5 Reasons Why You Need To Start Watching Master of None

{Dev and Arnold shopping the way grown men do}

Netflix premiered Aziz Ansari's Master of None this past Friday, and ever since a friend had shown me a trailer a few weeks ago, I'd been looking forward to seeing it with perhaps a little too much excitement. It's rare to see Indian-Americans on TV as it is—that is, with a fair, accurate, non-stereotypical representation—but more than anything, I was excited to get to see a great comedian make a show that is visually appealing, explores so many different topics, and of course, makes me laugh. 

So after work on Friday, I went home and immediately started watching. Just a few hours after its release on Netflix, friends on my Newsfeed were already raving about how good it was, so even though the aforementioned friend and I had plans to start the show together, I dove right in. When she finally came over about two hours later, I was three episodes in but the show was so good, I was willing to start over. That night, I stayed up and finished the entire season, even after my friend left. Just to recap, this is five hours of television on a Friday night. But seriously, it really is that good. Here's why you should start watching if you haven't already:

1. Feminism. The show freaking embodies feminism. There's a whole episode (Episode 7: Ladies and Gentlemen) dedicated to how everyday experiences can differ for men and women, including an all-too-real fight between two characters in which the female character is frustrated with her male counterpart for first, not understanding and then, belittling things she has to deal with just as a result of having a vagina. But even beyond that one episode, the show does feminism true justice throughout.

{Dev, Brian, and their parents sharing stories}

2. #First-GenerationAmericanProbz. Aziz Ansari, the creator, writer, and lead actor of the show, is an Indian-American who grew up in South Carolina. South Asians are rarely part of the conversation on race in America, but Ansari does an amazing job of highlighting issues unique to both the immigrant experience and that of the first-generation American. He focuses on cultural duality, relationships between immigrant parents and their kids, and so much more. Since this issue is so relevant to my own life, I'm often critical of others' representations (or rather, misrepresentations) of what the experience is generally like. Suffice it to say, Ansari does it justice.

3. Modern Romance, TV edition. Ansari published his book Modern Romance this past June (how this man has time to create an entire series and write a book is just beyond me) and it focuses on well, modern romance. Ansari takes a sociological angle at what defines the dating culture today across different cities and countries, and he even compares dating and marriage today to what the experiences were like decades ago. So many of the book's themes appear in the show and if you're too lazy to pick up a book, do yourself a favor and watch some TV. Specifically this TV. This TV is good TV.

4. FOOD! I love food. You love food. We all love food, and that includes the show's lead character Dev. Each episode includes a bit on the best place to get tacos, gelato, pasta, etc. Dev's love for food is a running theme on the show, as it is in my own life. And who doesn't want to look at beautiful shots of really good food along with real-life suggestions on where to eat them, amirite? 

{Dev meets Busta Rhymes and asks him for life advice, the way we all wish we could}

5. Hybrid genre. There's no denying that this show is a comedy; it's funny as hell and centered around its humor. But the show definitely goes beyond that in the way that few shows do. I definitely think we're in a golden age for television, and shows like Broad City and Master of None are clear proof of that. They combine issues of social justice and social awareness, topics relevant to the lives of twenty-somethings and thirty-somethings and Americans and people in general, all with really well-written comedy. 

Each episode focuses on a different topic, does it justice in a way that's brilliant, and moves on. You don't get bored or feel like you're at a TED Talk, but you end each episode feeling a little bit wiser, a bit more relieved that someone else ~gets it~, and a lot more tired from laughing too hard. Comedy is such a great vessel to spread awareness, to educate the masses in a way that makes them feel good about themselves and their lives. So go ahead, watch the show. Feel good about yourself and about living the life you have.

Once you've finished Season 1 (and then re-watched it the way I have) let me know what you think! Did you love it, hate it, ehh it? Is Arnold also your favorite character? Tell me your thoughts, opinions, ~feelings~ in the comments below.

Happy Netflixing!

~ V

All photos courtesy of Netflix.

Week 9: Five Things I Learned This Week in Spain

{la playa}

The sadness is starting you guys. Just a few days ago, I was complaining about what I would do to fill my time here. My routine was beginning to feel monotonous, especially when all the au pair friends I made here left and I had to sort of start over making new ones. And here I am, with only three weeks left and already sad about all the goodbyes I'll have to say to the people and places in this city I've called home. I've started focusing on what I'll miss so that I have time to especially appreciate it and fully come to terms with having to leave. This way, I (hopefully) won't be a tear-stained mess at the airport, and I'll be able to leave without any regrets. Here's what I learned this week:

{Atocha}

1. Poetry jams are freaking amazing. While I've taken some creative writing classes in which we've had to read our work aloud, I've never actually gone to a poetry reading. This past week, I went to one in the city and absolutely loved it. Most of the poems were in Spanish, and while I could glean the meanings of most words and the overall project of the poem, I knew I wasn't getting all I could out of the experience. That is, until the last poet went up on stage. This guy was just amazing. He performed his poems in a way that was unique from the other presenters, relying on music, pop culture references, and even humor in his pieces. He spoke in half English, half Spanish, and kind of yelled and sang his words rather than saying them. His words didn't sound hokey or forced or pseudo-intellectual or like he was trying to play the role of some tortured artist; it all worked and all the elements of his performance blended so well together. To give you a better idea of his performance, his first piece on the Age of Information included references ranging from Hannah Montana to Ulysses, while his second was performed to the beat of "We Will Rock You," and required the audience to get involved. I'm definitely going back before I leave (hopefully this week!), and I'm going to start going to more poetry jams in D.C. when I get back.

{wandering Valencian streets}

{streetlights in Valencia}

2. Traveling alone. Friends have been recommending solo travel to me from the start, and because I feel so safe in Spain (even without a cell phone that has internet access!) I decided to give it a go. I went to Valencia this weekend, and while the beach itself was quite dirty, I had such a great time. I woke up when I wanted, ate whatever I felt like, and I did what I desired. It sounds so simple, but it's more liberating than you'd think, and as much as I love traveling with friends or family, I definitely want to travel alone more often. I didn't feel lonely even once, and I loved being able to take in the city at a pace and level that fit exactly what I felt like in the moment.

{perfectly blue skies at the beach}

3. Speaking Spanish. I only just realized this week that I won't be able to speak Spanish every day when I go home. I don't have room in my course load to take any more Spanish classes, and of course I won't be able to walk the streets of D.C. and greet every shop owner and server in Spanish. Doing a language exchange has helped me so much and when I'm back in D.C., I'm really hoping to meet with a fluent native speaker who I can speak with for a couple hours a week in just Spanish.

{beautiful balconies}

{Valencian architecture}

4. The importance of having time to yourself. When you live on a college campus, chances are that you don't get a lot of "me" time. I generally spend my days around my roommates, drowning in piles of textbooks (or let's be real, spending hours skimming through Buzzfeed articles), at an internship, or out with friends. And when I do have a few moments alone, I tend to waste it catching up on TV shows or reading crappy books to distract myself from how stressed I am, rarely letting myself just sit down and think and enjoy time by myself. And as much as I love everything about my life back home, sometimes it's nice to break away from the bubble that is your college campus or your city or even your friend group. It's nice to be able to take a step back and just reflect on what matters to you and who you are outside of your setting. And when you have a commute that forces you to spend three hours a day alone and inside your head, you get to think, a lot. I've done so much reflecting about myself, my goals, and what's important to me and it's been huge for me. I've had some breakthroughs and a whole list of things to focus on for this upcoming school year, including but going beyond just the academic. At first I used to resent my stupid bus schedule. Missing one bus can sometimes mean waiting one or even two hours for the next. But now, I really value it. It's amazing to have time to reflect on your day as you return home, or on your weekend after a trip to a new city. While I won't have that when I go back to D.C., I'm now going to make a more conscious effort to really unwind and think, rather than using TV or books to cope with stress.

{puffy clouds at Nuevos Ministerios}

5. What home feels like. I used to go to India every other summer and I would straight up bawl at the airport each time I arrived and left. When I left, it was because of all the family I was leaving behind and because I didn't know when I'd be back (especially considering it's now been six whole years since I've been to India), but when I came it was because I just felt an overwhelming sense of home. I don't consider myself to be an overly-romantic person, but the idea of feeling so incredibly connected to a city in which you're nothing but a tourist, in feeling such a sense of home and belonging and love, of it hurting because of how much it means to you and how happy you are to be back—all of that is just so sentimental. And now I miss India every day, and it seems like as more time passes the more often I think about it. The streets, the corner shops, the smells (both good and bad), the dogs, the homes, the heat, the smell of the freaking rain. It just hurts because of how much I want it and how long it's been since I've had it, especially since I'm so connected to it. I was born in Bombay, but there is so much more to why I think of it as home.

And now that I've been in Madrid and I'm so incredibly aware of the little time I have left, I'm starting to get that sadness. How long is it going to be until I step back on Spanish soil? How many years am I going to be haunted by memories of everyday, mundane details of living here to the point where it hurts? I knew before I came here that I was going to fall in love, but I think at the back of my head I always regarded this as a sort of romantic idealization of a country I knew nothing about; I didn't take myself too seriously. And for a while I thought I was right; for a while I worried that I expected too much of this trip, more than any place can offer a person. But here I am, with only three short weeks left (even midterms are longer than this!) and I'm sad because it's going to hurt not only when I leave, but for weeks and months and years after. And I know it will, because it already does.


It took me less than a month after moving into college to call D.C. home, but I don't think until I missed it as much as I do this summer that it ever fully and completely became home. I starting longing for my city and my monument runs and my cafes and my friends and my cupcakes and my metro the way you do when something truly becomes yours. But all I've done while I've been here is just breathe the city in. I've had hardly any responsibility and when you don't have an internship and a full course load taking up all the time you have to think, you get to relax and just open your eyes and take it all in. I love this country and damn it, three months just isn't enough.

{driving through miles of sunflowers}

I'm struggling to cope with the fact that I leave so soon, but I'm more motivated than ever to make the most of my time here. I hope you guys enjoy the rest of your week!

{arriving in Valencia!}

~ V

Read also:Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8

Week 3: Six Things I Learned This Week in Spain

Now that I've been in Spain for three weeks, a bit of the novelty has worn off. While I'm still just as amazed by all the beautiful architecture, sunsets over the mountains and Madrid skyline, and deep history behind so much of what I've seen and done, I'm starting to get tired of the routine I've made for myself. I spend about three hours commuting to the city center and back every day, and even though I try to do three new things each day, I still end up in the same parts of the city. I've done nearly everything on Trip Advisor, and this coming week, I'm going to make a bigger effort to go beyond the tourist attractions and see more of what makes Madrid amazing. Here's what I learned this week:

1. Sunburn is real. For about two weeks, my skin has been unusually dry. I tried drinking more water and applying lotion more regularly but nothing worked. It took the skin on my arm to begin peeling for me to finally realize that my skin isn't just dry, it's sunburnt. While most people are used to this, since I'd never had sunburn before (ever), I didn't recognize what the hell my skin was doing. In the three weeks I've been here, I've definitely gotten a shade or two darker but it's hilarious to see that after years of spending summers at the beach or in India, all it took was wandering in Madrid to make my skin burn.

{Templo de Debod}

2. I need to stop spending so much money on food. Inspired by Chelsea Fagan's TFD, I've been keeping track of all I've been spending in the Notes app on my phone and one day, I decided to log it all into a spreadsheet (it's amazing what you can do when school and internships don't take up all your time). I included columns for item purchased, where it was bought, the cost, and what category it falls into: food, clothing, or travel. When I finished logging everything in, I noticed that while I've spent more money overall on travel, most items I purchased were food. It's one thing to grab a sandwich for lunch, but logging in my purchases made me realize how much I could cut back on unnecessary purchases like bubble tea, coffee, and pastries. (I say this now, but I know that when I walk into Sol tomorrow I'll be telling myself that life is too short to not splurge on a napolitano de chocolate.)

{Plaza de España}

3. Speaking of which, you can get Tex-Mex in Spain. I went to Toledo on Sunday with some friends and we stopped at a Tako-Away for lunch. The restaurant is a chain that I've seen elsewhere in Madrid so it's not anywhere close to authentic, but it's definitely a healthier alternative to Taco Bell. I absolutely love Tex-Mex and was surprised to see it available outside of the US.

{Toledo}

4. I also need to stop traveling every weekend. Last weekend I went to León, Oviedo, and Gijón, and this weekend I went to Segovia and Toledo. Five cities in two weekends is not cheap you guys. The money spent on bus fares, food, water, and souvenirs add up and unless you're on a day trip, you have to factor in hostels as well. I'm going to spend this next weekend in Madrid and finally explore el Rastro.

{view of Cathedral de la Almudena from el Palacio Real}

5. The Royal Palace is amazing. My friend Carly and I went inside el Palacio Real this week and it did not disappoint. My visit to Versailles last summer was a bit overwhelming; I was tired after a commute out of Paris, stressed about fitting everything into our last day in France, it was rainy outside, and every room was crowded with visitors. In comparison, going inside el Palacio Real was amazing. There were fewer people, but everything was just as beautiful. The only downside was that we weren't allowed to take pictures for the majority of the tour. If you're in Madrid, I definitely recommend a visit to the Palace.

{Carly and me outside el Palacio Real}

6. Being an au pair allows you to meet the coolest people. Madrid has so many au pairs, especially over the summer, and it is so incredibly easy to make new friends. Before coming here, I was unnecessarily worried about meeting people and having friends to travel and explore with, but after three short weeks I have friends who I see fairly regularly and yet I still meet new people all the time. Just this week, I met a fellow American from Chicago and we had a great conversation about American politics, the endless differences between here and home, and more. Likewise, the people I've met from all around the world are great as well; it's amazing to be reminded how easy it is to connect with people whose lives and backgrounds are different from yours, and I know that if it weren't for this au pair experience, I never would have met them.

Since I'll be in Madrid next weekend I'd love some recommendations! Is there anything you think I should do or see? Let me know in the comments below.

~ V

Read also: Week 1, Week 2

Interview with an Au Pair

As I've mentioned before, my trip to Spain wouldn't have been possible without my friend Mansi. She came to Madrid last summer and her plans inspired my own. Through every step of planning this summer, from interviews with host families to packing to where to explore, Mansi has been my number one go-to, there to keep me sane when I'm nervous and yet to be as excited for this trip as I am. I pester her nearly every day with questions, so I thought it might be nice to share her experience and au pair wisdom with all of you too! 

{Mansi and me}

1. How did you first get the idea to become an au pair?

I thought of becoming an au pair because my friend Meghan was talking about how a few girls in her sorority, DPE, were au pairs during the summer and how much fun they had! She told me how they went about dong it and so I instantly made an account on Au Pair World and started searching for families!

2. Can you describe the interview process or general process for finding a family, including specific things you were looking for?

When I was interviewing with families I really was looking for a family that I would feel comfortable with. So for me a big thing was about how each member of the family interacted with each other. I also was comforted by the fact that most families I interviewed with had previous au-pairs and I was able to use them as a source of reference whenever I felt a case of nerves or anything! I found my family about a week after making the account on aupair-world, they were very knowledgable about the au pairing process and spoke English quite well. They were extremely accommodating and made a point to make me feel like a part of the family which was especially nice for my parents who were a little on edge about the idea of me living with a host family in another country.

3. What was your favorite thing about being an au pair?

{Mansi with Gaby}

Being in Madrid was amazing, but the friendships and my host family are what made the entire experience worthwhile (I know, super cheesy). I met so many cool people from all over the world that I still keep in contact with, some were also au pairs, others were students studying abroad, and some that were nomads. I also loved my host family so much, my host parents were so patient as I practiced my Spanish and they cared so much about my well being and would constantly check in on me to make sure I was having a good time.

4. How would you describe your experience with your host kids?

I had two host kids, both boys. Fede was nine last summer and Gaby was seven. It did not take long for me to fall in love with them at all. About a few weeks into my stay the two of them started to look for suitable Spanish men that they could marry me off to so I could stay in Spain forever, which I have to admit would not be the worst thing in the world jajaja. It was never a dull moment with the two of them, we were always playing fútbol, jumping on the trampoline, or trying to do homework (which was their least favorite activity).

{Fede and Mansi}

5. What was something you didn’t anticipate about your experience?

I tried to go into this entire experience with very few expectations, but something that caught me by surprise was definitely how close I got to my host family! For the first few weeks, I felt myself starting to get a little homesick, but having such a compassionate host family really made the homesickness go away a lot faster than I thought it would have otherwise. I did not think three months would allow me to gain such a strong bond with the children or the parents. They became an extension of my family and I missed them so much when I got back to the States.

6. Why would you recommend becoming an au pair?

I don't see why I wouldn't recommend being an au pair. It is such a different experience to live with a host family, it forces you to fully immerse yourself in a culture so incredibly different from your own. I think that the opportunity teaches you so much about yourself and it encourages you to gain a sense of independence. Also on top of everything else, it is so much fun to explore a new foreign city. 

Did you have any questions that were left unanswered? Let us know in the comments below!

~ V

Week 2: Five Things I Learned This Week in Spain

This second week flew by so quickly. Every day was packed with new things to do: during the week, I visited el Museo Nacional del Prado for the first time and also got to explore two new neighborhoods, Chueca and la Latina. Then over the weekend, I spontaneously went to northern Spain with a new friend and visited León, Oviedo, and Gijón (new travels posts coming soon!). Here's what I learned this week:

{Plaza de Torros}

1. Exploring. This week has been a reminder that heading to the less-famous spots is sometimes the way to go. I finally wandered beyond Sol, where many of the au pairs often meet up, and found new neighborhoods, some cheap bars with good tapas, and the best view of the city I've seen yet. Likewise, the three cities I visited in the North aren't exactly the most popular tourist sites, and it was nice being able to escape the crowds for a while and see some lesser-known sights.

{admiring the buildings in La Latina}

{street art in la Latina}

2. The difference between alone and lonely. I went out exploring in Madrid by myself on Wednesday and really enjoyed being able to go where I wanted at my own pace. My plans with a friend fell through, so I walked around for a bit before exploring new neighborhoods. I got on the Metro and picked a random stop on the map and just went. I used to be really good at spending time by myself, but when I'm at home or at school, there's always someone around so alone time is more rare. I think it's important to have a good balance between introvert-extrovert and when I'm so far away from all my friends and family, it's nice to have a bit of space to enjoy time with myself.

{churros con chocolate from San Ginés}

3. Food. I came to Spain knowing that this trip was not going to be an endless food-venture; the country that prides itself in its jamón and seafood paella isn't exactly vegetarian-friendly. But I think I at some point this weekend I reached my breaking point. After all, there's only so much fruit, pastries, and tortillas de patata you can live on. Luckily, I found a vegetarian restaurant in Gijón and was able to enjoy just one meal on our trip that wasn't entirely white bread, fried potatoes, or fruit. And in about two weeks, I'll be able to eat all the authentic pizza, pasta, and gelato I desire when my family and I go to Italy.

{museum exploring}

{Catedral de La Almudena} 

4. Travel. With a five hour drive from Madrid to León, two hours from León to Oviedo, half an hour from Oviedo to Gijón, and seven and a half hours from Gijón to Madrid, I spent a lot of this weekend on ALSA busses, but I'm not complaining. For nearly all of the bus trips, we had decent wifi, ample leg room, and a trip that started and ended on time, which is much more than I can say for the Bolt Bus back home. 
Beyond that, while I haven't had the "traditional" hostel experience, complete with sharing a room with several strangers, I can now say I have experienced hostel life! Our hostels were easy to find online, fairly cheap, and centrally located in the cities we visited. I now feel much more confident planning my next trip around Spain.

{some greenery in Madrid}

5. Money. Compared to what I'm used to paying for lunch or drinks, everything here is so cheap! It's amazing to be able to get a beer, glass of wine, or full meal for the equivalent of a dollar. A new restaurant opened up in my neighborhood in DC and when I checked out their menu and saw a $7 sandwich I laughed; while this is a price I'm technically used to paying back home, I'd never pay more than 4€ here and in fact, I often pay just 1€.

All in all, it's been a busy week and I'm happy to be back in Madrid after a long weekend in the north. I found a quote somewhere that said, "Don't count the days; make the days count." While I can't help but do the former, I'm doing my best to make sure I do the latter as well. :) Have a good week!

~ V

Read also: Week 1

Ten Things I Learned This Week in Spain

Now that I've officially been here for a whole seven days (yikes!) I thought it might be fun to do a weekly series in which I highlight what I learn during my trip. I've learned so much already that I could go on and on about everything so far, but for the sake of brevity, I thought it might be best to stick to ten highlights. Here's what I learned this week:

 {from last week's trip to el Escorial}

1. Vale. I find myself relying on crutch words like "vale" or "sí" so much more than I'd like to admit. While coming to Spain is a harsh reminder of how far I am from being fluent, even the simple incorporation of the word "vale" in my vocabulary (they only use the word in Spain!) is a reminder of how much my Spanish is going to improve this summer.

2. Metro. I have such a big appreciation for public transport here since I can't drive and the only way to get into the city center is by bus and metro. While my commute from my host family's home to the city center is unfortunately a whole hour, I don't mind it as much when I think about how great the Madrid Metro is. It's so easy to understand, it runs so often, and it's incredibly clean and safe at all hours.

3. Nightlife. I went out for the first time this past Saturday and oh my goodness, Madrid nightlife is something else. Whenever my friends and I go out in DC, I take secret pleasure in starting at a decent time, anywhere between 8 and 10 PM, and being in bed (we're talking contacts out, PJs on, eyes closed) by 1 AM. I'm a grandma, I know. But my night out in Madrid lasted a whole 12 hours. I came home exhausted and slightly delirious from sleep deprivation, but no one batted an eye when I walked into the house so late. That's something I'd never had the desire to do (sleep is bae) but I'm glad I had a fun night out with some new friends.

4. Tinto de verano is overrated. This might be an unpopular opinion, but I'll take sangria over tinto de verano any day. Multiple people had recommended I try the drink after coming here, especially at 100 Montaditos, but eh.

5. That being said, 100 Montaditos is amazing. I don't care how basic of me it is to say so, but I love 100 Montaditos. Their drinks are so damn cheap and on Mondays, their montaditos are only HALF A EURO. That's insane you guys. I had lunch for 1 Euro, which is the equivalent of $1.11. It's cheap and still tastes good, so I'm in heaven.

{Retiro}

6. Being an au pair is fantastic. This is probably something I could (and will) do a whole post on, but for the time being, let me just say that being an au pair is the cheapest and best way to travel if you're looking to really know your country and be immersed in its culture. I'm trying to think of a time I've made a better decision for myself and I'm coming up blank.

7. Europe does it better. There's nothing like travel to make you better understand and appreciate your own home, and while I do miss the States and value it more when I'm away, I'm starting to think Europe is the place to live. Education is SO much cheaper here and flying from one country to another is such a small fraction of the cost of my flight to Madrid. Not to mention that many of the world's best cities are so close by, too. Casual.

8. Sometimes, people are amazing. My host family is incredible and I'm reminded every day how fortunate I am to be with them. I've also met so many other au pairs from all over the world, and they're all so friendly. Even strangers are really welcoming and patient with my Spanish, which makes me feel welcome and even happier to be here.

9. Spain is beautifully diverse. I'm kind of cheating with this one here, because this is something I knew before coming here but oh well. Spain is so incredibly diverse both geographically and culturally. There's such a good blend of city and nature and I can't wait to travel beyond the Madrid area to begin experiencing the cultural diversity Spain has as well.

10. The weather. It is so hot here every day and it's only moderately cooler in the late night and early morning. But when you think about how Madrid is right in the middle of the Iberian Peninsula, it's not hard to understand why it's not humid here, and the dry air is doing amazing things to my hair. For the first time in my entire life, I don't have any frizz and it's glorious. If your hair frizzes in Madrid, please do yourself a favor and never, ever go to Florida.

Now that this introductory week is over, I feel more comfortable exploring even more. Stay tuned for what Week 2 brings!

~ V

Today I almost died and then I became the Mother of Dragons

Well, kind of.

Today I went hiking and exploring with my host father and brother along with another family. We drove to Monte Abantos and later saw el Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial. 

{view of el Monasterio from our hike}

We started with a hike and climb that felt pretty steep to me. In reality, I guess it wasn't too bad. The three kids were all between 7 and 9 years old and they handled the hike with more grace and agility than I did, but in my defense, they do this sort of thing all the time while I really didn't know what I was doing. I kept stumbling and tripping and at one point I made the very foolish mistake of looking down to see the surrounding area. Needless to say, I became way too aware of how high we were. I think we were less than a mile above sea level, but all I saw were steep rocks and way too many ways to fall or slip to certain death. Everyone was ahead of me and I just looked at my host father and asked if I could just stay put where I was and wait for them to finish.

 {hiking trail we took on our way down; way easier than the way we climbed on our way up}

Looking back, it's actually pretty funny. Here are all these kids handling the hike without any problem, and then there's the gringa American behind them, slightly out of breath and irrationally afraid of heights and positive that she's going to die that day. I mean if you're going to die, might as well do it in Spain, right? But there I was walking along thinking, "I at least need to graduate college before I die. I at least need that damn degree." And while I like to think of this trip as more than some eat-pray-love overly romanticized bullshit, at that point I was like, "holy crap I'm going to die, and if there is ever a time to start praying again it should be now right?"

{el Monasterio}

Luckily my host father was able to reason with me and point out that I was literally a 30 second walk/climb away from where we were going to stop. So I told myself to shut up, stop embarrassing myself, and just go. So I didn't die today guys. I didn't break the fifth goal of my trip to Madrid and now I can continue to pay GW in my blood and soul, so all is right in the world again.

{exploring el Escorial}

{el Monasterio from the inside}

As for the Khaleesi moment, the highlight of the day for me was el Monasterio. My photos really don't do the view from our point in the mountain justice; the entire scene was so beautiful that I felt right there that this would be the highlight of my trip. Day 3 in a three-month trip is way too early to peak, but there are worse things in life. But going back to the Game of Thrones stuff, the monastery really resembles these scene in which Daenerys (or Baenerys, amirite?) Targaryen looks down at ~her people~ in yet another scene focusing on her and her unsullied. And trust me, I realize how ridiculously vague that sounds but in all honesty, I really don't pay enough attention to remember exactly when or where this happens in the show. So for the thousandth time, I'm drawing more attention to my stupidity on the internet but you know what, talk to me when you go to Spain and feel like you're going to die one second and then feel like the Mother of freaking Dragons looking down at her kingdom while waiting for her missing monster to return the next second and then we can talk.

Anyway, that's enough of my rambling, here are some more photos from our day:

{flowers: a gift from my host brother}

{a pond we found that had blue dragonflies, loud frogs, and these flowers}

{el Monasterio from the outside}

{mariposa}

Tomorrow I embark on my first visit to the city! Wish me luck!

~V

Arrived in Spain!

{downtown, Paracuellos de Jarama}

I'm in Spain. I've slept about 10 of the past 72 hours, but who cares because I'm in Spain. Caffeine is definitely helping me through the sleepless overnight eight-hour flight and the jet-lagged period that followed, but honestly I think I'm pretty much running on sheer excitement at this point.

I'm in Spain you guys. Holy. Shit. I couldn't be more excited or grateful or appreciative of everything that's allowed this to happen. I don't care that my brain is fuzzy from sleep deprivation or that it's so incredibly hot here or anything. It's beautiful and I'm here so who cares, right?

During the few weeks leading up to this trip, I got pretty nervous and anxious. I don't think there was anything specific I was worried about, but it all felt so daunting. But then on the drive to the airport, my mom asked me if I was nervous and I automatically replied, "Nope," and as I said it, I realized it was true. And now here I am, excited as can be. This is actually happening and it's already awesome.

Thus far, I've played a lot of fútbol with my host brother, made him a mediocre-at-best drawing that he thought was so good that he called me a professional, and ran errands around town. Nothing glamorous so far, but honestly at this point it's not too hard to make me happy.

I just sneezed and actually thought the words, "Oh my god, I just sneezed in Spain." 

Stay tuned for a time when I've settled down a bit and start to do fun things!

~ V

Tennessee Travels: Road Trip to Nashville

{fried chicken galore}

      During my week in the underrated state of Tennessee, my friend Saher and I went on two amazing road trips. This was pretty exciting in and of itself, since neither of us had previously been on a road trip without our parents and because we've proven to be pretty good at entertaining ourselves for hours on end (Saher spent a lot of our drive to Atlanta singing along to Broadway songs). But what was even more fun was being able to see new places (and old faces) at the end of our long drives.

{signs for sale in Pangea}

      On one of our trips, Saher and I drove down to Roswell to visit my cousins. We had an amazing home-cooked Indian meal and got to spend some relaxing time with my family, but decided to skip the sightseeing in nearby Atlanta. We had both been there before, and couldn't find much left to do or see, so after a quick breakfast at the legendary Waffle House (my first time there!) we headed back to Knoxville.
      A few days later, we headed to Nashville, which was easily my favorite of the three cities we visited on our trip. It has a much more indie vibe than what I’ve seen of the rest of the South, but still manages to keep that Southern charm. We started off our visit with a leisurely walk around Baylor University. 

{Belmont Mansion}

      Afterwards, we spent a lot of time shopping (and window shopping) before grabbing popsicles at Las Paletas and the most amazing dinner and dessert at Pinewood Social. We started off thrifting through Local Honey, but found nothing we wanted. Next we went to Pangea, which is one of the coolest shops I've ever been to, and I'm so glad we stopped by. I also loved A Village of Flowers and had to remind myself multiple times that succulents cannot be taken on planes.

 {local honey}

 {thrift shopping}

 {Pangea}

 {lovely flowers, lovelier words}

{baby succulents}

      After dinner, we drove around downtown for a bit before heading back. On a side note, there is a Kanye Avenue in Nashville, and I may or may not have screamed upon seeing so. But what's even better, THERE IS A KANYE AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH (not to be confused with the Kanye Westboro Baptist Church), AKA THERE IS A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN FIND YEEZUS. Needless to say, I kind of love Nashville. Good food, cool shops, and Yeezus are really all I need in life. I don’t think I’d ever live in the South again, but Nashville is definitely worth traveling to.
      Here are a few more photos from our Nashville day trip: 

 {dinner & bowling}

{you know you're down South when}

 {vases galore at A Village of Flowers}

 {staircase between the salon and shop}

{Belmont Mansion}

 {walking around campus}

      What are your favorite spots in Nashville? Let me know!

Thanks for reading!

~ V