A Ponza Getaway

For me, this semester has been a lot of things: incredible, adventuresome, exciting, and pretty much every other positive thing you could think of.  The one thing I would not describe it as is relaxing. Between school work, exploring Rome, and traveling to other parts of Italy and Europe, I have barely had time to myself. That is why the trip that a professor organized for this past weekend to Ponza was so incredible; it was all about relaxation.

Ponza is a tiny island located 3 hours south of Rome (an hour train ride to the coast followed by a 2 hour ferry ride). The island was formed by a volcano and juts straight up out of the water.  As the ferry approaches the shore you can see the terraces carved in the sides of the mountains that allow for farming. The brightly colored houses are scattered across the mountain as well splattering it with bright purples, blues, yellows, and pinks. Add the crystal clear water of the Mediterranean Sea as a backdrop and you have one breathtaking sight.

The 3 days spent in Ponza were fantastic. To start it off, on our ferry ride to the island we spotted at least 5 dolphins jumping along the side of the boat; talk about magical. Everyone on the island was incredibly kind from the bus driver to the landlord of the apartments we stayed in.  After we got settled in, our itinerary was filled with eating fantastic food, doing yoga, and taking naps on the beach, aka perfection.

Our first night, the 15 of us on the trip got a four course meal at our professor’s favorite restaurant on the island. Every course, with the exception of dessert, included fresh seafood that the owner had caught that same morning. Octopus, anchovies, squid, white bass, bluefish, swordfish, and tuna… it was unbelievable.

The next day, a few of us got up earlier to do yoga (led by our professor) on the terrace of the apartments that was directly over the sea. Since we had the day free to do whatever we wanted, I opted to hike to a statue of the Madonna on the top of a cliff that overlooked the island. It was the best location for a picnic I have gone to yet.

In the evening, our group worked together to cook ourselves yet another 4 course meal. Bruschetta followed by pasta, lentils and roasted red peppers followed by baked fish and finished off with tiramisu (all homemade!). We made far too much food and still had leftovers even after eating more for breakfast the following morning.

There are lots of exciting places to see in Rome, Italy and Europe. But traveling can be exhausting. That is what makes places like Ponza so great, you can get to see a truly beautiful place, learn about a more laid back Mediterranean culture, and simply relax.

Asturias, The Country of the 40 Cheeses

This past friday night, I ate cheese. A LOT of cheese. And in case it hasn’t been obvious in some of my recent posts, I love food, especially the food here in Spain, so I would expect to see more posts about that topic if I were you. My host mom had found something in the newspaper for an event last week called “Asturias, el país de los 40 quesos,” which translates to “Asturias, The Country of the 40 Cheeses.” 40 cheeses? How could I turn that down? So after asking around if anyone wanted to go with me and picking which day to to go, three other students (Alyssa, Alissa and Katie) from the program and I hopped on a bus to Colloto, a little ‘town’ outside of Oviedo to feast at Tierra Astur, a restaurant specializing in Asturian cuisine.

For the price of 18 euros (about 25 US dollars), we each got a sticker and had unlimited access. Let me explain what that means. We were allowed to eat as much of the cheese we wanted/could (and nuts and fruit spreads to be eaten with it), along with salad accompanying it, sidra (AWESOME cider made in northern Spain), wine and desserts made with the cheeses. And there was live music. Although I would have preferred to have seen the folk group playing celtic music on thursday night, I didn’t mind listening to Toli Morilla, a guitarist and singer who played original music. We listened, ate, drank and were merry. It was great. Also, before leaving, we had to vote for one of the cheeses that we thought was the best. I picked a creamy, semi-soft cheese made in Vidiagu, Llanes, a town in the eastern part of Asturias. It was a traditional cheese, made with cow milk, and I paired it with chestnuts and a fruit (apple?) spread. ¡Qué riquísimo! Here I am, clearly enjoying myself:

To talk a little more in depth about the cheeses, the back part of the restaurant had long tables filled with different varieties from different regions of Asturias. There were cheeses made with goat milk, cow milk, sheep milk or mixes of the three! There were some that were soft in the brie or camembert style, which went very well with the sweet fruit spreads. There were other very hard cheeses, like Asturian versions of Parmesan. I tried to taste every single one, though I don’t think I succeeded. We figured out after the first five minutes that pacing ourselves was necessary. However, throughout the night I tried to manage to at least taste one from each major cheese group. There was Cabrales cheese, which I described in one of my recent posts as being very well known throughout Spain. In fact, the cheese with the “best cheese award” from 2010 was a Cabrales, and boy was it good. There was also another kind of cheese that I had already been exposed to at home. It’s called Afuega’l Pitu de Trapu, which means something like ‘fire in the throat’ or ‘strangle the chicken.’  Why? It depends. Because it has a very granular texture, some have said that it got its name because it can be hard to swallow. Others have said that it had been used as chicken feed in the past, while others say the name came from the ‘strangling’ that had to be done in order to close off the cloth bag in which this cheese is drained. I would say that that doesn’t matter and that all that does matter is how the cheese tastes, but I’m actually really interested to find out. That’s besides the point though…

Back to the cheese. Afuega’l Pitu de Trapu can also come in two varieties – white and orange/reddish. The only difference? The darker one has had pimentón, or spanish paprika, added. It isn’t overly spicy, but it does have a little kick, especially if you eat more than a little bit. And for an interesting side note, Spanish food actually has very little spice, though, for some reason, a lot of people have the misconception that it’s spicy. They’re probably mixing Spanish food up with the cuisine of some of the countries that share the same language. No worries though, because there’s always the mild, white version for those who love it but can’t take the heat.

Well, I think I’ve said enough about cheese. Ok, who am I kidding? You can never say enough about cheese. But I’ll end it here. In short – I highly recommend Asturias if you’re looking to try a wide variety of artisan cheeses. And I highly recommend Tierra Astur for an event like this or a dinner in general. We’re planning on going back some thursday night for an espicha, a dinner that the restaurant hosts in which you can eat, drink and listen as much as you want, but this time, it won’t be just cheese… Time to loosen the belt buckle and take advantage of my time in the north of Spain. Also, we’ve had a break from classes this week and in their place we’ve been doing talleres (workshops). I’ve been dancing and acting this whole week, and tomorrow I actually have to perform a short play (in Spanish) with a group of 10 from Temple and do a tango with my awesome partner Amy in front of all of the students from La Casa de las Lenguas, the department of the university in which we take are classes. That’s going to be an audience of about 100+ people. So be sure to look for my next post in a few days about the experience. ¡Hasta luego!

This Izu a Day of Fun

Just as a warning, this will probably be the most photo-intensive entry Haru has written so far. Who knew one could do so much in just one day of pure fun?

One Sunday not long ago, Haru shot up out of bed just before the crack of dawn and ran out the door by 5:30am. She took her hour and half commute from the Yokohama area into Tokyo, where she left with a bus full of her classmates and friends before the clock hands struck 7am.

Excited, but tired, the kids on the bus spent most of their time trying to keep each other awake. Sleep won out, but before long, a few hours passed and everyone found themselves in Izu, Shizuoka, Japan.

What did we do first here in Izu? We picked strawberries!

And the further we journeyed into the greenhouse, the bigger and juicier the strawberries got. The white stuff on the left is condensed milk. It’s popular here in Japan to eat strawberries dipped in milk sauce. We’ve gotta do that in the States! I wish could’ve tried some.

And here are a few of Haru’s friends enjoying their strawberries.

After the 30 minute time limit of strawberry picking was up, it was time to thank the strawberry farm owner, wash off sticky red fingers, and hop back onto the bus.

Next up was visiting Joren no Taki (浄蓮の滝), a famous local waterfall here.

It was pretty cold and humid, and on top of the rocky path being so wet, Haru couldn’t take me out. But there were so many things to be seen! I wish I could have come out, but here you can get an idea of what she saw on the way down to the waterfall.

The further they journeyed down the slopes, the more… spiritual things felt. It wasn’t just that we passed an old shrine that gave it away. All you have to do is watch Hayao Miyazaki’s film, Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫), to understand the feeling. There was a powerful quietness there, a silent strength in every fiber of the wood.

It was as if there was a fine line separating this world and the outside one where all the tourists came from.

On the way back up the slippery, rocky slope, it was impossible to leave without checking out the area’s famous merchandise: wasabi ice cream!

Up next, it was time to experience the Dogashima (堂ヶ島) beach and boat ride.

To the docks, people – Captain’s orders!

I didn’t think a doll could feel seasick, but it was all I could do to stay in Haru’s bag and keep myself together. As for Haru, she didn’t want to wear a life jacket or get wet, so she stayed inside the boat and took pictures from there.

Apparently, we passed by a lot of amazing island structures, and even went into a cave. The drivers here in Japan are amazing! Be they bus or boat drivers, they can maneuver through the tiniest of spaces.

Once we made it back to land, it was off to see the trails.

The sun-dappled walkways led straight to a resting area, where even the Showa emperor came and sat down for a bit. But I wonder if he went rock-climbing like the rest of us!

Not too many people were climbing up and down the slopes since it could be steep and dangerous at times, but boy was it a great view.

There weren’t just tourists on these rocky faces though. We even saw a fisherman at work on the other side. How he got there, we’re not really sure. It would have been quite a jump from our rock to his side of the neighborhood.

Here’s a photo of Haru looking like she’s about the fly off the side of the cliff.

And here’s a photo of two guys who actually did.

After seeing Dogashima, it was off to the hot onsen baths. Now, this onsen was a lot bigger than the one the girls had the luxury of using at Zao in Yamagata prefecture. Unfortunately, Haru didn’t have the luxury of taking photos of the baths here in Izu this time, because there was a never ending queue of naked bath-goers. Even I didn’t get to see it, but according to my friend here, it was pretty amazing.

They had a salt bath, in which it was practically impossible to sink to the bottom of. It also stung any open cuts, so don’t go in that one if you’ve cut yourself shaving. There were tea baths and baths with water the color of white rice. From what we heard, some of these baths contained healing properties, like the various medicinal baths they had… Although to Haru, they smelled more like chicken soup than medicine. How about that?

By the end of the onsen visit, it was evening. To a horde of hungry, wired college kids, that means the unhappy sounds of grumbling bellies. However, thanks to Nahomi here, our awesome event coordinator, everyone’s painful, talking stomachs were taken care of. We ate at a kaiten-zushi (回転寿司) restaurant, or a restaurant that serves sushi on a conveyor belt for those who don’t know.

…and this is just the beginning of the feasting frenzy.

Here are just a few of the dishes that our group of seven snatched off the conveyor belt. Just watching everyone eat plate after plate of translucent, succulent fish makes my hollow, resin middle feel even hollower.

The dessert also looked scrumptious and ready to die for! Cream puffs, pudding, and chocolate cakes – I could really have some right now!

Here’s a photo of Yuan with about half the amount of plates we piled up during dinner. Workers and other dinner guests who passed our table kept giving us these curious, mystified looks – and I’m pretty sure that seeing a resin kid standing on the table had nothing to do with it.

Cheers to a dinner well devoured!

After everyone stuffed themselves, a long ride to Shinagawa station awaited us. While much of the time was spent on singing really out of tune karaoke, the rest was spent catching up on homework for some people.

For others like me though, it was time to hit the sack. Lights off, please!

And in my sleep, I dreamed that all was well, and that Komame had been there too. Boy, do I hope I find him by the end of our stay here in Japan.

Only one month left…

Good night all,

Rowan

Endless Urban Sprawl

Hey everyone!  Sorry for being a little slow in making posts in the past week.  The semester is coming to a close soon here in Tokyo (mid-April) so I have been buried under mounds of Japanese homework and essays from all my classes.  This past Wednesday I went to visit Tokyo Tower with my friend Nik.  Tokyo Tower is not too far from TUJ, about a 20 minute walk from Azabu Hall.  We met up at the Azabujuban subway station and headed over to the tower.

The cool thing about Tokyo Tower is that you can spot it from almost anywhere in the Minato-ku/Roppongi area.  Because of this we took an unconventional route to get to the location, periodically looking up into the sky to see if we were headed in the right direction.  On our way we passed temples nestled in between apartment complexes and mansions.  Occasionally we spotted an enormous embassy building of a foreign country, surrounded entirely by guards and policemen.  The Minato-ku section of Tokyo is one of wealthier, as well as more international, sections of the megacity.  Lots of overseas companies have their offices here.  When walking in the area I got the feeling that I was walking through a mix of a few different American cities.  Minato has the hilly streets and Californian architecture of San Francisco, the political feel of Washington, D.C. (due to the various embassies), as well as restaurants and cafes of various cuisines that gave the area a New York feel.

When we started to get near Tokyo Tower, we sort of got stumped as to where the entrance might be.  We gave in out of eagerness and decided to ask a nearby police officer for directions.  One thing I noticed about living in Japan is that a significant amount of Japanese people (not all) assumes that 外人 (foreigners) do not know Japanese.  Even when I ask a minor question (like directions in this case) in Japanese to a Japanese person they will start out first speaking Japanese, pause, and then try the best they can to finish their answer in English.  It’s always a funny exchange.  Who knows, maybe the person is using the opportunity to practice their English just like Nik and I were with our Japanese.

Since I’ve started to get a feel for certain cities and areas within Tokyo, and because public transportation is so efficient, my idea of Tokyo as a large megacity has somewhat diminished.  As the elevator took us up the Tower to the main observatory, I realized how wrong I really was.  No matter what side of the observatory I decided to look out of, I couldn’t even see where the urban sprawl ended.  We arrived at the perfect time to see the lights gradually illuminate the city, which gave Tokyo a totally different vibe than the moments prior.  The observatory itself was also very large.  In addition to a souvenir shop there was also a café, restaurant, and live music space, and club.  The special observatory supposedly had even more things for entertainment.  If I ever come back I will definitely shell out the extra yen to check out what the upper floors have to offer.  Afterwards we headed back home towards Tamachi station; and of course we had to stop by our regular spot, ココカレー (Coco Curry), for dinner.  Until next time everyone, peace.

So you’re going to Rome?

Now that spring break has passed and final exams weeks is drawing eerily close, I am becoming all too aware of the fact that my time in Rome in quickly coming to an end.  Sad as this may be for me, it is cause for celebration for those students lucky enough to be coming to Rome for the summer session.  To help those lucky students prepare for their trip, here are some packing suggestions and insights on how to get by in Rome less like a tourist and more like a local.

There may still be two months until summer, but tip #1 is it is never too early to start the packing process.

#2: Hair care-

Hairdryer-

I recommend NOT packing one. They are bulky and heavy and almost always blow up in the European outlets even with an adapter. It is easier to buy one once you get to Rome. I found one that I love for 25 Euro in a shop right across from the residence.

Straightener/ curling iron-

These should work fine with an adapter, however, I would recommend not using the best quality ones as they tend to blow more often in the European outlets (Conair has worked fine for me).

Shampoo-

BRING IT! The grocery stores here have less brand options and only offer small bottles that are far more expensive than in the States. (Body wash is easier to get for cheap)

#3: Money-

I converted a small amount of US dollars into Euros at the airport in the US before coming over so that I could pay for the cab fare from the airport to the residence. This was sufficient. There is a bank next to the residence with an ATM which costs less to use than exchanging at the airport. If you have Bank of America, you can use their Italian partner bank, BNL d’Italia, for only a 1% conversion fee  at the ATM and 3% charge on purchases. The nearest BNL is located near the Vatican (about a 15 min walk from residence).

#4: Food-

I would suggest bringing some tea bags, granola bars, and nuts/trail mix if these are things you like to snack on regularly. They are all more expensive in Rome and quite difficult to find. Peanut butter is a bit more expensive here and hard to find as well, although there are 2 places near the residence that sell it if you desperately can’t go without it (like me).

Also, bring some gum.

#5: Medicine-

Bring some Tylenol and/or Aspirin and any allergy medication you use, just in case.

#6: (For girls) I suggest bringing a small, over- the-shoulder purse for going out. It is easier to keep on you at all times than a big bag and is harder to get stolen.

#7: Crossing the street-

This is probably the part of everyday living in Rome that takes the most getting used to. Drivers in Rome are CRAZY. They tend to view traffic laws as “suggestions” (straight from the mouth of a Roman).

At the crosswalks, you will see 1 of 2 things:

1)       A crossing light with a little walking person either lit up green, yellow or red. If the person is lit up green, go. Once it turns yellow, you still have plenty of time (the light stays yellow nearly twice as long as it does green). Once it turns red, DO NOT GO.

2)       A red circular sign with a horizontal white dash in the middle. This is a yield sign for cars. This means that they must yield to pedestrians at these crosswalks. However, they will not yield if they see you just standing on the sidewalk. YOU MUST START WALKING FIRST. This is terrifying at first, but just GO! Wait for a small gap, make eye contact with the approaching driver, and step out. Do not hesitate, the car will slow (it may not stop all the way, but it will make sure to avoid you). If you feel like they won’t stop, you can always run the rest of the way across. You will look like a tourist, but you won’t get hit. I recommend following natives at first while getting the hang of it.

One other pedestrian tip: watch out for dog poop on the sidewalks. Italians tend to not pick up after their dogs and the little presents are lying around everywhere.

And lastly…

… Do not stress too much over packing! If you forget anything, you can find it in Rome. If you can’t then it isn’t something you really need. If you are on the fence about bringing something, leave it at home. It is definitely better to pack light (that way you have plenty of room for gifts/souvenirs, etc)!

The Famous West End

As anyone who knows me well can tell you, I am not exactly one with a large appreciation for the performing arts. Despite growing up a short hour or so bus ride away from the famous Broadway shows in New York City, I have never really gotten into musicals or theater. With that said, even I knew that I could not leave London without seeing a few shows in the famous “West End.” The West End is London’s very own version of Broadway, with dozens of beautiful theaters and top notch performances. My first theater experience in London was only my third night here, as my program took us to see The Woman in Black. I was actually a little excited to see this show, mostly because I knew that the play had been made into a movie starring Daniel Radcliffe, giving me high hopes. I wound up spending the first half of the show snoozing on and off, and the second half of it petrified, as the story gets eerie and dark. It was certainly an interesting experience, though perhaps not the experience one expects to have in the West End!

My second theater experience was far classic, as my friend Grace and I went with her parents who were visiting to see the Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre. We all dressed for the occasion, and toasted a glass of champagne before the show began. The whole evening theatre experience made me feel less like a poor college student studying in the city, and more like a woman enjoying a sophisticated night out on the town! Although I still think musicals just have a little too much singing and not enough dialogue, the whole night was a lot of fun and the show was definitely a lot more interesting and moving than I thought it might be! The theatre itself was a vision as well, as it was absolutely beautiful with red velvet seats and decorative walls and balconies. We also went out to the restaurant down the street afterwords, capping off a lovely night with an even more lovely meal!

Her Majesty's Theatre!

My most recent West End experience was seeing a matinee showing of the play All New People that just opened  this year. This show was of particular interest to me because it was written by and starred Zach Braff, the main character on the show Scrubs and the movie Garden State! Even better, the play took place in Long Beach Island, New Jersey – a small beach town a mere 45 minutes from where I grew up! All of these familiarities made the show that much more enjoyable, as well as the fact that the play was absolutely hysterical! Maybe I wrote off the performing arts before I properly should have, as I have learned that enjoying the theater simply means finding plays or musicals that interest you specifically! Overall, I am so glad that I got to experience the famed west end during my time in London, and I am looking forward to keeping an open mind should any more show opportunities come my way in the future!

History Lesson

I finally got a chance to visit one of the five palaces in Seoul, and I ended up going to Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main and most famous one. Even though it is such a historic site, it was super easy to get there since it is located right outside one of the subway stations. Did I mention how much I love Seoul’s subway system? Anyway, I happened to arrive during the changing of the guard ceremony. During the ceremony, you get to see the colorful costumes of the guards and witness a traditional scene. Afterwards, I headed inside the palace to get a mini history lesson with an English speaking tour.

When you first enter the palace, you must cross a bridge. Back in the old days, there used to be a stream beneath the bridge. The bridge and stream were purposely built so that people can cross the bridge to clear their sins before seeing the king. The water was thought to cleanse their minds.

There are also three pathways along the courtyard. The center path was reserved for the king and the ground itself was raised higher than the surrounding pathways. The ground was also purposely designed to be rough and uneven in order to reduce glare from the sun since there were many meetings held outside.

Numerous granite stones were erected and line the left and right pathways. These stones were used for ranking the court officials with the military officers located on the left and the civil officers on the right side. In the past, the civil officers were held socially and politically higher than military officers. This area is where the officials were positioned during outdoor meetings.

By one of the buildings, there are stones figures on all fours sides of the building. You will find the Black Tortoise statue on the north side, White Tiger on the west, Dragon on the east, and the Red Peacock on the south side. They were the four guardians believed to ward off evil spirits and protect the royal family. They reminded me of the guardians that protect the family in “Mulan.” Along with the four guardians, each building in the palace also has the twelve zodiac figures positioned on top of the roofs.

There are also a few stone carvings located on the steps that depict a dragon and a phoenix. The dragon represents the king while the phoenix represents the queen. The king and queen are also symbolized in many paintings as the sun and the moon.

The palace was strategically structured so that all the main buildings were located in the center. In many of the buildings, they used an underground heating system to heat the floor with various chimneys located at the sides. The structures of the palace are intricate and colorful. Interestingly, they did not use any nails to building the palace. How did the palace stay together then, you ask. Well, the builders used a lego-like system to connect the individual structures together instead. There is also netting round the roof to keep birds away in order to protect the painting and wood.

The many buildings inside the palace serve different people. Many were only for the king, but one was for the queen, one was for the king’s mother, and one was for all of his concubines. In the past, no one was allowed to visit the king’s area. He had to go to the other buildings if he wanted to eat with the queen, his concubines, or his mother. It also seemed like the queen had a sad and lonely life because once she entered the palace as a crowned princess, she was never allowed to leave the palace again. At least, she had a huge palace to play in.

The last location I visited was a pavilion. It was a beautiful area overlooking the water, and it was used as one of the king’s dating spot. Even with the queen and all his concubines, the last king did not leave a son behind, which ended the reign of kings since he did not pass the title onto another relative.

My explanations and pictures did not do the Gyeongbokgung Palace justice since I already forgot a lot of things the tour lady said. The tour is much more interesting in person if anyone ever gets the chance to visit Seoul!

Most useful phrase of the week: 화장실이 어디에요? (hwajangshile eodiaeyo?) = where is the bathroom?

This phrase will always come in handy. And in many bathrooms, there are both western and eastern style toilets but the younger generations tend to use only the western style toilets.

Let’s Go, AS Roma!

A couple nights ago, I attended a very exciting event- my first professional soccer game! More specifically, I experienced what it’s like to be a true European sports fan. Temple Rome organized students to go watch the AS Roma football (no not American football- this is what they call soccer) team play Genoa in a fun evening match.

The whole experience was exciting from the start. My friends and I rode the tram from the very first stop near the Piazza del Popolo all the way to the end of the line. The games are held in the Olympic Stadium, which housed the Olympics in 1960. On the tram, I was able to pick out all the Roma fans- people were decked out in maroon and orange, the team’s colors, wearing shirts, scarves, and hats. People were cheering and singing, getting pumped for the game!

When we arrived at the stadium, from the second we got off the tram we could hear the large crowds chanting from inside the stadium, along with the sounds of some fireworks. We quickly ran inside and found our seats, because we didn’t want to miss any of the excitement. With that being said, Roma scored a goal within the first ten minutes of the game. Everyone went wild- jumping up in their seats, cheering and singing, and some people even set off firecrackers from their seats!

There was a special section for the more spirited Roma fans. From afar, it looked like so much fun to be in that section. The fans didn’t sit down once; they were all standing in their seats, wearing the same black shirts, chanting fight songs for the whole 90 minutes of the game. I was also impressed by how some fans waved these giant flags for the entire length of the game. That’s true dedication to your team!

Being at the game, I couldn’t help but compare it to sports games I’ve been to in America, whether it’s a Temple (American) football game or a Major League Baseball game. I noticed the same kind of spirit in outfits- wearing your team’s colors and logos. Also, the cheers reminded me of American sports. But like I said, the overall spirit of the fans was unlike anything I had ever seen before. I felt like American sports games are a little more laid back compared to what I experienced last night. Imagine every game was like going to the World Series!

Getting tickets for the game was a little different than what I am normally used to. To buy a ticket, you have to go to a specific location or store that sells tickets for the football games. I don’t think you can just purchase tickets online. Also, when you go to buy your ticket, you must bring your passport, because they type your name on your ticket. I thought this was really interesting (and also a pain), but it’s because of security reasons. What was also a bit unusual was that tickets for women are cheaper than tickets for men (good thing I’m a girl!).

Overall, going to a Roma football game is something that I would definitely do again. It was such a special experience, and so much fun. If I go to another game, I want to learn all the chants and songs so I can sing along with the fans!

I need a doctor.

Well, I don’t anymore. But I did recently. I’m not exactly sure what was wrong with me but I had gotten a nasty cough a little over a month ago that just wouldn’t let up. For about a month I had been trying different sobres (packets of powder that you mix with water) and jarabes (cough syrups) from the pharmacies which, unlike pharmacies back home, seem to be less concerned with candy/snacks/miscellaneous stuff and more with medications, creams and herbal remedies. Also, all of the pharmacies here have a green cross like this outside to signal to you that it’s a pharmacy:

And there aren’t any CVS, Walgreens or Rite Aid here. They all say the same thing – ‘Farmacia.’

Anyway, after getting pretty much nowhere with the over the counter stuff, I gave in and asked my host mom to set up an appointment for me at the health clinic for last Thursday. Before I went to class, I had to go to the bank on the day of my appointment, not to make a withdrawal but a deposit in Spain’s bank account. Instead of seeing a doctor and either paying a co-pay if we have insurance or the full cost of the visit if we don’t, which is likely what we would do in the United States, in Spain I had to pay the cost of a visit to see a family medicine doctor (about 62 euros and change) to the government and take my receipt with me as proof that I had already paid for my visit so that the doctor could see me.

After doing that and going to class, I met with my host mom after so she could show me how to get to the centro médico. When we got there, we didn’t have to check in with a receptionist – we went straight upstairs to the doctor’s office. The clinic, however, was a lot different than what I was expecting. It wasn’t like a normal doctor’s office I’ve ever been in. There weren’t separate examining rooms, and there weren’t doctors’ offices with fancy desks and big, comfortable chairs and artwork on the walls and plants in the corners. Every doctor had an assigned space in which their examination room and their office shared. Nothing was lavish or overly adorned, but there was nothing wrong with that.

I saw the doctor (Belén, a friend of my host mom’s from college), she checked me out, gave me a prescription for antibiotics and more heavy duty cough syrup and had time to chat about how I liked Spain, what I wanted to do, what her kids were doing. Even though it was a private health care center (i.e. you need to have private health insurance to go here), there was no rush, which is what I’m normally used to. For me at least, it seems like doctors in the U.S., no matter where you go, tend to have a reputation for constantly seeing you late and having to rush through your visit. Not here, or at least not in the private health center. From what I’ve read, that is really the only advantage to buying private health insurance – avoiding waiting around for a little bit. How nice would that be to have back home? If you can afford to buy private insurance, great. You can go to a private health center and see the doctor pretty much right on time. And if you can’t afford it, it’s no big deal. You’re still covered by the free public health system and you’re still treated. It’s strange but also enlightening being in a place where citizens are covered for being citizens and health care is a basic human right. Do we really live in a country where people have said that we should just let those who can’t afford health insurance die? It’s shameful, in my opinion, and being here has made me realize that, even though Spain may have its work cut out for it in other areas and may have some changing to do, this is one thing in which I think we could look to them as an example, take notes and learn something.

ROME-Sogni d’oro

After a painstaking travel planning session, the blood sweat and tears formed some semblance of an itinerary for a weekend in Rome.  This is quite a hike—my host family laughed when I told them the night before that I was leaving for Italy.  The distance was unaided by Ryanair airline’s questionable customer service/sobriety.  Confirmation for entry into Italy consisted of a scribble and a rip instead of a customs office.  (This means that I will have to go back again if I wish to get that elusive stamp—I am hoping for a future trip to Florence.)  The violent yellow of the interior combined with the insistent vending of Ryanair brand scratchcards as well as the victory music played at the end, as though congratulations for landing safely, meant that I was not impressed.

Oh, well.  Veni, vidi, vici!

Rome turned out to be part paradise, part tourist trap.  This weekend in March landed us right before the peak of its tourist season, though hordes of Japanese tourists carrying flags and kilted rugby fans packed the streets throughout the day.  This was also my first time in Europe outside of Spain, and my first time in a country where I knew absolutely nothing of the local language.  This meant that I was floored every occasion when greeted in Italian, though we came to realize that Spanish and Italian are near interchangeable.

The metro system was packed though easy to navigate because it only has two lines that run in the formation of a cross, much like in Philadelphia.  The sheer volume of people using it was what presented the real challenge.  Our friends studying abroad in Rome are renting an apartment in the posh shopping district near the Spagna stop.  The first thing to do after emerging from the metro was to beeline for gelato and lounge on the Spanish steps (two blocks from apartment!)  This neighborhood is what provides The Sartorialist with his daily material.  There was a hilarious contrasting combination of the tourists—jacket tied around waist/socks and Velcro sandals/Peroni hat.  I have never seen such emphasis on such ostentatious and coordinating elegance—it really put Oviedo to shame.  Another contrast in Italy was with interpersonal interaction.  I am an avid fan of people-watching, which meant that I viewed the Spanish steps as the ideal elevated surface for this activity.  However, the Italian eye contact is brazen and unflinching; you are people-watching, and they are watching back.  It is a society driven by fashion and personal effects as a status symbol. The buildings in Rome consist of a palette of orange, rust, and ivory, oozing warmth.  So, waltzing past Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, past the smell of Italian leather and quality cappuccinos, and past a hundred varieties of gelato, we came upon the massive wooden doors of the Spagna apartment. We could then drop the backpacks we’d be living out of for the weekend, which felt incredibly limited when faced with the gargantuan prospect of sharing the streets with the beautiful Italians.  Somehow, unbelievably so, the apartment is less expensive monthly than the Temple University-Rome dorms outside the center.  Go figure.

All of the major sites are accessible from this location—they were magnified in proportion and awe by night, lit angularly with just the right emphasis of shadow to strengthen their presence.  I loved that Rome’s artifacts, its ruins and ancient remnants are intertwined with the modern face of the city.  Often when turning corners, you come across deteriorating columns and frescoed walls, untouched by agents of construction.  I actually let out a scream when turning the corner into the plaza that holds the Pantheon.  It is a monstrous vision that rises out of nothingness, hidden until just the right moment by those walking Spagna.  We toured the broken faces occupying Villa Borghese, which also offers a great view of Piazza del Popolo.  An Italian rock enthusiast struggled with a recording of “Hotel California” that filled the space between.

Later that night we found a safe haven in the presence of the unusually unoccupied Trevi Fountain.  Without the usual crowd, it was really quite peaceful, but then again, 4 a.m. is an unusual time to be there.

By day, Piazza Navona, the Coliseum, and Vatican City occupied our excitement.  The highlight of Rome, however, was Old Bridge Gelateria bordering Vatican City.  We joined a long cue of people, including a line of nuns, to order.  Though the wild cherry and chocolate were mind-blowing, the pistachio was the real game-changer.  Viva Italia.

My favorite neighborhood of the few we visited was Trestevere, just across the Tiber River (where we witnessed a dead body being extracted from its rapids).  This neighborhood contained a particularly charming bar poignantly named “Bar”.  It reminded me of the innards of a pirate ship, dressed in the skeleton of a piano, pillars, red velvet, and smooth lounge music. Its crew served cappuccino out of fancy china with all of the aloof and unaware swagger of Keith Richards.

So I leave Italy with more chins and a gnocchi bloat, incredibly satisfied with the experience.