My Strengthsfinder Results are in & Spot on!

For my Leadership class at the U, we had to read "Now, Discover Your Strengths" by Buckingham & Clifton. After we read the book, we had to take the strengthsfinder test from the Gallup Organization. I was curious to see if this multiple choice test could really tell the person I was - it claimed to be able to identify your top 5 "themes" in a matter of 30 minutes. It's taken me 22 years to figure out who I am and they were claiming they could do it in 30 minutes?! I wasn't a believer. I was shocked by my results - Gallup lived up to it's claims. It was as if this company knew who I was better than I knew myself. My five strongest "themes" - they literally described the exact person I was.

Futuristic - loves to have a vision

• The future fascinates you. It inspires you.
• When the present proves too frustrating and the people around you too pragmatic, you conjure up your visions of the future & they energize you
• Your mind allows you to venture beyond the commonplace, the familiar, or the obvious - you are a dreamer of visions & cherish these visions
• Bringing your ideas to life is an exciting proposition for you - you sense you have the power to transform whatever you think is possible into tangible outcomes
• You enjoy freeing from traditional and creating a new future
• You make your solutions for the future so real and vivid to others they have no choice but to believe you

Focus - loves to reach destination

• You need a clear destination - lacking one will make you frustrated
• Each year, month, and week you set goals which help you determine priorities
• You use "To Do" lists and planners almost daily
• You instinctively evaluate whether or not a particular action will move you toward a goal - those that don't, you ignore
• You are impatient with delays, obstacles, even tangents, no matter how intriguing they are
• Your focus reminds a group that if something is not helping you move toward your destination, it's not important - if it's not important, it's a waste of time

Achiever - loves to be challenged

• Constant need for achievement
• By the end of each day, you need to accomplish something tangible in order to feel good about yourself
• You have an internal fire within you - to do more, to achieve more. After each accomplishment is reached, the fire dies for only a moment before it rekindles and pushes you toward the next achievement
• You enjoy being busy
• Your constant need for achievement may not be logical or focused - but it will always be with you
• It enables you to work on a project for long hours without getting burned out
• It can make you feel as though you've never reached your goal. It can keep you running uphill at 70 miles an hour for your whole life - there's always something more to do

Maximizer - loves strength & excellence

• Transforming something average to superb, although requiring a great deal of effort, is thrilling and rewarding
• You reject using a one-size-fits all approach when influencing people - instead you discover each person's special talents, skills, and strengths
• You are more upbeat when you spend time on your talents rather than your limitations
• You tend to avoid those who want to fix you and make you well rounded. You don't want to spend your life dwelling on the things you lack. You would much rather capitalize on the gifts you are blessed with
• You help people focus on attributes they like about themselves and develop these strengths

Significance - loves to make a difference

• You want to stand out. You want to be heard. You want to be known. You refuse to live a meaningless existence
• You feel the need to be seen as credible, professional, and successful & you want to associate with others who are seen as credible, professional and successful
• You want your work to be a way of life rather than just a job
• You aspire to leadership roles & realize the importance of backing loyal individuals
• Your life is filled with goals, achievements, and qualifications that you crave

It's so me...

• I spend more time thinking "five years from now" than I think about the present.
• I make AT LEAST 2 "To Do" lists every day...and I have 2 different planners
• I hate wasting group discussion time on "small talk." If we aren't working to achieve the ultimate goal, I'll probably cut you off....
• I ALWAYS need to be working on a goal. Once I achieve it, I'm satisfied for maybe an hour before I begin to look for another goal
• My life has always been hectic and busy - I hate not having anything to do or think about...and tend to have way more to do than hours to do them
• I really do avoid people who try to "fix" me!! Sure I may have my flaws and weaknesses, but why focus on them? It's such a downer! I couldn't help but laugh out loud - this is SO true!
• I enjoy transforming things from average to awesome - it's like a game for me....
• Finding out people's talents & strengths intrigues me. It enables me to connect with them on a different level - I know what words to say, what will persuade them, and the best way to get through to people. I hate having "one way" to talk to everyone

Has anyone else taken the strengthsfinder test? What were your top themes? Do you agree or disagree?

The Worst Things About Moving

I feel like I can call myself a "Pro Mover" I move about every 3 months, give or take. Pi Phi closes in the summer which resulted in yet another moving day. I've done this so many times. I swear it's not normal to have a routine down for packing up all your stuff. I moved into an apartment with Yassie....a GHETTO apartment...but it's still an apartment. I'm just counting down the days until we can move back into Pi Phi. I already miss our cook, our house mom, our house boys, and our maid. Living on my own isn't all it's cracked up to be.

I'm getting off track here. Let's cut to the chase....these are the most ANNOYING things about moving from a Pro...

1. The clutter. Why do I have a stuffed panda on my floor? Or this racket? And how long has this POG been here? Why did I think it was a good idea to buy/keep these things? Seriously. They hold no purpose. The clutter is all the junk that's still on your floor after you've packed everything. You don't want to take it....but you feel weird throwing it away. I mean, who wants to throw away a panda stuffed animal? Or a POG you've had since elementary school? That just seems...wrong. So, you end up packing it. The next time you touch/see it is the next move in day....

2. The 32098734985743 papers you find. Then you have to go through every single one and decide if you should keep it, what the heck it's purpose is, and make "piles" (homework, mail, sorority stuff, trash). It's so time consuming you want to rip your hair out. But what if something really important is in the middle of the pile? (it never is) So you sit through it, turn on "Hitch" and work through an hour of papers.

3. Socks. I thought socks only disappeared in the dryer? Yet whenever move in day rolls around, I find socks EVERYWHERE.

4. Hangers. How are you supposed to pack hangers? SERIOUSLY? And how do they take up so much space? I never have enough hangers....so where did ALL these come from? SO.MANY.HANGERS.

5. Stairs. I swear on move in day staircases feel triple their size. Carrying heavy boxes up and down stairs is the WORST. & all I do is repeat the same phrase over and over - "I'm almost there...I'm ALMOST THERE!"

6. Did my car shrink? It always seems so much bigger every other day of the year...

Gym Time: Pet Peeves

Yesterday I was at the gym when I noticed about a bajillion things people were doing that annoyed me. At the gym, the "annoyed" feeling is quite the energy booster. Ever notice how when you're angry you run faster & longer? Well, I experienced that same thing for being annoyed. At least it did SOMETHING good for me. After I left the gym all I could think about was how I absolutely HAD to blog about my gym pet peeves.

So, here it is. My list of things people do at the gym that I cannot STAND!

1. Not wearing a bra. I never noticed before yesterday just how many nipples I literally see at the fieldhouse. First of all, OUCH...I would not want my "goodies" to be bouncing around with nothing holding them down. Second of all, when you're sweaty and have RT, I can't look at your face. All I look at is your chest...and I'm female! Ladies....protect your "goodies" AND my eyes...PLEASE...invest in a sports bra! It is not flattering. Not one bit.

2. Cut-off shirts. Dear boy, I'm sure you're hot lifting all those weights. So hot that you cannot wear a real shirt (I'm SURE that's the reason you're wearing that "shirt" right?...yeah...you're right..of course that's not the reason.) Gosh! Wearing a cut-off shirt just screams "tool" and I cannot take them seriously. These guys remind me of the girls that show up at the gym...hair & make up done, wearing tight spandex and a sports bra...barely jogging on the treadmill so they can look "hot." It's very clear that these girls come to the gym for one reason - to pick up guys. Yes cut-off shirt boy...it is the equivalent (bet you feel like a tool now...eh?). It is especially hilarious when they lift their shirt to "wipe off their sweat". We all know you're trying to show off them abs. And even if your abs DO look good...you lose points for being a tool.

3. Asking to join my rotation. Seriously? You can't wait 5 minutes for me to finish my last rep on the power tower? This is extremely annoying when you're using a machine that adjusts for height and low and behold some 6'3" guy wants to join the rotation. Waiting would save us both some time, Mr. Tall.

4. Introducing yourself in the middle of my weight lifting routine. "So what year are you?" "(deep breath) I'm a...(deep breath) (lifting of weight) junior. What (deep breath)(lifting weight) about you (deep breath)?" Not cool. I don't care about the questions you are asking me. All I'm thinking about is how I'm going to get this 20 weight up and finish my rep! Can a person look ANY busier?

There are the obvious things that annoy me -taking too long on the treadmill, wearing 10 sweatshirts and 2 pairs of sweatpants to sweat more, guys who obviously cannot lift the amount of weight they are trying too, not wiping down the machine, etc.

I feel like everything in this post are things that should be common sense. Right?

The Dating Game: Types of Guys

The dating game...something we can ALL relate to. College is the greatest dating scene of all time...mainly because there are single males everywhere you look. Now, I've been the single girl for awhile...aren't you proud? In "Ending the Cycle" I described breaking the cycle of ALWAYS having a boyfriend. & here I am! Sure, I've met boys here and there but the inevitable always drives me away: I get bored. I don't know why this happens. But, it does. Perhaps my expectations are too high, but after 6 years of dating, I think they should be. I just need to find the type of guy that is for ME. It's not that I've stuck to one type of boy either. I've dabbled in all types, which is why I decided to put my experiences on paper (or on post rather)...

The Frat Boy:

Let me make a confession- I don't know one single person who I hang out on the regular who isn't Greek. Which in turn means, I've dated my fair share of frat boys.

Pros:

The Frat Boy knows how to have a good time and dull moments will be rare

All his friends are your friends

Double the formals & Date-nights

Frat parties are pretty fun.. especially if you have a fratslam

They love to be Greek just as much as I do & understand Greek Life

Cons:

Boys. That's exactly what they are. Men? Not even close

They believe they deserve more than one woman at all times (Dear Frat Boy, you're cool, but you aren't THAT freakin' cool)

Dates consist of hanging with his bros (can I call that a date?)

Their life revolves around three things: themselves, parties, their "bros"

The Hippie:

I wish I understood my attraction to hippie guys. Perhaps it's the way they go with the flow? For whatever reason, I have had my fair share of hippie phases (which my dad absolutely HATED)

Pros:

Great music, concerts, and dinner dates

Fights? Never. A hippie guy doesn't want to fight. It's all about the love.

All the hippies I have dated shower me with compliments...all.the.time.

Cons:

Those dreds have to go (ugh.)

The ponchos need to go also (if the hippie had a fashion sense, I'd be all over that)

So.Many.DRUGS. (seriously? Can you be sober for like....ten seconds?)

The Mormon:

The University of Utah has three types of guys: RMs (50%), Married (35%), Other (15%)...which means...the Mormon guy is EVERYWHERE...

Pros:

They won't be dating a million girls...only you (cough...frat boy)

These boys are so sweet & nice

Many are Returned Missionaries..which means they have learned to live on their own & have tons of stories to tell

The best kind to take home to mom!

Cons:

Three months and you want to talk marriage? (See ya later...)

If I hear ONE more mission story....(10 stories in 30 minutes is a BIT much)

Favorite topic: The future!

The questions they ask on the first date: "how many kids do you want?" "where do you see yourself in 5 years?" "Why did you and your last bf break up?" (SERIOUSLY?)

They are pretty behind in their education (they did serve a mission for 2 years)

The Athlete:

I'm a sucker for a good bod and a passion for working out. Who isn't?

Pros:

Did I mention their amazing bodies?

Active fun dates: running, batting cages, soccer, going to the gym

They aren't texting you every second of everyday (hello..they have practice, games, & working out to do)

Watching your man play a professional sport? HOT.AS.HELL.

Cons:

The Athlete is gone A LOT during the season (although I would count this as a pro as well...)

Groupies? MANY.

He expects you to understand the game, rules, standings, etc. (No...I didn't see the game. Gossip Girl was on...sorry!)

Location. They move around a lot which means you aren't driving distance away (again, I could use this as a pro)

You won't be his top priority. (yet, this passion for the game is a turn on for me...)

The Law/Med School Student:

I've only dated two of these in my life...so this description may not be accurate. I'll go from personal experience..

Pro:

He's smart which means he has a bright future

Need help with your homework? BINGO

He doesn't have too much time, so when he does it makes it count (awesome dates/conversation)

Cons:

Busy, Busy, Busy

Some of these guys think they are smarter than you...hey I don't care what salt is made of?! k?

They are stressed out a lot

The guys I have dated lack humor (DEAL BREAKER)

The Older Guy:

I've only dated one guy younger than me (he was a hippie...sigh) other than that I date guys older than me. I dated one guy 13 years older than me (I was 18, he was 30), which even now I cannot believe I did. Since John (name has been changed) I've dated a few guys 5-10 years older than me. But I'm a huge fan. Here's why...

Pros:

This guy has an established career, home, etc. and knows what he wants in life.

BEST DATES EVER (I'm not even kidding. This guy knows where to take you to have a good time)

The conversation is intelligent, interesting, and REAL (the other guys have yet to develop this quality)

They are gentlemen (generous, courteous, caring...heck they even open doors!) Chivalry is not dead for this type

Cons:

When you were in middle school...he was in college...weird (I just don't think about it)

The generation gap can get you a bit (What do you mean you don't know what Twitter is?)

They get serious pretty fast (Not as bad as the Mormon Guy however..)

You may feel a bit unsuccessful compared to them (hello! you are!) which can be a bit disheartening (I'm used to being way more successful than the boys I date)

The Metro Guy:

He takes 30 minutes longer than you to get ready. And those shoes? Fabulous! I don't have too many Pros about this type...but I'll try to squeeze some out...

Pros:

Their sense of humor is pretty girly also (which is fun because it's like that of your girlfrineds!)

Shopping with the boyfriend just got a whole lot better!

Cons:

Seriously...your outfit is better than mine. Ew.

I don't even pluck my eyebrows....and he does.....

I like manly men. I hate feeling like I'm dating a chick

Tanning (SERIOUSLY?) tanning???

You can't wear sweats with no make-up when you run to the store with him. When is it ever okay for the guy to look better than me? NEVER.

Please see description above in picture!!! (hahahaha)

What I've learned from these many, many failed "relationships" is that my perfect guy is a bit of all of the above (okay the metro can be thrown out. I like my men manly....). Thank goodness I have many years to continue the search (Hey! I'm only 21!!)

What do you think? I know I missed a few...fill me in!

I'm Craving a NeuroBliss

Spring break is only two months away. Which means what? I’m a regular at the gym again. I wish it didn’t take a future Cabo trip to motivate me…but…it does. Hey, at least something is motivating me…right? I finished my cardio and weight lifting routine (in my brand new pink Nikes...Thank you mom!) and was heading home when a friend of mine gave me a new drink to try. I hadn’t heard of it and was a bit hesitant (I’m a very picky eater…and drinker). Then I looked at the bottle. It was called NeuroBliss and it said "happiness in every bottle." Who wouldn't want to try it? Seriously....how great is that tagline? I was genuinely surprised. And well…turns out I’m instantly addicted. With only 35 Calories, this drink is wonderfulness in my mouth. NeuroBliss is all NATURAL (swimsuit season..remember?) and enhances your mood, reduces stress, and helps the immune system. Since I'm basically always stressed...I feel like this drink is PERFECT for me. I feel the urge to drink it at every occasion...in my 3 hour International Management class (don't even get me started on how boring that class is..), at work, after the gym...basically I crave it always. Bye-Bye Diet Coke addiction...HELLO Neuro!

Apparently Neuro has a variety of different types that help you in different ways. My sorority sister (honestly..did you think I could write a post without including my sorority in some way? Haha..) Kiley SWEARS by the NeuroSleep. She claims she cannot sleep without drinking one. I was drinking a NeruoBliss at Pi Phi last night (I told you I’m addicted..) and I was talking to Yassie about this..

“Kiley says she can’t sleep without a NeuroSleep. I don’t know if I believe that” –me

“No it totally works. Christian has trouble sleeping and I gave him one and he was out within 30 minutes.” –Yassie

I guess I can be grateful for trying something new. Turns out I’m a fan. A huge fan. I actually haven’t gone a day without one. Not only do I LOVE the taste…but I LOVE the fact that it’s only 35 calories (again, remember how close swimsuit season is?) I also like the fact that it helps the immune system. The way Utah has been lately (TONS OF SNOW) I could use all the immune boosting I can get.

I'm determined to try every flavor. I'll keep you posted. But I doubt any of them will beat Bliss...

Thanksgiving Dinner at Hard Rock. Madrid: Day Four

Since we got back so late (or early?) the next morning. I slept in until 1PM. Jessica had class at 2PM so I showered and left after she did. I tried to take the metro but couldn't fine the right entrance so I opted for a taxi (so much for saving the extra euros). I just figured it was worth it in the end. There was no way I was wasting my day wondering around metro stations trying to figure out how to get around.

Jessica had told me that I should spend my day at Parque del Retiro-an enormous park in the middle of the city. She assured me that I would spend hours walking around, taking it all in. The park was made for the royal family-but now could be enjoyed by us common folk.

I hailed a taxi and showed him on the map where I wanted to go. This taxi driver was by far my favorite. He didn't speak any English but tried so hard to communicate with me. Another taxi driver cut him off and he made vomiting sounds and pointed at the car. It was really hilarious. He used all sorts of made up sign language to communicate with me. Telling me which cars were expensive, cheap, etc. Overall it was the most enjoyable ride I've had in Europe.

I got out of the cab and entered the park. IT.WAS.BREATHTAKING. Right when you walk in you know more beauty is to follow. The park was SO green & beautiful. Which was a bit odd, remember how I told you there is no greenery in Madrid? Boy, was I wrong! I was just looking in all the wrong places.

It was the largest park I have ever seen. In the middle is a small lake/pond/body of water that people rent row boats on and circle. Overlooking that are stars and statues and gorgeous greenery. It looked so romantic-the small row boats. How fun would it be to take a boyf there?

I asked an older lady to take a picture of me in front of the statues that overlook the lake. I always was careful to ask to take pictures of me. Jessica had warned me of the many pick pocket-ers and I was not about to get my camera stolen. After she took the picture, I looked to see how it turned out....this is what it was...

So I decided to ask another person. Take two worked a little better (haha!)

I strolled the park for a good three hours. It was very difficult to leave. There was so much to look at-and I didn't even cover all of the park. There were people running, walking, eating, etc. It was very relaxing. I sat down at one of the small cafes and ordered a Sprite. It was a great time to watch nature and ponder my life.

As I was leaving the park I saw an entrance to a garden. I had never seen anything so colorful and green. there were gorgeous roses of all colors and fountains. To the left, a couple was getting married. What a gorgeous place for a wedding! Spanish wedding dresses are GORGEOUS and this bride had an amazing one. I didn't know the couple, but I couldn't help but be extremely happy for them.

I left the park and hailed a taxi to Plaza Mayor. I wanted to visit it once more before I left for France the next day. I wondered around the plaza, shopping and enjoying the view of Madrid. I found it funny that so many people approached me today speaking Spanish. I would tell them "I have no idea what you're saying" and some of them would just speak slower. This happened like 3 times today. No, just because you speak slower doesn't mean I can understand you! The Christmas market was being set up at Plaza Mayor and I was delighted to look around. I LOVE Christmas!

We were having Thanksgiving dinner at the Hard Rock cafe (they don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Spain...obviously. Hard Rock, however, had a Thanksgiving dinner for all the Americans) at 10PM. I was a bit hungry and decided to stop off at McDonalds (I'm SO American) for some fries to tie me over until dinner.

After eating I walked to Sol Plaza and met Jessica. We were told that dinner would be moved up to 8PM (dangit! Why did I eat those fries?)

We went back to the house and got ready for dinner. We were going with Jessica's roommates and some other college friends. There were 11 of us. For dinner they served us turkey, mashed potatos, broccoli, cranberry sauce, apple crisp...the works! It was the best dinner ever! I am so happy that we decided to do the whole Thanksgiving dinner thing. Me and Jessica had debated going, but after dinner we couldn't stop talking about how delicious it was. It truly did feel like Thanksgiving.

I called my mom and dad and wished them both a Happy Thanksgiving. It was good to hear from them!

Afterward we went back to Jessica's house and got ready to go out for the night.

Art Museums, Cathedrals, and Jason Derulo? Madrid: Day Three

I've had a cold and sore throat since Thursday. I figured this little virus would be gone by now...no such luck. So I slept in today until 1PM. It felt good to get extra sleep. I wondered into Jessica's room where she was doing homework and we planned out what I would do while she was in school.

I decided to save money and take the Metro instead of paying for taxis. I was a bit hesitant to do this, but since we leave for Paris on Friday it is a necessity. Jessica had class at 2:30 so we walked to the Metro together. She was going one way and I had to go the other. We said our goodbyes and I boarded the Metro. Jessica had written down three musums I should see. She gave me her "10 Best of Madrid" tourist book and written instructions. All three musums are on the same street, so I wasn't nervous about finding them.

I should have been.

I got off the Metro and tried to read the map that was located inside the book Jessica had given me. I just need to interject here...I speak NO Spanish and I am directionally challanged. I STILL use a GPS when I go back home to Colorado...I use one in Utah too. I just can never seem to find my way around...no matter how many times I've been somewhere. Okay, back to the story. So I start walking in one direction, thinking one plaza was another and that I was going the right way. After walking for about ten minutes, I realize I'm lost. So I head back to where I came from. Then, I second guess myself...maybe I was going the right way and just hadn't walked far enough. So I turn around and go back. I think I passed the same group of people about 5 times. I was the ultimate tourist. I was looking down at my map and at all the street signs with a camera in my hand...looking SO confused. (later that night I reenacted it for Jessica so she could snap a pic)

Long, long, LONG story short, I found the street the museum was on thirty minutes later. I took a picture just because I was so happy to find it! Don't think that just because I found the street means I found the museum I was looking for...that took another thirty minutes. But, eventually, I made it to the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. Thank freakin' goodness! Although, I must admit, I didn't mind getting lost in the slightest. The buildings are all so breathtaking and there is always something to see. Walking along Madrid is an experience in itself.

I didn't really know what to expect at this museum. The museums that I have been to prior to this all had historical objects and such. When I entered I realized the entire building was filled with artwork. I have never been to an art museum. I saw paintings from the 13th centery and famous painters like Raphael, Van Gogh, Picasso, and Rembrant. I spent two hours looking at the 1,000 paintings housed in the museum. It was an experience. I can hardly believe some of the art I saw. The paintings looked so real and vivid. Some of my favorite pieces were the pictures that showed bible stores, like David and Goliath, etc. The paintings were beautiful and it was interesting to see how the artists interprated the stories. I must say, there are SO many paintings of naked women. It's weird too-the girls will have clothes on but randomly a boob will just be showing...typical male painters?

I left the museum and headed down the street to find something to eat. I grabbed chips and a Sprite (such a great lunch..eh?) I got a call from Jessica. She was finished with class and wanted me to meet her at the Metro so we could go see an old Egyptian church. I was so impressed with myself, I walked straight to the Metro! I didn't even get lost once!!

As I waited for Jessica to arrive, I got approached by three or four different groups of people who were asking me questions in Spanish. I was so confused, I was dressed so American and looked like such a tourist, why would they think to ask me? I would simply shrug my shoulders and say "English" haha.

Jessica finally found me, but it was too late to go to the Egyptian church since it was closing twenty minutes later. We wondered to another musem, The Museo del Prado. Jessica had raved about the famous museum and the gorgeous paintings and tapastrys that it contains. We went intside and walked around. There were gorgeous paintings and we tried to locate all the masterpieces. We walked into the part of the museum that was all statues, which were gorgeous. It was my favorite! Jessica and I are not as cultured as we should be and instead of admiring the gorgeous artwork, we started to rank the statues by hottness. Some of those statues certinatly put real men to shame! haha. It was fun and interesting.

Jessica had been talking endlessly about a cathedral I didn't see when I went to the Palacio Real (it's directly accross the street) and we decided to take the Metro to see it. On our way to the Metro we passed a McDonalds. Being the true Americans that we are, we decided to go in and get some french fries. Jessica hadn't even been to McDonalds since she's lived here! Jessica said, "These are the best fries I've ever had...ever" After four months I'm sure I wouldn't remember the deliciousness of the food either. I'm glad I reminded her of the taste of America.

We got on the Metro and walked to the Almudena Cathedral. I cannot express the beauty that I saw when I entered the building. I had never in my life seen a building that marvelous. The enormous pillers, the stained glass, the high ceilings. Describing it doesn't give it justice nor could any photo. My jaw literally dropped when we entered. You can't use flash inside a cathedral, pictures are a bit blurry-so I took a video! I'll post it on YouTube one of these days.

After spending twenty minutes admiring the divine beauty, we headed home on the Metro. It was dinner time! Jessica's host mother made us salad, paella, and ice cream. Paella is a Spanish rice dish that is absolutely AMAZING! I'm a fan.

Jessica and I made our itinerary for paris (we will only be there Friday night-Monday morning) so we could see as much as we could and have a firm plan. I am SO excited! Afterward we got ready to go out. Spain has an incredible night life. People don't go out until around midnight-which is so odd! We decided to go to a club called Orange. It was "hippy flippy" night and if you dressed up you got in for free. Any excuse to dress up is fine by us, so we raided Jessica's closet and transformed ourselves into hippies.

It was rumored that Jason Derulo would be there, so we tried to look our best. We headed to the club on the Metro and stood in line. We got to Orange at 12:30. As we were waiting in line, who passes us? JASON DERULO. I didn't even say anything. I simply hit Jessica and let out an awkward sigh/exhale. Jason Derulo had just passed us.

We got into the club and a guy Jessica knew invited us into VIP. Twenty minutes later...who appears in VIP? Jason Derulo. VIP was filled with girls and as soon as he sat at his table they began swarming to him. We stayed in the back and just talked. About ten minutes later the swarm of girls had dwindled and we decided to go up and start talking to him. Jessica, Stephanie (her friend), and I talked to him for about 15 minutes. He told us he was off to another country in the morning.

"So, you just get to fly around the world and hang out?" I asked.

"You think that's what my life is like?"

"I would like to think so."

"I get up at 8am and do interviews until 9PM or 10PM"

I admit, not even I wake up at 8AM. But, sorry Jason Derulo, I still don't feel bad for you. haha. It was interesting to talk to him. People all over the club were snapping photos of him. I'm pretty sure that my face is in a bunch of random people's cameras...

It was awesome to meet an American celebrity in Spain! So random!! He doesn't speak any Spanish either and we talked about the whole not understanding anyone thing. It's seriously the worst thing EVER! Jessica and I got bored of standing there talking and decided to leave and go dance..which was so much fun! Jessica and I always have the BEST time when we go out. The night was fantastic. We got home at 4:30AM...4:30AM!! Madrid night life is insane. When does anyone ever sleep? It was only a Wednesday night!

My feet are absolutely killing me from all the walking I've done. People here walk EVERYWHERE. I'm guessing that is why everyone is so dang skinny. I literally have not seen one person who is overweight.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Jessica and I are joining some of her college friends and going to Hard Rock for a Thanksgiving meal. I am a bit sad I won't be with my family, but I am here with Jessica-who is just like family to me :)

I understand the music....Britney Spears? Madrid: Day Two

Today went by so fast I can hardly believe it. Jessica had class this morning until noon so I slept in, took a shower, and got ready. When she got back we went to a small resturant and split a sandwhich, which was delicious.

Our plan was to shop and sight-see a few churchs Jessica had to see for her class to write a paper. Luckily Jessica is just as obsessed with shopping as I am and we spent hours wondering the streets of Madrid stopping in all the cute shops. Shopping in Madrid is insane. There are stores EVERYWHERE and more resturants than I could ever count. I have NO idea how they all stay in business. Isn't the competition tough?

We tried on clothes, bought clothes, and browsed through dozens of stores. The shopping is absolutely fabulous. (I would be 100% broke if I lived in Madrid...that is a fact!!) It's funny-in every store they blast American Pop Music-Britney Spears, Avril Lavinge, Black Eyed Pea, Rap-even some Jack Johnson. Every single store played English music. Since I've been here I haven't even heard Spanish music. I literally have no idea what it sounds like. I decided that next time I need to ask someone a question (and I obviously can't say it in Spanish) I just need to think of an American song that has the words. Like, if I want more of something, I'll simply start singing Brittany Spears' "gimme more" Perhaps then they will understand me.

It's absolutely hilarious when they have signs translated from Spanish to English. One sign in the store said "50% The last one will be the cheapest" which I think was supposed to mean that you buy one item and you get the second (cheaper) item for 50% off. Another sign said "Please, take care of your things. Thank you" I have no idea what that was supposed to mean...perhaps don't leave your items unattended? It's really funny! So many of the T-shirts sold here have American sayings on them...there are no shirts with Spanish words or sayings...only English. And usually they make zero sense...They just say "happy" or "funny" so random. And some fashions are absolutely ridiculous. Things that would NEVER sell in the states...like these coats (Only 14 Euros!)

We stopped and toured inside the Basiilica Pontificia De San Miguel chapel. WOW! I have never seen a church so beautiful. The stained glass, statues, and paintings are absolutely amazing. Cathedrals are all over Madrid...and every single one is decorated more incredible than the last one.

Jessica needed to see another chapel (which I can't remember the name of) so we walked down the street to find it. When we got to the cross roads, we asked some police where the chapel was. They had never heard of it. One policeman took out his iPhone and searched it...turns out we were right infront of it. We pushed the door open and walked inside. It was by far the creepiest moment I've had in Madrid (and I was here alone..with no friends, phone, or language translator). The church was empty and dark. I thought at any moment someone would jump out and scare us. There were statues of the Virgin Mary and random paintings but the church seemed to be completely deserted. Every other enternce door we tried was locked. Too bad for Jess-we couldn't even tour the chapel she had to write about for her paper. Good thing the internet exists so she can research it there.

Remember how I wrote that during my flight I thought Spain had so much open land and greenery? The exact opposite is true for Madrid. Buildings are EVERYWHERE and they are so close together. The streets are extremely narrow...I highly doubt a bus or semi could get through most of them. There are no patches of grass and there are very little trees. The entire city is cemete, rocks, and buildings. Although, I must say, the sight is far more beautiful than any greenery. The architecture is mind blowing.

We went to the Plaza Mayor, a plaza completely surrounded by buildings built in the 17th century. We sat down and had a quick snack and talked about how surreal it was that we were both in Spain. All around the plaza were artists painting beautiful paintings of Spain, Spanish dancers, and bull fights. It was fun to watch them and sift through all the gorgeous artwork.

Jessica had talked about seeing the oldest restaurant in the world, Botin Mediterranean, which started in 1725. We traveled down the street to find it. The restaurant was a cute little thing. We entered and got to take a tour of the bottom level. Inside they showed us where the oldest oven in the world was. INSANE! They even had a certificate from the Gennis Book of World Records stating it was the oldest restaurant in the world.

We continued shopping and walking around. I swear we walked more than 8 miles today. Luckily I wore comfortable boots! Jessica wanted to take me to another resturant before we headed home but couldn't remember the name. We walked up to a group of police and she asked about it. The first guy didn't know the answer so he asked his partner. When his partner didn't know the answer he asked another policeman. That guy didn't know what Jessica was talking about either, so they got on the police radio and asked the entire force! They kept saying to Jessica (in Spanish of course) "we're the best police...aren't we? We'll get you directions!" haha. So nice! We ended up finding the resturant...and it was closed. such luck.

There are two odd things about Madrid that I am going to rant about for a moment. First of all, EVERYONE smokes. The young, the old, the rich, the poor. Absolutely everyone. They also smoke everywhere they go! On the streets-even in the restaurants. We were talking to one waiter and he said that people can no longer smoke inside starting January1st (too bad both me and Jessica will be gone). But seriously, everywhere you go you are surrounded by smoke. It's a bit annoying when you are trying to finish a meal and someone is smoking at the table next to you. They don't have "smoking" and "non-smoking" sections either. ew. The other thing...Madrid is obsessed with ham. I'm not talking about the type you find in a deli..sliced and packaged...they hang their ham. There are just ham legs EVERYWHERE. it is absolutely disgusting. I am deeply scared from seeing ham being hung all over. We were having a snack at one small restaurant and surrounding us were ham legs! Over dinner one of Jessica's roomates told us that the reason they started doing it was to annoy/offend the Jews. That is such a Spanish thing to do. GROSS! I told Jessica I wouldn't be having ham this entire trip. How is that sanitary? The meat is just like...hanging there!

We walked back to the apartment and the house mother cooked soup, meatballs, and potatos, and Flann. It was another delicious dinner. I do feel a bit odd though, they have the entire dinner conversation in Spanish. I am left sitting and wondering what the heck is going on.

After dinner Jessica and I decided to walk around. It was another gorgeous night in Madrid. It's true that this city comes alive at night. There are so many people EVERYWHERE. If you've ever been to Canal Street in NYC...you know what I'm talking about. People shoulder to shoulder walking the streets after 8PM. It's so much fun! I have no idea how I'm ever going to leave here.