Alexandra Shaw

I'm Back In The Game

2009-07-07T14:53:00.001-07:00

My dear faithful readers-

Ten months ago I landed on the warm lap of my dear Mother America. At that exact moment, she crapped herself. At first glance, NYC in September 2008 looked something like an overanxious mother hen, begging the question will the economy collape? Will Sarah Palin rule over us with her winking gaze when John McCain bites it? Will I ever retire? The worry was palpable, thus not the best time to be poking around for some casual employment, respectable employment seemed to be out of the question.

I only got 10 days of work as a temp before that well dried up. So I took up a job as a flyer girl. I passed out ads for a gym down by NYU and watched the college kids walk by dressed like Kanye West. When the snow started to fall and my ego couldn't take anymore rants from random street crazies I took my reprieve to California for the holidays, still underemployed but hoping something would come up.

At the New Year I returned to the city and I almost got a job with the New York City Department of Law. That was until the budget was not passed and I was left on the backside of two months worth of applications and tests with no position. Sweet.

The New Year also brought school, The New School to be exact. I began my first graduate level classes at The New School studying Nonprofit Management hoping that I would not hate my classes, other students, future prospects. All the while I was living with family friends who had an endless supply of hospitality and encouragement as I wallowed and wailed.

How ever could I blog about that?

And then in April EVERYTHING CHANGED. Within a month I got a job, I found a sweet apartment in Nolita, and I kicked my first sememster's behind like it drank my last beer. All of the sudden I was a freaking vision of success in America, back and ready to rumble.

But I am not finished. Not by any stretch of the imagination am I done challenging myself and changing. So I would like to reignite my blog as it just so happens that the stuff I see on a daily basis is as weird as anything I saw travelling. The greatest lesson I have learned to date is truth is much stranger than fiction.

With this in invite you to return to my little opus frequently as I describe absurdities and entertain you with my tales.

Connected

2009-02-08T18:02:00.001-08:00

Today I woke up speaking Pulaar. The phone rang at 9am on the night stand next to the bed. I read 221- as the country code and knew the number was from Senegal.
“Hello?”
“Jenaba!”
“Allo? Neene?”
”Jenaba, Tana allaa ton?”
My host mother from my village in Senegal seems to be psychically connected to me. The night before, I remarked that Jenaba Sidibe, who I was named after, was probably the only person I knew in those two years who saw me. She saw who I was, what drove me to find her village, and why I must continue my work in America. Her love for me was real, because when the time came she cried but let me go. Now, six months later she is calling me on the European cell phone I left to her. The exchange was brief and I think she said she wanted me to call her back later, but I am unsure. It is too late to call tonight but I must find a calling card tomorrow and find out what my dear friend needs.

It Really Is This Simple

2008-11-12T20:48:00.001-08:00

The Movie!!

2008-11-09T18:15:00.001-08:00

Finally I present to you the movie I helped edit and produce in Senegal titled "Elle Travaile, Elle Vit!" (She Works, She Lives). Enjoy!!

Elle Travaille, Elle Vit! (She Works, She Lives!) from Barry Pousman on Vimeo.

Where were you when Obama won?

2008-11-05T08:15:00.000-08:00

November 4, 2008 11pm- In my NYC Apartment

I stared at the TV screen and blinked a couple of times. Tears welled up and blurred the beautiful image.

PRESIDENT ELECT BARACK OBAMA

History had been made. I jumped to my feet and started doing my Pulaar happy dance. Outside you could hear crowds erupt with cheers. Yes we can!

The whole family poured out of the apartment and down the stairs. Out in the streets in front of the Obama headquarters on Broadway and 105th there were hundreds of people dancing in the streets. Slowly cars would inch through the crowd with honking horns and jubilant cries. A bus pulled up, a large black bus driver was weeping, his fist raised in the air, Yes we can. The crowd enveloped the bus, cheering and dancing, everyone raising their fist in a salute to our Joe the Bus Driver, as more tears streamed down his face and we screamed, Yes we can. Traffic stopped, hundreds of people started singing the national anthem, cops scrambled to get the people on the side walk, but more people poured into the streets from all directions. Parties began to erupt all over Manhattan, an explosion of pride for our country and pure joy.

Well into the night I ran the streets of New York City, screaming and hollering OBAMA, to which inevitably there would be a distant cry of joy from some other drunken reveler who couldn't believe that today the world changed for the better.

A Message From Your Friend in NYC

2008-10-30T10:49:00.000-07:00

To The New Great Generation

2008-10-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

It is a momentous time in our history as a country. The national conscience is focused on the demise of our corporate empire and we, the youth, are left to meditate on our future. "Not since the Great Depression..." is a phrase I have heard often in the last two weeks. It describes the burden and challenge the present generation faces as we are still tallying the bill, projecting our future lifestyles and choices.

I arrived to Wall Street on September 2, 2008, hardly aware of the economic crisis about to unfold before me. After living in a mud hut for two years, financial Armageddon was the last thing I expected to come home to. It is becoming more apparent to our generation, the ones who enjoyed our childhoods in the peaceful and prosperous 90’s, that we will need to reorder our society to maintain our quality of life, and possibly advance it.

There are rumblings of a New Great Generation. We could invent our way into a new age. We have been given the best preparation possible for this moment, from our culture of innovation, and comfort with technology, to our access to higher learning institutions. Why can't we take that sexy approach Mac takes to all their products and make environmentally sound gadgets the things we are falling all over ourselves to own? Why can't we, the New Great Generation, take the bull by the horns, learn the numbers and the facts, and rework a system that is based on the values for the new age? It is time we shook off the malaise of consumer culture and took responsibility for ourselves. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Leviathan has stumbled. Are we ready to stand up and lead the future?

Get a higher education.

Vote.

Patriot Day

2008-09-11T20:38:00.001-07:00

Peace be upon us

From Blog

Today is the first day of the rest of your life

2008-09-11T10:01:00.000-07:00

I have been back in the US for one week. My version of culture shock has involved spending money I don't have and not making much of an effort to replace it. Today I turned it all around and applied for a bunch of jobs, some of which could be considered my dream jobs.

All and all NYC is everything I hoped it would be. I live with an awesome family on the Upper West Side and spend my time discovering the city, when I am not obsessing over my lack of employment.

And now for some visual aids...

My last night in Dakar was surprisingly mellow. I didn't freak, but I did almost miss my flight.

From Africa for blog

Downtown Dakar

From Africa for blog

My first sight of NYC from the plane window.

From Africa for blog

I really didn't understand what this meant until I asked.

From Africa for blog

This is the life I hope to lead in the near future.

From Africa for blog

I feel like I am constantly seeing things I have seen before, such as the Chrysler Building. It was the first thing I recognized.

From Africa for blog

My dear friend James from the Peace Corps now lives in Brooklyn. Our favorite past time is eating food and laughing at the volunteers still stuck in Senegal. This cone is for you Gou Crew!!

From Africa for blog

This past week I went to many art shows.

From Africa for blog

This is the first "car park" I saw. I nearly died at the thought of all those cars in one little space.

From Africa for blog

My first taxi ride was spent staring at the TV they have in every cab. Holy cow, I am not in Dakar anymore.

From Africa for blog

I mean even the trash bags are art for crying out loud!

From Africa for blog

Here is a nice raunchy piece I thought was funny.

From Africa for blog

Don't you wish? just kidding I love LA.

From Africa for blog

Scary

From Africa for blog

What does this say about our society?

From Africa for blog

Another wonderful breakfast James and I enjoyed. I would like to dedicate this one to Ramadan.

From Africa for blog

Look familiar?

From Africa for blog

The end of my Peace Corps life

2008-08-31T02:51:00.000-07:00

Scared to death… no that is too strong

Caught in the rip tide of my future… no that is too dramatic

Totally overwhelmed by my life changes…. Yes that is just right.

I am leaving Senegal tomorrow for New York City after two years of Peace Corps service. When I first came here I was scared to death of the future, horrified by the present, and running from the past. Who knew the torrent of emotions could culminate into a life changing experience, one that carried me from a girl to a woman. I am now afraid of nothing but myself, only limited by my own fear of failure. What a beautiful way to start a new chapter in my life. I am cavalier by nature and let my acute senses carry my through the darkness.

Yet for the acuteness of my senses I am totally numb. The same scenes of Dakar and Senegalese life pass before my eyes and I make no effort to hold them close, to memorize them, to immortalize them. Instead I go to bed when I am tired, eat when I am hungry, and do what I feel like doing. No last good byes, only life as normal.

So au revoir Peace Corps life, you mix of college and career. Adieu poverty, may we never meet again. Ciao parasites, may you enjoy your lives in someone else’s gut. Happy trails to all and to all a good life.

A note on my blog, expect to see major changes in the next week. I will be changing the look and the title to fit my new life in the big city. I hope you all still find the time to check in with me and sit shot gun on my crazy ride.

Bandia Nature Reserve

2008-08-31T02:41:00.000-07:00

I have had the great fortune in my life to be close to many exotic and endangered animals. In Thailand I petted tigers, in Belize I swam with sharks, and in Senegal I have seen more animals than would be couth to print. Last week I had the privilege of visiting the Bandia Nature Reserve just outside of Dakar. I was thrilled by the close encounters with giraffes, hippos, gazelles, and all sorts of other four legged creatures.

A giraffe drinks water, it's most vulnerable position.

Zebra butts, the stripes are not slimming.

Notice the great interest the giraffes have in the one's poop/pee. I can only hope the excrement is sending an important message from beyond, otherwise that is just gross.

Up close and personal

Giraffes lovers

Yes that is a rhino in the background

The rhinos were pretty sleepy this time of day

Many gazelles ran away from our car

All I can say as a lasting message is go out and see the world while there is still world to see.

Get your hair did

2008-08-31T02:30:00.000-07:00

I was in the market in Kedougou with my best friend Fanta when she dragged me to the salon to get her hair done. I had no idea what she was getting done, but it turns out I watched her get her hair relaxed. This is a method of straightening the hair by combing lye through it. It burns, it stinks, and it costs less than a dollar. I was reminded of a passage I read by Malcolm X where he rails against the practice as cruel and racist, among other things.

Before

The lye being combed thru the hair, all being careful not to touch it

A little boy getting his head shaved

Take your pick of styles off the wall, ou bien, off the wall styles

And after, I think Fanta looks gorgeous either way.

Can't Idealize it Quite Yet

2008-08-27T08:27:00.000-07:00

I'm photo happy and at a loss for words. I am in the midst of my Close of Service conference lost in the possibilities of my future. Visuals must suffice.

The massive bug that was in the shower with me was as big as a pair of scissors. I just threw a cup over him till I was done bathing, all the while he was bumping up against the side and trying to get out. In America I think I would have killed it. For some reason here it just doesn't seem worth it.

This gargantuan moth was decapitated by a Praying Mantis. Pretty intense.

Good bye Warthog sandwiches!! Pumba, you taste so good.

My last radio was my best. As soon as I signed off I felt my heart sink a little. Will I ever DJ again?

The passion fruit in my backyard is kicking! It has overtaken my shade structure and will give a lot of fruit this year. I hope the next volunteer enjoys it.

The last view of my village. The mysterious beauty of walking on.

These little boys begged me to take their pic. Of course I obliged because they were so cute.

Oh birds, how do I love thee? A red bishop and some other bird chill on a branch. Ahhh........

Flower and Bug

The night sky as seen from my backyard in my village, Sinthiouroudji.

Mosquito Net Distributions in Fongolimbi

2008-07-29T11:26:00.000-07:00

I am really proud of my fellow volunteers right now. This last week the volunteers in the Kedougou region pulled together and made some pretty incredible things happen. One of those things was the distribution of over 4000 mosquito bed nets, the first line of defense against Malaria.

We biked from village to village with huge compressed bails of nets in tow. Going out in pairs, we covered 16 villages in nets, sometimes working all day long without food or drink. There were so many people who had never owned a bed net because it was prohibitively expensive. Free bed net distribution has been shown to have the greatest effect on decreasing malaria contraction. In my village I see the Malaria ravage all members of society, seriously affecting their ability to generate income and lift them selves out of poverty. It felt so good to do something for the people of Kedougou that was tangible and necessary.

A pile of nets await their new homes.

Kay writes names on nets with a beautiful village scene in the background.

This village, Thioune, was stunning!

Walking home we saw a huge rainbow.

The next day, an old man and a young boy wait for their nets.

A sweet angel of a little girl goes home with her new mosquito net.

An old woman and young man rest in the shade of a tree.

The chief of the village in Lombel was so happy he gave us a chicken.

And I intended to ride it home on the handlebars like Kevin and Winnie from Wonder Years.

But it broke free and we had to chase it down in the bush. Not taking any chances we tied it to my baggage carrier.

Yummy…

Can you believe I was a vegetarian for 10 years.

And the best part, we found even more waterfalls. This one in Thioune was stunning, and gave a great northern view of unblemished forest.

As we retired to Fongolimbi after a day in the bush a scary tree says good night to the sky.

And the sun sets on a day spent well.

Perspective

2008-07-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

Skin color is a fascinating subject.

Pick out the Toubab (means foreigner or white person).

The girl in the middle is very light skinned and people told her that she was one of us, a Toubab. Literally they told her that her skin was red.

Pick out the albino.

Albinos intrigue me. That may not be kosher to say but it still rings true. Enough said.

Girls Leadership Camp

2008-07-29T10:42:00.000-07:00

This weekend was the Girls Leadership Camp I organized. I invited a friend and Peace Corps trainer Awa Traore to come and talk to 18 high school girls. She spoke on premarital sex, early marriage, unplanned pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, the importance of education, etc. The day was a true success.

Thanks to Annie Weston who provided the gift bags. The girls loved their goodies.

In search of waterfalls

2008-07-17T05:50:00.000-07:00

I am cherishing my last few weeks in Kedougou. The landscape has gotten so green it is like living in the shire. So these past few days I took off on a 3 day bike ride through the country side.

Of course every good bike ride deserves several breaks to play with your camera.

One of our newest volunteers Kay got schooled in badass-ery. How to walk through crocodile territory with your ride on your shoulder.

The road has become inundated with water, but at least the swirls are pretty.

I am always willing to ham it up in front our our beautiful mountain range.

Here is the most photographed waterfall in Senegal, Dindefello. It is cool but kinda like the Yosemite of the region, there are always tourists. I prefer some of the falls farther off the beaten path.

But while beating that path you may encounter bugs of incredibly large size.

One of the nights I stopped off at a friend's house and watched her wash her little baby in a bucket. It was too cute.

I went off in search of a far off waterfall called Thiokoye but never got there. The hike was great but it was disappointing never to have found the fall.

In a few weeks I am going to go out and find even more waterfalls. For now I am getting ready to head off to Fongolimbi to distribute mosquito bed nets. The volunteers in the Kedougou region are going to extend bed nets to 16 villages. It is going to be a lot of bike riding but will be very rewarding. Who has the coolest job on earth? I do, that's who.

And for some final images, here is the dinner that I have had almost every night for the last two years, lachiri hakko. It is corn couscous with leave sauce and is not my favorite meal. After I leave Senegal I will never EVER eat this again. EVER.

For me this is laundry. I crave the day I can throw it into a machine and walk away.

And for the image that I want to carry you thru the weekend, a shot one of my favorite down hill runs. Imagine the wind whipping thru your hair as you point your trusty velo down the hill and let 'er rip. Classic Kedougou fun.

My life

2008-07-11T06:06:00.000-07:00

moves at a snail's pace

For the birds

2008-07-11T05:59:00.000-07:00

I have mentioned that I am an avid bird watcher. It seems more and more of my days slip away holding the gaze of a feather specimen. I have taken to drawing the birds I see, but have not proven to be very skilled at this.

My field guide book has been leafed thru extensively and I have not found all of the birds I have seen. My favorite bird for a long time was the Abyssinian Roller, pictured below in the center. I didn't know it's name for a long time so I called it the Alexa bird, after myself. Humble, I know.

To the Bat Cave!!!

2008-07-11T05:55:00.000-07:00

I have been seeing bats around my lair lately. Recently I looked down and saw what I thought was bat poop. Instead it was a baby bat covered in red fleas. It's face looks a lot like a little puppy dog.

It was only as big as the end of my pinkie.

Visual Representations of my Life

2008-06-23T15:52:00.000-07:00

Here is a monkey tied up to a tree. It is the popular new trend to keep wild monkeys around the house. Can you say a plague on your house?

Here I am doing my laundry. I can’t wait for the day I have a machine to do it for me.

Here is a cleaned water filter candle next to a dirty one. Can you see what I am dealing with here?

Here is one of the coolest flowers I have seen in country. Long trendily petals sway in the breeze.

Here is a Spotted Eagle Owl that was watching me do my laundry. It is considered a sorcerer in Senegal and is usually killed on the spot. I let it live and watched all the smaller birds attack it in unison to drive it out off their turf. Like I said, I am an avid bird watcher and proud of it.

Courage

2008-06-23T14:55:00.001-07:00

As a Peace Corps Volunteer I was sent here to inspire change in the lives of the people with whom I interact. More often than not it is the people who inspire me. Today I had the great pleasure of interviewing 4 teenage girls who are candidates for a scholarship SeneGAD, our volunteer organized Gender and Development group, awards annually. Some of the girls are married, some are the only French speaker in their home, some come from strict religious backgrounds, some girls come from abject poverty, but the thing all of these girls have in common is courage. They have the courage to succeed when all the odds are against them. Sexual harassment is rife throughout the school system. The value of women’s education is not a priority in many households. But these young girls, armed with a pen and paper study by candle light late into the night with the courage to improve their lives. I am inspired by the alchemy of their success. Coupled with that I feel great guilt and shame for not taking better advantage of the opportunities I have had in my life. No one ever told me I couldn’t do it. That is not the American way. We are told we can, should, and in some cases must succeed. I dedicate this to the girls who ride the breaking wave of the feminist revolution in Senegal. You have given me more than I could ever give you.
If you are interested in SeneGAD or donating to the scholarship fund, please visit www.senegad.org. $60 funds one girl’s education for the school year.

Mafé with Fanta

2008-06-09T04:37:00.000-07:00

I had a great afternoon yesterday with my best friend in the village Fanta. She was over earlier in the morning looking at my Economist magazine in the shade of my backyard and had so many questions about the pictures that I agreed to come over for lunch with some more magazines.

Around 1pm I went over to her hut to see that she was preparing mafé (pronounced ma-fay). It is a wonderful peanut butter sauce stew with cabbage, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and lots or garlic and onions, served over white rice. It is hands down my favorite Senegalese dish when prepared correctly.

Thick smoke gathers in the small cooking hut from the open wood fire she uses to heat the pot.

As promised we looked thru a few magazines that I brought over. One of them was Cosmo. As we turned the pages Fanta wanted to know about the make-up advertised and the nationality of the models.

When we got to a weight loss ad I asked her to point and the most beautiful woman on the page. It was the ‘Before’ model. In Senegalese culture a meaty woman is considered very beautiful. Since I have returned from America with an extra 10 lbs I often hear "You have gotten fat, how pretty!" or "I like how fat your butt has gotten." Women of America, hear this message, Big is beautiful!!

As for the boys, well Cosmo was the closest thing to porn they have ever possessed. I didn’t realize how many thighs there are in that magazine, but after seeing the guys’ faces I knew the what was going on in their minds.

This boy begged me to let him keep the magazine, or at least give it to him when I leave. Fanta was so sick of hearing him beg that she ended up telling him to shut up. I couldn’t blame the kid for trying. Adolescence sucks. Although I don't want the only images the boys have of European or American women to be pornographic, since I have been trying to humanize the American image since my arrival. I don't think I will be passing out Cosmo again any time soon.

Mafé has the bizarre side effect of causing extreme drowsiness within twenty minutes of finishing the meal. Fanta invited me to lay down on her bed with her and her son. We all slept for about 30 mins until the heat roused us from bed. We drank ice water (ice block was biked down from Kedougou) and sweet strong tea. Only in Africa will you sleep with your friends and their families without ever feeling out of place.

Senegalitis

2008-06-04T13:42:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would share a few images that embody Senegal for me.

First of all is the high expectation people have from their tooth paste.

Second is the willingness of the local drivers to help eachother out. No matter if it defies logic and safety advisories.

Yes that is a stick and rope meant to tow a broken down vehicle.

And then there is swamp ass. It is caused by sitting during extreme heat. Sitting, standing, walking, running, and existing are best done outside of the hot season.

And then there is the cool yellow headed lizard that turns super purple when it is threatened. Seeing this dude day in and day out has made me obsessed with dinosaurs.

Although to be honest bird watching is my true passion. More pics of that the next time.

I'm the Tax Man

2008-06-04T13:38:00.000-07:00

Every year it surprises me how many of my peers have never filed their own taxes or applied for their own financial aid. True to form, I stepped in and helped a few people fill out their forms.

And the numbers didn't look too bad...

I think I may have a future in this.

Dak'art 2008

2008-06-04T13:31:00.000-07:00

Dakar has been hosting pretty wicked art displays all over the city. I had the pleasure of viewing a few of the installations.

This piece calls for the end of clandestine immigration by siting the high fatality rates of the dangerous voyage into Europe from Dakar. The painting is made from part of a boat that crashed and over 200 people died.

And who doesn't like a good diarama?

I enjoyed the sleek nature of this piece.

Saw the Baobob Orchestra at the French Cultural Center in Dakar. Kinda too World Music for me. All the older expats seem to love them. Tho, the sax player was such a character.

Sunflowers

2008-06-04T13:24:00.000-07:00

Some people who have stared into my eyes for long enough have told me that my irises look like sunflowers. My first memory of being told this is in 8th grade when my best friends Sarah and Julie stared into my eyes with an Everyready flashlight. Sarah's looked like bottomless wells.

For someone with flowers in her eyes I still find it hard to smile when the sun beats down on me so hard

Feelin' HOT HOT HOT

2008-05-25T13:56:00.000-07:00

So I finally made it all the way back down to Kedougou. It only took me 17 days from the time I arrived in Dakar. I took my time coming down as I hope not to go back to the capital until August when I leave. The road is a nightmare that I would rather not face again.

Like it says in the title, it is really freakin hot right now. Not to complain but it is over 105 everyday, or over 40 for you celsius peeps, and there is a total water crisis in Kedougou. What does that mean? No water flows from the faucets. A truck comes around once a day and people line up to fill up buckets. So when you really just want to wash the sweat and dirt off you look at your bucket and have to decide whether to drink or bathe. Which did I choose... let's just say I am really thirsty but smell great.

Here is a pic of the bucket of water I am talking about. It doesn't smell but it doesn't make you want to touch it either.

This week I must interview a bunch of girls for the annual scholarship SeneGAD gives out. I also have to pass out a bunch of seeds to my villagers and make arrangements for a Girl's Leadership camp I am putting on. Busy little bee for my last few months.

So here are some great pics from my dad's wedding. I had a great time being all sorts of pretty for the day. The wedding was a beautiful and intimate affair. The house looked amazing and the garden was spectacular. Class the whole way.

Me and my dad

The Five Kids

The Four Girls

The Beautiful Bride and my bro

Well that is all the update I can muster for the moment. I wish you all a good whatever.

The Home Stretch

2008-05-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

Since my return to Senegal, many things have dawned on me. One is that Senegalese people are amazing and have made my experience here worthwhile. Second is the movie that I have been working on for the last 9 months rocks and is going to change the course of my life as much as the people of Senegal have. I played many roles in the production of the film, including editing it for the past week, and after today it is starting to look like a real bonafide movie. It's called Elle Travaille, Elle Vit!! (She Works, She Lives) and follows the lives and careers of five Senegalese women as they talk about the importance of girl's education. The footage is stunning and the inspirational words of Senegalese women for Senegalese girls is more powerful than I could have ever imagined. I hope that the film provides a catalyst for the much needed feminist revolution in Senegal.

In other crazy things that have happened to me lately... I hung out backstage all night at the Alpha Blondy concert on Bob Marley's Birthday. Basically I just walked backstage, greeted all the guards and musicians and was welcomed as if I belonged there. After awhile I had Dread Maxim on one side of me howling with laughter at my Pulaar abilities and Dimshel fetching me beers. It is bizarre what a big smile and a handshake can get you around here.

Going to Tamba tomorrow. I need to get to Kedougou so I can interview the girls who are up for this year's scholarship and I need to get my materials together for the Leadership Camp I have coming up. I am a busy little bee for these last few months as I prepare to go on to the next big phase in my life... New York City.

California Love

2008-04-25T11:32:00.000-07:00

Back in Cali and it is awesome. Have spent a weekend in SF, a weekend in LA, a weekend in San Diego, and now only two more weekends to go. California is just as I left it, but the people's lives have progressed by a year and seven months. It is hard to face the fact that life goes on without you. All that adventure and change in Africa kinda took over my brain.

So this weekend is Greek Orthodox Easter at my mom's house. Lots of food, drink, and merriment to the point of excess. The great thing about Greek Easter is that it is all about the party. No redemption or altar calls, this is the rager of the year.

Then next weekend is my dad's wedding and two days after that I am out. Which is kinda crazy to think about. Senegal and California have not entertained my mind at the same time for three weeks, and that is a vacation. At this point I am looking forward to going back to Senegal. I miss my friends there and I feel like I have a lot of work to do before I finish.

Gonna go get in some trouble down at the beach. Me and my best friend Anne Halsey are gonna go skateboard the boardwalk in our bikinis before hitting up some live music tonight. I am a California Girl in her element and I wouldn't ask for it any other way.

Later Skater!!!

Going back to Cali... TONIGHT!!

2008-04-02T02:03:00.000-07:00

In Dakar getting the last of my things in order to go to the mothership. I am very freakin excited as I haven't been home in over a year and a half, and before that I was gone for a couple of years on and off. So after all this globe trotting, I need a little break.

I just found out today that I got into the Grad school that I applied to. The only hang up is I was really looking forward to being a ski bum in Colorado for the first six months after Peace Corps, then move on to something suitably adult. Now I must go decide real decision, a painful task indeed.

See you all in Amerique!!!

2008-03-19T15:01:00.000-07:00

My Eyes

And my mouth

Get me into a lot of trouble.

Hades, as in 'Hotter than...'

2008-03-19T03:18:00.000-07:00

Kedougou, Senegal

Average High for past 7 days: 110°F
Average Low for past 7 days: 78°F

It is 2:30pm and I raise my head to check the thermometer as the immortal words of Janis Joplin drift from my iPod, I'm gonna try just a little bit harder. The mercury is bubbling under 106°F and I drop back into my sprawled pose. Words like these come to mind as the heat passes over my body and reduces me to a puddle. Hot winds from the Sahara blow through town, whipping up dust devils so hot it feels like standing down wind from an inferno. Days are spent like collapsing dominoes, sweating in the shade, soaking my clothes with water only to evaporate within minutes, drifting in and out of sleep. The water shortage has begun again. Water dries up after 8 am, not available again until night. Each day, a half of a bucket to wash, a half of a bucket to drink. I have been finding solace floating down the Gambia River in a life vest. Sure there are crocodiles and schistosomiasis, but it seems like a reasonable risk to take for a moment of relief. Children gather on the shoreline to watch us swim as women beat laundry on the soap splattered rocks. I have abandoned and boycotted the pool in town at the French resort. Too much colonialist snobbery, I prefer the river and the locals. Laying on my flotation device calling Pulaar greetings to those on the river banks sends laughter to echo as the sun turns my skin a sweet caramel brown.

What it's like to be famous

2008-03-02T05:12:00.000-08:00

Last night I had the most bizarre experience. I felt what it is like to be famous for no good reason. One of Senegal's most well-known singers, Baba Maal, played the National Theatre last night to a packed crowd, including many dignitaries. I had met the MC earlier in the day when I went to buy my ticket. We chatted a little in the local language Pulaar and he told me to come back early to get a good seat. I was one of the first people to arrive and grabbed a seat right behind the VIPs.

Mind you I thought this was a normal concert so I looked like this

Yet as the crowd filled in, the women were showing up dressed like this

Needless to say I was a little underdressed. I would have been cool with being the one person in jeans and a tshirt, if I hadn't been included in the program at the last minute. There must have been technical difficulties and the MC panicked so all the sudden I see him walk over to me and call out "Hey sister, come up here and speak some Pulaar for the people!" Can I reiterate that the National Theatre is full of very important people covered in very expensive fabric, the tv cameras are rolling, and I looked like a a scruffy Peace Corps Volunteer. I felt 2000 eyes bore into the back of my head and rose to my feet, convinced I that could and must say something to save face for the MC and myself. I took the mic from the MC and faced the audience, when all the sudden my radio personality took over. I have had a weekly radio station in the local language for the past year and a half, so all the sudden my schpeel came flowing out of my mouth. "On Jarama Dakar Nabbe, min ko Dienaba Sow, volunterjo e Kedougou. Mi salmini on fow! " Literally translated as "Good evening people of Dakar, my name is Dienaba Sow, I am a volunteer in Kedougou and I greet you all" The crowd collectively gasped and broke into applause. I felt ten feet tall and bullet-proof. After the show people came up to talk to me in Pulaar and I felt such a sense of belonging to my Pulaar people that I must have exuded nothing but love. Last night was amazing and I will never forget it.

WAIST Pics

2008-03-02T05:07:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics of the softball tournament

On the sidelines

Watching the game, that's me in on the end in the overalls

Peace Corps attracts America's finest college grads, can you believe it?

I lag, I know

2008-02-29T05:09:00.000-08:00

All my apologies to my readers, all three of you. I have had a bit of a lack in interest posting to my blog cuz I have been out of my village so much. I just figured that you would have a lack of interest in reading it, but I guess I was wrong. Let me catch you up.

In December my dad and his betrothed Nancy came to visit me. I am pretty sure they had a great time, though I am sure they were sick of watching me run around like a chicken with my head cut off. Sure I know it is their vacation, but I couldn't help but stress. It seems that in Senegal you are always one turn away from total disaster and since nothing works on a schedule planning was especially hard. As for how they faired in the village, one word, spectacularly. So well in fact that I encouraged them to apply to the Peace Corps. They had a great time with the kids and I think they loved their hut. My village asks about them all the time and says that we are all one family now, Benguure Goto in Pulaar. Here are some of my parents favorite kid Golo.

January was spent in and around Kedougou, back at site doing a bit of work. I collected a bunch of tree seed pods for the upcoming tree nursery season with the help of some neighborhood kids.

I let the littlest kid wear my helmet so he wouldn't get wacked in the head with the falling pods.

I think that day I was wearing all found clothing and called my look, The Tennis Mom.

The lunar new year was celebrated in my village. On that day all the girls dress like men and walk around the village asking for money and dance for people. It is kinda like halloween.

And now for a little section I like to call Alexa's Petting Zoo,

Here are some cute ducks

And some lovely cows

And a dead frog I found at the Kedougou Regional House

February brought the West African Invitational Softball Tournament, which was awesome. My team was comprised of 40 insane Peace Corps Volunteers from the south of Senegal. Our team theme was short jean shorts, so we looked a bit like the Dukes of Hazard. The softball was cool, but the parties were even cooler. We partied for 6 straight nights, so by the end I was pretty beat. All the pics are on my BROKEN camera but I will get them up within the next few days.

Now I am still in Dakar for physical therapy. I have tweaked my shoulder pretty badly, not from softball, and am having it taken care of. I am going crazy without anything to do but ice my arm and watch crappy VHS movies from the 90's.

I am gonna head back to the disgusting hostel Peace Corps runs. I will sign off with some random pics that I have yet to publish. Enjoy and Au Revoir

The hut next door to my with my family dog asleep on the porch

The inside of one of the worst cars I have ever ridden in

That's me enjoying a drink at our rooftop bar in Kedougou Le Defii

Me looking pretty

Some boats beached in Poponguine

Water flooding the sidewalks in Poponguine after a big rain

A seriously cool bridge by my village

The Gambia River in Kedougou with a boat crossing it

A woman riding a bike with her baby tied to her back in Kedougou

Me cruising on a canoe thru the Atlantic

A baobob tree

And some funky baobob fruit

A rasta themed truck, notice the "Who Jah bless no one curse"

And finally, a beautiful sunset in my village

Bye guys, talk to you again soon

The Baptism

2007-12-12T08:06:00.000-08:00

The Senegalese have the tradition of baptisms like many western cultures. Since the baby was to be named after me I got a bird's eye view of the ceremony. For the actual baby naming all of the men sat outside on mats while a man from the village said a prayer and the baby's name outloud three times. Dienaba Sow, Dienaba Sow, Dienaba Sow. That is me and now this little rugrat too.

All of the old ladies were sitting in my mom's hut with the baby. In a large gourd they mixed water, kola nuts, oil, and some tree bark. When they heard the baby's name they began to shave the baby's head. The scraps of oily hair were gathered and rolled into a ball, passed around to be hand-rolled by various women who recited a prayer. I too said this prayer while balling up the baby hair and understood one line, 'May she know laughter'. So I laughed. The women who shaved the baby's head chewed up some of the kola nuts into a paste and marked the baby's head with what I would describe as a star.

After the ceremony they passed out a candy paste made of rice flour, honey, and water. Local honey is smokey and flavourful, not sugar syrup. For the next few hours I sat on a carpet playing cards with the men until I got bored. After sundown one lightbulb and a boombox were animated by a very noisy generator. I hung out for awhile, danced a little, sat with my friends while they prank phone called eachother from across the party. Turns out for people who just got cell phones for the first time in their life, prank calls are like the FUNNIEST thing ever. I fell asleep early in my party clothes to the sound of music and the hum of a generator.

2007-11-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

After being out of the village for four weeks, I returned to my dusty hut. I spent the first day and a half sweeping up piles of dirt that had fallen from my thatch roof, mud cacoons of giant wasps used to trap and eat fat juicy grubs.

My bathroom as bloomed into a tropical paradise. I must have the nicest squat toilet in the country. Passion fruit vines climbed up my walls and tangled with the squash vines and two papaya trees provide some nice shade.

The weather has turned cool, getting down to 55°F at night. The leaves are turning gold and falling off. Birds sing in the trees and hop on the ground. Hornbills, starlings, weavers, birds I cannot see only hear. I like to sit and watch them. It is better than TV. Rather it is like buying tickets to see the nature channel performed live. All the corn is cut down inside my compound and the cows come up to my hut to graze. The grass is high and drying, exactly like when I came here this time last year.

My host mother is always so welcoming and delivered the great news that I have a namesake. The night before my sister Maimouna had a baby girl and named it Dienaba after me. She says it is because the girl was red like me and has my lips and nose. That won't last long.

This week I worked out some of the details of my dad's trip to Senegal. One of the major one's was buying a cow. I had to ride in a crowded bus 38km into the bush and pick out a cow from the herds tied to the trees. I know nothing about cows, so I brought a guy from my village and a guy friend from Peace Corps help out. In the end I got a nice looking heffer that will feed a lot of people at the upcoming holiday.

Although it is kinda hard for me because I really like baby cows...

The dirtiest part of the trip was coming back in a crowded bus loaded with sheep, goats, chicken, raw milk, and for my added enjoyment a live and kicking goat under my seat. I sat all the way in the back and the driver was hauling down the dirt roads covering me in red dirt from head to toe. When I got off I looked pretty disgusting with rotten milk mud down my leg, goat piss in my hair, and red dirt covering every inch of my body.

I just got back from a crazy bike and camping trip out to the falls called Toumania. The ride took 5 hours including an hour of literal bush wacking to get to the crystal clear pools a whopping 45km out of town. We set up our hammocks in the trees and started a fire, drank wine and whisky, ate raviolis from the can, sang, danced, did some yoga under the full moon and called it a day. Did some cliff jumping the next day then packed up camp and made the three hour ride home (mostly down hill). Was a great trip.

That is all for this week. Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving.

A Long Hello

2007-11-12T09:01:00.000-08:00

After one year of silence I have decided to start writing again. Coming to Senegal overwhelmed my senses and I found it difficult to write anything other than facts or fantasies. Facts concerning my whereabouts or fantasies of the future mixed with stresses of the present. Nothing new, creative, complete, and especially not anything I would ask others to read. I don’t want this only to be a travel log; a series of pictures and reports of locations so far away that there is no hope to see again.

But that is where I am… far away.

I am in the Peace Corps. That overarching statement envelops a huge portion of my current existence. Peace Corps requires a complete transformation in order to survive. I have come to the point in my cultural immersion that I have been able to chill out and relax. Up until this point my body was under constant duress. If the mind is not at ease the body will not be either. Due to language constraints everything was stressful, exacerbated by the paranoia that everyone is talking about you. Then there is the constant shout of ‘Toubab’ from children on the street. That gets really old, but I just pretend they are telling me that I am pretty and it makes me feel great.

The weather plays its ridiculous and often cruel effects. In the year I have been here I have seen hot dry days of 120˚ and humid rains of 88˚. Both seasons are dramatic and inspiring. When I have come back from an 80km bike ride in the mud and rain or heat and sun I know that I have changed. And I am proud of who I have become.

I have been on a brief sojourn around the country blowing off some steam. After one year in the village and Senegal as a whole I was in serious need of some R and R. So I went to the capital with a pocket full of cash and the intention to indulge in every food and drink fantasy that I had had during the last year. It was a very worthy goal.

Food in the village is the same lunch and dinner everyday. Lunch is white rice with a watery peanut butter sauce and dinner is a finely pounded corn powder with watery leaf sauce. Both meals are consistently disappointing in my family compound because 25 people eat of one person’s pay check. There are other family compounds that eat meat and veg in every meal, but that is not mine. When I give food they ration it out. So after a few months in the village with nothing satisfying to eat but care package goodies, I get a little crazy for food. Every once in awhile I try to splurge and find a hunk of cheese or a wart hog sandwich.

I also have been to some incredible beaches and mangroves lately. There is an island off Dakar called Ile des Madeleines that has a very cool lagoon to swim in. The island isn’t more than a rock off the coast covered in baby Baobab trees and birds, but the swimming in the cool blue water was fresh and fantastic.

I went down the coast to Poponguine to help in the filming a documentary. I am on the board of directors for SeneGAD, a Peace Corps association for Gender and Development in Senegal. See the website www.senegad.org for more info. I have been helping a couple of friends shoot footage of successful women talk about their education and careers to use as a tool in middle schools and high schools. The coolest part of the project for me so far was getting permission for two of Mali’s most popular musicians to use their music in the film. Amadou & Miriam are a blind couple from Bamako, their style blends traditional village beats and melodies with European and American influences. They were very gracious to let us interview them and record their concert. Not to mention their music kicks ass!

As a final trip to the beach before I returned to my mountainous enclave I went to a special little island located comfortably off the beaten path. I took a horse drawn carriage through the bush to the coast, where I found a fisherman to take me out to the sparsely populated island. Once there I realized what paradise looks like. Coconut trees, cool villages, and a long stretch of sand beach with no other creature on it but cows. I did yoga with the sun setting into the Atlantic and found the peace of mind I had been looking for. But after two days of bucket baths and village food on the island, I was ready to start the two-day journey inland to the inclines of Kedougou where my work lays waiting for me.

Now I am back, staring down the barrel of my second year in Peace Corps, confident that this year is going to be even better than the last. I invite you to read my installations as I tell you current and past stories of varying temperaments and tones.

Bismillah

Bassari Rights Initiation

2007-05-22T04:45:00.000-07:00

We went out to the Bassari Tribe's rights initiation festival in Etchelo. It was one of those, "Oh my god I am in Africa" weekends.

Check out these pics...

I am the White Phantom

2007-05-22T04:23:00.000-07:00

My inner dialogue gets so out of whack, so introverted that sometimes I lose track of who I am. I have different names depending on my location, languages float, mix, and fall out of my head. I remember who I was in California, I can remember who I was in France, but here in Africa who I think I am is not so. Yesterday I took a picture with my host family and when I checked the shot I saw how white and bizare I look. How ugly I must look to them. Yet I am desirable to them if only for the money I represent. Men want to marry me. My brother told me he was going to go online and meet and American and ask them for help. He said that the American would send him money. I asked him why he thought that. He said that is what white people do. I tried to explain the concept of self-help and defeatism, but he was lost. This is a generation a people raised with the idea that the only way anything can be done is with the outside help of rich people. All the village has to do is put out their hand and voila, there is the cash. I am here as an aid worker and I can't stand the culture of aid giving.

So you want to live in a hut, eh?

2007-05-11T04:46:00.000-07:00

Kedougou, Senegal
West Africa

As you see this is my blog from two years ago, when I started this adventure. To update regarding my whereabouts, after 10 months in Europe I went home for 8 months and worked in San Diego. Last year in April 2006 I headed to New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, and India for a total of 4 months. I was home for 6 weeks before I made the biggest change to my life. I moved to Africa to live in a hut for two years, to serve a developing community, to develop myself and become who I was meant to be.

I have been here in Senegal for 8 months working for the Peace Corps. I have had total writer's block for approximately six months. There is so much stimulation in my life, so many weird things, that I just cant seem to verbalize my analysis. But I will tell you what my life is like, and how my choice to serve in another country has effected every aspect of my existence.

Physically speaking, this is a hard job. I bike everywhere in extreme heat and am subject to nasty rashes and bites. There is often no water to wash with during the day and electricity is something I can only get when I come into town. The food is miserable most of the time. But this was all expected and I deal with it. That is all I can do.

Six months ago I was dropped off in my village with a few belongings and a bike. What seemed weird then seems normal now. I may have become a bit strange. I am very interested in the secret life of cows and often watch them when they aren't aware. They lick their own nostrils in the most delicious manner. I have 2 or 3 cows that regularly find shade in the shadow of my hut and sometimes swing their horns in my front door just to check in on me. We are mutually interested. Goats and sheep have mock human voices and when they cry out it sounds like a child imitating a goat. Chickens are disgusting dirty animals. They are so tasty in America but are tough and scrawny here. Same with the cows. They are malnourished like everyone else.

My dog got in a fight with a monkey. How many people can say that?

Back in Cali

2005-08-22T00:17:00.000-07:00

I have been back in Cali for 5 weeks. The first two weeks were spent inebriated in San Diego, the third was spent obliterated in Santa Cruz and job hunting in San Fransisco, and the fourth was spent poolside at my mothers eating and drinking. So where am I now? Well I am staying with my Grandma in LA working on my tan and hangin with my cousins. Okay, so my life in Cali isn't really looking much different from my life traveling. But something has got to give and it will probably give soon. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a total commitment-phobe thus the Peace Corps thing kinda freaked me out. I am just not ready for African poverty. So I gotta get a job if I ever want to blow this popsicle stand. Who knows how long I will work but one thing is for certain, I am working to travel again.

And as always,
Be a traveler not a tourist.

Bounce

2005-07-31T20:22:00.000-07:00

I just got back from camping in the Sierras with my dear friends Joe and Jordan. We hiked and saw some beautiful lakes and shot some rifles for kicks back at the camp. I know these guys from when I studied in Paris and in their company I had the space to realize some things about my life.

I have been back for two weeks. I am not the person that I was when I left and I have no desire to start a life here in San Diego again. So where does that leave me? With the urge to flee. Tomorrow I am flying to Oakland to chill with my girls in the north for a week. Time to clear the head. I am currently in the process of filling my Peace Corps Application out and question #11 is a toughy. When am I available to leave? Most likely sooner than later.

Run For Your Life

2005-07-14T02:19:00.000-07:00

10 abroad months... tick tick tick... 7 months in France...tick tick tick... 3 months backpacking Europe... tick tick tick...5 weeks in Greece... tick tick tick... 19 hours and 40 minutes until I fly home... BUZZZZZZ!!! My European life is slipping away one minute at a time. I fly home tomorrow morning. It is hard to accept that I will have to return to working life with a boss and schedule. I mean that is real life, isn't it? I have had such a good life here. From learning how to live in French culture to chasing my fantasies all over Europe, life has treated me well. I have met amazing people, I have learned so much about myself and what I want, and all the while I have been seeing the most beautiful sights.

This chapter is ending. My year in Europe. But the book is not nearly finished. I will go home for a breif sejour with the family and be back out on the road to another hemisphere as soon as I can, probably by mid-October.

For those of you who have read my website, thank you. I never knew who in my life cares enough of check in. I will keep this website updated with my summer in San Diego and all the trouble I get into there and will post more travel stories as soon as I get back out on the road. Considering I am a fan of the road trip, my first travel story will probably be in California.

Thank you for your support and encouragement.

Kavala and the island of Thasos

2005-07-12T11:57:00.000-07:00

So Kavala was amazing, just like everything else in Greece. A small town on the sea with an old castle overlooking the port. The beaches there rival anything I have ever seen in San Diego, or even Cali. Warm crystal blue water and sand bottoms, perfect for swimming. On Sunday I headed out to the island of Thasos with my mom's friend Maria and her husband. Thasos has thousands of olive trees and just like Kavala it has great beaches. Unlike Santorini or Ios, Thasos has many trees and looks great for camping. My mom wants to retire there and I don't blame her. Perfection.

So Anne Marie is returning home tomorrow morning and I am heading back on Friday. We returned to Athens today and just like every other day in Athens it is freakin hot. Poli Zesty in Greek. I have two days to shop and lounge around till I have one long flight and a whole lot of culture shock.

But don't worry my dear reader, my adventures are not nearly over. I am only going home to get enough money to go to Australia and Thailand, maybe even India. You never know tho, life takes funny turns and you can never really plan for anything. Like the old joke goes, if you want to tell a funny joke tell God your life plans.

Comment if you think I should keep the website.

Thessalonki

2005-07-06T06:10:00.000-07:00

So I have traded in my party hat for my church dress. Been hanging out with the Kofikotsios family and have been welcomed like I was their blood. They helped my young family back in the 70's get their start in Greece and are thrilled to have the babies they knew back as young ladies. They have like a million kids that love to learn English and the cooking has been amazing. Have visited a monastary and done a good amount of shopping. Sad to say that we are leaving tomorrow for a smaller town called Kavala to see one of my mother's friends. Anne Marie leaves next Tuesday back to the states and it is fair to say that she is happy to go home. You know how it is when there is a boyfriend involved. (gag) So I am heading back stateside next Friday and it is fair to say that I am FREAKING OUT. It will be nice to see my fam and all that but the culture shock is gonna be tragic. Just looking forward to getting back out on the road as soon as I can afford it.

Until next time.

Santorini and Ios

2005-06-30T02:55:00.000-07:00

Annie and I have been having a great time together in Greece. In Athens we mostly slept and layed low cuz of her jet lag. On the island of Santorini we rented a quad and checked out the whole island, including the world renowned sunset. The island looks just like the postcards, white churches and houses with cobalt trim. The ocean is clean and glorious with black sand beaches. While we rode around we played a game of coiunting churches, we got to 39 before getting bored.

We have been on Ios staying at Far Out for a couple of days. Any wasn't exactly ready for the wild on spring break atmosphere, but she has handled it well. We have been laying poolside by day and partying by night. The only drawback is our crappy bungalow which is nothing more than a free standing round room with a thatched roof and no windows. Seriously weird.

On to Thessaloniki to visit family friends this weekend. Looking forward to some culture before heading back into the real world.

What is Urban Pigeon Hunting?

2005-06-24T01:23:00.000-07:00

We all hate them, some more secretly than others, those filthy flying rats... Pigeons. Then there are the proud few of us who do something about them, we are the Urban Pigeon Hunters. In the National Gardens of Athens there we were, an engineer, a renaissance man, and your truly all with the same goal, to catch a pigeon.
First we did recon on our prey. They could not be those ferrel tree pigeons. No they would never approach a human. We had to go after those begger types, the ground peckers. A slip knot of twine and a few pieces of well placed bread later we were getting somewhere. They came, oh yes they came in droves, but only one stepped perfectly inside the ring of demise. SNAP, we had it flying around in all directions sometimes straight at the brave hunters. We were on the ground howling with amusement when some bleeding heart canadian teenage girls ran to see what we were doing. "Oh my god you are hurting that bird! Is this some kind of sick sport." Yes this is Urban Pigeon Hunting, and if you would like to see what dumb girl hog tying looks like we can arrange that. We cut the bird from the line and he flew off to a near by tree a string of glory hanging from his feet. We three proud hunters left the park safari glowing from a great day of urban pigeon hunting.

Ios

2005-06-22T05:21:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody. So I took the bus from hell from the Pink Palace to Athens. They made it sounds like a really good comfy convenient bus but in reality it was an expensive ride from hell. You couldn't sleep and the seats were so uncomfortable that everyone had crazy neck cramps. Seriously stupid. So me and my fat camp squad Tony and Bryan rolled off the bus and dashed to the port to catch a ferry to Ios but there wasn't another one till midnight. So we sightsaw Athens for the day and I ended up falling asleep on the steps of the Archeological Museum... CLASSY! After a day in the hot sun we finally got to the ferry but they were trippers about letting people sleep on the couches. None of us had slept in 2 days so we passed out anyway. We made it out to Ios and slept and swam all day yesterday, not to mentioned partied at night. The people here are way more attractive than the Pink Palace crew and the island has better beaches. We are gonna party tongight and then catch a 4:45am ferry back to Athens where I will be meeting my sister. Very excited to see a familiar face and to get out of the crazy party modet that I have been maintaining for over a week now.

Love you all.

Get back on the crazy bus

2005-06-19T05:05:00.000-07:00

Well my stay here at the pink palace is coming to an end. Tonight me and my cohorts are boarding the bus to athens for one final party. These last five days have consisted of a booze cruise, cliff jumping, a quad safari, a toga party, and lots and lots of alcohol. I am really almost tired of it... almost. Anyway the hardest partiers in the place are on the bus tonight and we just so happen to all be going to the island of Ios. I wish I could just sleep but it doesn't look like that is going to be happening anytime soon. Maybe by the time annie gets here we can have a relaxing vacation. A vacation from my vacation. Until next time.

Corfu Madness

2005-06-14T02:27:00.000-07:00

Decided that I was OVER Italy, skipped Sicily and had to get to Greece. Couldn't be happier with the situation really. It actually would be better if I had slept since Sunday night, but so far my stay has been great. I left Marika's house in the south of Italy on Monday morning, rode on a train to Bari, took an overnight ferry to Igio...something in Greece, took another ferry to Corfu, arrived at the Pink Palace, took a shot of ouzo, checked into my room and am heading down to the beach. It's Tuesday at noon and I am out of my head. I bet I should catch a nap before the debauchery tonight, but some zzzz's on the sand might just have to do. The word is that this place is like a party summer camp that people just can't leave and I suspect that it is true. I booked 5 nights, my final night being a real deal toga party, and expect the craziest to occur. Now mom, I know what you are thinking, that this is totally not culturally Greek and that I am hanging with a bunch of drunk anglophones, well you are right. This is madness, utter hedonism. I will get to the cultural stuff later but for now I just need the beach, my bathing suit, and an ivory smile.

Pompeii and Lamezia Terme

2005-06-10T05:44:00.000-07:00

Pompeii was cool I guess. I mean with the foot it was a bit of a challenge, and you are right Matt, those dogs are vicious. There are like 80 stray dogs laying all over the ruins with gooey eyes and frothing mouths. There was no way I was gonna touch those mangey mutts and I stopped a couple of little girls from playing with them. I couldn't save the japense tourist from sharing her sandwich with them tho, and when she ran out of food all hell broke lose. Let's just say that those dogs are thicker than theives and had their snarling vengence.
I liked the caster molds of the people dying. Pretty morbid but unlike anything I have ever seen. The coolest part of the ruins was all the freakin pornography saved from over 2000 years ago. Let's just say they had a thing for exagerated size.

After my trek thru the ruins I jumped on a train to Naples then on another train to Lamezia Terme, the home of my old roommate Marika. If Italy is a boot then I am chillin on the top of the foot. Let's just say that I have died and gone to heaven. She actually lives in one of the adjoining towns of Lamezia in the Calabria region. Her house is in the country side and OFF THE HOOK! Her mom has been cooking every meal with all homemade ingredients, the shower has more bells and whistles than a mercedes dealership, and her family is so sweet although we have no common language. This is just the vacation from backpacking I have needed. Today we are going into town and I am getting a full body masssage for only, count em, 21 euros! I just gotta make sure to keep the chick away from my busted foot. By the end of this weekend I should be fully recouperated and ready for Sicily and then... dun dun dun... GREECE!

My foot in Sorrento

2005-06-08T08:20:00.000-07:00

UPDATE ON INJURY: Today I went to the hospital in Rome to make sure I wasn't going to have some horrible turn of luck when I was up Mt. Vesuvius. Word is all is well, the docs checked me out and wrapped me up. No stitches! They did say to stay off my feet for five days, at which I just laughed. Best part was they let me go without paying a cent! Once again, yippee for socialized medicine.

Made it to Sorrento and after checking out the town I decided to only stay one day. It is nice and mellow but since I can't enjoy the beach there is really no point treking out to Capri. The town itself if beautiful, perched on the Bay of Naples with Mt. Vesuvius looming in the background. Tomorrow I am going to wonder around Pompeii and then head down to my girl Marika's house in Lamezia Terme. I am not sure how long I am going to spend there but according to doctor's orders I need to take a rest.

Bad Luck in Rome

2005-06-07T12:18:00.000-07:00

Well I wasn't going to come here. I was going to skip it and say to hell with the tourist hype, but no I fell into the trap. The past 24 hours have been rather unfortunate for Miss Shaw.
It all began with some nutella and my Swiss army knife. I was trying to clean the sticky substance off my knife when... slit... cut my finger wide open. If that were only the end of it.
Later that night after the pub crawl I was walking home. I slipped out of my flip flops and slit THE BOTTOM OF MY FOOT wide open. Now maybe for a normal person with a car and health coverage this may only be a minor accident. But for me, a backpacker with a first aid kit and no money to go to the doctor this is like a death sentence. So I bandage my foot up cuz there is a lot of Rome I hadn't seen yet and go walking thru Vatican city today. I let a guy I just met at the hostel hold onto my swiss army knife while I went into see what every one else comes here to see cuz of security and all. Well I guess I did a poor wrap job on my foot cuz it layered the the top of my afflicted foot with blisters.
And the freakin cherry on top, the guy never gave me back my swiss army knife. Nope, he just got on a train and left for Florence. So not am I physically disabled now I also don't have the best tool a traveler could ask for.

I am over the city and can't wait to leave. Gonna go try to do Pompeii tomorrow. Hopefully will get better soon and get back to having fun. Keeping my chin up and my foot clean.

Leaving Croatia

2005-06-05T09:27:00.000-07:00

A few days in Split made me realize that there is a lot more to the major port of Croatia than the tour books let on to. It is a beautiful walled city situated on the bay and has a fair amount of stuff to do. It is not seedy like many other port towns and has great shopping. Counterfit everything sold openly, as opposed to cardboard boxes on Italian street corners.

I headed down to Dubrovnik on Friday 3 June with Sarah and Nathan, our newest travel buddy we picked up at Plivtice Lakes park. Dubrovnik is hands down my FAVORITE CROATIAN CITY and I wished that I had started there. It has complete fortified city walls, a rich history, and the recent turmoil of the bombings in 1991 lend it an interesting story. When one stands on the city walls one can see all the direct hits from Yugoslav bombs on the roof tops cuz the tiles are different colors, 166 direct hits in total. Mind you these are peoples homes and not military bases. The city has been completely rebuilt and shows few scars of it's troubled past. We swam off the shores and never made it to more islands. Although the water was so lovely I didn't really care. It is so clear that you can see the ocean floor as if it were right under your feet but when you try to dive and touch the bottom it is impossible.

Took a bus back to Split today and am going back to Italy tonight. Will be arriving in Rome tomorrow to go see what everyone else sees just to say yes when people ask me if I saw it. Freakin tourists.

Get on the Bus!

2005-06-01T10:37:00.000-07:00

Just got off a 7 hour bus ride. That is better than the 12 hour one I did two days ago.

So the rhythm of Croatia goes as such. Take a bus to where you are
going. Get off and negotiate a room to stay in with a random person
at the bus stop. End up paying 12-15 euro to stay in a double room
with a private bathroom in someone's house. Go out to eat. Go to the
beach. Get on another bus and do it all over again. Internet is hard
to come by and can be expensive but right now I am in the major port
of Split and this internet place RULES. Cheap, clean, and american
keyboards. Can't go wrong.

Another funny thing about Croatia is that no one speaks English. Everyone speaks freaking german. Me and the girl I have been traveling with only spoke to eachother the first week. Then as soon as we remarked that we met three aussie guys, one of who is now traveling the rest of Croatia with us. So as I have said a million times, I am traveling Europe by myself but am never alone for very long.

The waterfalls were great. As beautiful as all the pictures that we saw. The colors were unreal and turned out to be a really peaceful place. Going to more islands tomorrow. Will it ever get old?

You know you are a backpacker when...

2005-05-30T04:37:00.000-07:00

10. The only bug that scares you more than foot fungus is a bed bug.
9. a) a hot shower beginning to end is like a gift from god that you just can't stop talking about.
b) the person who takes a shower after you curses you for using all of the hot water.
8. Even the tastiest pizza makes you want to hurl but you just can't stop eating it due to price constraints.
7. You can' remember the last time you sat on a toilet seat.
6. You walk past a group traveling with rolling suitcases and think, "Losers."
5. A 'travel day' is synonymous with running with over 100 lbs of bags while having a simultaneous headache and backache.
4. Everything on your MP3 player drives you mad but you keep on listening to it anyway.
3. Even tho half of the information in the Lonely Planet guidebooks is wrong you still haul 1-3 around, each weighing 5 lbs.
2. You have ask where the bathroom is in 12 different languages but you can't understand the answer.

and the number 1 way to know that you are a backpacker when...

Having all 10 toenails is a thing of the past.

The Islands of Mali Lošinj and Susak

2005-05-30T04:10:00.000-07:00

Laying on a deserted beach watching the warm blue water lap the fine sand I thought about writing this blog with much pleasure.

On 27 May we headed on a bus all the way from the port town of Poreč to the adriatic island of Mali Lošinj (pronounced lotion) in one day, which is quite impressive by my standards. Mali Lošinj has about 6500 inhabitants and a cute and colorful port. It reminded me a little of Cinque Terre, Italy in the colors of the facades. The island is covered in dense pine trees which gave me the feel of being at summer camp. The first day we treked to the far side of the island and sunbathed all day. While the bay was a beautiful color of turquoise I was not overly impressed. The beach was a gravelly at best and OVERUN BY GERMANS! Actually that could be said for all of Croatia. So we laid out till we couldn't handle anymore sun and we back in our cush beds before midnight. Needless to say the nightscene on Mali Lošinj doesn't pop unless you are interested in teenage german boys. Guten tag!

So the next day we took a day we took a ferry out to a tiny island called Susak to get away from the Germans. Population 188 and about 3 sq. miles when we stepped off the boat the thought, "Is this is?!" slipped out of my mouth. While the the buildings around the port are a bit dreary the old town up on the hill is quaint. There are no street names in Susak, just numbers. Mass had just let out and the old women were wearing their regional outfits which look like the top half of a nun's habit and the bottom half of a school girl uniform with thick stockings. After getting lost and talking to a local we found out that the nice beach took a 20 minute trek around the bend past a cave. When we arrived it was like that scene out of the movie The Beach. The water was crystal clear and warm with little fish swimming around. We threw down our gear and jumped in. The shalllow bay stretched out for at least a hundred metres. Everyonce in awhile boats manned by nudists would come into the cove. Nudism is a big thing here in Croatia and I have seen more than my fill of old man bits.

We laid there for what seemed like forever before making our way back to the first tourist beach which had been once again overrun by a group of school kids.

Today we got a 4:45am bus to Zagreb where I currently am writing this before heading to the Plevtice Lake Park in the middle of the country. The park is known for beautiful waterfalls and lakes. A nice change from the beach.

Porec, Croatia

2005-05-26T06:30:00.000-07:00

Croatia is everything I ever could have hoped it to be and more. Welcoming locals, good food, plentiful clean beaches, and knock off designer sunglasses and bags galore. Not to mention cheap jewelry, I think I am in heaven.

Took a ferry from Venice to Porec, Croatia yesterday. Walked off the boat and was offered a cheap room from a nice (and slightly inebriated) croat named Miro. My travel buddy Sarah and I dropped our bags off and started walking around the small port town. Blue water, sailboat filled bay, pink sunset, and cobblestone streets. The people in Porec are very lovely and kind although the city is overrun by German tourists.

Today we took a boat to tour the Istria coast. Croatia is spotted with tiny uninhabited islands that are covered in pine trees, a nice color contrast to the cobalt sea. I saw we a pirate cave that was too cool. Tonight we are going to feast on the local truffles that are supposed to have some trippy effects.

Tomorrow we are headed to Rijeka as a base for island hopping.

Current Philosophy

2005-05-24T10:01:00.000-07:00

The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.
~Mark Twain

Heading to Croatia tomorrow. No reservations, no preconceptions, nothing but me.

Venice

2005-05-23T03:30:00.000-07:00

Canals, boats, bridges, blah blah blah... I am staying at a campsite outside of Venice and sadly enough that might be my favorite part of Venice. Sleeping in a tent is so much fun and really cheap. But back to the city. It is over run by tourists and to ride one of those gondolas down a canal cost 80 euros. No thanks. I went around yesterday and saw everything that I wanted to see, including the Guggenheim collection that rocked. No more Madonnas only contemporary art. So today I am sitting at the campgrounds doing laundry and trying to plan my trip to Croatia. Seriously there is almost no literature and no internet help booking hotels so I am kinda going renegade style. Showing up at the port city of Ancona on Wednesday and gonna get on a boat and see where it takes me. Wish me luck cuz I am gonna need it.

Next stop Split (If I can keep up the nerve.)

Florence

2005-05-23T03:24:00.000-07:00

Florence was lovely. There is more Renaissance art there than you can stand and I decided that if I saw another Madonna with Child I was gonna freak out. Seeing Michelangelo's David was poignant moment. I was captured by his perfection and is it strange to be physically attracted to a carved piece of marble? What a man.

The best thing that I did in Florence was charm a sweet Italian man into take me wine tasting in the Chianti region. We drove in his convertable thru the Tuscan countryside to a little town called Greve. All along the way there were rolling green hills and winding roads. We feasted on Wild Boar and truffles before tasting at least 20 different kinds of vino. Wine is the international language I prefer to speak.

On to Venice...

Last Night in Cinque Terre

2005-05-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

A camera cannot capture...

My friendly neighbor with his sax standing on a beached paddle boat improvising to to Pink Floyd's "Shine on you Crazy Diamond" playing to people eating and talking under a perfect italian nigh sky. Lit up caverns housed dry boats. Me on a stoney porch rocking to the familiar melody, not alone. A waiter brings me the house special to eat on the marina after I tell him that I am a friend of the musician and deny their coveted reserved table. I prefer to eat outside with the singing sax and my bottle of chianti.

This morning I had a dream that I met a old friend and had a great conversation. At the end she got on a train and said she had to go. I asked her why and she said that it was time. I awoke, packed my bags and left Cinque Terre for Florence. When it is time to go it is time.

Figueres

2005-05-15T07:55:00.000-07:00

Went and saw a theatre that Dali built in his home town of Figueres and it was seriously the COOLEST art museum I have ever been to. I first heard about it years ago on some travel show and finally made it there on my way out of Spain. Dali converted a burnt out theatre into a museum of his work and his crypt lays below. I saw my favorite painting of Lincoln and it was absolutely huge. Everything in this place was a testament to defying the borders of reality. The Mae West room had a couch in the shape of lips, a couple of fireplace, and pictures of eyes hanging over the mantle. One climbs stairs and looks thru a fish lens mounted on a camel and everything comes into persepective... It is Mae West's face!!! Too cool.

Anyone who loves surrealism must make the pilgrimage. Stay off the drugs tho, the art is enough to drive you crazy.

Cinque Terre

2005-05-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

It was quite an ordeal to get here so I will quickly recap my trip from hell. Well there have been train strikes in France and Italy so I had to change trains 6 times and was never sure if I was going to be dumped off in some dark empty train station in the middle of the night alone, or worse yet with a group of freaky dudes. Luckily I met this lovely elderly American couple who were a testament to true love. When my couchette was full of creepy learing men they let me have one of their first class beds and shared the other. Together we were ripped off by a French conductor who took my Eurail pass and threatened to tear it up if I didn't pay him 100 euros all because he didn't like the way I wrote my numbers and accused me of fraud. The couple had to pay 35 euros a piece for some other nonense. That was the last time I was in France and I may never go back again. After being to Spain and Italy I see how terrible and mean they can be. (Sorry Romans friends, I had a bad day.)

So I arrived in Cinque Terre and slept for what seemed like an eternity. Cinque Terre is five lovely villages perched along the rugged Italian coastline overlooking the Mediterranean. They are connected by a series of foot paths, some hanging off cliffs others winding throught the mountains. I have been traveling with a couple of Cali Kids from the OC. Last night we had an AMAZING dinner in this cute little restaurant. The owner came to our table and kept on telling me and my travel buddy that we are "As beautiful as the sun" in Italian of course. At the end of our meal he sat and held my hand as he told us his life story and blew kisses to the women at the surrounding tables. Now this is something that has definitely changed about me. Before I would have been creeped out by what we call a "Dirty Old Man." I watched another table of girls from Cali give AIR KISSES to the owner instead of cheek to cheek acting like he was gonna make out with him. Give me a break, he is 78 years old!! I have been hearing from American girls that they find the attention from Italian men intimidating but I still mantain that there is nothing more menacing than French Arabs. After living in Romans for 7 months I have nerves of steel and find the Italians charming and sweet. Sure it is all just talk to get a kiss off you, but it is done in a way that can make you feel beautiful if you let it. I think that I am going to mellow out here for a couple more days then maybe go to Venice or Florence. I haven't decided yet.

Baci

NO TRAINS IN FRANCE!!

2005-05-12T05:54:00.000-07:00

So I went to the train station today to head to Italy and low and behold all trains in France have been cancelled. The goddam French are at it again. I mean,what's new? If a conductor burns a pot of coffee he goes on strike to show solidarity with the beans. So now I am in Barcelona for one more night.

Kabul has been so much fun but kinda getting to the point of saturation. While it is fun to get blind drunk on cheap beer with rowdy Australians, after a week my voice and liver need a break.

Tomorrow I am going to see a theatre that Dali designed in Figueres then head on a 20 hour voyage comprised of 4 trains to get to Cinque Terre where I will chill, swim and maybe even fish.

Mellow, think mellow.

Barcelona

2005-05-09T09:46:00.000-07:00

I am in a big party. I dance all night and tan all day. Over the weekend some spaniards took me and my friend Becky sailing around Barcelona. Even tho I took some dramamine I still was getting a little sick and went down into the exhaust filled cabin to sleep it off. I think I lost some brain cells with that little siesta.

Just moved into the infamous party hostel Kabul today. Happy hour is gonna start but I think that I am going to go eat a falafel from Maoz before the drinking begins. Have discovered an undercover bar that looks out onto Plaza Real with hot peeps and cheap drinks, you have to ring an unmarked door and climb three flights of stairs but then voilam the party is on.

More to come.

Mellow in France

2005-05-05T09:50:00.000-07:00

So instead of boozing all over France, I returned to my small town Romans for another week. After running all of France with my grandparents I didn't feel like being a tourist for another minute. Instead I tanned on my terrace, sipping Orangina while listening to French radio and reading. Every once in a while I would stroll down the street and say hi to all the people I have gotten to know or duck in to see a movie at the cinema. After I was done soaking up the hospitality of the Romanais I headed up into the mountains to visit Die. Die is this awesome hippy oasis in nestled between snow touched mountains and is just coming alive with the tourist season. The spring rains have turned everything green and flowers scent the air wherever you go. Not to mention that my favorite French alcohol is made here, Clairette de Die.

Tomorrow I will be heading to Barcelona. I do not expect my life to be this tranquil again until I head to Italy. Going to see Dali and Picasso, lay on the beach, and get into whatever kind of trouble I can handle. Meeting up with my girl Crazy Berkeley aka Becky and we are gonna set the town on fire.

Hasta Luego!!

Wine over Water

2005-04-26T01:55:00.000-07:00

Dropping the Grandparents off tomorrow in Paris then heading to drink the stars in Champagne country then bike ride through the vineyards of Dijon. This weekend I will be returning to Romans to grab my stuff and then head to mountains to a little hippy town called Die to visit my girl Lalaina from SF. After that I will be dropping into Barcelona for the beginning of my Spain adventure.

Taking my grandparents around France has been a lot of fun although the driving has been a bit stressful. The coolest thing we did was head to the tiny town called Grasse in Provence to see where Parfum was developed and became popular. I have never smelled anything so good in my life, although after about 15 minutes everything smelled alike.

More to come.

Tour Guide in two Languages

2005-04-21T05:58:00.000-07:00

So I have been playing tour guide since Paris with my grandparents. It is funny cuz I have English in my ears and French coming out my mouth. They think I am fluent which just makes me laugh but I guess I am a lot better off than when I first got here.

Seeing the beaches of Normandy, the American Cemetary, and the WW2 memorial in Caen was very moving. I definitely appreciate the sacrifice made my the generations before mine. I would suggest anyone who wants to feel the effect of war to visit these memorials and keep their eyes open. Very moving and life changing.

In Avignon right now enjoying the golden sun of Provence. The lavender scented air and pollen laden breeze keeps my allergies active. Enjoying the warm nature of the local population, which is a nice change from the cold bastards in Paris.

Tomorrow going to Nice, will be visiting Monaco and Grasse, where perfume was invented. After I drop my grandparents off in Paris I think I am going to go wine tasting in Champagne and then who knows.

Last Class

2005-04-15T06:20:00.000-07:00

Hey, just had to tell you about my last class. My favorite class that I have had all year sang "Imagine" to me in the music room and then we had sweets and drinks. It was seriously the most touching class cuz all of the kids were very sad to see me go. They were all giving me hugs and kisses and were taking pictures. Probably the most memorable class ever.

Adieu Triboulet, Je vous manques énormément. Gros Bisous Tout Pleine, Alexandra

Au Revoir

2005-04-14T03:52:00.000-07:00

So my friend who I was going to backpack with got a bleeding ulcer and now has to go back to the US! Therefore I am at square one again. That is just the icing on a dramatic week that has included an international love triangle, unknowingly going to the club with 2 guys I dated, a cameo by the psycho french boyfriend, being deathly ill, the end of my job, and moving. And that's all off the top of my head. Don't get me thinking. I am a freakin lightning rod for drama!

Saying goodbye to the kids and the highschool is a bit surreal. In the end, the students really warmed up to me and I enjoyed their youthful antics. I always let my class be a fun and exciting place for them to express themselves in any language they wanted. I haven't made a lesson plan since December and I think I pulled it off very well. I will definitely miss the young boys smitten looks and blushing cheeks as I tried to coax a little English out of their mouths. It is not every day that you get to be a goddess.

I have been packing my room and cursing myself for bringing so many things from home that would have been better left in storage. Who needs 12 pairs of shoes? And two freaking dictionaries? How about the 3 backpacks and 8 purses? I must have been smoking a heavy dose of crack when I brought that stuff out. Now I have to get it all back plus the crap I have aquired since.

Saturday the Grandparents come to Paris where I will meet them. Then we are off to see Versailles, the D-day Beaches, Avignon, Nice, and Monaco. I am not exactly sure what I will be doing after they leave. I kinda feel like going to Prague, but then again Amsterdam sounds good. I have no idea what I am going to do.

Me, my backpack, my tour book, my eurail pass, and my bank card are ready. Let the games begin.

Countdown to Lift-off

2005-04-08T05:26:00.000-07:00

So April fool's day in France is celebrated by taping paper fish on the backs of unsupecting friends. Weird tradition but probably from the same Christianity vs Paganism roots.

Today begins the last week of my stay in Romans. I am pretty happy to be leaving but sad to be leaving the comfort of my life, namely my kitchen and my bed. I will be backpacking Europe for the next three months during which time I hope to see parts of France, Spain, Italy, and Greece. I will be carrying all of my earthly belongings on my back and sleeping in a different hostel every two nights. I except fatigue but also a great adventure. I will be backpacking by myself also, so there are risks that I am going to have to anticipate. Of course I am never alone for very long as I tend to attract fellow travellers of the same genre.

I will actually kind of miss my job as an assistant. I had a fan club of teenage boys that thought I was a goddess. That was cool cuz it was definitely not the case when I was in high school. I will also miss the fact that this seriously is the easiest job that I ever had and probably ever will have.

I should probably mention my trip to Nice over Easter. It was awesome!! We partied hard in the pubs, sat on the beach, and walked around the city. I got kicked out of a Casino because they didn't like my sandals, which was pretty funny. I will be going back in a few weeks with my grandparents, which should be fun.

Watched the pope's funeral today. It's like the world is changing all around us. All of these revolutions and deaths of famous people just makes you wonder what is going to happen next.

Expect my posts to be much more interesting in the months ahead. A tend to get into lots of interesting situations when travelling and won't skimp on the details.

Who Even Reads This Thing?

2005-03-25T04:00:00.000-08:00

So we are entering the final 21 days of my stay here in Romans. In the beginning it was boring, cold, lonely, and hopeless. Now it is warm and fun and I am almost sad to leave. As of late I have really gotten into rugby and go and watch all the local games. It is so much better than football or soccer, and the guys are a lot hotter. I know a bunch of the players and coaches. Meow...

Going to Nice tomorrow for the Easter weekend with my Romans girls. Looking forward to the warm weather and the rockin night life. There should be a bunch of English college students there for the holiday. Looking forward to the party.

Happy Easter everybody!

St. Patty's Day in the Twilight Zone

2005-03-18T01:59:00.000-08:00

St. Patty's day isn't really celebrated here, so at around 4pm my girl Carrie and I downed a bottle of Malibu and Orangina on the sunny fields of her highschool. It was just like sophmore year. Sitting there drunk as skunks we complained about how French men are so strange. I hadn't heard from my French "boyfriend" in a few days and my vibes were telling me something was awry. At dusk we headed to the one Irish bar in town, which is in fact not Irish at all except in decor, and proceeded to drink even more. 10pm rolled around and I was ready to retire so me and my roomies started heading home. As we approached the highschool where I live a male figure came out of the shadows. Who was it other than my elusive French Amour! He said that he saw me walking on the street and stopped to talk to me. I sent my roommates ahead and as soon as they were out of ear shot the stupid bastard broke up with me!! I am amazed to report that "the talk" is the same no matter where you are. Such lines as, 'it's not you it's me,' 'I think that you are great but...' and 'I am just really messed up in my head' were all used. It must be programmed into the male chromosome or something.

All of the sudden we heard sirens coming up quickly from around the corner. Frenchie said that the cops were coming and almost immediately a small car came racing into the roundabout with a cop car hot on it's tail. Swerving at high speeds around the corner the fugitive car smashed into an oncoming vehicle. Then the cop car rear-ended the fugitive car! Out of the passenger door sprung out a young arab miscreant who came dashing in our direction with a cop on his heals. Frenchie tried to stand in front of me as some sort of chivilrous gesture, but I pushed him to the side. There was no way I was going to miss the most exciting thing to happen in Romans in the past 7 months cuz he wants to feel like my 'protector.' The young fugitive juked right, then left and in from of the kebab shop the cop lurched forward and pinned the punk to the sidewalk. A minute later another cop car had shown up and they dragged him away. Everyone got in their cars and drove off, and once again the street was empty except for me and the Frenchie.

"So you still want to end things with me?"
"Yes. I adore you...blah blah blah... I don't want to hurt you..."
"Right..."
I just kinda zoned out at what he was saying as I knew the words before he even spoke them. I reacted with a numb smile on my face as I soaked in the bizarro-land happenings. An air of resignation passed over me and gave way to a spring in my step. I shrugged my shoulders, gave a laugh, and wished him a good night. It would have never worked out anyway, but I am definitely cool about the experience. If he never broke up with me on the street that night then I would have missed the only episode of Cops-Romans, and that my friends was priceless. Hands down the weirdest day in Romans.

Bad boys bad boys, watcha gonna do?

Everyone who has a french boyfriend raise their hand

2005-03-14T03:19:00.000-08:00

If you could see me you would see that my hand is raised.

Yes oh yes... after swearing off French men due to their tight pants and overall greasy demeanor I have found one in particular that strikes my fancy. He does not where tight pants and is the sweetest thing this side of the Atlantic. It took many bad dates and convaluted intentions with guys that would have ZERO chance with me in Cali, but 6 months after arriving I have a found the one who is just right for me. I will keep the details to myself except for the most important one, that he ADORES me and thinks that I hung the moon.

I will be done with my job one month from today. After that I have no idea what I will be doing or how this new romance will factor into it, but I have faith that everything is gonna be just fine.

And for the ladies out there, you have no idea what romance is until you hear it in French. NO IDEA whatsoever.

Enjoy the Spring my friends, no matter where you are.

Square One has Snow on It

2005-03-08T06:25:00.000-08:00

So I am sitting here in Romans and once again it is snowing. It has been snowing for what feels like weeks. Everyone tells me how uncharacteristic it is for there to be snow here, how exceptional this year is, and how lucky I am. All I can think of is the kind of luck you have when you step in a steaming pile while barefoot. Back in Cali I am getting weather reports of Paradise. It sounds so nice there and I really wish I could feel the sun on my skin.

So I am just planning on backpacking for a few months while the money lasts and then heading home for a few months. I still really want to go to Oz for a few months for their summer, which is October thru January, and am working on that plan. Would like to see all of my cities of interest in Europe before I go back to San Diego to finish out what I hope will be an Indian Summer.

As for my french fluency, yeah I think that it has arrived. I dream in French and can have pretty much any kind of conversation that I want. Whether my grammar is perfect is another story but at least my comprehension is there.

Really excited to see my Grandparents when they come out next month. We are touring the south of France and I suspect that they are going to love it.

Going this weekend to Lyon to go shopping. A little retail therapy is exactly what I need. I dream of the spring shoe line and wearing light dresses.

Square One

2005-03-02T08:15:00.000-08:00

Back for the final part of my assistantship. Nice was full of surpises. Like the big surprise that not only do I not have the right to work in France but people really do take that seriously. So I spent much of my time talking up bar owners only to have them laugh at the idea of letting me work under the table. At least I got some free drinks out of the whole deal. Other than that Nice is a beautiful beach town that reminds me a lot of California. Perfect weather, crystal blue beaches, beautiful people and quite a night scene. It snowed the day before I got there for the first time in 20 years. I missed the whole incident and am thankful for it.

So my life is kinda in the air right now. I don't really know what I will be doing exactly in the next few months. Just keeping my mind in a state of 'humble resignation.'

(thanks jimmy from Oz)

Cold and Colder

2005-02-22T05:15:00.000-08:00

So the first week of my vacation has been spent battling a mean cold and watching snow fall. As I would sit on my couch and watch the weather I kept my eye on Nice. Everyday that it was snowing here it was sunny and warm in Nice. Well, I thought that the weather would hold, but it has not!!!! A freakin SNOW STORM has moved into Nice and some warmth is headed here to Romans. I couldn't believe it. I could have died!! So know I am packing to head into the freakin snow on the beach to search for a job for 5 days. It couldn't be worse. I am so not prepared for this and was really hoping for some sun during my holiday. Whatever, c'est la vie. Wish me luck in the job search. I will need it.

Who wants Gmail?!?!

2005-02-11T09:13:00.000-08:00

Hey, so I have 50 invites to Gmail, the coolest email around. Anyone who wants an account just drop me a line and I will invite you. Because it is still new and invite-only your desired address is probably still available. alexandrashaw@gmail.com

Let the Vacation Begin!!

2005-02-11T02:27:00.000-08:00

So today is the last day of classes until March!!! I so love the French school calendar. For the first week of the vacation I will just be hanging out here in Romans and up in the mountainous oasis called Die. Then for the second week I will be heading to Nice for Carnaval and to search for future emloyment. It should be great fun as the weather has recently improved greatly.

And one word on Prince Charles marrying that skank Camila, it's called class buddy, Get Some!

And the sun will shine again

2005-02-04T03:18:00.000-08:00

I have found my pace. I am running for the sake of running and I won't stop now. It is so easy to slip into depression around the holidays and for the month of January, but I have overcome. I will not go back to San Diego until I have done everything I can out here. Not until my bank account is empty and I have to place a collect call home to scream for help will I return. Romans is boring but it is where I live for now. Nothing is permanent, I am just a visitor here.

Since when is it okay...

2005-02-03T01:02:00.000-08:00

Since when is it okay to ask an American at 9am, pre-coffee, what it felt like to watch 9/11 live? Since when is that acceptable morning conversation?!?! I appreciate the honesty of my students questions, but sometimes I feel like I am an exhibit at the 1890 World Fair. Regard, the strange ways of the Californian Native. Watch how she squirms at the memory of watching people plummet to their firey death. Watch her eyes glaze over as she remembers how everything changed that one day in September.
Sometimes this job is harder than I thought it would be.

She Can Walk!!!

2005-01-24T08:23:00.001-08:00

In case anyone had a spy cam on the mountains of Villard de Lans this weekend, the home of the '68 winter olympics, that was me tumbling down the mountain. No that wasn't a snow ball or an avalanche, that was a human girl strapped to skis refining the art of avoiding inevitable death or crippledom. I took a ski lift a solid ten minutes up the mountain and pointed my 'death sticks' down the slope not knowing how to stop or turn. A few times I landed literally upside down on my neck barely avoiding paralysis. I would shake off the daze of a head injury and wiggle my toes, and rejoice in the miracle of bodily motion. Other times I summersalted down the mountainside while a rogue ski would crack me in the leg. I can honestly say that I know how Nancy Kerrigan felt. Why Me!!! All and all it was a cool experience and I impressed everyone at the end of the day by sloshing down the mountain only falling a few times when my left leg couldn't support my body weight any longer. I am covered in deep huge bruises head to toe. From now on I think that I will stick to ocean sports. At least you can get a wicked tan while being pummelled by natural forces.

A little joke for my fellow Americans

2005-01-21T02:51:00.000-08:00

Q: How many Bush Administration officials does it take to screw in a light bulb?

A: None. There is nothing wrong with the light bulb; its conditions are improving every day. Any reports of its lack of incandescence are a delusional spin from the liberal media. That light bulb has served honorably, and anything you say undermines the lighting effect. Why do you hate freedom?

Turning a New Leaf

2005-01-21T01:51:00.000-08:00

Hello all. I have been slow to write on my blog as not a mucho has been going down, that is until this week. France was gripped by strikes and protests all week long, first the post office, then the trains, and then it was my turn, the teachers. It was great, I didn't have to work on Thursday and just shopped all day in Grenoble. I saw the protest move thru the streets but it was nothing new for a girl who went to UC Santa Cruz. Vive la grève!!
I have come to the decision that life in it's current routine has become mundane and predictable so I am shaking it up. I refuse to hang out with the same old anglophones and have really been making an effort to get in with the Frenchies. Last night it paid off as I attended a party in Romans with kids my age and had a rockin time. We played the drinking game 'quarters' with old francs for most of the night and got totally blind on Martini, Rum, and a variety of other liquor. Being ostricized and hated on by French girls has been a major speed bump on my freeway to friends. I have been talking with a French friend of mine about how to keep the peace with all at a party and her main advice was to talk to all the girls for a solid half an hour before even chatting with a guy about the weather. That way the chicks see that you aren't some dummy who wants to steal their men. Well the tactic worked and now I have the beginnings of a circle of friends. God help me I need them.
With the new year one inevitabely begins to plan upcoming life events. As I mentioned before I am looking for a job on the Riviera for the summer so I am heading down to Nice next month for Carnival and to do some rep work. Rep work meaning showing my face in these bars, batting my baby blues and trying to score some employment. I have faith in my ability to sell a ketchup popsicle to a woman in white gloves.
Other than that I have decided that 2005 will be the year of the endless summer. I would like to move to Brisbane, Australia with an aussie friend of mine in September and stay thru the end of the year. I will probably just get a temp job in some office and play around on the beach on the weekends. If all works out the only seasons that I will be experiencing will be spring and summer for the next 18 months.
So to answer a common question, No I don't have a new boyfriend because I really don't want one. French men aren't all that either. I can't stand being told how beautiful I am for 20 minutes at length from a man in jeans tighter than mine. It is just unnatural and ferrell. People are always trying to hook me up with one of their friends and I date quite often, but I am happily single at the moment.
Going skiing tomorrow. Wish me luck on the slopes as I will need it.

Back in France

2005-01-12T10:22:00.000-08:00

I have been back in France for over a week and haven't had much to update on. My weekend in Paris was awesome, but was marred by two little pickpockets that tried to steal my train tickets. My friend Carrie caught them red handed and we managed to get away with all of our stuff intact. Of course they spit in our faces to mark their defeat, which was more disgusting than I would like to remember.

California was so freakin awesome I can't even put it into words. I saw almost everyone that I wanted to see and ate all the Mexican food that I could stand. Not to mention my first cheeseburger in over 10 years from Hodad's in OB. That was amazing.

So now I am back in Romans, finishing out the school year and looking forward to my next adventure. This summer is going to be the beginning of the structureless leg of my trip, only marked by the seasons. So far I know that I want to work with tourists either in Nice or Cannes for the summer and head thru India to Australia for the end of the year. A little bit of an endless summer quest. Brisbane sounds like my kinda place so I look forward to trying my hand there for awhile.

I am pretty relieved that I didn't go to India for Christmas. Even if I was lucky enough not to be at the bottom of a tsunami, getting out of the country would have been a nightmare, not to mention getting back into France. But I guess none of us gets to choose the way we die, just like you can't choose your race or your parents. I just gotta keep on truckin and hope to God that I will make it home again to see my loved ones and eat another awesome cheeseburger.

Carpe Diem

From the City of Lights to the Left Coast

2004-12-17T01:35:00.000-08:00

Taking a fast train to Paris tomorrow for a weekend in my favorite city. When I lived in Paris in 2002 I found myself hating it at times. Just like a poor hungry beggar would resent the festive meals seen thru fogged windows, I resented Paris' unattainable entertainment due to my lack of cash. Not that I have much more money now, but spending just 2 days in the City of Lights will be invigorating. I love the abundance of shops, people, activities, and the beauty of the monuments and Christmas decorations. I love using my intimate knowledge of the city to show others around. I look forward to seeing the Eiffel Tower illuminated by Christmas lights and the smell of roasting chestnuts on the street.

Monday I will be taking a direct flight from Charles De Gaulle to LAX. I am not stoked about security or customs, but some evils are necessary. To say that I am excited about being back in Cali is an understatement. It has be miserabley cold here for the past few days (-1° C at the lowest) and I look forward to wearing t-shirts and seeing the sun again. I hope that I have the will power to get back on the plane and return to truly freezing conditions in a town that is about as exciting cold white rice.

Have I mentioned my latest escape plan? Last week I received my long term visa (carte de séjour) that is good thru the end of '05. This is truly a blessing as it gives me the right to work and others only received permission to stay thru July '05. I guess being a sweetheart to the lady at the front desk and always keeping my smile really paid off. Anyway, I will be heading to the French Riviera in April to find a job in a bar or on a tourist sailboat and work thru August or September. All I want to do is lounge on the beach during the day and take money from drunk tourists by night. I am living the life.

If I don't update while I am in the States, I would like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy and safe New Year.

Burritos and Burgers, here I come!!

You have 7 days...

2004-12-13T02:36:00.000-08:00

Birthday Summary:
So the Fete de Lumières was cool and the party I threw Friday night was pretty entertaining too. The fete in Lyon was exactly as I imagined it. Packed with people, lights everywhere, vin chaud (hot wine) for sale on the streets. The birthday party that I threw was pretty cool. We ate lots of cake, watched The Ring, and played hide and go seek in the dark in the highschool. Have I mentioned before that there are no bars or clubs in Romans, thus the cheesy party.

So I am coming home one week from today. I am so freakin excited to get the hell out of Romans for a decent amount of time. Also that fact that I am going to see my nearest and dearest all over Cali just makes me feel like I won the lottery.

This week should fly by. I have been christmas shopping everyday and am about to go out shoppin again right now. I think that I am taking more presents than actual luggage. I am trying to get a case of champagne thru customs, does anyone know anything about this?

More exciting posts to come this week...

Today is my 23rd Birthday!!!

2004-12-08T01:08:00.000-08:00

Hello faithful readers and filandering browsers,
Today is my birthday and once again I will be spending it in France. The big 21st was in Paris and now the not-so-big 23rd will be in not-so-big Lyon. There is this huge Fete de Lumières held in Lyon every 8th of December to honor the Virgin Mary's protection of Lyon from the Plague. Of course that now translates into wicked light decorations all over the city and a big party in the street. Heading up there just as soon as I am done with this posting.

So let's talk Christmas vacation...

I have received a few messages from peeps who want to chill while I will be back in Cali for a brief time. If you would like to have lunch or a drink with me, email me. I dont have a cell anymore in the States so I am having to set up meetings before hand.

I might be in Santa Cruz from Dec 26-29 for all you NorCal kids out there. Lucy, Jenny, Katie, Kristina, Becky, looking forward to seeing all of you. Let's Party like it is 1999.

And Grandma, I am very excited to see all of the family for New Years at your house. Save some onion dip for me.

Love-
Lex

Can't keep a secret

2004-12-04T11:21:00.000-08:00

Here it is... I am coming home for Christmas!! Dad took pity on my pathetic non-existant Christmas plans and decided to fly me home. I am so excited! Gonna eat mexican food within minutes of getting off the plane and kissing the ground. Life in Romans is all the sudden not so bad. See y'all in a few weeks!!

Just when you thought it was over

2004-12-03T05:29:00.000-08:00

Last night I received a phone call that changed my whole outlook on life. I have been in a foul mood all week. My birthday is next Wednesday and that always wears on my spirits. In combination with a lonely holiday season in freezing France, I was starting to get depressed. But then my phone rang while I was paying for some groceries and everything changed. I have been erupting in fits of joyous laughter all day for the knowledge I received has set my spirit free.

Who called me and what did they say? The truth will be revealed in a fortnight.

Prisoner of Tribu Tower

2004-11-30T04:32:00.000-08:00

I stood in the hot humid bathroom cranking the handle. My wet hair leaked water onto my shoulders and down to my hands. The door made the same sound everytime I turned the handle, a spring-like noise that failed to release the latch. I was a prisoner in my own bathroom for who knows how long. I put my ear to the door to listen for my roommate walk by.
"Katie!?!? Help me I am stuck inside the bathroom!"
Katie worked the handle from the outside to no avail.
"Stand back!"
Katie threw her whole body into the door. A faint squeal of pain marked her failure to penetrate my cell. The water molecules in the air were cooling. It was starting to remind me of my trip to the jungles of Belize.
While Katie went to go call for help I looked into the foggy mirror. Make-up had dripped under my eyes and I looked like a drowned racoon. My hair was starting to curl and I was still wrapped in my damp towel.
"The caretaker and some technicians are coming."
Oh god. The thought of the caretaker seeing me in a towel lead me to quickly change back into the dirty jeans and t-shirt from earlier that day.
Some minutes later, the three french men stood outside the door and contemplated my liberation for quite some time. I sat on the dirty floor covered in hair and thought about how badly we need to mop. After at least ten minutes I moved back into the bathtub.
"They have gone to get a saw, hold tight."
I sat in the bathtub and smelled all of our beauty products. I didn't realize how good my roommates shampoo smelled. I must go buy some of my own.
Minute 40 passed in the bathtub and all I could think about my copy of the Da Vinci Code sitting outside the door. Oh why couldn't I have brought it into the bathroom with me. Why couldn't I be reading about Opes Dei instead of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. What did I do to be smote like this!!!
As I smelled my conditioner by sqeezing the bottle a little squirted on my nose. At that very instant three french men with a saw and a drill burst through the door, to find me sitting in the empty bathtub with dark circles under my eyes, wet matted hair, wearing a dirty shirt, and conditioner dripping from my nose.
One never leaves prison with much digninty.

Run Shaw Run Goes Random

2004-11-26T07:59:00.000-08:00

So just wanna mention that people I do not even know are commenting on my site, meaning that random people read my daily thoughts. That is weird but cool. Run Shaw Run has gone random!

Thanksgiving French Style

2004-11-25T23:00:00.000-08:00

Well that is kinda a contradiction of terms. The french don't celebrate Thanksgiving, let alone know what the heck it is. So yesterday my homey Matt for Barcelona showed up in Romans to celebrate the day with me. We ate turkey sandwiches and called it a night. I was lucky enough to receive a phone call from my mother's party at 10:30pm just as I was going to sleep, and then another call from my dad's side at 1:30am just as I was sleeping. Has anyone ever heard of a time change? How about 8am class? I was really tired this morning but was happy to hear from everyone.

Okay gotta go teach my little beasts cuss words. This week's lessons have been on Sublime, the LA riots of 92, and still some Simpsons.

Takin a piss

2004-11-22T09:38:00.000-08:00

So the whole "Together we can go farther. Together we can stay gone forever. " was a bit sarcasm people. I was making fun of myself... hello?! Haven't you ever heard of self-deprication? Please no more e-cards of flying birds or sunsets.

Anyway, went paragliding again this weekend in Grenoble. It was so beautiful in the valley with snow-topped mountains towering in the back. The car ride up the mountain always makes me a little sick. My second time running off the cliff was surprisingly mellow. I wasn't questioning the proximity of my death nearly as much and enjoyed my flight. The only thing cooler than paragliding would be if actuall feathery wings sprouted out of my back and they served as my transportation.

Got the pleasure of experiencing a bit of the french medical establishment at it's finest today. Had to do a "routine" medical exam for my long stay visa. I was made to get a chest x-ray in the boonies of the boonies administered by some pervo 5'4" tall, white chest hair bearing, crucifix sporting, french sleeze bag radiologist. Quelle chance pour moi. He must really love his job. He gets to ask 50 foreign college-aged girls to disrobe for a useless Tuberculosis screening x-ray everyday. Who said being a civil servant is boring work.

The whole exeperience was horrifying from the ride on a bus full of ill freaks, to the shanty medical offices surrounded by cornfields. Although my favorite bit were the painful shreiks of terror and pain coming down the hall on my way out. It is the sound I had been feeling all day.

Still don't know what I am doing for the holidays. Must look into some package deals or something.

Another one bites the dust

2004-11-19T06:22:00.000-08:00

We have had our first program drop-out... my homegirl Julianna from North Carolina. Her schools were treating her like crap and she just couldn't take it any more. Today is a perfect day to quit as it is raining and only 4°C. I am so jealous that she is gonna be home for the holidays. If I could see my family for thanksgiving and xmas I would leave too, but I must stay. Someone has to report from the other side.

Dirty is a Smell

2004-11-18T02:14:00.000-08:00

From a train somewhere is Spain after 3 days in Barcelona:

The life of the traveler has taken hold. My pants are a size too big with holes. My hair is slightly dreaded and covered by the hood of my sweater. My blue eyes peer confidently from dark circles and a smirk hangs on my face. I have worn the same socks for three days. The traveler is not interested in appearance, only experience. Feminine clothes and high heels do not serve one on a five hour walk, so one no longer possess either. Clothes are functional now, not for show. I attract others like me. Since I travel alone I meet mostly other American men. I prefer the men I meet traveling to those I meet in bars when I am wearing lip gloss and smelling of Lolita Lempicka. They see me as for who I am, not what I look like. When travelers seduce each other there is a complete acceptance of the others shortcomings without judgement. You have ketchup on your thigh and my shirt has 3 holes, wanna make out? Normal people wish they could live like this.
The travelers code: 1) Dirty is a smell. 2) The grocery store is your friend. 3) Bring earplugs.

I would like to state a major difference between normal people, those who work jobs and 5 year plans, and the traveler. While I was working in Corporate America after graduating uni I would tell people I was working only to save money and go travel. This was regarded as something exotic, almost bizarre. Six months working for six months travel, and never any more power or responsibility than you could leave in a heart beat. While the normalite is worrying about a Power Point presentation, the traveler in the bar of a hostel in any given European city is scheming with other lost souls as to the quickest way to turn a buck and get back out on the road. My desire to extend my stay for as long as possible is only encouraged by those around me.

Barcelona

2004-11-18T02:08:00.000-08:00

My trip to Barcelona rocked so hard that I have been recovering for two days. I cancelled my Tuesday classes and took off for Spain on Saturday. On the train from Montpellier to Barcelona I encountered my first truly UGLY AMERICAN since I have been back to Europe. His name was Randy and he was from California. He proceeded to question every North American looking person on the train as to their origin and formed a little American clique that I hate to say I was a part of for a brief time. Randy (what an awful name) only knew how to use a drunk ‘outside’ voice and proceeded to insult French culture for three hours at top volume. As he would (very loudly) as my opinion on this or that I could only reply in a proper ‘indoor’ voice and hope to god the train would go faster. When we arrived in Barcelona Randy screamingly demanded the origin of some Americans in the metro in front of a platform full of Spaniards. To the reply that they were Alaskan he hollered “That is almost American.” I hoped for one of them to push him on the tracks.

The two other cool American dudes and I agreed to ditch the UGAM, as we called him from then on, and head out on our own. We got into our hostels at midnight and headed to the nearest pizza joint for a slice and a European-style 40 oz. bottle of beer. I was in heaven. The three of us proceeded to party hard till 5 o’clock in the morning. We mostly drank at the hostel as beers were only 2.50 euro for a liter. We skipped around to other bars in the area but ended up on the internet at like 4 in the morning drunk emailing... never a good idea.

Sunday we headed up to check out Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia, a massive church in the middle of the city. We climbed the towers and tripped out on all the cool architecture. They have been building his original plan for over a hundred years and still aren’t finished. The church mixes like 10 different kinds of architecture and uses methods of measurement that Guadi invented. That guy had serious inspiration.
After some time we headed up to Park Guell and looked at Gaudi’s house, his mosaic lizards, and rock sculptures. There is a great view of Barcelona and the ocean from up there. Sunday night we proceeded to get wasted yet again in the hostel. I met a bunch of cool travelers from all over the world and played cards and pool. This was much more interesting than going to some loud dance club, especially since I was looking more like a tomboy than a pretty girl. I got so drunk at one point that I refused to speak English and the only people who could understand my French were the Belgians. To my delight they said I spoke the best french they ever heard an American speak. Oh la la.

Monday we rented sweet-ass Schwinn beach cruisers and rode around Barcelona a few hours. We rode along the beach and around the ports, around some parks and back up to Las Ramblas. The water was so blue it reminded me of home. I wanted to strip off my clothes and run into the water, but it was only 13 degrees Celcius.

What do you think we did Monday night? That’s right, got totally wasted in the hostel bar. After all that cultural crap one must conserve funds. I woke up in at 7am and had to go back to my room, get my bag, and head to the station for my 8:45 train. I forgot my freakin towel.

So all and all Barcelona was superb. It was great to be around travelers and people who are open to meet people. I traveled alone, but wasn’t by myself for long. I never felt threatened and was always laughin. My homey Matt from Seattle walked me back and forth to my hostel so many times I gotta just say thanks dude.

Gotta stay local for the next few weekends. Next month I have to entertain myself for two weeks over Christmas and New Years. Might go to Nice with some Aussie chicks for New Years. That would ROCK!

Shout out to Jimmy from OZ... you rock!

Send me emails, I miss having a full inbox: alexandrashaw@gmail.com