Travels

off to Lisboa...
another one to check off from the travel book.

Spain Vs. Portugal
Rommie & friends

Spain Vs. Paraguay
the chicas of Luis Mitjans

Semi Finals Spain Vs. Germany
Mexicana-Gallega-Manchega

Finals Spain Vs. Holland 1-0
Las Mexicanas

World Cup Celebration in Principe Pio
Me, la roja and the 20 euros I found!

QUE VIVA ESPAÑA

What can I say about this World Cup?

It has been such a memorable experience, for Five reasons:
1. I LOVE SOCCER, and supported " La Roja" from day one ( Mexico too obviously)
2. I got to form part of HISTORY IN THE MAKING, as its their first World Cup ever
3. Being able to share this experience with friends, and seeing how much title means to the people of Spain..
4. Learning all the different chants and songs, and teaching my roommates about " Cebo" a Mexican soccer superstition that works!
5. The MASSIVE FESTIVITIES that PARALYZED Madrid for two days, and yes its most likely
to be footage of me dancing in the Fountain in Puerta de Sol, or the reporter that interviewed me on Telemadrid.

So apart from the parties, and the endless sea of Red and Yellow or the YouTube video of Iker Casillas kissing his girlfriend Sara Carbonero, this VICTORY means much more to "el pueblo", then just a title, this symbolized that just like Spain has endured struggles and difficult times like THIS CRISIS, there are good things to come.
I admire the Spanish team for their UNITY, STRENGTH and for always playing TO WIN!
FELICIDADES ROJA!!!!!!!!

Through an EXPAT EYES

So since this is not my first time living in Spain, I figure for my first blog assignment, I share a little bit more of what I have come to observe from my fellow Spanairds.

Traffic

I travel to most places by metro.
Metro Madrid has, 12 different lines and more then 200 stations.
A Trip costs you 1 Euro, and many like Sol where I work has more the one Line.
The distances when transferring are almost endless, its like going through all the electrical stairs ( flat stairs lol) at Pearson airport, its endless!

What my experience had been like:

Metro Madrid has been on an ON & OFF STRIKE, which has caused complete CHAOS

- this past week every other day service runs at 50% if not less
- Musicians often get on the train and play music, and everyday I pass by a wonderful old man that plays the violen while his wife hold his book for notes
-There are beggers often at the exits of the stations, I have to see a ONE EYED LADY every morning!
- Its VERY HOT, smelly and packed!

MADRID IN CHAOS

More than two million people use Madrid's metro daily, and the strike caused chaos for commuters.

Trade unions in Spain have called a general strike for 29 September in protest against spending cuts and labour market reforms.

The metro workers are striking against a cut of about 5% in public sector wages that is part of a broader package of austerity measures.

The Spanish government is trying to reduce the country's budget deficit, which is currently running at more than 11% of GDP - far above the 3% limit imposed by the EU.

The strike was the first time in nearly 20 years that the entire metro system had been halted by industrial action, according to local media reports.

Madrid's regional government has warned that the failure to provide even a minimum service on the metro is illegal, but unions have been defiant, saying the strike will continue for a third day.

SPANISH ENCOUNTERS

I came across this "Mexican Salsa" on my trip to Valencia,
which left me wondering is that what I look like? hahaha

QUARTER OF A DECADE

the best surprises happen when no expectations are made.

When Change doesn't feel like Change...

It's moments like these one's when I truly feel like a "Global Citizen",
or a Chameleon with strong adaptablity abilities.
Wouldn't It be great to have a Global Citizen's passport?...

The week has past, and I have the strangest feeling.
I find myself completly adapted into a new setting, a new society ( things are very different in Spain), I have a completly different routine and lifestyle. But yet, it feels so NORMAL, I question myself can change like this one really feel like no change at all? Good or Bad, things feel right here, partially because I left a part of me here. I can honestly say I EAT, SLEEP, and TALK like a Spaniard! ( my accent is a little bit of a mix of my Mexican- Basque- English Spanish).

I am finally enjoying the simple things a deprived myself from this year: I wake up have a nice European Breakfast, that is
three small Melba like toasts, jam or cheese, orange juice and a cafe con Leche. I get on Linea 1, and head 6 stops to SOL, the centre of Madrid and only a 15 minute commute. I arrive to my internship at 10:00am and get on this amazing old elevator to Cristinas office- and house. For those that don't know I was assigned to work for La Mujer Construye a Collective Organization of Women Architects in Spain. I am helping Cristina one of the founding members of Women Who Build ( English Name), to update and translate the website. I well get into details about my work later and will post photos of the space. So my first week of work has been great, a very different setting from my placement in Toronto and a completly different world ( the world of design&space) that I have begun to appreciate.

On an endnote, Someone once told me the more you travel the more languages you know ( even if their just different dialets) the more human you become, so YES I feel HUMAN, I feel ALIVE, I am THANKFUL.

bittersweet goodbyes..

Change is not a unfamilar word for me, I have always embraced change with open arms and looked for it when
things seemed to slow down too much. I like new beginnings because its like a breathe a fresh air and an opportunity to
discover new things. At the same time I have come to realize that after all the rush of subleting my apartment, finshing up my
field practicum, resigning from my job and packing my endless amounts of shoes! how fast time passes us by. My roommate and very close friend Jhonatan left yesterday to Montreal where he will flying out to intern at UV in Valencia. All of this has made me realize how much closer I AM to venduring out to Madrid for my Internship. Friends and co-workers have asked me if I'm feeling nervous or afraid, and I reply with a No. A no because I was preparing for this way before the process had even started. I envisioned myself there and now it is so bittersweet because I will be there but I will be leaving behind so many things here. In the span of 9 months I have made new friendships, contacts and established a routine and a home in Toronto and now I'm off.
It feels good to know what I left here , will be here but for now my new home is where my heart is and my heart is in Spain!.