anyway, I signed in and got my room and went to bed in a room of 7 other people. Since it was a Saturday night, most of the people were out anyway and so i was able to figure my stuff out rather simply. And then I stared at the roof. And at the door. Then I checked facebook. And gmail. And youtube. and then I saw the window beside my bed. It has a beautiful view so I looked at that for quite a while and eventually I fell asleep. Around 5 this morning, some very drunk travelers decided to go to bed and drunk whisper while they did so. So basically talk in normal everyday voices. So after only 3 hours of sleep I was up and showering off 21 hours of grime and airplane skin cells. Best shower ever. Also, I couldn´t find the toilet last night and I REALLY had to pee so this morning when I found it hidding by the showers it was also the best pee ever. One becomes so much more grateful for facilities when traveling. 

Okay, now to the crazy metroe system part. I don´t really know what happened. Honestly, I needed to go somewhere because its my first day here and so after wandering around and not finding Sagrada Familía I found the metro station and bought a ticket. Luckily, I understood the words for train and ticket and the times. Unfortunately the train system made zero sense and I stared at the screen for about 5 minutes hoping that it would suddenly become an English speaking siri and tell me where to go. It didn´t. So I got a ticket for only a station away but the next station was kinda sketchy so I just stayed on the train. And then we went through the spanish slums or something - people were actually living in things that looked like the horseshelters; three walls and some blankets. So I didnt get off there either. In fact I stayed on until the final stop and greatly debated just going back but then I said to myself "don´t be a girl. Take this chance for adventure" so I got off the train in somewhere called Granollera Centre.I think that where it was. 

I stared at a couple more maps which also did me no help and I just walked. I didn´t walk far because as I walked past the bus stop three guys WHO WERE ON THE BUS got OFF the bus and started calling out at me and saying things I didn´t understand but I understood them to be flirtations and oy bonita bella! or something that sounded italian. I ignored them and walked on a mainish street but thought i heard footsteps behind me so I saw a coffee shop open and I stepped in. 

I tried to ask where I was but there was a delicious looking crossiant staring at me and my tummy reminded me that I had only eaten some foriegn cereal for breakfast. So I sat down and somehow communicated what I wanted. By the way, When you order black coffee over here you get straight espresso. I am literally shaking right now and not from nerves at all. I sat alone in the empty cafe and began writing in The Book for Len and Syd, and also a journal I have that Alix gave me. But the cafe filled up very quickly and everyone smiled at me and said something. I know people were talking about me wearing no makeup - the ladies here where very defined make up, even in the country like town i was in the women all had on a little makeup- lunch, coffee, four bagettes and five paninis (overheared, understood, got really excited) and other things spoken in a loud spanish fluery. The cashier asked where I was from and I told him and he said he was from peru and spoke a little English. His English was as good as my Spanish so after giving up at conversation I just asked for things in Spanish (Agua, por favor) and he´d reply in english (cold water okay?) and then Id go (Si, Frio Agua es bien) and we didn´t really care about sentence structure and whatnot because we were both communicating in a language we werent comfortable in and we were being understood. Best feeling. His name was Peter. Peter de Peru as I now refer to him. The second person to make conversation with me was Viejo Señor de Cafe which i´m pretending means Old Man from the Cafe. He was maybe 65- 70 years old and couldn´t leave me alone. or understand ´no entienda´. he just chattered away for about 3 minutes and then looked at me expectantly so I told him again " I dont understand" to which he responded by kissing my cheek say something para guapo (handsome) and buying me a coffee. and then he left and came back with his friend, had another coffee and then gave me a hug whispering in my ear guapo guapo señorita and kissing my cheek again. seriously, I probably should have been more creeped out but I just sat there and laughed in confusion surprise. So he left the coffee shop again and I took my chance to book it back to the train and back to Barcelona. The reason I think I left Barcelona is that it was a good 20 minute ride and when I told them estoy de barcelona they all looked super surprised. as if I had just walked from smithers to moricetown. So that was todays adventure.

Calgary, Alberta- Last Stop in Canada

I'm staying with my sister this week and last night my cousin/ best friend flew in as well. The three of us have known each other for about 13 years thanks to my dad marrying again. We were the only friends we had for a long time since two of us were homeschooled and the other was the elementary school bitch. So every weekend amidst fights and squabbles about who Jesse McCartney thought was cuter, we held American-Idol-like fashion shows and singing competitions. When the three of us get together it is often somewhat inappropriate and awkward for anyone around us. Or it's awesome, if they have a sense of humour and life long friendship. 

So I think for the rest of this week we are just gonna be enjoying each others company before they send me of into the world for six long months. 

Two days and I'm off!!!! Can not wait :D 

Ill likely post on here so if I get kidnapped my family will have a record of where I was. Should be a cool time. 

Later, ~S.

My Confessions.

On Saturday I leave my job and city to see my sister. A week from that I will be flying to Barcelona. In case I die, I want to make these confessions. Petty things that I sometimes feel stupid or guilty about. 

1. I think up scenarios where I would get attention, but I never carry them out. 

2. I'm trying to be an angel in hopes that ill get a cowboy. (A fail if I am indeed dead after this.)

3. Sometimes, when I'm at work waiting in tables and its been a rough day, an Asian walks in and I sigh because I immediately assume I won't understand them or they will jut be waving at me every second I'm not at their table. (I'm sorry,Asians, for judging and stereotyping) 

4. I think sex is gross and yucky. 

5. I think kissing is icky, yet I still want to be kissed by someone I like. 

6. Occasionally, I resent my siblings because I think I'll never measure up in their eyes. 

7. I want to know my parent's past, but what I know I their present I'm also scared to know their past.

8. I have three playlists titled "cry", "dont cry now" and "someone loves you, so cry" in my iPod. One for emotional days, one to convince me not to cry, and one to cy about being homesick, angry, and lonely. 

9. I hate self pity in others, yet I often pity myself. Changing that. 

10. I've had a month long crush on two of my managers before. 

11. I'm scared that I won't be remembered. 

12. People often interrupt me when I'm talking and I rarely finish what I was saying. And they rarely ask me about what I was saying. So I just stop telling people things. 

13. Nobody cares. 

14. I don't care. But I kinda do.

15. I think my little sister and her boyfriend are lovely but ridiculously attached to each other. 

16. I worry way to much about my cousin/best friend. 

17. If Sidney Crosby proposed, I would marry him purely on his looks even though I would be classified as incredibly shallow. But I love his smile. 

18. If Marlon Brando wasn't dead and appeared as he was in "guys and dolls" I would marry him too. I love his face. 

19. I pretend to be tough, but I'm a huge wimp. 

20. Sometimes, when I'm absolutely sure no one is around, I watch old Hannah Montana episodes.....

Well I feel better now that I have that off my chest. Hopefully I don't die. ¡Hasta luego!!