I did it...I finally moved to Spain!

Hola everyone,

Well roughly 10 years in the making, I finally got the courage to up and move to Spain. Madrid baby! What a city...what a culture....absolutely loving it. But I'm not on vacation!! This is now my new home. And this has been an interesting adjustment....

A. I don't speak Spanish

B. I need to find a job (not very easy for Americans to do this...the right way ;) )

C. But I'm in Spain so all I want to do is try different foods and drink cafe con leche and vino!

But alas, need to create the usual "day to day" for myself here...find a job, learn the language, and continue my career as a travel show host....AND enjoy food, coffee, and wine....balance.

So here's a glimpse into my first couple of weeks in Madrid. This consisted of a lot of walking...need to learn my new city!...and while doing this, dropping off my resume to as many bars in the tourist zone as possible (since I'm just starting to learn Spanish and can get away with speaking English at such places). I figured a bartending job would be best...have my days to work on my other projects, can meet cool people, and can still practice my Spanish....

Two weeks in....still no luck....well, I can only do so much in a day......I put the effort in every day, and of course, reward myself with some Spanish cafe/cerveceria action. Tapas? Yes please. Cafe con leche? Si si. Vino? Do you really need to ask? But another challenge I've faced in this city...which one to choose??!

Salud :)

The Ol' Paella Flock

Yeah I know...5 months of not blogging...ludicrous. Don't worry I'll make it up to you. Can we move on now?

ESPANA!! This crazy gringo (half Latina gringo) has decided to get the hell out of LA for a while and move to Madrid. In 3 weeks. I believe they call it "trece semanas". In 3 weeks I will be crossing the ocean making my journey into the new world that will encompass me.

Do I speak Spanish??? Nope. I'm learning....Rosetta don't fail me! And my slang book teaches me how to say "yeah i chain-smoke like a whore in the slammer" (si, fumo uno tras otro como puta encarcelada) which I'm hoping helps me get by....

So here's the deal. I've been wanting to live in Spain for nearly 10 years. It's always been on the brain. I got serious about it a few years ago until that crazy dentist I was dating talked me out of it (it's a good thing he's an ex)....and alas, the desire is back and badder than ever. So??? One of my biggest beliefs about living the good life is NO REGRETS...and quite frankly, I would never talk to myself again if I didn't explore this desire....so here I am. F**k it...I'll be ok.

I took a trip to Spain a couple of months ago, and it was as if the road was effortlessly cleared for me....go to Spain! was everywhere....the people I met and the opportunity that came in such a short amount of time. It was an avalanche. I now have friends there that already feel close, a place to live, and strong will to help me find a job. What the hell kind of job will I do over there when I don't speak Spanish? Bartend at an Irish pub of course. People speak English at Irish Pubs...plus I know how to say "Andate a cantar tus pavadas a la ramera que te parlo!" (Go try your bullshit on the hooker that spawned you), so I should be able to hold my own just fine in a foreign country.

Yes I'm freaking out. But I'm also very excited. I don't know what will happen in Spain. I might hate it. I might never move back to the US. Sure the unknown is scary...but that unknown also gets me so high. That's living. You may not know the reasons for doing something...you just know you need to do it....so....bye bye LA and hello Madrid.

Most likely this is going to be quite an adventure. There are so many directions this can go in...so you should stay tuned. Why no video today??? Because. I'm planning on filming a boat-load in Spain...and my little Sony just isn't cutting it. On top of my "Spain to-do" list is to get a new camera (HD woohoo!) so just hang on...patience is a virtue.

Thanks for sticking with me....you don't need to hold my hand, but it feels good that you're here...because I have no idea what the hell is going to happen once I get to Spain....

Oh and please help me out...11 followers??? I'm a little embarrassed....it's time to get a serious following....so please feel free to tell your homies to follow me and my crazy ways....thanks guys.

~your wanderer

Creating Opportunities for thy Self!

As some of you may or may not know, I'm living in LA pursuing a career as a tv host--ultimately I would love to help create, produce, and host my own travel show!!! Sounds like a dream job, I know.....but I'm determined to make this my reality.

Now it's not easy. You constantly have to work, practice, study, work, practice, study some more....while "networking"---La La Land can be a crazy place, and often there are people who say a lot, but don't do a lot---false hopes and promises. Luckily, I don't let this get me down! I accept it as it is, keep on plugging away, and don't wait around hoping to be discovered. Got to be proactive! I run around with my camera, as my own camerawoman because it is a lot of fun!---and it's practice.

So here is a little hosting demo reel I put together......this is for you Travel Channel.

To creating our own opportunities--cheers to a good life!

~ws

What the Heck is Bonnaroo????

Good friends, good music, and one hell of a good time!!---this is Bonnaroo in a nutshell. Situated on a 700 acre farm (yep that's right), this music festival hosts over 150 bands, and nearly 80,000 people come together to enjoy these festivities.

Year after year I am so fortunate to meet up with a core group of friends, some whom I only see for this occasion, and every year I make a handful of new friends. Undoubtedly one of the greatest highlights of my year! And what made this year extra magical, aside from a couple of incredible people I met, is that my parents made the trip down---how cool are they???

Good friends, good music, AND family....??? Truly life is sweet :)

And cheers to that friends,

~ws

Music is ssssooo good for the soul!!!

Hello! Yes I know I'm all over the place...physically and mentally! There is more Cuba to come....but I am a very busy wanderer and I can't keep up with myself :)

There is nothing like good music to set the spirit free with some dirty booty-shakin! No inhibitions, simply feeling the music and moving to it. Liberation at its finest.

And I am on a mission to get to as many music festivals around the world as possible! Here is a glimpse into my time at Jazzfest this year, in good ol' New Orleans! What a magical place.

Music aside, and trust me, it fulfills a lot!!.....it's a beautiful thing to see music bring so many people together....from all over the place, every walks of life. Just as much as I enjoy taking in so much sound (it's quite over-stimulating!), do I enjoy chatting it up with complete strangers. Because that's the kicker....everyone you meet at a music festival is there for the same reason...to fulfill their souls and let that spirit get down!.....so at the end of the day NOBODY feels like a stranger. Music has a powerful way of bringing people together, which is why a music festival is a religious experience for me, and a major component to a good life.

So enjoy! Until next time, I'm off to Manchester, TN, for yet another music festival--Bonnaroo!! 

Cheers to a good life y'all :)

~ws

Sneak Peak--Cuba baby!

Thanks to my friend Charles (friends like him help make life SO good!), I had an incredible opportunity to travel to Cuba last month. Charles insisted it is a place I HAVE to see. And now I understand why. Cuba stands alone. It is a magical place, and the Cuban people are what make it so.

Stay tuned, as this is just a sneak peak into my Cuban adventure, and there's much more to come!

Cheers to a good life :)

~ws

I'm Back!

Well hellllooooo! Yep my 5-month hiatus is done. Five months???? It's a bit ridiculous, I do apologize.....

So life has been a little crazier than usual. Extreme highs and lows happening simultaneously....a new experience for me. BUT, trying to focus on the good....because there is a lot of it! 

I've learned when you can remain grateful, life will remain good :)

Much to come--no more slacking--sneak peak into my trip to Cuba is next---woohoo!

Cheers to a good life

~ws