More Barc Pics....

Barcelona!

Hello Everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! For the first time in 27years I did not celebrate the traditional Thanksgiving holiday. But, as you already know I enjoyed the weekend in magnificent Barcelona! I was overwhelmed with its beauty and hidden little treasures all over the city. I did alot of walking and wandering around in the 3 days I was there and had a great time with my friend Barry. I took a TON of pictures but only posted a few here. If you want me to send you the rest of my album, let me know! But here is some of what I saw....

1. Sagrada Familia- My friend Barry lives right around the corner from the Sagrada Familia. It is one of the largest Roman Catholic Churches in Spain and Europe. It's gorgeous but always under construction. It was built in 1882 and under construction ever since they say.

2. Picasso Museum. This was the coolest museum I have been to hands down. I was wandering around for awhile just trying to find it, thinking I would see it. Well, it is hidden in the small quaint streets of Barcelona and hidden in this cave like area. I hope you can see its mystery and intrigue from my pictures.

3. Las Ramblas- It is an iconic and busy street in Barcelona. It's basically the main drag for shopping. It's miles long and filled with interesting shops, people, things and festive Christmas lights!

4.The Olympic Port/Port Vell- This is an area near Las Ramblas that was the focal point for the Olympic games. Port Vell is along the harbor and has great views of the city.

5. Born- I could walk around this area for hours on end...and I think we actually did both Friday and Saturday. It's a great cosmopolitan area with unique shops, amazing tapas (which we indulged) and even better pasteria (pastry shops).

6. Boqueria- Lastly, my favorite place in Barc! It is in the heart of Las Ramblas and is a world famous open market. We stopped there on Saturday and got fresh fruit, a gourmet pizza, cheese, wine and bread! It was SOOOO tasty! I couldn't handle eating any of their meats, which I was told are amazing, but seeing them all hang there in the open didn't sit to well in the ol' stomach. So, we opted for some pizza instead and it hit the spot!

That's life in the Barc! I hope to make it back again before I leave Spain because it is an amazing city and one that I think will be up there of my favorites if not THE favorite. If you get the chance, plan a trip here!

Adios Amigos.....until next time!

Ode to Liz

If any of you come to Madrid, I am putting you in touch with Liz. She is great. She takes good care of me...making sure I know where I'm going, entertains me on the weekends and gives me a nice little discount at the English bookstore where she works. Now, I can't promise you the discount, but this girl is a great resource in Madrid.

Here are a few fun pictures from our night on the town last weekend with her friends (who were great and speak amazingly good Spanish- I get really impressed now when people speak my language as I am trying so hard to learn theirs). Oh and the club we went to was called "Nasty", that's right. The only nasty thing about it was the hangover it gave me the next morning. Oh and for all those friends wondering if I can "hang" in Spain- I stayed out till 4am. I'm working my way up there OK...

Happy Thursday to Me!

I just had a few good things I thought I would share with you all! This week has been pleasant, not too hectic- still busy- but just not chaotic. A few good things to share....

1. My Best Friend's Wedding! No, not the movie, this is my friend Craig & Kara's wedding (finally) taking place August 1st 2009. Craig and Kara called me on skype last night and asked me to be in the wedding! I will proudly be one of Kara's bridesmaids. I'm very excited and honored that they chose me to share in their special day! Now, the count down begins.....

2. Speaking of best friends...I will have my first visitor to Europe soon! Christy (otherwise known as Rino) is planning a trip out to see me over New Year's. I am thrilled that I will get to spend the holiday, ringing in the New Year, with one of my oldest bestest friends! We don't know where we are going yet...plans are in the works, but its looking like France, Italy and Portugal are in the running. Stay tuned!

3. I got an A! It has been a long time since I have heard that...a longer time since my parents heard that I got an A too ;) I had Spanish class tonight and I somehow managed to ace a quiz (a very hard quiz she said). She told me she was impressed and could see that I have progressed. Now, I just have to keep trying harder and harder to get over my shyness (or fear maybe) and start talking the language with locals. So what if they think I'm stupid...after all, I did catch myself with my fly down today- I may not be used to getting A's but I'm used to looking stupid, so bring it on!

4. I had a yummy Starbucks today...this is a treat here and I treated myself (I am only allowing myself one a month) so Happy November Starbucks to ME!

I'm counting down my days until Barcelona! Stay tuned for some great pictures....love and miss you all!

Oh and a shout out to Strachota! Happy BIRTHDAY!! Love ya!!

Week of Updates in Madrid

Another installment of a "Week of Updates in Madrid".....

1. Work: Alot of you have asked about work, so I thought I would give you a little info. Work is good, very busy. I didn't really think it would be so busy because I thought it would take at least a month or so for them to really hand over some work or projects to me. George Chang, the New Business Development Director is who I work closely with. They currently have alot of new buis pitches coming in and so I have been helping them prepare and do some research on these clients. Projects I have worked on so far are ROCKSTAR Energy Drink, Shell Gas Stations, Telefonica (their biggest client- its like Sprint or something in the US only MUCH bigger), Blue Man Group (we are working on brining the show here to Madrid and Telefonica being the main sponsor), Samsung and Chevrolet. My second week there George and another colleague said it was really a luxury to have me in their office and turns out it is perfect timing. So, all is really good at work and I think more good stuff to come...

2. Friends: Liz and Mike both have been a huge help to me since I have been here. I really enjoy hanging out with them and just talking about each of our experiences here. I know I need to branch out more and meet some new Spanish friends, but right now I'm enjoying my time with them and meeting some friends they have made from being here longer than me. Liz and Mike both teach English too on the side and so we like to trade stories about our kids....My kids are the spoiled ones, Mike's are the rowdy ones and Liz's are a little deviant at times. It's a handful working with kids and it really takes alot of energy out of you....it's a REALLY good reminder of what it is like having kids.....they never go away ;) So I guess I should take this time to say, "Sorry Mom and Dad....if I only knew then what I know now."

3. Trips: Finally, something REALLY exciting to report! I booked my trip to Barcelona! I am SO excited and looking forward to a kids-free weekend away! I am going to visit a friend there from High School, Barry Thau. Turns out he is in Barc for 3-6 months working. We realized we were both in Spain...alone...and thought we MUST meet up. I haven't seen him since college so we will have alot to catch up on. He has his own place with 2 other roommates and lives in the heart of Barcelona. I have already been reading up on the city and I just can't wait to see it! I am going from Nov 27-30. Yes, Thanksgiving weekend! We might even be good American kids and cook a turkey....if we can find one.

4. Spanish Classes: Yes, my Spanish is coming along. Slowly but surely. I really like my teacher. I take private classes with her. Her name is Marga and she is 30 years old. She is gorgeous too, I have to add. She lived in the U.S. for 6 years (in Boston) and taught English. She speaks perfectly. She met her boyfriend in Boston and he lives there still.....can you imagine?! I have a feeling she will move back there, she loves to talk about the city. Anyways, she works full time for Banco de Espana. It would be comparable for working for U.S. Bank in Milwaukee. Banco de Espana is HQ in Madrid and is a monumental business area. I have attached a picture for you. She lives and works right across from this beautiful building.

That's all for now. I hope I gave you enough reading material! I miss everyone so much and just want to say thanks for keeping in touch and staying interested in my blog and adventures! I LOVE getting emails and updates from everyone so keep it coming!

Besos,
Holly

Parque El Retiro

Last weekend after my class was done I met up with my friend Mike (from high school). It was late afternoon (more considered here as early afternoon, but whatever) and so we took advantage of the sunny day by stopping by the Parque del Retiro. This may be my new favorite spot! This park is in the center of the city and half of the park is beautiful landscaping with a very tranquil atmosphere where people sit and read or just stroll through with their friends or loved ones. Ahhhhh, it was nice to see such a peaceful place.

The other half of it is a little bit of a weird party. There is a monument called Alfonso XII (a former ruler of Spain from 1901-33). It is gorgeous (I hope you can tell from my pictures)! In front of the monument is a pond where people rent boats and row up and down or just sit and converse and drink. Around the whole are are little bars that you can get beer, wine and/or snacks. You can drink freely in the park. Around the monument there is world of different people; street performers, African drummers (see pics), fortune tellers, bums, kids playing futbol, couple picnicking, teenage boys skating, etc. Just a mix of people. I would love to see this place in the summer! It's the perfect spot to spend the whole morning and afternoon!

Needless to say, after we enjoyed our time there we moved on and met my friend Liz for some drinks and fun....

A Day in the Life...

Well, I am so sorry that it has been awhile since my last blog. I got caught up in a busy week or so. But, good news is that I am back! Bad news is this could be a long couple blogs so brace yourself....

Alot of you have asked what my typical day or week is like and so I thought I would lay it out for you so you get a sense of what life is really like for me here. I stay quite busy and my schedule is now in order to where I finally have a routine.

Mon/Wed/Fri
7:00am- Wake Up, shower, Eat Breakfast (fruit or cereal)
8:05am- Leave for the Metro (just about a 10 min walk)
9:15am- Get to work (yes, its a long metro ride, one I dread)
10:30am/11am- Coffee/Breakfast break (I just stick to coffee, but its typical for people to eat breakfast at this time- most people get to work at 9:30/10am)
2:00pm- Lunch time (on the dot for me- gosh, by this time I am starving)
3:00pm- Leave for home
4:30pm- Get home, check facebook, throw in laundry or just relax
5:30pm-8:00pm- English classes with the kids
8:30pm- Dinner with the family
9:30pm- Retreat to my room... read or check email
11:00pm- Bed time!

Tues/Thurs
7:00am- Wake Up, shower, Eat Breakfast (fruit or cereal)
8:05am- Leave for the Metro (just about a 10 min walk)
9:15am- Get to work (yes, its a long metro ride, one I dread)
10:30am/11am- Coffee/Breakfast break (I just stick to coffee, but its typical for people to eat breakfast at this time- most people get to work at 9:30/10am)
2:00pm- Lunch time (on the dot for me- gosh, by this time I am starving)
3:30pm- Leave Work
3:30pm-4:30pm- Take a nice long walk (this is my workout as it stands)to are where I have class, stop at VIPS for a water, gum or candy treats.
5:00pm- 6:15pm- Spanish Class with my tutor
8:00pm- Get home, unpack, take a breather
8:30pm- Dinner with the family
9:30pm- Retreat to my room... read or check email
11:00pm- Bed time!

Sat
9:30/10am- Wake up, have breakfast (coffee and cereal)
10:30am-12pm- Email, read, clean my room
1pm- Leave for Spanish Class
2pm-3:30pm- Spanish Class
4pm-???- Walk around the city, meet up with friends, etc

Sun
9:30am/10am- Wake up, have bfast
11am- English Class with Jamie (boy-9yr old)
12:30pm- Email, read, clean my room
2pm- Go for a run/walk
3:30pm- Late lunch
4:30pm- FREE TIME!

And that's about my life summed up for you!

Deep Thoughts with Holly Potter

So, just a few last notes on my weekend for you. It seemed like a very long and eventful one. I think the best part of this experience is with everyone you talk to you learn something really profound about them and where they come from, but also about yourself and where you come from. I feel fortunate for this new perspective and having the opportunity to experience living in another country. It's not easy and some moments I find myself wanting to give up when I get frustrated with learning the language and not being able to communicate my feelings or its simply missing home and things that I know so well. However, those moments pass and I'm glad they do. I can already see that this is going to be a life changing experience.

Now for my updates on things I've learned or seen:
1. History. Now, maybe this is just me, but I think that alot of us don't really have as good a grasp on history and events that took place way beyond our years which have affected the life we live now. Every time I am able to get into a conversation with someone here they know so much about the history of their country, how their political system works, presidents that were in office 50 years ago, monuments that exist and the history behind them. I sometimes feel ashamed because if they were to come to U.S. I would not be able to share with them the same things. I couldn't give them a tour around Washington D.C. and the rest of our country and know what this or that monument means and why it is even a monument. I guess its time I start reading up.
2. American Music. As I said before, they love it here and everywhere! I never have to really worry about missing it because they play it in bars, they have American radio stations here and they sing it on the streets. The ironic part is most of the country of Spain does not know English so they know how to sing these songs, but they don't know what it means. For instance, they asked me what Katy Perry's song "I Kissed a Girl" was about. It was a funny conversation to say the least....

3. 3/11/2001. I had a long car ride back home from Sevilla with my co-worker, Ansel. He asked me if March 11th 2001 meant anything to me. I said "no". He said that it was Spain's "9/11". Again, an instance where I felt ashamed. He knew all about our Sept 11th terrorist attack yet I had no idea Spain was even affected by the Taliban Terrorists also. The terrorists attacked Spain as well because of the relationship they had with the U.S. They bombed a train as well as a large apartment building in Madrid killing over 200 hundred people and injuring much more. Yes, that is not as many people as in the US attack but keep in mind we are 4 times greater in size. Now, maybe everyone reading does know this already and if you do it's very commendable. I just realized that it's also time I take an interest in world events.

4. Paddle. So, I guess I have alot of hobbies and interests I am taking up. Not sure if I will have time for this one, but I hope to find it. Paddle is a popular sport here in Spain that is very similar to tennis. It is played on a smaller court, with smaller and heavier racquet's and played outdoors. It's a very fast paced game, kind of like racquetball but not really. The game came from Argentina and most of the coaches here are from Argentina. If you see or hear of teams that are successful with the sport it will be Argentina, Brazil or Spain. This sport has not yet even spread its popularity throughout Europe but it slowly making its way up North.

So, that's it for this week! More to come later as usual. Things I would like updates back from you are: The Election, Packers vs Titans (big game huh?), Celeb gossip, Funny Halloween stories and GMR updates! Muchos Gracias!

Adios!

A Night Out on the Town in Sevilla

Finally, what all of my friends have been waiting for.....a night on the town in Spain. It is finally here.

I realized when I got to Sevilla to meet my co-worker, Ansel Garcia (I also call him my mentor since he has provided me with SO much information and for the next months to come will really show me the ropes with Delfin and Madrid)that some things are universal. One of which is event marketing. The event was identical to some of the event/tours we do at GMR. They have a branded truck, display and were reaching the consumers the same way we do. The second thing was enjoying yourself after the event is over. And that's where it all begins....

After the event Ansel took me around Sevilla showing me the sites. We then met up with three of our temp staff who worked the event that day with us; Pablo, Barbara and Armeila. All of which were local Sevillans who really knew how to show us a good time. They insisted that we first meet at a traditional Flamenco bar (12am) . This was awesome! It's just a regular bar with regular people. The band consisted of three Spanish men playing only flamenco music. I watched as everyone (including my new friends) enjoyed themselves with the dance. Pablo even taught me a little bit of the dance and I can't wait to learn more!

Second stop (2:30am) was a pub down the road where American music and Spanish beers flow like water. It didn't feel too much different than some of our bars. But, it did have a great big plastic bull in it (see picture).

Third and final stop (3:00am-5:00am) was a discoteca (basically like a night club you would find in Miami). This was pretty fun although they had a strict dress attire that a few of us broke. Thanks to Barbara knowing the door men we got in just fine. Pablo took control of my camera most of the night to capture the moments. He pointed out to me a sign that was in this bar (see picture above) and he said you need to remember this for your whole time in Spain. I think he is right.

So, that was my night on the town! A typical night on the town in Spain is from 12am-7am. I am not that good, but was proud I held up until 5am! I will tell you this though...all over the world American music is king. They love it and can't get enough.

Sevilla (Seville in English)

My first trip outside of Madrid was last week Thursday when my colleague at Delfin offered me the opportunity to see an event in Sevilla. I was told that Sevilla was one of the most beautiful parts of Spain.....and indeed it was!

Now, for a little background education (if you prefer for the more exciting stuff, please skip to the next blog post): Sevilla is located in the South of Spain. It is the capital of Andalusia. Andalusia is a region in the South of Spain which is divided into eight provinces; Huelva, Seville, Cadiz, Corodoba, Malaga, Jaen, Granada and Almeria. They say Sevilla, Granada and Cadiz are the best to visit. The city of Sevilla is more than 2,000 years old and has amazing architecture and historical monuments to see. Since I was only there for one day I got a quick tour. My guides, Ansel (colleague from Delfin) and Pablo (temp staff at our event who is lives in Sevilla) showed me all of the "must see" things in Sevilla. Please see below for the reference to my pictures. One other interesting fact about Sevilla is that its sister city is Kansas City, MO and Columbus, OH. I thought this was interesting because of my love for KC and the fact that I was born in Columbus. I guess I was born to see this city!

1st Picture: Torre del Oro. This was built as a watchtower to prevent boats from traveling into the river port. The river port which you may see in my picture (sorry it is so dark) was the river Christopher Columbus sailed through.

2nd & 3rd Picture: The Cathedral & Bell Tower. This cathedral (which has been reconstructed a few times and even turned into a bell tower) is one of the largest of all medieval and Gothic cathedrals. You can't tell by my picture but it is HUGE.

4th Picture: The Old Streets of Sevilla. My tour guides and I walked up and down all the old streets of Sevilla just admiring the beautiful architecture and charming tavernas and restaurants.

Now that I have bored you with the history and my sight seeing tour I will get on to the fun stuff. Next up: Learning Flamenco!!