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Voices of ACES Blog

Letters From Vienna

Two students standing on a stair-like structure outlooking mountains

Hey Theresa,

Hope all is well over there on the farm!  Everything is still pretty awesome except I have a little speed bump in Madrid two weekends ago.

Jemand hat miene handy und Studierendenausweis gestohlen im Madrid.

I got my phone pick pocketed in Madrid by a couple guys that I thought were just having a friendly conversation with me (my love for conversation biting me in the butt once again).  One of the guys told me to look at something to the right and forced me to turn my back to the other guy who immediately got my phone and walked away.  By the time I noticed it was gone he was half way down this alley and I told the other guy who wanted to chase after the guy with my phone together.  I just cut my loses and let them keep the phone.  Good thing I brought an extra (:

I hit Madrid and Barcelona that weekend and had an amazing time!  Barcelona was one of the most happening cities I have ever been to.  Unbelievable clubs, hikes, and food.  I actually had the best gyro of my life in Barcelona.  Madrid was a cool city as well but I felt like it was the city that remind me the most of America so far.  I would recommend that anybody planning on going to Europe gets the British Airways Chase Signature Credit Card and spends $1,500 in 3 months on it to get 50,000 Avios.

These points have allowed me lots of flexibility in booking 5 roundtrip flights for more than half of what everyone else is booking them for.  I haven't paid more than $59 for a roundtrip flight since I've been in Europe and I've booked tickets as little as 4 days in advance (spontaneous trips are the best ones, right?).

This past weekend I went to Prague for two days.  It's insane how old that city is, everything is so Midevil.  Really cool party scene as well, I got to hit a disco club the first night I was there.  Also there was a Hooters there!!!!! I got to eat American chicken wings and ranch for the first time in to long.  On Monday I went to check out Bratislava where I would have to go had I not got my visa in America.  Interesting city but it definitely doesn't rank in my top 5.  Also getting a visa there takes about the same amount of time as it did for me to get it in Chicago just a one day trip, relatively easy process.

Sorry for the delay in the emails, I hope this finds you well!

Stay tuned, I've got Amsterdam this weekend then Ivory Coast and Italy for spring break!

Jake