Traveling the world, learning languages, and immersing myself in new cultures.

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All my travels, encounters with language and culture, and of course, learning the language.

Thursday, December 29, 2016

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Skopje, Macedonia: The Balkans by Bus Road Trip Christmas 2016 pt. 5

This is a six-part blog. Here are the links to all of them:
Veliko Tarnovo and Vratsa, Bulgaria / Final thoughts


Just an amazing shot for so many reasons
Just an amazing shot for so many reasons

I bruised my ribs climbing this, but it was worth it
I bruised my ribs climbing this, but it was worth it

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Thursday, December 22, 2016

Prizren and Pristina, Kosovo: The Balkans by Bus Road Trip Christmas 2016 pt. 4

This is a six-part blog. Here are the links to all of them:

Pretending I'm not cold along the river in Prizren, Kosovo
Pretending I'm not cold along the river in Prizren, Kosovo

Day 9:
We cross the Albanian border without stopping and continue straight through to the Kosovo border, but they don't let us through because the bus doesn't have paperwork saying it can take food and cigarettes across the border. So we have to go back to Albania and offload the food and cigarettes at a small shop, then pass the border control again, though they don't check our passports the second time, or even come on the bus to see if any new people joined. 


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Thursday, December 15, 2016

Sofia, Bulgaria: The Balkans by Bus Road Trip Christmas 2016 pt. 1

Synopsis: This is actually the first Christmas I've ever spent without my parents. I haven't traveled much outside of Spain since I arrived here, with the exception of AndorraGibraltar, and a couple of trips back to the states. 

I want to see some of the countries in Europe that I haven't seen, so I finally decide on Bulgaria, Greece, Albania, Macedonia, and Kosovo - all by bus. Last time I did a multi-country trip like this was to the other side of the Balkans (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro). 


Super cool map of the Balkans, from the hostel in Prizren
Super cool map of the Balkans, from the hostel in Prizren, Kosovo

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Friday, December 2, 2016

¿Sabes qué me da una mayor ternura? pt.2

¡Hola todos! Si os acordáis, escribí el artículo ¿Sabes qué me da una mayor ternura? pt.1. Después del día de Acción de Gracias, me siento bien y con mucha ternura. Reflexionando por qué me siento tan bien, he llegado a algunas conclusiones que quiero compartir a continuación. Qué disfrutes.


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Friday, November 25, 2016

Les Cases D'Alcanar, Spain: In Between Cataluña, Valencia, and Aragón

Synopsis: Ainhoa has been telling me about her parent's beach house that is on the Costa Dorada, in the province of Tarragona, right on the edge of Cataluña and Valencia, and near to many natural sites, including beaches, mountains, and the Delta del Ebro. Although we've invited a few others to go with us, no one else can make it, so we will venture out on our own. 

You gotta look at the castle from a different point of view
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Monday, October 17, 2016

¿Sabes qué me saca de mis casillas? pt.5

Sí. Ya sé. Y tú los sabes. Nunca pararé con estos malditos (divertidos?) artículos de queja. Entonces, no es necesario decir más en el párrafo primero. ¡A la carne!

Soy negro gracias a mi genética. No tengo pelo gracias a mi genética. Soy mega super guapo gracias a mi genética. Estos son los hechos indiscutibles. Pero soy inteligente porque leo mucho y aprendo nuevas cosas a propósito. Hablo francés y español porque quería y me mudé a los países donde hablan estos idiomas y me centré en aprenderlos. Soy fuerte y lo aparezco porque entreno mucho y cuido mi dieta. 

Pues, cuando oigo que tengo un cuerpo bonito porque soy negro, me enfado muchísimo. Suelen decirme esta estupidez los que no hacen el mismo ejercicio que yo y no comen de la misma manera que yo. Los que no están en el gimnasio tanto como yo. Los que comen 'saludable' pero no comen para tener un cuerpo como yo. Los que necesitan una excusa para que no puedan alcanzar sus propios objetivos de fitness, y me menosprecian para sentirse mejor. Los me sacan de mis casillas. Si alguien que entrena tanto como yo y come lo mismo, pero no logra un cuerpo como el mío, me dice es gracias mi genética, le diría con una sonrisa y un encogimiento de hombros, 'tal vez'.

En cada país hay conductores de coches que son gilipollas y ponen a todos a su alrededor en peligro. Hablo sobre todo de los que no ponen los intermitentes. Si estás sólo en la calle, no pasa nada, no tienes que señalar a nadie lo que estás haciendo y puedes conducir sin intermitentes. Pero si hay otros coches, es mejor avisarnos. Donde veo este problema más que nunca es en las rotundas. En algunas hay dos o tres carriles y si quieres salir del carril interior es imprescindible que pongas un intermitente. Si no, ya es un choque... y lo sé por experiencia (me han chocado). 

Otra cosa de las rotundas es si estoy esperando para entrar la rotunda y tú vas a salir, pon tu intermitente para que sepa que puedo entrar. Te me acercas y tengo que adivinar si sales o te quedas en la rotunda, y en último momento sales, pero no estoy listo para entrar y tengo que esperar aún más tiempo porque otro coche ya viene. Si me hubieras avisado, hubiera podido entrar en la rotunda y no me hubiera quedado pegado a la entrada de la rotunda. Pero luego, cuando quieres aparcar ilegalmente en doble fila, ¿pones los dos intermitentes? ¡Qué coño!



¿Que piensas tú? ¿Tengo razón o estoy quejándome por nada? ¿Qué te saca de tus casillas? Lee parte 1 , parte 2 , parte 3 y parte 4 de esta serie. 

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Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Train with TMax: Why I Only Do Bootcamps

Click for more info!
For the last few months, I've been running a series of 4-week fitness courses, called "bootcamps". The word "bootcamp" according to the Online Etymology Dictionary, "by 1941, U.S. Marines slang, said to be from boot (n.) as slang for "recruit," which supposedly dates from the Spanish-American War and is a synecdoche from boots, leggings worn by U.S. sailors." But that definition is not helpful in anyway, so continue reading below for further explanation.



More recently, this military term that was used to describe the short but intense training that soldiers would get before being ready to fight in war, is being used to describe short but intense exercise courses, designed to reap the most results in the shortest amount of time, generally 6 weeks or less. (that was a really long sentence). Since dropout rates in long term exercise programs (12+ weeks) are astronomically high, bootcamps are supposed to offer quick and fast results that meet our insatiable appetite for instant gratification.

Generally, it takes about 12-16 weeks to see substantial results from a fitness plan, however, you can begin to notice results in a much shorter time. I chose four weeks as the duration for my trainings because it is a short enough time period that people don't feel overwhelmed, but long enough that one can see results. And, since I track your progress, you can see a difference in strength and endurance in your numbers, in addition to improving how you feel. This is my goal. To get people to the point where they see and feel their fitness efforts are not in vain, realize they can be successful with their fitness goals, and then want to continue to pursue those goals.

I know starting a new exercise program can be scary or difficult, and you're not sure what method is best for (i.e. Zumba, yoga, crossfit, swimming, etc.). This is part of why I offer free classes every Saturday for people to come out and try my method to see if it will work for them. Then, when they decide they enjoy the trainings, they sign up for the 4 week course (a.k.a bootcamp) and begin their journey to reaching their fitness goals. 

Check out us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube to get an idea of the types of trainings we do. Then, when you decide that it could be worth your time, come on out and bring a friend with you!



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Monday, July 18, 2016

¿Sabes qué me saca de mis casillas? pt.4

¡¿Otra vez?! ¡Qué va! ¿Venga machote, no tienes nada más  que hacer excepto quejarte de nuevo? La verdad es que sí, pero esto es mucho más divertido. ¡Vamos ya!

La palabra "ensalada" en España es sinónimo de "lechuga" porque cada vez que voy a un restaurante, los bocatas y las hamburguesas vienen con "ensalada", que al final es lechuga, y si tienes suerte, tomate y cebolla. Además si pido una ensalada, lo que viene es lechuga iceberg y un crouton. ¡No es una ensalada! Para de decir "ensalada" cuando quieres decir "lechuga con muy muy poco de algo extra". 


Esta es una ensalada. 4 tipos de lechuga, pepino, tomate, aguacate, nueces, pasas, salmón, atún, aceite de oliva y vinagre
Esta es una ensalada. 4 tipos de lechuga, pepino, tomate, aguacate, nueces, pasas, salmón, atún, aceite de oliva y vinagre


¿Problemas de comprensión o mal servicio al cliente? Un día cuando estaba en un peaje, puse 6€ en la máquina aunque sólo costaba 5,90€. La máquina no me devolvió el cambio y dijo que he debido 10 céntimos más. Toqué el botón y un hombre me habló y dije que pague más del peaje pero la maquina estaba diciéndome que me faltaban 10 céntimos. Me dijo que el peaje costaba 5,90€. Intenté explicar que puse mas de 5,90€ pero siguió diciendo que costaba 5,90€. Al final, pague el extra y me fui, pero estaba enfadado porque no sabía si este hombre notó mi acento y no quería ayudarme, o si yo estaba explicándome mal y por eso no me entendió. Pensaba que estaba explicando perfectamente, pero porque no soy nativo, es posible que me equivocara... o ese hombre era un hijo de fruta.

La palabra "imposible" es usada mucho demasiado aquí en España. Se parece a la palabra "can't" en inglés, que enfada multitudes de gente en los EEUU. La palabra "imposible" significa que no hay ninguna manera posible de alcanzar algo. La gente aquí la usa como decir "no quiero" y/o "no es una prioridad para mi". ¿Por qué no dices la verdad? No quieres, y ya. Es así de sencillo. Es posible, sólo que no es suficientemente importante para que le dediques tiempo.





¿Que piensas tú? ¿Tengo razón o estoy quejándome por nada? ¿Qué te saca de tus casillas? Lee parte 1 , parte 2, parte 3, y parte 5 de esta serie. 

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Monday, July 4, 2016

30 Amazing Places This American Has Visited in Navarra

So, what's in Navarra? I've been here for a year and a half two and a half years, traveling, discovering, eating, and aprovechando (taking advantage of) my time here. There is so much to be discovered within the small northern province of Spain. Here is a glimpse of some of the places that I have been to in Navarra. If you are from Navarra, have you been to all of these places? Join me on my adventures in and around Spain VEN con TMax.


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Tuesday, June 21, 2016

14 Things This American Notices Between Spain and Belgium

After a year and a half of living in Spain, and almost five years living in Belgium, I’m going to compare the two countries, based on my experiences in them. Obviously, everyone is going to have different opinions, and feel free to post in the comments, but this is my blog, so you get to experience these two countries through my eyes now (and you will like it because I have good vision. I got Lasik a few years ago. Best decision ever). I will do my best to avoid a Pamplona versus Brussels article, and keep it more general, however, the majority of my experiences have come from these two cities.


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Friday, June 17, 2016

This American's Travel Checklist

I think it is hilarious when I see people traveling with rolling suitcases and two handbags, plus a backpack, and they are only going on a week-long trip. I understand, they are afraid they might need something, so they pack everything. I prefer to pack light and hope I don't need anything else. I didn't have a lot of money to invest in a professional backpacker's backpack, so I simply used my backpack from when I was in college. I did recently upgrade to a bigger backpack, one) because my old one was ripping along the zipper, and two) so I can carry more souvenirs back from my trips.



So, because you all didn't ask for it, I'm going to give it to you: how this American packs for his travels. (I know, different title than above, so you get two titles!) 



1. One good backpack is enough.

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Monday, June 13, 2016

19 Still Even Yet More Fun Things This American Has Learned About The Spanish Language

If you haven't read part 1part 2part 3part 4, part 6part 7, or part 8 you don't have to start with them for this to make sense, but they will be fun to read later. Let's jump straight in!




1. The Navarran accent - any word in the past tense ends with the sufix -ado, which is pronounced ah-doh but in Navarra, they simply say ow. For example, gustado means "liked" and should be pronounced goo-stah-doh but in Navarra is pronounced goost-ow. Not confusing at all!

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Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Guest Blog: Neal Taylor - Skiing in Spain and Dancing with the Stars (Baqueira)

Skiing in Spain - the journey to Baqueira/Beret 

We picked up Aussie Pete from the bus station and threw his snowboarding gear into the back of the van.

As soon as the van door slammed shut, the banter began. For four hours the banter didn’t stop as the three of us were swapping stories, jeering and joking as we edged closer to the mountains.

The wives, girlfriends and children remained in the safety of Pamplona (i.e. out of earshot) whilst we headed closer towards Baqueira/Beret - a ski resort noted for her excellent snow, elaborate trails and substantial infrastructure. Baqueira was also known as being the preferred choice for celebrities, nobility and the upper echelons of society.

The banter van contained none of those finer gentry and the obscenities emanating from the van could only be matched by the miasmic smell of our room the following morning.
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Wednesday, April 27, 2016

This American's Basketball Career in Europe

So, I've lived in Germany, Belgium, Spain, and have visited many of the countries in Europe. But how did I come to live in Europe? Basketball. 

For those too lazy or uninterested to read the entire post, here is an infographic that sums it all up:



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Saturday, April 2, 2016

Galicia, Spain: Semana Santa, Mariscos, y el Fin del Camino

Synopsis: Semana Santa is Spring Break in Spain, and I have 11 days free to travel. I've been planning to go to Galicia for a long time, and now I finally get my chance. This time I will road trip with some new travel buddies: Alberto, Cristina, Hugo, and Julia. I don't know them that well, and some of them don't even know each other, so this is going to be a really interesting trip!


1,857 miles (2.989 km) excluding the day trips everyday!
1,857 miles (2.989 km) including the day trips everyday
Galicia travel buddies!
(from left to right) Me, Cristina, Julia, Hugo (behind), and Alberto

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Thursday, March 17, 2016

Guest Blog: Discover the Magic of Provence

By Nicole Noel, You can find her on Twitter and FB


Van Gogh and Paul Cézanne were just a couple of amazing artists that were inspired by the glorious Provence. The Mediterranean Sea, Cote D’Azur and the Alpes are all the amazing gems of this amazing place. However, gorgeous nature is not the only thing that makes Provence remarkable. This entire region is peppered by the beautiful and charming towns, which are swarming with the vibrant Provençal spirit. Here are some of the places that are worth looking into if you want to feel the Provençal magic.
Verdon Gorge


The Verdon river cuts through limestone, with its beautifully blue waters and end up in the lake Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon. This 25km long gorge promises fun times in the nature. You can go kayaking, hiking and even climbing those amazing limestone cliffs. It is possible to have a boat ride along the river, observing the remarkable cliffs and ending up in a gorgeous artificial lake.

Valensole Plateau


If there is one thing that needs to be said about this lovely plateau, then it is that all that lavender will leave you breathless. The gentle purple haze of Lavender flowers above the green fields and the heavy and soothing scent in the air will follow you everywhere in the Valensole Plateau. This region carries the name “the breadbasket of France”, so make sure you try the pastry and see if it justifies the name.
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Wednesday, March 9, 2016

This American's Eating Habits

"Don't use machines - Become one" -Crossfit NATO
"Don't use machines - Become one" -Crossfit NATO
Some people ask me how I maintain my lean figure and what I eat to fuel my workouts (coffee with coconut oil and heavy cream). Of course, genetics plays a role in my musculature, but genetics has nothing to do with my work ethic in the gym (though I workout a lot less than you probably think) or my discipline in the kitchen. I am constantly experimenting and trying new things to make myself stronger, healthier, and feel better. I do my best to refrain from passing judgement on something until I try it for myself. 

I am amazed at how often people say a diet or lifestyle doesn't work, without ever having tried it. I like to try the different philosophies of eating to see for myself how my body responds, and then apply the principles that work for me. I like to try different foods and those that I enjoy and see the most benefit from, I incorporate into my diet. 

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Monday, February 22, 2016

This American Records A Year with Spanish Wine

On February 8, 2015, I began tracking the different Spanish wines that I was partaking in, at the behest of Emilio (the dad) of my au pair family. It was a great idea and I did my best to track every wine that I tried, up to February 8, 2016. I tried well over 100 different wines, but I was only able to track and record just under 70 different wines. I always drink responsibly and enjoy in moderation. 

Below are 10 of the recorded wines, not necessarily my favorites, but I like the labels so they made the cut. There are a lot of pictures, so if you want to view the complete slideshow of the almost 70 wines, go here

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Wednesday, February 17, 2016

¿Sabes qué me da una mayor ternura? pt.1

Bueno, he dejado de quejarme por un rato para compartir las cosas que me gusta. Cosas que son buenas. Cosas que me dan una mayor ternura! Y también, he puesto "pt. 1" porque soy optimista y estoy seguro que encontraré más cosas que me darán una mayor ternura. Aunque, ahora, es lo que tengo.

Si estás leyendo esta entrada, significa que estás muy aburrido o que te gusta leer mi blog. Y es número uno, que la gente lee mi blog y me dice que le gusta algo que he escrito o mis fotos. Empecé este blog para compartir porque no tenía facebook, y después en poco menos de dos años, ha evolucionado en algo más que viajar. Ha crecido en una fuente de culturas e idiomas y diversión, desde la perspectiva de un guapo y talentoso americano fuera de su país. Gracias para haber venido conmigo via tus comentarios y tus "me gusta's" en instagram, twitter y facebook.

Gracias a mi trabajo como profesor de inglés, puedo quedarme aquí en España legalmente. Al principio, era solo una manera para quedarme y darme más tiempo para mejorar mi castellano. Pero ahora, me fijo que es un muy buen trabajo y gratificante. Los alumnos te dan todo su fe y toda su confianza, y cuando puedes ayudar o hacer algo que les pone contentos, es un buen sentimiento.

La última cosa (en esta entrada) que me da una mayor ternura es que la gente disfruta y mejora muchísimo en mis entrenamientos de ejercicio. Cada sábado, doy clases de fitness, gratis, a todos que quieren venir y trabajar para mejorar su salud. Empecé con las clases a las 9h pero mucha gente se quejó entonces cambié la hora a las 11h (y hay aún gente que se queja y dice que es demasiado tarde). Tengo entre 6 y 20 personas cada sábado, entre las cuales hay siempre alguien nuevo, y para ellos que vienen consistentemente, ya vemos su progresión de la fuerza y el fitness. A la gente le hace ilusión a venir a mis clases, y eso me da una mayor ternura.



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Wednesday, February 10, 2016

León, Spain: Carnaval and Free Pintxos

Synopsis: I have a three-day weekend and I look at my list of places I want to visit and see my next stop: León. I invite several people, but in the end, it comes down to the faithful few adventurous friends I have, Ainhoa and Greg. We plan to stop at a few places along the way, since we are following the Camino de Santiago and will likely encounter some interesting sights.

Seems so much closer on the map
Seems so much closer on the map

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Monday, January 25, 2016

Handstands Around Spain

Museo de las Murallas in Pamplona
Museo de las Murallas in Pamplona
For those who follow my instagram, you'll notice that it is dominated by pictures of me doing handstands while I'm traveling. Over the last year in Spain, I've compiled an impressive collection of handstands in some really amazing places. I've done handstands in 31 of the 50 provinces of Spain. 22 are pictured below.

Click on the pictures to read about that specific adventure! Hover over the provinces in red to see where I've been. Leave me comments below.

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Friday, January 22, 2016

8 Things This American Misses About Europe

8 Signs That I’m Becoming European (the alternate title)


After three weeks in the US, I was noticing all the wonderful things that I had missed about my country. However, now that I'm back in Spain and readjusting to the Spanish lifestyle, I'm noticing the things that I missed about Europe while I was in the US. It's only appropriate, right? Plus, I have to say good things about Europe too, or they might not let me continue living here. So, without further ado, I present the meat and potatoes of this post. (Or, the chorizo and bread, for my Spanish audience.) 

1. The metric system is just easier. Enough said. 



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Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Top 10 Questions This American Hears in Spain

I'm really enjoying making these infographics. So much so, that I will likely make many of my future lists, solely as infographics. Unless the legions that are my followers, prefer me to write out the blogs? One, two, and three. So, all three of my followers are cool with the infographics. Your will is my bidding. 

To view the interactive and dynamic version, click here.





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Tuesday, January 12, 2016

This American's Favorites (100th Post)

This is definitely the hardest post I've done. I already have trouble committing to live in one place, do one job, have one personality...

But, in honor of my 100th post, I would like to finally decide and share what are some of my favorites, based on the questions people have asked me over the years. So, knowing that I can declare these as my favorites, and then later change my mind, I finally, reluctantly, undecidedly, present to you, my favorites, so far.



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Saturday, January 2, 2016

9 American Foods That You Can't Find in Spain

I did it again! I made another infographic, but this time about everyone's favorite subject: food! Highlighting some of the common and popular foods found in America, that Spain just doesn't seem to have.

To see the dynamic and interactive version, click here.



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Friday, January 1, 2016

This American's Random Travels Around Spain pt.1

No hay ningún viaje malo, excepto el que conduce a la horca. (There is no bad trip except for the one that goes to the gallows.) -Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

I usually write a full post for my adventures, but in 2015 I had so many adventures in and around Spain, that I couldn't keep up! That's a good thing. But, now that I have some downtime, I'm trying to catch up on my writing and I will start with some of the smaller trips I took last year. So, here are three, day / weekend trips I took last year, that were lots of fun, but I never found time to blog. Sorry / you're welcome / thank you / I know right! / slash.

Vitoria-Gasteiz 

Greg and I head out to hang out with Suzana for the day, as we walk around and explore downtown Vitoria-Gasteiz.


Pintxos at the award-winning bar, whose name I cannot remember
Pintxos at the award-winning bar, whose name I cannot remember
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