Terrible Twos

I initially started writing to mark the end of Day 2, because after two days the whole thing began to sound doable.  I love to create mathematical scenarios in my head, so when you think about it, I only have to do these last two days 49 more times.  Or I'm 4% of the way to being at the halfway mark.  Or, in its most simples form, I have 98 days left.

Yesterday morning I woke up after a dream that I made a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast.  True story.

Otherwise I haven't had any of my usual peanut butter cravings, but it's still early yet.  I'm guessing it will be really difficult to resist the siren call once I get home for Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving will also equal the break in my "paleo diet" if we can even call it that.  I had a few cheating moments, but the fact that I'm essentially just cutting out most processed foods and dairy from my life in my mind satisfies the restrictions of that regimen.  I fully intend to cheat on Thanksgiving anyway.  And what would the Christmas holidays be without all of the refined sweets we consume? I'm not too strict on such things.

I was catching up on my Wednesday night comedy shows tonight and enjoyed the dieting perspective of ABC's "The Middle."  Frankie's father, after losing 4 pounds, begins making the professions against the evils of gluten and sugars etc. etc. and only goes to show how annoying the people are who only talk about what and how much they eat.  Gosh, glad I don't know anyone like that ;)


Well, I'm actually on Day 4 now, which is twice as far as beforehand! I haven't really been good about the paleo restrictions, mostly because I've been meeting up with other people who have been kind enough to make me dinner or bring me a cake pop at work....so, in the spirit of Thanksgiving and in keeping with Southern manners, I politely (and quite happily) have accepted some non-paleo items.  But I've been doing pretty well (even ate asparagus and zucchini for lunch yesterday), so what's a small little slip here and there? I haven't backslidden on the peanut butter or chocolate milk yet, so I count it a success!!

The Hundred Days

History fact: The Hundred Days was Napoleon’s last stand for France, when he returned from exile and made a last-attempt effort at seizing control.

Current events fact: The next hundred days will be peanut butter’s last stand for my appetite, when it will attempt to seize control over everything I will eat in the future.

And like Napoleon, it will not succeed.

It’s my assumption that nobody in the world will ever end up reading this, so don’t be surprised if these posts become therapeutic self-pep-talking ramblings that bore you to death.  And don't be surprised when, like eighty percent of all women, ninety percent of what I say revolves around the topic of food. The next 100 days are about my road to self-discovery and happiness etc. etc., so that doesn't necessarily mean it will help you.  It also doesn't necessarily mean it won't.

I’ll start off at the beginning-ish.  I grew up on peanut butter sandwiches like every other kid in the world.  There was one in my lunchbox almost every day.  On the rare occasion my mother would integrate turkey sandwiches or Lunchables into the mix, but she knew these were instances that upset the natural balance of the world and made my days a bit more distressing.  Maybe that’s the reason why, in high school, I began wanting to eat peanut butter sandwiches for dinner and often would (especially on those nights when my parents were off at Band Booster meetings or when I came home late from a lacrosse game).  I can’t really blame my parents because it was my own doing.  Something within me was wired differently: I never tired of the sandwiches.  There was always a steady supply of dopamine positively rewarding their consumption, so consume them I did until I became consumed with them.  My mom was a choosy mom, so I always got JIF, but that doesn't mean I don't fondly remember the days of Peter Pan peanut butter at my grandparents' house, always served in hand with a delicious chocolate milkshake handspun by my grandfather.

Let me clarify: I don’t really enjoy peanut butter.  Reese’s are among my least favorite candies, I refuse to eat peanuts or peanut M&M’s….I abhor the idea of peanut butter with bananas or apples or peanut butter going into a milkshake.  No, I simply like a nicely made peanut butter sandwich with a glass of chocolate milk on the side.  No jelly.

I don’t really know how I made it through my first year of college on so few sandwiches.  Luckily the dining halls were pretty well stocked on chocolate frozen yogurt, and O Hill still knew how to incorporate great ingredients in their sandwich station (let’s get some applause for the turkey-gouda-croissant combo that killed my waistline).

This is a shelf my dear friend Lauren saved for me at the end of first year.  She held my more dangerous foods so that I wouldn't go crazy and eat everything in one fell swoop.  Yes, that's 5 boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios, a jar of JIF (I only eat the good peanut butter) and some cake mix.  There are also 2 boxes of chocolate Pop Tarts back there.  I know, really healthy.

Second year at UVA, though, started getting a little trickier as I became responsible for a lot more of my own meals.  And let’s face it, I didn’t have a great diet back then.  I’ve come a long way in life, mostly thanks to Adela and her Spanish cuisine.  I eat so many fruits, vegetables, and other dishes/items that I never used to touch with a ten-foot pole.  But while those other items may have been filling, even occasionally tasty, they were never satisfying.  Something was always lacking until I topped it off with either a peanut butter sandwich and chocolate milk, Honey Nut Cheerios, or chocolate ice cream.  Those were the food groups on my pyramid, the portions of my version of the MyPlate.  It was everything I needed for my diet….and none of it was balanced.

I’m happy to report that I’ve significantly improved on the HNC and ice cream intake – there are still the occasional cravings, but both have been largely removed from my diet.  Yet peanut butter sandwiches still persist.  I wish I could say I ate only 2 a day, but the truth is far more gruesome and shameful.  I know that there are worse addictions in the world, but you never know: pb might lead to harder stuff.  I have no control over how much I eat or when I eat it.  It rules my appetite like a ruthless dictator.  And then there’s the chocolate milk, the sugary worthless drink that must accompany the sandwiches at all times.  It’s time to give them BOTH up.

I’ve tried it before.  I made it through Lent this past year without either peanut butter OR chocolate.  But that was only 40 days.  And I still ate bread and other crappy food items.

Last week I started a paleo diet, where you essentially eat only vegetables, fruits, and meats before slowly reincorporating things like refined starches into your diet again.  I made it 8 days before I broke down and lunged for peanut butter, bread, and milk.

This time I’m determined to make a change.  I’m tired of the hysterical state of my stomach, mind, and soul when I invest so much yearning into a simple food.  I’m better than that.  It shouldn’t define me, right?  There are other foods to eat, right?

I know how hard it will be.  But I’m changing up the rules a bit…incentivizing it.

Let’s start with a paleo diet, 4 weeks.  Let’s return to the old days where we hunted and gathered our food…only it’s still better b/c it’s all nicely prepared and packaged for me :D  We’ll see how I handle that…then perhaps we can add a few things back into the diet.  It’s not about weight or exercise.  It's not even about dieting.  It’s about discipline, about getting my control back.

I’m not allowed to eat a peanut butter sandwich OR drink chocolate milk (or chocolate milkshakes) for 100 days, though.  That’s the equivalent of 2.5 Lents, 21 days longer than Kim Kardashian’s marriage.  As long as it took France to get rid of a dictator.

We’ll get to the incentives and the diet plans in the next few weeks.  But I just want nobody who is reading this to know that I mean business.  This is my 100 day war.  The War on Peanut Butter.  The last of the chocolate milkians.  A new era.

I originally made this blog years ago as a means of sharing with others what I was doing in Spain.  But I named it from Dr. Seus' work because I anticipated new eventual uses for it.  I wanted it to be used for anything under the sky.  Same goes for the comments.  If you want to call me out for being a fatty, please do :D  If you've ever had a craving, addiction, or passion for anything at all, feel free to share.  Or if you simply want to wish me luck as I probe into the concept of mind over matter, well, that's always appreciated too!

Saying Adios

Our final week in Valencia flew by, as most of us knew it would.  I had a final exam in my Comparative Health Systems class Wednesday evening, after which our professor (César) thanked us profusely for making it such a wonderful experience for him this summer.  He is such a genuinely nice person, and I wish all of the professors at UVA cared as much as he did about their students' opinions!  Thursday morning I took my last exam and said goodbye to Mabel temporarily...she will be teaching at UVA in the fall semester, and she's promised to have a reunion with our class at Chipotle :D


Emily and I decided to expand our cultural horizons and took a short trip to the Museum of "Las Bellas Artes," which features predominantly religious works from primitive Valencian painters, but it also boasts works by more prominent painters like El Greco, Velázquez, and Goya.  We also trekked through the Old City once more to see the beautiful architecture, especially en La Plaza de la Reina.  Emily bought a sample of Spain's delicious olive oil (it is supposedly superior to US brands...I'm not a connoisseur of such things and can't tell the difference) while we visited the Spanish superstore El Corte Inglés.  This store usually ranges from 5-7 stories tall and includes everything you might find in a Macy's, Nordstrom, Kohl's, Target, Home Depot, and Whole Foods combined.  While we initially only saw the clothing merchandise, we were surprised while walking down the street to find several other extensions of the store that seemed to sell home goods, appliances, electronics, etc...it was crazy!


I took a quick nap when I got home and then Emily and I headed out to meet some other kids from school for the festival of San Juan.  The tradition of San Juan dates back to pagan rituals, but it is now used as an excuse to welcome the Vernal Equinox and celebrate by having bonfires on the beach.  The number of slobberingly drunk people in one place was appalling - it was like watching ants swarming on the beach - but there was also music for dancing and free wood for the bonfires, so it ended up being pretty fun.  I participated in the tradition of "jumping" three waves at midnight and making a wish, and  I also jumped over a small bonfire, which counted towards another wish!  Valencian tradition says that if you jump a fire 7 times, you will have meet your significant other within the next year....I didn't have the guts to jump 7 times.  I sadly learned the next day that a UVA student in another group burned her feet after jumping even once, so I'm glad that my judgment discouraged any further participation.


On Friday I spent most of the afternoon at the beach, soaking up the last of the Spanish sun before packing up my suitcase.  The beach was remarkably clean, and I can't imagine how many crews of people were needed to erase the traces of the previous night's disaster area.  As relaxing as it was, I can't say I regretted having to leave the beaches where the topless look is a norm, and where people wear swimsuits indescribably inappropriate for their size, age, and even gender.  I said goodbye to Jaime, the doorman at Adela's condominium, with whom I frequently chatted about topics ranging from sports to MTV.  I'm ashamed to say he knew surprisingly more about both topics than I.  Later that night Adela, Emily, and I enjoyed one last quiet dinner together, and then I told Adela "Buenas noches" for the last time.


Saturday was full of goodbyes, and Adela and  I promised to keep in touch by writing letters.  Most of the program students were frantically scurrying at the airport trying to make their connecting flights, so the goodbyes were short and sweet when we arrived at JFK 11 hours after our initial departure.  When we stepped off the plane the signs were in English, and the workers clearly spoke English - it was somewhat surreal knowing that we were back on American soil.  My mom and dad, knowing how inexperienced a traveler I am, picked me up at the airport, and I was so happy to see them!  My mom, I think, was even more excited, and started snapping pictures as I exited customs.  That night for dinner I had a U.S. favorite: a cheeseburger.


I know this blog can't begin to describe some of the amazing experiences, feelings, and opportunities I've had on this trip.  I'm so blessed to have been given the chance to visit Spain and experience the culture, learn the language, and meet so many wonderful people.  I hope that you've enjoyed seeing what's been happening, and thank you so much if you've followed along! I know it hasn't been the most interesting, but I really appreciate your support!  I might keep up with it as the year goes on, but we'll just have to see what happens.  I hope that your summer is magical!


<3 Charlotte

Barcelona!

Well hello there! I know it’s been over a week since my last post, so I thought I’d catch you up on what I’ve been doing so far!!

Friday June 10

I woke up bright and early and made it to the bus station for a trip to Barcelona with Emily, Ashley, and 5 other girls from Michigan State.  It was a beautiful day in Valencia, so it came as a slight let-down when the legendarily sunny Barcelona greeted us with overcast skies and threats of rain.  We navigated our way to through the metro, and as we left the doors, a flood of water came rushing down the stairs and into the station.  The Michigan girls with the map led us through the pouring rain down several wrong turns, and about 30 minutes later we arrived at our hostel!  I met a UVA 2009 alum who had been touring Spain with his sister…he recommended that we visit the water show at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Cataluny that night, so we shortly set off to the center of the Barcelona city.

I originally mistook the museum for a palace when we first arrived, and we unfortunately were too late to be able to tour it.  We had a nice (though chilly!) walk around its grounds and exterior before we eventually sought out dinner.  We ended up eating at a Tapas restaurant, where I tried calamari and another squid dish for the first time! The calamari was okay, but I didn’t care for the squid….too slimy.

 The water show was spectacular.  Spotlights lit up the Museum from behind, and the giant fountain released geysers illuminated by beautiful colors and designs.  It was like a less deafening version of fireworks, and a great first night!

Saturday June 11

Saturday unfortunately got off to a slow start thanks to some of the lazier Michigan kids.  Emily and I began to drag the others through the streets in our attempt to see as much of Barcelona as possible.  We started out at Gaudi’s famed site of creativity, Parc Guell.  The focal point of the park is the main terrace, shaped like a sea serpent.  We also had time to dart around and see many of the mosaic creations, like the mythical “dragon” that guards the entrance.

We scooted out of the park and just made it in time to the free walking tour provided by our hostel.  Our guide, Mattias, was a native of Switzerland, grew up in Germany, and recently moved to Spain.  He was an outstanding guide, taking us through much of the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona.  We started out near Las Ramblas, where he proceeded to explain that much of what we saw was actually brand new, built by the Catalunyans prior to the 1992 summer Olympics held in Barcelona.  Such was the case for the “Face of Barcelona,” a tacky but fun sculpture where we started it all.

Several of our stops along the way included the Santa Maria del Pi, a beautiful though lesser-known church in the Gothic Quarter.  It’s most remarkable feature is its large, sweeping arches (larger even than in the Barcelona Cathedral).  Even more impressive, it was built in the 14^th century and completed in just 50 years!  We also went by the Catedral de Barcelona, which was simply beautiful.  It is dedicated to Eulalia, the patron saint of Barcelona.  Fun fact: a secluded cloister of the cathedral contains 13 white geese, as Eulalia was 13 when she was martyred. Another stop included the Placa del Rey, where Columbus was received by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella after his trip to Americas.  Mattias spent a lot time delving into the trials we’ve learned Columbus caused in his trips here, and while I lamented the path of destruction he left in his wake, it was still amazing to visit that courtyard and think how different things could have been if not for him.

Later in the afternoon I was ecstatic that we were able to visit La Sagrada Familia.  The church has been under construction for the last 125 years; it was originally designed by Gaudí, and his designs have been carried forth even after his death.  The pope recently consecrated it as a minor basilica in November.  The outside was purely magnicficent, with different facades depicting the stages in Christ’s life (most prominently the Nativity façade the Passion façade). I simply couldn’t believe my eyes, however, when I finally stepped inside.  It was the most beautiful church I’ve ever seen in my life.  Sweeping arches made of stone smooth as silk rose up into a lofty ceiling.  Gaudi took much of his inspiration from nature, and the church is meant to feel like a canopy, with branching leaves at the top.  The dome of light at the apse of the church was magnificent, with a triangle and circle illuminated to represent the eternal glory of God.  It was overwhelming to face such a beautiful work, and I truly felt the power of God – in the work to inspire Guadi, who in turn has no doubt inspired millions of people.  The visit was by far my favorite thing we did in Barcelona.

Emily, Ashley, and I continued to explore in the evening, and we saw the exterior of Gaudi’s Casa Batlló, a bizarre piece of architecture resembling more skull-and-crossbones style than anything.  We unfortunately were too late to enter and see its more attractive features.  We found a small Spanish restaurant off the beaten path and had a wonderful dinner with croquetas, fried flounder, and shrimp paella.  I was starving at that point, so dinner was extraordinarily delicious, and we had the chance to converse with a few Barcelona natives at the table next to us!

In retrospect, the trip taught me a very important lesson about Karma.  Several of the Michigan State girls, one in particular, seemed to have a difficult time enjoying any of the sites.  Rather than visit Parc Guell they wanted to shop the store fronts and sit in cafes all day.  They moped about walking to the park, about having to walk on the "walking" tour....it was quite annoying.  Emily and Ashley luckily shared my desire to see as much of Barcelona as possible in our short stay, but the others...not so much.  I was aghast when they sat down and moped after 15 minutes of being in La Sagrada Familia - one of THE most beautiful places in the world - but I thankfully didn't let them spoil my fun.  The next day as we were taking the metro to the bus station, the one girl said, "At least we made it out of Barcelona without getting pickpocketed!"  If that's not a jinx, I don't know what is.  She later searched her baggy purse at the station and couldn't find her wallet.  Even worse, she had locked her luggage, and the key was in her wallet.  I felt sorry for her, I truly did, but the moral of the story is to be aware of your situation and your surroundings at all times, even if that means making the most of a stroll through a mosaic park or an unfinished basilica.


This week in Spain I’ve been trying to catch up on my homework.  I have a 10 page paper due on Monday, so I’ve been researching/writing/spending free time on the beach.  I’ve visited several museums this week, including L’Almoina.  This museum features an underground look at the excavation site underground of the more ancient cities of Valencia.  Valencia had been built and rebuilt two times previously, once in the 130 B.C. times, and once again by the Romans several centuries later.  It was amazing to see the two tiers of stone that had been used by the different civilizations, and it was even more amazing that some human remains had still been preserved! (Photos unfortunately were not permitted).  I also had the opportunity the other day to visit the Torres de Serranos with my roommate Emily.  The towers are one of 12 gates that guarded the ancient walls of the city of Valencia.  It also came with a beautiful view of the city!

Going Somewhere

Day 18 - Thursday, June 9


Today we took another trip to a hospital in Valencia, but our taxi driver got a little lost along the way.  I therefore had a length discussion with my cab companions, Maxwell and Josh, about the foods we missed from the U.S.  Maxwell went into detail about the Mississippi barbecue sandwich he would sink his teeth into, Josh had a mouthwatering description of the New York pizza he missed (in addition to Vermont maple syrup on a stack of "flapjacks"), and I.....well, I said I missed my peanut butter sandwiches and chocolate milk.  Haha, it sounds absurd, but after basically being sustained for almost 20 years on peanut butter alone (until Honey Nut Cheerios walked into my life), I have really had several cravings while here in Valencia.  Sure, they have peanut butter, bread, and milk....but the milk isn't refrigerated until it's opened, which I personally just find suspicious.  The bread is decent, but the peanut butter looks like someone threw some water on clay and tried to call it food.  I have, however, discovered a new love in life: Nutella.  After years of hearing people rave about it in the O'Hill dining hall at UVA, two days ago I decided to finally give it a whole-hearted try.  I slathered my piece of bread in the dark goo.....and I loved it.  I can't even taste the hazelnut, so it basically tastes like I'm eating a chocolate-iced cupcake for breakfast in the mornings! Haha, I love that people call it a "nutritious" way to start the day: as Maxwell commented earlier today, "If it even remotely tastes good, it's probably bad for you."

The amazing birthday HNC pyramid from my roommates.  I think I'm about at the bottom tier now.

My hopes of going to the beach today were dashed by cool breezes on top of cool temperatures, but it was still a beautiful day outside! In my Spanish for Medical Professionals class on Monday, we had to go around the room and say what we do for exercise.  While I'm pretty active at home, I've been too overwhelmed with sight-seeing and homework and eating time-changes to get to much activity here (excuses, excuses, I know).  I had to hang my head in shame as my Professor Richart (Mabel, as some like to call her) laughed at my laziness and scolded me to get out and stay healthy.  Today I took Mabel's advice and went for a long-overdue run straight through the center of Valencia.  "The River" is a dried-up riverbed that has been transformed into an expansive park miles long, equipped with children's playgrounds, fountains, ponds, everything.  


I saw several fun sights, including Gulliver: a playground in the shape of a giant man - it's bizarre at first, but once you get over the shock, the idea of children Lilliputians is rather cute.

Photo from http://crookedhouse.typepad.com/crookedhouse/2009/11/a-gulliver-playground-and-a-terrific-new-blog.html

The up-close version of the City of Arts and Sciences.  There is a vast, crystalline pool of water extending between all of the buildings, and up-close it was simply gorgeous.  At that point in my run, it was also incredibly tempting to swim in it, but I restrained myself :D

Now, I'm home again and getting ready to pack.  Tomorrow I'm leaving Valencia on a bus with Emily and Ashley.  We're going to Barcelona!!!

Up to Date

It's been a week since my last post, and sadly not too much has happened since then! I've really been learning a lot in my classes.  My 8 am class has been teaching me all sorts of Spanish medical vocabulary; our class sometimes jokes that we feel like we're in medical school since we've been learning about all sorts of diseases and exams I wouldn't even know about in English! I'm looking forward to going back to my scribing job at UVA and seeing how much of the terminology and new knowledge I can apply.  My other class focuses much more on the healthcare policies and politics existent in numerous countries.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays we take field trips to various medical facilities around Valencia and hear a little bit about what they do.  I am sad to say that I was disappointed in our visit to the General Hospital last Thursday.  In class we had talked briefly about how long people have to sit on a wait-list for radiological imaging, for consultations, etc., yet in the hospital not a single patient was in sight.  The doctors even went on and on about their wait-lists too, yet we were shown nearly every single sector of their imaging center, and we had hordes of doctors escorting us around the hospital (something I know for a fact U.S. physicians would never have time to do).  The waiting rooms were devoid of patients; the physicians clearly lacked the rigor I'm used to seeing in the States.  The one person I saw at work was a lonely technician in their laboratory.  The hospital's lawyer even had time to film us walking around....I'm sure we'll be their new promotional video.

Video: The UVA "Nursing" Students

I've been working in most of my spare time on schoolwork.  My roommate Emily and I finished up our 50-minute presentation on cardiovascular diseases and delivered it to the class in Spanish this past Monday.  We felt bad for essentially putting the class to sleep, but we hope it was satisfactory for our professor!  I didn't feel so badly about being indoors during the past week.  I've heard from several Valencian natives that the weather right now has been extremely uncharacteristic for Valencia this time of year.  I've stepped out several mornings this week in my summer dresses and skirts and been met with blustery winds.  The weather usually has continued to trick me, boasting clear skies right before lunch and then opening up in a downpour shortly after.  Today I finished up a midterm in one of my classes and have decided to take advantage of the afternoon siesta to catch up on the blog!


Days 12 and 13 - Friday/Saturday June 3-4


Friday and Saturday were two wonderful days for me! On Friday I finished up class at 11 and came back to do a little work.  Adela fixed us an early lunch, because we were signed up to go visit the City of Arts and Sciences' Oceanographic Museum! Valencia boasts enormous museums at its center ("The City"), and it ranges from art galleries to opera houses and natural history museums.  It is also home to the largest aquarium in Europe, the Oceanographic Museum.  My sister Emily has done a fabulous job of spreading her passion for marine life, so I absolutely loved touring here.  The exhibits ranged from a pool of tropical fish to penguins, seals, sharks, walruses, and a beluga whale.  The sharks were by far the favorite exhibit, as the room is built in a dome-like shape to allow observation from the sides and the underside of the sharks.  They're truly magnificent, but I was sad to see that they seemed a little disinterested...I guess it's for the best that they didn't find us humans too appetizing!

We also had the opportunity to see the dolphin show.  It was such a strange concept to me to hear a show's narration performed in Spanish over the loudspeaker, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much of what I heard I understood! There were some courageous divers in the show jumping into the pool from heights nearly 3 stories high, but the dolphins, of course, were the most talented.  They clearly loved the attention they received (almost as much as their treats!), and things went off without a hitch.  I loved watching the show, but I think I got even more excited by the prospect of one day watching Emily do something so similar!

Saturday was a lot of fun, and I went with about 10 other students on a hiking trip to a Xátiva, small city outside Valencia.  We hiked up the mountain to see another castle similar to the one at Peñíscola, and it was a beautiful day to be outside!!

New Foods:
Since last week I've tried several different foods, though I can't recall them all.


Quiche - so gross.  My first mistake was to believe it was a pizza.  My second mistake was to try it.
Mushrooms - I still don't like them
Lamb - meh
Pizza with peppers - pretty good!
Paella - SO delicious! Adela made us a feast for Sunday lunch and slaved over a wonderful paella dish.  I was wary at first given its green color, but it was really a tasty treat!
Fried egg - I couldn't bring myself to try the runny center, but the rest was good
Pisto - it's a bit like a homemade spaghetti sauce, only 100 times better.  Adela served it with rice, and it was so delicious! I might have to find a recipe :)

Reality Check

Days 7, 8, and 9: Sunday-Tuesday, May 29-31


Sunday gave me a much-needed opportunity to sleep in and adjust my schedule! I'm clearly still on American time, but I'm doing my best not to fall asleep in classes.  Today I took a lazy day and caught up on a little homework.  Then I met up with Emily Forrestor, Emily Green, and one of their friends at la Plaza de la Reina, a central part of the historical city and home to some of the most beautiful architecture in Valencia.  We strolled through the small market and surveyed the top restaurants and ice cream shops we planned to revisit :D  We peeked inside the central cathedral and observed the Sunday afternoon service that was going on.  I absolutely loved the sweeping arches and the altar decked in sparkling gold awnings, but even moreso I loved that I understood that during the service they were saying the Lord's Prayer and the Peace.  
La Plaza de la Virgen is definitely my favorite, so far.  It's the kind of classic terrace idealized in any film set in Europe.  There is a great marble patio with a beautiful fountain.  Little children run around, reaching for and screaming at the pigeons that litter the ground.  People sit around the fountain eating ice cream and drinking espresso, and the bells of the cathedral chime on the hour.  Strolling through the bustling streets, people watching, admiring the Old City - it was a perfect way to end my first week in Spain.

Monday unfortunately gave me my reality check as I began to get slammed with schoolwork.  No beach today, as it was raining throughout the afternoon, and I learned that my big presentation would be given in only a short week.  


Tuesday began to proceed in much the same way, but it was slightly more exciting.  I have decided to switch into a class called Comparative Healthcare Systems.  It pertains to my Human Bio major and looks at the setup of different country's systems, and it's really interesting so far!  Our professor is a physician in Spain, so we took a field trip to his clinic today.  Along the way we stopped at a nearby restaurant, where I got to try horchata, as Spanish drink that is juice-like, blending coconut milk with a fruit only grown in Valencia (or so I'm told).  My favorite part was the fartón that comes with it - a croissant-like pastry with powdered sugar on top...yum!
Later in the afternoon I met up with two other girls in the program, Emily Thisdell and Ashley Robertson, and we explored Los Jardines Reales, the Royal Gardens incorporated as part of the Valencia Natural Sciences Museum.  The site is built above an old royal palace; part of the palace has been excavated for viewing to the general public.  The gardens extended almost endlessly and were beautifully designed; dozens of fountains and "labyrinth" hedges lay beyond every corner.  I wouldn't recommend the museum, but we got our share of entertainment from the giant clams and sabretooth tiger models they displayed!  It just went to show what diverse things you can find in a city if you look hard enough!

New foods that I tried:


Shrimp with rice and whitefish (cod?) - I approved
Arroz con leche - a common Valencia dessert....not for me
Roasted chicken with apricots and raisins
A vegetable dish that consisted of green beans and peppers with mashed zucchini, mixed in a sauce and then served in the peel of the zucchini...it was interesting to say the least!