Nestea and the Little Things in Life

First let me explain the title of this post. At home I love iced tea. I drink it when I am out to lunch, I brew it to keep in the fridge at home. I have it late at night and I have it early in the morning. I appreciate a good glass of cold iced tea. Alas imagine my sadness at ordering "te frío" and being told that they only sell lemon Nestea. Every place I have asked. Oh yes Spain seems to only have Nestea (the evil lemon flavor to add insult to injury). No offense to Nestea lovers but I like plain old regular fresh brewed iced tea. In order to give substance to this post lets use that as a metaphor for being in a foreign country (but also I really just want some good iced tea).

All of the usual things you would get at home aren't here, but that just means you get so many more amazing new things. I am constantly surprised at the things my host mom cooks. Nothing is wasted ever. If there is leftovers they are incorporated into the next meal or just set out to finish. There is very little waste here. No dishwasher, just hand washing. Laundry done once a week. Quick showers. One of the girls here has a host family that makes her turn off the water in between shampooing and conditioning her hair. Lucky for me my host family does not ask that, but it goes to show how different it is from America where most people are ecological if they take a 5 minute shower. I am trying to enjoy all these new things. So many of them are exciting and different and wonderful and have been enriching to expand my worldview. But... many of you who know me know I pretty much don't eat seafood because of the flavor. I have been trying a lot of seafood since I have been here, alas I haven't had a change of mind about seafood, although I can see why so many people like it. I have tried not to mention it to my host family so I can try as many things as possible, but I have failed because today my host dad told me, after a lunch of what I can only call a distant cousin to beef chili was totally cleared from my plate, "You like meat and chicken more than fish don't you!" Apparently the small piece of Salmon I ate the night before compared to the beef chili solidified in his mind my eating habits. I confessed that yes, I don't normally eat much seafood (I did not mention the pretty much never ever part of that) but that I wanted to try new things here. He understood and laughed about how they were thinking I was only eating like a little rabbit because I wanted to, not because I didn't like it. The problem is that the seafood is delicious, it just still is fish! I have loved almost all the food here. It is different as far as texture and flavor go, spices are not used very much here. The only thing I have yet to like is Paella, which I think my host mom makes every sunday. Paella if you did not know is a rice and whatever dish. Usually it is rice simmered in something with bits of meat and seafood. (As you may be able to tell, the construction of Paella is still a mystery to me). I have now had Paella twice. Both times it has had rabbit in it which is a very popular meat here. The rabbit itself is not that bad. The flavor is basically if a chicken and a fish were combined that is the flavor of the meat. The problem is the hundreds of tiny little bones. My host mom chops up rabbit chunks and throws them into the Paella, bones and all.  Then there are clams whole which in theory you are supposed to scrape out of the shell (I have been too cowardly to eat them). During my first ever Sunday lunch I was served this dish and halfway through my host dad asked if I knew what meat I was eating. I said no and he cheerily told me it was conejo. I didn't know that particular word so he mimed a hopping bunny with ears. Question answered. The flavor of Paella is amazing, but I am still a little squeamish about the hundreds of tiny rabbit bones and the slimy clams. Next weekend Mike and I are going to Valencia which is supposed to have the best Paella in Spain so I am going to try and order exactly what I want in it, and at that moment I know my mind will be blown. I am a fairly open minded person I promise, just the thought of half a bunny skeleton in my stomach put me off a little bit.

On the other side, there are bars and cafeterías (cafes) on every single corner along with my new favorites pastelerías (pastry shops) and panaderías (bread shops). I get the best of both worlds, to have authentic spanish cooking as well as the experience of people watching at cafés and bars.

A quick word on music. I have been keeping up with the current music (I love country) but mostly I have buried myself into listening to all the songs by Striking Matches. They have just released for pre-order their first album, but there are so many live videos of their amazing music. As a person who loves music down to my soul they are pretty amazing. Master guitar players, songwriters and talented singers each in their own rights.

Here is a little taste of them for any of you who are interested.

https://soundcloud.com/striking-matches
This only has 5 of their songs, 4 from their first EP (all amazing) and one of their singles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN50lgLV9kU
Their song God and You, which almost reduces me to tears due to the harmonies and soulful lyrics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkIN_Rt9hYk
The equally powerful When It's Raining".

It has been a long time since I have been truly consumed by one artist but this up and coming band has captured my heart and I thought I should share.

Now for pictures!

Mike, Nick, Frankie and I at everyones favorite neighborhood bar Austin's

That one time I saved Gabe from a crazy spanish lady

I am still knitting!! Beginning of a cowl for my mom

My view from the tram on the way to class every morning

Today Mike and I have been together for a year and 7 months. It is quite the conundrum of being amazed at how fast time has gone by but at the same time being amazing it has only been that long because it feels so much longer, but thats love isn't it? Doesn't make any sense 90% of the time. 

To celebrate we started at the self advertised, "3rd best gelato in Spain". If gelato was a person, he would give Mike a run for his money, thats for sure. Lucky for him my love affair with ice cream products doesn't impact our relationship (unless he eats the last in the freezer). Stopping by a little mercado we bought a wedge of Brie and some mini toast chips. We then walked to the pier jutting out over the Mediterranean Sea. We sat and talked and ate brie with mini toasts and watched the sun go down. In the middle of talking, fireworks started going off, literally. Out of nowhere fireworks lit up the sky, seemingly just for us as we were the only people on the pier.

An amazing night to celebrate a year and 7 months of bliss. Through all the craziness of life, no matter the circumstance it is important to have someone to enjoy the little things with. A sunset on a pier with a hunk of brie is just as romantic as dinner at an expensive restaurant. 

Love the little things in life my friends, I know I am in this little spanish town on the Mediterranean.