Filler post

It's been almost a week without posting. Whoops. This has been a week of settling down and adjusting to my new (albeit temporary) life. Despite being in a gorgeous city, I don't think that I've had that moment in which I stop and realize, "Wow, I'm in Spain. I never thought I would be here." 

Some days have been harder than others. Although I feel well-adjusted to the city, at the end of the day I realize how much work it is to acclimate to a new country. My brain is working harder to process the new information (including a somewhat-foreign language) and by the end of the day I want to slip back into my comfort zone the way that one slips into a pair of sweatpants after a long day at work. Additionally, I am beginning to realize how little time I have in this country. At first, 3 1/2 month sounded like a long time. In reality, I know the time will pass by quickly. Moreover, I will not have 3 1/2 months worth of travel time, since the majority of my days will be spent in class. I am also the only person in my program who is leaving immediately after the program end-date, rather than taking anywhere from a week to a few months off to travel around Europe. They therefore are in less of a hurry to travel around Europe.

In contrast, this is realistically my one trip to Europe. Given my choice of major and current socioeconomic status, it's unlikely that I'll be able to return. Therefore, I sometimes feel pressured to go and see everything as soon as possible. I haven't booked any flights yet, and it's difficult to coordinate with other people, since they are more likely to wait until Spring/Summer, when the weather warms up. These past few days I have felt anxious to travel.

I had wanted to write more about the city itself, or about my recent "adventures", but at the moment I am tired and my thoughts don't seem to be forming themselves into coherent ideas. Ah well. Maybe later.

Things of Interest

Here is a list of Spanish (or madrileno) cultural things that I find interesting:

• Coffee: I knew that European coffee was strong before coming here. I was worried that I wouldn't like it. On the contrary, it's AMAZING. They don't serve as much coffee as American restaurants, but what they do serve is so tasty. I don't think places here have coffee just sitting on a pot. Instead, they make it fresh every time. Even the school cafeteria serves great coffee. And on that note...
• Cups and saucers: If you buy a coffee, they give you a cup, saucer, a tiny spoon, and a packet of sugar. Now, I love coffee cups. For some reason it's a weakness of mine. So I am disproportionately excited about this (as my family can attest)
• Smoking: More people smoke here. In fact, tobacco shops are everywhere. Thanks to the (new?) law, however, people cannot smoke indoors. Therefore, smoking hasn't been an issue for me. Honestly, I think that Los Vegas is much, much worse. 
• Fur coats: This isn't a particularly widespread thing, but I do notice that more women (particularly older women) wear fur coats
• Heating: I remember reading in our EAP guide that some older apartments in Madrid don't have heating. I expected to be cold all the time. On the contrary, many places that I've been to are heated. In addition, it is very warm indoors. With the heater on and the bright blue Spanish sky outside my window, I feel like its a pleasant spring day. In reality, it is 40-something degrees outside. 
• La gente: (the people) Spaniards, in general, are very friendly. It's much more common for someone to come up and talk to you than in California. Additionally, because I do not look Spanish (at all), people just sort of [correctly] assume that I speak English. People on the street will therefore speak in English. For instance, while waiting at San Gines for chocolate con churros, a guy approached me and started speaking in English. So, we had a conversation in which I spoke Spanish and he spoke English. In stores, however, people speak in Spanish. 
• Laundry: I don't recall seeing any laundromats in Madrid. My senora has a small (and I do mean small) washing machine in her kitchen. However, clothes are dried outside the window. It's fairly common to see clothes hanging from a balcony. Good thing I bought new underwear before leaving, since it is currently outside for all of Madrid to see. :P
• La comida: (the food) I don't know if I can really say too much about Spanish food. Here are some things that I noticed
• Jamon: Ok, this one is obvious. Spain loves ham. Normally, I don't like ham. However, they prefer to eat dry-cured jamon which more closely resembles prosciutto. It's fairly common to see pig legs (there is probably a nicer way of saying that) hanging from bars or restaurants as they dry.
• Bocadillos: These are sandwiches made with a crusty baguette-type bread and are generally simple in nature. What you see on the menu is what you get; you generally don't have to ask "what does it come with?" For instance, a bocadillo de jamon serrano will just have the bread and jamon. They don't dress up their sandwiches as much as Americans.
• Condiments: This is something that has frustrated some of my Californian friends. I personally don't have any problems with it. Spaniards generally don't use hot sauce, pepper, ketchup, or other "standard" American condiments. However, they love mayonnaise and olive oil. 
• Meal times: Lunch is at 2:30-3:00 pm. Dinner is around 8:30-9:00 pm. 
• Bread: Bread is a major part of the Spanish diet. As a fellow bread lover, this is amazing.
• Eggs: In contrast to American customs, eggs are common as a lunch or dinner items. La tortilla espanola (Spanish egg + potato omelette) is a popular and accessible meal. I also love eggs, so this is great
• Olive oil: Spaniards love olive oil; I believe that it is a major export in Spain.
• Obesity: Given the carbohydrate-rich diet, its surprising that I haven't seen any heavy-set Spaniards. Granted, I live in a city where people walk everywhere. Nevertheless, they are doing something right. I also thing that they don't generally eat as much as we do.

So that's the list of thoughts thus far

The First Week

I haven't even spent a full week in Madrid and it already feels like I have been here for a while. I am settling in well (I think) and adapting to la vida madrilena. Studying abroad is an interesting experience, because you're somewhere between a tourist and a resident. My activities this week have fluctuated between exploring the city and taking care of the mundane necessities. On Wednesday and Thursday we traveled to campus in Getafe, a small and industrial pueblo outside of the city, to familiarize ourselves with the university. The campus itself is small and relatively unimpressive, much like the city at large. Of course, I will only be spending a fraction of my time at school. I will probably end class no later than 4 pm and my school week ends on Thursday. It is a lovely feeling to go out on a Friday and realize that you still have two more days to enjoy the city. On campus, I also took an language placement exam which put me in the "Avanzado" level (there are four levels--Intermedio, Avanzado, Avanzado alto, and the Superior level for bilingual students). In other words, my Spanish is not that great but it could be worse. I had wanted to take some language-specific courses such as Espanol coloquial but those are recommended for more advanced students. I don't particularly mind though, since all my classes are in Spanish so no matter what I will be learning. Additionally, these classes will give me the opportunity to meet other international students outside of the EAP (e.g. University of California) program.

Outside of the class, I have been exploring the city and spending nights with other UC students. Yesterday we went to el Parque Retiro, a famous park outside of the center of Spain. Unfortunately, I live somewhat far from the rest of my group, and thus it takes me a longer time to meet up with them. Thankfully, Madrid has an amazing public transit system. I absolutely love public transit, since I hate to drive. Yesterday, however, I decided that I would walk around and meet up with my group. It took about an hour, mostly because I was briefly lost, but the experience allowed me to see more of the city.

Later that night, we reunited at Sol (the center of the city) to go to a discoteca (nightclub). While I am normally not the type to go out to clubs, Madrid is a city known for its nightlife. People begin the night between 11 and 1 am (and later) and stay out until 6 or 7 am, when the metro re-opens. This also means that the streets are somewhat safer in the early hours of the morning. For instance, some of us left the discoteca at 4 am (we need to work our way up to 6 am) and took a taxi home. People were still out wandering the streets. 

Here's an interesting thing about the nightlife in Madrid: in Sol, there are tons of people handing out cards and ads for free/cheap drinks or entrances to their discoteca. However, they don't just hand you the card and then leave, hoping that you will actually read it before throwing it away. Instead, they approach you and tell you about their party. Then, if you're interested, they will accompany you to the location. So last night we followed a complete stranger down an alleyway in Madrid. Haha. 

And then I slept until 2 pm for the first time in my life. 

Spain: Los primeros dias

I split todays posts into two parts because I didn't want to bore people with a wall of text.

• I'm still trying to get into the habit of blog-writing. First, there is the action of setting aside the time to sit down and write. Second, I have to focus my thoughts. Thus far, this blog has been a place to recount my daily activities. However, I also want to expand my writing to include cross-cultural analyses, or just random things that I personally find intriguing. Currently, I spend my time recounting a list of things I've done, leaving no time for    more in-depth thought, which I think separates a travel blog from an online diary (if that makes sense). 

So here's a short-but-sweet list of what I've done in these last few days

Monday 17 January

• Met people in my program
• Ate a bocadillo de tortilla de patatas (sandwich with a Spanish egg and potato omelette) at a restaurant called Nebraska.
• My limited experience with Spanish food has shown me that a tortilla espanola is the best way to introduce oneself to Spanish food. It's mild, eggy, and a pretty safe choice. As an egg-lover, I really enjoyed it.
• Walked around el barrio de Sol (near the hotel) with some people from my program who had already had the chance to familiarize themselves with the neighborhood
• This city will really test my almost non-existent sense of direction. There are so many twisty roads and small alleyways. 
• Went to la Plaza del Sol (I think?)
• Went to la Plaza Mayor
• Although both places are major tourist destinations, they are really empty at night. It's kind of neat to feel that, in that moment, you are sharing a beautiful and famous landmark with only a few people.
• In the streets, even on Monday, there are tons of seemingly friendly people who are handing out fliers that advertise free shots/free cerveza/etc. It's a form of advertisement, of course. Still, it's not something that I've seen in the states.
• Went to a tapas bar. I was too full to eat, but we all split a sangria. Sangria is delicious. It's like wine for non-wine drinkers

Tuesday, 18 January

• Met our host families
• I live with a senora named Angeles in "old Madrid", near el Palacio Real. I'm also right down the street from many shops and a metro/train station. She showed me how to navigate the metro and trains, which should be helpful for tomorrow
• I will also meet her daughter in February, when she returns from Germany
• I bought a small prepaid phone from a store down the street. 
• Other than that, I didn't do much. I felt nauseated and I had lost my appetite, so I stayed inside and rested.

Tomorrow (or technically today, since it is now past midnight): I go to Getafe to take a tour of the school!

Spain: The Arrival

So here I am in Spain. I haven't had the time or the energy to write a blog post since my arrival. As mentioned previously, I didn't sleep at all before my flight. I had hoped that, in my exhausted state, I would sleep through the duration of my two long plane rides and arrive at the airport having defeated jet lag. No such luck. I somehow managed to sleep through takeoff after leaving LAX only to wake up an hour later. I stayed awake through the duration of my 5 hour flight. The second leg of the trip went much more smoothly. My accommodations on my Aer Lingus flight seemed much nicer than those on United. Of course, this opinion was probably influenced by the nicer TV screens and the near-empty flight which allowed me to stretch out and rest easier. Unfortunately, I still only got a few hours of sleep, but the flight passed quickly.

I arrived in Barajas, expecting to be overwhelmed by a nightmarishly complex airport and a long wait in customs. Thankfully, I only had to collect my suitcase (which arrived in one piece) and briefly hand over a passport. Fortunately, my flight was mostly composed of American students studying abroad. Although we parted ways at the airport, it made me feel less lost.

Then I took a taxi to my hotel, which was easier than I thought. I didn't speak much, and I was still intimidated by the newness of everything. However, the driver took me to my destination without problems, and gave me a candy which tasted like licorice. I was probably the first person at my hotel; I arrived before the 9:00 check-in time. However, they gave me my room. I should mention that this was a very nice hotel. I looked it up at a later time and discovered that the rooms cost between 140-150 euros per night. After checking in, I went online to let my family know that I was still alive. Then, I slept.

The Waiting Game: LAX pre-departure thoughts

NOTE: Ignore the time stamp of this blog, as I'm actually posting this from Spain. I didn't have internet access until now. The date/time below reflects the actual time I was writing the post.

16 January 2010

6:22 AM

I'm currently writing this post from a word document, as LAX apparently doesn't offer a free wireless internet service. I have about an hour to kill before my flight boards, but I feel that if I stop doing something I will fall asleep. This is probably the longest I have stayed awake. As predicted, I waited until the last minute before running around my house, scrounging through unpacked boxes and trying to get everything organized. I didn't really begin packing until 9 PM (although I wasn't wholly unproductive. I ran a few last-minute errands and washed the remainder of my dirty laundry). I finished packing at around 2 in the morning, at which point I only had time to take a quick shower and down a cup of coffee. I said goodbye to my dad, my sister, my kitty cats and my stinky dog. My mom and Jason (el novio—e.g. The boyfriend) drove me to the airport. Surprisingly, despite my lack of sleep I managed to stay awake during the entire car ride. Traffic was practically non-existent—a rarity in Los Angeles.

Then we arrived at the airport. With my fancy new suitcase, an overstuffed backpack, and a cross-body purse I fumbled my way to the check-in counter. I'm thankful that I had people with me to hold my items. Things won't be so fun once I arrive in Madrid. Eep. Anyway, the check-in line was deceptively short but--

--Hey, apparently my flight has been downsized and United Airlines is asking people to give up their seat. No, thank you. I guess my hopes for an empty flight have been dashed to pieces. Ah well--

I digress. The line was deceptively short, but moved at a snail's pace. I was sure that my 29” behemoth of a suitcase would exceed the 50lb wait limit. However, it weighed in at 50.0lbs. At the check-in counter I held up my fists in victory and proclaimed myself the packing guru. Sleep deprivation can do strange things to a person. So I said my last good-byes, breezed through security, and grabbed some breakfast.

Now here I am. I'm on the first leg of a three-and-a-half month journey to a foreign country. Yet the reality of it all hasn't sunk in. That seems to be a common theme in this blog. Chelsea writes about the exciting things happening around this trip, and then recollects on her numbness to it all. I suppose numbness isn't the correct word. I certainly feel a looming anxiety. Here in my padded chair, without exerting myself, I can feel my heart pounding. Oh dear. I think waiting is the worst part of traveling. I wait to board the plane, at which point I sit on the flight and wait to depart the plane. I can never seem to enjoy my present circumstances. Oh well. I think the sleep deprivation is causing me to ramble.

Oh, hey! I can see sunlight. This marks the first time I stayed up through the entire night. Yay?

Countdown: The To-Do List

I have less than two days until I leave for Spain. This week, I made a to-do list to organize my activities. Today, I checked off most of those items. Tomorrow, I plan to finish up the last-minute items. I still need to pack. The anxiety is starting to sink in. Although I've been planning this trip since April, I honestly didn't think that I would be able to spend a semester in Spain. Despite the seemingly-endless series of preparations and a shrinking departure date, I'm still skeptical. I don't mean to imply that I'm not excited. On the contrary, I have been wanting to travel to Europe since high school. However, I have to tendency to become anxious before I engage in something completely unfamiliar.

The to-do list is dwindling down to a few straggling items. One more day to finish everything. Here we go.

Countdown: 6 Days

I have less than a week until I leave for Spain. I was going to make a blog post at the 7-day mark, but life got in the way. Ah well. At this point, there's not much to update; a travel blog isn't particularly interesting when the author isn't traveling. I've just been going through the necessary preparations. For instance, I opened a new bank account, obtained my first credit card, ordered euros, bought a new suitcase, and so on. With less than six days to go, I really should be planning more. I still haven't unpacked my things from when I came home in December. On Saturday night I will probably be scavenging through cluttered boxes, trying to find much-needed items for the trip. Oh dear.

Well, in order to make this post more intriguing I have posted some pictures of my euros.

It looks like Monopoly money (no offense, Europe).

Introductions

Me voy: in Spanish it means "I leave." As I approach my departure date, I become increasingly preoccupied with the trip overseas. I dream of airplane trips, of endlessly wandering the Barajas airport (which, in my dreams, looks surprisingly like San Fransisco), of lost luggage. I wake up mentally planning my trip from the airport to the Hotel Senator Espana (where I will attend a mandatory program orientation). However, I don't give much thought to what happens after. My mind has not yet registered that, for the next three-and-a-half months, I will be living with strangers in a foreign country while speaking a language I don't fully understand. I suppose that's for the best. The reality of it all hasn't sunk in yet. Nevertheless, I think I'm excited for this trip.