Traveling throughout Europe has been very eye opening for me. This is the first time, throughout my 20 years of life, that I have had to do anything on my own. And I am actually surviving, maybe I'm not so helpless after all. (Well maybe it's too early to make the leap of an assumption) But the point is, I will most likely never get the opportunity to travel for four months across Europe with no responsibilities!! (I obviously don't count classes high on my responsibility priority list)
That being said, I have seen a lot in the past few weeks, and I've decided that Spain is the shit!! I just arrived in Spain this past Thursday, after spending 5 weeks in Paris, France. No offense to Paris, but after two weeks I was like "let's go!" Everything was extremely expensive in Paris. It's bad enough that converting dollars into euros only gives you 70 Euro cents for every dollar, but then you are charged 15 Euro's for drinks, which is approximately 23 American dollars. (I don't know the actual conversion rates, get a damn calculator if you care so much) Everything in Paris was too far to walk to (in my mind 30 minutes is too far to walk too) so the metro was a necessity, and I don't know how to take subways in New York, my native land, so I damn sure was not going to figure it out in Paris. The people in Paris were so plain and boring. Everything closes at 7. So if you want to shop or run errands all that good stuff needs to be done before then, and even though the clubs and bars are open to a semi decent time (around 2 or 3) the people don't get dressed up to go. All my sexy outfits are way too sexy for the simplicity of the Parisian lifestyle. The women don't show their chest, wear makeup, or use hair products. I felt like I was living in a convent. Speaking of convent, the dorms weren't helping the situation either. First of all, the dorms are attached to a Catholic Church (which makes sense since it's St. Johns) But because of this fact, any bit of noise was considered indecent. Which is hilarious considering the fact that every 15 minutes the church bells ring at a noise level that is meant for all of Paris to hear, so clearly the priests can't be too sensitive to noise. also, at the school, the meal plan is two meals a day Monday through Thursday, and NOTHING Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Even better, the first and most important meal of the day, consisted of crusty bread, and warm orange juice. And if all of that wasn't enough to totally ruin my Paris experience, IT RAINED 80% OF THE TIME.
Needless to say, Paris wasn't exactly my cup of tea.
But Salamanca, Spain, is the best thing I could have ever done for myself. I've only been here for 5 days, but I have gone out at night every night and I probably spent a total of 30 Euros (including the food I eat when I'm drunk before I pass out) At one bar, I bought twelve shots for the low low cost of 5 Euros. And when my night was over (when I was stumbling drunk with a stolen sombrero, clinging on two my key in one hand, and my friend {aka the only thing keeping my body vertical} in the other hand) I found a restaurant called Leonardo's, that only opens at night and serves the best bacon, huevos y queso con papas fritas (bacon egg n cheese with fries for all the non Spanish speakers out there) on the planet for 3 Euros. No matter where I go in Salamanca, it's legit a 10 minute walk back to the dorms because the town is so small. The school, while they still feel just as strongly against noise, is integrated with Spanish students, so I don't have to see and talk to and associate with the same 20 people ALL THE TIME And the meal plan is 3 times a day everyday and a buffet style! So, I'm basically in heaven. But if that's not enough to convince you, it's 75 degrees outside right now.
Be jealous.
-B.S.
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