i am such a mess right now.
i can't believe it is the last day.
i am running around doing a million errands,
when all i want to do is stop time.
look out s.t.p. -
ima comin.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Sunday, May 31, 2009
come and goes (in waves)
well. i am currently in the process of studying for exams, writing final papers, showing my mom around malta, packing up my life, and saying goodbye to friends. there are far too many things going on, but i am enjoying every second (while, besides the studying part). i am so excited to be done with school here, and to come back to everyone in the states! but letting go of malta is definitely going to be a challenge. it's been really nice having candy here because it makes me re-see malta with her, as she experiences it for the first time. i hate that we can get so accustomed to seeing things that they are no longer beautiful. **my profound thought for the day** and now, i must go fill my brain with doric temples and commemorative relief sculptures for my classical art & archaeology exam on tuesday (i told you my life doesn't make sense here...). i miss you all and can't wait to be together again! xoxox, claire
Friday, May 22, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Rhyme for the Summertime
hi everyone! i'm sorry that last blog didn't give much information. things here are getting busier and busier, and i'm having a hard time coming up with blog topics! anyway, i have uploaded some pics from the aforementioned activities.
cliff jumping on the island of comino
scuba diving in the pool
banana boating in golden bay
this past weekend, my fellow americans and i threw an american party for the residents! it was an afternoon barbacue, poolside fun, flip cup and beirut, the star spangled banner, rice krispie treats, pb&js. it felt like memorial day, fourth of july, and american college all rolled into one afternoon. i think people really learned what it meant to celebrate as americans!
Jodi and our Obama cut outs.
chaos
me gracefully turning a push into a dive.
in other news, candy comes next week! i am so excited for her to see this place! i also have lots of studying to do, as well as lots of packing. however, it's 90 degrees here, and there is a pool ten feet from my bedroom door. needless to say, it is hard to get things done.
i can't believe how fast the time has gone. i will be home in 2 1/2 weeks (17 days!!). get ready for summer day playdates and night time adventures! miss you and love you. mom, i'll see you soon! xoxo, claire
cliff jumping on the island of comino
scuba diving in the pool
banana boating in golden baythis past weekend, my fellow americans and i threw an american party for the residents! it was an afternoon barbacue, poolside fun, flip cup and beirut, the star spangled banner, rice krispie treats, pb&js. it felt like memorial day, fourth of july, and american college all rolled into one afternoon. i think people really learned what it meant to celebrate as americans!
Jodi and our Obama cut outs.
chaos
me gracefully turning a push into a dive.in other news, candy comes next week! i am so excited for her to see this place! i also have lots of studying to do, as well as lots of packing. however, it's 90 degrees here, and there is a pool ten feet from my bedroom door. needless to say, it is hard to get things done.
i can't believe how fast the time has gone. i will be home in 2 1/2 weeks (17 days!!). get ready for summer day playdates and night time adventures! miss you and love you. mom, i'll see you soon! xoxo, claire
Friday, May 8, 2009
highlights of the past 2 weeks:
- intense sunburns.
- dressed up as a sheep for sardinian day
- started to panic about exams
- began my figure drawing class
- went banana boating in a school of jellyfish
- celebrated cinco de mayo
- played limbo
- learned more italian ("chicha" = cutie)
and realized today that i leave in exactly four weeks....anyone with any advice as to how to prepare for this? lemme know...miss ya'll and love ya'll and can't wait to see everyone.
- intense sunburns.
- dressed up as a sheep for sardinian day
- started to panic about exams
- began my figure drawing class
- went banana boating in a school of jellyfish
- celebrated cinco de mayo
- played limbo
- learned more italian ("chicha" = cutie)
and realized today that i leave in exactly four weeks....anyone with any advice as to how to prepare for this? lemme know...miss ya'll and love ya'll and can't wait to see everyone.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
in your city
well well well. this will be my feeble attempt to recreate my spring break adventures. i don't think i can truly do it justice, as these experiences are honest to god once-in-a-lifetime ones. but i will try.
egypt:
as i boarded the plane for cairo, i really had no idea what to expect. i couldn't believe i was actually going to egypt. as excited as i was, there were bits of uncertainty as i recalled every warning i had received about visiting this country as a group of young women. looking back now, the warnings seemed a little over the top. yes, there were times when we were less than comfortable. i can't tell you how many times "the spice girls!" was shouted as we walked down the street. it is also common practice for men to tell you how much they would give to marry you. in case you are wondering, i am worth one million camels and half kilo banana. we visited the egyption national museum, which was overwhelming to say the least. later we attended a nile river boat cruise, with egyptian food and lots of belly dancing. the next day, we visited all the pyramids and an open air museum.
we reached the large pyramid site and sphynx by camel ride - which is exactly how it needs to be done. i always pictured the pyramids in the middle of the sahara, only reachable by a long carivan of camels. however, from the front, you can enter the pyramids right off the city streets. aah, tourism. 
while in egypt, we also travelled to alexandria, a city on the mediterranean coast. we visited the catacombs, the national library, and the national gardens. everything was so beautiful. 
as much as i loved egypt, there was always a slight feeling of tension while we were there. i didn't realize it, but it was like i was holding my breath the entire trip. i realized this only after i stepped off the plane, and found myself in greece....
greece:
we spent our first days in athens. before leaving, so many people kept talking about how dirty athens is and how after a few days i would be ready to leave. so not true. i loved this city so much. athens is definitely giving paris a run for its money. it was gorgeous. there was so much to see. the metro system was the easiest i have ever used (and chicago's is in english...). the people were helpful, generous, and kind. the food was better than you could imagine. and the entire city smelled of flowers. i have never been so intoxicated with a city's scent.
i spent a lot of my time in athens shopping. we went to the national archealogical musuem, climbed a mountain, went to starbucks multiple times (there isn't one in malta...) and went to a mineral bath with healing powers.
we did a walking tour of all the important sites - the ancient agora, the acropolis and parthenon, the theater of dionysos, the temple of zeus, the first olympic stadium, the national gardens, etc etc etc...unfortunately, that is the day my camera died... i will have to steal those pictures from the other girls before i head home.
our ferry trip out of athens was both sad and exciting - we were heading for the islands! first, we went to mykanos. this island is smaller, so it's easier to see more and absolutely beautiful. it had the greatest city center, filled with little souvenier shops and restaurants...along with gucci, prada, bvlgari...the beaches were beautiful too. we didn't have the greatest beach weather, but we stuck it out anyway. we totally lucked out with our hotel choice, and stayed in the most beautiful little resort. it was hard saying goodbye to mykanos too!
finally, we ended our trip in santorini. this place was everything i wanted greece to be. we ate amazing souvlaki and tzatziki and baklava, drank mythos, and laid on beaches. we took a pirate ship to walk up a volcano. we swam in a hot springs. i saw that perfect, white greek city everyone sees when they picture greece. we rode four-wheelers around the island stopping at beaches along the way. and i saw the most beautiful sunset i've ever seen. we also got to experience greek easter. it was a huge celebration on saturday at midnight with candles, and singing, and fireworks.
my entire spring break was a dream. looking back on it now, i realize how incredibly lucky i am - not many people get to see everything i was able to, and i'm only 21! so many adventures. so much laughter. so many new experiences. i know i say it all the time, but i can't believe this is my life sometimes. i have to remind myself that yes, this is happening to me - not someone else.
as far as everything else goes, i'm now back in malta and getting ready for the end of school. i have a few weeks before final exams, and i am starting to get a little nervous for them. however, end of exams means time to head back home! i don't think i have ever had such intensely opposite feelings over one event before in my life. on the one hand, i can't wait to get back to the the states. i miss everyone so much. i want my old bed. i miss chipotle. on the other hand, the idea of saying goodbye to the people here or my little fantasy world that i have here in malta completely breaks my heart. it is going to be a very interesting flight home.
i miss you guys. hope everything is well with you all. i think of everyone back home often. hope to hear from you all soon, and can't wait to see you guys again!
xoxox, claire
egypt:
as i boarded the plane for cairo, i really had no idea what to expect. i couldn't believe i was actually going to egypt. as excited as i was, there were bits of uncertainty as i recalled every warning i had received about visiting this country as a group of young women. looking back now, the warnings seemed a little over the top. yes, there were times when we were less than comfortable. i can't tell you how many times "the spice girls!" was shouted as we walked down the street. it is also common practice for men to tell you how much they would give to marry you. in case you are wondering, i am worth one million camels and half kilo banana. we visited the egyption national museum, which was overwhelming to say the least. later we attended a nile river boat cruise, with egyptian food and lots of belly dancing. the next day, we visited all the pyramids and an open air museum.
we reached the large pyramid site and sphynx by camel ride - which is exactly how it needs to be done. i always pictured the pyramids in the middle of the sahara, only reachable by a long carivan of camels. however, from the front, you can enter the pyramids right off the city streets. aah, tourism. 
while in egypt, we also travelled to alexandria, a city on the mediterranean coast. we visited the catacombs, the national library, and the national gardens. everything was so beautiful. 
as much as i loved egypt, there was always a slight feeling of tension while we were there. i didn't realize it, but it was like i was holding my breath the entire trip. i realized this only after i stepped off the plane, and found myself in greece....
greece:
we spent our first days in athens. before leaving, so many people kept talking about how dirty athens is and how after a few days i would be ready to leave. so not true. i loved this city so much. athens is definitely giving paris a run for its money. it was gorgeous. there was so much to see. the metro system was the easiest i have ever used (and chicago's is in english...). the people were helpful, generous, and kind. the food was better than you could imagine. and the entire city smelled of flowers. i have never been so intoxicated with a city's scent.
i spent a lot of my time in athens shopping. we went to the national archealogical musuem, climbed a mountain, went to starbucks multiple times (there isn't one in malta...) and went to a mineral bath with healing powers.
we did a walking tour of all the important sites - the ancient agora, the acropolis and parthenon, the theater of dionysos, the temple of zeus, the first olympic stadium, the national gardens, etc etc etc...unfortunately, that is the day my camera died... i will have to steal those pictures from the other girls before i head home.
our ferry trip out of athens was both sad and exciting - we were heading for the islands! first, we went to mykanos. this island is smaller, so it's easier to see more and absolutely beautiful. it had the greatest city center, filled with little souvenier shops and restaurants...along with gucci, prada, bvlgari...the beaches were beautiful too. we didn't have the greatest beach weather, but we stuck it out anyway. we totally lucked out with our hotel choice, and stayed in the most beautiful little resort. it was hard saying goodbye to mykanos too!
finally, we ended our trip in santorini. this place was everything i wanted greece to be. we ate amazing souvlaki and tzatziki and baklava, drank mythos, and laid on beaches. we took a pirate ship to walk up a volcano. we swam in a hot springs. i saw that perfect, white greek city everyone sees when they picture greece. we rode four-wheelers around the island stopping at beaches along the way. and i saw the most beautiful sunset i've ever seen. we also got to experience greek easter. it was a huge celebration on saturday at midnight with candles, and singing, and fireworks.
my entire spring break was a dream. looking back on it now, i realize how incredibly lucky i am - not many people get to see everything i was able to, and i'm only 21! so many adventures. so much laughter. so many new experiences. i know i say it all the time, but i can't believe this is my life sometimes. i have to remind myself that yes, this is happening to me - not someone else.
as far as everything else goes, i'm now back in malta and getting ready for the end of school. i have a few weeks before final exams, and i am starting to get a little nervous for them. however, end of exams means time to head back home! i don't think i have ever had such intensely opposite feelings over one event before in my life. on the one hand, i can't wait to get back to the the states. i miss everyone so much. i want my old bed. i miss chipotle. on the other hand, the idea of saying goodbye to the people here or my little fantasy world that i have here in malta completely breaks my heart. it is going to be a very interesting flight home.
i miss you guys. hope everything is well with you all. i think of everyone back home often. hope to hear from you all soon, and can't wait to see you guys again!
xoxox, claire
Saturday, April 4, 2009
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