The province of Córdoba is bordered by two major mountain ranges to the north and south; the Sierra Morena and the Sierra Subbética. Dozens of little villages (pueblos) are nestled amongst the mountains and in the valley of the Guadalquivir River, connected with a network of bike trails and hiking trails. This makes Córdoba province a paradise…
¿Truco o trato?
If there’s one thing us Americans know how to do, it’s Halloween. This holiday (yes, we can definitely call it that) has always been a big tradition in my family. As for me, I was that girl who continued to trick or treat until she was a senior in high school. We got quite a…
Clouds on the Ground
Let’s just get one thing straight—my job is not what I’d call easy. While it’s not all olé olé caracoles, let us all cut out paper dolls holding hands and paint American flags while singing authentic folk songs; it’s not exactly brain surgery either, but it is most definitely not simple. Now, before you roll…
Dar la Vuelta
There’s really only so much pasta and garbanzo beans that a person can eat. Today, I decided to give the good ol’ tortilla de patatas a try. For those of you who don’t know, a tortilla is essentially a “potato omelette,” which consists of potatoes, eggs, and onion. This is a staple of the Spanish diet and can be…
The House of Three Languages
You may as well call us the Tower of Babel, because at any given moment, there are at least three languages thriving in my apartment. Spanish, Italian, English; and sometimes all three mixed together in what we like to call Monicasolani, thusly named for its main employer, my roommate. I am the only North American…
¡Que tengas un día delicioso!
For reasons that remain a mystery to me, when I opened the red breakfast box, I burst out laughing. The joyful caption read: Have a delicious day! It could have been the fact that I had, of course, not slept a wink on my 7 hour flight, or perhaps the fact that included in my typical…
The Final Countdown… or How Many Clichés can I Fit into One Post
“Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever on the road.” Nothing like a cliché Jack Kerouac quote to get any journey started, am I right? But in all seriousness, this is a great line, capturing the excitement, uncertainty and strange peace that comes with a life of travel. It’s hard to believe…
The Pat Conroy Lowcountry Charm Tour
It’s not about the Destination, it’s about the Journey Isn’t it funny how we easily we can forget all about our own country? Sometimes I think we internationally minded folk disregard the wonders of Americana because we’re so focused on exploring the world. But the fact of the matter is that the United States is…
Flamenco
I saw my first flamenco show when I was in the 7th grade, but it was in a giant auditorium at George Mason. I don’t remember much from it except for the fact that I thought it was rather boring and that I was more interested in the lunch afterward. My second flamenco experience was…
Feria: ¡Yo soy del Sur!
Every spring, as the blossoms of azahar and the temperatures rise, something happens to Sevilla. After the bleachers from Semana Santa have been packed away, the atmosphere begins to crackle with a heady anticipation. I read once that every April, Sevilla erupts into Feria, and, after having experienced it, I believe that’s the best way…
The Empress of the Universe 