17. May 2014

    How easy joy and life can be - and thanks to Google Translate...

    I would like to share here my story with you when I met someone in Alicante who showed how easy life and joy can be and made me feel unique and happy. This post is dedicated to him.

    I still have a broad smile on my face if I think about this open minding and nice experience which started like this...

    After my strange CouchSurfing experience and checking in at     the X Hostel I finally went to the beach in Alicante.

    There I became aware about the freedom I have. What a great feeling to go when I want to go without care about time... I opened myself for all good things.

    I remembered at the beach the workshop in Kilrush where the girls told me "Jeanine, enjoy your life now!". Exactly! 

    I sat for a while at the beach, stretched my legs and just enjoyed the sound of the sea, the warm sun on my skin, the sand under my feet and watched some children playing football. 

    I don't know for how long I sat there when I decided to go. With a great happiness which makes me feel light and safe I went slowly back to the hostel still smiling...

    The amazing sunset on the rock in Alicante.
    And the one who came at the right time. The opposite of controlled and having expectations. 
    Just relax and enjoy the moment! Exactly what I needed.
    ● ● ●

    A short story for the ladies

    ***
    "Imagine you are going back from the beach to your hostel. The sun is still shining and is warming gently your skin. 

    You aware of the freedom you have in your life and you are enjoying it. You are very happy and you are smiling. You just feel great!

    Suddenly, a very handsome Spanish guy stops beside you on his mountain bike.

    He just wears shorts and you recognize that he has wild dark hair, nice brown eyes and a three day beard...  He is also very well trained, tall, sun tanned and has a very cheeky and a incredibly heart melting smile which makes you smile back.

    Then he asks you something in Spanish. 

    You don't understand "No habla Espanol..." but he doesn't cares about it and obviously he doesn't speak English. He just smiles very handsome and says by pointing to you and to him: "Tú cerveza con a mi?".

    What would you say?
    ***
    Well ladies exactly that happened to me and guess what I did...

    "Si!" "Vamos!" and I had one of the best, open minding and funniest evenings in my life! Thanks to Google Translate and my old memories of my Spanish skills the communication was not too bad :-).

    I have to admit that I never did anything like that before. I mean to go with a guy who spoke to me on the street. He came at the right time when I felt very safe and was aware that all is great what I'm doing.

    That was the beginning of a very crazy, passionate and special relationship during my stay in Alicante with someone who is straight forward, funny and made me feel unique and treat me very respectfully. He showed me how easy life and joy can be. Just live in the moment and relax.

    It is nice story which doesn't care about any language limitations.

    Because if you find someone with who you are on the same page, then you understand each other pretty well. It needs just a look to each other and you know what's going on.
    ● ● ●

    The opposite of controlled and not relaxed

    The handsome cyclist introduced himself as Yeray and he leaded me to a nice location where he ordered two beer for us. We seated ourselves outside in front of the location. It was at the Placa Ajuntament and we had a great view over the place.


    Our communication was quite funny. It was a mixture of my low Spanish skills and Google Translate which I opened on my phone and showed him the translated text. 


    He spoke a mixture of English and Spanish and wrote in Spanish some questions: what I'm doing here, what I did before, if I have a boyfriend... etc. 


    I felt very comfortable with him. I didn't have the feeling it is awkward because of the language limitation. We were just laughing a lot and understand quite well.


    Relax!Suddenly I saw that my battery was almost empty and showed him my phone with a concerned look. 

    He just shrugged his shoulders gave me his heart melting smile, opened his phone (which was the same like mine) and gave me his battery, leaned back, took a sip of his beer and just said by using his arms: "Relax!". I started laughing. 

    He was quite the opposite of controlled. What a cool guy!


    No botherAfter a while he wrote something in Google Translate what was not proper translated. I just looked wondering at him and said: "No comprendo...". 

    He took my phone again, typed and I could read: "Forget about it. After the beer I bring you to a nice place.". I smiled at him and said: "Perfecto!". He gave me his handsome and cheeky smile and took his beer.

    Clear and precise

    By the way he was quite straight forward. Actually, he didn't really care what people think about him. 


    Exactly what I needed. Someone who says what he wants and he means what he says. 

    For example there was a elder guy in funny looking clothes. 

    Yeray shouted over the place to him in Spanish: "Hey!! Hey chico! Qué significan esta ropa?". The guy answered: "Que es una traje Alicante...". 

    I wrote in my Google Translate: "Shouldn't you know that ;-)?". He smiled again and explained that the young people don't know about it. Aha.

    ● ● ●

    Alicante from the rock

    Yeray leaded me through the small and cute streets in Alicante by pushing his mountain bike. 
    Cute and small streets in Alicante.
    No pain no gain...
    When we reached some steep streets he explained to me that the way will be a bit exhausting and pointed to the point where we will go. 

    Then he clapped my thigh and said something like that I have quite the muscles almost like him and he plays football, hence that wouldn't be a problem and smiled at me. Well, I like my legs and since my journey started I'm using them everyday for long walks. Thanks also to my mum's gene.
    The place to go... 
    Yeray showed to me that the shape of the rock looks like faces. Well, that's true.
    We reached steps and he stripped off his t-shirt (when we had the beer he pull it on) and carried his mountain bike on his back and took the steps. I was impressed and also proud to be with such a strong and sportive guy. What a great view in front of me... 

    I mean the following view of course ;-).
    What a nice view...
    Una panoramica muy bonita
    Then we reached a nice place on the rock but we couldn't see if there was anything to sit on.

    Yeray shouted to a woman over there: "Hey! Hey chica! Hay un banco?". The woman said: "Si" and we headed to the bank and enjoyed the following amazing view over Alicante.
    Finally, we are on the rock!
    Yeray explained some things about Alicante to me. When we sat there and looking at the amazing panorama Yeray leant slowly forward to kiss me. But I hesitated. He just said: "Alemania...".

    But then the image of my best friend Insa popped up in my mind and our latest Skype session in the Issac hostel in Dublin when she said to me: "Jeanine, in Alicante you have to enjoy and you have to snog with a handsome guy there!". Thank you so much Insi! :-)

    So I didn't care anymore about anything and leant forward to kiss him. Now he hesitated a bit... Espana. But the following kiss was very passionate and I just enjoyed and forgot about all the things around me.

    We stayed there until sunset and enjoyed ourselves and the amazing view over Alicante.


    Quite an announcement
    When it was dark Yeray brought me to the closed street where I went straight to my hostel with a broad and happy smile on my face. 

    Before I left he gave me his number and said I should write him on WhatsApp and send him the photos I took. 

    He also said to me that we go together for my stay in Alicante "Si?!". It was more an announcement than a question... I considered it quickly and decided it was worth a try and also it sounded nice to be protected: "Si!".

    What a great evening! What a funny, straight forward, spontaneous and also respectful guy.
    ● ● ●

    All good things are two

    Over the next few days Yeray and I wrote each other on WhatsApp and we made an arrangement for a second date. 


    Thanks again to Google Translate! By copy and paste it worked quite well. 

    Yeray suggested that we could meet for a beer.


    Beer sounds good! I was absolutely out of training and became a lightweight because of I got very sober in Ireland. For your memory: around 4,80 EUR for a pint you have to pay in Ireland...


    Time plays no role in Spain - not quite

    Due to the prejudice that the Spanish people wouldn't care about time I decided to come a bit later to our date. I thought it might be look strange when I'm on time. I didn't want to be the typical Alemania.


    Therefore I came around 10 minutes later to the place we had the beer a couple of days before.


    Well... Obviously the prejudice isn't true. Yeray was already there. Firstly I saw his mountain bike and then him looking for me. And he was a bit upset that I was too late. Ups... Everyday a new lesson for me. We greeted each other with a nice kiss.

    I could see that he was at the hairdresser and he was also fresh shaved... Wow... Very handsome.

    It reminded me that I had to go urgently to the hairdresser because my original hair colour was already visible and very dark. In addition my hair needed a fresh cut.

    To put it simple: I looked very like a girl who travels with a messy hairstyle... But I had a date :-).

    Well prepared for a date

    I thought we'll have a beer in a bar. But Yeray said "Vamos", put his arm around me and pushed with his mountain bike with the other one. 

    We went into a small shop bought some beer cans and he said to me that he would bring me to a beach where was still sun and that it was a nice beach less crowded. 


    Great! Beach sounds good. 

    Unfortunately, I just wore my bikini bra but not the pants because I thought we will having a beer in a bar. Neither had I brought a towel with me nor anything else like food...


    When we reached the really cute beach Yeray placed his towel on the sand and he asked: "No tienes una toalla?" "Ehm... No..." "Y bikini?!" "Si, pero sólo this..." and I pointed to my bra. 

    He just said: "Por qué?!". I shrugged my shoulders because Google Translate was in my bag. 

    Yeray shacked his head and said: "Alemania...!" and he offered me to sit with him on his towel by clapping on it. 


    Unknown fruitHe was very well prepared for the beach and had some food in his backpack. He offered me a kiwi. 

    But I didn't know how I could open it and I wanted to avoid the next awkward situation... Therefore, I refused the kiwi. 

    He thought that I wouldn't know what a kiwi was and explained in Spanish how yummy a kiwi is and I should try it... 

    Well, it took too long to type in Google Translate what I really thought, hence I just waited and explained by using my body language that I would like to try this unknown fruit...

    Yeray just bit the kiwi in two pieces and offered me a half... Aha! So easy.


    My turn: "Espana!"We talked about what we are doing etc. Yeray explained to me that he was an artist and created sculptures. Some of his sculptures were sold to different festivals in Spain. Before he was in the Spanish Army. He has also a connection to Germany because his sister lives in Germany but the weather is mostly muy triste... I agreed.

    Yeray was very interested in what I was doing exactly and where I worked before and how does it work etc.

    When I told him that I worked on a farm he was stunned. He asked by using his hands and making a movement like milking a cow: "Tú hiciste esto?!" "Si!". "Tú?!" He couldn't stop laughing. 

    That is not the first time that someone cracked up when I mentioned my farm experience. 
    It seems I don't look like someone who works on a farm. That's fine! 

    I like to manicure my toenails in red, wear makeup and have in the other hand a brush and paint a wall or carry heavy things or even clean stables :-).

    He also asked what I did exactly in Alicante. 

    I told him that I was helping a guy cleaning his house and apartments which he offers for guests etc. That it was a kind of volunteer work. Work for food and accommodation. Yeray was a bit skeptical and he asked: "Estás viviendo con el hombre?!" "Si, and with his son and daughter.". Well, he still looked skeptically and I just said: "Espana!".


    Spanish gentleman   The beach the so-called Coco had some nice surroundings and Yeray showed me around. We had also to climb a bit. 

    He went forward and jumped easily on the small rocks. I also wanted to try it but he said: "Wait! Tu esta no Spiderman." and then he gave me his hand and helped me.

    We walked around there arm in arm and I enjoyed the feeling of being protected.


    Time to go home - crazy ride through AlicanteIt got dark and Yeray brought me back to the city by pushing his mountain bike with one arm and the other one around me. He wore my sunglasses which suit him very well. It was still warm outside and some "gato de la calle" went curious around and were looking for food. I looked up to Yeray and just smiled and pointed to the sunglasses and said: "Muy gapo!". He gave me his handsome smile.

    When we reached the main street Yeray pointed to his handlebars, clapped on them and told me that I should sit there. First I was skeptical because I just wore flip flops... 

    But then I thought: Ok! He told me how to sit exactly and we started our ride. What a strong guy :-). I felt like a teen!

    It was such a crazy and funny ride through the small streets in Alicante between the pedestrians and also cars. Some people were looking at us but I didn't care.

    We were laughing a lot during the ride and I felt so free and safe at that moment!

    Suddenly Yeray shouted: "Policia! Policia!" and he stopped. I jumped down in an inelegant way and landed on my flip flops. 

    We couldn't stop laughing and passed arm in arm the policia. They just looked a bit confused at us but didn't say anything. 

    When they were out of side we continued our ride through Alicante. 

    Due to a conversation problem he thought I would be still live close to the hostel but I lived at another place. But no bother. I knew the shortest way back home. Before we said 'hasta luego' he brushed a strand of hair out of my face and gave me a passionate kiss.


    What a great feeling!I went smiling and very happy about this great day and crazy ride back home to my host's place.

    What a great feeling of joy to step out of my comfort zone and ride on handlebars through the evening traffic of Alicante and fully trust someone and feel protected. Pure release!

    ● ● ●

    Relaxing day

    For our third date Yeray wrote me what I had to bring with me good footwear, food for the whole day and sun cream. He also wrote me that I should be on time... 

    Well, I learnt my lesson from our latest date but good that he reminded me.

    Good footwear was a bit difficult for me due to I just brought boots, flip flops and ballerinas with me... My proper shoes were in Ireland. I took the ballerinas.

    By the way: 
    Finally, I went to the hairdresser. A day before our date. My host Tim called his friend for me who was a hairdresser. He was more a kind of star stylist and used a room in his amazing apartment as hair salon. He lived there with his partner. He was from Uruguay and could just speak Spanish. So I fully trusted him in what he was doing. He did really a great job! I was happy with the result. He said: "Muy guapa!" Well, I felt like it :-).
    I'm very happy with the result! Great job. Thanks again to Tim that he connected me to his friend. What a pity that I couldn't take my favorite hairdresser Shora from Junge Köpfe in Germany with me :-).
    Shopping at the market
    Due to I had some time before we met I went to the indoor market in Alicante: Mercado Central. There I bought some food for my date.

    It was really nice at the market with a lot of different offers. I took my time and explored the market in a slowly pace and enjoyed everything: the different smells, the colorful fruits and vegetables and the noisy of the Spanish voices.

    I took also Tim's advice how to get attention when I want to buy something: with my voice and queue-jumping! Well, it worked quite good...
    Nice food at the Mercadon Central in Alicante. Don't be shy if you want to buy something.
    Waiting for the bus
    I was very in time at the train station where we arranged to meet and sat on the steps in front of the entrance. 

    A few minutes later Yeray appeared and shouted from the other side of the street: "Hey! Hey!!! Venga!" and ran to the bus. I took my stuff and ran behind him. But it turned out that our bus would come in an hour. 

    So we headed to a bar close by and had a small lunch with the food we brought with us and ordered a beer. Well, I immediately felt the beer... Yeray started laughing and made a movement like being drunk by pointing at me.

    He showed me some photos on his smartphone of his work as artist. I was very impressed! The sculptures he created were amazing! A very creative guy with a lot of energy and passion. He said that they weren't finish yet.

    After the lunch and beer he showed me a nice Chocolateria. He told me that they have been also in the TV. He bought a white chocolate lollipop for him and offered me to take also something. I went for a dark chocolate lollipop. He paid for us and we went to the bus by chewing our lollipops. 

    When we took a seat in the bus he was surprised that my lollipop was already gone... I just said: "Me gusta mucho!"


    Different countries, different customs
    In the bus we sat arm in arm on the seats. Yeray gave me a kiss and I answered it. But suddenly his eyes widened and he said something that I should stop something by biting his under lip... I had no clue at all what I did wrong.

    I opened Google Translate and gave him my phone. He wrote: "You can't do that. Intimate gestures not in front of other people. Only when we are alone.". He asked: "Alemania tambien?".

    What!? Ah got it! I bit obviously my under lip which seemed to be a very sexual gesture. I neither was aware that I did it nor that it was a sexual gesture. I found kissing in the public more provoking. 

    But different countries, different customs. Lesson learnt.


    "Vamos a la playa..."
    When we reached the beach we walked on a nice wooden path. It was a very curvy one and I had a great view over the beach. 

    After one of the curves we could see some people. And we got a look of a victim of too much plastic surgery... 

    There was a woman without bikini bra with such unnatural huge breasts that I was concerned that they could burst at the next moment... I don't exaggerate it! A plastic woman.

    Yeray and I looked each other, than silence and in the next moment we cracked up and couldn't stop laughing. He made a gesture and sound of a huge explosion and laughed loudly.
    What a nice beach... Yeray took this photo for me because my battery was empty and I was too lazy to take his battery again. He offered me to take the photo and said: "For your blog!".
    I started laughing again and again even we were already far away from the plastic woman. In the meantime Yeray was looking for a nice place where we could relax.
    We are looking for a nice place to relax. Yeray in front of me and is carrying his shoes.
    Finally, I went for a swim!
    We found a nice place and relaxed a bit. Yeray had two towels with him... But I had really one with me.

    By the way it was a nudist beach... 

    This was also a difference between the Spanish culture and the Irish one. I remember still my strange experience when I was meditating at the beach in Garretstown and a naked guy came over and interrupted me by talking bullshit. And it wasn't a nudist beach at all...
    The Spanish people are very open in sense of presenting themselves very naturally. But sexual gestures like biting your lip you should rather avoid... ;-).

    After a while Yeray said that we could go for a swim. I stood up and stretched myself when he quickly throw me over his shoulder and ran with me into the sea and pushed me gently under water. 

    My luxurious hair style was gone... :-).

    It felt very great to swim in the sea and it was actually quite warm. 

    The water was very salty and small cuts on my hands started to burn slightly. I tasted the salt from my lips. I also hoped that my mascara was still at the right place and that I didn't look like a panda around my eyes... I know typical women concerns.

    We swam a bit through the warm sea water, played like children and laughed a lot. Yeray carried me through the water face to face. I felt great. 

    He discovered my small crack at my front tooth and I told him the awkward story about it. He laughed about how it should be. 

    After a while we went back to our towels. On our way back he said: "Mucho frio...!" 

    Hmmm... I didn't feel cold at all. I suppose the Irish weather made me tougher :-). 

    Back on our towels Yeray offered me to try his pasta made with chorizo, feta cheese and honey. Very yummy. What a great cook.

    By the way: 
    My friends the chilblains on my hands are already gone. Touch wood at the moment I'm released of any strange sickness. Everyone who had seen my allergy photos of my excursion to the emergency in Mexico knows what I'm talking about...

    An island under the pines 
    It was time to go for a walk and explore the nice surroundings. My ballerinas reached the limit of their comfort but I enjoyed the beauty around me.
    Nice variety of nature in Alicante.
    We found a nice place where we had a picnic and relax after hiking through the nature. 
    Beautiful place for having a rest and a picnic: Under the pines or in Spanish 'pino'. The needles were very spiky... Without shoes it was like a mine field around our towels. An island under the pines :-).
    During our picnic we talked about when we first met. I said that I was very happy at that day and he came in the right moment. And that he was for me the opposite of control. Exactly what I needed.

    He told me with a handsome smile that he was just stretching after sport at the beach and saw me walking there. He just thought "Wow!" and followed me.

    The same story from another point of view: Woman very romantic and man very instinctive. I like the stories :-).

    We also talked a bit about my further journey and Canada etc. He said with a smile I could come to Spain later... I'll see what's going on my journey and where I'll settle in. All is open at the moment. Even though a very kind former colleague of mine taught me never to promise anything, I promised that I'll keep in touch with him and that one day I'll come back to Alicante and visit him.

    Time to go home after a great day
    When we decided to go home he packed his backpack and gave me the following memento and told me that it should always remind me of him. Very cute!
    This cute memento has a special place in my backpack and in my heart :-).
    We got the bus very close... Yeray saw the bus coming and stopped it on the street and waved me to him. 

    The bus driver was not amused and said something pretty annoyed in Spanish that there wasn't a bus stop etc. Yeray answered also a bit annoyed something with "...tranquilo...".

    When we took a seat I started laughing because the day was so great and his argument with the bus driver was quite funny. Yeray also laughed and tipped his finger on his head and pointed in the direction of the bus driver and said: "Loco!". 

    Spanish passion... Me gusta mucho :-).
    ● ● ●

    Hasta luego!

    We said goodbye to each other two days before I took the bus to Granada to my next host. The date was very funny and passionate with him as well.

    We went after the beach arm in arm close to my host's place - Yeray had one arm around me and with the other one he pushed his mountain bike - and it was time to say Goodbye. Before that he showed me the latest photos of the sculptures he created. They were almost finish and I was again very impressed about his work. Very detailed and precise.

    A tourist came over to us and asked in Spanish something. Yeray just answered he wouldn't be from Alicante... No waste of time. That is what I like about him :-). 

    Yeray wrote a very nice message for me in Google Translate. I was very happy and touched. He took my arms and put them around his neck. Then he brushed gently a strand of hair out of my face and kissed me. I loved this procedure which became a kind of a ritual when we met and when we went home.

    I have to admit that I really had to fight against my tears. I just smiled at him.

    He raised his hand and we gave a high-five with a loud laughter.

    We went into different directions still looking each other and blew kisses. Until Yeray smiled and made a gesture with his hand that I should go quickly. 

    I laughed, turned and kept smiling. I was happy and sad at the same time...
    ● ● ●

    That easy life and joy can be!

    On our way to the bus from  a very relaxed day at the beach and on the island under the pines.
    My hair is a mess again and mascara still on the right place :-).
    I''m looking a bit exhausted after a great day with a nice and respectful guy
    who made me feel unique and showed me nice places in Alicante.
    Just living in the moment and enjoying life. Relax!
    I'm very happy in that picture.
    I'm glad that I met Yeray who showed me how easy life and joy can be. He made me laugh, protected me and made me feel unique  with a lot of passion. And he didn't care that my Spanish skills were limited.

    Just live in the moment and relax without having too much expectations.

    Like I mentioned in the beginning of the story: 
    When you find someone with who you are on the same page it doesn't matter if you speak the correct language but you speak the same language...
    ● ● ●

    Great remembrance

    I will always think back to the short but great and passionate time I had in Alicante with him. Especially if I look at the cute memento he gave me. 

    I will also remember it when I'm eating mussels due to his explanation during our picnic under the pines.

    I'm curious when our ways will cross again...
    Que hiciste mi tiempo en Alicante muy especial. Encantado de conocerte.
    Lo disfruté mucho. Siempre recordaré con alegría.
    Muchos gracias :-). Te deseo lo mejor. Hasta luego! Beso.

    Tags: May2014, Beach, Spain, Alicante, Enjoy, YOLO, Post

    Write a comment

    Comments: 6
    • #1

      f (Monday, 10 November 2014 00:08)

      Insa 19 May 2014 19:31
      That‘s such a amazing story. I like it. You are the cutest girl i‘ve ever meet. :*

    • #2

      f (Monday, 10 November 2014 00:08)

      Jeanine 19 May 2014 19:51
      Oh my cutie Insi! That is so lovely of you! Thank you so much for reading it and for all your support. You was actually the one who helped me to this story due to your advice you gave me ;-) :-*

    • #3

      f (Monday, 10 November 2014 00:09)

      Ania Zielinska 19 May 2014 23:08
      That's a great thing to happen in Alicante! Thanks for sharing :-)

    • #4

      f (Monday, 10 November 2014 00:09)

      Jeanine 20 May 2014 19:26
      Hey Ania! Thank you so much for reading my story! I'm very glad that I met you here. It's really a pity that you're leaving tomorrow. I hope we such each other again :-).

    • #5

      f (Monday, 10 November 2014 00:10)

      Anonymous 23 May 2014 15:12
      even though with sorrow in my heart I must say it made me realise ....I am very happy for you:-) wow you are writing your story :-) well done! :-) with admiration :-) doms

    • #6

      f (Monday, 10 November 2014 00:10)

      Jeanine 23 May 2014 18:00
      I really appreciate that you read my story and wrote me such a kind and lovely comment. Thank you very much. The story is my development so far and I'm very proud about it.

    Follow me here

    Facebook

    Instagram

    Press

    My interview in Stadtgeflüster Münster
    My interview in Stadtgeflüster Münster
    Barcelonacity FM Nora Barcelona girls Jeanine
    Radio interview Barcelonacity FM