Walk A Mile...

Ava at 2.26am

2010-06-28T09:27:00.001+02:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Happy Birthday to Emily!

2010-03-27T23:01:00.001+01:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

San Fran farmer's market

2010-03-27T21:07:00.001+01:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Does this go automatically to wordpress?

2010-02-11T06:10:00.001+01:00

I'm not sure yet...

-Scott

Posted via email from leahskids's posterous

Class at the Chamber

2010-01-13T16:11:00.001+01:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Morning kiwi. Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T18:16:00.001+01:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Finished product!

2009-12-25T01:47:00.001+01:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Christmas Eve pizza at the Meyer house

2009-12-25T01:26:00.001+01:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Christmas dinner at the Meyer's

2009-12-19T20:26:00.001+01:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

3 kings?

2009-12-13T23:38:00.001+01:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Rocking the Gloria Dei Xmas program

2009-12-13T23:35:00.001+01:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Spanish arroz con frijoles at the 9 Clouds loft. Yummy.

2009-12-01T03:18:00.001+01:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

My brother Paul is in Fleet Foxes.

2009-11-24T05:14:00.001+01:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Rockin bluegrass at the orpheum!

2009-11-22T07:32:00.001+01:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Mabe's pizza at Luther alumni event in Sioux Falls, SD

2009-11-18T01:18:00.001+01:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Two Thumbs Up for Munich

2009-11-02T10:29:00.001+01:00

In the US you have to pay to check baggage...in the Munich airport, you get your choice of a huge variety of newspapers for free and free coffee/espesso drinks as often as you like! I think this hospitality thing is something worth bringing back to the New World.

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Daniel is working hard at the Grus office in Tromsø, Norway

2009-10-29T15:48:00.001+01:00

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Smallest screen ever on United's B767-300?

2009-10-22T01:01:00.001+02:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Quick! Who can name this airport? hint gershwin playing in the background.

2009-10-21T23:44:00.001+02:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Corn feed or grass fed? Which burger is better? @pjfarms or cliff's beef? The burger brawl has begun.

2009-10-19T02:16:00.001+02:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

KELO heard thepostsd.com was covering the flu story and they had to send their own crew.

2009-10-17T21:01:00.001+02:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Winter has arrived!

2009-10-10T05:00:00.001+02:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Dinner is served!

2009-10-09T02:25:00.001+02:00

Click here to download:

VID 00004-20091008-1921.3GP (1011 KB)

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

A colorful start to chile relleno.

2009-10-09T01:35:00.001+02:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Twins hit two home runs in first inning! Dome goes nuts!

2009-10-04T20:32:00.001+02:00

Download now or watch on posterous

VID 00003-20091004-1328.3GP (675 KB)

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

My last dome dog.

2009-10-04T19:54:00.001+02:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Twins take the lead!

2009-10-03T23:55:00.001+02:00

Download now or watch on posterous

VID 00001-20091003-1650.3GP (904 KB)

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

Cooking at the bachelor pad...

2009-10-03T01:38:00.001+02:00

Download now or watch on posterous

VID 00000-20091002-1828.3GP (1683 KB)

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from scottdavidmeyer's posterous

The Return

2009-06-08T03:03:00.002+02:00

And we're back. After three great months of working, meeting, and enjoying life in Norway, I have returned to the homeland. I thought this jumping around would get easier, but somehow the culture shock seems stronger this time. Maybe it's because I could be here awhile, or maybe it's because I'm getting older and am getting a better idea of what I want and where I want to be...or maybe it just goes in waves. Whatever the case may be, I feel small things jumping out in neon color at my eyes. Cross necklaces seem larger than life, the lack of electronic music and over-abundance of health and food ads jump out to my eyes and ears, and sudden urges to spend all day walking downtown from cafe to cafe is difficult. Suddenly when I go out, people from my past magically appear. Randomly running into artists and fashion gurus doesn't happen. Going out every night and meeting beautiful, interesting, international people isn't my current life.

I've always had this pull between enjoying and doing. On one hand I want to enjoy life and the people that share it with me, while on the other hand I feel a strong pull to do something in this world, to leave a positive mark on the world and the people that share it with me. I want to combine these passions and know it is possible...so that's the current goal. I'm swimming with thoughts on how to make an impact and leave a mark, but not sure yet if it's possible to enjoy while my mind and heart drift back across the ocean. I've been told I'm the most wanderlust person in the world, but I don't think it's wanderlust, it's the fact that I refuse to live with regret and miss opportunities. Unfortunately, my opportunities for enjoyment and action seem to take me across the globe, continually leaving me with something lacking. I'll figure this stuff out. I'm just torn at the moment and am ready for an evening of confusion, tea, and good music.

Clean Your Boardgames

2009-04-04T05:14:00.002+02:00

One of the best parts of living in a foreign country are the funny situations you can get into in another language. I have been working as a bartender at Circa in Tromsø, and one of my favorite parts of the job is that I am totally immersed in Norwegian for 7 hours. As I've learned, if you can communicate with drunk Norwegians you can communicate with anybody. After every night of work we clean up and have a beer together afterwards to wind down a bit. Tonight I was going through the cleaning list with everyone who was just sitting down to have their beer. I came to the item that said we had to clean the "spillbrett" which means (as I learned later) a type of tray that holds our dirty glasses. When I got to the word however, I some how interpreted it, and said it out-loud, as the Norwegian word I know that was most similar: brettspill, which means boardgame. So as I was reading out-loud I said, we have to clean the board games? Who is willing to do that? Everyone of course burst out laughing and told me that I had to wash each letter in the scrabble game before moving on to every horse in the risk game. It was a good laugh and a nice ending to a fun evening. So, as I drank my beer at 5am and watched the sun rise I learned a new word I don't think I'll ever forget.

One of my favorite places: Schiphol Airport

2009-03-25T08:15:00.000+01:00

As the sun rises of Schiphol Airport, I watch as people wander around generally unaware of any time, fashion, or linguistic barriers. The world is here, at the world’s trading post and it seems, if only for a few fleeting hours, that constant motion is the secret to coexistence. As long as everyone keeps moving there are no problems.

It is this Shangri-La that I feel at peace. I spy on people’s passports to see where they are from, I strain my ears in an attempt to understand what language people are speaking, I study people’s fashion to guess where they’ve been shopping, and I become suddenly friendly and energetic despite a day without sleep or showering. I feel like I am a part of the amorphic, ever-changing world and that even if I stand in the middle of the stream, the world will continue flowing in and around me. Even what may be considered annoyances become pleasant. Waiting in line because I’m not from the E.U., watching the passport control flip through my passport, and even getting patted down because I wearing a cowboy hat are all a small part of the game of travel.

There are endless possibilities here. I look up at the screen and can instantly imagine myself traveling in 10 minutes to Lagos, Casablanca, Azzra, Manila. Every corner of the world is accessible and just as common to the person sitting next to me as it is foreign to me. Perhaps cities like Tromsø, Oslo, or Minneapolis seem equally foreign and exotic to them. And therein lies the excitement. Everyone is going to the place where someone just left. There is a constant swapping of people, keeping the scale in balance but increasing the excitement for everyone.

The electric window shades suddenly close and maybe the fatigue of travel sets in a bit, but the din of motion continues to thrill. It’s time to move, to go, to act, and above all, travel.

A few family photos...

2009-03-15T10:39:00.001+01:00

Three generations of Meyer Men!

My mom and me:

Reflection before the next step

2009-03-04T07:41:00.002+01:00

I'm trying to figure out what to do next. One idea has been a return to school and in applying I have been vigorously writing essays. I finished my last one tonight, appropriately enough by reflecting back on my most important extracurricular activities. So for all of those music teachers and debate coaches out there, thank you:

As an active and artistic individual, extra-curricular activities have developed my interest in the world and my ability to make my mark on the world. Of the myriad activities I enjoy, debate and music are the most influential on my success and self-development.

My curiosity in hearing and discussing the pros and cons of everything from politics to pop culture developed through my participation in debate and speech activities. As a young high school student I learned the art of public speaking and listening through forensic activities. I studied the science of argumentation and performance, encouraging me to speak in public and engage politically, and developed quick thinking and teamwork skills. I succeeded in debate and speech, reaching the semi-finals at the national tournament and developing a curiosity to learn more about the world. Today I seek to educate myself and participate in thorough discussions of current events thanks to debate. I also have the confidence and skills to think deeply about issues and succinctly share my point of view. These skills are building blocks as I use my voice and reasoning to positively change the world.

Debate may have sharpened my mind, but music has shaped my heart, mind, and soul. From an early age I learned the joy of expressing myself through music. Whether on the piano, guitar, trumpet, harmonica, or with my voice, I have constantly turned to music as a source of inspiration and expression. Years of music lessons have taught me self-discipline and patience; years of performance have instilled confidence and a desire to collaborate with others. Thinking and expressing myself creatively has given me the ability to attack problems from imaginative points of view, as I am accustomed to free thinking, improvisation, and collaboration. This tendency towards collaboration and emotional expression has also been an effective means to breakdown supposed barriers. Regardless of linguistic, cultural, or age differences, I have quickly made friends and found common ground by playing and discussing music. My experience in music has thus prepared me to work with others to achieve goals unattainable to a single individual. Letting go of control and acting as a single part of a bigger whole, as one does in musical ensembles, is an essential skill to create real change to problems that are too big for one person to solve. Finally, music is a refuge of solace. Through music I have maintained sanity and peace through trying times and have learned to manage stress, anger, and ecstasy.

Debate and music are important activities that continue to shape who I am today. I have reached success in terms of winning competitions and traveling internationally to participate in extra-curricular activities, but more rewarding has been the personal development gained from debate and music. I am more active in the world, more skilled at activating the world, and able to react to the world thanks to my participation in activities outside of work.

Blogging bug

2009-01-04T07:33:00.001+01:00

The impetus to soon create "meta" blog material is coming over me as 2008 turns to 2009, as Israel invades Palestine, and as I fling myself wholeheartedly into the hyper-connectivity of social networking, wi-fi, and web 2.0+. Check back soon for new material, an updated photo site, and other random musings. In the meantime, you can follow my "micro" blogging on the left column or on twitter. See you soon.

Exciting

2008-09-26T16:04:00.002+02:00

I'm not sure what is more exciting (or scary)...the Twins playoff run or politics in the US at the moment?

I Feel Fine

2008-08-03T18:51:00.003+02:00

According to my blog, the only thing that I've done the past two months is watch Eurovision. Although Eurovision was fun, I have been up to some other things as well. I made the move from North Spain to North Norway where I am working as a tourist guide and enjoying a summer living and being with friends in the Arctic. I'm also preparing to teach this fall in Tromsø, Norway again and have enjoyed music festivals, three different residences, often without internet, and have learned how to construct a tent, make chocolate cake, and appreciate the deep philosophy of "Sex and the City" (which I thought was called Sex in the City, which seems like a more appropriate title). So, all in all, I'm doing well, feeling fine.

But, I don't just want to talk about what I've been doing. I also want to share something exciting: a chance to see not only how I am feeling but how people all over the world are feeling. I just finished watching a lecture about an internet site called "We Feel Fine." It's part art, part data collection, and part web/exploration.. By searching all the popular blog sites for the phrase "I feel" the site collects quotes and photos from blogs and keeps data on what emotions people in different places are feeling at different times. For instance, I learned that 20-29 year olds in Norway feel 2.4 times more free than the average person. Maybe that's why I like it so much here!

So, here's to feeling and feelings.

I'm back...

2008-07-21T21:16:00.001+02:00

I have internet, I'm in Norway, I'm working as a tour guide and professor, I'm surrounded by French people, I rarely eat meat, and I will update very soon!

Chiki Chiki Has Arrived

2008-05-24T15:56:00.004+02:00

The big day has arrived. The day Chiki Chiki will become world famous.

Yes, tonight is the once a year extravaganza known as Eurovision. I've written about Eurovision before, but basically it is American Idol meets the Olympics when every European country (plus Israel) showcases their best (or worst) pop act. It produces ridiculously awful men and women scantily clad dancing around while singing in bad Engrish as well as some groups that become quite famous like ABBA. In recent years, there has been a new phenomenon of acts making fun of Eurovision and actually winning like the monster rockers from Finland. This year, a comedian that is on Spain's equivalent of the Late Show decided to make up an awful reggatone song complete with a plastic guitar and a 4 step dance: 1. El Breikindance (the breakdance) 2. El crusaito (the cross) 3. el miquelyakson (Michael Jackson) 4. el Robocop.

And of course, this ridiculous song making fun of the whole process was chosen as Spain's best act. I love it. So tonight Chiki Chiki will show Europe the best (or worst) of Spanish pop (or comedy). There really is no distinction anymore. Just shows th epower of advertising to get us to buy anything they want to make cool. So enjoy Eurovision. I'm ready! And here's Chiki Chiki:

A day at the zoo

2008-05-22T00:51:00.004+02:00

I have a new respect for all those exciting excursions we took as kids to exotic places like Prairie Village and...well, Sexauer Park because today we took 100 2-5 year old kids to the zoo! It sounded like fun and it was a perfect day for it, but honestly it was a bit crazy. Finding seats for everyone, trying to keep track of their little backpacks, and getting them on and off the bus with steps much to large for them. Fortunately no mishaps except for some kids stealing other kids' lunches (because of course, none of them could remember what their backpacks look like!)

Supposedly the zoo we were going to (Carbarceno) was a "friendly zoo" more like a reserve where the animals have freedom to run around...but you say potato, I say zoo. It was nice though to get out of the school a bit and to enjoy "Flight of the Pheonix" with Dennis Quaid which the driver put on for us in English on our way to and from the zoo to get us pumped up. Woo hoo. Go Denny.

You can see some of the photos from our excursion below:

The bod

2008-05-22T00:48:00.001+02:00

I ran further and longer yesterday than I ever have before: 20km in 1 hour and 40 min. That means that I am getting close to being ready for the half marathon (26km) in one month in Tromsø! Here’s how the run went:

The first 10km went fine. Then i stopped for a moment to stretch my legs adn my right arm fell asleep for a bit. About 14km I stopped for a drink and my left knee started to hurt. About 17km another drink and both knees plus my arms acted up, then I finished strong and checked my finish time on the pharmacy clock. I immediately felt pain in both hips and knees and took a nice long stretch before going home to ice. The next day my calf were extremely tight but otherwise great!

In other news, just finished watching perhaps the best football (soccer) match I have ever seen. Manchester vs. Chelsea in the Champions League finals. Awesome game tied 1-1 after regular and extra time ultimately ending 7-6 on penalties after Christiano Ronaldo and John Terry both missed their shots, with John Terry missing while slipping on his shot.

And, you know you’re a nerd when you leave the house at 12.30am to go sit on the street by the closed candy store to steal free wireless!

So that’s life tonight plus, I went to the zoo today as you can see in the next post...

This is Bob Barker saying...

2008-05-09T11:15:00.002+02:00

The last two weeks of biking to work have been particularly quiet, almost without adventure. Normally, throughout the winter and spring, my 20 min bike route to Colindres was always spiced up by one challenge. We're not talking about the zombies from Paperboy, but rather. A dog. Most people would be able to say what kind of dog it was with its proper name, but I can just say it is small, white and black, and barks and jumps high. In fact, every time I rode by the dog's house he would chase after me jumping at my legs, even occasionally jumping over my lap while I was riding my bike. Quite impressive really...and quite annoying. I had been perfecting my strategy slowing over the months, with a very slow approach before I start pumping my legs and trying to zoom by before he realized what happened. However, about two weeks ago he was mysteriously gone. Well, to my surprise, yesterday the dog was back! This time however, I prepared my strategy and as I approached, I noticed he didn't even flinch or move off the ground. Maybe it's the heat or maybe, just maybe, Bob Barker got to him and made him and it. He seems mournful and listless...which makes my bike ride more peaceful and just a little bit boring.

Mac is back and so is the blog

2008-05-06T11:24:00.005+02:00

After a few weeks of illness, the Mac is back, although still a bit bruised. I finally had a chance to pick it up yesterday in Bilbao where I was told they couldn´t do anything despite the fact that the screws had not been moved. Grrr...

But the past weeks have been a blur of activity, as I enjoyed 10 days with my parents visiting the Basque country (great pinxos), Cantabria (great tapas), and Asturias (great meals). It was truly a gastronomical tour, with San Sebastian being the highlight. It was great to introduce my parents to my friends, my life, and ok, my food too. We survived the bomb scare in San Sebastian, the long walk around the prison in Santoña, teaching two year olds in my preschool, the curvy drive through Covadonga and the lagos, and the hikes in the mountains in the Picos de Europa. I think my parents left exhausted and stuffed, but I know I enjoyed our excursions! (pictures to come soon).

After my parents left, I got geared up for a trip to Madrid where I was supposed to take an exam, the GMAT. Unfortunately, when I arrived, I was informed that despite the information I read on the website, my Spanish identification and US driver´s liscense was not sufficient to take the exam. After a long argument with an unfriendly secretary, I left without taking the exam and without a refund. ouch. Fortunately, I was able to overcome this set back with a great weekend spent with the Fernandez in Cercedilla! Elisa and I took the train one hour from madrid and enjoyed 4 days of sun, food, conversation, music, bad idol songs (seriously, watch this link to understand the extent of the badness), movies, and comfortable family time (minus the parents). I was able to see Manuel, Teresa, Patrick, Pablo, and Sol and it felt great to be able to communicate a bit better in Spanish this time around.

Finally, I made it back to Laredo in time to see a U2 cover band/imitation band in the plaza of Laredo. It was ridiculous. An Italian group that dressed, looked, and sang exactly like U2...and of course all U2 songs. However, as soon as the songs were over, "Bono", AKA Xanu, would start speaking in Italian..."molto grazi...bella...spaghetti..." Ok, well, not exactly like that, but you get the idea. Another random adventure hearing Italians imitating and Irish band for Spanish people. I don´t know if border do exist any more. I mean, I´m hear, right?

And in the end, life is speeding up to the end of May, when I decided to return to Tromso! I´m really pumped to return to the beautiful city to see friends, enjoy 24 hours of sunlight, and guide old people around again. I also was offered a short term contract teaching at the University so I´ll be able to enjoy Tromso until the middle of October.

So, that´s what happened without the mac. How did I survive without it?! Now, time to make the hard decision...should we study pirates or animals today?

How to get a free meal in the Basque Country

2008-04-12T01:01:00.002+02:00

1. Walk around in the rain until you find a fancy restaurant next to a large convention center.
2. Order expensive, multi-course meal.
3. Wait for bomb threat.

Yes it's true. It's my first day in San Sebastian with my parents who arrived today to visit, and what better way than celebrating their arrival then having a up-close encounter with a threatened terror attack?!

Yes, my Dad and I headed out to at a nice restaurant and enjoyed olives and a cocktail, a great appetizer, and had almost finished our main dish when the waiter came over and quickly said in Spanish: "You have to leave." We grabbed our things and walked out of the restaurant along with the 50 some patrons and the wait staff and then I asked one of the waitresses what was going on. She told me that there was a bomb threat, presumably from the terrorist organization in Basque Country, E.T.A. Apparently there was a big conference next door to our restaurant where some 2,500 people were dining and that gathering was threatened. Since our restaurant was in the vicinity, it also had to be cleared. I asked the waitress how long it would take before we would get back in and she said, "Muchas horas." We waited for a while at a safe distance, but nothing happened. So, in the end, we decided to leave. The best part was we had a good meal and didn't have to pay! We celebrated with a glass of wine before coming back to our hotel after our rough and tough encounter with terror.

Remember, you're either with us or against us...or you exploit terror for a free dinner. Yum.

The Threshold of a Movement

2008-04-01T17:12:00.004+02:00

I just returned to Laredo after two weeks of Easter holidays in the white elephant of Europe. France. I say the white elephant because France is that big country in the middle that I never really had any keen interest on visiting. I stopped for two days on a whirlwind travel a decade ago, but never really got the feel for it. This time I did, and it was great! 5 days in Paris and then 3 days Nantes. Really great.

I arrived with Elisa to Paris where we meet with our friend Olivier. We walked through the metro with our bags, up and down stairs and arrived to his posh apartment next to the Eiffel Tower. He was telling us how the day before he had forgotten his keys and how it would be bad to do that now because his roommates were gone for Easter hours from Paris until Monday night. While upon inspection of all his pockets, he did just that. So we head back through the metro and stayed with his friends, who were great hosts showing us Paris and letting us take over their small apartment. We enjoyed the sights in Paris, my favorite was Monmatre, and as someone noted, Paris is really like an entire museum. It seems everywhere you walk is something historic. We stumbled upon many treasures such as an Easter mass service in Notre Dame complete with organ, multiple choirs, incense, and un monton de gente...a lot of people. We also escaped the city for a great day in Versailles where we saw the palace and gardens just like the photos in history books and also walked through the little village with little shops and streets that were so, well, French.

After Paris we headed to Nantes for a cozy visit with our friends Pauline, Jose, and Myrtille. It was my favorite part of the trip. Nantes is a university town with a relaxed, alternative feel. We found one of the coolest cafes I've ever been in: an old cookie factory converted to cafe, office space, concert scene, and turkish bath center...right on the river! The five of us then traveled in car to the coast of France and enjoyed a crepe on the Brittany coast before heading to Pauline's house in the rural countryside of France complete with cows, crops, and one of the most beautiful, rural French homes I have ever seen. Her family was so welcoming and treated us to a great meal (of Norwegian salmon!) and we had a great time relaxing in the French countryside before taking an all day trip in train and bus back to Spain.

Not only did we have a great Easter trip, we also witnessed the supposed beginning of a new movement, or so Olivier told us. I always thought it would be so cool to be on the threshold of a movement like punk in the 80's, or Woodstock in '69 or Flappers in the 20's or whatever it might be. Well, apparently the movement that will soon be storming the world is tektonik, and it's a perfect movement for me because it involves crazy dancing with lots of rubbery arm movements. We saw some tektonik youth in Paris and they all dress in kind of retro 80's clothes, very neon and bright and tight, with tight black jeans, old bright shoes, and mohawks and funky hairstyles. You can check out this video for the full effect including the trance type music that accompanies the dance. Not sure if there is a political tilt to their style or if it's just a way to create a dance that white men can do, but be on the lookout.

And wah la. That was Easter. Now back in Spain. I enjoyed a successful weekend in Valladolid where our ultimate frisbee team won La Copa de Castilla and enjoyed a great weekend of frisbee and comradery. This weekend, my parents arrive for a week of excursions and showing off North Spain. Woo hoo!

Happy dancing from Spain.

Touching Base

2008-03-18T17:27:00.003+01:00

As my internal body clock again attempts to settle, my routine is again beginning here in Spain. I traveled back to the US for about two weeks to spend time with my family after my Grandpa passed away. It was a tough event; powerful enough to rise above the sadness and bring family and friends together, reminding us of our roots, heritage, caring network of support, and the fun we have together.

The return to Spain has been surprisingly easy as I headed to the beach and played ultimate frisbee in the rain and then enjoyed a reunion with my girlfriend Elisa and friends from Santander and Laredo. Monday I again headed to work where over 100 smiling faces were waiting for me. Infancy must be the most forgiving, welcoming, loving period of ones life. They welcomed me with hugs and kisses, and we started to learn the English words for, obviously, the family. Mom, Dad, sisters, brothers, Grandma, and Grandpa.

So, even though my life straddles the oceans, it's nice to have these moments of intersection and time with both of my bases and sources of inspiration and support.

Rain

2008-02-28T14:16:00.002+01:00

It´s a rainy, cold day today in Laredo. The first one we´ve had in about a month. The rain suits the mood today as my Grandpa Johnson has been sick and struggling in the hospital. Today they will be removing the tubes and machinery that have been intertwined with his body the past month. It´s been a difficult time for the whole family, and the distance amplifies these difficulties; so, I will be heading home to be with my family for a while. Unfortunately, traveling from pueblo to pueblo doesn´t go as fast as I would like, but I will be arriving Friday evening to join my family. Please send your thoughts and prayers towards South Dakota where we will be gathering to mourn, remember, and enjoy the support and love of one another. Hopefully the rain stops soon.

Election Time

2008-02-26T15:48:00.004+01:00

And the world spins madly on...

As a political junkie, I love election times. Reading about the strategy, watching the way candidates try to sell themselves, and watching the real drama play out. This year has been especially great because of the historic battle in the US. But there is actually election action outside of the US..in Spain!

On March 9th, Spain will go to the polls in what is shaping up to be a very close and important election. The current socialist government and their leader Zapatero are slightly ahead in the polls, but it is anyone´s game as both the anti-immigrant, hard on terror right party PP and its leader Rajoy and the socialist, human rights touting party, PSOE are neck and neck. (Note bias.) Unlike the US however, political debates are not a common thing here in Spain. In fact, the last debate was 15 years ago! Thus, last night was a big night as a political debate between the two candidates was held. Over 50% of Spanish tv viewers were tuned in to the tense exchange. From what I understood, I thought PSOE did a better job, but it seems that people are mixed on the actual result. The big issues are the economy, terrorism especially with ETA the seperatist/terrorist group (depending on your viewpoint) from the Basque country in north Spain, and seperatism (a lot of regions in Spain want more independence). I´ve had a great time learning more about Spain and its interesting difference through the debates and the election, and have starting reading ¨The New Spaniards¨by John Hooper that gives a great, easy-to-read view of modern Spanish history. Highly recommended.

So, this fascinating country is facing a big decision. It´s politicians definitely aren´t as polished or practiced at public speaking or appearing on TV as in the US (to my surprise they try to hold up graphs proving points instead of just speaking with confidence), but they are getting a lot of attention as EL DEBATE, CARA a CARA is occupying the tv´s of spain...including mine. There is one more debate. We´ll see how it goes. I´m casting my sympathy vote for the guy who at least tries for peace with ETA, pulled troops out of Iraq, and who legalized same sex unions. Guess that shows where my vote will be come November.

Sick Mac

2008-02-22T22:29:00.002+01:00

I´m a big Mac fan and have had nothing but good luck for 3 years with my Powerbook G4. In the past weeks however it has developed a personality. When I move the screen or pick it up, it will randomly shut off, and similarly turn on randomly when I move it. So, I finally bit the bullet and visited my ´local´mac store, which is just a small computer store in Bibao, about an hour away. They were really helpful, and now my mac is having a little siesta for a few days in Pais Vasco (Basque Country). I have confidence that those Vascos will be able to restore my mac to it´s normal form...until then, internet connection will be a bit more sporadic...and maybe my life in Laredo a bit more quiet.

The Faces of Tromsø

2008-02-19T18:07:00.005+01:00

Have a look at my cool friends in Tromsø.

Bumps on the Neck

2008-02-19T00:14:00.001+01:00

I made it home! After a crazy 24 hour trip with stops in Oslo, Frankfurt, Barcelona, and a last minute overnight stay with my gracious hosts Jon and Raquel, I arrived this morning to Laredo in time to shower and ride my bike to CP Los Puentes. I was greeted by the latest news at the preschool: meningitis is on the loose! I guess the rat fumigation didn’t kill EVERYTHING. Apparently, one of our students was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and now everyone is freaking out looking for bumps on their neck and a temperature of 38º C, which must be bad. I guess when looking for fever, the usual C to F estimation isn’t the best method. So maybe an unexpected visit to the pharmacy to pick up some preventative medicine, even though i think my luther vaccine should protect me!

Now, I’m enjoying the fruits of my journey...smoked salmon direct from teh docks of Tromsø. Maybe the only product that is cheaper and better in Tromsø than in Spain! That and the crazy, random, great people that I love encountering in the Paris of the North. Skål Tromsø. You’re still my fav.

Tromsø igjen

2008-02-15T08:56:00.000+01:00

I'm back in Tromsø! It's great. I'm laying on the couch in my old house, seeing the mountain in the horizon and the snow blowing outside the window, and somehow I'm warmer inside this cozy house than I am at my house in Spain, despite -7 C temps here in Tromsø! I gave a lecture this morning at the university and this evening will have a chance to listen to the Peace Man himself, Johan Galtung. Always action in the Paris of the North I guess. The day has been full of random encounters and it feels good to be back, but of course being back makes me miss things at my other homes in Spain and the US. I don't know, maybe that's why I'm always moving around...because I like to miss things and have fond memories of different periods of my life. For the moment, I'm contnet to be here, but I know it will be nice to return to Spain and enjoy a few more months tackling Spanish, toddlers, and 20 degree weather. Not always the most difficult task.

but for now, here's to Tromsø. such a great place with great people. Skål!

Sardines

2008-02-12T18:32:00.001+01:00

Carnival's over...but the fun has just begun.

Stories from the Frontlines

2008-02-08T18:50:00.000+01:00

I’ve been talking a lot about the preschool where I work lately, and I guess it’s fitting as some of the craziest stories come from my time there. Whether it’s finding a kind in the hallway with their pants half down just pointing and grimacing or having the whole class give a kiss to one girl because she was sad that her mom yelled out her, my job is always full of surprises.

This week proved no different so I thought I would add a few more stories in case my Grandpa or anyone at Sanford needs a story to tell. I arrived on Wednesday after a long weekend to find out that they had fumigated the school during the 5 day weekend. Apparently, there was a rat sighting. However, I guess the five days wasn’t long enough to air out the school because we came back to an awful smell. So, instead of having class on Wednesday, we spent most of the day outside! We started with a one hour group singing and movement time, kind of like camp. Tried class for about an hour and then realized it was better just to have recess the rest of the morning while the school aired out.

My favorite story from the preschool, however, is about the 2 year old students. They are my favorites because I walk into class with them and they all just look at me like I’m some sort of strange creature, which I think I am for them. But they are so amiable and they love to sing and dance and imitate me. It’s really amazing. However, sometimes this imitation doesn’t lead to learning. Every time I walk into the classroom with the two year olds I say “HELLO!” and give a big wave. After a few days of doing this, the kids started saying “Hello” to me during recess, and I thought to myself: “Oh! They’re learning! They’re so smart!” Then, I realized that they were saying “Adios Hello” when they left the school. I started wondering if they got mixed up that maybe hello meant goodbye. Then, the teacher broke the news to me: they thought my name was Hello. Everytime I would walk in they would say Hello because they were saying what they saw and on the playground they were just trying to get my attention.

So, I have been bequeathed Hello. I hope that does not cause they long term linguistical damage.

Carnaval

2008-02-04T16:29:00.000+01:00

Spain is currently in the midst of a week long (some places longer) party: Carnaval! It's like Mardi Gras except it's a week long and almost EVERYONE participates, dressing up in ridiculous and carefully constructed costumes. From the chicken and the egg to hordes of ladybugs and sumo wrestlers. It's quite a show.

The fun begins at school where there is there is traditionally a huge party and parade with the kids. At my preschool we studied firemen all month and of course concluded the month by dressing as firemen...picture about 80 little firemen and me trying to keep them out of the street as we walked to the main square to participate in the parade of the school kids (or if you can't, just look at the pictures) In addition to the little firemen, our 2 year olds dressed up like fruits (bananas, oranges, and pears). The fun ended in a big climax as REAL firemen came to our school and showed us their truck, hose and even gave some of the teachers (including me) a ride on their ladder! So I got to experience the glory of Cantabria 20 meters (10 stories) above the ground!

Of course, after the kids have had their fun, us adults have to enjoy the holiday as well...so stealing an idea from my friend Shantel, I dressed up like bull fighter! Elisa dressed up like a Mexican while our friends used our hats to dress something like farmers and mafia members. We had a great night out first in Laredo and then to big party in Santoña, a small town nearby that has a big carnaval tradition. There we met up with a fellow American, Will the Chef, who navigated us through 2 outdoor stages with dj's and music and the streets which were packed full of crazy creatures. A lot of people dressed up in masse with all their friends, like 20 sumo wrestlers, herds of cows (which of course I distracted with my pink bull fighting cape), and my favorite, the chicken and the egg. Which one did I see first though?

Things will settle down again on Wednesday when Carnaval ends and I go back to work, but until then, I'm enjoying some time off and my days as a bull fighter. ¡Olé!

Resolutions

2008-01-23T11:39:00.000+01:00

I am not big on New Year´s resolutions, but I did make a few goals. The first was to learn about currency trading. Haven´t touched that one yet, but if anyone has ideas on how to learn, where to practice (with fake money), let me know.

The others were to read more and to use listerine. These are going well. I recommend ´For Whom the Bells Tolls´and green.

In other thoughts, thanks for the comments. Good to hear from everyone.

Now, off to write down the words to ´Mister Sun´ after singing it with 2 year old kids for an hour. This month we´re studying fruit and firemen culminating in a REAL fireman coming to visit us on the 31st, which is our party for Carnaval which starts on Feb 1st. Can you believe it?!

So yeah, life´s pretty good.

Miracles happen everyday...

2008-01-11T14:04:00.000+01:00

and sometimes the same miracles happen every day. Like for instance, the man I pass every morning on my bike. He is also biking, the opposite way, but the amazing thing is that he is always carrying crutches, as in crutches that help people who can't walk (but apparently can still bike).

Other fun things happen everyday here in Cantabria, like for instance, the young student in my pre-school who dressed up with a bacardi beret and a cape, looking like some kind of Ché-inspired, alcoholic superhero.

And maybe the most random, would be last night. I was in a restaurant enjoying a drink with friends and went to the bathroom. As I was leaving the bathroom I almost ran in to someone. He said, "Hey Scott." And wouldn't you know it, it was Erik, the American who lives and blogs from Colindres, Spain. I'd never seen him before and only communicated through blog posting, so it was so random to finally meet him...in the corridor of the bathroom of a random restaurant in Laredo. He also wrote a great entry about the experience. I guess I do live in a pueblo.

So, it's exciting to come back. I was home for two weeks enjoying a great Christmas holiday. I went through a little internal debate while home about blogging. What do you do when you're home and everything feels normal, but still somehow "blog-worthy"? I usually video and write about things that I notice as an outsider...but when I'm home, in a way I'm an insider and most things are normal...but still a lot of my life back home would seem unusual to an outsider, and I feel like I now at least recognize what other people would recognize as odd, even though it's normal to me. Whether it is belting out hymns at a small country church with my Grandpa Johnson, driving for hours to see family and friends, eating out almost every day, running into acquaintances all over town, or enjoying a Christmas celebration with 15 cousins, it's home for me...even though I know it is quite foreign from the foreign life I'm now living. So, I don't know. Maybe I should have documented my home, but in some strange way I didn't want to label my home as foreign because it's still my home, and I like knowing what to expect and having it feel normal.

I guess now I can resume documenting since I'm in the confines of a "foreign" country. Game on.

Home Improvement

2007-12-19T15:51:00.000+01:00

Is that Tim Allen? No, it's me doing battle with my doors. Please watch the video and help me solve my technical difficulties! You can vote about what I should do with the poll on the right or help me with comments below. Also, watch the newly dugg videos by going to my YouTube site: http://www.youtube.com/scottfromsouthdakota. While you're there, subscribe to my video blog or sign up to be my friend!

Christmas on the Beach

2007-12-16T14:16:00.000+01:00

We're in the spirit at Crucero Baleares 4 today, busting out decorations and the Sufjan Stevens Christmas albums. It's been a bit strange decorating for Christmas while looking at the beach, but it's almost cold enough here to think about Christmas. You can see our lovely decorations set to the back drop of the beach! One of these things is not like the other...

Speaking of trees, we were weren't we...well, anyways, I visited Santoña which is a lovely little town directly across from my house. It at the bottom of the mountain I see out my window across the water. They have a great walkway in the middle of town with the trees you see all over Cantabria. The reason why I think they are so cool is that they actually grow towards one another. So you can see the tops of the trees have grown into one tree making almost a canopy above the walkway. Let's see a Christmas tree do that!

Listen, you can hear Christmas

2007-12-14T12:31:00.000+01:00

Christmas time is here in Laredo, and in case you were forgetting it, the city of Laredo has not only installed an impressive number of street Christmas lights, but also speakers on each corner of the main park as well as on random streets through the city. These speakers blast choral Christmas music...but it's not a recording of a famous choral group...instead it sounds more like someone recording hymnal singing at a church service on their mobile phone. The sound balance is always ridiculously awful with really loud organ noises or one voice louder than everything else. But these noises remind us of the coming holiday and of sitting in the pew as a kid covering one ear and then the other in order to hear the changing noises made by the Lutheran hymnal singing.

In other news...inquisitive minds want to know, and here it is! My bar. Well, actually a café. Cafeteria Berna. It's actually not in the old town, but right next to the casa de cultural (cultural house) in Laredo (the closest one because there are two bars right next to each other). Check it out. Included are directions both from space and within Laredo at the bottom of the post. Zoom in on the pointer marked A.

Off this afternoon to the nearby village of Santoña for the first time and this evening contemplating a trip to Santander for ultimate and meeting up with friends. We'll see where the strong wind off the Cantabric sea takes me.

View Larger Map

Mexico

2007-12-12T16:33:00.000+01:00

After dropping by the US for a surprise visit, I made a swing through Mexico to see Elisa! We had a great time with amazing weather and picture perfect surroundings. We had a lot of crazy adventures, finding the strangest hostel I have ever seen, but eventually we trudged our way through the Yucantan, enjoying Mayan ruins, great food, and a small taste of Yucantan life. Despite occasional illness along the way (I thought Moctezuma lived and revenged, new verb, around Mexico, DF?), we had a great trip together and managed to take some beautiful photos which happen to go perfectly with a little James Taylor.

I have a bar

2007-12-12T14:10:00.000+01:00

I have now taken the most important step of the living abroad, and language learning, process...having a bar! I know that I now have my favorite bar after a great evening last night.

I had my Spanish class and was a bit frustrated with my teacher who never quite takes the time to listen to the entirety of my questions (because she's usually too busy looking at her watch waiting for me and the Brazilian in my class to stop asking questions...only two of us in the free class), so I decided that I should watch a little UEFA cup football (soccer) and try to practice my Spanish with the bartender and people in the bar to learn the real Spanish. I had visited the bar numerous times and already knew the bartender, his wife who cooks, and his son who is there in the mornings shyly trying to practice his English. But last night I took the final step by meeting the regulars and getting a TON of free drinks and food.

I love the bar because it is close to my house and because it is the only place I've found in Laredo where you get tapas, a free snack that accompanies a beer. It's great! Last night I ordered one beer, then received, chips, then a tortilla sandwich. At that point I was feeling guilty for eating so much with only beer so I ordered one more, upon which I received manchego cheese and two sandwiches with chorizo. When I went up to pay after the game (real madrid won 3-1 one, unlike Rosenborg :( and I started talking with a guy at the bar who works for the local government. He had traveled a bit and was interested in language and international issues so we talked health care, learning language, the similarities between Spain and the US and the differences. While we were talking the bartender came and joined the conversation and poured a beer saying "es gratis." So a free beer while shooting the shit...and the shit continued to be shot so another free beer came my way. Then when the bar was finally closing, I went to pay and he said, you're only paying for one, so after 3 hours, four or five tapas, and four beers, I spent 1.60 euros. Gotta love Spain! So I'm feeling a bit more at home and have at least one place where people know me...even if it is where I am known as "el americano" that teaches English. At least here, I'm the only one americano so I can construct my own definition of el americano. At least that's my goal over the next five months!

...but it's worth noting that I discovered a blog of an American living in Colindres where I work! Great photos and stories from Spain, plus his last name is Rasmussen so maybe we're related! Check it out!

Surprise!

2007-12-10T22:44:00.000+01:00

And what a surprising week it's been. The relative silence here on the blog is not due to lack of activity, but rather lack of connection as I have been hoping across the Atlantic. I made the first leg of my journey from the pueblo of Laredo, Spain to the pueblo of Decorah, Iowa to surprise my family by showing up at the Christmas at Luther concert where my brothers were singing. And it worked! Thanks to the help of my sister, brother-in-law, and good friend Paul, I was able to make it in time for the show and the festivities. It was a huge surprise that left my brother with a large vein running down his forehead while his jaw dropped in a mix of smiling and shock. We all had a great weekend surviving a blizzard by chatting, going out to eat, and beginning to catch-up in lieu of the Christmas break that will soon be here.

And thanks also to Paul, the surprise for my parents was caught on tape! Check out the travel experience and the "stealthily-ness" of my weekend in Decorah in this video.

Hola

2007-12-05T21:07:00.000+01:00

Hola de Mexico! Yes, the posts have been few and far between because I have embarked on a new program called, not being with my computer for one week. To achieve this goal, I thought the only possibility was to travel...so I took a surprise trip to the US to visit my family. A great surprise! (video coming soon). Then I hopped down south to visit Elisa in Mexico. It's really amazing...hot, beautiful, and slightly crowded. More in the future. Ciao de Mexico.

And the winner is...

2007-11-28T23:29:00.000+01:00

With a surprising last entry, the winner is officially John Meyer. Yes, my brother. Lame, but what can I say, he put in the extra effort beating out Harry Potter and Pirates of the Carribean designs. The winning layout will be adapted soon, and in the meantime John gets prime real estate for his win.

In other news, things are getting busy here and I think I am finally getting integrated because now I have a bar. I know the bartender, his wife who works in the kitchen, and their son raul who sometimes tries to speak English with me. I usually stop in for breakfast, but since this evening was a Champions League game, I watched Real Madrid lose in the bar...and in the meantime I won a free t-shirt that says "Piensa en verde." Yes, Heineken. Maybe that's what Real Madrid lost, because the sponsor wasn't Spanish.

In other activities, I took a fun walk around Laredo. Check it out in this video. Especially interesting to me was the fact that the dead are buried in above ground drawers. You can see it in the video. Craziness.

More later and a new contest soonish, so get ready!

Black Friday

2007-11-24T15:27:00.001+01:00

New Bike

2007-11-20T18:09:00.000+01:00

Hello Virtual Travelers!

Yes, I have a new bike, wet pants, and a challenge for all the visitors: find me a new blog layout (and by layout I mean template). The official "Pimp Scott's Blog" contest begins now! Submit your entries as a comment on the blog or by sending me an e-mail: scottdavidmeyer@gmail.com. The contest is officially over at 11.59 (your time, whatever that may be) Tuesday night, November 27, 2007. The winner will be announced shortly afterwards. Good luck and enjoy the latest news from Laredo.

Magosto and a Friday

2007-11-19T00:25:00.000+01:00

Lack of internet delayed the post, but it (was) Friday.

Agua

2007-11-14T22:37:00.000+01:00

San Martín's Day

2007-11-13T18:25:00.000+01:00

Happy Halloween from C.P. Los Puentes Preschool

2007-11-08T19:50:00.000+01:00

The upside-down question marks (and Bilbao)

2007-11-08T01:38:00.001+01:00

I fought the law and I won

2007-11-06T00:57:00.000+01:00

Today was the big one...the battle with the immigration office! And after two previous attempts, I am happy to say that today I won (after four hours). Yes, I am officially legal to work in Spain, which essentially means I can get paid! Everything went as well as possible today in Santander and I am excited to stop thinking about it and to start living a scheduled life.

To celebrate my triumphant day, I played frisbee and then ate a great dinner with my friends David (also my boss with less hair), Nacho (his younger brother with more hair), and Carmen (my roommate with the most hair). Carmen prepared all the food and the the three of us who came directly from frisbee, ate it. So good! You can see the presentation of the food from my cozy kitchen (and practice your spanish) in this video.

Silencio

2007-11-04T11:44:00.000+01:00

And just like that...POOF! Silence. It's strange because I think it is the first time I have been alone since I came to Spain. My roommate is gone until tonight and my friends just left after a great weekend exploring Northern Spain. So now I'm listening to the Decemberists and enjoying a bit of breakfast while looking out over the beach and the couples (men/women; grandparents/grandkids; dogs/dog owners) enjoying the sand.

We visited a beautiful medieval city called Santillana del Mar where we enjoyed walking on cobblestone streets, a great meal in an outdoor terrace with a ridiculous waitress, and an afternoon walk through a park full of leaves falling as fall sets in. After Santillana we headed to Santander where I had frisbee practice and where we enjoyed a bit of "big city night-life" while waiting for the first bus home at 3.30am. Yesterday we took a short hour bus ride to the nearby city of Bilbao, which blew me away. It's more than just the stunning presence of the Guggenheim Museum, but the whole city is breathtaking. A great riverwalk, a fascinating mix of modern and historic, and all types of public transport all new and "futuristic" as Gero notes: tram, subway, buses, free bikes. Just a great feeling. After that excursion, a beer in the old town of Laredo seemed like a bit of a let down.

Now I have time to finally move in. All my boxes have arrived, my bookshelves are starting to fill up, and after a good wash of the house I think I'll feel a bit of ownership. Tomorrow I will (hopefully) get my Spanish ID number so I can get paid and then I can stop worrying about moving in and can start living. For now, a few more corn flakes before uploading the photos and video from this weekend's adventures!

All Saints Visitors

2007-11-01T19:08:00.000+01:00

Happy All Saints Day!

Yes, we did celebrate Halloween yesterday, but my computer and external hard drive are full right now, so the video update will come soon...in the meantime, I am already on to the next holiday, All Saints Day. It's a national holiday here in Spain , and I have enjoyed the holiday by hosting my first guests: Alba, Gero, and Pauline (with Roberto coming in 30 minutes). We enjoyed the sunny day by having a walk around Laredo after checking out the nightlife of Laredo last night. It's so great to break-in a new place with familiar faces and fun to show off my new home, even though everything I see is new to me too. So I'm in the strange position as a host and tourist at the same time. I think we'll be continuing the exploration outside of Laredo with a stop in Santander tomorrow and Bilbao on Saturday! Nothing like traveling with friends.

Corocotta

2007-10-30T23:44:00.000+01:00

The legend in Cantabria, Spain goes something like this...as the Romans were invading Gaul, a famous general named Corocotta united the Cantabri tribes and fought a decade of warfare in resistance to the Romans. The warriors used guerilla tactics attacking and retreating to the mountains near the coast. The attacks were so troublesome for the Romans that, according to Wikipedia, they put a price on Corocotta's head of 200,000 sesteri. (In case you forgot, one sesterius is 2 and half asses, so in total 500,000 asses. Insert your own butt joke here.) Corocotta himself walked into the Roman camp and presented himself to get the reward. Apparently, Emperor Augustus was so astonished that he gave him the reward and set him free. Today, this famous name is passed down in the only way that it is truly appropriate...to the tight asses adorned by ultimate frisbee players from Santander, Cantabria!

Yes, I have just returned after spending a sunny, sweaty weekend in the capital city of Madrid. The guerilla warriors of the north took the trip south for two full days of frisbee games. It was a great time to play frisbee again with a great group of new friends. The Corocottas from Santander split into two teams, so I played with the less experienced team and we were happy to watch the improvement as we moved from being a team led by three people to a team that went undefeated on the second day thanks to the skills of the new players. The experienced Corocotta team also did well finishing second to the home team after realizing that they need to practice their offense against the zone defense.

Besides the frisbee aspects of the weekend, I was truly amazed to see how openly germs are spread here in Spain. First of all, no real worries about washing hands after going to the bathroom. Then, after each game we would line up and congratulate the other team for a good game. But we’re not talking half-heartedly shaking hands. We’re talking kisses on both cheeks, regardless of how sweaty everyone was. Finally, the fun ended by the passing of the Corocotta bottle. After each game we give the other team a bottle of a special liquor from Cantabria that is a lot like Amarula. We always stand in a circle and pass around the bottle as all the sweaty frisbee players, fresh from their kisses, guzzle down the bottle. And the thing is...it’s great. I love the physical closeness of it all and the relaxed feeling everyone seems to have. Just positive people, good competition and good fun. Basically a great weekend.

Add to all this a night playing darts and dancing and a night eating for 4 hours in an Tony Romeo’s American Rib restaurant and you have yourself a great weekend. I returned home at midnight Sunday night absolutely destroyed, feeling muscles I haven’t felt in a long time and feeling welcomed here in Spain.

Shipping Sickness

2007-10-29T21:01:00.001+01:00

The fun has begun (videographically)

2007-10-29T20:18:00.001+01:00

The fun has begun

2007-10-23T21:06:00.001+02:00

Yes, the fun has begun. Unfortunately, grand plans of starting a video blog have been delayed by the fact that I sent all my cords in a box that is somewhere between Norway and Spain. Couple this with a lack of internet at the moment, and it will take a few days to get everything settled. Despite this small hiccup, updates both textual and visual will soon be posted here, so keep coming back for the latest tales from Spain.

For now, know that I have arrived, that I'm living next to the beach, and that I want you to come visit. I would also love to hear from you. So post a comment or contact me with my new contact info below.

Happy walking.

Mailing address:
C/ Crucero Baleares 4
2º Izda.
39770 Laredo, Cantabria
Spain

Phone:
Spanish: +34 671 406 746
US (forwards to my Spanish phone): (612) 235 6673

E-mail:
scottdavidmeyer at gmail.com

Walk A Mile...

Ava at 2.26am

Happy Birthday to Emily!

San Fran farmer's market

Does this go automatically to wordpress?

Class at the Chamber

Morning kiwi. Happy New Year!

Finished product!

Christmas Eve pizza at the Meyer house

Christmas dinner at the Meyer's

3 kings?

Rocking the Gloria Dei Xmas program

Spanish arroz con frijoles at the 9 Clouds loft. Yummy.

My brother Paul is in Fleet Foxes.

Rockin bluegrass at the orpheum!

Mabe's pizza at Luther alumni event in Sioux Falls, SD

Two Thumbs Up for Munich

Daniel is working hard at the Grus office in Tromsø, Norway

Smallest screen ever on United's B767-300?

Quick! Who can name this airport? *hint* gershwin playing in the background.

Corn feed or grass fed? Which burger is better? @pjfarms or cliff's beef? The burger brawl has begun.

KELO heard thepostsd.com was covering the flu story and they had to send their own crew.

Winter has arrived!

Dinner is served!

A colorful start to chile relleno.

Twins hit two home runs in first inning! Dome goes nuts!

My last dome dog.

Twins take the lead!

Cooking at the bachelor pad...

The Return

Clean Your Boardgames

One of my favorite places: Schiphol Airport

A few family photos...

Reflection before the next step

Blogging bug

Exciting

I Feel Fine

I'm back...

Chiki Chiki Has Arrived

A day at the zoo

The bod

This is Bob Barker saying...

Mac is back and so is the blog

How to get a free meal in the Basque Country

The Threshold of a Movement

Touching Base

Rain

Election Time

Sick Mac

The Faces of Tromsø

Bumps on the Neck

Tromsø igjen

Sardines

Stories from the Frontlines

Carnaval

Resolutions

Miracles happen everyday...

Home Improvement

Christmas on the Beach

Listen, you can hear Christmas

Mexico

I have a bar

Surprise!

Hola

And the winner is...

Black Friday

New Bike

Magosto and a Friday

Agua

San Martín's Day

Happy Halloween from C.P. Los Puentes Preschool

The upside-down question marks (and Bilbao)

I fought the law and I won

Silencio

All Saints Visitors

Corocotta

Shipping Sickness

The fun has begun (videographically)

The fun has begun

Quick! Who can name this airport? hint gershwin playing in the background.