i guess i should be used to this by now. my OTHER roommate is now leaving as well! he just told me yesterday and he's leaving this weekend. but i think there are two girls moving in now. i actually just met the girl that's taking over the other girl's room here. her name is silvia and she is an english teacher! how cool is that? she's excited she can speak english with me haha. and i was telling her how i would love to come over here and teach english and she said i would have a job in a split second, especially in the area we live right now! she said she teaches about 10 minutes away from our apartment. she's really nice and young and said she will go out with me sometime.
school has been good. this week is busy. i have a paper due next week and i don't really know what i'm doing. bah. it's still fun to listen to everyone speaking english, the spanish people anyway. when they say words that start with S, they say them like "estrange" or "esport." not like e-strange, but es. and when we do presentations and the kids put up powerpoint slides, sometimes their sentences are all mixed up. because i think between english and spanish, the structure is the opposite. so they will have things with like the verbs and the nouns mixed up or the adjectives in the wrong place. it's entertaining though. they also say their V's like B's in spanish, so i don't really understand what the point is of having a V. why not just make all the words have the B instead?
i have been going out with a lot of new people and it's so much fun. exhausting though! i hate it because there's so many different groups of people that i'm always bombarded by invites (that sounds snooty i know) and sometimes i just want to stay home and take a break! and now spend money!!! but then i want to make friends and i want to hang out with these people so it's hard to say no.
i think this weekend i'm going to the barca game because it's super cheap. they are playing malaga, another city in spain, and they aren't that popular so that's why it's not expensive. but then i was talking to people at school and i feel like the entire international crew is going! it will be insane. i hope it's good. everyone says it's one of the most exciting things to do here.
the weather is getting unbelievable nice and i cannot wait to go to the beach!!! it's been beautiful out and no coat needed. i'm ecstatic ;)
the euro is at it's most lowest point right now :/ good for me because the exchange rate is now suuper low. it's weird though, i'm not used to it! someone was asking me how the crisis is in the states and i was telling them it's terrible but they said there's no way it's even close to here, it' can't be that bad over there!
well my plan is to stay in tonight but who knows what will come up! it's still early...
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
se marcha =( (she's leaving)
my roommate just knocked on my door and another girl was with her and she says, "hey i just wanted to introduce you because this girl is looking at my room because i am leaving."
????!
what! i am so sad! she is the nicest one here and the one i talk to the most :( :( :(
i'm so sad !
but now all these people are ringing the bell and i guess she is showing her room. sigh...
well carnaval was a riot. to say the least. i don't even have words. it's like mardi gras euro-style. but i don't know what mardi gras is like. hehe.
well i'll put some pictures up. EVERYONE dressed up, like insane clothing and sparkles and jewels and glitter and face paint and details details details. there was also things like fairies and fred flintstone and birds and other halloween-type ideas. but it was just madness all around. the parade was kilometers long and lasted hours. music, lights, colors, dancing, drunk people, craziness! i cannot get over it. so here you go:
????!
what! i am so sad! she is the nicest one here and the one i talk to the most :( :( :(
i'm so sad !
but now all these people are ringing the bell and i guess she is showing her room. sigh...
well carnaval was a riot. to say the least. i don't even have words. it's like mardi gras euro-style. but i don't know what mardi gras is like. hehe.
well i'll put some pictures up. EVERYONE dressed up, like insane clothing and sparkles and jewels and glitter and face paint and details details details. there was also things like fairies and fred flintstone and birds and other halloween-type ideas. but it was just madness all around. the parade was kilometers long and lasted hours. music, lights, colors, dancing, drunk people, craziness! i cannot get over it. so here you go:
i was supposed to have the pink mask but my friend decided to give it to that girl instead! so i just did my makeup a little over the top. and we all wore neon tights and colorful skirts.
many people were half-naked but it was freezing and i don't know how they did it
lots of gay pride =) sitges is known for it
the flintstones!
yes really.
so by the end of the night i had so much confetti in my hair that every step i took it seemed like mounds would fall out. and i am still finding some around my room.
so the weather today has been BEAUTIFUL and i am loving it and will definitely go out tonight. i have a friend in a band that is playing at this place called sutton, which is just one street over from my house. so i said i would go watch. and i have some friends coming so it should be a good time. something a little different! i hate just going to clubs every weekend doing the same thing but it's nice when it's a different place or there's live music. and this place is super posh and you have to dress up really nice so we will make a night of it!
it actually snowed here the other night, saturday maybe? but it was like 2am and it didn't stick to the ground. but my one friend was freaking out because she had never seen it before! it was exciting for her =) and today i didn't even wear a coat so who knows what's going on up in the sky...
Sunday, February 14, 2010
...and the smells!
every morning i wake up and open my window to see what the weather feels like outside, and my window is right near the windows of everyone else's kitchens. so i smell the most wonderful food and it makes me sooo hungry! but then it makes me cook so it's okay :) i just always want to know what they're cooking! haha
today is the big day. the big Carnaval at Sitges. it started last week, and it's the biggest festival to go down in Sitges. people dress up in costumes, fire comes out, dancing, etc. etc. tonight is the BIG parade and everyone is going! i got a ton of people from school to go so it's going to be awesome. me and diana and brooke bought these masks with feathers and sequins to wear and we're wearing bright tights and gloves and lots of neon things. it should be fun! yesterday i was worried because it was so cold and rained alllll day. but today it is sunny! it's not supposed to rain either so i hope it holds up!
this week i did the usual. school is going really well. i've got some groups and i've been trying to talk to all the spanish kids in my classes because there aren't many :( it's kind of sad. and i almost feel weird speaking english in class! but my one class, consumer behavior, is with a teacher i had last semester, and she spoke soooo fast but the class was really interesting. so i was excited to have it this time in english with a teacher i liked. but no, it turns out it's in spanish! so she's just rambling again, so sad :( hahaha. i will get by though. i have lots of friends in that class.
the weirdest thing? i still don't have my grades from last semester! i mean i know for one class because she sat down with us in class and told us. but online they are all blank! i mean, i am still getting my scholarship so i'm assuming i passed, right? but i don't understand how they get them. i need to ask a spaniard!
this weekend was good. i went out with all the american exchange kids. it was quite hilarious. the girls are really annoying. i'm sorry but they are. they are ALL from san francisco, and a few from new york, but all from private school, and ALL stuck up! they are really not nice. i saw a girl out that is in my class, and i was excited and said hi!! and was asking how she was, and she barely looked at me! and then when we went out with everyone, they were so cliquey, not cool. of course the guys are nice though! i still had fun. and me and my friend brooke (from UCF) just laughed at all the american girls because they were super drunk and just making fools of themselves. not attractive!
i've been talking to marta almost everyday and i miss her so much! but we just keep talking about when i will see her again, because i am going there even if it leaves me broke! she said she will not let me leave europe anyway unless i come. so i guess i have to ha.
some more random findings:
>nothing stays hot here. even my coffee, i have to heat it like 3 times before i'm done with it! it's really annoying. but as my parents know, i like my food hot, so maybe it's just me. but even some of the other kids have agreed with me.
>people here are very very trustworthy. it's almost scary. i don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing. but i've never been helped by so many strangers in my life, and they've never been so genuine. i think that's a reason why barcelona is the third happiest city in the world :)
>they don't put pepper on the tables here. in fact, sometimes not even salt, and definitely no ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, etc. and as some of you know, i am a pepper FIEND! and i hate salt :( but, that is life
speaking of food, i know, it's a trending topic here, i went to this tiny little catalan place with diana and our friend olivia. it was very local, no tourists, the entire menu in catalan. and the people were so so nice and i got pig's feet! i was feeling adventurous, and their pig here is always a win, so i decided, why not. it was one of the best meals i've ever had. oh man, who would have though.
okay gotta go, more later!
today is the big day. the big Carnaval at Sitges. it started last week, and it's the biggest festival to go down in Sitges. people dress up in costumes, fire comes out, dancing, etc. etc. tonight is the BIG parade and everyone is going! i got a ton of people from school to go so it's going to be awesome. me and diana and brooke bought these masks with feathers and sequins to wear and we're wearing bright tights and gloves and lots of neon things. it should be fun! yesterday i was worried because it was so cold and rained alllll day. but today it is sunny! it's not supposed to rain either so i hope it holds up!
this week i did the usual. school is going really well. i've got some groups and i've been trying to talk to all the spanish kids in my classes because there aren't many :( it's kind of sad. and i almost feel weird speaking english in class! but my one class, consumer behavior, is with a teacher i had last semester, and she spoke soooo fast but the class was really interesting. so i was excited to have it this time in english with a teacher i liked. but no, it turns out it's in spanish! so she's just rambling again, so sad :( hahaha. i will get by though. i have lots of friends in that class.
the weirdest thing? i still don't have my grades from last semester! i mean i know for one class because she sat down with us in class and told us. but online they are all blank! i mean, i am still getting my scholarship so i'm assuming i passed, right? but i don't understand how they get them. i need to ask a spaniard!
this weekend was good. i went out with all the american exchange kids. it was quite hilarious. the girls are really annoying. i'm sorry but they are. they are ALL from san francisco, and a few from new york, but all from private school, and ALL stuck up! they are really not nice. i saw a girl out that is in my class, and i was excited and said hi!! and was asking how she was, and she barely looked at me! and then when we went out with everyone, they were so cliquey, not cool. of course the guys are nice though! i still had fun. and me and my friend brooke (from UCF) just laughed at all the american girls because they were super drunk and just making fools of themselves. not attractive!
i've been talking to marta almost everyday and i miss her so much! but we just keep talking about when i will see her again, because i am going there even if it leaves me broke! she said she will not let me leave europe anyway unless i come. so i guess i have to ha.
some more random findings:
>nothing stays hot here. even my coffee, i have to heat it like 3 times before i'm done with it! it's really annoying. but as my parents know, i like my food hot, so maybe it's just me. but even some of the other kids have agreed with me.
>people here are very very trustworthy. it's almost scary. i don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing. but i've never been helped by so many strangers in my life, and they've never been so genuine. i think that's a reason why barcelona is the third happiest city in the world :)
>they don't put pepper on the tables here. in fact, sometimes not even salt, and definitely no ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, etc. and as some of you know, i am a pepper FIEND! and i hate salt :( but, that is life
speaking of food, i know, it's a trending topic here, i went to this tiny little catalan place with diana and our friend olivia. it was very local, no tourists, the entire menu in catalan. and the people were so so nice and i got pig's feet! i was feeling adventurous, and their pig here is always a win, so i decided, why not. it was one of the best meals i've ever had. oh man, who would have though.
okay gotta go, more later!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
i know i know i know, i'm slacking!
i am in love with this school! i have never laughed so hard in class. i just got back from marketing plan and i think the teacher is already my favorite teacher ever in college. he's so sweet and hilarious. i got a group and we have to put together our own marketing plan. every group presents one day. he said he understands if we don't come, but on the days we present we have to of course. then he said by the end of the course, all the students are like, "we know how to make a marketing plan! i am going to the beach!" and then they don't come anymore. so he said in may or end of april if we want to go to the beach instead, we can go.
HA! this is why i love this place ;D
so remember how i said i'm going to munich for spring break? turns out i'm not. i'm going the week AFTER spring break!!!!!!!!!! the stupid adviser told me the wrong dates!!! but i know for marketing plan i won't be presenting, i have to check with entrepreneurship, and consumer behavior i won't have to come. i don't know about international marketing :( i'm so so so so upset. i can try switching but it'll be about $100 or more. and that's already how much i paid for the ticket. so i'm going. oops.
i just found out my camera broke also, so now i have to get a new one :( :( :( it turns on and takes pictures but the screen doesn't work! i know it takes pictures because i uploaded them to my computer. i hated that camera anyway. but i'd rather not spend euros on a new one!
we were talking about entrepreneurship ideas in class today and we had to form groups to come up with some businesses and present them. we started talking about 24 stores and how there are none here except for pharmacies and it's weird because they stay up until all hours of the night here! but then the teacher said it's illegal to have a store open 24 hours, que loca!
so then we thought maybe we can do a store that's open 23 hours and 45 minutes, hehe.
so i've got some pretty cool trips lined up! i think i'm satisfied now :) i've got granada which is supposed to be an "amazing city" in spain that everyone says i "have to go." i've got PARIS!!!!!! in march right before spring break. i've got mallorca for spring break, the best beaches in spain! i've got munich right after with a really good friend. and finally, PRAGUE! i'll go when school's out in june, i can't freaking wait. i'll stay with marta too so it'll be awesome! she left on friday and it was really bad. i hope we stay in touch forever. i told her to come to florida. and she said we'll go to costa rica too because she has family there. she was born there! so i mean come on, i have to get a new camera, stat!
also, this weekend is one of the biggest festivals in spain, they just call it carnaval. but it's in sitges, south of here. sitges is known for being a gay town so the parade and festival is all about it, haha, it's going to be insaaaane. i'm going with a bunch of kids from school and everyone dresses up in crazy colors and costumes so it's sure to be a good time!
so remember all the visa drama i was panicking about? turns out i'm lucky i'm even here right now. i was talking with some people about it and they said i normally wouldn't have been allowed back into spain, because i was already here for 3 months and after 3 months you have to leave as a tourist. they said europe's pretty lax (as we all know by now) about it and it really just depends on what counter i go up to and who is working and what time it is. but because i went back to america and came back in they would have seen i was already here for so long. normally you have to leave for 3 months and then you can come back! huh, crazy....
HA! this is why i love this place ;D
so remember how i said i'm going to munich for spring break? turns out i'm not. i'm going the week AFTER spring break!!!!!!!!!! the stupid adviser told me the wrong dates!!! but i know for marketing plan i won't be presenting, i have to check with entrepreneurship, and consumer behavior i won't have to come. i don't know about international marketing :( i'm so so so so upset. i can try switching but it'll be about $100 or more. and that's already how much i paid for the ticket. so i'm going. oops.
i just found out my camera broke also, so now i have to get a new one :( :( :( it turns on and takes pictures but the screen doesn't work! i know it takes pictures because i uploaded them to my computer. i hated that camera anyway. but i'd rather not spend euros on a new one!
we were talking about entrepreneurship ideas in class today and we had to form groups to come up with some businesses and present them. we started talking about 24 stores and how there are none here except for pharmacies and it's weird because they stay up until all hours of the night here! but then the teacher said it's illegal to have a store open 24 hours, que loca!
so then we thought maybe we can do a store that's open 23 hours and 45 minutes, hehe.
so i've got some pretty cool trips lined up! i think i'm satisfied now :) i've got granada which is supposed to be an "amazing city" in spain that everyone says i "have to go." i've got PARIS!!!!!! in march right before spring break. i've got mallorca for spring break, the best beaches in spain! i've got munich right after with a really good friend. and finally, PRAGUE! i'll go when school's out in june, i can't freaking wait. i'll stay with marta too so it'll be awesome! she left on friday and it was really bad. i hope we stay in touch forever. i told her to come to florida. and she said we'll go to costa rica too because she has family there. she was born there! so i mean come on, i have to get a new camera, stat!
also, this weekend is one of the biggest festivals in spain, they just call it carnaval. but it's in sitges, south of here. sitges is known for being a gay town so the parade and festival is all about it, haha, it's going to be insaaaane. i'm going with a bunch of kids from school and everyone dresses up in crazy colors and costumes so it's sure to be a good time!
so remember all the visa drama i was panicking about? turns out i'm lucky i'm even here right now. i was talking with some people about it and they said i normally wouldn't have been allowed back into spain, because i was already here for 3 months and after 3 months you have to leave as a tourist. they said europe's pretty lax (as we all know by now) about it and it really just depends on what counter i go up to and who is working and what time it is. but because i went back to america and came back in they would have seen i was already here for so long. normally you have to leave for 3 months and then you can come back! huh, crazy....
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
first day of school once again
i am seriously in love with this school. did you know there's only about 1500-2000 kids in it???? it's like a highschool! the university has like 10-12,000 but my school only has a couple thousand. i don't understand. and it's private. the teachers were saying this school is like a harvard of spain. it's really prestigious. i am so lucky. we're even using books from harvard in two of my classes. i knew something was up because every time i mention i go to IQS people's jaws drop. and it's FREE! ha! they pay so much to go here. very very grateful.
i'll go through my day of classes:
entrepreneurship first, which doesn't excite me too much but i think it will be good to know. i have one of the kids from UCF and some of the kids from last semester in it so that's good. we started by coming up with our own ideas of businesses and how they would make money. next week we have to share. i was talking with some kids and they said they want to be in my group to steal my ideas ;)
then we have marketing plan. it's basically just that. we will have to write up our own marketing plan. i don't know anyone in that class but that's good, more chance to meet people! and there are tons of americans in it, but they were all sitting in the back. i came in a minute or two late because the classroom had changed so i couldn't find it. when i got in i chose a seat in the front. the spanish kids started talking to me and it took them a few minutes to figure out i wasn't spanish, i love that! and then one kid was like, hey i'm having a party on friday so you should come. seriously, this only happens in europe. at UCF, nobody would go up to a random person and just ask them to their party. people are so open here! and they just want everyone to have a good time! i know i keep repeating myself, but it blows my mind and it's just so crazy to see haha.
lastly i had international marketing. diana is in my class! and sarah mia, one of the girls that went to sevilla. and some others from last semester. there's only about four spanish kids in this class. the teacher seemed really nervous like he didn't want to speak english, i felt bad.
the best part was listening to the teachers! they are so funny with their english. i will go to class just to listen. and i was talking SO much. i think i have been waiting to contribute and volunteer and FINALLY i can! so i was rambling on and on and it was weird. i usually don't care in class. but it's good ;D they like when you talk. all of my classes have tons of presentations, and most are just a project at the end instead of a test. i like that better. it's less pressure and you can show more how much you really learn by using your own ideas and getting creative and just taking up time talking.
the only thing i don't like is that almost everyone is american! there's a few spanish in all of my classes, and a lot in marketing plan. but most kids are from san francisco or new york. one from hawaii! that's so far!
last night i went to dinner with marta at our favorite japanese place. she almost broke down telling me how miserable she is with joana. i feel terrible. she told me that me and our friend ana are the only reasons she's still sane here. she wants to leave so bad and she wishes she didn't because she knows she could have so much fun here. but we had such a nice dinner and stayed for about three hours! and i brought diana and it's weird because they're pretty similar. they got along great.
i told myself i wasn't going to go out this week to save money but i went to dinner yesterday and tonight i'm going dancing! i was invited by some spanish people so of course i'm not going to turn them down. any time i get a chance to go out with locals i'll take it. and it'll get me to speak spanish as well. so whatever, i'm never going to be doing this again, i have to take advantage, right? just let me think that haha....
i'll go through my day of classes:
entrepreneurship first, which doesn't excite me too much but i think it will be good to know. i have one of the kids from UCF and some of the kids from last semester in it so that's good. we started by coming up with our own ideas of businesses and how they would make money. next week we have to share. i was talking with some kids and they said they want to be in my group to steal my ideas ;)
then we have marketing plan. it's basically just that. we will have to write up our own marketing plan. i don't know anyone in that class but that's good, more chance to meet people! and there are tons of americans in it, but they were all sitting in the back. i came in a minute or two late because the classroom had changed so i couldn't find it. when i got in i chose a seat in the front. the spanish kids started talking to me and it took them a few minutes to figure out i wasn't spanish, i love that! and then one kid was like, hey i'm having a party on friday so you should come. seriously, this only happens in europe. at UCF, nobody would go up to a random person and just ask them to their party. people are so open here! and they just want everyone to have a good time! i know i keep repeating myself, but it blows my mind and it's just so crazy to see haha.
lastly i had international marketing. diana is in my class! and sarah mia, one of the girls that went to sevilla. and some others from last semester. there's only about four spanish kids in this class. the teacher seemed really nervous like he didn't want to speak english, i felt bad.
the best part was listening to the teachers! they are so funny with their english. i will go to class just to listen. and i was talking SO much. i think i have been waiting to contribute and volunteer and FINALLY i can! so i was rambling on and on and it was weird. i usually don't care in class. but it's good ;D they like when you talk. all of my classes have tons of presentations, and most are just a project at the end instead of a test. i like that better. it's less pressure and you can show more how much you really learn by using your own ideas and getting creative and just taking up time talking.
the only thing i don't like is that almost everyone is american! there's a few spanish in all of my classes, and a lot in marketing plan. but most kids are from san francisco or new york. one from hawaii! that's so far!
last night i went to dinner with marta at our favorite japanese place. she almost broke down telling me how miserable she is with joana. i feel terrible. she told me that me and our friend ana are the only reasons she's still sane here. she wants to leave so bad and she wishes she didn't because she knows she could have so much fun here. but we had such a nice dinner and stayed for about three hours! and i brought diana and it's weird because they're pretty similar. they got along great.
i told myself i wasn't going to go out this week to save money but i went to dinner yesterday and tonight i'm going dancing! i was invited by some spanish people so of course i'm not going to turn them down. any time i get a chance to go out with locals i'll take it. and it'll get me to speak spanish as well. so whatever, i'm never going to be doing this again, i have to take advantage, right? just let me think that haha....
Monday, February 1, 2010
some more random findings
i keep making this list in my head of random things i come across and it really might not be that exciting but i want to put it down because i want to remember everything, not just what i did and who i saw, but the little things that you don't think about in your normal life, ya know? plus, if when i come back to visit, i want to compare and see how things have changed, or not. so i'll just keep adding as i come across more...
>i think the theme song here is "i gotta feeling" by black eyed peas. i hear it in every store, every bar, every car driving by, it's insane.
>people eat more yogurt here than anything, and i don't understand it. i haven't had any since i've been here, but there is an entire aisle in the stores packed with tons of different types of yogurt. but the weirdest thing? most people just get "plain" yogurt. no flavor, no color. my roommates pack the fridge with it....... maybe i need to jump on the bandwagon
>the cars don't stop for anything. i get so scared crossing the street. i feel like it's gotten worse! i'll end up racing across if i'm the only one because i'm afraid they won't see me :(
>the apples here suck. i am a huge fan of apples, i know that's weird. but i could eat like 5 a day, and in florida they're so good, but here? not so good...
do you notice i talk more about food than anything on here?? hmm
>"okay" is universal. people here speaking spanish say it. if i say it anyone will understand. i heard german people talking and they slipped in a few okay's and it was weird!
i'm out. i had so many and now i can't think!
anyways.. i talked to marta and she is leaving on friday :( she was supposed to leave in like 3 weeks but joana, the lady we lived with, pissed her off and she changed her flight. she said it's been hell since i left! joana complains and pesters her all day. marta even said the other two guys think she's weird too. but she talks to them like she loves them and then she tells them they aren't doing anything right around the flat. i think she is bi-polar. seriously. she will rant and rave and try and make you insecure and the next minute try and make you feel loved and like she just adores you. senora loca!!!!!!!
i am soooo lucky to live where i do now. school starts tomorrow!!!! i'm actually excited. it's different this time because i actually have a feeling of what to expect. the classes sound really cool too, all marketing classes. so i'll be back to let you know how it goes!
>i think the theme song here is "i gotta feeling" by black eyed peas. i hear it in every store, every bar, every car driving by, it's insane.
>people eat more yogurt here than anything, and i don't understand it. i haven't had any since i've been here, but there is an entire aisle in the stores packed with tons of different types of yogurt. but the weirdest thing? most people just get "plain" yogurt. no flavor, no color. my roommates pack the fridge with it....... maybe i need to jump on the bandwagon
>the cars don't stop for anything. i get so scared crossing the street. i feel like it's gotten worse! i'll end up racing across if i'm the only one because i'm afraid they won't see me :(
>the apples here suck. i am a huge fan of apples, i know that's weird. but i could eat like 5 a day, and in florida they're so good, but here? not so good...
do you notice i talk more about food than anything on here?? hmm
>"okay" is universal. people here speaking spanish say it. if i say it anyone will understand. i heard german people talking and they slipped in a few okay's and it was weird!
i'm out. i had so many and now i can't think!
anyways.. i talked to marta and she is leaving on friday :( she was supposed to leave in like 3 weeks but joana, the lady we lived with, pissed her off and she changed her flight. she said it's been hell since i left! joana complains and pesters her all day. marta even said the other two guys think she's weird too. but she talks to them like she loves them and then she tells them they aren't doing anything right around the flat. i think she is bi-polar. seriously. she will rant and rave and try and make you insecure and the next minute try and make you feel loved and like she just adores you. senora loca!!!!!!!
i am soooo lucky to live where i do now. school starts tomorrow!!!! i'm actually excited. it's different this time because i actually have a feeling of what to expect. the classes sound really cool too, all marketing classes. so i'll be back to let you know how it goes!
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