ketchup!!!!

note: i have been here since august 16th, 2008 and i didn't have ketchup until 2 days ago (sept 4, 2008). for those of you that know me...that's a really really really really really long time!!! i think i'll have to invest in it. what's most amazing is everyone here loves ketchup as much as i do!!!! everybody was so happy. it was like Christmas morning

i actually have done a lot since i last updated. well, a lot depending on what perspective you're coming from. i've been busy every day...but laying on the beach all day then going out at night probably isn't considered "doing a lot". lets start on tuesday night:

it was my friend Kelly's brithday. Kelly is the sweeeeeeeetest girl in the whole world!!! she turned 21 so we went to this place called "Espit Chuptitos". Chupito=shot. This place had over 600 different shots to choose from. Here's an example of the "boyscout chupito"

The shots are lit on fire (they must have already blown the fire out) and you can roast a marshmallow over the fire before taking the shot. Creative eh???? They are very amusing to watch!!!

I got home that night around 4 am. I had to wake up at 7 30 am the next day for an excursion to the museo de la historia de catalunya. (Catalunya history museum...that one's not too hard). So i was realllllllllly tired the next day but i got up in time and the museum was actually awesome. We learned a lot about Catalunya's perspective during Franco's era. Franco was a meaaaaaaaaaaan Fascist dictator who messed up everybody. He was BFF's (best friends forever) with hitler and mussolini. if you want to read more, here.

Unfortunately, we weren't able to take pictures in the museum. There was a "catalunya classroom" that represented times during Franco and times post franco. the classroom during Franco had a picture of him and some other dude on the wall, as well as a cross, because Franco was devoutly catholic. I'm pretty sure all the kids had to say prayers and speak only in spanish (instead of catalan) because he was a nationalist. Post franco the classrooms used catalan and spanish and franco was not on the wall.

now that i re-read that, it doesn't sound as interesting as it was to me. BUT from a teaching perspective, it would have been very frustrating to have to follow the strict regimen that Franco laid out without any freedom whatsoever, even if you DIDN'T agree with his values.

We also walked a long time around the old part of Barcelona. If you didn't know, the Romans came into Barcelona and their architectural influence is still seen:


I'm pretty sure this was the very first entrance into Barceloneta, which is the little city the romans created when they came here. All of the streets are VERY narrow but are still used regularly!!! it's super cool to see. come visit

This buliding is the catalan government building. As you know, Catalunya is an autonomy, meaning they have laws besides the laws set by the country of spain. Similar to the state law and federal law in the US. Barcelona is pretty much the center of Catalunya's business because it is such a big city.

The flag on the left up there is the Catalunya flag. The one to the right of it is the Spanish flag and i can't see or remember what the one all the way on the right is.



Okay...so that was tues night/wednesday. Thursday i went to a bar and had a lootttt of fun. too much probably, but that doesn't exist. everyone was just crazy and we got kicked out for making too much noise. bummer.

the next morning (yesterday morning) i laid on the beach all day. it was a different beach, called Sidges (sounds kind of like seeches). this was outside of the city so the town was much more "spanishy". It looked really mediterranean, and the sand was so soft. the water, unfortunately, was kind of sea-weedy but i think we were just in a bad spot. it was fun to get out of the city and see different parts of spain.

last night i went out with some cali people and we went to a club called "Otto Zutz". It is 4 floors with different music on every floor. it was SOOOO fun. I danced until 5 in the morning!!!! I'm getting cooler by the minute!!!

today i tried to go back to the beach but we decided it was too cloudy (the 2nd cloudy day since i've been here) so we just went out to eat. i'm going to try and get some hw done so i can go to the beach manana!!!!



ALRIGHT well that's my life so far.

I miss everyone and I think about ya'll allllll the time!!!
take care and love,
jess