Okay. I'll let you in on it, too.

My best friend in the entire program, Carly, left on Friday to see her brother in Sicily and travel around with him before she goes home.

But for me, it was the final day I'd get to see her...until hopefully my graduation party this summer.

It was a very sentimental goodbye, and I wanted to make her a video with all the crazy footage I got of her, because she was the star for a majority of it.

I originally made the video unsearchable, but that proved to be difficult to view for some reason. I made it public on Youtube, and since I made it public there, I figured I'd share it with you all here.

Now, there is a lot of inside jokes in the video, some of which I will try to explain below:
-The "classy as fuck" line by me refers to how we would sometimes use "as fuck" in inappropriate ways, so as to ruin the classiness of the sentence. "That baby is as cute as fuck" and "this is sentimental as fuck" are some examples.
-My dancing: we always wanted to make a dance/sing video but it never was made. Plus, I know how many times Carly acted like a fool on camera for me, so I wanted to reciprocate. Also, the "check out my bum" line was intentional in that sometimes I would accidentally brush up against her butt and she would joke that I was checking her out.
-"This is as exciting as balls" was the same as the "as fuck" line...just a little more strange, and based on how someone we knew talked
-The bus driving away: The actual last time I ever saw Carly...on her bus to Valencia.
-Carly's comments about booze and weed were exact quotes from two of the guys we were walking to the bars with. They were so ridiculous that Carly wanted to mock them on camera.
-Carly mouthing "fuck you! fuck you all!" was in reference to the fact that she, melanie, and I were secluded from the group when we went to the beach. I panned the group (who were all facing away from us) and Carly shared her innermost sentiments.
-The pic of me and Carly staring into eachother's eyes was based on a music video of Bono and The Edge playing in the bar we were at.
-Me feeding carly in cooking class: We stole half the bag of chocolate chips and I would snack on them when no one was looking. When carly was busy chopping, I had to feed her.
-Carly's odd crisscross runway walk: based on an episode of America's Next Top Model
-Marco Polo: Some weird guy who approached Carly in Valencia


The rest is just plain strange footage of us being weird. If only I could capture her trademark weird sound effects. You can hear one when she says "What the-*raerr*" while playing digital solitaire.


Now that you are "in the know," I guess you can watch it.


On to the video already!

A heartfelt farewell

My friend Morgen wrote a blog entry about her "guapas" (beauties) aka friends she made in Spain in the program. I often talk about Morgen, Carly, Sarah, etc, so I think you should have a read...


http://labibliotecaestaenfuego.blogspot.com/2010/05/my-guapas.html

Volcanoooooo!

If you haven't already heard, a volcano erupted in Iceland (This is probably the only news item that us USAC students knew/cared about before you people over in the USA...we feel pretty isolated news-wise). Why this is important news: almost all air travel in Western Europe has stopped. Yes, that's right...even dinky airplanes like RyanAir are cancelled.

I had plans to go to London this past weekend, but I couldn't go due to all the travel cancellations.

Of course, that was also the last few days of our Spring Break, which means USAC students are stranded all over Europe! One even in Iceland...although I heard that those Icelandic people aren't too affected...it's only the ash-laden lands over in my direction that are affected.

That being said, of 60 students in the program, 30 are MIA. Good thing Luis kept tabs on where everyone went before they left.

Yesterday in my Seminar class, only 2 were missing...but today in Business, 4 out of 9 were present. And Lourdes, my Business professor, who is also Carly's grammar teacher, said that the grammar class had 2 of 15 students present. It stinks because we have to still go to class, even though we are clearly passing the time doing nada as people get back.

I have a friend stuck in London, a couple in Berlin, a couple in Amsterdam, one near Milan, a few in Athens, and several others sprinkled around. Of course, their Spring Break is extended indefinitely...until flights start to go up again. Some have caught buses back home (35 hour bus rides or longer), but others are choosing to stick it out and see when they can take the next flight. Many airlines say they will start up tomorrow, but others say that they won't until Thursday. We'll have to see.


What sucks the most is that with all this time off, all I want to do is use it to travel. But there's a catch-22 with that...

Rick Steves' Europe

Various commentary/musings related to Rick Steves:

Carly just met Rick Steves in Italy, where she traveled with her dad for Spring Break.

I was looking up information on Turkey on Rick's website and came across this writing gem: "High above on the hillside, the lone but happy song of a goatherd's flute plays golden oldies. 'Why do you play the flute?' I asked the goatherder. He said, 'So the goats know they are loved.'"

I asked my host parents if they knew who Rick Steves was, and they had no clue.

I was thinking about if a European DID recognize Rick Steves, they would most likely categorize him as the almost-too-friendly American traveler who wears khaki shorts and practical shoes everywhere, with a gaggle of American tourists asking him for an autograph.

This fire is outta control, we gonna burn this city! Burn this city!

My trip to Valencia with Sarah and Carly during the weekend of March 19th for Las Fallas is documented in this video:



Notice the song and lyrics: "We're gonna burn this whole city down!"

Like I said, these people are CRAZY. The city could catch on fire any minute, as shown by the raging flames. How this never actually happens, I don't know.

Chin Chat

Carly, Sarah, and I were a little slaphappy when on our trip in Granada a couple months back.

(On the trip) Allie fell ill and Morgen had to accompany her all day in the hospital. When Morgen got back, tired and feeling sick herself, we guaranteed her that this would cheer her up, and it did.

How to hit on Spanish Men

After much experience of how the creepy Spanish men do it, Carly and Sarah offer advice on how to hit on them. Just do what they do...right back.
**PS: Guapa (beautiful) is what they call girls to hit on them, Guapo (handsome) is for men.

Multi-use items

Carly just posted the following on my facebook wall. Prior knowledge needed to understand:
This week there are a ton of processions for Easter week.
Her host mom tapes notes on her door with bandaids.




A) I just looked out my window and there is a large crowd which means there is going to be another f-ing parade.

B) If I die within the next few days of heart complications or clogged arteries don't be surprised, I discovered that my host mom rarely cooks with olive oil--vegetable is her oil of choice, olive ...oil is just to add after the food has been in a hot tub of oil.

Oh wait, there is one more thing...

C) I discovered that my host mom likes to make use out of more household items than just bandaids, she uses feminine pads as cushioning for her shoes. HahahHHHHHaaaa

As a distinguished singing legend, this voice thing could prove to be an issue

This past weekend I went to Valencia with Sarah and Carly. I have been sick for over a week now, but if you want to call that sick, you probably could say I have been a constant sick since I got to Spain.

But starting last weekend, my throat really hurt, so I went to the doctor and he prescribed me some antihistamines and ibuprofen. I was only to take them for 5 days or so.

Randomly on Friday, my throat hurt and I decided to rest it by whispering to my friends for the rest of the night, or using sign language. That provided at least some entertainment.

On Saturday morning, Sarah nudged me to wake up in the hostel, whispering good morning. After Carly came back from washing her face and we were whispering in our room, Sarah pointed out that there was no need to whisper; we were all awake. Yet, I realized that had I tried to speak normally, it came out as cracks and gurgles beyond recognition.

I whisper-gurgled through the afternoon and evening, when I just flat-out attempted to talk. I forced myself to formulate words and sentences with the crackling soundbox I called a voice. Saturday my throat didn't hurt at all, only my confidence in speaking did.

After chatting with a couple cool Manchester blokes that night, my voice warmed up a bit and heavily improved from the morning. No longer was my laugh a hissing gasping noise, but there were actual inflections at the "HAs."

Sunday my voice was back but raspy. When I got home that evening, my host parents noticed immediately and said that I just sounded more Spanish. It's true, the young chicas over here all have raspy smoke voices.

This morning it really was no different. The pitch in my voice is very different, more in the lower range. Usually it is in a low range to begin with, but it's even lower, since I am unable to make my "omg that child is adorable" squealing noise when I see a stroller, since it comes out as a screeching hiss that could deter any and every parent from allowing me near their kin.

Tomorrow or wednesday I will record my radio program, and I am sure it will sound JUST LOVELY. If it hasn't changed, I will have a radio recording of my "spanish voice" for me to cherish the rest of my life.

As a way to un-swell my vocal chords, I have been trying to hum songs, usually to no avail. Right now no one is home and I just try to cough or scream, and a raspy HHHHHHH noise comes out.

Since I know my singing voice is probably in the terrible to horrible range when I have all of my pitch, imagine how it must be now. Even slow, jazzy songs like "Old Fashioned Morphine" that require little to no singing effort on my part (when I sing to myself around the house) have become like Christina Aguilera songs now.



I can't even hit the note of the "sister don't get worried" lyric without it coming out as a screeching HHHH. So sad.



I hope this doesn't last forever.

Awkard name for a blog...

A conversation I had on my friend Carly's facebook wall...

(click on picture to see larger image)

My new nickname.

There are so many people in this USAC program, that it's just plain HARD to remember everyone's names.

I mean, there is "hot as balls" girl who oh-so-crudely refers to everything "as balls." Example: cool as balls, hot as balls, gross as balls, etc etc.

There is leggings girl, who trades the option of wearing jeans on a daily basis to wearing leggings, whether there be a skirt or shorts to go with it...or not.

There is soccer maniac kid, who (in the first USAC-organized soccer game in February) took his cleats and soccer knowledge and got a little too intense and thus caused many people to secretly despise him.

Etc, etc.

Some nicknames are good, some are bad, some are neutral.

My friend Carly was talking to a USAC-er the other day about me, and she was like "Melissa? Which one is Melissa again?" Carly described that I had dark hair, I was from Chicago, and so on, and the girl's face lit up with recognition as she said "OHHHH! You mean the girl with the weird accent!"

The Chaos that was Carnaval 2010

Brief overview: Carnaval is a huge holiday here where people dress up, hear live music, wander the streets late a night, and get drunk. Apparently drinking in the streets is legal for this and only this day (although youths carrying around 40s on other days would make you think otherwise). The people of Alicante take full advantage of this, even stealing shopping carts to carry their massive amounts of booze. Rocio told me that the supermarkets then spend monday (sundays they are closed) looking for the missing shopping carts, which are by then abandoned in random parts of the city.

First we got together at Sarah P's at 9:30, where I did Carly and Sarah R's makeup. 2 Euro makeup isn't high quality. I strategically placed my phone, cash and ID in my blazer under my suit, kleenex in the suit pockets, and keys and chapstick in the pockets of my jeans under the suit. I also clipped my camera to a lanyard that I wore around my neck under my suit. I loved the practicality of this costume.

We met up with Steve at 11, walked to the Barrio, and saw Drew and his friends. We also saw several AVATARs, many many pirates, and a group of 14 yr olds dressed as Minnie Mouse. The streets were FILLED. There were two stages on either end of the Rambla, playing live music.

We went to the churro stand where Drew bartered the woman down from 6.50 for churros and chocolate down to 3.50. We witnessed the cops chat with a completely out-of-it 18 yr old drunk/drugged guy. We also saw a man dressed as red riding hood with his basket filled with a bottle of rum and Coke.

We walked to the beach, where everyone was standing NEAR, but not standing ON. I don't know if they were afraid of drinking on the sand or what, but it was quite strange. On the way there, we also saw about 4 people with stolen shopping carts filled with gallons of booze. Some of the shopping carts matched the costume, decorated like a baby stroller, or a Vegas gambling table. Some were just shopping carts filled with booze.

We made our way to the Ayuntamiento, where we saw yet another stage of music. It was also very wet on the ground due to it raining earlier that day. It made me concerned that people were splashing in puddles right next to rows of power cords. They didn't seem to mind.

It was at the plaza del Ayuntamiento that I saw the first LOST DHARMA people, and we took a picture. One guy had a machine gun. He also had a fake bloody nose for the time-travel headaches. So in-character. There was also a man in a pink bathrobe and shower cap yelling at me that "LOST es la mierda" aka Lost is shit. I ignored him as he waved a toilet brush at me.

Carly and Sarah jumped on stage when several others did the same and danced for a few seconds until a random woman popped out of nowhere and shooed them off. A few minutes later, I found a man wearing a cow mask and took a picture with him.

We made our way through the city and saw some people dressed as Sims, with floating green diamonds over their head. We walked through the Barrio once again and I pointed out to drew a 40 of Amstel in a plastic bag. He took it out and noticed it was completely full and sealed shut. He took it with him to sell to someone (since all the stores for booze were closed by now) for Kebab money.

We made our way to the Kebab place where Sarah R, Carly and I bought Kebabs. The men who worked there scared Sarah when they loudly shouted "WHAT IS SHE DOING" (in english) when she was reaching around her belly to get at her money belt. And they forgot to charge me for my Fanta, which was a highlight of the night.

We went into some bar temporarily, where they got free shots. We also used it as a bathroom break ( no one wants to use the port-o-pottys on the streets). We stood on the street as a ton of people walked by with shopping carts filled with booze, ringing bells and singing. Amongst them I saw Miles, LeFleur and a random DHARMA workman. When they walked away, LeFleur turned back around and checked me out big time. Carly said he was cute and that I should go for it.

We then headed to Carpe Diem, where Sarah and I walked in, walked to the back, saw Allie (she told us Morgen was outside) then left promptly, all in about 30 seconds. We went outside and saw a group of USACers, where we took a few pics, then split up (some went back to Carpe Diem, some went to the Kebab place next door. I went to the latter). I ordered another Fanta, and Dave, Mike and some others ordered Kebabs. We chilled there until I got a text from Carly, wondering if I went home. I told her I was right next door. She came and bought a 2 euro beer just to use the bathroom. We stayed there for a while, and when I waited to use the bathroom, the "bodyguard" of the bathroom (to make sure only customers used it) asked me for a vocab lesson in English.
Him: "como se dice fiesta en ingles?"
Me: Party.
Him: Pah-dee.
Me: PAR-ty. P-a-r-t-y.
Him: Party. Ah, vale. Pasa.

Then I left the bathroom, I was talking with my friends, and he called me over with a hand gesture.
Him: como se dice "borracho" en ingles?
Me: Drunk.
Him: ah, como "drink"
Me: Si, pero "Drunk"
Him: vale. Y como se dice "mujer borracha" en ingles?
Me: Drunk woman?
Him: Drunk Woman. Vale. Gracias.

We then left this Kebab place and started walking around again. At this point it was Mike, Carly, Sarah and me. We wandered through the Rambla once again and saw more DHARMAs! This time a whole fleet, with mechanics and doctors. I snapped a pic, and some random clowns jumped in front so we had to get another. My favorite part of seeing people dressed up was the couples in costumes that didn't match. For example, Amy Winehouse and a cow. Or a ninja and a Minnie Mouse. Or others.

We walked to the churro stand, where Sarah bought some, and we took them to McDonalds, which was so flooded with people not eating McDonalds, it was a joke. There was a like of 20 people for the bathrooms, and the two-story restaurant was jammed with people looking for warmth. At this point it was 3:30am.

We left because we were getting tired sitting in such a comfortable spot, so we went to wander the streets again. We saw some Converse shoes and I saw another DHARMA. When we got near the northern stage, we stood around, and I saw a giant Lego pirate and a fleet of Mario characters. I always see Marios and Luigis, but this was the full fleet: Wario, Mario, Luigi, gold star, toothy cannonball, mushroom, and Yoshi.

After hanging out here for a while, although I wished I could have stayed out longer till I was a bit more tired, my friends wanted to head home b/c they were either cold or tired. It was 4:30am.

We walked home, and saw more DHARMAs. This time it was a group of 8 or 10, and they had ID tags, DHARMA chocolate bars, and DHARMA messenger bags. They were like "Ah! Otra DHARMA al ultimo momento (another DHARMA at the last minute!) La ISLA ha llegado a Alicante! (The island has come to Alicante!)" Then they gave me a "DHARMA crisped rice" sample. But I am pretty sure he said there was nothing inside.

We continued walking home, and Mike wanted to stop at the 24 hour store to buy some water. The 24 hour store, of course, was closed at this hour. One true sign of being in Spain.

Creeper in the street

The other day when I was meeting up with my friends at 11pm (if you didn't read my blog last year, you now know that Spanish "going out" times begin MUCH later), and there was this guy leaning against the wall of a building, being THE creepiest person he could possibly be.

The street is pretty well lit, but he was standing under awning, which cast a shadow over him.

He was standing in this casual leaning position but...

He was looking down the street from directly under his eyebrows.

In case you can't picture this, I did a similar pose for my friend Carly's camera in my cooking class this past week. Take a look.