Food!

As I look back at photos from my family´s visit, I love seeing how many of them include food! One of my most favorite things about living in Spain has been the food - from tapas to pinchos to fresh produce, it´s amazing! Although many dishes include similar ingredients, they are still so different. Here are some of my favorites from the past few weeks . . .

Calçots - so much fun to eat and so delicious! The prime season for them is December-February. I recommend Llar de Foc in Gracia for these.

Patrick was a fan of the calçots!

Prawns - can´t eat them, but wish I could!


Mom, Mark, Heather, Mike, and I took a class with Papa Serra. He took us to some great vendors in the Boqueria, then helped us prepare a great Spanish lunch.
These were some of favorite dishes of that meal:

Cheese, jamon, tomatoes, and bread - a perfect breakfast or snack!

Olives - so many different varieties and flavors!

Romesco Sauce - so delicious, whether it´s with calçots or chicken and potatoes!

And last, but not least, pinchos. Such a nice change from tapas at times, especially because you can pick your own and try lots of different types. Love them!

Pinchos

Best.Family.Ever

New Year´s Eve

After months of planning, ten days of many laughs, great meals, and lots of memories, it´s hard to believe that the Killion Family Vacation to Barcelona is coming to an end! Everyone except Mike and Sarah are on their way back home and I have to admit, I´m feeling pretty sad about it.

As it often happens, after anticipating something for sooooo long, it can be a little depressing once it´s over! I feel so lucky that Mike and Sarah are still here - it will be great to spend more time with them and I think if I were alone after spending almost every day of the the past ten days with eight people, I´d be really sad!

As expected, this vacation could not have been better. We all had SO much fun together - whether eating, drinking, sightseeing, walking, or just hanging out together. For many, this was the first trip to a place outside of North America. I was so impressed with everyone´s positive attitude and willingness to do and try anything. I had wondered if my nephews (being ages 14 and 16) would get bored without some of the luxuries they´re used to, but they amazed me! I didn´t hear a single complaint; instead, it was just a lot of "wow, that´s awesome!" And I think if Andrew could have stayed longer, he would have :)

Andrew trying pulpo - it´s clear what Patrick thought about it!

I´ve always realized what an amazing family I have, but this trip really reinforced it. I feel so lucky to be surrounded by people who love me so much and made the choice to give up traditions, spend a significant amount of money, and do something out the ordinary for the holidays this year. Without a doubt, I really do have the best family ever. Love you guys!

Team Killion :)

Holiday Fiesta!

During the holidays at ASB, traditionally, each staff member gets a lote - a box filled with wine, cava, and turron. It´s a fantastic gift! However, this year we had a holiday party instead. And it was amazing! There were about 80 people who came, ranging from teachers to administration to kitchen staff to security guards. Pica-pica and an open bar meant everyone was having a good time. :) I was quickly reminded just how much I enjoy the people I work with and how much I love Spanish culture. Everyone is just so affectionate - giving dos besos, putting an arm around your shoulders, etc. I love this - it´s so different than American culture.

The dance party started early - Gangnam style, salsa, and dance-offs were happening everywhere. It was just so fun to see everyone dressed up a bit and having fun together. I´ll take a holiday party over a gift any day!

THE Topic of Conversation

Although I´ve quickly learned that there are many differences between international teaching and teaching in the states, the biggest difference I´ve noticed these days is a very specific topic of conversation -- So, what are you doing next year?

In the states, because (in my opinion) stability is highly valued - owning a home, a consistent job, having a family - people don´t tend to move around too often, unless they have to. So, conversations about changing jobs, especially in teaching, didn´t seem to occur all that often, unless it was for a change in position.

The world of international teaching is completely different! At this time of year, the conversation consistently centers around plans for next year (and it´s only November!). People are constantly asking if you´re staying or going, where you might go, when you´ll decide, etc. It´s crazy! Many people clearly know if they want to stay or if they want to go due to needing a change, more money, or just not enjoying where they are. But many people are in limbo, too.

This topic of conversation has again reminded me of my love/hate relationship with change. I love new experiences and the changes they can bring and I think change is essential and positive most of the time. But I also hate having to think about it! It gives me such an unsettled feeling.

I know I´m staying in Barcelona - at this point in time, I still love the city and have no desire to be anywhere else. (Of course it would be nicer to make a bit more money, live in a country with a strong economy, and feel like I´m living more in Spain than Catalunya, but . . . for the time being, all of that is not enough reason to move - yet. :) As I listen to others discuss what to do, I feel like maybe there´s some change I need to make that I´m not aware of! I start to feel unsettled and unsure - even though I AM really sure about my choice.

As I realized a few weeks ago, I think I need to make some changes so that I can personally feel more settled. Hopefully it´s as simple as finding a new apartment that´s a better fit and buying some things that make me feel more at home. It´s silly, but I think my own set of dishes, a new coffee pot, and the "wall of pictures" I´ve been envisioning might be all it takes to give me that feeling!

I know these conversations will continue to occur - it seems this is just the way things are in the international world of teaching. And sometimes, it makes me miss the stability of "home." Hopefully everyone will start to find their answers soon - for their sake and mine :)

A Year of Travel

It´s hard to believe 2012 is coming to a close - how quickly the year goes! This year has been full of so many amazing moments and memories - it would take ages to list them all! So, I´ve decided to highlight travel.

Without a doubt, this year has included travel to more countries than ever before - England, Ireland, Croatia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Italy, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Sweden, and Hungary, plus small weekend trips around Spain. Wow! I feel so lucky that I´m living in a place that makes it so easy to hop from one country to another AND that I can afford to do so AND that I have friends who love to travel just as much as I do.

When heading to the airport this weekend for our trip to Budapest, I was again surprised by just how excited I still get about traveling! I love the idea of seeing a new place, experiencing something different,trying new foods, researching, and planning. There´s something about walking off the air plane, knowing I´m about to experience something new that I just can´t get enough of. (However, I would happily skip the waiting and airport lines :)

The excitement I felt yet again this weekend proved to be another reminder that I´m making the right choices for me right now.  2013 promises to be full of even more adventure, including Carnival in Rio and hiking part of the Camino de Santiago with my parents. And my travel wish list just keeps growing . . .

Tessa and I in front of Parliament

Fall Nostalgia

Although it's gotten better in the last week or two, I have to admit that I've been more nostalgic for "home" this fall than ever before. I don't know if it was because the weather in Barcelona took ages to change (and it's still not that cold!) or all the posts I saw on Facebook related to pumpkin-flavored things, football, and cold weather. Either way, I felt myself missing things I haven't really missed the past few years:

• big pots of coffee in the morning
• pumpkin bread
• chai tea lattes
• pumpkin decorations
• tailgating
• frosty air

Such little things, but I loved them so much! Luckily the holiday lights have been put up in Barcelona, just waiting to be lit. The weather is cooler and a friend is hosting a traditional Thanksgiving this weekend - hopefully enjoying stuffing, potatoes, corn bread, and more will kick these last few bits of melancholy :)

Sweden

As usual, when the school year picks up, my blogging slows down! I'd been meaning to share a little about our trip to Stockholm earlier, but better late than never, right?

I'm not entirely sure why, but Scandinavia has been high on my list of places to visit since moving to Europe. Maybe it was The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series or the actor Alexander Skarsgard, regardless, I've wanted to see what Sweden was all about for quite awhile. I'm happy to say that it didn't disappoint!

I love any place that's full of trees and green space (reminds me of Colorado) and when there's water everywhere, it's even better! Sweden consists of more than 100,000 islands and 300,000 bodies of water - wow! Needless to say, the scenery is stunning. Tessa and I took a boat tour through the archipelago and it was definitely one of the highlights for me. The air was crisp and fresh, the sun shining, and the trees changing. It couldn't have been more beautiful.

The old town was gorgeous - old stone streets, colorful buildings, and lots of people. I loved it! The fact that you walk cross bridges to each part of town was equally great. The people were tall and beautiful, although often serious and dressed in black. (Again, just like what I imagined!)

The only downside of Sweden, as expected, was that it was expensive. Considering a beer in Spain costs an average of 2 euros, Sweden was the other extreme - most beers were 8-10! A few days there was about all our wallets could handle.

It was so great to visit a place that was only 3 hours away, yet so, so different than where I live. This is why I love Europe! I'm headed to Budapest next week - a city I expect to be just as different. Can't wait!