TALKA NATALKA

Monday, October 19, 2009

sick.

Well, it’s been building up for awhile, but this weekend it’s come out completely: I’m sick. For the past few weeks I’ve been breaking out in night sweats and have suspected I have a fever, but since I had no way to tell, I couldn’t be sure. I was hoping it was just from the seasons (not) changing and traveling a lot, moving between different climates, etc. But this weekend was my first in Sevilla for awhile and my body seemed to know it.

I’ve progressed through the stages of a bad cold pretty fast – it’s only been the last 3-4 days. But I’ve experienced the sore throat, the stuffiness, then the swollen throat, runny nose/watery, small cough turning into huge annoying cough symptoms. This morning I went to the doctor with a CEA director and came out 5 minutes later with 3 prescriptions – one for a cough, one for ibuprophen (I didn’t buy that, I already have some), and one for…well, I’m not really sure. It’s like Airborne I think, but for cold symptoms? I’m not really sure, but I do know that I accidentally read the Spanish wrong and tried taking one without letting it dissolve in water. EWWWW WORST IDEA EVER. I was foaming at the mouth with cold meds.

That was a mistake I won’t make again.

Anyway, just an update, and I’m still alive (although really all I want to do it pass out). Lots to do – tons of homework this week, not to mention I have a midterm or two this week, CEA excursion to Ronda on Saturday, and then the rest of my midterms sometime next week. Eek! Wish me luck!

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Well hello.

Oh mannn I do not want to write my paper today!!! I’m updating everything I can possibly think of in order to avoid writing it. Which means I have about 500 posts to happily write for this blog – thank goodness!

So I'm sitting in my room with the door closed, because Loli (my señora) opened the windows in the dining room and said that it's cold out today and the cold isn't good for my throat.

It's 70 degrees out. Lol.

(Side note: have I mentioned I’m sick? For the past 3 weeks or so I’ve been waking up with awful night sweats, and my balance has been completely off. It’s become a joke on all the trips we take, waiting for me to trip on something at some point and completely fall over. Typical of me, but still! Anyway, it came to a head this weekend because we’ve finally had a weekend at “home”, and I’ve been plugged up, coughing, and then all sniffly and gross. Luckily, I think this is just a 3 or 4 day thing I have to put up with – I’ve already moved past the coughing stage from yesterday and last night!)

Anyway! I have much catching up to do about Switzerland & Italy the past two weekends before this! I’m slowly uploading all of my photos while I have the time, and the patience. I’ve been learning to keep up with things in small chunks. This blog is the next I have to practice with! So, some highlights from my trips these past weekends.

SWITZERLAND.

I touched an alpine lake in Interlaken.
Drank Swiss wine.
Experienced the perfect fall day in Geneva.
Hiked in the Alps!
Saw the highest peak in Europe.
Had tons of Swiss chocolate (YUM)
Took a beautiful train ride through part of the Swiss countryside.

ITALY.

I had real gelato! (let’s not count how many cups I bought in 5 days please!)
Spoke Spanish to the Italian and managed to get by.
Went inside the Colosseum.
Wandered the Roman Forum.
Walked in a gay rights protest (by accident, but still cool).
Drank Italian wine on the Spanish Steps with friends.
Took shelter in McDonald’s from crazy rainstorms in Rome.
Ate real Italian pizza and pasta in Florence.
Had the best coffee of my life in Caffe Taza D’Oro.
Had the best coffee in general all throughout Italy.
Was surprised by the Pantheon, just hanging out in the middle of the city..what!
Tossed a coin into the Trevi Fountain.
Bought a real leather purse at the mercato in Florence.
Ate melt in your mouth just-baked focaccia.
Saw the Sistine Chapel.
Got lost in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Was amazed by the opulence and beauty of the Vatican.
Ran through the rain in Rome.

I had SUCH an amazing time on these trips. I’m so happy I was lucky enough to have the opportunity, and time, and money to see and do all of these things! How amazing! I’m lucky too that I had such awesome people to go with.

Alright, enough of the sappiness. I need to start that paper now…maybe.