Working-class gypsy: moving up in the world

    Not much to update everyone with...I have made it through 5 days of work so far. This job is easy and hard at the same time. The first couple of days were easy for promoting because I already had hostel friends that I'd been going out drinking with before I got the job, so they all came out to support me. (which made me look good to my boss, bringing in huge groups of heavy drinkers) but it was a little more challenging getting to know the Greek way of serving and fumbling around with change (yeah, give the foreigner a money bag and expect her to make change really fast when really, she thinks it's MONOPOLY MONEY). But then last night was really slow in terms out amount of people in, which made me feel like I hadn't done a good enough job promoting during the day. It was really hard trying to promote during the day knowing that I had to be back in to work at 9pm, and that Im getting paid the same every day, no matter how many extra hours of promoting I put in. 

In better news (or worse?) my coffee addiction is back! :) 

Since last night was slow, around 1am I got a glass of wine and sat down to chat with a couple (prob about my parents age) that had just come in. They were in town for a wedding, and they were the sweetest people ever! They asked me all kinds of questions about traveling alone and the whole hostel thing. I learned about their18 year old son who's going away to college and the mom is all freaked out about him being 45 min away. I found out that they have been like everywhere, literally. They go to Dubai all the time (cause it's their favorite) and have a house in Spain as well as Manchester. (they're from england) As they left they gave me a 100 euro tip to go towards my travels :) 

I'm starting to look into flights to Amsterdam, maybe meeting up with the family there before heading to Munich. I'm afraid to make travel plans to far in advance in case they decide they don't need another waitress anymore and cut me loose. If they do that then I'll be going up to the mainland right away, rather than waiting until Oktoberfest time. 

But even with my new job, life is pretty good here on the island :) 

Santorini

I got a job!!! I'm waitressing at a bar in downtown Perissa. I promote during the day, which means that I hand out fliers while I'm on the beach or doing whatever I'm doing during the day, then I show up at around 8 pm and stand at the door bringing people in until we get busy and I help wait tables. I get paid a flat fee every day, as long as I deliver and bring people in. Last night was my first night and all my hostel friends came to support me so I had a couple of large groups in there, along with some random people that I picked up off the street too. It went pretty well :) it's not exactly rocket science and it gives me a chance to talk to tons of people, so I'm happy (so far) doing it. I get paid in cash since I don't have a work visa, and they also give me a few drinks throughout the night. I'm going today to look at an apartment, they have tons of studios that you share with someone else and its only 10 euros a night. That way I'll have a fridge and it'll be my own little place. If things go well, I'll be here until the end of September working. Then I'll meet the family up in Munich and continue traveling after that! I've met some really cool people here that do the same thing that I'm doing, so I'm having a lot of fun! Plus it's nice to know that I can live off of what I make in a day, so my bank account will stay the same until I get to Munich. 

I'm headed off to the beach now, I'm going to lay out then walk around and meet some people, try to get them into the bar tonight :) 

I'll post pictures on facebook once I get a little apartment!    

Mykonos & Santorini

How do I accurately explain Mykonos? It's like Cancun,Mexico during spring break. Replace the horny frat guys with aggressive metrosexual Italians and you've got it! I was only there for 2 nights and that was enough...the hostel, or should I say campsite, was like a prison room. Just 8 beds in a hut (if you don't believe me check facebook!) But the beach parties were fun and I really can't complain about my time there. When I left for Santorini I was happy, I def needed some relaxing beach time rather than the alcohol induced rendezvous on the beach that everyone else seemed to be aiming for.

I arrived on the ferry in Santorini to a virtually empty harbor. It was about 9:30 pm and gone were the taxis and buses that I had seen in Mykonos and was expecting here. All the tourist offices and restaurants along the port were closed, and all I could see was one road snaking up from the port into the mountains that surrounded me. I was thinking about how log that walk was gonna be when I was stopped by an old Greek couple who asked if I needed a ride to Fira (the closest town) sidenote: I usually think that when you get into a strangers car you are inviting them to kill you, but have been told by everyone I've met that this is an American problem I have, and people here are nice. Still skeptical, I hop into their car for a ride to Fira to catch a bus to my hostel. Turns out grams and gramps run a hostel in town and wanted me to stay there. I tried explaining that already had one and just needed the ride, but coincidentally that's when her English became "no good." unfortunately my bag was in the trunk so I couldn't just peace outta there when we got to Fira, terrified they'd run away with my bag, so I paid them the rip off rate of 15 euros they demanded and got the hell outta there (with my bag) another 15 euro CAB ride later and I was at my hostel around 11:30pm. This all made me appreciate how smoothly all my other travel days have gone.

I've set up shop here for now. I have a black sand beach within 5 min, the town of Perissa is also 5 min away, and the hostel has a pool! I'm staying for 10 days an negotiated my rate down to 15 euros a night (originally 25 euros) so I'm not having too hard a time sticking to my budget. So far its been relaxing beach & pool days, some drinking mixed in with that as well :) the owners of the hostel are Greek-American, meaning mom is American, dad is Greek, daughter is fluent in both languages and is a lucky 20 year old who gets to escape Michigan and spend her summers in Santorini. It's easy to start to feel like a local around her with this crowd. Tomorrow I'm taking an all day boat tour to the volcano and hot springs and then to watch the sunset. I'm sure I'll have amazing pictures after that! Then for the next 4 or 5 days I'm going to rent a scooter and ride from beach to beach around this island, checking out every little town. THIS is the kind of place I could stay a while. So cross your fingers that someone is looking for a waitress or bar back ;)

♥RG

Mykonos, Greece

Hey everyone!

I just hopped the ferry this morning from Athens to Mykonos (on of the Greek islands) I'll be here for at least a couple more nights, but knowing me I'll probably extend that... :) internet is expensive here, I had to pay 8 euros for a strawberry daiquiri to get an internet password. But I do love those daiquiris....mykonos is the total party island, and the beach I'm on is the cancun of the island. I don't know when the next time I'll be able to get online is, so it could be a bit till you hear from me again. But I think I'll be ok here on the islands. Something tells me with the sun and booze I'll be a happy camper.....

Athens, Greece

I love how cities can be so small sometimes ♥ Genevieve and I ran into about a dozen people from the overnight train from Madrid to Lisbon while we were out drinking last night. Which sidenote: I love how you can get drinks to go and just stand in the street drinking, it's like big outdoor party. I am SO tired of smoky bars so it was a nice change. But anyway Gen and I ran into tons of people we knew from the train, and i love what a vagabond community backpackers have. And, for the first time, met someone from Portland! It was definitely a night of multiple "small world" events. 

I would also like to let everyone know that i made it to the Lisbon airport in one piece. It was actually very uneventful. Soon after I posted my last entry I looked up the metro times online to find out that it doesn't actually open up till 6:30am, so I had no other choice but to take a cab. I didn't sleep, although I probably could have, since I sat in an empty airport after getting to the airport at 5:05 and getting through security by 5:20....the trip only cost me 10 euros, which wasn't as bad as I expected, yayyyy! I weighed my bag when I got to the airport, I totally had weight anxiety. For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of traveling with me when I bring my large pink suitcase, it can definitely surpass the 50lb mark....so I usually end up throwing a couple pairs of jeans into my dad or brothers suitcase :) if I don't go over, I kid you not, I am within like half a pound. So with this shaky airline suitcase past you can imagine my unease when tossing my backpack on the scale while checking in. The limit is 33kg, and guess what I was at? 20! Hah! I win! 

I'm trying to keep my flying anxiety at bay while thinking about how excited I am for Greece! I'm staying in Athens for 3 nights, and in that time I'll figure out my next move. I'm hoping the locals will help me pick the beautiful yet affordable islands for some island hopping :) Ill keep you posted, but Im assuming Internet service will be spotty once i head for the islands...don't worry I'll find an Internet cafe so that you know I'm alive. 


I never realized how much I love trains. More specifically, how much I love NOT flying. I'm what people call a "nervous flier." I freak people out with my assumption that I am going to die on the plane. By people I mean my brother Craig, because he's the one who always got the full force of it. During take off from Lisbon to Barcelona this morning I was surprised at how my fear seemed almost intensified since I became used to travel without being up in the air. Plus is was a smaller plane, which I hate because then you feel everything. This second flight's take off was great...I'm almost throwing up from nerves and the guy next to me is saying a prayer and doing the sign of the cross. Thanks for making it worse buddy.

Got to athens, limited Internet, leaving for Mykonos on Sunday (already bought my 6 hour ferry ticket) I'm going there with a friend, meeting some other people I met in the hostel last night who got to Mykonos today. We've booked accommodation on Sunday night, but then on Monday the four of us are going to try to go in on one nicer room. The thing about these islands is that it's so expensive, it's still going to be at least 15 euro for the night when we split it. My only rule is that i won't sleep on a beach. Other than that I'm game for anything. 

Signing off, going to the Acropolis to take photos. There's also supposed to be some good hiking around here, so I'm going to scout it out then return tomorrow morning (before the temperature hits 100...yeah, it's 35degrees Celsius here right now)   

♥RG

Siestas in Lisbon

My day in Lisbon was AMAZING! I got up fairly early, for me, and went out to the Castle of S. Jorge, an old castle up on the hill overlooking the city. After the longest ticket line ever, I got into the castle grounds. It was so beautiful up there, you can see from my photos that you can see the entire city from up there! I spent about an hour walking around the castle and then finally into it (and up it!) it was a super relaxing morning. After lunch I we decided to see the rest if the city by tram (they look exactly like the ones in San Fran) it was like a freaking roller coaster going through the city on that thing!! I though we were gonna break down trying to get up some of those hills. Nothing too exciting has happened today aside from normal sight seeing stuff :)

Now do you want to hear how stupid i am? During lunch I decided to look at my email confirmation for my flight tomorrow, you know, to see what time I leave and all. (remember I'm going to Athens tomorrow?!) well it turns out I was on crack when I made the reservation.. Yep. Cause My flight leaves at 7:39am. Crack is the only reasonable explanation. Why else would I book a flight so that I have to be at the airport at 5;30AM???!! Oh, and the best part is, the airport shuttle doesn't start running until 6:30am. Hmmm I'm a really good planner huh? I think I'm so used to trains, when you get there 20 min before it leaves, that I forgot planes are different. Plus I'm in Portugal. And the metro doesn't run to the airport. (seriously lisbon what's up with that?) so now you're probably wondering what my plan is, seeing as I have to be AT the airport all bright eyed and bushy tailed by 5:30am. I'm Just not going to sleep. I'm still partially in Spain time, meaning I can't fall asleep before 2 am (and yes, I still siesta) so another couple hours awake shouldn't be too hard. There is no way I'm catching a cab from the hostel to the airport, it would be at least 20 euros. So I'm taking the metro halfway, to a big plaza, and then I'll try to catch a cab from there. I'm going to allow myself a lot of time to find a cab, but in case none are passing by when I'm out there, there are a few hotels in the plaza so plan B involves me asking them to call me a cab. This plan is foolproof right? Errrrr let's hope so :) the best part is that it's all going down at like 4:30 in the morning.

If all goes according to plan I'll be in athens, Greece at 3pm tomorrow!

♥RG

Madrid & Leaving Spain for now...

So to wrap up San sebastian....really cool little town, pretty good pub crawl, met some nice people, went on a hike, hung out. I was just there for2 days, and it was a nice break after the craziness of Barc!

So after San Sebastian I took a train to Madrid! I was staying at a pretty cool hostel called Cats Hostel, which had a really cool common room and a bar in the basement. While on the train to Madrid i rediscovered a useful app on my iPad...its a subway app that has like all major city's metro maps! So before I even got off the train I knew where we would be arriving and what metro stop was closest to my hostel. (seriously that little thing has saved me!)

As I walk in to my hostel In Madrid I run into a friend that I met while in Barcelona! It's been interesting traveling alone, and on every train ride to the next city i prepare myself to meet all new people again....so I was pretty pumped to see my favorite Indian friend sitting in the common room! Madrid was crazy....that night i did the pub crawl (su

rprise surprise right?) we went to Kapital, the largest club in Madrid. It was CRAZY awesome. Let's just say the night started with Tequila shots and ended with an hour long journey to find a chocolateria at 6am. (oh don't worry-we did find it) apparently spanish people enjoy dipping churros into chocolate after a late night o

f drinking. We have that in common. We simply refer to this night as "tequila night" when talking about it, and I most definitely met some of the coolest people that night. Hopefully I'll run into them again, and one of them decided to come to Lisbon with me!
As you can see from my Facebook photos, I spent a couple days simply walking around the city, and also took the free walking tour to learn more about the city.On Sunday i went to the Prado Museum to see some sweet Spanish art, which

was cool. Monday I went to another museum with more contemporary Spanish art, also really fun. The museums in Madrid are huge!!

Monday night I took the night train to Lisbon. And no, I didn't splurge for the sleeper car, because I'm poor. It left Madrid at 10:30pm and got into Lisbon (Portugal) at 7:30am, so i Also saved a nights sleep at a hostel! The best part about this is that I made an Aussie friend (tequila night) while in Madrid and she ended up booking a train to Lisbon as well! She's a solo traveler, like me, with no itinerary. After this she's staying in Spain for the rest of the month, but we're traveling Lisbon together for the next couple days.
Full disclosure, I have only wanted to go to Lisbon since They went there on the last Bachelorette. Ali and Roberto danced in the street, and I was sold. Plus obviously it looked like an amazing city, and it is....

Ok people, LISBON IS BEAUTIFUL! I think it's more beautiful than Madrid, which is saying a lot because I loved Madrid. Its not as cleaned up, I don't feel like there are tourist traps around every corner and I don't see as many tourists. It's as beautiful as Madrid without feeling like you're in a big city. It's a European version of San Francisco, with a fake golden gate bridge and all! We had a beach day today, so I don't have many pictures, but I'm going all around tomorrow to take pictures! We went to a beach today in a neighboring town, which was good except Sidenote: I am now burnt like a lobster

after falling asleep on the beach today...I was doing so well with the whole sunscreen thing up until now. At least I put some on my face, but then I smeared it down on ONE side of my neck a little without thinking, so now I look like I have a skin condition. Yeah. It's really pretty, look forward to that in the photos...
Tomorrow I'm waking up early and going exploring! I'll try to post photos tomorrow night when I get back in, maybe during my siesta (which is a habit that is turning out to be reeeeally hard to break.)

♥RG

San Sebastian aka a Ralph ad

San Sebastian

Hello wonderful place! As soon as I stepped out of the train I could smell the sea, it was great! San Sebastian is in North Eastern Spain on the coast up there. It's a beach town with a lot of great surfing. And, fun fact, apparently it is also a giant Ralph Lauren advertisement! But more on that later. The weather is a lot like Portland, which is refreshing after Nice and Barcelona, where it got up to 100 degrees in the afternoon. And by "like Portland" I mean it's cloudy and you can never tell what time of day it is, but yet it's still an ok temp (probably warmer than Portland's cloudy days) and its nice to walk around. 

So you can imagine how happy I was as I walked through town looking for my hostel, passing all these well dressed people clearly on vacation. My kind if clothes, my kind of temperature, and hell I can pretend I'm on a lavish vacation too! (and before you roll your eyes remember that I am in a very strict budget over here!!) I can wear clothes that make me appear moments away from going sailing, and there is nothing I like more than a nice boy in a pair of madras shorts with some loafers. Oh, and did I mention, everyone here is French. It's perfect! The children are dressed like little people (again think Ralph Lauren and j. Crew's kid line, Crew Cuts) I saw little matching boys wearing bright red loafers. Don't worry, I got photos! I have a feeling that many of these well dressed men and batting for the other team, I mean there is no way that THAT many attractive and well dressed guys and straight. I'll confirm this theory later. 

I feel like there is also something i need to clear up about Europe and fashion. When Europeans dress up, they DRESS UP. Like when girls want to be fashionable they go all out and their outfits are flawless. And it's even worse if they're French because they're twigs to start with. BUT the flip side of that is that the other 80% of the population couldn't care less what they wear. I really need to start taking pictures, cause there have been multiple occasions that I have resisted the urge to slap people. Come on, have a little self respect and look in the freaking mirror before leaving the house!! I understand the off day, I love my spandex pants just as much as the next person, but there is no way that THAT many people are having bad days every day. Soooo after getting all excited from the sight of designer jeans paired with lightweight cardigans and embellished flats, you can imagine what I did as soon as I got to my room in the hostel. (which again, thank you iPad for telling me where the hell I am) yes, I pulled out my classic white Ralph Lauren polo to pair with my Hudson's to take a leisurely stroll (to my sailboat?) around the town. For three weeks I have been meticulous about my shampoos and products being in sealed bags JUST IN CASE they happen to leak all over my ONLY polo shirt and get a mysterious black mark across the front. Yes, that would happen to me. Don't worry, i'm going to fix this, and will have photos of me around town looking like all these rich French people. No, correction, these rich French people will be IN my photos because they will recognize me as a friend (thanks to the argyle that I will be pulling off: note to self buy argyle) and immediately invite me sailing with them. 

Oh, and now Im all stressed out because I have to figure out a way to get rich enough to not only buy two vacation houses (french riviera and now San Sebastian) BUT I will have to outfit my entire family in Ralph Lauren. Although I think we all know that last part is going to happen either way. :)

        ♥RG

Barcelona

So what to say about Barcelona? For those who have been there before while under the age of 25 I'll just pause. Yeah. For those who haven't, I'll try to paint a picture with some of my experiences...first off I had to get on Barcelona time. Thankfully was there for 8 nights, so I had plenty of time. I stayed at the famous hostel (a really good hostel chain) called Kabul for the last 6 nights. This is the kind of place that you don't expect to sleep. Turns out i slept a lot, just during the day. Happy hour at the hostel bar is from 10 to 11 pm, and is two for one beers. So for 2 euros you get 1 liter of beer. Sounds like a disaster huh? We would drink until about 12:30am, then the girls would run upstairs so we could put our going out clothes on. Then everyone would leave for the club at 1:45am. The hostel people take the group out every night, they have a different club for each day of the week. When you go out with them it's usually free cover and you don't have to wait in line, so its a sweet deal. The nights that I went out I wouldn't get back to the hostel until about 5am. I would wake up at about 1pm, usually feeling like it HAD to be super early, maybe 10am. Wrong every time. But now thanks to living Barcelona time I understand the whole siesta concept. I would usually go to the beach after waking up, grabbing breakfast on the way. Getting back to the hostel around 5pm from the beach would leave time for a siesta before beginning to get ready for the next night at around 9pm. See what I mean about Barcelona time? They're on their own schedule..

As promised, I did take some cultural days off from clubbing, and got a chance to walk around to all the Gaudi buildings. He's a famous architect from Barcelona that created very interesting and crazy buildings. He died before completing his cathedral, which is the one that every takes pictures of when they're there. I also spent a couple hours in the Picasso museum, which was definitely worth it. It features Picasso's early work, beginning when he was only 15. Since he's from Barcelona, they spend a lot of time talking about how their city inspired him. There are a lot of sketches there too; it was cool seeing his rough drafts next to the actual paintings. It was a really cool museum. 

I'm kind of happy to be leaving Barcelona, on my way to San Sebastian now! I didn't sleep last night since my train left at 7:30am, so I would have had to wake up at 6:00am. I took a quick nap, but didn't really sleep, actually kinda hilarious my roommates were just getting back when I was leaving :) can't wait for my next town!

Things i learned in Barcelona:
1. Siesta is awesome
2. They sell birds on the street, WTF?
3. A vodka/red bull in a club costs 10 euros
4. There is such thing as bad paella in Spain
5. They have 3-story McDonalds, and it's cool to eat-in