Author Archives: megpatten

About megpatten

Living life one day at a time.

Hasta Luego

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Saying goodbye leaves such a bitter taste in my mouth, that I usually only reserve it for funerals. In my half-glass-full, eternally optimistic world, it’s always “see you later,” or as the Spaniards say, hasta luego. When I told my typical Tuesday/Thursday lunch spot that it was my last time eating there, upon walking out the door, they waved and said, “hasta luego, otra vez” – indicating that I would surely be back to their tiny vegetarian nook nestled on the edge of El Viso.  There was no hesitation, no question that I would be back, if not tomorrow, the following day, for another piece of their most scrumptious, not too cream-cheesy, carrot cake.  She was the closest thing I had to a señora while abroad and always greeted me with a warm smile. We often got lost in translation, and resorted to pointing and hand motions when all else failed. Instead of getting frustrated with me, she would treat me with an extra large piece of torta. She asked about school, helped me with on more than one occasion with my grammar, and even kept the doors open past normal closing time so I could finish an essay, but perhaps what I’ll look forward to seeing again most is being a regular again in a place that isn’t my home. So until then, hasta luego.

 

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Calle De la Villa

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Our street remind me of our existence. There is a tiny Calle de la Villa in Madrid, home to a single apartment building in Sol, and a larger, longer Calle de la Villa outside Madrid known by all the locals and taxi drivers. We are like our tiny street, tucked behind a church in the far corner of Sol, nestled between La Latina, Opera and Sol. A mere blip on the map in Madrid, but outside of the city, back home, we feel so much bigger.

 

Calle de la Villa

 

 

The Glamorization of “The Other”

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I was recently chosen for the second round of competition for the USA Today College Correspondent Program. Part of my task for the next stage was to compose a short piece on something in the news in the past week from the perspective of a college student. Enjoy!

            It’s hard to believe that we are the same age, that someone of only 19 years of age could be capable of such horrific acts, of killing somebody’s son or daughter. It’s hard to believe that less than a week ago, our country fell victim to yet another coward looking to garner his fifteen minutes of fame.

            I was only eight years old when my picture perfect world turned upside. I was at an age where the harsh realities of society were still far outside the perimeter of the playground, but on that one fateful day in September the floodgates came crashing open. The visions of terrorists flashed in front of me on the TV screen, plastered on the front pages of newspapers, and in every corner of my life and forever embedded themselves into my mind. It is the first real tragedy I can remember, and I never did quite understand why these faces were everywhere I turned. My eight-year-old self wondered where the photographs of our heroes and the victims were.

            We live in a media obsessed society captivated with the visualization of the other. We play looped videos for hours on major news channels of mug shots of potential suspects to invoke emotion from our citizens. We are infatuated with pointing fingers and finding a scapegoat, and we put ourselves at an arm’s length distance to the culprit, similar to the barrier that media creates between the home front and the not so distant battlefront. These mediums have the ability to make horrific events seem distant from their audiences and make it easy for Americans to compartmentalize their fear, by simply allowing them to think that they, as an individual, have nothing to do with these horrific atrocities, yet we do.

            As a technology-obsessed community we are fighting a shape shifting battle against terrorism, whether we like it or not. The communication and spread of ideas has allowed us to glamorize the other in a rapid, global, unprecedented way. We give them the satisfaction of being scared by voicing our thoughts and opinions on social media, by hash tagging #tsarnaev and following fake police scanner twitter accounts.  We are so entranced by the idea of “someone else” doing wrong, that we in turn glorify the criminals and forget about the victims. How come in times of conflict we can identify the perpetrators yet struggle to name even a single person who was shot and killed?

            As the largest users of social media, our generation needs to stand up, not only to terrorism, but also to the media movement that is redefining our nation. Instead of retweeting the names of the cowards who bomb our marathons and shoot up our schools, we need to take note of those who lost their lives in the moments of tragedy. Acts of terrorism have a way of bringing people together and way of reshaping our communities – let’s take this as an opportunity to do so. Let’s stop glamorizing the other.

 

Videos

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As most of you probably know, I really enjoy photography, but in terms of getting all 10,000 pictures to the masses, it’s a little harder. That’s why I decided to make some youtube videos chronicling our travels. So far I have three which you can check out below from our trip to Lisbon, Toledo and Brussels.

Enjoy!

NYU Day trip to Toledo, Spain

Waffles & Chocolate: Brussels, Belgium

A Day in Lisboa

No Excuses: Coaching at the Collegiate Level

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            A lot has happened in the world of college athletics this past week. NCAA President, Mark Emmert, has been under fire from press regarding his dodgy past, former FGCU Men’s basketball coach Andy Endfield accepted a multi-million dollar, six year contract at USC, Kevin Ware received national attention for his brutal injury, but perhaps most newsworthy is the video that surfaced from Rutgers University showing former head basketball coach Mike Rice physically and verbally abusing his athletes.

            As a current NCAA student-athlete and aspiring collegiate coach, I could not believe my eyes when I watched the tape showing Rice throwing basketballs at player’s heads and using derogatory and homophobic language to “encourage” his players to work harder.  While coaching styles vary greatly – all the way from the passive recreational coaches of our youth to the most intense, undermining, chair throwing ones– there is no one style that has proven successful.  I’ve had my fair share of screaming coaches, who thought they could encourage a group of 16 year old girls by yelling at the top of their lungs, but perhaps my most influential coaches were the ones who actually treated me with respect, mentored me, and made the game fun, yet still competitive.

            This incident brings forth a number of questions with regard to coaching hires across the board in college athletics. While most coaches undergo basic training to ensure they understand the rules and regulations of their respective coaching division, there is a lack of coaching education in the United States, which unfortunately leads to cases like this. I do not recall in any of my classes or experiences, being taught the importance of belittling other people to push them the extra distance, nor do I recall ever being told that it was okay to abuse somebody physically. It just goes to show that reform within the NCAA is of the utmost importance at this point.

            On Friday it came out that Rutgers fired the athletic director Tim Pernetti, which may confuse some people. Although there are advocates for keeping the AD around, the athletic department knew about the abuse scandal because people had reported the behavior, similar to the Penn State Football (Sandusky Case). Ian Diatlo, a former student manager noted to the press that the Rutgers athletic administration “was really turning a blind eye to it.” It’s one thing to try to protect an athletic department, and another to protect an individual. The results will always be the same if you try to cover something up – the truth always has a way of coming out.

            The bottom line stands that no athlete should have to endure a coach that abuses him or her. Sports, for many, despite being über competitive at the Division I level, are a sanctuary, usually a place where athletes can escape the craziness outside the gym. Mike Rice ruined that for those young men. There are no excuses for Mike Rice’s behavior and the athletic department’s lack of action and in my opinion, they owe the school, the families of current and former players who trusted them, and the young men he coached a massive apology. While there is nothing Rice can say nor do to take back the horrible things he did, the only thing we can do is learn and protect future athletes from this horrific and shocking behavior.

NCAA and its Student-Athletes

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            In light of the recent, devastating injury that Louisville star, Kevin Ware, sustained in the elite eight game against Duke last week, I feel it is necessary to explore the repercussions of his injury and the role of the NCAA in his recovery and for injured athletes across the country. To fully comprehend the impact of this injury on his future, it’s critical to have an understanding of the way scholarships work within the NCAA. At the Division I level, athletes who earn scholarships are usually on a year-to-year basis, however the NCAA has allowed some multi-year scholarships to blue chip recruits. That being said, a scholarship can be increased, decreased, renewed, or even taken away contingent upon a student-athlete’s success both on the court and in the classroom, as evaluated by the coaching staff each year. In that regard, a season-ending injury sustained by a student-athlete in a revenue earning sport, such as basketball, at the Division I level, can potentially end scholarship, and even academic hopes for these college students.

            For years, controversy has swirled around the NCAA and its revenue making March Madness tournament, which this year has already generated over $1 billion dollars. Current and former student-athletes, NCAA Critics, and parents alike have questioned why the student-athletes who are generating this revenue, are not being monetarily compensated for their efforts?  The debate regarding paying student-athletes is a double-edged sword, however. While student-athletes may receive a “free” education per se and other perks, they do not receive workers compensation for injuries sustained while playing and if injured, sometimes have to bear the costs of their injuries, especially down the road. It is well-known, that receiving any other benefits outside of the scholarship is a direct NCAA violation and will result in major penalties. And while some may argue that paying student-athletes would wreck the sanctity that is amateur athletics, rather than paying them, it has been suggested the NCAA should offer them the same negotiation and labor rights provided to nearly every other employed American. NCAA President Mark Emmert notes on his welcome page in regards to pay for play,“As long as I’m president of the NCAA, we will not pay student-athletes to play sports. Compensation for students is just something I’m adamantly opposed to. We’re providing athletes with world-class educations and world-class opportunities. If they are one of the few that are going to move on to become a pro athlete, there’s no better place in the world to refine their skills as a student-athlete.”  Though he makes a valid point, he does not address the mounting topic surrounding injuries and star athletes in this business. It’s amazing to think that nothing is owed nor guaranteed (because the NCAA Catastrophic Insurance does not necessarily cover every injury) for injured student-athletes, who are bringing potential millions to these universities.

            According to its website, the NCAA was “Founded more than one hundred years ago as a way to protect student-athletes, the NCAA continues to implement that principle with increased emphasis on both athletics and academic excellence.” The question at hand now is how does the NCAA intend to protect its student athletes in their endeavors both athletically and academically, if they sustain a career ending injury? How do they expect students to pay for colleges that are upwards of $50,000 a year without a scholarship and no prospect of making any money? The solution is a grave one, but only time will tell if student-athletes are willing to take a stand against the NCAA to protect their rights.

Menú del Día-ing

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In Spain, it is not uncommon for most restaurants to offer un menú del
día for lunch – sort of a prix-fixe- but for only about 10-12 €. It’s
about the hottest deal in town and usually includes 2 courses, a
beverage, bread and your choice of coffee or dessert.  I’ve definitely
taken advantage of this amazing deal, as to try as many Spanish foods
as possible.

A few  Saturdays ago, I went to this restaurant off of Calle called
Cervcería. Though it wasn’t my favorite menú thus far, I’m glad I
tried it because I got to taste new dishes including. This past weekend in Barcelona, I somehow ended up with baby octopuses in my soup – trying food has definitely become an adventure.

Potaje de vigilia – soup filled with garbanzo beans and grape leaves;
it sort of tastes like miso soup but with a lot more filling
Brucheta de solomillo – This dish was a kebab with French fries and
fancy mustard on the side. The meat was a pork chop – very tasty
naturally  but super fatty as well (not exactly my fav).

At the end of my meal I enjoyed a cappuccino – nothing beats frothed
milk and steaming hot coffee in Europe.

That’s all for now. I’ve included pictures from my other menú del día
adventures below with restaurant names as well, so if any one is in
the area they can indulge themselves as well.

Barcelona: Round Two

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What do you do when your roommate is alone in Barca for the day and you have nothing else going on? Well, I hopped on a train – that’s what. After my last visit to Barcelona, I vowed to return to cross off some more “to see/do” items on my list, including Park Güell, Camp Nou, and las playas (the beaches). Friday morning I got up, bought a ticket and met Erin at her hotel on the beach. I arrived around three and was pretty hungry, so the first thing we did was head into the city center and grabbed some food. First stop was a beautiful market – La Boquería on las ramblas. Although the tapas place we intended to go to was closed, we were able to walk around the market and Erin was able to grab this delicious Strawberry juice, before venturing to Mercat Santa Catarina. Here we ate at one of the restaurants on the patio and indulged in some tapas which included: pan con tomate (tomato spread over toasted bread with olive oil), alcachofas fritas (fried artichoke, and burrata con tomate y ajo (burrata with tomato and garlic). After lunch we walked around the gothic quarter, saw the Barcelona Cathedral, and strolled on the boardwalk till we reached her hotel. Following a quick ice cream break, we headed towards the lobby to check our phones (free WiFi is a precious commodity, ya know?) and ended up staying down there sipping away on some of the best café con leche I’ve had and delicious chocolate pop rocks. After our hour of free wifi was up, we attempted to make reservations for 9:30 at this amazing restaurant, Paco Meralgo, however, they were booked and told us to just try and get a table there. Erin really wanted to go back and I really wanted to try this place, so we went in, dropped the boss’ name (at the recommendation of the concierge) and were seated within 15 minutes. Eight plates of tapas, a glass of champagne and rosé, and two satisfied palettes later, we were finished. I didn’t think I could fall in love with Spanish food anymore, but the cuisine was truly divine. We ate tuna al carpaccio, salmon on a biscuit, brie and bread, assorted grilled vegetables, fried artichokes (again), pan con tomate, and extra spicy patatas bravas. Paco Meralgo (who’s means  “to eat something in Spanish – PAra Comer Algo) is definitely atop my list of favorite restaurants in Spain. If you ever catch yourself in Barcelona, I highly recommend you go!

All that food resulted in a mini food baby, so the two of us decided to walk a little before hopping into a cab back to the hotel. Though we had originally planned on going out, especially with 4 of the hottest clubs situated at the base of the hotel, Erin and I ended up watching Spanish TV and passing out. She had an early flight (even earlier if you count the DST that just began in Spain) to Prague and it just didn’t make sense to go out for 3 hours if she had to be on a plane in 4 hours.

This morning I woke up at 9:30, got ready and walked around Barcelona’s harbor and beaches, before making my way to the Barcelona-Sants train station. Unaware of how late I wanted to stay, I didn’t make train reservations for my return trip to Madrid and ended up taking the last “free” train back to Madrid, four hours after I planned. In my long wait, I walked around the area near the station and found a restaurant with a menu del día, which was an adventure in itself. Let’s just say I should brush up on my catalan before ordering next time (see tweet below). Screen Shot 2013-04-01 at 12.30.39 AM

Though I didn’t get to see Park Güell or Camp Nou, I had so much fun on this gastronomy trip. Like my Mom always says, leave something to come back to.

I have to get up tomorrow, so I’m off to bed! Happy Easter

5 Things I’ve Learned from Europeans

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Living abroad has taught me my fair share of lessons, like don’t try and take out your rent money all at once, and milk isn’t refrigerated at the supermarket (yikes!), but below are a list of the five most important things I’ve learned from Europeans since being here:

  1. Coffee making is an art form – Trust me, the coffee here is ten times better than anything I’ve had anywhere else (and I don’t even really like coffee)
  2. Don’t take yourself too seriously – Life is short, so enjoy the view while you’ve got it.
  3. You can never know enough languages – the other day I was speaking with this one girl who switched between Spanish, English, French, and German, how amazing is that?
  4. Train travel is severely underrated -It’s cheaper than planes, there are no security lines, you have cell phone service the whole time, and there are no bag fees.
  5.  Enjoy your meals – This extends so much further than the food on your plate. Take the time to enjoy those around you, as well as savor each and every bite you take.

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Until Next Time