Winter Break

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So this is the new year.

I'd like to measure the month of December in tickets.

Ticket #1: Jesus Christ Superstar
Our first ticket of the month was to Jesus Christ Superstar in Spanish. The night of the play, Laurel and I seized the opportunity to dress up, making it a dangerous commute, as it was the first time I've worn heels since I got here. But we made it there unscathed, and it was probably the greatest play I've ever seen. The Spanish twist was a nice touch, too, and the voices were JUST like the ones in the soundtrack that Sabine and I used to interperative dance to in our living room. I think I left that play thinking "so THIS is what it's like to have goosebumps for 2 hours straight."

Ticket #2: Italy
Our second ticket was to Napoli, Italy, where Laurel's Uncle lives. Their family lived in a beautiful stucco house right by a lake complete with swans and olive trees. We had "real" pizza (subject to debate but still delicious), and a lot of American goodies, too, because they live near an army base with all American products. So I got my fix of peanut butter, pop tarts, and reese's peanut butter cups. The trip was less of a touristy sight seeing trip and more of a wonderful home-like relaxation trip, which was much needed and appreciated. But I haven't seen the last of Italy; I fly to Rome with my program in a couple of months.

Ticket #3: Enchanted
Oh yeah, and also in Italy we saw Enchanted at an American movie theater on the army base, and it was actually really funny. Hence, memorable ticket status.

Ticket #4: Stockholm
Ok, actually, we didn't go straight to Stockholm. We took an hour metro to the airport, then a 4 hour bus to Valencia, then a 4 hour flight to Skavsta, then a 2 hour bus to Stockholm city center, then a 10 minute cab ride to Swedish family's apartment, only to be denied access at the front door and ending up waiting outside at 2 in the morning (we got in eventually.) Anyways, multiple modes of transportation aside, spending Christmas in Sweden has always been a dream of mine and it was just was mysigt (translation: cozy and equipped with appropriate lighting) as I thought it was going to be. Except there was no snow! Which is Ironic because the one year I go to Sweden for Christmas where there should be snow, Portland has a white Christmas. Present at Christmas was my aunt and uncle Carina and Kenta, my cousins Malin and Anna, their cousins Sandra and Marcus, Kenta's brothers and their families, Kenta's mother, my Grandmother, and of course Laurel, Andre and Duncan. we had 16 people squeezed into that apartment for Christmas (which was actually Christmas Eve)! We started with watching the Christmas shows my mom used to watch as a kid (and now I finally get that bird song she's been explaining to me for years).

Following the crazy bird show, we started eating for about four hours straight. There were about 9 different kinds of pickled herring (I tried one kind, thank you very much) and enough meat, bread, and casserole to last till New Years (even though it only lasted till about Christmas day).

Exchanging of gifts was another long process. Their family makes the gift opener guess what the gift is before opening it, and if they're right, then they can open another one. If not, then the next person chooses one. I could tell they'd been playing for a while, because who in their right mind would guess travel sheets or a block of extra sharp cheese unless they had experience?

Anyways, the rest of the stay in Sweden was a lot of fika-ing (there's an actual word in Swedish for going out to have mysigt coffee time. For translation of mysigt, see above.), walking around the city, dinner and movies with the family, and messing linguistically with my head. On our last day, we even had our own personal tour guide. Konny, who may be described as our Swedish Grandpa I'd say, took the fantastic four (Me, Laurel, Andre, and Duncan, and no we didn't walk around calling ourselves that but three countries in two weeks I'd say rightly earns us that title) to the Cookie Nose Tower (don't ask me why it's called that) and a few other high points in Stockholm to enjoy the view and learn a little about the history of it.

(Och mina svenska tjeier, jag luktade deras lagenhet extra mycket for ir, det luktade precis som Sverige alltid luktar, och det var underbart.)


Ticket #5: Cassandra's Dream
The New Woody Allen film, which I saw in Sweden, which was phenomenal. Better than Enchanted, if you can believe that.

Ticket #6: London
On New Year's eve, we flew into London, where Laurel's friend from USF is attending graduate school. Lifetime dream #2 was fulfilled here when I got to hear Big Ben himself hum that tune.....you know: BUM BUM BUM BUmmmmmmm....BUM BUM BUMMMMM BUMmm..... BUM BUM BUM BUMM...BUM BUM BUMMM BUMMM.....BUMMMM (*in this example, it is one o clock.*). Anyways, I've always wanted to see Big Ben since A- I watched Peter Pan and they flew over it and B- I used to hear Farmor and Grandpa's old antique clock make the same chime every 15 minutes. It's actually a tune I get stuck in my head quite frequently and it was an indescribable satisfaction to hear it for real. Also in London, we rode the London Eye (which for the record, is IN the second fantastic four movie, coincidence? probably.) and the double decker buses, saw Parliament, Westminster Abbey, backyards that looked like the one in Shaun of the Dead, Oxford Street (famous shopping street), fireworks at midnight on New Years even with 3 million other people, AND....

Ticket #7: The Globe Theater!!!
So even though the original one that Shakespeare was more associated with burned down, STILL, here was dream fulfillment #3. We took a tour through the Globe theater and saw a costume dressing customary of Shakespeare's time (good luck trying to pee efficiently in one of THOSE. Talk about being locked in your clothes). Oh, and our tourguide had an English accent, obviously, but still. It added to the Romanticism of the whole thing.


And ticket 8 was right back here to Madrid, where I get to take 7 finals this week. so ticket 8 gets little or no acknowledgment.

But anyhoo that's where I've been this month, measured in tickets, and don't worry, if I lose track of the tickets I can measure in pounds gained from way too delicious food, which reminds, me I have to go eat now, because it's BUM BUM BUM BUmmmmmmm....BUM BUM BUMMMMM BUMmm..... BUM BUM BUM BUMM...BUM BUM BUMMM BUMMM.....BUMMMM BUMMMM BUMMMM BUMMMMM BUMMMM BUMMM o clock, and Andre the chef is making us burgers.

did I mention I miss you all and whoever pulls a me next year and is out of the country for christmas WILL be in trouble because I'd rather get my missing you feelings over with right now?

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Comments

[Kelly Higginbotham]

Oh sweet Sacha!
Your adventures are making me drool! I'm so excited for all these wonderful experiences you're getting to enjoy! I wish I could be there with you! I miss Spain so much! I've still yet to make it to Italy, though. That sounds absolutely wonderful! I miss you, too! HUGS!!! Good to read about you on your blog! I'll have to visit this wonderful contribution to the world wide web more often! :) LOVE YOU! Kelly