Twenty-three is the number to be

So my birthday was yesterday. It was good, just felt like any other day. Granted, a good any other day, but still. I guess it comes with the old lady territory. Went and had some quality "me" time at the beach. Tide was way out so that just made it so much prettier and more interesting. Wanted to buy some flowers on the walk back but I couldn't find any, then some guys in a car yelled something at me and I decided to mall-walk it back to the apartment. Then some lunch and quality siesta time, watching the Facebook B-Day posts roll in. Later, out for the night at a pub in the city, where I found what I've been looking for (and Jenn found a waiter), but my comfort food. Fried chicken fillet with fried eggs and French fries. A pile of fried goodness. I needed it. I loved it. If it were legal, I'd marry it. Followed up by ice cream and a trip to the candy store. Lovely evening. But, just didn't have that special birthday pizazz I kind of wanted. But overall, better than the previous two years. And today, at IKEA, I got my flower. A daisy named Fernando. Because he's pretty.

So, like always, our situation is altering and up in the air. There's the chance that we'll have to go home in April if we can't find another option/loophole. I'm completely mixed about this, given my mood at any random moment. Sometimes I want to stay, other time's I'd jump at the chance to go home. Its not that I don't like it here and want to leave, because that's not at all the case. I love it here, its fantastic. I just miss home. Argh, confliction! Yes, I know that's not a real word. Whatever. Here, have a picture or two that I took yesterday.

There were tons and tons of brightly colored rocks all over the beach. I picked up a few choice ones in my favorite colors. Totally nabbed a purple one.

I Promise

We totally do more than just hang out at beach all of the time. We also hang out in town, at shops, around the apartment, and sometimes, we even do a little work. But not lately. The week has been pretty low-key, only one conversational thing earlier tonight and then something tomorrow morning. But when the weather's nice, and we have some motivation, to the beach it is! And its not so much that I'm writing this because I have something to say, its more like I'm writing because I haven't written in a while. So.....how about a picture from today!

In all of this spare time, I've also done this:

(I'm not a fan of the sailboat)

Things I learned this weekend:

- I can order my food on my own! But mostly by pointing and nodding.
- I love a challenge. Whether physical, emotional, or mental. However, when those combine to challenge me all at one time, I implode.
- Carnival is some crazy stuff. And the men love to wear dresses.
- As much as Europeans hate America, they sure do love our music, movies, and culture. Last night alone, I heard Hannah Montana, Britney Spears, saw tons of Native American costumes, and Spiderman was everywhere.
- Being in this situation has made my emotions hyperbolic. I'm extreme. I'm ultra sensitive so everything offends me, when I get annoyed I get angry, when I'm down its the lowest of lows, and when I'm mean I turn pretty nasty. And about that last one, my apologies go out to a certain boy who I've been a jerk to lately. I'm sorry. But maybe this will explain why.
- I may have to climb that Jesus Mountain many more times next month, except carrying a group of high schoolers with me. Fun stuff.
- Baptists in Spain are way nicer than home. They all want to talk to the strange Americans.
- They also play American worship music, which was great. Not so great: the hour and a half sermon. I didn't even bother to try and understand.
- I miss Target. Eroski's great and all, but it's no Target.
- I also miss warm chocolate cake, cheesy bacon omelets, biscuits with butter and honey, OEC, homemade nachos, big waffles, massive burgers that are dripping with all kinds of melted cheeses and goodness, and that filet dish served over mashed potatoes with the garlic shrimp sauce that I can only get in Lexington. Oh, and Starbucks. I am going to get so fat when I get back.
- I keep forgetting my birthday is this week. Doesn't feel like it. I'd like huge, brightly wrapped presents that I can tear into and enjoy. Lots and lots of those.
-Little girls in Spain during Carnival like to dress up as Girl Scouts and dance through the street to Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl".

And now, what really happened on Jesus Mountain:

The Ansel Adams in me...

...is loving being here so much. My photography gene is flipping out, snapping stuff all over the place. The scenery is one thing, so insanely beautiful that it's just begging to be photographed. And then there are the people, that to me, stand out as much as the scenery, begging even more to be captured on film. And its all feeding my passion, my love. It's fantastic. Taking pictures is one of those things I get lost in, that makes me completely happy. Thus, being here and being around town snapping random shots just makes me happy. Some of my favorites:

Sunset. Just plain pretty.

Taken our first time to the beach. I love that building.

Sunset at an angry high tide

I watched this couple for a while (not in a creepy way, just to see what they would do next) and they couldn't keep their hands off of each other. Gave me a lot of great shots.

The sun'll come out....tomorrow

Yeah, not only is that song in my head (along with another song, that thanks to a boy, shall go unnamed) but I guess it could describe my mood. I'm between positive and just whatever. Days are going by faster and easier and I'm having a good time, but at the same time, missing stuff. Like today I realized I missed Taco Bell. That is now added to the list along with Chik-fil-a, fresh baked cookies, homemade nachos, my car, my dog, my boy, my mom, Oprah, my bed, my compadres (that's Spanish, right?) and hearing English on a regular basis. I also miss socialization with groups of people, which sounds really strange but true. And now I'm thinking I need to listen to some Beyonce before I go all melancholy again.

But before I go, I did some English conversing with two older ladies last night. Both were in their sixties. Or maybe fifties and they just looked older. But whatever. We were discussing likes and dislikes and one said that she was "crazy for the Beatles". For some reason, that just made, not so much my day but maybe my hour. It was just a great, random little moment. This trip is made up of great, random little moments of home that make me smile, give me a little hope and then send me on my way. Yesterday, it was that and hearing Alicia Keys in a grocery store. Today's moment: some freshman looking high school boys out behind the school, playing a informal game of lacrosse. Made me happy.

And now, a movie? Yes? No? Well tough, you're getting one anyways, coutesty of boredom at a Paris bus stop.

Paris hates me

Whenever something goes wrong on this trip, which happens quite a bit, I just say that "Paris hates me". Blame it on Paris. That terrible city and I have a mutual distain for each other. It loves to wreck havoc and I love to curse it. Its gotten me deported, police escorted, sick multiple times, its pushed me down a flight of stairs, broken my luggage, and sent me to a country where I can't even order McDonalds for myself. Paris hates me. And last night, it took away some of my hope. The one thing I was hoping on to keep me going, to get me through the next four months, my little bit of home, Paris took it. And of course, Paris being the cruel mistress that it is, it's forcing us to return in June. Who knows what fate awaits those three days. A lot can happen in three days. Shoot, it only took eight hours to get kicked out of half of Europe. All I really need right now is to not think about next week or next month or how far away June is. I'm shoulder deep into Stage Two and it is not pleasant. Maybe the beach will help...

Also, in an effort to help, a fun little game. Go to Google and search for "(your name) needs", the write down the first ten that it brings up. Some of mine are rather topical:
Katie needs your help
Katie needs IV fluids
Katie needs hula lessons
Katie needs you
Katie needs a blog
Katie needs parenting classes
Katie needs kisses
Katie needs to hit the reset button
Katie needs to work on her posture
Katie needs a new home

Odio la etapa dos

So in training, we learned the steps of culture shock. It comes in five stages. Stage One is the euphoria of "I love this city, I love my life, I love the food, I love the scenery, I love that dog, I love the bus, I love it all" and it can last for days or weeks or an hour. Stage Two is "I hate this place, I hate the food, I can't function, I miss my life, I want to go home" and it can last for days or weeks or an hour. Stage Three is acceptance of your place and new city and culture. It is supposed to be a peaceful stage. Then there's Four, or the moment you get off the plane back home and want to turn around and go right back to what's been your home for the past few months. Stage Four is supposed to be the hardest stage, as it's reverse cultural shock. You're back home and realizing that life has gone on without and no one really cares what they have in French grocery stores or what the Spanish word for "toe" is. Its the readjustment and I am not looking forward to it. And finally, Stage Five, or The Big Acceptance. You get readjusted to home, back in the swing of things, caught up on TV, and people remember that you're back and to include you in their lives. Looking forward to that stage. But I explained all of that to tell you this: I woke up in Stage Two this morning. My first thought when I opened my eyes was "Crap, I don't want to be here" But I'm going to fight it. I'm going to make quesadillas and drink some Coke and eat gummy bears and fight it. And hopefully I'll have it defeated by June.

And also, I guess a factor assisting in my Stage Two-ness is that it's Valentine's Day (or, as my lovely teammate refers to it, Single's Awareness Day) It's my first V-Day to actually be with someone and I'm not actually with him. So that sucks. And I've also gotten in the habit of taking pictures of couple. One reason is pretty obvious but another reason being that I'm trying to become a better photographer and there's just a magic that couples have that I like to try and capture. Plus it just makes me happy. But here's what I have so far:

Pigeons need love too.

And this is probably my favorite:

Today was a good day. Totally did some good, hardcore missionwork. Such as going to the mall, eating at McDonald's, buying chocolate to get us through the day, and then some Facebooking, naturally. But to continue our missions, Jenn and I went to the beach to take some pictures at sunset. I guess we could've actually talked to some people, gotten some ideas about the area and such as that. But nope, just took pictures. Beautiful, amazing pictures. Of water and waves and sand and people and a giant Jesus statue and mountains and buildings. Ah, good stuff.

And so it begins...

It's been in interesting road to San Sebastian. And that might be the understatement of the year. More on that later, but right now, I'm just trying to figure things out. I was supposed to be in Cardiff, Wales, joining a training program. Then I ended up trapped in Paris for three weeks, wandering the streets, stealing bread from pigeons. And that brought me to Spain, where I'm joining a conversational English program that works with the university students of San Sebastian, especially those that speak the Basque language and hopefully forming some lasting relationships. So, unlike my previous blog, which switched to Spanish and wouldn't let me post anything, this one will get going and become a place for me to rant and rave about what I'm doing, what I hate here, what I miss and how badly I want to come home. Until it's time to come home, in which case, I'll want to stay. But in any rate, see you later.