According to the article, a podcast is literally an audio broadcast posted online.  Podcasts’ best features include their accessibility (it is easy to access them from several internet sites including www.podcast.net or www.podcastalley.com), the fact that they are completely free, and their convenience (people can listen to their favorite podcasts whenever they want).  For example, another article on nytimes.com discussed how different groups of people use podcasts to stay connected to certain aspects of their lives.  For example, members of a certain church often listen to podcasts of recent sermons in order to stay updated and connected to their religious worshiping.  

One important question that the article raises is why Apple has the ability to offer such advanced podcasting services free of charge.  The simple answer to this question is that by offering free podcasts, Apple has the opportunity to advertise and sell more Ipods.  Apple tailors its services directly towards its users and makes its downloads free and available to directly load onto user’s ipods,thus making podcasting that much easier to access through an ipod.

In my opinion, this new form of broadcasting is an excellent way for people to both stay connected with their daily interests and to find newfound interests.  The free aspect of podcasting makes it easier and more likely that more people will become involved and have a desire to stay up to date with their favorite podcasts.  Also, just like Tivo has made watching television at schedule hours a more obsolete activity, I believe that podcasting will make radio broadcasting a more outdated and less frequented activity.  Now, instead of having to tune into radio and television shows as they air, people can elect to listen to these broadcasts at a later date.  Overall, I believe that podcasting is quickly on its way to becoming one of the most prevalent and useful forms of technology–one that will soon enable people to tune in and connect across barriers to spread and receive information.

The History: “Tapas” refers to a typical type of cuisine that is served throughout Spain but varies by type depending on the region.  Historically, there are many theories on how the tapas tradition came to be, one of which is that the tradition began when Castile’s King, Alfonso X, came down with a severe illness and could not stomach large feasts.  In order to recover his strength by drinking wine mixed with small plates of food between meals.  After his recovery, King Alfonso X, required that taverns only serve alcohol to customers if it was accompanied by food so that patrons would not get sick from drinking alcohol on an empty stomach. These “mini meals” became known as tapas.  

Another theory is that tapas began as slices of bread, often accompanied by meat and cheese, which people used in bars as lid covers for their drinks in order to prevent fruit flies and other bugs from entering their drinks.  Other people thought that these “food lids” were placed over drinks to mask the smell of soured wine so it could still be sold to patrons.  Additionally, the origin of the word ‘tapa’ literally means ‘lid’ or ‘cover’.  

Additionally, it is important to note that tapas are a part of Spain’s social culture.  A common practice among friends is getting together to chat and socialize while eating tapas and having a drink of sangria or cava.  In Spain, “bar hopping” is when groups of friends visit many tapas bars in one night, socializing at each one while snacking on the mini portions of food and having a drink.  The tapas bars get very crowded and, groups of people can opt to either wait and sit at a table, sit at the bar and eat their tapas, or stand and mingle while eating and drinking.  In a typical tapas bar or restaurant, it is very common to have 8 to 12 different types of tapas prepared in glass partitions that surround the bar.  

The types of tapas served and the manner of preparation varies amongst the different regions of Spain.  In certain zones of Northern Spain including Navarre, the Basque Country, Cantabria and in some provinces like Salamanca, the tapas are called “pinxos” because the food is held together by a toothpick through the center of it.  Not only does the toothpick keep the snack from falling apart, but it also enables the restaurant to keep track of the number of tapas people have consumed by counting their toothpicks.  Often, different pinxos have different shaped or sized toothpicks to indicate their price.  

In Andalusia, tapas can be larger portion sizes and these larger tapas are usually shared by groups of people.  For example, a plate of calamari or patatas bravas can be passed amongst people for sharing.  Typical flavors that enhance tapas include garlic, chilies or paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, saffron and always, plenty of olive oil.  Seafood, or mariscos, most often used in tapas includes anchovies, sardines, mackerel, squid, shrimp, cod and many other varieties of seafood in either olive oil or a tomato based sauce, sometimes with peppers and other seasonings.  Tapas also commonly include varietions of jamon, olives and a slice of bread.

Traditional Tapas Dishes:

• Bacalao: a salted cod loin that is served very thin and is most often served with bread and tomatoes
• Boquerones: white anchovies served in vinegar
• Calamari: rings or pieces of battered squid, often served with lemon juice and dipping sauce
• Cojonuda: a kind of pinxo that includes bread topped with Spanish chorizo and a fried quail egg
• Chorizo: slowly cooked sausage in either a wine or a cider sauce
• Croqueta: a mixture of either serrano ham, chicken or fish, coated in bread crumbs and deep fried
• Russian Salad: boiled vegetables mixed with tuna, mayonnaise, and olives
• Gambas: prawns served several different ways, but usually grilled with garlic or chopped chili peppers
• Pimientos de Padron: small green peppers which are generally mild and fried in olive oil.  They originate in a region in Galicia.  
• Pulpo: any dish consisting of octopus.  The octopus is usually chopped into small chunks and cooked in oil and salt.  Pulpo also originiated in Galicia due to the region’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, and thus access to fresh seafood.  
• Patatas bravas: fried chunks of potato that are topped with a salsa brava (spicy tomato sauce) and a garlic alioli sauce
• Tortilla Espanola: a type of Spanish omelet consisting of fried potato chunks and often onion. 

Popular Tapas Restaurants in Barcelona: 

• Cerveseria Catalana: C/ Mallorca 236
• Bar Mut: C/ Pau Claris, 192
• Inopia:  C/ Tamarit, 104
• TapasC24: C/ Diputacio 269
• La Vinya del Senyor: C/ Placa de Santa Maria, 5
• La Taverna del Clinic: C/ Rosello, 155
• Cal Pep: C/ Placa de les olles, 8
• Ciudad Condal: C/ Rambla de Catalunya, 18
• Bodega Manolo: C/ Torrent de les Flors, 101
• Taller de Tapas: C/ Rambla Catalunya, 49-51
• Tapa Tapa: C/ Passeig de Gracia, 44
• Piscolabis: C/ Rambla de Catalunya, 27
• Txapela: C/ Passeig de Gracia, 8-10
• Sagardi: C/ Argenteria, 62
• My personal favorite is Cerveseria Catalana on Calle Mallorca

Interactive Tapas:

The above video is of a worker from La Txapela discussing his personal favorite tapas as well as other popular tapas that the restaurant offers.  

Although it is hard to see all the varieties of tapas that are on display behind the glass partitions at the bar, this videos shows the crowded atmosphere of the tapas bar.  All of the tapas bars I have visited in Barcelona are crowded from the beginning of the lunch time rush through the late night hours.  Often the bars are so crowded that people have to wait for over an hour to be seated, and any bar seat is a hot commodity.  

Personal Experience with Tapas Cooking:

During my time in Barcelona, I have had the opportunity through CEA to take a tapas cooking workshop at the cooking academy, Terra d’Escudella.  The class began with a brief introduction on the history of tapas in Spain, as I discussed above.  We then had the chance to cook a variety of tapas including patatas bravas, green peppers a la plancha with chorizo, bread with tomato and olive oil, mushrooms with chopped garlic and tortilla espanola.  The actual cooking of the tapas was suprisingly quite simple; the hardest part was the prep work which required a lot of cutting, peeling and chop, which was very time consuming.  Even though the tapas were simple to make, many of them required equipment that I do not have in my kitchen, such as a deep fryer and a flat grill, thus making it hard to recreate the tapas at home.  However, it was an overall fun experience attending a Spanish cooking class; the history was interesting, the cooking was fun, and the tapas were delicious.  I recommend that everyone attend a tapas cooking workshop at some point during their travels to Spain.  Below are some pictures from the workshop:

the pupils listening closely as our cooking instructor explained how to begin our prep

Here is a sample recipe for Tortilla Espanola:

Ingredients: 6-7 medium potatoes, peeled, 1 whole yellow onion, 5-6 large eggs, 2-3 cups of olive oil for pan frying, salt to taste

Preparation: This “tortilla espanola” or “tortilla de patata” makes 8-10 servings as an appetizer. It serves 5-6 as a main course.

Cut the peeled potatoes in half lengthwise. Then, with the flat side on the cutting surface, slice the potato in pieces approximately 1/8″ thick. Make sure to separate the pieces that stick together. It is not necessary to slice the potatoes paper thin and it is best not to use a food processor because most will slice the potatoes too thin. If you slice them a bit thick, don’t worry – it will simply take a bit longer for them to cook.

Peel and chop the onion into 1/4″ pieces. Put potatoes and onions into a bowl and mix them together. Salt the mixture.

In a large, heavy, non-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Drop a single piece of potato into the oil to ensure it is hot enough to fry. Carefully place the potato and onion mixture into the frying pan, spreading them evenly over the surface. The oil should almost cover the potatoes. You may need to turn down the heat slightly, so the potatoes do not burn.

Leave in pan until the potatoes are cooked. If you can poke a piece of potato with a spatula and it easily breaks in two, your potatoes are done. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon or spatula. Some cooks like to place the potato and onion mixture in a colander for a few minutes to allow more oil to drain. If you do this, place a plate underneath to catch the olive oil and you can use it again.

While the mixture is draining, crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat by hand with a whisk or fork. Pour in the potato onion mixture. Mix together with a large spoon.

Pour 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil into a small, non-stick frying pan (aprox. 9-10”) and heat on medium heat. Be careful not to get the pan too hot because the oil will burn – or the tortilla will! When hot, stir the potato onion mixture once more and “pour” into the pan and spread out evenly. Allow the egg to cook around the edges. Then you can carefully lift up one side of the omelet to check if the egg has slightly “browned.” The inside of the mixture should not be completely cooked and the egg will still be runny.

When the mixture has browned on the bottom, you are ready to turn it over to cook the other side. Carefully take the frying pan to a sink. Place a large dinner plate (12”) upside down over the frying pan. With one hand on the frying pan handle and the other on top of the plate to hold it steady, quickly turn the frying pan over and the omelet will “fall” onto the plate. Place the frying pan back on the range and put just enough oil to cover the bottom and sides of the pan – approximately 1.5 tsp. Let the pan warm for 30 seconds or so. Now slide the omelet (which is probably still a bit runny), into the frying pan, using a spatula to catch any egg mixture that runs out. Use the spatula to shape the sides of the omelet. Let the omelet cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the tortilla sit in the pan for 2 minutes.

Carefully slide the omelet onto a plate! To serve as a main course, slice it into 6-8 pieces like a pie. Serve sliced French bread on the side.

If you are serving as an appetizer, slice a baguette into pieces about ½ inch think. Cut the tortilla into 1.5” squares and place a piece on top of each slice of bread.

It is simply delicious served with sofrito, fried tomato sauce that is made all over Spain. Tomatoes, onions, garlic, green peppers and olive oil sautéed in a frying pan.

Enjoy

According to the article, this changing nature of Facebook has caused unrest amongst the different social networks that look to Facebook for different purposes. For example, those adolescents and college-aged students who use Facebook purely for social purposes feel that there privacy is being invaded as more and more older adults begin creating Facebook accounts. I personally am relieved that my mom is far to computer illiterate to create a Facebook account because there is no way I would want her or any other adult/teacher/boss of mine having access to track my Facebook activity. And yet, if I did receive a Facebook friend request from a superior of mine, I would be very hesitant to accept it.

In contrast, those adults who use Facebook mostly to connect with relatives, distant family members or even business partners, feel that the new format of Facebook, with its constant Twitter-like status updates, is trivial and distracting. They don’t want to be bothered with round-the-clock updates about people and prefer to only use Facebook for very specific reasons.

Evidently, with a site that is expanding so rapidly and acquiring so many new users each day, it is hard to please all subscribers.  What one group values about Facebook, another group criticizes.  As a result, much turmoil has errupted amongst the Facebook community. Despite the dissenting opinions from Facebook users, the fact remains that Facebook is one of the top forms of social networking.

Another interesting article on the New York Times website was also relative to class material because it pertains to the topic of celebrities and political figures using Twitter as a means of communicating with the public.  Some controversy exists over whether or not those famous figures who use Twitter are actually the ones responsible for updating their “tweets”.  This New York Time’s article, “When Stars Twitter, a Ghost May Be Lurking”, discusses how some stars actually hire teams of people, who work closely with the celebrity, to manage their Twitter accounts whereas other stars feel that this is disloyal to their fans and will only update their Twitter account themselves.  While I would personally like to think that every Twitter update I read is coming directly from the source, I also understand that famous figures lead very busy lives and therefore it would be nearly impossible for them to respond to every Tweet they received.  By hiring a team of “ghost writers”, the celebrities can stay involved and keep their public updated, without having to do the work themselves…

As for the format of the print newspaper, it also struck me as very similar to the American newspapers I am used to reading. The front page featured an article involving the U.S. Secretary of Treasury, Tim Geithner, whom I recognized, however aside from that I was unfamiliar with the topics of the other articles. This however is not a reflection of the paper, but rather a reflection of my paucity of knowledge on Spanish news.

Although el Periodico is respectful of all viewpoints and reports the facts in an unbiased manner, it is known as a progressive and left side ideologist paper. Additionally, it was the first paper in Catalunya (after Franco´s control) and it is also the first paper to use color. The use of color and the careful attention to headlines and titles is very clearly evident in both the print version of the paper and the online version. Also, the similarities between the Times and el Periodico lead me to believe that both newspapers are familiar with each other and use each other as a guideline for how to produce a successful product.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to el Periodico and learning the history about the 3rd most read paper in Spain. Although my spanish is not proficient enough for me to actually read the paper, I enjoyed flipping through the print version and exploring the online website. I am curious to see what will happen/what changes will occur to el Periodico´s online version as they try to revamp and reorganize in order to combat lost sales from advertising and the struggling economy…

Just as secrets, transmitted from one person to the next, somehow manage to spread themselves rapidly, the advertising technique viral marketing has become an effective form of advertising because of its ability to disperse information to a vast amount of people in record time. More specifically, viral marketing is an advertising technique that utilizes both social networks to spread awareness of something (a product, brand, candidate, idea, campaign, etc) as well as repitition of certain ideas or symbols to reinforce the message. Further, by creating viral messages that seem to be popular amongst a majority of people, it enhances the probability that a message will be passed along among many people.

In today’s society, where traditional marketing is less effective and more expensive, it is important that corporations look for other ways to advertise and promote their brands. One perfect example of a viral marketing campaign is Burger King’s “Subservient Chicken” campaign, which was launched in 2004 in attempts to promote BK’s tendercrisp chicken sandwhich and their famous slogan, “Have it your way”.  In the ad, a man sits in his living room commanding a chicken character, who responds to over 300 different commands.  This ad plays into the idea of “Chicken the way you like it”.  The advertisement is effective because it’s both interactive and innovative.  Thus, it appeals to viewers who have never seen anything like it before and who enjoy participating in telling the chicken what to do.  Evidently, the advertisement had great success because Burger King has subsequently used the chicken character in several of its other ad campaigns.  Additionally, the ad was first seen as a commercial but has now evolved into a print ad, an interactive website  and a one time pay-per-view advertisement due to its success.

In my opinion, the Subservient Chicken advertisement is a perfect example of viral marketing because it uses a creative advertising platform that will appeal to a wide range of people and it distributes this message through commonly accessed social networks such as television and the internet.  Burger King conveniently places a link at the bottom of the website that says “tell a friend”, making it that much easier for viewers to spread the word about the advertisement.  When I visited the website, I was quickly intrigued by all the crazy commands that the chicken would actually respond to.  I personally hate fast food, but this advertisement definitely made me think more highly of Burger King as a company.  Overall, I believe that viral advertising is often so effective because it is so subtle that viewers are naive to the fact that they are actually be advertised to and this is exactly the case with the subservient chicken.  Even though there is no part of the advertisement that explicitly advertises for Burger King food products, the ad serves to creates a positive image of the Burger King brand in consumers’ minds, and in the future they will be more apt to consume the products…

Burger King's Subservient Chicken

Before the Internet boom circa 2000, it was difficult to advertise the Internet  and web sites as a dynamic place for the public to visit and show support for their favorite candidates.  During this time, politicians relied on more traditional fundraising methods such as formal speeches, and they also got most of their money from a few individuals who donated the majority of it.  

Today, things are incredibly different.  The fact that the Internet is free for anyone to use has enabled politicians and political candidates to reach out to a vast number of supporters free of charge.  Additionally, it has increased the public’s willingness and desire to become involved in political campaigns.  By using the Internet, Obama conveyed the message that he was speaking directly to his voters.  As a result, his voters wanted to respond to him and make themselves heard.  Additionally, they felt that for once a candidate was actually taking a legitimate interest in what the voters wanted, and not just giving a speech on television about all the promises he intended to make if he were elected.  

In addition to Obama dispersing a multitude of information and updates through the use of Twitter, mass emails, Facebook, and other online networking sites, Obama also was able to connect people from all across America.  This is an area that I feel is especially important in the process of using the Internet to campaign.  Not only did Obama make himself heard, but by connecting people with similar interests and desires, these groups of people could go off on their own to create their own campaigns on Obama’s behalf.  Additionally, this ability to connect people was enhanced by Obama’s use of micro-targeting.  For example, once Obama collected enough information on his followers (such as their race, sex, age, etc), he was able to more effectively target people and more effectively connect those people with similar interests.

Another example of Obama’s success with using the internet, specifically YouTube, to support his campaign is posted below:

This video circulated among millions and millions of people and it was especially effective because it combined the idea of a “viral video” that would be greatly dispersed with the concept of using celebrities that endorse the candidate.  Additionally, this video was targeted predominately at an audience of young voters (who are extremely important to a political campaign) and Obama recognized that one of the best way to target young voters would be through the Internet, because they are the ones who most utilize the Internet.

Overall, this new form of politics, politics 2.0, displays the incredible power the Internet continues to have on all areas of life, from connecting people across distances to helping to elect America’s first black president…

In the United States, I attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a large university with over 20 thousand undergraduate students.  At such a big school, most of my classes are large lectures with over 100 people, and it is rare that I have small classes unless it is a discussion section.  This means that most students receive little attention from the professors and if they want individual help they must seek it out themselves by either emailing the professor or attending their office hours.  As a result, when a student fails to either attend class, turn in an assignment, or study for a test, the onus is on them and they suffer the consequences of receiving the bad grade.  However, it is highly unlikely that they would ever be personally sought out and scolded by a professor for failing to complete an assignment.

 In contrast, my classes through CEA are much smaller and usually consist of 30 people or less. As a result, students receive much more hands on attention from the professors and they are also expected to abide by a much more structured set of rules and guidelines.  For example, if a CEA student acquires more than 4 absences in a class, they immediately fail that class, even if they have successfully completed all the class work and received good grades on their work.

Additionally, there are also noticeable differences in the grading system that is employed in Spain vs. in the U.S.  For example, in the U.S., students are incredibly concerned with the grades they receive.  Most students in the U.S. care more about their final grade, and less about the process of learning.  Because grades are so heavily emphasized in the U.S. as a form of evaluation, students learn from an early age that it is the results they produce that matter most.  For example, in America students’ admission into college is so heavily based on their SAT scores, that there is much less emphasis on the other aspects that may qualify them as a good candidate.  Then once students are in college, they feel that they must get the absolute best grades in order to be successful after college.  From my impressions of the Spanish educational system thus far, it seems that there is much less importance placed on students’ actual grades, and much more emphasis placed on the fact that they are keeping up with their studies and absorbing information.  Further, unlike in Spain, at American universities it is uncommon that professors will give unannounced “pop” exams that weigh heavily on students’ final grades.  Instead, all assignments and exams are carefully charted out on a syllabus that is handed out on the first day of class and serves as a guide for the semester.  

These cultural differences seem to create a sort of barrier between some students and teachers in the CEA program.  While the American students think it is is unfair for the CEA teachers to hold students to such a high standard for completing all their work and feeling free to give pop quizzes on random days, the CEA professors find the American students to be lazy, unmotivated, and quick to complain about the smallest assignments that they are required to complete.  While I don’t think there is a ready solution to the discrepancies that exist between the two approaches to education, I definitely feel there is some truth to both approaches.  Although I do think the CEA professors should understand that this is a different system of teaching than what American students are accustomed to, I also do not think that, as American students, we should feel such an entitlement and believe that our way of learning is the only correct way.  Overall, I feel that, through the act of being educated, American students and Spanish natives have a lot to learn from one another…

The above video is an excerpt from Dateline NBC’s popular series, To Catch a Predator with Chris Hansen.  This series was created to expose “Internet predators” or men who use the internet as an anonymous way to meet young girls and coerce them into engaging into sexual activity. These men often find girls through popular social networks including Facebook and MySpace and then engage them in conversations through those social networks or through instant messenger.  Predators generally lie about their age and intentions, pretending only to want a friendship with the random girls they target.  However, these relationships with strange men often go too far and naive girls get coerced into meeting up with the men, often resulting in molestation, rape or worse.  The purpose of Dateline’s To Catch a Predator is to use a decoy girl to lure these predators to a house where they will eventually be caught and charged by NBC  and the police for their illegal behavior.  

The above video clip relates to the topics we studied in journalism class because it exposes the dark side of the Internet’s powerful position as a social network.  Although the Internet does provide several advantages to social networking, it has some serious dangers to be aware of as well.  The Internet allows people to quickly and easily connect with one another across long distances and it also allows people to stay informed about their areas of interest (politics, art, music, travel, etc.).  However, the far reaching availability of the Internet and its anonymity provide Internet predators with a prime area to pray on unknowing teenagers.  With no guidelines or limitations, anyone and everyone has access to join multiple social networks.

Although I actively use Facebook and other internet networks, I definitely take precautionary actions to ensure that my safety and privacy are protected (from both internet predators and strangers in general).  Additionally, I personally do not want people besides my friends and family to have access to my personal life.  I would not want potential employers, past bosses, teachers, or any other figure in my life having access to such information about myself.  Recommended precautions that I take and recommend that others take include making my social network account limited to specific people, untagging all pictures of myself that show me in any compromising way and not providing any personal information such as my address, phone number, or screenname.  

When I was younger I never understood why my mom was so adamant about controlling my internet behavior and monitoring the chat rooms and websites that I visited.  However, I know realize that in order to enjoy all the great opportunities that the Internet has to provide, I must first ensure that my information is protected…

my friend and I dancing at Razzmatazz

the crowd on the dance floor

Before coming to Barcelona, some of my other friends who had either visited here before or studied abroad here in years past, jokingly warned me about the intensity of Barcelona’s thriving nightlife.  Countless times before I left for this trip, friends told me to prepare myself for four months of insomnia and partying.  They said that they went out every night to all the different trendy nightclubs Barcelona had to offer, stayed out dancing until sunrise, and then prepared to repeat the same cycle again the next night.  Partly intimidated by Barcelona’s party reputation and partly excited for what lay ahead of me, I arrived in Barcelona and soon realized that Barcelona did in fact live up to its crazy  reputation. 

My first few weeks experiencing Barcelona’s crazy nightlife were spent mostly at clubs such as Elephant and Opium Mar, both of which feature a dark club atmosphere, a trendy interior and blast remixes of popular American songs that are perfect for dancing.  Since promoters such as Kike and Kyke so strongly target American study abroad students and invite them to attend their parties at these clubs, I usually found myself surrounded by familiar American faces.  Going to Opium on a Thursday night means I am always likely to spot my friends from home, my friends from college, and my new friends from CEA as well all hang out and dance to American music.  I always have a great time because I am surrounded by people I know and feel as if I am still in America, just in a really cool new venue.  However, if each night all the American abroad students are flocking to different clubs and dominating the majority of the attendees, it made me wonder where everyone else goes out.

This weekend, my roommates and I, slightly tired of our repetitive club routine that we had been doing for the past few weekends, decided to switch things up and try going to the the club Razzmatazz, which was conveniently located in our neighborhood, Poble Nou.  This club had been described to us by a friend as being very different from the other clubs we had visited and as drawing a much more eclectic crowd.  There is a 15 euro cover charge for entrance (and you must show an ID) but the entrance fee includes a free drink.  My friends and I arrived around 2:30 am to what appeared to be a huge warehouse that was blasting techno and house music.  Upon entering the warehouse club, we were first slightly intimidated by the masses of people and the apparent lack of organization to our surroundings.  In the other clubs we had been to, the set up was different with bars lining the walls, Americans gathered in small groups everywhere, and an obvious dance floor where people were contained to dance.  Razzmatazz can only be described as chaos and craziness. Even the bathroom in the basement is craziness, and it is hard to decipher which side is male and which is female.  The main floor is a humongous open dance floor packed with people all dancing and going wild as the neon lights shift around them and the music continuously changes to different techno beats.  If you go upstairs to the different floors, you can enter into smaller rooms that are playing different types of music such as punk and rock. Also, from each level, you can look down on the main floor and watch the dance floor from above.  The top floor is an outdoor terrace where people can go to take a break from the dancing or the blasting music.  My friends and I stayed there for a while and talked to several friendly crowd-goers from all parts of the world.  Some of our newfound friends were from Barcelona but others came from France, London, Berlin, etc. all over Europe.  

Another thing I noticed about Razzmatazz is that the dress code is very different and way more informal than the other clubs I had been to.  Their is much more self-expression in the dress of the party-goers but I noticed that many people wore Converse sneakers and comfortable plaid or vintage t-shirts.  Although my friends and I were dressed in nicer attire, on my second visit there I would definitely ditch my high heels for converse or more comfortable shoes.  

Overall, I had an awesome time at the club.  Our initial hesitations about being in such a large venue devoid of Americans soon wore off and we quickly found ourselves meshing with the crowd and even dancing on the stages that surround the dance floor.  With the continually changing music and the high energy environment, we lost track of time and found ourselves exhausted at 6 am taking a cab home as the sun was beginning to rise.  The next day when I woke up my body was literally sore from all the dancing. Going to Razzmatazz had been a really cool new experience and I am proud that I stepped out of my comfortable American bubble and tried something new.  This is definitely not a place I would be able to return to every weekend because it was exhausting and the cover makes it more expensive than other clubs that are promoted.  However,  I definitely want to return and I also recommend that all American study abroad students should experience the craziness that Razzmatazz has to offer…