Birthday Week: Cont.

Birthday Week: Cont.
Friday 2/3/12

The Embassy is having a Chili Cook-off for the Superbowl weekend. (mmm, free food) The event is held at the Embassy cafe which is nice cause all I have to do is walk downstairs for dinner.

It's always interesting to see your co-workers outside of work, except I'll still be at work so I'm confused on how to behave. Anyway, we go to the cafe and it's smells delish. "Get in my belly" is what I'm thinking (Guess that movie. Answer within the comments tab at the end of this blog post).

 

Irish pub bartender. Everything comes in cute little bottles (OJ, Coke, Fanta) and you mix your own drink.

Coworkers volunteered to make/enter the cook-off. I would have, but I'm on an "Intern budget". So Elise and I are super hungry and the second the judges finish tasting the chili... we are among the first to destroy the chili. All kinds of flavors, but only so many actually appeal to me. One was chocolate flavored (how does that happen?). Anyway, the Embassy had invited "outsiders" and I met a few from the UK Embassy. Before the cook-off ends, a few of us go out to an Irish pub. We walk out from the Embassy and around the block is a fun little pub. We set-up post at the bar and we are there for HOURS! Topics of discussion are everything from movies, music, men/women differences to cultural differences. My favorite was when we began comparing Spain to England to the US. Fun fact: fanny pack doesn't always mean the same thing. In fact, you should think twice before saying it in England. hahahah The things you learn.

A few of us break from the group and finish up the night with a nice bottle of wine. (I'm now becoming a wine person) It gets late and Elise and I walk home. (It never gets old walking home, at 5am.)

(Picture: David Beckham: There are tons of these posters everywhere. I'm definitely don't complaining. Zach, you know you like this.)

Saturday 2/4/12
Long story short, plans didn't go accordingly. Elise and I take the metro across town and get lost finding a restaurant. We decide to sit at the next place we see and find a little place on the corner. I continue to forget that most restaurants have self seating, but it's kind of nice.

After dinner we meet up with the Marines within Plaza del Sol. We go to some bar and finish the night there. There is no question this bar is popular among Americans. I haven't seen that many Americans in one place since I've been here.

The birthday card my Mama sent me. I Love Her. 

Saturday 2/11/12
I am introduced to some friends of Elise. We're meeting up to go out and really enjoy the night life Spain is known for. They come over around 10ish for copitas before we leave to the discoteca.

We chat up a storm about all kinds of things: culture, music, states,...etc. They're learning English so they speak English to me and I attempt to speak Spanish to them. It's cute when they speak English. :)

First Club

Honky Tonk

We wrap up the night around midnight and head to the bar. We meet up with a few others and stay for a minute before leaving to Honky Tonk. (haha Yes, Honky Tonk. No, it's not a country bar/club.) We get there and the music is super fun! For some reason all the guys at the bar have the exact same look. I'm thinking "Is there a sign that portrays what you have to look like to enter?"

We all find a spot to dance and pile our coats on a bench near us. (Bad idea) I get paranoid that my stuff is going to disappear so I keep checking on my coat. I had placed my coat at the bottom so I could easily access it. After a while I feel good about leaving my stuff (I'm still standing next to it though) and dance my heart out.

Smile anyone? haha

The night comes to an end (only because the club is closing) and the lights come on as everyone is leaving the club. I wait for everyone to grab their coat so I can get my from the bottom of the pile. Well, the bottom of the pile surfaces and my coat is MIA. (WHAT?!) I freak out, because it has my ID, credit card, phone, and house keys. (This WOULD happen) I search high and low. I check the coats on everyone leaving the club. No good. My coat is GONE!! Unbelievable. The boys take me to the police to file a report, then drop us off at my house. This whole time I'm upset, but thinking positively. Why you ask? Well, at the Embassy we hear all kinds of TRUE horror stories of foreigners.
So I think to myself, yeah my stuff is gone, but at least I wasn't drugged waking up a few days later, naked with a finger missing. (See, things aren't that bad.) My only issue is calling my bank to freeze my card, which I did. Good thing I brought a second one.

Process of freezing my card:
1. FB my cousin and have her contact my mom
2. Have my mother skype me
3. Have my mother call my bank while skyping
4. Awkwardly 3 way the phone call in order to freeze my card.

Result: My card can only be used as a debit card. However, to use my card I have to show an ID about 85% of the time...which I don't have.

Learn Learned: Don't leave shiz in your pocket.

Good news is the person who drunkly took my coat is wanting to return it....I have yet to figure out how to do this if it actually happens. Cross your fingers. I really want my coat back if anything.