Last weekend I had the privilege of watching La Celestina with my friend Brad and some of his wonderful Spanish friends! This is an old Spanish play that was written at the end of the 15th century and is SUPER famous and one of the great Spanish works! I've read parts of the novel but had never seen it on stage before and it was amazing! The way they used the magic thread was artistic and perfect.
Afterwards, we went to the fabulous tapas bar called Divinos. Super cheap food and drinks that were gourmet quality! It's definitely one of my new favorite spots in the city! The rest of the week, I took a break from the library setting and instead worked from home and coffee shops. Sometimes you just need a change of setting to revamp your enthusiasm for work! Next week I'll return to the library and try and get my last set of reproductions in! Then its just read, read, read until my time is up here!
Maybe it's the weather or the fact that the holidays are getting closer, but I've been feeling a bit homesick this week :( Being here is great, but it sure does get lonely sometimes...
Since today is the Dia de Hispanidad here, I've been walking around taking pictures so next week I will post a bunch of those photos!
Ciao <3
Friday, October 12, 2012
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Week 4: Library Madness
Oops! I forgot to post last week :P So the last few weeks have just been research research research!
I'm kind of going back and forth between feeling like I've accomplished something and despair that I will ever finish this project lol. As with all historical research, you kind of have to wade through a bunch of stuff before you find something useful!
I've probably found around 100 documents total, most of them books that range from 150-700 pages lol! That might sound like a lot (I was kind of impressed with myeslf) but then I spoke to my superstar historian friend and she told me that she's already transcribed 400 documents. INSANE!!! BTW we've been here for the same amount of time (I might have been here a week longer actually lol). I'm hoping that her stuff is shorter than mine or at least easier to read, because otherwise I need to buff up my transcription skills!!!
At least I can say that I have found plenty of stuff for the first part of my dissertation and most of the stuff I will need for the second part. The final part (which is kind of the point lol) I have some useful things, but I definitely need to search around for a lot more!
As far as non-research-y stuff goes, I've continued exploring and walking everywhere and I've started to eat a lot healthier. I'm proud to report that I have lost around 20lbs since I've been here :) My goal is to lose 10 more before it comes time to go back to the EEUU (that's Estados Unidos for those of you who don't know)!
I'm trying to plan a trip somewhere north in a few weeks with my superstar historian friend so hopefully it all works out! I've explored a lot of southern Spain and really want to see more of the North, so our options are Burgos, Pamplona, or San Sebastian!
I miss everyone A LOT! But thankfully I have this wonderful city to distract me <3
I'm kind of going back and forth between feeling like I've accomplished something and despair that I will ever finish this project lol. As with all historical research, you kind of have to wade through a bunch of stuff before you find something useful!
I've probably found around 100 documents total, most of them books that range from 150-700 pages lol! That might sound like a lot (I was kind of impressed with myeslf) but then I spoke to my superstar historian friend and she told me that she's already transcribed 400 documents. INSANE!!! BTW we've been here for the same amount of time (I might have been here a week longer actually lol). I'm hoping that her stuff is shorter than mine or at least easier to read, because otherwise I need to buff up my transcription skills!!!
At least I can say that I have found plenty of stuff for the first part of my dissertation and most of the stuff I will need for the second part. The final part (which is kind of the point lol) I have some useful things, but I definitely need to search around for a lot more!
As far as non-research-y stuff goes, I've continued exploring and walking everywhere and I've started to eat a lot healthier. I'm proud to report that I have lost around 20lbs since I've been here :) My goal is to lose 10 more before it comes time to go back to the EEUU (that's Estados Unidos for those of you who don't know)!
I'm trying to plan a trip somewhere north in a few weeks with my superstar historian friend so hopefully it all works out! I've explored a lot of southern Spain and really want to see more of the North, so our options are Burgos, Pamplona, or San Sebastian!
I miss everyone A LOT! But thankfully I have this wonderful city to distract me <3
Friday, September 21, 2012
Week 2: Croquetas and Rioja
So I'm a bit late posting this! But man oh man have I been busy :) After finally settling into my apartment, my lovely mother and good friend Marilda came to visit after they finished the Camino de Santiago (this is a pretty awesome/intense pilgrimage that ends in the northwestern part of Spain)! My mother looked awesome, so I have now discovered the true secret to weight loss: Pilgrimage. Walking 13+ miles a day does wonders for the body!
Jokes aside, after hearing my mother's adventures I definitely think I want to try the pilgrimage in a year or two. It sounds extraordinary and the pictures looked incredible! Now I just have to train for it...
I made it to the library and got my official carne de investigador (insert tildes where necessary, I can't figure out how to get spanish letters to show up on here!). I was supposed to start my research today but unfortunately I had a bit of a snafu with my front door! It wouldn't lock! Thankfully some handyman type person came and magically fixed everything so I am now ready to wake up bright and early tomorrow to get started :)
In an effort to make my blog prettier, here are some pictures!
The neighborhood that I live in is pretty trendy! There are always people around and Fuencarral and Gran Via are like 2 steps away! Great shopping areas and I am pretty much obsessed with the H&M here. For real, serious Spanish fashions. I met up with my friend Brad last night and he took me around to some of his favorite places! The Mercado San Miguel was so awesome (although super crowded by the time that we got there). We took a wrong turn somewhere and I found the sex district of Madrid and saw my first Spanish prostitutes! It was a very educational night, to say the least!
I think I might start a new tradition where I post the most interesting things that I found each week for my research. This one I found awhile ago at Notre Dame in their Special Collections:
No hay mayor desigualidad que hacer todo igual.
Very interesting statement (There is no greater inequality than to make everything equal). Despite the fact that this quote came from the 16th century, it's a concept that is still very much present in society today. Although in this case it was specifically referring to religious difference rather than economic or social factors!
Jokes aside, after hearing my mother's adventures I definitely think I want to try the pilgrimage in a year or two. It sounds extraordinary and the pictures looked incredible! Now I just have to train for it...
I made it to the library and got my official carne de investigador (insert tildes where necessary, I can't figure out how to get spanish letters to show up on here!). I was supposed to start my research today but unfortunately I had a bit of a snafu with my front door! It wouldn't lock! Thankfully some handyman type person came and magically fixed everything so I am now ready to wake up bright and early tomorrow to get started :)
In an effort to make my blog prettier, here are some pictures!
The neighborhood that I live in is pretty trendy! There are always people around and Fuencarral and Gran Via are like 2 steps away! Great shopping areas and I am pretty much obsessed with the H&M here. For real, serious Spanish fashions. I met up with my friend Brad last night and he took me around to some of his favorite places! The Mercado San Miguel was so awesome (although super crowded by the time that we got there). We took a wrong turn somewhere and I found the sex district of Madrid and saw my first Spanish prostitutes! It was a very educational night, to say the least!
I think I might start a new tradition where I post the most interesting things that I found each week for my research. This one I found awhile ago at Notre Dame in their Special Collections:
No hay mayor desigualidad que hacer todo igual.
Very interesting statement (There is no greater inequality than to make everything equal). Despite the fact that this quote came from the 16th century, it's a concept that is still very much present in society today. Although in this case it was specifically referring to religious difference rather than economic or social factors!
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Bienvenida a Madrid!
This blog post will have to be a long one since it's been 2 weeks since the last one! Exciting things have happened since then: I successfully defended my prospectus and can now call myself ABD!!!!!! Also I have officially arrived in Madrid! Not without a few hiccups but I've worked most of them out AND I managed to do all of this without bursting into tears. Dare I say that I am handling stress better? GASP!
So here is the breakdown of what happened and further evidence that I may (I am only half serious when I say this!) be psychic:
For about a week now I have been having a recurring nightmare that my apartment didn't actually exist and that the company I had rented it from was really a huge scam! Everyone told me that I was crazy and just being dramatic because...well... I do have a bit of an "End Times" mentality when thinking about the worst case scenario.
My flight was smooth and uneventful. I decided against taking a Unisom for the fight and decided to take a wonderful nap once I arrived in Madrid in the wonderful apartment near the wonderful Palacio Royal across from the wonderful park that I was going to take wonderful pictures at. So I really only slept about 3 hours.
Bad choice.
When I got to Madrid, I called the rental company and found a taxi to get me to their offices. I walk upstairs and lo and behold... my apartment has been rented to someone else! Apparently, the woman that I had been in contact with (Eliana) had left her partner (Mike) and apparently they had parted on bad terms. Out of spite or some other very negative and mean motivation, she rented my apartment, that I had not only reserved 2 months in advanced but also paid a deposit for, to someone else and told Mike that it was "his problem now." Mike had a bunch of new listings ready for me to look at, but the only problem was that most of them could only be seen at 3 or 4 o'clock. This of course meant sitting in their office for about 4 hours, dead tired and getting more exhausted by the second. A wonderful woman named Soli (from Panama) showed me around and after seeing a few places I finally settled on the first one that I had seen. It's tiny, of course, and I had to rent it until the end of December (blech), and landlady seems like she might be an a-hole but it's clean, in a good area, close to the metro, and there is both a grocery store and starbucks very close by! Also I have internet!!!
By the time I got into the apartment it was nearly 9PM and I was about to drop! I've unpacked everything and now it's time to make this place feel like home. Maybe I'll even get in some exploring today :)
Ciao!
So here is the breakdown of what happened and further evidence that I may (I am only half serious when I say this!) be psychic:
For about a week now I have been having a recurring nightmare that my apartment didn't actually exist and that the company I had rented it from was really a huge scam! Everyone told me that I was crazy and just being dramatic because...well... I do have a bit of an "End Times" mentality when thinking about the worst case scenario.
My flight was smooth and uneventful. I decided against taking a Unisom for the fight and decided to take a wonderful nap once I arrived in Madrid in the wonderful apartment near the wonderful Palacio Royal across from the wonderful park that I was going to take wonderful pictures at. So I really only slept about 3 hours.
Bad choice.
When I got to Madrid, I called the rental company and found a taxi to get me to their offices. I walk upstairs and lo and behold... my apartment has been rented to someone else! Apparently, the woman that I had been in contact with (Eliana) had left her partner (Mike) and apparently they had parted on bad terms. Out of spite or some other very negative and mean motivation, she rented my apartment, that I had not only reserved 2 months in advanced but also paid a deposit for, to someone else and told Mike that it was "his problem now." Mike had a bunch of new listings ready for me to look at, but the only problem was that most of them could only be seen at 3 or 4 o'clock. This of course meant sitting in their office for about 4 hours, dead tired and getting more exhausted by the second. A wonderful woman named Soli (from Panama) showed me around and after seeing a few places I finally settled on the first one that I had seen. It's tiny, of course, and I had to rent it until the end of December (blech), and landlady seems like she might be an a-hole but it's clean, in a good area, close to the metro, and there is both a grocery store and starbucks very close by! Also I have internet!!!
By the time I got into the apartment it was nearly 9PM and I was about to drop! I've unpacked everything and now it's time to make this place feel like home. Maybe I'll even get in some exploring today :)
Ciao!
Saturday, September 1, 2012
The Little Engine that Could
Prospectus has been submitted and my portfolio is officially complete! It seemed that even nature was against me but thankfully all of my friends (and committee members) are safe and sound in New Orleans and campus is NOT under a foot of water!
It seems it was a good thing that my advisor did not get back to me on time. If my defense had been last week, it would have been cancelled! If that is not divine intervention, I'm not sure what is.
My lovely mother left for Spain yesterday to start the Camino de Santiago. For those of you who don't know. Santiago de Compostela is a very old pilgrimage site in the northern part of Spain and my mother will be walking 200 miles in 12 days! So proud of her! Then she will meet me in Madrid and spend 5 wonderful days helping me get settled and sight-seeing!
In 9 days I'll be on my way as well and I could not be more excited. I've packed, re-packed, un-packed, and packed again, trying to bring as few things as possible (more room for shopping guys, I plan on bringing back super trendy clothes from Europe!) but the one thing I am most excited about is my mom's old Nikon 35mm camera! I brought it with me to Italy way back in high school and the pictures that came out from it were beautiful. I'm hoping to turn this into a legit hobby when I get back, so hopefully I can take some super awesome photos and get in some good practice!
This might even turn into a photo blog... :)
It seems it was a good thing that my advisor did not get back to me on time. If my defense had been last week, it would have been cancelled! If that is not divine intervention, I'm not sure what is.
My lovely mother left for Spain yesterday to start the Camino de Santiago. For those of you who don't know. Santiago de Compostela is a very old pilgrimage site in the northern part of Spain and my mother will be walking 200 miles in 12 days! So proud of her! Then she will meet me in Madrid and spend 5 wonderful days helping me get settled and sight-seeing!
In 9 days I'll be on my way as well and I could not be more excited. I've packed, re-packed, un-packed, and packed again, trying to bring as few things as possible (more room for shopping guys, I plan on bringing back super trendy clothes from Europe!) but the one thing I am most excited about is my mom's old Nikon 35mm camera! I brought it with me to Italy way back in high school and the pictures that came out from it were beautiful. I'm hoping to turn this into a legit hobby when I get back, so hopefully I can take some super awesome photos and get in some good practice!
This might even turn into a photo blog... :)
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Small Victories
So a new defense date has been set. September 5th is the new d-day! I just can't wait to get this over with. Super nervous!! Small victories is a new life motto.
Still waiting on comments on my prospectus, but I will wait to start freaking out about that until Sunday!! Today, I"m going on a bike ride and preparing for this hurricane business that might be happening (is it sad that I had no idea a hurricane was headed this way?)
3 weeks until SPAIN!!!!
Still waiting on comments on my prospectus, but I will wait to start freaking out about that until Sunday!! Today, I"m going on a bike ride and preparing for this hurricane business that might be happening (is it sad that I had no idea a hurricane was headed this way?)
3 weeks until SPAIN!!!!
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Frustrations and Set-Backs
One thing I have learned in grad school is that no matter how organized or on top of your projects you are, something will always happen that messes up your carefully laid plans. For those of you who know me well, you know I give new meaning to the word "planner." My OCD leads me to plan things years in advance sometimes (that is not a joke. not knowing where I will be in a year is super stressful and wreaking havoc on my psyche).
Last we spoke, my defense date had been set, my portfolio was finally shaping up and I had finished the latest (and hopefully last) draft of my prospectus. The light was shining at the end of the tunnel! Unfortunately, the universe likes to play tricks on me. "Plans you say? What plans?" And then the universe launched a meteor at my plans lol.
So before you start thinking that I'm just drama queen (let's be real, I am a drama queen) here's the problem: My portfolio is due in 2 days and my advisor still has not sent me any comments (or responded to my desperate emails) on the papers and prospectus that I sent him nearly four weeks ago. I have emailed, I have called, and if I wasn't in Florida I would have driven to his house and knocked on his front door (I'm not THAT crazy). No comments= no official approval = no portfolio= no defense. I dont think I need to point out how frustrating this has been, although my family can certainly attest to my crankiness the last few weeks (sorry family). Normally my advisor is wonderful, but holy moly get it together I need to go and change the face of history!
While this is the last pesky hoop that I have to jump through before joining my fellow grad students in the sacred ABD realm, thankfully it's just a technicality. For all intents and purposes my project is approved UNOFFICIALLY. I will still go to Spain in a little over 3 weeks (ZOMG) and I will still start looking through some kick ass documents. And despite my annoyance, nothing really changes. It's just a formality and will not ruin my academic life.
I may or may not have said that to myself in the mirror a few times this morning...
Anyways, positive things: I'm going to live in Spain for three months. I am getting paid to go to school. Hopefully I will be volunteering at the Mint in New Orleans next semester. My puppy is adorable. My family is uh-maz-ing. My friends are also up there. I really like my new bangs.
:)
Last we spoke, my defense date had been set, my portfolio was finally shaping up and I had finished the latest (and hopefully last) draft of my prospectus. The light was shining at the end of the tunnel! Unfortunately, the universe likes to play tricks on me. "Plans you say? What plans?" And then the universe launched a meteor at my plans lol.
So before you start thinking that I'm just drama queen (let's be real, I am a drama queen) here's the problem: My portfolio is due in 2 days and my advisor still has not sent me any comments (or responded to my desperate emails) on the papers and prospectus that I sent him nearly four weeks ago. I have emailed, I have called, and if I wasn't in Florida I would have driven to his house and knocked on his front door (I'm not THAT crazy). No comments= no official approval = no portfolio= no defense. I dont think I need to point out how frustrating this has been, although my family can certainly attest to my crankiness the last few weeks (sorry family). Normally my advisor is wonderful, but holy moly get it together I need to go and change the face of history!
While this is the last pesky hoop that I have to jump through before joining my fellow grad students in the sacred ABD realm, thankfully it's just a technicality. For all intents and purposes my project is approved UNOFFICIALLY. I will still go to Spain in a little over 3 weeks (ZOMG) and I will still start looking through some kick ass documents. And despite my annoyance, nothing really changes. It's just a formality and will not ruin my academic life.
I may or may not have said that to myself in the mirror a few times this morning...
Anyways, positive things: I'm going to live in Spain for three months. I am getting paid to go to school. Hopefully I will be volunteering at the Mint in New Orleans next semester. My puppy is adorable. My family is uh-maz-ing. My friends are also up there. I really like my new bangs.
:)
Thursday, August 2, 2012
The Road to ABD
So I finished the last paper for my portfolio today. If things go according to plan, I will defend my portfolio on August 29th, officially be admitted to candidacy, and then head to Spain on September 11th. For those of you who have no idea what any of this means, it is a huge deal!!! Being ABD means there are no more hoops to jump through. No more classes, no more papers, no more assignments to finish at 3 AM.
It's strange to think that I am so close to the goal I have been working towards for the last 3 years. All that's left is to research and write my dissertation! No sweat right?
I'm very excited for this next step! I love Spain and luckily will have a group of friends over during the same time I will be there! Now it's just a waiting game...
It's strange to think that I am so close to the goal I have been working towards for the last 3 years. All that's left is to research and write my dissertation! No sweat right?
I'm very excited for this next step! I love Spain and luckily will have a group of friends over during the same time I will be there! Now it's just a waiting game...
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Maria-ism #1
Maria is one of my best friends and for some reason we manage to have the most ridiculous conversations ever. I cannot stress the ridiculousness enough. I firmly believe that one day we will have our own TV show loosely based on our lives (I say loosely because clearly Scarlett Johansson or someone equally beautiful will play me. Or perhaps a brunette Emma Stone? Whatever anyone except for Kristen Stewart. She sucks.)
Maria: i found three Hershey's kisses in my freezer and i feel like the happiest person on earth, like i just high fived jesus
me: lol that is the best thing i have ever heard
Thoughts
Ugh. I'm the worst blogger ever. In an attempt to document my upcoming trip to Spain, I am going to try and write at least once a week, preferably on Sundays! Stumbled across this old entry that I never published. I figure this is as good a place to start as any if I plan on actually using this blog.
"So I just had a conversation about life with my puppy. This seems silly, I know, but it was really a conversation for me. Her friend is very sick and right now things aren't looking so great. I know that Jasmine probably won't understand what's happening. She'll probably be confused when she can't find him. And she might even be sad for a few days. But she won't really know what's happened.
I've been trying to help my friend out in any way I can. Death isn't something I've had much experience with and I always feel that whatever I say ends up just being words. I can't replace loss with words. I can't change what happened with words. So I will just hug her and let her cry and tell her that everything will be ok.
No matter what happens, you need to be ok with it. Do the best you can, and realize that nothing you did or did not do could have changed what happened. Sometimes bad things happen, for no reason that we can fathom. Whether it's God or fate or whatever you believe in, what matters most is that you are ok. Life goes on. Its tragic, and messy, and beautiful and worth every damn minute."
That was the last thing that I wrote and it was over a year ago. Kind of startling to log into your blog and see this entry just waiting there to be posted. Its slightly appropriate I guess. The last few weeks have been some rough ones. Several of my very good friends have lost loved ones and I've experienced different losses of my own.
In the past year I have finished coursework, defended my MA Thesis, taught my first course, lost friends and gained new ones, found love and lost love and moved back to my home (HOME!!!). In the next year, I will go to Spain, teach again, and return once again to Spain. I figured out a lot of things about myself (mostly that I don't handle stress very well and that I'm an emotional roller coaster) and I've laughed a hell of a lot because I'm lucky to have the most amazing friends and family! In 6 weeks I am going to Spain to begin my dissertation research and I'm terrified and excited and nervous and happy. Feel free to tag along. This is going to be quite the adventure!
"So I just had a conversation about life with my puppy. This seems silly, I know, but it was really a conversation for me. Her friend is very sick and right now things aren't looking so great. I know that Jasmine probably won't understand what's happening. She'll probably be confused when she can't find him. And she might even be sad for a few days. But she won't really know what's happened.
I've been trying to help my friend out in any way I can. Death isn't something I've had much experience with and I always feel that whatever I say ends up just being words. I can't replace loss with words. I can't change what happened with words. So I will just hug her and let her cry and tell her that everything will be ok.
No matter what happens, you need to be ok with it. Do the best you can, and realize that nothing you did or did not do could have changed what happened. Sometimes bad things happen, for no reason that we can fathom. Whether it's God or fate or whatever you believe in, what matters most is that you are ok. Life goes on. Its tragic, and messy, and beautiful and worth every damn minute."
That was the last thing that I wrote and it was over a year ago. Kind of startling to log into your blog and see this entry just waiting there to be posted. Its slightly appropriate I guess. The last few weeks have been some rough ones. Several of my very good friends have lost loved ones and I've experienced different losses of my own.
In the past year I have finished coursework, defended my MA Thesis, taught my first course, lost friends and gained new ones, found love and lost love and moved back to my home (HOME!!!). In the next year, I will go to Spain, teach again, and return once again to Spain. I figured out a lot of things about myself (mostly that I don't handle stress very well and that I'm an emotional roller coaster) and I've laughed a hell of a lot because I'm lucky to have the most amazing friends and family! In 6 weeks I am going to Spain to begin my dissertation research and I'm terrified and excited and nervous and happy. Feel free to tag along. This is going to be quite the adventure!
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