Spain

Soul Sister

March 11, 2011

Name: Ashley Pitman

Location: New York, New York

Relationship to Jessica: Roommate; Soul-Sister

I first met Jessica at Georgetown – Senior Year.

I met Jessica several times at Georgetown and after graduation. I had no idea during all our fleeting encounters that she would very quickly become one of my closest and most trusted friends – a true soul-sister. I’ll never forget the day I told David Velasquez I was thinking about moving into the free room in Jess’s apartment and his face lit up. He said “Jessica Fashano is the nicest person EVER. You HAVE to live with her.” He was right! From the minute I moved in the friendship accelerated at a speed that I think surprised us both. The stream-of-consciousness emails and texts were non-stop. Even though she was always so busy at work, she seemed to know my schedule better than I did and she was the only person who asked me how my day was every single day.

Needless to say, living with Jessica for three years was one of the highlights of my life. The memories are countless, and even considering an amazing weekend in Madrid, my favorite moments were just chilling in her room, testing make-up shades, talking about food & travel, and sharing stories…only pausing to make dinner reservations when we’d finally decided on which of the dozens of restaurants on our “list” we were in the mood for. Rusty Knot for po boys and a pretzel dog was always the default back up.

Today is Ash Wednesday, which reminds me that Jess would always give up cheese for Lent. This made choosing restaurants during Lent really difficult as to avoid temptation. I’m sorry we won’t have to face that struggle this year.

I was lucky enough to have called Jess one of my best friends. I love and miss her every day and can only find peace knowing she is at peace.

Filed Under: Georgetown, NYC, Spain Tagged With: about jessica fashano, Ashley Pitman, Georgetown, Jessica Fashano, JessicaFashano, jessicafashano.com, NYC, Spain

Spanish Sisters

March 7, 2011

Name: Natalia Serrano

Location: Los Angeles, California

Relationship to Jessica: Friend/Fellow Trianera/Part of her extended Spain family

Jess and I were connected by our Spanish host family in 2004-05. We eventually met in New York a year later and then had a fabulous European weekend getaway in December of 2009. Jessica was a beloved friend and I will always consider her part of my family in Spain.

Natalia & Jessica in Sevilla, December 2009

© jessicafashano.com

My first introduction to Jessica was through the continual praise of my Spanish host family. Jessica was the first American student to live with them and I was the second. According to Marta, our Spanish sister, we had so much in common (including the fact that both Jess and I looked more Spanish than she) and she insisted we meet.

I met Jessica about a year after I finished my year abroad and was going to graduate school in New York. We decided to meet up for brunch and I remember my curiosity and excitement as I approached the restaurant. I had heard so much about Jessica during my year in Sevilla from our Spanish family and friends that it felt like I already knew her. You could tell Jess was a special breed just from the way people talked about her. After our brunch I couldn’t help but gush about her, too.

Our time together was brief, but the connection undeniable. We would schedule phone dates, email back and forth about the happenings in our lives, and send each other unexpected messages and photos of New York blizzards, California palm trees, and the Italian countryside. Our friendship may have been untraditional, but it was strong nonetheless.

In December of 2009, I decided to take a trip back to Spain. I mentioned the trip to Jess and suggested she come along. We excitedly began planning our trip back to Sevilla to celebrate Marta’s birthday and have a Spain host family reunion. Jess stayed with me in an apartment I rented in Triana and together we spent three whirlwind days rediscovering Sevilla and living life to the fullest.

I have many memories of Jess— her smile, her laugh, and her New Jersey way of saying “yea, yea, yea” when she agreed with me —but what resonates most is the memory of her sparkling spirit. I will be forever thankful for her presence in my life.

© jessicafashano.com

Filed Under: Spain, Travel Tagged With: about jessica fashano, Jessica Fashano, JessicaFashano, jessicafashano.com, NYC, Spain, Travel

Tres Dedos

February 25, 2011

Name: Sandra Mergeanian

Location: New York, New York

Relationship to Jessica: Friend

I met Jess the first day we arrived in Sevilla, Spain for our study abroad experience in January 2004. We clicked instantaneously and have been very close friends ever since.

Jessica & Sandra, New Year's Eve 2007

Tres Dedos...Jessica, Sandra, & Monica

Dear Fashano,

Just as I sang you “The Sandwich Song” on the banks of the Guadalquivir River in Sevilla, Spain, on your 21st birthday (only a month after meeting you), I sing (more like belt) an excerpt of this most goofy song to you again, to bring a huge smile to your face, that is, on your 28th birthday:

“Sandwiches are beautiful, Sandwiches are fine. I like sandwiches, I eat them all the time;
I eat them for my supper and I eat them for my lunch; If I had a hundred sandwiches, I’d eat them all at once…”

Although the most defining experience we shared was study abroad (those six months in España were probably some of the happiest in our lives), I chose a picture from NYE 2007 to share with everyone because it points out that our friendship transcended Spain. I actually knew from Day 1 that I met a “life friend.”

The two of us went to Tavern on the Green. Logistically, the night was a complete bust. We waited in line for over an hour in the cold to get in; the countdown didn’t even take place at midnight; and the place was extremely overcrowded. We didn’t let any of this get in our way of having the time of our lives. We met people from all over the world, ate and drank plenty, and danced the night away into the wee hours.

Jess, you were such a quality human being, a true confidante and ever loyal, considerate and generous friend. I am struggling with this most tremendous loss. Know that I love you and miss you so much.

Tres Dedos.

Sandrita

Filed Under: NYC, Spain, Travel Tagged With: Georgetown, NYC, Spain, Travel