Well, I am back to where I started, financially. I was unable to withdraw my own money. Why did this happen? I think it was divine intervention. Not only did The Great Berlincident make me more fierce, if I CAN manage to get through both Paris and London with the minimal cash that I have, I will have gone in way less debt than I planned for. This will ultimately be a very good thing, although it is quite painful right now. I need new shoes and a facial like pronto. But, I won't get them and that is fine. #FirstWorldProblems?
I have arrived at my destination in Paris, and as I sit waiting for Elvis (no, not Presley, or I would be waiting for a very long time!), I am trying to not only stay awake, but also reflect with some introspection on Barcelona. It was a fantastic city, and thankfully I remained safe and didn't get pickpocketed, like many warned. It might have helped that there wasn't a lot to pickpocket. :)
Per Facebook:
"My God, am I blessed. I have such an amazing support system of people that care about me - which I really didn't even fully know about. Being so fiercely independent has many downfalls. One of which is being so self-reliant that I tend to also feel alone a lot.
I am so touched that so many people have reached out to me. It is an honor to share my journey with y'all. I hope my path helps yours!"
Barcelona is a place I MUST come back to. There is something very incredible about the vibe of this city. There is an energy here, yet Monica points out that it is we tourists! Ha!
It just seems to be a very livable city, and then there are the men......hotdamn!"
Three miracles occurred while there, that I know of:
Miracle #1: My friend from AMDA, Monica, took me in - despite having two roommates with very little extra space, being in school full time, working, and then having a cold the entire time (pobrecita!), she STILL allowed me to crash there, and was hospitable and a total blast to hang out with - and I finally realized WHY we didn't hang out much back in AMDA days. For those of you who don't know what the HELL I am talking about, AMDA stands for The American Musical and Dramatic Academy. It is a professional school that trains students in musical theatre performance, and accepts some straight from high school, and some straight from college. Now, it is a bonafide undergraduate program or a professional degree, but then it only offered a two-year professional training. Monica was one of such students that attended straight out of high school (meaning she was 18 when I met her in NYC), and I got in with a scholarship right after I graduated from St. Olaf College. I literally had one month off of school post-Olaf, and then I began the NYC program at AMDA. I was 23. It seems so very long ago now, but many memories remain fresh, and Monica and I had a blast recounting the crazy days with our mutual friends and teachers. Specifically the last night, between yawns and hiccups (mine, due to laughing), we drank a bit of wine over tapas, and I realized that we would have been fast friends back then, had we been of a similar age. But back then, she was one of the "innocents" that weren't old enough to drink yet, and boy, back then I was anything but innocent. I would have corrupted her and her friends had we mixed more, so I am glad that we didn't. Those students straight out of high school, plopped in the middle of NYC, had enough struggles with staying in school and getting through the program.. There were just too many distractions, and I would have been another one.
I am impressed by how far wee both have come, but to be honest, she looks pretty much the SAME! Sure, maybe a bit more adult looking, but not much - the girl could STILL pass for 18! I forgot to ask her what her secret is. So glad she is no longer as innocent, and I am no longer quite as rebellious. We managed to meet in the middle and have a fantastic time. I hope she comes to visit sometime in Nashville, because randomly, her father has always dreamed of visiting Nashvegas. Maybe I can return the housing favor sometime soon.
Miracle #2: On day #2 I was sitting down after walking to the port of Barcelona. I was obsessing about taking the perfect picture of the Columbus Statue, mainly because it held a fantastic use of lions. We all know I have a real cat connection......
It was sunny and I was by the water and enjoying my newly found freedom from the fear of boat bottoms (see "The Vasa" if you have no idea what I am talking about), aka Hullaphobia. I was sitting in a place that wasn't necessarily made for sitting, but I had started a bit of a trend, as others started to join me. Maybe they had bad feet/shitty shoes too? Barcelona is amazing to see on foot, and I wore my feet out every day due to my sense of adventure and health variables and shoe variables. Even with custom orthotics. Sheesh!
But I digress...... there I sat, enjoying sitting, the sun, photography (my hobby anyway!), and a couple approached me. In English (most people come up to me and speak English, I have noticed - like my shitty shoes SCREAM American. They probably do!), and started referring to the hop-on hop-off tourist bus. I had seen it a couple of times while sitting, so I told them where it picks up, and that it should be by again soon. But instead of asking for help, they were asking if I wanted their tickets! This was amazing. I almost said no, and then I was like (SLAP! Jill, WTF!), and then thanked them and said YES!
A few minutes later, I was on the bus, happily taking pictures of parts of Barcelona I would NEVER have been able to walk to. Sadly, my iPad AND my phone camera both died along the way, so I was forced to ENJOY the ride for the last half, listening to the story of Barcelona and each site that the bus visited. The next day, I got on the bus again, with a fully charged battery on both, and was able to take many of the pictures I missed the day before! Fantastic!
Per Facebook: "A massive stroke of luck: I am sitting at the port of Barcelona, soaking in the rare sun and amazing views, and a couple comes up asking about the hop-on, hop-off bus. I pointed them to where I saw it stop, and they said, "No, no. We are done. Do you want our tickets?" Yayayaya!!! Now I get to see the city for free today, which means more pictures than I can manage on my poor feet. Thanks, guardian angels. ;)"
Miracle #3: I found money! Actually, it was mine already, but it turns out I had spent about 300 Euro less than I thought I had! This is fantastic, and allowed me to relax a little. I also was able to book a reservation for a hostel in London using my old, defunct credit card number, and I now know exactly how much it will cost, so I can put that cash aside. This helps. A ton.
In addition, so many people have come forward to offer me money if I need it - I should have done a kickstarter! HA! But I am happy to be self-contained, and if I can make it through the next ten days on the cheap, I am HOME! I am so lucky to have such a support system of people that can help me in desperate times. I am not as alone in this world as I often think I am. Even within the context of my former marriage, I felt so alone so often - much of this is self-imposed, and much of it is that I have taught everyone around me to NOT worry about me, that I am fine, strong, resilient, etc. and sometimes it just isn't true. However, surviving all I have, and learning more about myself and the people in my life has served a much higher purpose that I could have anticipated. Plus, I got my ferocity back and feel pretty damned fearless at this point. But I get by with a little help from my friends.......
Per Facebook:
"Last day/night in Barcelona. Tomorrow I leave for Paris to meet up with Elvis (from Manitou/Olaf) and Richie (from Manitou)!""I managed to convince my cab driver (yeah, too early for public transport, to my dismay...) that I speak fluent Spanish. Well, until the end, once at the airport, when I said, "Hay un buen dia," instead of "Buenos Dias." Such a tired psuedo-Latina with white-assed skin, I am......"
"Made it to the airport. Tired, but on my way to Paris! So I need to buck up. There are things to see and do before I meet Elvis. :)"
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