Coming up in the Skokie Newspaper!!!

This is pretty cool...from last year..I hope it happens again even though I was in Spain last semester! Campus - Skokie Review

Back in the States

Its been more a month since I've been back and I can't tell you how time flies! I had a rough transition when I first arrived back here, as I was missing Spain and Europe immensely. I couldn't believe I wasn't going to be back there in just a week or two of vacationing, like our usual vacation weeks we had abroad. It was unbelievable how the reverse culture shock had hit me.

I actually MISSED Spain! I missed its culture, the fashion especially, and my dear friends I made across seas  and those that live in America but in far away states. For the first few weeks at home, I stayed home mostly...went for walks to get myself out of my depressive state of being back, and tried to keep myself busy. I joined a gym, actually and started walking there (as I didn't have a car at the time) and back.

It was really hard adjusting to the life without my friends I made abroad. Life here felt completely different. I couldn't go to my best friend Drea's room every morning and say "hey sunshine! what you up to?" nor could I swing into Ashley's room and say "hey, can I borrow your blow dry brushes?". I felt so out of place...life felt so boring here! I missed being able to go outside and face a new adventure everyday. I missed smelling the bird poop in Plaza de Trinidad (sarcasm)...not really, but you know I missed those things that I was so use to there and at the time I may have seen some aspects negatively and was now seeing them more positively.

I missed passing by random stores on the way to and from my walk to school. I missed random cat calls in the streets by cute old men... "hola guapa!!". I missed seeing the icecream vendors and their "Granadina" slushies. And I especially missed TAPAS!!! All day and everyday!

But later, I came to the realization that I can either miss these things so much that I dwell on them or I can find/discover a new beautiful land right outside my window. Once I decided this, I started to notice the beauties around me...though they weren't the same...there were a lot of positives about America. I felt thankful for being back here, my second home as well as first.

So this summer I've been trying to make time for "living" my life here at home...exploring the city and the hidden wonders within it...meeting new people...studying a bit for the GRE...working at my part time job...and especially spending time with family. Summer has gone by so fast already, I'm stunned! It's sad to see it coming closer to an end but I'm enjoying every moment that I can.

And forever will I hold in my heart the memories and experiences I had in Spain...forever will the changes effect my life and my heart...and forever it will never be the same! :)

-Afsha

La Alhambra and El Albaycín

As you walk through the Albaiycín,

Down by the river

Past Plaza Nueva

And the and the surplus of little artisan shops

You can smell the nature

And feel the breath of refreshing air

As you trickle down on the cobbled roads

And play close attention to the tiny waterfalls

You will notice a group of cats down there below the bridge

Feel and live the tranquility

And as the sun shines bright

Take a moment to sit across the Alhambra

Reminiscing about your days here

Pay special attention to this wonderful palace

that you have been so blessed to see.

Eat several tapas and take endless amounts of pictures

'Toma el sol' as the spaniards call it or Sun-bathe

How fortunate you are to be here

Now as you get ready to leave say 'hasta luego' to the Chilean lady in the owl-bag shop,

And a definite see you later to this city of Granada and and to your wonderful friends you have made here

Attempt to remember each aspect of this place and the beauty of it all

And remember to thank God for this wonderful opportunity and everything it has given you

A Month Left

I cant believe time flew by this fast....over the past four months...I learned so much about myself...made a handful of best friends...traveled to many different countries...and made a life for myself here that I never could have imagined before. 

Within the next month, I'm attempting to do as much as possible...going to London, England this weekend...then to Lagos, Portugal the next weekend...then hopefully to Malaga the following weekend... to celebrate my 22nd birthday! I can't wait!! I dont want this vacation to end...its gone by so fast...seems like...I'm just became completely comfortable...and got rid of my homesickness...and its almost time to go!

But, I'm going to make the best of whats left of this trip and carry on! After this trip the countries and cities I will have visited on this trip are Asilah, Tetuan,  Chefchaouen (شفشاون), Meknes, Fes- Morocco; Rome, Naples, and Pompei- Italy; Rhonda, Sevilla, Cordoba, Granada, Barcelona, Madrid, and Malaga- Spain; London, Brighton- Great Britain; Lagos, Portugal. Holy cow!! That's alot of places! So proud of myself for embarking on this trip...no matter the ups and downs...I will never forget this unforgettable experience.


Thank you to everyone that helped make it happen: Mom, Dad, Sra. Ranft, Jan Wilda, Mike Houlahan, Sra. Landis, Sra. Jacobson, Sra. Obregon, Sra. Guadalupe-Timmons, Ehren Kuzekov  and many more!!

Barcelona and Madrid

Hey yall, I'm back! I know its been forever since I've posted  on my blog but I've been really busy traveling the world from Madrid to Barcelona to Morocco to Madrid again...and now back to Granada. Believe it or not I didn't LOVE Barcelona as many are accustomed to say/think they will be....it wasn't the great beautiful place as I imagined. The building weren't as ancient and old as I thought it would be...and I know Barcelona is the land for Modernisma art and architecture but since many of the building were built so long ago, I thought it would be a different experience...unfortunately many of the buildings were redone and renovated..so they lost their ancient flare...that I really had been expecting. I loved Madrid though...we met an amazing amount of people from Australians, to Germans, Czech Republicans?, Polish, and many more. Madrid also had a great amount of beautiful architecture and art, which is why I had to go there for a second time...I enjoyed seeing the Reina Sophia Museum the most...and also loved Parque Buen Retiro...where we paddle boated the day away... Carry on for a gist of the past weeks. 

Fideua Paella served with Garlic Mayo... this had the normal seafood as regular Paella..such as shrimp, scallops, mussels, but instead of rice it had the Fideua noodles...a "Catalunyan" delicacy

Living Barcelona 1825-

 A restaurant based on the Jazz Age..having pictures of Caberet dancers...really reminded me of Chicago :)

Casa Batllo

Txapela
This place had menu of 60 tapas to choose from...all cooked fresh right there for you...though they were little...after you ate five or so...you were stuffed

Inside of Casa Batllo

Inside of the Mercat Boqueria in Las Ramblas
Barcelona, Spain

Fresh Hand-Dipped Chocolate..Yum

Park Guell

Park Guell....

....

NO CAPTION NEEDED
aka La Sagrada Familia

First Meal in Barcelona..and yes thats squid with its head on...and I actually tried it... not recommended if you dont like a sandy taste in your mouth...haha but a first time for everything is definitely worth the story!

More of the Sagrada Familia..under construction

Inside of the Sagrada Familia

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First fancy meal in Barcelona...Istanbul food...best Middle Eastern food I have tried so far :)

On the Bus to Madrid

Puerta del Sol

Tapas at Mercado De San Miguel

Madrid, Spain

Puerta del Sol

Some of the best deserts I have tried in Spain by far...

On the right--->chocolate moose and whip cream in the middle :)

2nd day in Morocco

We just left asilah... Today we're going to fes and Meknes. Morrocco so far is nice.. Clearly very different from Spain...not many women in the streets...but there are some and even some without headdress which is very different than probably other Arab countries. Yest we got to asilah from tangier around 5 or 6 pm. We got to our hotel...were greeted with pastries and moroccan treats and we took a tour of the city later...exchanged a bit of our money for dhirams. I exchanged 30 euros into 331 dhirams. Every euro is worth 11 dhirams...wierd I know. I also was a bit carsick yest because of the cruise ship and the bus we took but I am better today and getting use to being in vehicles and forms of transportation for long periods of time. Haha Oh ya the cruise ship was so cool...they called it ferry but it's actually called the 'tarifa to tangier jet'.I thought 'ferry' meant a type of bus so when I saw it wasn't , I was soooo excited...my first jet/ship ride( well except prom....that was when we were floating in the middle of the lake instead of cruising in the ocean)! It was awesome..:great seating..like really classy spacious seating...they also had a bar and a restaurant within it...pretty chulo! Also we got to go on the deck and see the waves or the water pressure from the boat due to the engine moving...it was awesome! I really wnt to come back to morocco again...I wnt to do some volunteering here... I think I want to help in la CD...something 'darna' which is a women's shelter for women who were mistreated.. By domestic violence and what not that live there and get to live somewhat better lives. We went to one yest and they served us couscous couscous...not a fan of it :/ Ok carsick again...more later

Granada, Spain

So today I went to go open up a bank account and ended up in the prettiest place I've seen yet in the city. I went straight up my street...left on calle duquesa (means 'duchess' I think)...right on calle gran capitan...and ended up on the magnificent Calle Doctor Averero Ochoa. This street and the side street took me by surprise and really made me happier than ever! It was gorgeous! Each building along the side street was so beautiful though they were only different facultades...which is a school that differentiates depending on your major. I passed by the facultad de politicas and la facultad de sociológica and more. It was so cool!!! I felt for the first time that I was a student in Spain...being surrounded with tons of students going to and from classes was such an awesome experience. Such a simple yet amazing experience. Finally, after asking a bunch a Spanish people where I was...and after getting help from some kind and helpful old Spanish men, I found my way to the Facultad de Ciencias Fuentanueva. It was increible! I cannot lie...the campus...the outdoor scenery of trees, sun, and students made it a beautiful view, none the least. I didn't take any pictures but I took in the sol (sun), the beautiful scenery, and a breath of FRESH air on this beautiful spring day (60 degrees and sunny today). On my way back home I bought a media kilo of strawberries....yum! Great end to a simple excursion. After today I made up my mind that I'm going see Granada for real...it's sad I've only seen so little after a month and half. I'm here for a reason so I'm going to explore the city. And again...finalmente I can say I fell in love with this city otra vez ( another time) :)