Back in the U.S.S.A.!

[Yess, I know there are two esses there.]

AREN IS BACK. He is safe (not that he hasn’t been) and beautiful to behold. I just thought you all might like to know. I picked him up yesterday (July 1). Woo-Hoo!!!

The Last Post from the First Visit

Editor’s note: Transparency is so transparent.

Second editor’s note: Transparency is.

OK so to say “vast majority” is a hasty generalization made from a limited point of view. I would say the vast majority of the youth. I´ve encountered many a Spaniard, especially of aged stature, uninterested in futbol. And myself being myself, in having conversations of considerable substance with various Spaniards have heard echoes of the whole “sports as a distraction from what´s really going on in government” thing. However, the vast majority is out in the plaza breaking glass and setting off fireworks. There have even been instances in Segovia, a relatively tranquil and not immensely urban populated city, of youth going out and staging mini riots after games, just breakin’ shit to break shit. Speaking of crazed Spaniards breaking shit at whim, I´m not going to Madrid to watch the game anymore, I think I´ll be just fine in Segovia. I´m going to a bullfight on Sunday and then after the fight they are showing the game on a big screen in the Plaza del Toros. Bueno bueno bueno.

Goodbye, Mr. Carlin.

A giant of reason has died. Gone, but not forgotten.

When it rains it pours!

We have more pictures from Spain.

Aren ventures out from Segovia to Malaga, Toledo, and Sevilla.

ENJOY! Looks like he is!

UPDATE! Aren is really alive!

Aren responded to this:

Hello, there . . .

Well, I hope and trust that you are well. Many ask me of your exploits. Alas, I have nothing to report. My nearly constant anticipation for contact from you goes unrequited. My admiration of you is unfailing, yet I will not deny my present disappointment.

May you be richly blessed.

With Love,

Your Father

WITH THIS!

Update: I visited Sevilla (Seville, yes as in The Barber of–) last weekend from Friday night to Sunday morning. It was incredible, í suppose it represents the classical view of Spain with it´s lush trees, river life, traditional Spanish architecture, crazy beautiful bull fight arena, and a long history of the Primavera (springtime) festival. Mozart wrote of the city, what more needs to be said? I tried to dance the Flamenco with no previous experience in a riverside bar that my boy Dan and I went to. It is an intricate dance and beginners don´t look too hot.. but i tried. We were talking to three espanolas who commanded us to dance with them. Good stuff.

Classes are going dandily, we only have a couple days of class left, and we are on a long weekend right now.

We had class on Wednesday and then I left Wednesday night with a group of 9 to Malaga. How beautiful this city is. It´s definitely a beach town and evidently i love Spanish beach towns! Yesterday, the Mediterranean Sea received it´s first visit from me I swam out to a yellow buoy that was pretty far out, and it was the furthest out I have ever been by swim in a large body of salty water. I totally was not prepared for the whole swim, but in the Mediterranean all u gotta do is lean back and breathe and you´ll float. So I chilled and relaxed and used patience, made it back alive, and now I feel like I´ve overcome a little fear of the ocean. Cuz remember I was born with an ocean inside drowning me! (I´m just glad there are no sharks here, I prolly wouldn´t have done it then;). Anyway we proceeded to stay out way too long, and I didn´t apply sunscreen quite enough, so I am a little uncomfortable but it´s not too bad. I got some amazing aloe vera from a pharmacy and have been pumping myself full of water. My back is the only part that is still in pain. It´s all gravy tho.

I am loving loving loving Spain. If i could go home for a while and see everyone i could totally come back for a year or more, which I actually am considering. School got me here and I suppose school can get me back.

I´ve made actual friends in Segovia, and a whole lotta acquaintances. My friends are Alicia, a mother/owner of a bar named 5Letras and her daughter Paula. They are freaking awesome people. Paula speaks English pretty well, so between my Spanish and her English we can get pretty much anything across to each other. They have a farm outside of Segovia, a place in the city where Alicia´s parents live with Paula, and Alicia also works in a hotel just off of the Plaza Mayor where she stays at times. Alicia has offered to put me up for a year if I would want to come back and live, and It´s definitely something I´m considering after school. Also, Paula will be attending a university in Madrid this fall studying International Business, and if I were to advance in my studies I suppose i could go to school in Spain and be taken care of by these very nice ladies for my shortcomings in Spanish and my newness to the country and culture. I´m just throwing all these thoughts around in my head, but I´ve known for a while that I want to study internationally and I´m thinking more and more everyday that Spain is where I´d want to be.

I do miss everyone dearly and I can´t wait to see you. I will be sad the day I have to leave Spain tho! Send everyone my best and feel free to copy and paste this on the boards for me. I will upload more pictures soon.

LOVE, and please don´t be too disappointed, i´ve been traveling a lot the last two weeks and my computer time is super super limited.

Peace,

Aren

Any Map Lovers?

Well, I said I was going to learn new things, right? Let’s try this. Click below for an interactive Google map of the street where Aren is staying.

View Larger Map

More from Spain!

Here you go! Nice pictures from Segovia, Spain. The Aren-looking “thing” is . . . Aren! I think the castle-looking thing is a castle . . . Alcazar. All those arches are part of a nearly 2000 year-old aqueduct. Learn more here. Aren seems to be enjoying himself. What beautiful surroundings!

Click on the thumbnails for a larger view.
The “larger view” is click-able for even a larger view. Enjoy!

The King of Segovia

Nice!

Wonder what that kid thinks…

Statue?

Alcazar

Nice Profile!

Will…Aren’s Roomy

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Hello, World!

Well, I’m gonna jump right in here. There’s a big world out there, and it’s about to meet us! I’ll start by telling you about the picture on our front page. It’s looking up Hall “holler” from the house my great-grandfather Isaac built in 1894. Located in Dry Fork, VA (near Crab Orchard and Coeburn) the place is like heaven on earth.