A Happy Ending

Sorry I haven't written with school work on top of travels I've been busy. That being said Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of my favorite places on earth. I leave for London, England tomorrow and while I'm very excited to finally see it even if just for a moment I'm so sad my trip has nearly come to an end. That's all for now. Perhaps more to come later. 

Zagreb

Okay so here's what I have to say: Zagreb is by far the weirdest city I have ever visited in my 21 years of life. No doubt. And the worst part is? In trying to describe to you why it is so weird, well I just can't put my finger on it. It's like some weird cross between every place outside of the USA I've ever been. Where am I? I'm in the capital of Croatia. There was war here in these peoples life time. They witnessed the threat of death everyday. That, or they threatened death. It's the ugly side we don't often think about. You think oh old war territory how sad, until you meet the children of war criminals who laugh as they tell you their parents were war criminals. The fact that genocide happened in this region in the last 25 years makes one a little concerned when meeting the children of war criminals. Though, I try not to judge any one based off of one aspect of their lives. As I told my family the other night, if Tutsis work everyday alongside Hutus in Rwanda to forgive them for the massacre of their families well then, I can sit across the dinner table from the children of war criminals in Croatia. 

Their language is bizarre. Quite similar dare I sat it to what children in the United States sound like when they spontaneously make up a jibberish language. I mean that with no disrespect, just an observation. 

The buildings are falling apart and look as though well as though they survived through times of two world wars, civil wars, communist regimes, fascist regimes, and so on, perhaps because it has, all within the last 100 years. 

It is clear to me, someone who has studied communism and the effects it can have on society, that communism has left it's mark here. 

Shops are dirty and half empty, with a stark contrast the the central strip which has Zara, Adidas, Apple, Mango, and even more big name brand stores. 

The wardrobe differences between gender are also quite comical, while most women are dressed to the nines, nearly all men sport jean Bermuda shorts and T shirts. 

There are small kiosks on every corner. And in between every corner. Approximately every 12 feet there is a kiosk, selling the same things: gum, coke and water, and magazines. 

The tram is a large above ground blue train that clamors through the streets but doesn't dictate the traffic signals, but instead follows them screeching to a halt every time a light turns red. 

Everyone walks around eating pastries out of paper wrappers and screaming into their cell phones. Teens aren't shy with public displays of affection, and there are many many places to buy morning baked pizza by the slice. 

Women who are pregnant appear very young, not the 30+ I suppose I'm used to seeing at home or in Spain.

Buildings are new and old smelly and delicious smelling. I'm so confused. Streets are big and small. Where am I?

I can't decide if the people here are happy to live here or not. Are they proud to be Croatian after all they went through for independent and separation? Is it shame, or guilt, or trauma that I sense? I really can't put my finger on it but something is off here, there's a puzzle piece I must not be understanding. 

I also can't decide if I'm being stared at for being different or if they even know I'm foreign. It's weird this place 

I could go on and on... 

Ljubljana has...

Ljubljana is where mint grows by the river, and where it's okay to eat gelato for breakfast. Ljubljana has old world charm with modern style. Ljubljana has a love lock bridge, and more cafés than you can imagine. Ljubljana has pasta and pizza and wine. Ljubljana has vegetable and fruit markets, and flowers for sale and carved wooden spoons. Ljubljana has a castle. Ljubljana has friendly local who almost all speak English. Ljubljana has winding street that you can never get lost on, you only have to look up to find the castle and to know where the river is. Ljubljana has dogs and children learning the Slovenian way of life day by day. Slovenia has magnets and hand crafted anything you could ever want. Ljubljana has chocolate shops and tea shops and craft shops and honey shops. Ljubljana has croissants and smoothies. Ljubljana has the most beautiful bridges. Ljubljana has mountains. Ljubljana has my heart.

That One Time In Slovenia

Let me tell you about Ljubljana. The air is fresh. There is nature all around and the river gives off a cool breeze. The temperature here is much closer to that of a Michigan summer. 

All the buildings are old and beautiful, decorated with extravagant detailing. The streets are filled with small cafés and people carrying ice cream cones. There is no way to deny that bikes are the most common mode of in city transportation. The shops all twist and turn alongside the river. There are tea shops and honey shops, toy shops and just about anything adorable you can imagine. 

As I went out scouting the area today I found a McDonalds, a vegan restaurant, a crepe shop, small bread stores with croissants, falafel, raspberry nestea, a place that sells pizza by the slice and watch out world- a wok Asian restaurant. I'm in business.

My hostel is right next to the dragon bridge and the castle is just behind it all the way on top of the hill. There are rides up a glass elevator you can take to get there though the woman at the front desk told me she suggests I walk.

I love the small town charm and the fresh air. I love the breeze and to finally not be drenched in my own sweat. I love that most of you reading this have no clue where Ljubljana or even Slovenia is on a map and yet here I am surrounded with Slovenians themselves happy and proud as could be to be Slovenian. It's still, even 25 years later, very evident of it's past history. The broad Slavic, Yugoslavian, communist, Napoleonic, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, fascist, roman and everything else under the sun comes through in the people the architecture, the food, the way of life, etc.

People have to cutest dogs here too. 

I've had a weird day, you know waking up in Istanbul, the first time in 2 months I didn't wake up in Spain, running to my gate in the airport getting on a plan to Ljubljana, finding my way to my hostel and getting all things settled. 

I'm not sure how adventurous I truly want to be here, I'm very tempted to just relax and lay low, get some sleep and work on my school work.

I'm glad that I'm here for at least 2 more full days. 

I'm currently on a park bench and two little girls are playing and pointing at me and in sync yelling beetz-kee beetz-kee beetz-kee over and over I keep smiling but for all I know they are saying ug-ly ug-ly ug-ly or stu-pid -amer-ican, oh the thrill of being abroad. 

Landing in the airport today though was a dream. Slovenia is picture perfect. 

That One Time In Turkey

I don't have words. If travel has ever made me speechless, well I don't know I was pretty speechless at the Taj Mahal, but today, man, Istanbul, Turkey, you have taken my heart. I've been here for approximately five hours and I wish I didn't have to leave. 

Every second as I sit here it gets better.

I know it must seem like I'm always crying, but I am fighting tears of happiness right now. 

Where do I start. This day deserves the best post. I'm too in the moment. 

I'm at a restaurant ate pasta, drank mint tea, got bread and hummus with my meal, and met a British lady who's plans are to visit every country before she dies. She said traveling has restored her faith in humanity and that she's a free spirit. 

Everyone was out in the streets today surrounding the Blue Mosque preparing meals to eat once sunset. They all sat in the gardens practically knee to knee on blankets with plates and dishes full of food being prepared. The Mosque played a loud prayer (I believe) over a speaker  just after sunset and everyone began to eat. It was beyond magical to watch. I don't have words for how lucky I got to be here in Istanbul on a Saturday night of Ramadan. Which by the way in Turkish is Ramazan.

I cannot believe how much culture I witnessed in just a few hours here. 

Turkish is quite the interesting sounding language as well I might add.

I'm just full of joy. Joyful I get to experience the world, witness the human condition, live, taste, hear, smell, see, and touch everything around me.

Today I went to a new country. And tomorrow I'm going to another. I'm living my dream and loving every minute of it.

Until next time Turkey, may our paths meet again some day.

Adios España, Hello Five New Countries!

Today is my last day in Spain, we leave Toledo early in the morning to head to the Madrid Airport. It's crazy that my Spanish study abroad trip is already over.

BUT WAIT THERE IS MORE!

Stay tuned on this blog to hear about my adventures for the next two weeks as I do some solo travel across Europe!

Tomorrow I'll be flying to Istanbul, Turkey to spend just one night. Then in the morning on Sunday I'm off to Ljubljana, Slovenia for three nights; I'm going to catch a train to Zagreb, Croatia for four nights, and hopefully make a day trip out to Plitvice National Park. Next I'm taking a plane to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina for five nights and my final stop will be London, England for one short night, before heading back to the ever so lovely Detroit, United States of America.

I can't say I'm not nervous, but I can say I've always found that doing the things you fear are usually the most worthwhile.

On that note- stay tuned!

Adios España! You will be missed!

The Lessons from Spain

I think I finally figured out my life lessons from Spain. 

As I looked in the mirror getting ready to head out to our fair well dinner tonight I thought: I've changed, I'm different, I've learned a lot. Which sparked the question, well, what did I learn?

So, here's the list:

1) Step outside of your comfort zone. 

-Not  like do something crazy like ride an elephant, no no, not like something that's scary but you've always dreamed of doing. No no, do something you never in a million years thought you'd be apart of- and to be honest never really wanted to. Like for me, go to Spain to study Spanish in college, sit at cafés for tapas and sangria, stay out until 8:30 am at discotecas and walk home in the daylight, spend some of my travel fund on a pink tank top and new wedges, and at the end of the day decide Europe is a pretty cool place.

2) Stick to who you are even if it's not who anyone else is.

3) Money isn't meant to be saved when there is travel to be had.

4) Live a little.

- I repeat: stay out until 8:30 am at discotecas and walk home in the daylight... (I'll only be 21 in Spain once right?)

5) Don't judge a country by it's continent, (my personal version of don't judge a book by it's cover.)

-refer to description for lesson #1

6) Loving yourself, and even taking some pride in yourself, is the quickest way to inner freedom, (okay so maybe I knew that one already, but it was reinforced here, okay?)

That sums it up perfectly.