From Sun to Snow 11/16/07

I can't even describe how much I miss Barcelona right now. We spent more time on the beach, had great food, and I got to go to the Maritime Museum and the Picasso Museum. Absolutely gorgeous. We got on the plane in tee-shirts and sunglasses, only to be greeted in Germany by rain, wind and extreme cold. It snowed the next day, and has snowed twice more since then. A bit insane.

Amanda and I have planned two more trips before I get home. The first is to Montpellier, France. We're flying there and spending two nights in a hotel. Total cost: 50 Euro. This will be next weekend. The weekend after that we're flying to Ireland and staying in Killarney for two nights. Total cost: again, 50 euro. It's quite hard to beat that.

This weekend is going to be a lazy weekend, which is pretty awesome. I haven't had one in a while, and I'm pretty excited about it. Yesterday I got my hair cut, and it looks amazing. Ericka did a really, really good job on it.

Exchange Rates:

$1=.68 Euro
1 Euro=$1.47

Ouch!

Hola! (Approximately the amount of Spanish I know) 10/8/07

One ten minute cab ride. Two one hour train rides. Standing around for 45 minutes. A one hour and ten minute bus ride. Standing around for 45 minutes. A two hour flight. Standing around for an hour because the bus was late. And an 80 minute bus ride later.... we made it to the Hostel. In Barcelona. Heck yeah. I'm with Ericka, Nick and Jessica and so far, I love it. Yesterday we explored some, found dinner, and pretty much crashed from all the traveling. Today we got up, walked through the city center and spent something like three hours on the beach in the sun. It was gorgeous. I may have a sunburn. More to come later, I just wanted to let everyone know that we got here okay.

Exchange Rates: $1=.68 European cents 1 Euro = $1.46

American Food 10/2/07

Dear Loyal Blog Readers,

I'm going to Spain! I just booked tickets and the hostel yesterday, and it is going to be incredibly cheap. I'm going with two of the other people in my program, Ericka and Nick, and we're staying for four nights in Barcelona. Round trip plane tickets were .02 euro plus taxes, so around 25 euro total. The hostel is 17.50 euro per night, so the entire trip is going to start at around 110 euro. Then we add food and presents and whatnot, and this is still way cheap. It's amazing.

Tonight I hung out with Ericka in Studentindorf, which is the dorm that's about as far away from mine as it's possible to be. She is a Mormon, and she was cooking for some of the missionaries here in Marburg, so I came and helped. We had tacos and nachos and cookies. It was sooo much fun, and really yummy.

And my dad is coming to Germany!!! For the first weekend in November. I'm so excited. Tomorrow is Oktoberfest, and I'm excited about that too. Things are just going pretty well in general.

Exchange Rates

One dollar = .695 Euro

One Euro =1.42 dollars