The Graduate Essentials

Enjoying my new freetime & reminiscing on study abroad 

Enjoying the time between graduation and graduate school is harder than it sounds.  At first, I was in full blown panic mode.  What does an overachiever like me do without a job or classes? I could not let myself find peace with the fact that I am not in control right now.  Slowly, I have come to embrace the fact that right now is not about control.  I have plenty of challenges ahead, this is my time to enjoy the calm.  Being able to catch up with friends, read books, and binge on Netflix is kind of the dream. ;)

After watching the Olympics, I decided I could use this time to try out some new skills.  Seeing teenagers who have already achieved world recognition- I felt slightly unproductive in comparison. Therefore, I have taken up meditation, vegan cooking, and learning about craft beer.  Not exactly as challenging as snowboarding, but quite rewarding regardless.

In all seriousness, I have spent years cultivating knowledge, but very little time cultivating my mind on a deeper level.  To tackle my next adventures, I need to realize my potential through self awareness.  No one ever taught me how to be healthy, brave, and self confident, but those seem like essential skills to have.  Those are the ones I am focusing on now. Meditation has been especially helpful!

Today I want to update you guys on my survival tools for this journey...

Inspiration/Meditation/Passion:

• Check out Gabrielle Bernstein for her take on miracles, meditation, and living life with purpose. Absolutely amazing. http://gabbyb.tv/
• Headspace is a great app for introducing basic meditation into your daily life in small doses. It includes an alarm to remind you to meditate, and "buzzers" with little bits of mindfulness wisdom sent to you as often as you wish. 

Kitchen:

• Trader Joe's Very Cherry Berry Blend- I keep it in the freezer for smoothies or to eat instead of ice cream. It's one of the best tips I ever got.
• Coconut Oil- For cooking veggies, making raw desserts, or used instead of face lotion. This stuff is magical. 
• Spinach- fresh for salads or cooking; frozen for smoothies
• Chocolate powder unsweetened (kind used for baking etc) is my go-to cheap and easy addition to make healthy chocolate desserts. I mix it with coconut oil, sometimes almond flour, or coconut flakes, anything really and drizzle it over fruit. For a bit more sweetness I'll add honey too.

Beer:

• I'm only 21 after all, so here are a few must haves: Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter, Big Sky Brewing Moose Drool Brown Ale, Tyranena Sheep Shagger Scotch Ale. 

Lost & Found 3: British Cathedrals

 The incredibly intimidating outside of Canterbury Cathedral. (Kent, England)

 After visiting way too many cathedrals, I've learned that the ceilings are one of my favorite parts. 

(Kent, England).

 Modern stained glass window, that most people think looks like a Disney drawing. ;) (Kent, England)

Collateral by Deborah Van Der Beek. Created as a memorial using actual bullets and warheads, many of which from battlefields in Afghanistan and Iraq. (Bath, England).

Westminster Abbey where Prince William married Kate Middleton. (London, England)

 Absolutely beautiful. (London, England)

 Oh hey. (London, England)

 Photograph from Queen Elizabeth II's coronation displayed in honor of her jubilee. (London, England)

(London, England).

It only seems fitting that the quote come from her royal majesty Queen Elizabeth II: "Discrimination still exists.  Some people feel that their own beliefs are being threatened.  Some are unhappy about unfamiliar cultures.  They all need to be reassured that there is so much to be gained by reaching out to others; that diversity is indeed a strength and not a threat." 

Lost & Found 2

Forest Adventures in Germany

Turns out, I'm not a big fan of wobbly bridges

Vegetarian hot dog from Goji in York, England. One of two innovative vegetarian places there.

Some very naughty faces hidden around the York Minster Cathedral.

The view behind the church, taken from one of the medieval walls lining the city.

Can't really refute that logic.

Loved the bright colors. Can't remember the name of the mansion this belonged to.

Although the point of this series of posts is to share the many pictures I have hiding around my laptop, I also want to use it to put up some of my favorite quotes.  I collect quotes- to me they are little reminders of the important things in life. I have them in countless notebooks, word documents, and post-it notes. So expect them regularly.  Below is a new one that I find to be quite true. 

“When you're different, sometimes you don't see the millions of people who accept you for what you are. All you notice is the person who doesn't.”

-Jodi Picoult, Change of Heart

Lost & Found

Let's be honest... there is no way I am ever going to get caught up with all of my travel posts.  So I've come up with this idea: Lost & Found posts.  A glimpse of the best bits of my adventures without having to worry about order or anything else.  A random collection of hidden gems on my laptop that I never got around to sharing with the rest of the world.  Check out the first set below! And for more consistent updates follow me on instagram: sugarsprout.

 Climbed way too many stairs for this view of the Cathedral of Salamanca. (Spain)

 Dressed up for Carnival, far off to my left I could see the border of Portugal. (Ciudad Rodrigo, Spain)

 The only car I've ever wanted. (Ciudad Rodrigo)

 London street performer aka busker.  

You've got to be made of gold to set up in front of Michael Kors. (London)

Yup, I'm cool. Rocking the Gryffindor scarf.

And since I'm feeling in a Harry Potter kind of mood... A little wizard wisdom: "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends." 

Segovia 2: Details & Daydreams

The pictures above illustrate the personal details of the imaginative landscape that was Segovia.  It seemed like a never ending maze of hidden gods and goddesses.  A larger than life landscape dedicated to beauty with an undeniable touch of otherworldly mystique.  Perhaps, it has something to do with seeing the park during off season when the plants aren't quite alive yet and the fountains remain inactive.  Surely, in the full bloom of summer it is stunning, but there was a desolate slightly eerie quality to it in April.

Fall Fashion & Farewells

Gareth Pugh's Fall Collection. Images via style.com 

 The dominantly black structured shapes of this collection made it one of my favorites.  There exists an undeniable sophistication to the pieces.  Above are some of my favorites, especially the coat in the second image. 

In other news: It's hard to believe I only have 8 days left in Spain.  Home seems so close, yet unbelievably far away.  All that remains to be done here feels like formalities, despite the fact that these are supposed to be the days for emotional farewells.  The goodbye I dreaded the most was perhaps to my closest friend from Spain.  I'm happy that I got to meet such an amazing person, but that made the goodbye so much harder. Tonight is the group dinner, followed by a weekend of insane partying, then a week of finals.  After that lovely "officially friend-zone" conversation making me feel rather foolish, I am more concerned with finding a few strong drinks than reviewing my study guides. Hahaha. Bring on Thirsty Thursday!! 

Segovia

 The famous aqueduct 

 Segovia's beautiful cathedral, similar to Salamanca's and the last of its style to be built. 

 Alcázar Castle 

 Fountain detail up close at Segovia's mini version of Versailles

 Why don't my baths look this cool?

 Baby angels riding giant fish? Adorable. 

 Fountain a bit further away. 

 Reindeer? Crazy animals. 

"Tourists don't know where they've been, travelers don't know where they're going." -Paul Theroux

I chose the quote above because I find it comforting.  The fact that there is a little less than three weeks left in my adventurous year makes it impossible not to wonder where I'll go next.  All the options and uncertainties get overwhelming.  The future is an open question.  This quote reminds me that I don't need to know exactly where my next step will lead, as long as I never stop exploring. 

xxx 

InstaUpdates

Old journal entry, with two of my favorite quotes. 

100 Montaditos- that giant Wine and Chips is only 2 euros on Sundays. Obsessed. 

Politically charged bathroom stall. 

Berry colored lipstick- new favorite. 

Amazing frozen yogurt, perfectly tart and just the right amount of sweet topped with melted dark chocolate.

Decor at Mandala, cafe with an amazing blueberry hot chocolate & green tea/cocoa/blackcurrant milkshake. 

Cucumbers and cherry tomatoes grilled and topped honey. 4 of those + entire bottle of Rose Wine for 6.50 euros. Win.