The Final Post

So how was my experience abroad? Well that's quite the loaded question, huh....

4 Continents

16 Countries

33 Cities 

1 Indescribable Year

22 flights, 10 train rides, 33 bus trips, and 11 boat expeditions later... the journey has finally come to an end. And what a journey it was....

I knocked off four goals on my bucket list (Visit the Galápagos, Hike the Incan Trail, Take a Tour of Auschwitz in Poland, and Skydive and Ski the Swiss Alps)! I lived alone with an Ecuadorian host family for 5 months and taught impoverished toddlers. I tasted guinea pig, cow intestine, larvae, and almost rooster testicles! I jumped off a bridge for 8 dollars, out of a plane for A LOT more than 8 dollars, and off a cliff in Positano. I relaxed on the beaches in the Galapágos, La Ruta del Sol, Canary Islands, and the Italian Amalfi Coast. I was exposed to 15 languages different than my own and worldwide cultural customs such as putting cheese in your chocolate milk (Ecuador), carrying luggage by donkey (Bolivia), getting demon spirits released from me with a leaf wand (Amazon Rainforest) , wiping your poop butt with your left hand (Morocco: we didn't do this), walking by prostitutes in the red light district (Amsterdam), having to pay for ketchup with your fries (Belgium... ridiculous custom), witnessing humping PDA in the parks (Spain)... the list goes on and on. 

I will keep this final blog short and sweet because not only can these experiences not be accurately portrayed through an online blogging site but also because I am somewhat speechless. I am sure many of you are wondering which semester was better, as I get this question ALL the time. To be completely honest they both had their ups and downs. In terms of cultural immersion and an overall incredible once in a lifetime experience, Ecuador was better. The laid back vibe and the beautiful nature I experienced and saw in South America was definitely more me. From hiking to floating down the Amazon River on a self-made raft to swimming with the sea lions to ziplining and white water rafting to sipping Maracuyá Juice on the most remote beaches on this planet... South America proved to be the chill outdoorsy atmosphere that brings me peace. 

On the other hand, Europe was a more fast-paced, party hard, never stop continental tour.  If you're into sightseeing, history, and going out at least 4 nights a week than Europe is the place for you... Madrid especially. I had the opportunity to see so much while over here from the Alhambra in Granada, Spain to the Berlin Wall  to the Roman Colosseum and statue of David in Florence... I feasted my eyes upon Las Meninas by Velazquez and Guernica by Picasso. I ate couscous in Morocco, paella and gaspacho in Spain, fondue in Switzerland, Heineken in the Netherlands (ha), fish n chips in London, Belgian waffles in Bruges, crepes in Paris, curry-worst in Berlin, goulash in Prague, and amazing pizza and pasta in Italy. The amount I have experienced in such a short span of time is incredible!

Will I ever be able to match this year? Probably not. But I am completely okay with that. This year has taught me to pay extremely close attention to what brings me happiness in life. Over the course of the past 10 months I have experienced various moments of ineffable bliss, a level of joy that engulfs my being and exerts passion in my soul. I have surrounded myself with incredibly motivated, intelligent and passionate people who appreciate my quirky and outgoing spirit. I have found peace in unexpected places and it is my hope that I will continue to seek fulfillment and joy in the right places rather than those which society believes I should. By focussing on those untouchable moments of tranquility... those moments that give life purpose and ignite a flame inside my heart I will find my ultimate success... happiness. On that note, I will leave you with this Barefoot Truth quote and my hope that I will be blogging again from some far away country not too far in the future. Over and out, kids.

"I don't know much about success, but I know how to measure it.

So take a look at your time and how you are spending it...

Two cups of whatever makes you happy, good energy from up above,

Spoonful of patience, a whole lot of humility, mix it up with all of your love..."

Top Ten Things I Will and Will Not Miss About Madrid

Below are the top things I will and will not miss about life in Madrid. Most of these can only be appreciated by those who spent the last five months along side me in this crazy fiesta/siesta driven country but here it does anyway! They are in no particular order, except the number one!


Top Ten Things I Will Miss:
10) The Weather: I saw rain two days total during my five months in Spain and for the past month of two we have gotten sunlight from about 6AM to about 9:45PM... chillin.
9) Alcohol being cheaper than water and soda: This probably explains the dozens of beer bottles outide of the classrooms at UCM all hours of the day.
8) Cien Montaditos: On Wednesdays the crew would go and for 2Euro you can get a huge glass of either sangria or cerveza and a tapa!
7) The Metro: This was a close second.... Legit, the best metro system I have ever seen in my life.
6) Being in five countries in ten days!
5) Waking up at 3PM and it being completely acceptable: Last time I checkd my iPhone alarms it read... 10:45am, 1:25pm, 5:25pm, 9:00pm and 10:30pm...
4) Hearing and practicing spanish on a daily basis.
3) Street Performers in Sol: In particular I will miss those glittery donkey heads on sticks and the short plump (plump is a euphemism) man in the skin tight Spiderman costume.
2) Llallao: The most amazing Fro-Yo in the world!
1) BC in Madrid: The most amazing/crazy/funny/intelligent/ people I have ever partied 5-6 days a week with... perhaps the only people I have ever partied that much with...

Top Ten Things I Will NOT Miss:
10) The Euro: It kicked my ass... enough said in that dept.
9) Men in Jorts: Yes, wearing jean shorts is cool in Madrid... that is a fashion I hope none of the BC boys brings back... cough cough Charlie and Costello...
8) DORM FOOD: I Cannot stress this enough... cubes of lard disguised as ham, French Fries twice a day every single day, etc. To further illustrate my point, I once found bones in my carrot... what the hell does that even mean?
7) Lunch Ladies AKA Food Nazis: No we are not hoarding chocolate pudding under our clothes so please stop making us strip for you...
6) Starting the night at 1AM: I understand I am 21 and this should be so "sick" and "epic" but it's not... after 11:30 I just want my sleep.
5) Sleeping in Public: Airport floors, overnight buses, Starbucks, McDonalds, the beach, the library... you name it, I have done it.
4) Waiting five minutes for the internet to load.
3) The Cisneros Boys: Yelling that you want to "****" people out of your windows or from your benches will probably not score you any ladies... and yes I am an "American girl" thanks for telling me every day... and seriously, how do you know my name?
2) TERD PANTS: These pants that are in style that legitimately look like you are either storing your poo from the past 14 months or that you are transporting illegal children across borders... why is your crotch so low and why do you think that makes you look good?
1) Edificio B AKA Prison and all the occurred within those walls... 12 hour class days, teachers whose names I didn't know blabbering on about nothing, frigid hallways, and Picnic sandwiches.

My European Top Ten Photos

My final "good-bye" blog will be separated into three separate blog posts over the next week. There is simply too much to be said not only about this semester but about this year as a whole. My first blog, right here, is comprised of my top ten favorite scenic pictures taken while being in Europe... I contemplated the thought of also including a "Top Ten Best Pictures of People" but figured that between crazy nights at Kapi/Joy/Pacha/etc and the many pictures of sleep deprived college students taken while traveling, it was perhaps a better idea to leave the BC in Madrid kids out of it. Below are my top ten favorite pictures I have taken this semester in the order in which they were taken! Stay tuned for the final two coming this week!!!

The Swiss Alps (Jungfrau, Switzerland): January 2012

Asilah, Morocco: February, 2012

Amsterdam, The Netherlands: February, 2012

Granada, España: February, 2012

Stonehenge, England: March 2012

Paris, France: March, 2012

Berlin, Germany: March 2012

Prague, Czech Republic: March, 2012

Auschwitz Concentration Camp, Poland: March, 2012

The Blue Grotto (Capri Island, Italy): April, 2012

Amalfi Coast, Italia!

Having traveled so much throughout Europe this semester, I am constantly faced with the question, "So, which city/country was your favorite". While I will save the other two of the top three for my final trip reflection I will say, without a doubt, that the Amalfi Coast of Italy easily earned a spot on top. From the hidden electric blue grottos, to island chairlifts into heaven, and oceanfront authentic towns whose streets meander through the Italian cliffside, the Amalfi Coast captures not only the essence of Italian charm but also the hearts of all who visit.

For the duration of our trip we stayed in Sorrento in the Seven Hostel which, again, seemed more like a luxury resort. This entire year I have been hopping around from "hostel" to "hostel" but, I must admit, between the sauna and pool in the Berlin hostel, to the swinging hammocks and beach front views in Canoa, Ecuador, I have rarely ever felt like I was in a hostel... well, besides the fact that I have been sharing rooms with 10 other people here and there. We chose to travel to the Amalfi Coast with Bus2Alps, the same program with whom I went to Switzerland in January. Bus2Alps is wonderful because you have the opportunity to not only have your entire trip planned out including many a discount but also, you are traveling with a plethora of other students from many different universities making the entire retreat seem like a more cultured Cancun spring break. Although the Amalfi Coast is overwhelmingly beautiful I would have to admit it fails in comparison to the sexy group of BC students of which our group comprised... perhaps the perfect combination of adventurous souls and social animals.

The first stop was the island of Capri which, to be specific, would win the spot in the Top 3 of Europe. When we arrived to the island we were greeted by the most stereotypical group of Asian tourists on a smaller boat next to us. With binoculars in hand, and visor on head, these Asian tourists held nothing back when the YMCA came on... great start to any morning. What made the morning even better was the news that within 10 minutes we would be entering the blue grotto. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the blue grotto, it is a grotto (water cave) whose opening admits light in such a way that the water within shines with an electric blue hue. The grotto, a major Italian tourist attraction, was once a pool for Italian royalty and is now considered the emblem of the island of Capri. To get inside you must lay down in a tiny rowboat and enter only with the perfect movement of a wave or the boat will not make it through.

After the blue grotto we docked on the island and ate delicious delicious pizza. Shortly after we took the chairlift to the top of the entire island. I have been on hundreds of chairlifts in my life but this was definitely the first time without skis and a full on snow suit. Instead I found myself walking onto the lift in shorts and a tank with the Amalfi sun on my back... not to shabby. When we reached the top I was greeted by the most beautiful ocean view I have ever seen in my entire life (this is not an exaggeration). Unfortunately the pictures don't even begin to do this justice but after napping on the grass on the top for an hour or so, I awoke and I honestly felt like I was still dreaming or had risen to heaven. If you ever find yourself in Italy and do not see this view atop the island of Capri, I will find you and personally slap you in the face. 

The rest of the day consisted of us having one too many a toast at dinner, taking over an outdoor bar in Sorrento, and some late night wandering through hidden dirt roads. Success. The next day we went to Positano which, unfortunately, was not too kind in the weather department. The warm streets of Positano were filled with little boutiques, gelotto shoppes, and pizzerias and the beaches covered with black sand. For the majority of the day the sun was covered by a group of clouds which led me to college sea glass for about an hour and a half (you would be surprised by how little is necessary to entertain me). However, the day got brighter when I ordered the most bomb sandwich known to mankind at a tiny deli on the island. Mortadella, balsamic, cream cheese, tomatoes, spanish olives, and pesto... can't go wrong with that combo. As the shuttle for the first hostel of kids arrived the sun began to creep out which was unfortunate for those who had to leave but absolutely amazing for us. We took that opportunity to rent a boat for about an hour and decided to go cliff jumping!!!

Some of the kids on the boat!

Me in the middle of jumping!

Positano!

The last stop on the trip was Pompeii, the famous Italian city which was covered by volcanic ash after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD. The city was so incredibly well preserved including the body casts of the victims of the eruption, thousands of years later! We saw incredible palaces, amphitheaters, and even a brothel. On the walls of the brothel there were meticulously painted sexual diagrams (pictures?) which served as the "menu" for customers. There were also penises molded and carved into the sidewalks of the town which helped point customers in the direction of the brothel (these Italians were no joke).

Jessica Preston in Pompeii!

All in all, I can say that my 12 day Italian expedition not only surprised, enlightened, and exhausted me but it also made me proud to be an Italian (cheesy I know)... but seriously, Italy is a fascinating country full of history, gorgeous landscapes, priceless artwork, amazing food, and sincere people. From the Venetian waterfront views and hiking in Cinque Terre to the grandeur of the David in Florence and the the Colosseum in Rome.. and ending the entire venture in the Amalfi Coast.. I feel truly blessed. It was the perfect country to finish my international travels with! 

Italia: Firenze y Roma

THIS HUGE PARAGRAPH IS WORTH A READ: The journey continued from Cinque Terre to Florence. However, as transportation has proven faulty in Europe, the journey was anything but smooth. First, Kyle and I were forced to wait in the Genoa train terminal for two hours for our midnight train (shout out to Journey) to Firenze. To pass the time we pulled the "homeless" look at played many a round of cards on the dirty floors of the terminal. On the train our seats were in separate cars but, no worries, we met a nice Italian couple who not only secured us two spots in their car but also became Mother Theresa and Ghandi as terms of generosity that night. After attempting to teach us some basic Italian, they allowed us to use their phones to find hostels in Florence, kicked other people out of the car so we could stay, carried our bags for us, and awoke us at our transfer stop, Pisa. Naturally, we exchanged Whatsapp information to keep in touch, both knowing there was no chance we would ever see each other again. But, smart move on my part because a day later I received this easily comprehendible message from Antonio: "Good morning as the tour proceeds them in Florence? I hope all is well when matches for roma? I am traveling to Turin sorry a lot riuscirti not to review a kiss anyway you look at Torino ;-))" Who knows? When we got to Pisa we were surprised by a 2 hour unanticipated layover. After walking past the plethora of homeless scary Italian men sleeping in the terminal Kyle and I decided it would not be wise to stay there. Instead, we wandered around Pisa and found a five stay hostel with a deskman who was nice enough to let us sleep on the couches in the lobby and watch zombie movies.. The journey gets more interesting, I promise. When we arrived in Florence at around 5:45 in the morning we found ourselves completely homeless, wandering around (again, this is vacation weekend in Florence) unable to find any hostel to stay in. We walked for around 1.5 hours with our luggage, through the sunrise only to find ourselves sitting at a cafe eating bocadillos ready to take a strange Italian man up on his offer to stay in his guest bed. An emergency call was then made to Kyle's mother in the United States who booked him a 200$ a night hotel (legit the only availability in all the city). Let's just say it was probably the most frustrating 12 hours of my European experience but, looking back on it, the cards, Italian friends, zombie movies, and creepy guest room offer comprise one of my favorite stories of second semester. 


After seeing the David (which is friggin enormous, btw), the Duomo, and eating amazing pasta, Kyle and I napped until 10:30PM (we had not slept in over a day). After awaking, we met up with my friend Nikki (who I have known since I was 2) for Notte Bianca which is a huge celebration around the streets. There was live jazz, hip hop, cultural, etc. music everywhere and Italians in costumes roaming until the wee hours of the night. The next day it was pouring outside so Kyle and I ate huge Donor Kebabs and played cards in a cafe until the weather let up. We then met up with Maxine, Caroline Garel Jones, and Nikki for some food and drinks. That night, Kyle and I went to the Ponte Veccio and ate a final dinner in Florence. I had four cheese risotto topped with pears which may have been the best pasta I ate in Italy. 

Illegal Photo of David... Woops.

Ponte Veccio

Bomb Risotto

 

Duomo during Notte Bianca

The following morning Kyle and I made our way to Rome where we were met by amazing weather and the majority of our BC in Madrid crew. Fanta, Kyle, and I went our to lunch and ate amazinggggg lasagna (the food in Italy is not real life.. it's not a stereotype... its reality). Afterwards we went to the Colosseum and met up with Maxine, Bathleen, Slay-Tay, Quiño, and Kevin. The Colosseum was absolutely incredible. We learned that 1 million men and 3 million animals had died inside and that during the ancient games, lions and other large animals were kept under the sand and when trapped doors were opened they would appear through the sand as a complete shock to the gladiators. After the Colosseum Fanta, Kyle and I cooked pasta in the apartment before meeting up with everyone for some karaoke. 

Colosseum

The next day the three of us went to the Spanish steps and then met up with the others for some Vatican City action. Due to our inappropriate outfits, Maxine and I had to use scarfs as skirts to enter St. Peter's Basilica which apparently is one of the seven wonders of the world. Later we hit up the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain before eating one last Roman meal. That night we would be meeting up with Bus2Alps for our weekend trip to the Amalfi Coast!

Sexy Vatican Outfits

The Beanz and I @ Trevi Fountain

Italia: Venice and Cinque Terre

I could not have thought of a better way to spend my second spring break in Europe... ITALIA!!! I grew up in an area dominated by names that all sound like spaghetti brands and where the Pizza is literally the best in the country. In fact, I was certain that everyone in the world was at least half Italian before college (embarrassing, I know). So, although I wake up every morning confused that I am not Hispanic, I was glad to visit the homeland, the patria, the motherland. First stop.. Venice! Venice was the most amazing place I have ever flown into, hands down. There are tiny little islands everywhere with boats traveling between them and the sun was out (which is more than I can say for my first spring break around eastern Europe). As the true Italian-American that I am I talk extremely loud, live with all of my extended family in the same 2 block radius, and can say nothing but a few curse words in Italian. It shouldn't matter though, right? I have heard Spanish and Italian are similar so if I speak fluent Spanish to the little Venetian gelato makers they should completely understand me.. false.

Kyle and I were lucky enough to stay at our friend Mel's place for the night which was located on San Servolo island, a short boat ride away from Piazza San Marco, the main Venetian square. San Servolo Island used to be an insane asylum which is now completely covered by a small university and campus (small is an understatement... you can walk from one side to the other in less than five minutes). It was the perfect place to crash for the night (minus the fact that boats to the island only leave once every hour, but we will get into that later).

Our place on San Servolo!

We went into this trip not knowing what we wanted to do exactly, which for us worked out because I believe one truly gets to know and appreciate a city only by getting lost in it. We walked through the square and ate pizza before taking a boat over to the island of Murano. The boats in Venice are like the European metro or Boston T systems. You cannot get anywhere without them and they have little schedules, routes, and transfers, just like our trains. That was definitely one of the coolest parts of Venice, seeing the city by boat! That night we ate tortellini, watched live music in the square, and enjoyed the first of many gelato. Some illegal Indian street venders were selling glow up flying toys in the square which (1) made the sky look beautifully majestic and (2) provided Kyle and I entertainment as we watched the cops trying to track down and chase these mysterious light flingers (clearly, a lot of crime for Venetian cops to handle).

That night, Kyle and I got completely lost and missed two consecutive boats back to San Servolo (which means, yes, we were lost for over two hours). However, it worked out for the better because we got to enjoy more time in the square. The next morning we ate lunch on the island and began our journey to Genoa, Italy where we would be departing for Cinque Terre.

Venice by night!

When we arrived in Genoa we had no hostel plans, which usually makes no difference, however, we were unaware it was national holiday that weekend in Italy so we ran into some slight problems later in Venice. After being rejected from maybe 15 hostels (and tripping and falling through the door of one) we found a hostel with a single bed. After 20 minutes of begging the owners to allow two of us to stay in the room we were in the clear... we did it... we successfully booked the smallest bed known to mankind... for any Eagles out there reading... imagine cutting a BC bed in half and trying to fit two people on it. TORTURE. To ease the pain of seeing our tight living quarters we did what any two American students would do in the beautiful country of  Italy... we ordered Chinese food. 

Side Note: We discovered perhaps the most ingenious invention of all time.... Bread sticks with Nutella snack with iced tea all in one packaged deal (below is a completely necessary picture).

The next morning we departed in the misty rain for Cinque Terre (five towns) which is a group of five towns located on Italian cliff islands. On a good day Cinque Terre can be completed solely by hiking but we were met with rain, clouds, and a flock of old geezers who hiked at 1/4 my normal pace. Once I was tired of complaining about the crappy weather I realized how beautiful these towns were. They truly are the quintessential Italian beach towns that you would imagine. We ate pizza in the second town and upon completing our meal the waiter ate our check... strange. We took a boat to the last town and enjoyed some coffee. The day would have been better if the weather gods had given us sunshine but it was not pouring so I can't complain too much.. the rain was waiting for us in Florence. 

Note: On the right you will see me rocking the jean shorts with tights look common in Spain... at first I thought it was super tacky.. while I may think this the second I get back to the US of A, I am taking advantage of my foreign right to wear tacky shit and pull it off.

                             

Budapest and Fuerteventura

Yes, I understand it has been a month since I was in Budapest but I have been super busy with important things like traveling, sleeping, and pretending like I do school work. It's an extremely tough existence but, hey, someone's gotta do it. So Budapest... the five os us (Kyle, Maxine, Quiño, Kevin, and myself) were only in Budapest for a short period of time so, unfortunately I did not get a huge impression of the city. We were joined for a period of time by Mr. Chuckie Wide Stance (Charlie) himself which always is a treat. The first thing we did upon arriving was go to this local recommended marketplace which has a ton of local cuisine. I ordered a potato with chili and cheese... it was the best. The rest of the day consisted of us walking around Budapest and trying to get a feel for the city. My only complaint about mass-traveling (hitting 5 countries in 10 days like we did) is that your experiences start to blend and you lack the immersion aspect of visiting. Because a lot of these Eastern European countries share similar histories of war and Holocaust they all somewhat blended together. We visited a Terror Museum which was less than entertaining... even more so when I dropped my Nikon DSLR on the ground and it broke. Being that I am a poor... well, that's an understatement, student... I cannot afford to get that bad boy fixed for a VERY long time.

In Budapest we stayed in the Budapest Bubble hostel which was one of my favorites of this year. The Budapest Bubble has a philosophy of family and home so it felt more like I was staying with a bunch of friends than in shitty lodging. Each night we went out with the owner of the hostel (a 26 year old chill Hungarian chick) and the other hostel stayers. The first night we did Karaoke in a bar where Quiño angrily sang to "All Star" by Smash Mouth and Maxine and I killed it during "Barbie Girl". Let's just say there were a plethora of interesting characters at that bar including a woman in an all jean tight suit and a Pink-esque hair cut trying to cougar so hard.

The next day everyone wanted to do the walking tour but I was all toured out so Quiño and I decided to wander around by ourselves. We hiked up some hill to some old castle or church thing... again, all of these places start to blend together... it's a shame I will admit. Afterwards we ate some more traditional Hungarian food (this Spring Break trip was filled with outside markets and the weather was beautiful). We even had the opportunity of eating Rooster testicles but we respectfully declined.

Perhaps the highlight of my trip to Budapest was the spa visit Maxine and I enjoyed. If you are ever in Budapest I 100% recommend going to the spa... the baths are obviously super famous but after the baths in Morocco and Granada I was in the mood for something different. We opted for the hour long massage followed by manis and pedis. When we first walked in we were given a robe, free fruits and drinks and chocolate, and shown to the steam and sauna rooms. Maxine and I figured, hey, this is Europe... I'm sure they do this whole thing nude... There we were, 100% completely butt naked in the sauna when one of the workers came in, sporting a surprised look on her face, as Maxine is attempting to cover her nipples with her crossed forearms. It was a sight to see. The manis and pedis were good... minus the part when Maxine was bitched out by the lady for trying to use her nail clippers when she wasn't in the room (awk). The HIGHLIGHT, however, was the fact that the men who massaged us were 6 foot 5 Hungarian beauties. These men, legit, were not real life. Not only was the massage incredible but... well, I will stop there. For further details please inquire with Maxine Auzerais who will be more than happy to explain the pure ecstasy that was that hour.

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Fuerteventura was my next stop on the European Travel route. Fuerteventura is an island in the Canary Islands which is off the western coast of Africa but is owned by Spain. The island is not like the caribbean islands that I have traveled to... it is covered with black volcanic rocks and sports a more Sahara like climate, due to its latitude. I traveled with Quiño in a very last minute sort of vacation planning kinda way but in true Moncloa fashion... we made it. When we arrived it was drizzling and dark outside which was frustrating and worry some but after check in, lunch, and a short nap the sun came out and didn't leave again for the rest of the trip! After tanning by the pool for a few hours and legit roasting our skin, we ventured to the market to buy some provisions for the week and a huge tub of aloe which was completely used up by the time we left.

Hotel in Fuerte

We walked the beach of Correlejo, the town we stayed in and saw amazing sandcastles (pictures below). We found ourselves at Waikiki lounge, restaurant, and bar eating fondue in a very Melting Pot style restaurant. It was not the cheapest option but we were given free champagne, a free cocktail, and a free shot with dinner. Afterwards we realized the nightlife was not too hopping so we went to a bar, took five tequila shots and called it a night.

The rest of the trip was filled with food, sun and sleep. It was definitely a much needed relaxing vacation (yes, I sound ridiculous saying that). In short, backpacking around Europe is actually really energy consuming and not relaxing in the slightest. When you have no idea where you are or how to speak the language and are sharing a room with creepers in a city you know nothing about.. it's not a vacation. I wish I could say we did a lot when we went to the Canaries but we did exactly what we both wanted... ate, tanned, and slept.

Krakow, Poland and Auschwitz Concentration Camp

I am not sure if the word would be symbolic or eye-opening but there was something so strange about taking a train through the night to Poland from Prague. As we have all learned, millions of Jews were transported by train across various parts of Europe to concentration "death" camps. These trains however were so crowded that people were forced to stand for days at a time, face the winter cold, starvation, disease, and no bathroom use... you can imagine how that went. It didn't seem fair at all... here I was on a train along the same path but laying in a comfortable bed, warm, eating Burger King and drinking a cold Fanta. This was the first of many times over the less than 24 hours I spent in Poland that I wondered how to make my experience feel more authentic so that I could truly understand a glimpse of how they suffered. However, I quickly realized that it was 100% impossible to feel for even a second how these victims felt. I did not have to fear for my life or the lives of my loved ones. I was not stripped of everything I loved in life. There I was with a college education, food in my belly, and an iPod in my ear looking out the window of the train... all I could do was honor those who suffered because trying to comprehend their suffering was an impossibility. I was not en route towards the final destination of my life, the separation of my family, the sight of dead malnourished bodies or the gas chambers.

We arrived in Krakow, Poland quite early in the morning and our trip to Auschwitz started promptly. The day we visited blessed us with the nicest weather of the entire break however, again, this made it quite difficult to comprehend the devastation that had occurred there not too many decades before. We walked through the infamous "Arbiet Macht Frei" sign which means "work brings freedom". We entered the building where the first medical experimentations were performed as well as the tiny windowless cells where some prisoners were held if they misbehaved or didn't meet their work quota. These cells were so tiny that, in many cases, victims could not even sit down.

We then saw an exhibit of original suitcases, shoes, cooking supplies, and hair of the victims. When we learned that what we were looking at was taken from only a small percentage of Jews it really put into perspective how many innocent people had died. Afterwards we walked through the gas chambers and crematories. This was an experience that brings chills down my spine and a drop in my heart every time I think about it. So many Jews were told they were simply going to the showers when the door locked behind them and the chemicals were poured through the ceiling. I have spent years researching the Holocaust and even devoting a two year high school thesis to the medical experimentations during the Holocaust but no books or even photos can portray the feeling of standing in that dark death chamber. As I write this my heart is beating fast. It makes you appreciate how lucky you are.

Gas Chamber

Crematory

We then went from Auschwitz 1 to Auschwitz-Birkenau where we walked the exact path thousands of Jews had walked towards the gas chambers. Auschwitz, if you were unaware, continues to be known as the most famous of all of the concentration camps across Europe and was the site of more killings than any other known camp. We saw the inside of the barracks where victims lived. Their beds were made out of wood, some dirt and conditions were horrible. We learned that although rainwater leaked through the ceiling, the top bunk was the best. Because victims were highly malnourished they often suffered diarrhea and their excretions would leak from bed to bed. Also, there were rats the size of cats that would crawl on the bottom bunks. Their bathrooms were horrific however, the best job to get was cleaning fecal matter out of the holes because the guards did not like the smell, spent less time there, and thus, workers were less prone to abuse and beatings.

Bathroom

Barrack

It seems a little out of place to follow all of that with a love story but it touched me so I figured I would share: a young man and woman fall in love in Auschwitz Concentration Camp during the Holocaust. They realize their time is limited as their health is fading and the gas chambers haunt them every day. They make a plan to try and escape from the walls of Auschwitz disguised as Nazi officers. Long story short, the plan works and the couple runs into the woods very far from the camp where the go into hiding in a basement. Although their original plan was to wait it out until the Holocaust ended, the man decided he could not stay in the basement and not help fight against the Nazis. He leaves her in the basement and tells her he will be back. The war ends, the two are separated, and completely lose contact. Both move to the United States and a student of the man tells him that he learned Polish from his neighbor growing up... when he says the name his mouth drops... it is his lost love. The two are reconnected and visited Auschwitz together 6 times. They both died in the past five years.

Auschwitz-Birkenau

Overall my trip to Auschwitz was very memorable. It was one of the things on my bucket list so I am very glad I had the opportunity to go and experience it first hand. It is something that I would suggest to every person. Since being in Europe I would 100% consider my day at Auschwitz to be top 3 things I have done or seen.

After the tour we walked around the city of Krakow which was very beautiful. I never thought I would ever go to Krakow in my life but was pleasantly surprised. Like Prague there were many outside sweet stands, the sun was shining, and the culture was rich. I think a couple of hours is more than enough time to spend in Krakow considering one of it's most famous attractions is a statue of a dragon that breathes fire every 5 minutes... extremely anticlimactic. Maxine, Kyle and I shared a wonderful dinner in town and then boarded an overnight train to Budapest.

The Square in Krakow

Anticlimactic Tourist Attraction?

Prague, Czech Republic

Our experience in Prague began with perhaps one of the most absurdly uncomfortably hilarious human exchanges I have ever experienced in my life. When we arrived at the Art Hole Hostel we were greeted by it’s owner, some man of about 50 years who must have been on some mix of highly illegal drugs… for his own sake I hope he was because if any human being normally interacted with other humans the way he did that day I would be worried for the future of our species. It is difficult to describe in words just how he was strange… I wish I had it taped. Whenever you asked him a question or attempted to make conversation he would stare at you for a good 10 seconds before bursting into laughter and delivering a string of barely coherent words completely unrelated to that being discussed. He insisted on showing us the artwork on the walls of the bedrooms and became overly excited when we entered the “black hole” room where we were pressured into staring at the wall for a moment of time that seemed like an hour.

After unpacking our bags (we had to ask where our room was and if we had keys… I think he forgot that was part of his job) we headed to a typical Czech restaurant that resembled a medieval pub. We ordered goulash, which, I wish I had enjoyed more. Afterwards we walked towards the center square of Prague and were met with live performances, music, sunshine, and roughly 30 different outside market stands selling everything from meticulously decorated Easter eggs to grilled sausage, to chocolate bananas on sticks. Safe to say that it was impossible to walk by the square without indulging in some sort of sweet.

Kyle and Maxine in the Czech Restaurant!

While in the square we met up with Bath and her sister and all ventured across the bridge to the John Lennon wall. If you know me well enough you know that in this moment I was as excited as a young toddler on Christmas. John Lennon is, in fact, my boyfriend… he just doesn’t know it yet… well, I guess he will never know until I pass through those pearly gates and we consummate our love. Needless to say, I enjoyed the wall.

The Famous Bridge in Prague (Charles)

John Lennon Wall

That night we climbed to the top of the famous clock tower that overlooks Prague and had an amazing view of the sunset and Prague by night! Each hour the clock does an intricate changing of the hands and is accompanied by a man at the top of the tower playing a trumpet. We ended the night at some sketchy Czech casino where Maxine bet it all on roulette and hit big while Quiño wasn’t so lucky… kid doesn’t know when to stop.

Beautiful View of Prague!!!

The next morning we did the New Europe walking tour of Prague (the same company I had recommended in my Berlin post). Perhaps the two most interesting things I learned about Prague were as follows, (1) Prague was intended to be Hitler’s city of retirement after the extermination of the Jews. For this reason the Jewish neighborhood, it’s buildings, etc were never destroyed during his reign because he hoped the neighborhood was serve as an exhibition of an exterminated race for centuries to come. (2) There is a famous cemetery in the heart of the Jewish district that is extremely elevated in comparison with its surroundings. Reason being, during the early stages of the Holocaust, the Jews were not allowed to leave their neighborhood. People continued dying and their request for the construction of an additional cemetery was rejected. Thus, they were forced to bury bodies on top of bodies on top of bodies. I found that the majority of my Semana Santa vacation around Europe was very influenced by the Holocaust and Hitler’s reign. Every city I visited, minus France, was crawling with memories of that time.

Later that day we walked around the Prague Castle and did a pub-crawl during the night for Krasker’s birthday. I had never done a pub-crawl before so it was really cool. A young American opened the first place so the place was full of tables for flip cup and pong! Perhaps my favorite was bar number three. The night ended at a night club in Prague! Because Art Hole Hostel overbooked, Kevin, Quiño, and I shared two mattresses on the floor of the living room. Below is what our bedroom for the night looked like! Haha.

What I like to call... Europe on a Budget

The next day we ate at a Mexican restaurant (when you’re in Europe for a while you begin to miss these things and eating locally becomes less and less of a priority). We enjoyed the sun on the Charles bridge, watched some more dance performances in the square and ended our Prague experience at a beer museum. Prague was probably, overall, my favorite European city we visited during La Semana Santa. It was absolutely beautiful, gave us two days of great weather, and was so authentic… so much so that the entire production of Euro Trip (the movie) was actually filmed solely in Prague. For a beautifully authentic Eastern European experience I would DEFINITELY recommend Prague!