Take Me Back To: Dublin

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everybody! Not only do I love St. Patrick’s Day because it gives me a legitimate excuse to spike my coffee with Bailey’s, but also because it lets me get incredibly nostalgic about my trip to Ireland in 2010. Dublin completely took my breath away, and despite being there for only a few days, I truly became infatuated with the city.

Dublin has a certain rustic charm that I absolutely adore. The picturesque brick buildings and musical accents make me believe in the “Luck of the Irish”, for anyone who lives there is truly lucky. Although my trip started off as an epic quest for good beer, charming accents and leprechauns (the last of which I didn’t quite find), I ended up discovering a delightfully friendly and mesmerizing culture.

We explored the beautiful Trinity College, wandered through the shops of Grafton Street, toured the Guinness Storehouse where I drank my first Guinness ever (obviously this was before I found about having Celiac disease… if only Guinness made gluten free beer too!), bar-hopped and listened to live rock music in the pubs of the Temple Bar district.

Fact of the matter is, I’d give anything to go back right now. Not only are the Irish by far the friendliest people I’ve met throughout my travels, but the country is simply stunning. I'm dying to visit again one day and spend more time exploring the rest of Ireland. (And perhaps by then, gluten free Guinness will exist!)

Have a great St. Patrick's Day, everyone!

Budapest

Today I awoke to the heartbreaking realization that I’m no longer in Budapest. The majestic city absolutely stole my heart, and now it hardly seems real that I was actually there, experiencing its magic firsthand. The entirety of the city captivated me – and I found myself constantly in awe of my resplendent surroundings. The twin cities of Buda and Pest are not only stunning, but they also possess enthralling personalities. While some parts are rough around the edges, others are purely exquisite.

Fisherman's Bastion in Buda

My favorite part about the architecture is the juxtaposition between the stately pastel colored buildings that look like decorative Easter eggs, and the ominous dark buildings that look like victims of a ravenous fire long ago. While many of the sights and notable landmarks were built in 1896 for the city’s millennial celebration, to me the entire city felt extraordinarily old. I could almost picture myself stepping back in time and experiencing the antiquated Budapest that once was.

Vajdahunyad Castle in Pest

Chain Bridge

Heroes' Square in City Park

Budapest has gone through a markedly tumultuous history, yet has come out more regal than ever. We saw one of the most harrowing snapshots of Budapest’s history when we visited the House of Terror, a museum in the former headquarters and torture site of the Nazi and communist secret police. The city has seen its fair share of heartbreak, and while its days of Soviet occupation ended long ago, there are still some vaguely reminiscent traces of its communist past. Even riding on the metro, with its vintage leather handles on the ceiling, charmingly outdated stations, and archaic recordings that announced the upcoming stops and closing of the rickety doors, made me feel like I had transported myself back to the 1960s. Though I was never alive to experience the 60s myself, riding on Budapest’s public transportation evoked an enigmatic nostalgia.

Great Market Hall, my favorite place in Pest

Nevertheless, Budapest has gracefully transitioned into a remarkably elegant city that nods to both its former greatness and turbulent history. If I could describe the city in one word, it would be “regal”. I was completely entranced by how majestic the city was. At times I felt as if I were living in a fairytale, which makes coming home and reminiscing about my trip that much more surreal. “Did that really happen?” I ask myself every two minutes as I daydream about wandering through the colorful hills of Buda, crossing the magnificent Chain Bridge, getting lost within the vibrant Great Market Hall, and soaking for hours in the famous Széchenyi thermal baths.

Exploring Castle Hill in the sunshine

Széchenyi thermal baths - hands down my favorite experience in Budapest! (We went at night, so I didn't bring my camera along. I'm so glad I didn't, because we ended up getting stolen from here!)

photo via

One of my favorite moments of the trip was when were atop the Fisherman’s Bastion – one of the highest lookout towers in Buda – sipping steamy mulled wine in the sunshine and admiring the breathtaking views of Pest. As we were gazing out upon the Danube, Parliament, Chain Bridge and St. István’s Basilica, a nearby musician was playing cheerful classical tunes for the crowds below. Suddenly, the clock struck noon, and all of the bells in the city started chiming at the same time. The bells rang from every which direction, and we fell silent to witness the enchanting scene before us. In that moment I felt so present, so fully immersed in the magic of the moment, that all I could feel was pure joy. As I soaked in every detail of our surroundings, happiness radiated from every inch of my body. I felt so alive.

Now I can’t shake the feeling that it was all just a splendid dream, a mere figment of my overactive imagination. If it weren’t for the hundreds of pictures that I took, I’d have a hard time believing that all of it was actually real. But I suppose the best part of it all is that despite my nostalgic reminiscing, Budapest was just as magical in the moment as it is now in my mind.

How I've Changed Since Moving to Spain

1. I can actually stay out late

In Seattle, I was pretty much an abuela, or "grandma". I was lucky if I could stay out until closing time, which in Washington is between 1:45 and 2:00 am. It was a real struggle to stay awake past midnight. As many of you already know, here in Spain people don't even start heading to the clubs until about 3 am, and eventually they head home around 6 or 7 am. Needless to say, I've had to adapt. Now, when I go out on the weekends I'll usually stay out past 3 am, and about every other weekend I'll have one big night where I stay out until 6 am. I'm sure many of my friends back home won't believe this, but I've actually changed my ways. Thank goodness for siestas, am I right?

Spaniards are notorious night owls, so I must caffeinate accordingly.

2. The way I speak English has changed

Despite being hired as a native American English speaker, at my elementary school I'm required to teach British English. Between teaching British English at work and always hanging out with my posh British roommate outside of work, this different way of speaking has proved to be subconsciously contagious.

My Pacific Northwest accent has stayed the same (I'm desperately clinging to my Washingtonian habit of pronouncing my "t"s like "d"s - "I'm from Seaddle, where there's lots of wader"...), but the way I structure sentences has changed. For instance, instead of saying "Do you have any tomatoes?", I inadvertently copy the Brits and say, "Have you got any tomatoes?" I've also started to say things like, "I can't be bothered to go proper grocery shopping right now." The Spice Girls and the Royal Baby would be so proud.

But I suppose I must admit that the language I speak most often here is Spanglish. I find myself saying the following phrases to my fellow expat friends on a daily basis: "I just don't have the ganas today", "I'm going to echar the &%$@ outta this siesta", and, "I'm so tired of his tonterías." 

3. Fashion has taken a backseat

Being a foreigner in Spain, I already get a lot of intense stares that make me feel as if I'm an animal in a zoo. Sure, it could be a lot worse; like many Spaniards, I'm short, tan and brunette - so I get a lot less attention than say, my two gorgeous German roommates who are tall and blonde. Nevertheless, I stick out... and I get stared down a lot. Any you know what? People gape even more when I dress like a total foreigner.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I've temporarily traded in my preppy, all-American J.Crew and Kate Spade ensembles for a more convenient Zara-inspired look, simply because I'm sick of being gawked at. I miss my pearls, gingham button ups and Sperry's, but they'll be waiting for me back home at my country club where people don't look at me like I'm some sort of rabid wildebeest.

I miss you, preppy stripe collection.

4. I'm not a healthy eater anymore

RIP long lost Paleo baking supplies

Last year when I was living at home, I became a really healthy eater. I was even Paleo for four months, for crying out loud. I only ate organic fruits and vegetables, I only bought hormone & antibiotic free/free range/organic meat, and I would exclusively shop at Whole Foods, PCC & Trader Joe's. (Okay, so I got kind of obsessive about it when I moved back in with my parents. But there are worse compulsions to have.)

Anyways, all of the good habits that I accumulated back home all went to hell when I moved to Spain, because everything here is fried, artery-clogging and addictive. Fried potatoes have become a weekly staple. Finding decently priced organic food is a headache. I can't even remember the last time I drank a green smoothie. Who am I? I mean, it's not my fault that I can't find kale because it isn't grown here, nor can I take the blame for the fact that a tiny box of quinoa costs a whopping 9 Euros. I guess I could work harder to find more creative solutions, but see point number 5...

I've traded in kale chips for these bad boys. And I mean "bad" in the literal sense, as in someday they'll probably kill me.

5. I'm less conscientious

This is probably the laziest I have ever been, for better or for worse. Spaniards get a bad rep for being lazy, and while I can't speak for the population of an entire country, I can definitely speak for myself. I'm still generally a productive person, but considering how gruesome of an overachiever I used to be, this is the worst that my work ethic has ever been. In turn, I'm a lot less stressed out and I've found a much healthier balance in my life. But still, my American conscious is constantly plagued with guilt by my intermittent unproductiveness.

I used to define conscientiousness. Now, I'm always running 10 minutes late, efficient time management is a capricious mood rather than an abiding skill, I don't make my bed everyday, and if I really need to get something done, chances are I'll take a very long nap first. If you knew me back home, this is a really big deal.

6. I'm more flexible and patient

Having to adapt to living in a new culture takes a lot of patience as it is, and then when you add in a job that involves working with children all day... well, it just skyrockets from there. Even the littlest things like going to the grocery store, mailing something at the post office, or setting up a bank account require a ridiculous amount of patience compared to doing those same mundane tasks back home.

This doesn't mean that I'm chill and Zen all the time (spoiler: I'm not), but living in Spain and dealing with many frustrating circumstances has taught me to take things as they come and accept the things I can't control. It's truly been a challenge at times, (okay... at most times, especially when it involves dealing with painfully inefficient Spanish bureaucracy...) but overall it's made me a stronger individual, so I really can't complain now, can I?

Patience is: teaching 50 screaming kids how to make Thanksgiving turkey crafts, and then coming home to find art supplies in your hair.

Have you ever lived abroad? 
How did it change or impact you?