Friday, September 28, 2007

Madrid, Siesta, Valladolid, Siesta

Hello everybody from Spain! After 24 hours of traveling I made it safely to Madrid. I was really tired,and jet lagged (and still am). The flight was good, except for from New Jersey to Madrid. We were over 2 hrs late in everything and i got to spend those extra 2 hrs on the runway with a cologne drenched Russian guy named Boris who kept his oversized briefcase in the floor and his legs spread out into my precious space.

After finally getting my suitcases I was enthusiastically met by my old roomie from Granada, Alicia. We took the Metro to her house, chatting and lugging my oversized bags all the way. I gave her her presents which she loved, and we took a 3hr nap, which was nice at the time, but I paid for it later. After the siesta, we got ready, ate some lunch (around 5pm) and then her boyfriend Jorge came home and we went out on the town. We went to the gay neighborhood in Madrid, looked around at shops and walked towards Puerto de Sol. Then we ate in a bar, and I was treated to tapas, a huge plate of meat, and a plate of fried eggs and potatoes. It was a delicious reentry to Spanish food. Then we were all exhausted and came home and went to bed. I woke up at 3am (6pm in CA) and couldnt fall back asleep till sometime after 7am... :( no fun.

Then in the morning I got ready with Alicia, who is a flight attendant and we went to the Metro together. She had to go to work and I went to the bus station and took a bus to Valladolid to visit Carlos and family. Carlos picked me up at the bus station and we came home in taxi and ate a late lunch and talked. Then we watched TV and tried to fight off a siesta till aobut 8:30. Jesús told me that siestas are highly reccommended in Castilla-León and mandatory by law in Andalucía, but he understood my jet-lag issue. Then we showered and went out around 10 to meet with some friends. I was out till 1 then came home and slept, exhausted. Now I woke up, (too early for my liking) and I wrote it all down for you. Today we have a few things planned and tomorrow I plan to go down to Granada. Thanks for the emails, I miss you all already! Love, Rachel

Monday, September 24, 2007

Carry on my wayward sister...

So I am really getting close to leaving now and I am having a hard time saying so many goodbyes. I had a great time visiting my family in Taft and then friends in Long Beach, and now as I have to say see you later to people and family here in Newcastle, its becoming increasingly difficult. Thank you to all who came to my party. It was great seeing you and I am really going to miss everybody. Also for those of you who have asked, no my whole blog is not going to be in Spanish, the 2 previous all-Spanish posts are songs that I really enjoy, and feel describe part of me. If you understand Spanish, I hope you enjoy them, if you don't, you should go learn Spanish. :)

Well i really thought I had something more profound to say that this, but maybe I'm too tired to remember.

Here is the plan as I know it. Early Wednesday morning, (2AM) drive to San Francisco and leave at 8:30 AM, change planes in New Jersey, land in Madrid 9:35AM Thursday morning, spend the day with old roommate Alicia. Then Friday go to Valladolid to visit Carlos and family, and then Sunday at the latest make the long trip down to Granada where my new adventures await me. Till then...

-- Rachel Ann

Spain Phone Number

Starting around the 1st of October my phone number will be (dailing from the US) 011-34-695-899-993

Monday, September 17, 2007

Spain Address

Rachel Gardner
C/ Sos del Rey Católico N° 16 – 8 D
Granada, Granada, Spain
18006

Jarabe de Palo -- Corazón

Esta es la historia de un corazón que andaba por el mundo
buscando una razón, una razón ´pa´ vivír, una razón pa morír
una razón ´pa´ seguir latiendo al ritmo que marcaba el viento
una razón ´pa´ vivír la vida de día y de noche de noche y de día
y latir sin parar buscando una verdad.

Corazón de cristal corazón de madera
Corazón de verdad corazón que bombea
Corazón de la danza corazón de la guerra
Corazón de la paz corazón de mi tierra
corazón que no ríe corazon que no siente
corazón que no late corazón que se muere
corazón transparente corazón que no miente
corazón que se mueve corazón de mi gente
cuatro eren los beatles aprietanos la margarita
eso son los mandamientos y solo uno da vida
cuarenta son los ladrones cero las reglas para el amor
cuatro son los colores miles las flores y solo uno por el

Recitado (seguir la rueda haciendo los arpegios)

El corazon pequeño y fuerte siguio viajando y conociendo el mundo
y encontro otro corazón que como el buscava un sitio para vivir para morir
para segur latiendo al compas de ese ritmo creado por el viento
con todo lo que vio y escucho por ahi escribió una canción
cancion del corazón que late.

corazón que se marcha con un sueño en la mano para hacer el amor
encontrar un hermano un corazón diferente que le diera un presente
que quisiera creerse que había un mundo mejor y un día aquella mano
y lanzo una botella con un breve mensaje que aprendió a la carrera

y el azul bajo el cielo habia un mundo imperfecto con un corazon bueno
que seguía latiendo cuatro eran lo beatles interpretanos la margarita
y estos son los mandamientos y sólo uno da vida
cuarenta son los ladrones y cero las reglas para el amor
cientos son los paises miles de raices y sólo uno es por el

corazón que se sale que sube que late que muerde que vale
que viene y que va que corre que escuxa que calla que grita
que baila que sabe que habla y se lleva al ´mira´

corazón que se siente que sale se cae que ladra que pide
que n tiene ´na´ el que ahora viene y el que se va
y el que me ofrece y el que me da el que trae trompa
el que se aparta el que la tiene y el que se aparta

Corazón de león corazón de pantera
corazón por amor corazón que no espera
corazón de una noche corazón de pelea
corazón de pasión corazón corazón

Carlos Gardel -- Volver




Yo adivino el parpadeo
de las luces que a lo lejos,
van marcando mi retorno.
Son las mismas que alumbraron,
con sus pálidos reflejos,
hondas horas de dolor.
Y aunque no quise el regreso,
siempre se vuelve al primer amor.
La quieta calle donde el eco dijo:
"Tuya es su vida, tuyo es su querer",
bajo el burlón mirar de las estrellas
que con indiferencia hoy me ven volver.

Volver,
con la frente marchita,
las nieves del tiempo
platearon mi sien.
Sentir, que es un soplo la vida,
que veinte años no es nada,
que febril la mirada
errante en las sombras
te busca y te nombra.
Vivir,
con el alma aferrada
a un dulce recuerdo,
que lloro otra vez.

Tengo miedo del encuentro
con el pasado que vuelve
a enfrentarse con mi vida.
Tengo miedo de las noches
que, pobladas de recuerdos,
encadenen mi soñar.
Pero el viajero que huye,
tarde o temprano detiene su andar.
Y aunque el olvido que todo destruye,
haya matado mi vieja ilusión,
guarda escondida una esperanza humilde,
que es toda la fortuna de mi corazón.

Sunday, September 2, 2007

New Blog

Hello, I made a new blog because I am returing to Spain to teach English September 26th, 2007. I hope you enjoy.