New Blog Address!

I'm switching servers for my blog, because the Vox website offers better options for displaying photos and whatnot...so some of my entries can look more like the photoessays that I want them to. This blog is going to remain up...I don't want to move all of the old posts over to the new site. SO! Update your favorites list, because the new blog address is as follows:

http://ajennison.vox.com/

Nice and simple, right? I hope that everyone who's been following this has enjoyed it so far, and I hope that you will all continue to read and enjoy in the future, on the new site.

Yesterday, I had a monkey on my head.

So, Halloween has come and gone, and November is upon us. Unfortunately, Halloween was a bit of a bust for me this year-- I got suddenly and inexplicably ill Tuesday evening, and ended up going to bed early rather than reveling it up in my costume (which was rather nice, I think). There's one photo of me in costume, which I took Monday night when I was still feeling well and preparing for the party. All's well that ends well, however, and Halloween will come again, so I don't feel too put out.

The trip to Gibraltar yesterday was another matter entirely-- it was fantastic, start to finish. The Rock is absolutely more breathtaking in real life than it is in the photos...it's very dramatic to see it jutting up towards the sky, seemingly out of nowhere. No wonder the British didn't want to let it go...they recognize a good bit of drama when they see it!

We started at the Southernmost tip of the rock, Europa Point, from which you can see the city of Algeciras (Spain), the Northern Coast of Morocco (Africa), and the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Just for general info, the Strait of Gibraltar is what separates the continents of Europe and Africa, and it's also the only place where the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea meet. (Mom, I hope you're proud of me for paying attention to what the tour-guide was telling us...) My favorite moment of this portion of the tour was looking across the Strait to see Morocco rising out of the mists...it was spectacularly beautiful and mysterious...only 15 miles away, but at the same time worlds apart. I'll get there someday.

Our next stop was St. Michael's Cave/The Ape's Den. Yes, monkeys...I'll get to them in a bit. St. Michael's is just one of over 140 caves that have been discovered inside the rock, but this one is of particular interest because there is a THEATRE inside of it. Yes. Cave with theatre in it...they apparently stage ballets, dramas, operas, and concerts inside. I imagine the acoustics must be pretty good, what with it being rock and all. Aside from that, the cave is also loaded with stalactites and stalagmites (from the ceiling and from the ground, respectively), one of which was so old and heavy that it actually fell over on its side, revealing the crystallization within. Remember geodes, anyone?

When I left the cave, the first thing that I noticed was a very small monkey, perched on top of the bar and making A LOT of noise. Then I realized that there were monkeys EVERYWHERE, and I'll be the first to admit I went a little nuts with the monkey photos. I feel justified, though, because they are the only "free" monkeys to be found in Europe...no keepers or cages for these little guys. Our guide told us that there are 300 monkeys that have made their home in Gibraltar. There are also 300 Bobbies (police officers). Coincidence? Anyway, the only downside to the monkeys being free is that they're sneaky little buggers-- I watched one monkey go into a girls bag and steal a piece of fruit...while she was taking a picture of another monkey! Also, for a nut, the monkeys will climb on top of your head for awhile. After watching a few of my friends do this, I decided that I was all set with having a monkey on my head, and that I just wanted Heather to take a picture of me with the monkey behind me. The monkey, however, had other ideas. It's a good thing I'm not a screamer!

After the tour my friends and I hit the square in downtown Gibraltar and dug into some fish and chips for lunch...hurray for British food! There was some confusion with the bill, because the official currency is the Pound Sterling and we were all carrying Euro, but it all worked out in the end. Also, in case you are wondering (because I was), the Gibraltarians do NOT drive on the left side of the road. I was told that originally they did, but that this caused many problems (and accidents) when people would try to cross the border, and so in 1929 they gave up and began to drive on the correct (ahem! right...) side of the road!

Overall, a very good day...Gibraltar is a bit crowded (30,000 people in 2.5 sq. km.) but still very charming...they were British originally, afterall. I would definitely like to go back...even if it's just to stare longingly at Morocco!

Photos Here!

The first part of this post has nothing to do with Spain.

I miss acting. I miss the rush, the buzz that you get when you nail your lines, when you get an ovation, or just that thump in your heart from being in the wings, the light-headedness from the way a theatre smells...that mix of paint and dust and upholstery that fills up your lungs with every breath. It's like this noise in my heart that has been slowly crescendoeing since I left the stage three years ago...I just feel like something's missing, like I'm somehow being untrue to myself. I've been a performer all my life, and these days I'm not even in the wings...I'm all the way out the door and waiting in line at the box office. Does this mean that I've made a wrong choice somewhere along the way? I'm very happy studying Spanish, but I fel as though I've bee denying a very important part of who I am...who I was, anyway. I ca't really say I'm an actress when it's been 3 years since my last role. Can I? I don't know what I want, for me, for my future. Peace Corps, of course. Stability, if I'm lucky. But I also would love to run away to New York or Los Angeles and try to "make my fortune" while I'm still young. Or at the very least take acting classes-- there's so much that I've forgotten, and so much that I still have to learn. Last night when I went to see "El Principe Tirano" (The Tyrant Prince) it all came rushing back to me...there's just nothing in the world like live theatre. I was pissed because it took me 20 minutes to come up with the word "proscenium", a problem I never would have had before. It was stupid, but I was angry with myself, and sad. In a way, I don't really understand this yearning, this desire, because I wasn't happy in the theatre programs at UNH or Plymouth. Maybe I gave up on myself too easily? I feel like I have some soul searching to do...


In other news, I went to the Archeological Museum this morning...it would have been wonderful, but my teacher has a knack for making this exceedingly dry...poor thing, he just has so much information bouncing around his skull that he doesn't have the capacity to be succinct. I did get some nice pictures though. There are also a few random photos of the Parque María Luisa, and although I didn't take any photos, I wandered through a little outdoor international food/goodies market that runs every weekend in nice weather. Next week, if it's sunny (or maybe tomorrow ^_^) I'm going to go back for some fair-food and cheap presents. Hurray for open-air markets! Tonight the school is showing "Como agua para chocolate" (Like Water for Chocolate) my all-time favorite Spanish movie, so Lauren and I are going to go get some free popcorn and hang out...should be fun.

More photos from Jeréz!!

I had so many to post I got tired of doing it partway through yesterday, so here are the remainder!

Enjoy!

Jeréz de la Frontera - Pt. 2

New Pictures!

These are the first photos of my trip to Jeréz de la Frontera this past weekend...I'll add more tomorrow!

Have some pictures!

11th hour Saviours

I've been feeling a bit blue these past few days...partly because of the weather, which is heinously wet and gray (and is destined to be so all week), and partly because sometimes you just get the blues, you know? I was sad to have missed Matt and Michelle's wedding, I have a lot on my mind, classes are demanding, and even someplace like this it feels like there are too few hours in the day.

BUT! My family and friends have come winging to my rescue out of the blue: today I got two letters (one from each grandma), text messages of encouragement from friends, a package of goodies (THANK YOU!!) from my parents, and last but best of all; GEORGIE CALLED!!

I think I confused her at first, because I've gotten into the habit of answering my phone in Spanish, but once we got past that we chatted for nearly 25 minutes...she's bought a phone card so that she can call me from the land-line at her school every once in awhile.

I can honestly say I've never been so excited in my life to get a phonecall. We traded a few stories about our respective European lives, and discussed some plans for when she comes to Spain in December.

Thank God for my family, and my friends...I love you all, thank you for being supportive, and thank you for having perfect timing.

And now, Ladies and Gentlemen...

...A Moment You All Had No Idea Was Coming!

Moments of Being an American Abroad, Chapter 2!

Note to Self:

Self, a ferretería is not, repeat NOT a store where ferrets are sold. It is a hardware store, and you would do well to remember that in the future.

ferro-, ferr-, ferri-
(Latin: iron; pertaining to, or containing iron...not ferrets.)

Random Moments of Being an American Abroad, Part 1

I have decided to add a new "column" to my regular blog posts: a new series called Random Moments of Being an American Abroad. I can't say that it will be weekly, or even monthly (although I can't say that with certainty...), basically it will be posted whenever I have made some foolish gaff that I deem worth sharing, probably at my own expense, and certainly all in good fun. That being said, welcome to the first edition of Random Moments of Being an American Abroad.


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3/10/06

Today, I chose to listen to Lewis Black as I walked home from school. I ended up taking the bus, because my ankle was bothering me, but I nestled into a corner and continued listening to my favorite comedian. Someone please remind me NEVER to do this again, or at least to pause my humorous interlude while on a mode of public transport, because when he reached the part in the IHOP sketch where he hollers, "GIMME SOME GOD-DAMN PANCAKES!", I started laughing out loud. People stared.

This experience has taught me two very important lessons, which I would now like to impart to you (in case you should you ever find yourself in a similar situation):

1) Laughing out loud and apparently to yourself on a bus does NOT make you popular. Should this happen to you, your best recourse is to start coughing loudly while simultaneously gesturing wildly at your throat. This way, the other passengers will be assured that you're not crazy, you're choking. Then they will definitely leave you alone.

2) Spaniards obviously don't find pancakes amusing. They don't know what they're missing.

More Pictures!

These are from this past weekend exploring some of the more touristy areas of Sevilla with my friends...not very good, but they'll do!

New photos from Spain!