Last night we went out for Jeff's birthday - it was a blast! Between 9pm and 3am we managed to go to three places - a terrasse, a regular bar and a karaoki bar. We have decided to have the best time possible, because in 3 weeks we will be on fire! :)

At 3:30am I started writing my homework for the Spanish class, so today I was like a zombie and I could barely keep awake during the 3pm seminar. Anyway, I am fine now, I have to prepare for my presentation about the Spanish oil company Repsol. No partying tonight :)

Below is Daniel, an American recently gone crazy :) Difficult to believe, but he is actually extremely charming!!!! :)

My day started with a class of Spanish politics taught by a fabulous Oxford-educated British professor. His familiarity with the Spanish political system and the Spanish language are simply astonishing!

After class, we visited Telefonica, one of the largest telecommunications providers in the world. We were introduced to several technologies that have not yet been publicly announced and I will lose my life if I divulge the secrets soryyyy :) All I can say is that the era will soon come, when we will use our cellphones for everything except feeding ourselves :).

I left Telefonica just in time to catch a taxi to the Arabic baths I have been dreaming about desde mi llegada a Madrid. :) It was fabulous! The Medinat Mayrit is located close to the Puerta del Sol, and it features three rooms with warm, hot and cold water, a hot sauna, a massage room, a tea room, and an Arabic restaurant. I spent 2 hours in heaven!!!! The baths are supposed to be taken in the order I listed them above, in order to increase blood circulation :) The quite shocking part was that the massages were administered only by men and so I had the choice to either run away or give in to temptation.... God forgive me! :)

Hola amores, today a full page article about our program came out in La Gazeta, Spain's 2nd most important daily business newspaper. My classmates have become celebrities and they are loving their new status! :)

My first two days in Madrid have been incredible! This city is one of the most beautiful I have seen in my entire life. As I walked out of the metro station into La Puerta del Sol, I felt I was stepping into a world of surreal splendor. The magic of the evening and the suave lights, combined with that of the majestic buildings and the large plazas left me out of breath. I will never forget that feeling.

We then wondered for one hour down the narrow, winding streets, in search of the oldest restaurant in the world. I was actually excited that we got lost because I was able to enjoy more of Madrid's indescribable beauty and lively spirit. At midnight on Sunday, hundreds of people were having animated conversations in outdoor cafes and restaurants, as if they had no worries and no jobs to go to in the morning :) The atmosphere in the city is that of an eternal vacation and of people celebrating life.

After a copious, delicious meal, we returned to the dorm at 3am, only to fall into a deep sleep that transported me into the world of dreams, where all of the splendors of this city that has been reigned by so many civilizations came back to life.

Oh, I think I could live here forever..........

Hi everyone, just wanted to let you know that i made it safe and sound to Madrid :) I felt I was back in Europe the minute the handsome immigration officer winked at me and welcomed me in the sweetest, most gorgeous, super fabulous Castellano accent :). I then stepped into a cloud of smoke and came back to reality.... yes, I was in Spain! :) After a 20 minute taxi drive that cost me 40 euros (auch!) I arrived at the beautiful Colegio Loyola. My room is not very spacious, but it is clean and I have everything I need for a comfortable stay. I will have to buy a converter and DSL cable so I can use my computer in my room. I have heard that our Spanish teacher is fabulous, everyone loves her! Can`t wait for tomorrow! This evening we are going to the oldest restaurant IN THE WORLD wow! I am excited!

Also, during my flight from Dublin to Madrid, I met a guy from New York, who is starting his MBA at Carnegie Mellon in the fall. He will join our group for dinner tomorrow night, before he is off to Morrocco. He quit his job early, so that he could travel the world - Spain, Morrocco, Germany, Turkey, Singapore - how fun!

I wish I could have met my godson in Pamplona, but I arrived too late to be able to catch the bus :( I hope to go there next weekend, don´t want to miss the running of the bulls!

That is all for now. Miss everyone! Will be back with more later! muaaaaa

Off to Spain :)

Hello my darlings, today is the day :) Just wanted to say good bye and wish you all the best. I will be writing and uploading pictures from all of the cities I will be visiting. I always wanted to go to Spain, so my excitement has no limits. Hugs and kisses! I am off to the airport! muaaaaa

Will I ever hold a green card?.....

It's Thursday evening, two days before my trip to Spain. I am disappointed that CIS changed their regulations overnight and decided to return all residency petitions filed in July, although they had announced in June that all pending applications would become current this month. The American Immigration Law Foundation is filing a lawsuit, and all of us have been invited to join in. I am not sure whether it is a good idea... success is not guaranteed, the process could take years and I would have to pay additional legal fees. My sister and brother-in-law are in exactly the same situation... Wouldn't it be wonderful if I married an American? :)

So if my trip to Philadelphia did not serve its original purpose, it allowed me to relax a bit and take care of some things I would have had to do in August, the day before the MBA program starts. I opened a new bank account, bought some things for my new apartment, planned my trip to Spain in minute detail :), and got all of my immunizations done (yuk!). I almost fainted after I had blood taken out and 4 vaccines administered, but somehow I survived (phew :)). I wish someone had warned me that I would be throwing up and feeling lightheaded, because for a minute as I was falling to the ground, unable to call the doctor, I thought I was going to die.

Oh well, that is behind now, only to be talked about, and I am still alive :) I had not yet accomplished all of my dreams in life, so the moment was just not right :) Hugs!

Plans confirmed for my last 4 days in Spain :)

So here is my travel itinerary, for whoever wants to join me on my fabulous trip :)

Thursday, July 26 - arrival in Granada at 11:30am - Makuto Backpackers Hostel.

I have chosen this place because it has a distinct flavor - it is situated in the UNESCO declared quarter of El Albayzin, in a recently restored traditional Andalucian 'Carmen' house. The architectural style is of Moorish influence. From this location, I will have easy access to the Sacromonte caves, where I will be going for a spectacular Flamenco show.

What is there to do in Granada? This city is astonishing! Here are some of the highlights:

• Albaicin, the old Moorish quarter of Granada, named a World Heritage Site
• The breathtaking palace-city of Alhambra, the second most visited site in Europe
• The Cathedral and Royal Chapel, displaying the fabulous treasures belonging to the Spanish monarchy, from the royal jewels to the ornate tombs of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand
• Banos Arabes, the famous Arabic baths
  
• Plaza Nueva, Granada's central plaza, lined with shops, restaurants and cafes

Saturday, July 28 - departure from Granada at 10:30pm, arrival in Palma de Mallorca at 11:55pm - Hostal Tierramar

Another phenomenal place! Here are some of its highlights:

• The Bellver Castle, a large, 14th century castle overlooking the town of Palma
• Museu d'Art Espanyol Contemporani, displaying works of twentieth century Spanish artists such as Picasso, Dalí, Miró, Juan Gris, and Antoni Tápies
• Palma's Gothic Cathedral
• Banys Arabs, 10th century baths that are the only existing ruins of the Arab city of Medina Mayurqa
• Palau de l'Almudaina, a royal palace which has stood on this site since soon after the Arab conquest

Monday, July 30 - departure from Palma de Mallorca at 7am, arrival in Barcelona at 7:55am, departure to Philadelphia at 11:50am

Have I aroused anyone's interest? Join me!!!!! :)

For those who love to travel, I suggest creating an account at www.virtualtourist.com. You will be able to see reviews of other travelers and create your own travel itinerary by simply adding destinations to your list. Print it and you're all set! It's a fabulous tool!