Happy 1st Birthday, Adelante!

While I've been casually yet noncommittally blogging for a few years now, one year ago today I created this space as a creative outlet and a way to document my upcoming adventures as an expat in Spain. While I never had big expectations for my blog, this little corner of the internet has blessed me in many surprising ways.

Through this blog I've been able to reinvigorate my passion for writing. I've harbored a love for writing my entire life, but I've always felt too nervous to share mine with the world. By challenging myself to write consistently on this blog, I've learned to be a bit more fearless. Spilling your words out onto paper (or in this case, a computer screen) inevitably lets out a more vulnerable side of who you are, and sometimes it's scary to show that side to an anonymous public. Letting go of that fear has been a profound growing experience for me, both as an aspiring writer and as a 20-something trying to navigate this chaotic world.

I'm also grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the blogging community and connect with some truly incredible individuals. In fact, I've met several of my good friends here in Madrid through blogging, and it's partially their fault that I'm having so much fun here and have committed to staying a second year. Having blogger friends equals having fellow adventure buddies, which means that there's never a dull moment (or an empty stomach) when we're together.

While I would have never guessed what kind of doors this blog would open, I'm excited to see what opportunities another year will bring - whether that be more personal growth, new friendships or possible career opportunities. But as many of you may already know, the title of my blog Adelante means to go forward or ahead, so that's exactly what I plan on doing as I embark on another year of expat life in Madrid.

Fairytale Prague

Being in Prague is like setting foot inside your favorite storybook. The clip-clopping of horse-drawn carriages, sherbet colored buildings, and red rooftops sprinkled with rusty turquoise domes and spires create a magical fairytale land that seems worlds away from reality.

Visiting Prague has been a dream of mine since I was in junior high, and for years it has been at the very top of my “Places I Want to Go” list. I don’t know why it took me so long to get there, but I’m so glad I waited until I did. Experiencing Prague with my mom, my favorite travel buddy and partner in crime, made the city that much more enchanting.

On our first day there, my mom and I headed up to the castle where we hurriedly rushed from sight to sight. I tried to push my way through the bumbling hordes of tourists so I could admire the sublime views, but I felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people. The castle itself wasn’t as breathtaking as I expected, and I felt worried that this was what the rest of Prague would be like. Would I really feel disappointed after dreaming about this city for so many years?

We stuck around the Castle Quarter until just before dusk, and like a breath of fresh air, the masses finally emptied out. We leisurely explored the gardens, taking our time to contemplate the mesmerizing vistas and eventually saunter back down to Old Town. Upon returning, we were itching to finally see Old Town Square. As soon as we turned the corner and found ourselves facing the Astronomical Clock, we were immediately overcome with awe.

Nestled in between the picturesque pastel buildings was a sprawling Easter market, bustling with vendors selling hand-painted eggs, traditional Czech pastries, roasted sausages, wooden marionettes and mulled wine. The intoxicating scents mixed with the captivating sounds of traditional folk music pulsing through the entire square, beckoning us forth into a peregrine reverie.

For the rest of our time in Prague, we were filled with the same sense of wonder that first intoxicated us in Old Town Square. As we meandered through the city's many colorful Easter markets, crossed the venerable Charles Bridge and explored the remarkable Jewish quarter filled with intricate Art Nouveau architecture and breathtaking synagogues, we took in the entire city with awe. We marveled at the history and culture, and surrendered ourselves to the city's many sights, sounds and tastes.

My Prague Picks:

Best Hotel: Savic Hotel
Best People-Watching: Old Town Square
Favorite Museum: Museum of Communism
Best Views: Atop the Astronomical Clock in Old Town Square
Favorite Restaurants: Švejk Restaurant U Karla and Il tří růží
Must-Try Dishes: Goulash, dumplings and beer


Linking up for Travel Tuesday today!

Ten Commandments of Airplane Etiquette

These days, I feel like I spend most of my time either racing through airports or flying on airplanes. With the amount of traveling that I do, I inevitably encounter some unpleasant situations along the way. On planes, I usually try to drown out the chaos with my headphones and a decent playlist, but sometimes the insanity simply cannot be ignored. Traveling by plane has taught me the value of common sense, and what a rare commodity it truly is. So without further ado, I give you my

1. Thou shalt stick to thine own seat assignment.

I'm pretty OCD when it comes to selecting seats. I usually only sit in even numbered aisles, and I get pretty anxious if I don't sit in a window seat. I normally choose my seats months in advance, and nowadays I usually have to pay extra for them. So when I'm on a transatlantic flight and I've paid more money for a window seat with extra leg room, please don't ask me to switch seats with you when you're frantically trying to get your family of 10 to sit together. Plan ahead, people. 

2. Thou shalt respect personal space.

It only takes one transatlantic flight with a stranger trying to cuddle with you to make you never want to fly again. See that armrest? Let's think of it as an invisible line between us. Please, do not cross it.

3. Thou shalt wear deodorant.

I shouldn't have to explain this one further, but it's appalling how many people clearly need to be reminded of it. The same goes for avoiding overwhelmingly strong perfume. We're all trapped in this small steel tube together, so let's try our best to be respectful and smell nice.

4. Thou shalt be a responsible parent.

I'm okay with crying babies (I mean, they can't help it), but when a parent does nothing to stop their child from persistently punching and kicking the seat in front of them (when they're clearly old enough to know better), I just about lose it. Oh, I didn't know I was signing up for a free back massage when I sat in front of your savage offspring! This is an airplane, not a daycare. Either control your child or buy me a drink, you choose.

5. That shalt not recline thy seat until after dinner.

There is nothing more uncomfortable than trying to eat your less-than-mediocre airplane food while awkwardly cramped in your seat, because Joe Bro in front of you decided to recline his seat immediately after take off. Considering most in-flight meals are served fairly soon after departure, is it really too much to wait until after we don't have to use our tray tables anymore?

6. Thou shalt not abuse free drinks in first class.

Just because you're flying first class to Vegas doesn't mean you can act like Ke$ha. Maybe the entire cabin doesn't want to hear your life story when you're one mimosa away from a blackout.

7. Thou shalt respect thy tall brethren.

If you're pretty short and the guy sitting directly behind you looks like he's over 6'1, is it really necessary to keep your seat reclined through the entire 8 hour flight? When my towering peers help me lift my heavy carry-on bag into the overhead bin, I try to return the favor and not squish them for 6+ consecutive hours.

8. Thou shalt not affront thy flight attendant.

You've gotta hand it to them, these people deal with the craziest of the crazies. I asked my flight attendant friend Shalei what bothers her the most about passengers' behavior, and she said,

"TRASH: Give it all to me when I ask and stop hiding it in the seat back pockets or under the seat. This is not your house. And please don't blame us for all of the flying delays. We are not the weather gods and if you want to fly on a broken plane then buy your own."

9. Thou shalt not yell on thy phone whilst on the runway.

That's cool that you don't mind 160 strangers listening in on your personal conversation, but let's try to use our inside voices. Or better yet, save the conversation for later.

10. Thou shalt use thine overhead space wisely.

If I'm not mistaken, the rule is "one carry-on in the overhead bin per passenger", not "one carry-on, one purse, an extra-large puffy coat and three Duty Free shopping bags". I don't understand why this is such a difficult concept for some people to grasp. Finding overhead space would be so much less dramatic if we all followed the rules.

What would you add to this list? 
Do you have any airplane horror stories?