To Lisboa, Sinatra and Back

Apologies in advance for this being a longer post than most…I blame having a 4-day weekend to explore the world. All of the cities in the Andalusia province had Monday off to celebrate El Dia de Andalucía, the day when Andalusia’s State of Autonomy referendum was passed in 1980.  So, while the Spaniards rejoiced their freedom, my girlfriends and I packed up our bags and bussed off to Lisboa, Portugal.

Our journey began at 11:45PM Thursday night. We took an overnight bus from Sevilla to Lisboa, hoping to save a few hours of sleeping in a hostel and gaining a few hours of exploring the city.  But as always, even the best laid plans…fail.

For starters, JL and I got stuck sitting in front of four very chatty and excited Asians (no disrespect, some of my best friends are Asian) who felt the need to talk the entire bus ride (some 6 hours).  On top of that, our lovely bus driver made abrupt stops every half hour (or so it seemed) and we would open our eyes to a brightly lit bus. Ugh. Eventually we made it to Lisboa, before we had expected (Portugal is an hour behind Spain, FYI) and began evaluating the metro system.   Instincts told KT and me that the metro system would be just like that of Madrid. Sike, we needed help figuring this one out.

I walked around looking for an attendant but only found a pastry shop worker and asked him in Spanish how to get to the location we needed.  I know it was 6AM, and I wasn’t fully awake, but the words coming out of the man’s mouth were definitely NOT making sense, as if he were speaking a foreign language. Oh wait, he was…Portuguese. (Insert face palm here) I had totally forgotten that I was outside of Spain (for the first time) and that Spanish was not the first language spoken here. Luckily, Spanish and Portuguese are close enough that the man was able to use a few similar sounding words to point me in the right direction.

Tickets bought, correct metro line boarded and we were on our way to station Jardim Zoologico (roughly translated to Zoo Garden from Portuguese).  A half hour later we were at Hostel Home, probably one of the best hostels I’ve stayed at yet.  Unfortunately, our six person room wasn’t ready when we arrived, so we crashed on Home’s couches. Epic. An hour later we were settled into our room.  Half of us showered while the other half slept a little more to regain energy for the day ahead us.

The following is summary of our three days in Portugal:

Day 1: Lisboa, Portugal

·         Visited Plaza de Comercio and the Atlantic Ocean (yes we were at the end of Europe again, this time on the western side)

·         Hiked up the biggest hill known to mankind to visit Catedral Se and Castelo Sao Jorge (Castle of St. George)

·         Ate at a “famous” pizzeria that MF found in her handbook (except it ended up be the wrong place…we discovered this two days later, oops)

·         I had the opportunity to attend Friday Jamatkhana (religious services) at the Lisbon Ismaili Center

This last bullet deserves a little more detailed explanation.  I took the metro from our hostel (all alone!) to the stop closest to Jamatkhana and then asked randoms on the street to point me in the right direction. I would say the words Muslim, Ismaili, Mosque and right away their eyes would light up. “It’s big with lots of trees and flowers” “Oh yes, I know that beautiful building” were some of the responses I received from the Portuguese as I made my way to the Center.  I literally let out the biggest sigh of relief when I saw an Ismaili lady in her Shalwar Kamiz (traditional Indian clothing) sitting outside of the parking lot with what looked like Chai for the volunteers (I could be totally off though).  She said “Ya Ali Madad” to me and I knew I was home. Best feeling ever.  I walked into Jamatkhana and had my jaw hit the floor.  Taking a quick 360, I noticed the panels behind me had the 99 names of Allah inscribed in Cubic writing (a geometric form of writing…the closest to perfection) and a beautiful water walkway leading up to a fountain in the Char Bhag (four gardens).  I finally found the stairs that led me upstairs to the prayer hall.  I felt hundreds of eyes staring at me, obviously I had somehow given away that I was foreigner, despite my best efforts to dress similarly to the Portugal Jamat.

I felt blessed to be part of Jamati Ceremonies for the second Friday in a row.  I felt an inexplicable feeling the whole time I was at the Center.  At that moment, I wished my mom and sister were sitting on either side of me so I could whisper to them how awesome I thought the ceiling looked, or how cool the chandeliers were.  Hopefully, there will be a time to do that in the near future. 

After services, I found the lady I had been in email contact with for two weeks.  She took me around the Ismaili Center for an abbreviated tour of the building.  Having been to the Alhambra in Granada, I recognized many similarities in the architectural style and patterns.  ZS mentioned that the Alhambra was used as inspiration for this Center.  At the tour’s conclusion, ZS insisted that I have dinner with her family, as her husband was returning back from a business trip in Brussels, Belgium, that night.  We drove to the biggest mall in all of Lisboa and waited for him in a very nice restaurant (the mall reminded me of the seven story mall I visited in Dubai, UAE…so BIG!). MS joined us and the family and I had great discussions about Spain/Portugal culture, the United States and business school (don’t worry Kelley, I made sure to make you look really good).

Post dinner, MS and ZS took me to the first floor of the mall, which was really weird since we had parked the car in the parking garage.  They led me into a store called Sacoor Brothers, which to my surprise, was founded and owned by the family. Uh, jaw dropping moment once again.  MS said something in Portuguese to the lady behind the counter and she quickly ran into the back room and came out with what seemed like a hundred business professional shirts in my size. “Pick one” MS said, “It’s tradition for my family to bring our guests to our stores and send them home with a gift.” So thoughtful of the family.  I quickly picked a shirt with the help of the couple’s daughter, Sarah, and we left the high end fashion store for home (check out the store’s website at Sacoor.com). 

Day 2: Sintra (aka: Sinatra according to VT), Portugal

·         Took a train from Lisboa to Sintra for a day trip

·         Endured the most nauseating bus ride up what seemed like Mt. Everest

·         Visited the Palacio de Pena which was also situated on top of said Mt. Everest-like hill

·         Had my camera die during the tour of this Palace L

·         Ate traditional Portuguese food and dessert at a local café

·         Explored the town of Sintra and went souvenir shopping

·         Returned back Lisboa for the best Cod-Fish Dinner Ever (the national dish of Portugal)

·         Saw the best of Lisboa at Night

Day 3: Lisboa’s Beach-Like Weather

·         Visited the Santa Justa Elevator (famous for its architecture styles and height)

·         Enjoyed the Sunday morning outdoor Arts and Crafts Market

·         Tanned for hours in the HOT Lisboa Sun

·         Chowed down some McDonalds (In Europe, it’s considered quality…don’t judge!)

·         Saw a man levitate (he’s the holder of the Guinness Book of World Records title for longest time of Standing Still in Air – 15 Hours)

·         Headed home

JL, MF, VT, KT, AJ and I had a very successful weekend in Portugal. It was a great “international” experience for me and I would highly recommend visiting the country to anyone who has not yet been.

Next on this Globe Trotter’s Agenda: PARIS, France in FOUR Days!

Madrid: Mishaps and Magical Moments

This past weekend, I spent 54 lovely hours in the city of Madrid.  The capital of Spain, Madrid felt like a cross between Chicago and New York. But first…my interesting journey to Madrid.

Originally, KT and I had booked our bus tickets, leaving from Sevilla, for 6PM Thursday night.  Unfortunately, a mandatory Internship event forced us to change our bus time to the next available: 11PM. As horrible as that journey may sound, KT and I made it through the six hour bus ride very easily. We slept like babies, at least I did…KT had a very annoying bus buddy who was interested in learning more about our Madrid plans. Creepy.

We finally made it to the Madrid Bus station at 5:15AM.  After freshening up, KT and I wasted time observing other travelers, as we waited for the city Metro’s to start running at 6AM.  At 5:55AM, we bought our tickets and entered the tunnel, making sure that our hostel directions corresponded with the colorful maps at the station. 

We had a plan of action: grab the grey line, get off at the first stop and then switch onto the baby blue line and get off at the major stop (aka: Sol or the “Time Square” of Madrid).

But even the best laid plans fail.

KT’s creepy bus buddy jumped onto our Metro car just as the doors were closing.  Once again, he struck up conversation with KT, asking her where she was going and staying.  Flustered and wanting to get as far away as possible from this man, KT and I got off the Metro and then proceeded to get on the wrong line, taking us in the opposite direction of our destination. Some thirty minutes later, we found our way onto the right line and to the right stop.  Once out of the station, we climbed out onto what can only be described as a quiet, dark Time Square-esqe center – La Puerta del Sol.  We quickly found our hostel, rung the doorbell until an angry owner woke up, got our room and took a nap so we could start off the day recharged.

All of Friday, we explored the East side of town (or at least it was the East side on the map we had): El Jardin del Buen Retiro, Puerta de Alcala and Plaza de Cibeles were first on the list.  It was a great day for outdoor sightseeing as the sun was beaming all day. We also had a chance to enjoy El Museo del Prado, home to one of Europe’s best art collection.  For someone who’s artwork can’t get anymore complicated than stick figures, I have come to appreciate various artistic styles, taking an interest in learning more about the inspiration and history behind an artist’s work.

After long day of walking and enriching our minds, we grabbed a very delicious (but pricy) lunch in la Plaza Puerta de Sol. Grilled fish, fried chicken smothered in soy sauce, mussels, olives and luscious Mousse de Naranja (Orange flavored cake) were quickly consumed between the two of us. We left for our hostel to rest up for a night out in the town.

Since it was a Friday, I had arranged plans to attend religious services at Madrid’s Ismaili place of Worship.  A total of twelve people (including me) were in attendance for Friday ceremonies.  Our prayers were recited in Arabic (as always) but most of the other rites and rituals were done in SPANISH! Total cool! I was so stunned because I had grown up participating in these activities in my parents’ native tongues: Urdu, Hindi and Gujrati. 

Afterwards, the family offered me sweets and began telling me about their small community of forty Ismailis.  I asked them questions about why they had settled in Spain (instead of the US, Canada or England where there are large immigrant Ismaili diasporas).  One answer led to another question which led to a story, and then another and another and another.  By the time I looked at my phone, it was close to midnight! I had had a great time with the family and definitely learned a lot about my religious history that night.

Hungry like none other, a friend and I found a local tapas bar to grab a quick dinner before getting on the last metro for the night.  I ordered Tortilla Espanola (a very basic tapa) and Zumo de Naranja Natural (freshly squeezed OJ) for the both of us. We had a chance to catch up and discuss our experiences in our respective study abroad programs. 

The next day (Saturday) I spent exploring the west side of town (or so on the map), with my best friend, while KT met up with her roommates from IU who are currently studying abroad in Madrid. We visited Plaza Mayor, el Catedral de la Almudena, el Palacio Real, Plaza de Oriente, Plaza de España and el Templo de Debod (Egyptian ruins gifted to Spain by Egypt!!!).  All that sightseeing finally led us to Calle Gran Via (Madrid's Michigan Ave).  We stopped by a Chinese Restaurant (yes Chinese) for some long-desired Asian cuisine.  We spent the rest of the day shopping for hip European apparel, taking advantage of the last week of Rebajas (sales) in Spain. 

A sad goodbye and a few promises to plan future trips later, we were off our separate ways.  I arrived back at my hostel and was greeted by KT.  We packed up, had a great night out and went to bed at a decent hour in order to catch our 11AM bus back to Sevilla, the next morning.

Six hours later, I was back at home sweet Sevilla.  I’m still in the process of unpacking and sorting dirty clothes from reusable ones (laundry is done every two weeks at my homestay).  Though I am still a bit tired from the long bus ride home, I am in trip planning mode again!!!

Next stop on this Globe Trotter’s Itinerary: LISBON, PORTUGAL! (T-Minus TWO Days!)

Life as a Working Woman

Staying on top of my classes, making progress at my internship, planning trips left and right, hopping from one country to the next, and now COOKING Spanish meals…If I didn’t know any better, I’d think I was transforming into Superwoman.

Haha, I joke.

Yet another week has passed here in Sevilla and I’ve accomplished so much.  Tuesday was my first day at Vorsevi, the engineering/consulting firm I’m interning with for the next ten weeks.  It was quite an eventful day (it had to be, I’m dedicating an entire post to it).  So, Monday night began the most random rainstorm Sevilla’s experienced in February.  The rain continued to pour into Tuesday morning. As luck would have it, I was running late getting out of the house…and forgot my umbrella at home. I tried to maintain a brisk walk to the bus stop, but miserably failed as I nearly slipped in my heels. Got to the bus stop okay…but literally five seconds short of making the 8:30AM bus.  So I waited, and continued to get soaked. 8:36AM, finally another route C2 bus showed up and I was on my way to La Isla de Cartuja (aka: Silicon Valley, where my company is located). 

Forty some minutes later, we were on the island, and I got off at the first stop…unfamiliar with the location.  Luckily, LD got off at the same stop and it took us a few seconds to realize we were not where we were supposed to be.  After looking at a map, it became clear to us that we got off two stops earlier than we should have. Oops.

The two of us must have looked ridiculous to anyone watching, as we used our jackets to cover our heads and nice business attire.   After crossing streets named after some of history’s greatest – Leonardo Da Vinci and Marie Curie – I found Sir Issac Newtown and bid LD good luck on her first day. 

Entering into the office, I was greeted by two confused secretaries who stared at my wet appearance (probably thinking…ayyy Americana Loca).  My boss was traveling that day, so a nice co-worker, Leo, introduced me to the team I was working with. I was then taken into the “Jefe Chamber” where the top four BOSSES of the company worked.  As I stuck out my hand to greet the first man, he leaned in for a kiss on the cheek. I hesitated, oops (I STILL haven’t gotten used to the whole kiss on the cheek business yet, I’m getting better I promise). Leo then took me to my desk which had a computer and a cute little notebook ready for me.

The team had breakfast together, I was explained my first assignment and just like that I hit the ground running.  I’m pretty much responsible for analyzing the Latin American market to see if Vorsevi should expand its business in that area. After I’ve deemed Ecuador, Chile, Brazil and Colombia okay for business, I must find projects that Vorsevi can bid on this year. Interesting assignment, I’m learning a lot.

Aside from work and school, I’m trying to immerse myself in the Sevillian culture by taking free Salsa classes and cooking lessons offered through our program.

Toodles until Sunday! I'm off to Madrid for the weekend!

Flowers Die and Candies Make You Fat

My conversation with one of my best friends, VB, reminded me why I never bought into the whole Valentine’s Day nonsense.  As VB puts it, February 14^th is the “Most Useless Holiday Ever”…chocolate makes you fat, the heart doesn’t look like a heart (he’s PreMed, if that didn’t give it away), flowers die in a couple of days and diamonds lead to little kids dying in Africa.

I agree (not so much with the little kids in Africa part).  In its origin, Valentine’s Day (El Dia de San Valentin) was established by Pope Gelasius I, in 496AD, to honor one (or more) Christian martyr, Saint Valentine.  There was never any love or romantic element associated with this day until about the 14^th Century, when people forgot the actual purpose of the holiday.

If you love someone, you don’t need a specific day to tell him/her that you do. Everyday should be Valentine’s Day.  And it shouldn’t only be a day to profess your love to a significant other, but to reiterate your love for parents, siblings, distant relatives, friends, and those who may have been part of your life for a short time for a certain purpose (as shown in the picture below with some of my beloved friends).

So my lovely readers, I leave you with one of my favorite love letters written by Beethoven.  The letter was never addressed to anybody but historians feel he wrote it for a married woman who he loved dearly (to remind the VB’s of the world the meaning of true love).

Though still in bed, my thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved, now and then joyfully, then sadly, waiting to learn whether or not fate will hear us - I can live only wholly with you or not at all.

Yes, I am resolved to wander so long away from you until I can fly to your arms and say that I am really at home with you, and can send my soul enwrapped in you into the land of spirits - Yes, unhappily it must be so - You will be the more contained since you know my fidelity to you.

No one else can ever possess my heart - never - never - Oh God, why must one be parted from one whom one so loves. And yet my life in V is now a wretched life - Your love makes me at once the happiest and the unhappiest of men. At my age I need a steady, quiet life - can that be so in our connection?

My angel, I have just been told that the mailcoach goes every day - therefore I must close at once so that you may receive the letter at once - Be calm, only by a calm consideration of our existence can we achieve our purpose to live together.

Be calm - love me - today - yesterday - what tearful longings for you - you - you - my life - my all - farewell. Oh continue to love me - never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.

Ever thine,
Ever mine,
Ever ours.

Pirates of CÁDIZ: At Europe’s End

Okay, so we weren’t really PIRATES of Cádiz, but yesterday we were at the end of Europe. 

Arguably the oldest, inhabited city in all of Iberia, Cádiz was originally named Gadir (meaning “Wall”) by the Phoenicians.  The CIEE program took us on a day trip to Southern Spain to see this Peninsula.

After some two hours on a coach bus, we were greeted by the warm southern weather and salty smells of the Atlantic Ocean.  Our group kinda lucked out experiencing 65-70 degree weather in mid-February (rare for this time in Spain).  Not only did we explore the city, but we had a chance to TAN on the miles and miles of beaches Cádiz is popularly known for. 

My favorite part of the trip was visiting the local Mercado (market) in the town’s Centro (center; downtown).  Straight out of a scene in a Bollywood movie, el Mercado had stands of fresh fruits, vegetables and fish. (Yes, FISH…check out the pictures below). We also climbed to the top of another Catedral (it’s legit become a weekly workout), admired the decorations being set up for el Carnival de Cádiz (a Carnival/festival held in March that makes Little 5 and Unofficial look like child’s play), and bargained with a few street vendors…just to improve our Spanish.

HI DAD! You would've LOVED this place!

Cádiz is also home to a unique Botanical Garden, full of plant life from all over the world.  A few of us had a great time exploring the greenery (check out more fun pictures).

On the Sleepless en Sevilla front, I had a great night with MF, her intercambio Carmen and some of Carmen’s friends. We had a delicious (and filling) dinner in el Centro with great conversation in Spanish. MF and I suspected one of Carmen’s out-of-town friends was crushing on her best friend, Isabel, as we watched the poor guy make pass after pass to grab the girl’s attention. It’s quite entertaining to watch a guy try so hard! But nonetheless, we were really pulling for Carlos!

Afterwards, the group of us headed over to Calle Betiz (the center of nightlife in Sevilla) for some Flamenco dancing! Though MF and I struggled to keep up with the rest of the gang, it was a very fun experience…taking me back to the days of SHS when Bollywood dancing was part of my daily routine. I miss that constant cultural incorporation and am partaking in FREE Salsa lessons, twice a week, to fill that void.

This awesome weekend is followed by homework and readings for this week’s classes.  BUT only FOUR days stand between me and MADRID next weekend. I can definitely get used to hopping from city to city every weekend! ;)

First Daze of School

Remember that feeling you got, on the first day of high school? Scared, nervous, not knowing what to expect.  Would you make friends, or be an outcast? Would you find all of your classes on time? Would the professor label you as “that kid” without giving you a chance to prove yourself?

You may not admit it, but I’m pretty sure we’ve all gone through the same experience on that first day. Lucky for me, I was able to relive it once again. 

This past Monday, the students in my program began the first day of core classes. Now, you may be thinking, what has she been doing in Spain for the past two weeks? The program is structured in such a way that students MUST take a 10-day intensive Spanish course, to bring them up to speed at the University’s teaching level.  After this three credit class is completed, students start their major classes and attend them until the end of the semester…like any university back home.

Like the other students, I arrived to FCEYE (Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales or the Business School for short) a half hour before my first class.  Not quite sure of where my classroom was I was relieved to see VT, AV and NB, fellow Kelleys.  Coincidentally, we were all in the same class; NB had had a class earlier that morning, so she knew the lay of the land.

European Corporate Organizations – a management class required for graduation at Kelley – was led by Adolfo, a well-dressed and well-spoken Professor, Director and Consultant.  The class itself was very interesting, as we analyzed different styles of management in companies based out of both Spain and the United States.  The best part: the class is centered on movies and documentaries (i.e.: The Godfather) to spur up conversation and debate.

Services management – a requirement for my International Business Major – was taught by a corky old, bald man with a five word name that I can’t seem to remember at the moment. Within the first 30 seconds, he taught us the difference between “Yo comprendo” and “Yo entiendo” (when said by a male).  The first meaning “I understand” and the second “I am gay.”  His jokes quickly resonated with many of the students.  As the class progressed, we found out that this Professor was no ordinary professor, but rather a real big hot shot in the business and academic world.  Monday night, he was to have dinner with the owner of the Betiz Futbol team (if you know anything about Spanish Soccer, you know this is a BIG deal).  He also mentioned his best friend was the Number 1 guy for McDonalds Europe (who will also be speaking to us in class in the near future!!!). AWESOME.

On Mondays, I am in the unfortunate position of running from the business school (more like brisk walking) to the CIEE center, for my internship class (a 30 minute walk that I’m given 25 minutes to complete).  Thank God Stevenson High School prepared me for this very moment.  For four years I had mastered the art of getting from the 2000s in the Old Building to the corners of the 8000s in the New Building.  I was able to get to the center in about 21 minutes, NBD.

Tuesdays and Thursdays I only have ONE class (love my life) from 3-430PM.  On these days, I will be interning with Vorsevi for some five to six hours and then attending class.  International Trade and Finance is equivalent to a Finance 400-level class back at Kelley. DEATH! I was so worried before that class.  But as the universe would have it, it ended up being my favorite class of the bunch.  Professor Jose Luis Jimenez Caballo (I only remember his name because I just received an email from him) came off as "that teacher" (no offense).  Strict posture, stern face and judging demeanor he asked each and every one of us why we chose his class.  I think I hit a note when I said that I was very interested in learning about stocks, the exchanges and hedging, because Professor Cabello’s eyes lit up.  I didn’t know what I had done, but I rolled with it.  The class’s discussion revolved around the current economic crisis and the role of banks.  We even took our first quiz (Finance in Spain = difficult). 

Overall, a great first and second day. I’m sure my future posts won’t be as positive…as the homework starts piling up.

“Those Who Haven’t Seen the Alhambra, Haven’t Seen Anything”

I was able to live out this old Spanish saying this past weekend, in Granada.  Friday, after classes, a few friends and I hopped on a bus and traveled some three hours to see the Alhambra and everything Granada had to offer.

Let’s rewind a bit.

My friends and I chose Granada because we thought it would be an easy “practice run” in preparation for our future trips.  Little did we know that no matter how close or far a location, how expensive or inexpensive, planning a trip required LOTS of work. And I mean A LOT. There was a time, last week, when I began thinking being a travel agent was my full time job. Everything from booking transportation to hostels to activities needed meticulous detailing. Nonetheless, it was an informative crash course in adulthood and traveling.

Back in Granada, CR, AJ and I settled into our hostel at 10PM on Friday night.  We picked an ideal location just seconds away from the Alhambra Palace.  Afterwards, we took a long walk (downhill) in search for a late dinner. On our way up (a very large, steep hill), we noticed how fortunate we were to be lodging right on top of a mountain, overlooking all of Granada.  The lit-up town was beautiful from where we were standing.

 The next morning, our group was reunited for an early morning tour of the Alhambra.  With very few people roaming around the palace at 9:30AM, we pretty much had the palace to ourselves for five solid hours. 

The Alhambra, in all its magnificence was much more of a colossal edifice than we had imagined. Starting off in the Nasrid Palaces, we made our way through the Mexuar, Comares and Palace of the Lions – each built in three different time periods by various Muslim rulers. Next, we explored through one of the oldest parts in the Alhambra, Alcazaba, an area used for military purposes in the 14^th and 15^th centuries.  Here, we climbed up the Round Tower and the Watch Tower (each with calculated heights enhancing the strategic location of the Alhambra) and allowed ourselves to enjoy the breathtaking view.

After making our way through the luscious Generalife (plant life), we headed toward Plaza Nueva, the center of Granada.  Bubbling with life and personality, Plaza Nueva was the nucleus of diversity and artistic creativity.  Displaying handcrafted tile mirrors, carved wooden pieces and intricate jewelry, the stores and people of Granada retold the age old story of how Muslims, Christians and Jews lived in harmony under Muslim Rule. 



HI MOM! This is the closest I got to the Court of the Lions since it was closed for restoration.

Aside from visiting the Alhambra, I had the opportunity to visit the chapel where Queen Isabel and King Fernando are buried, shop in Espana’s most high end stores and enjoy the most delicious FREE tapas (a tradition throughout Granada), all weekend long.