La Semana Primera

Welcome to my online account of my adventures abroad. Before reading on, please note that these first few posts were written before I had a chance to upload them, so the date they were posted, is not the date they were written.

Today is Wednesday and tomorrow I will have in Spain a week . Let me just give a general recap of the events that have occurred so far and then I will begin making daily entries. (Or at least try to).

Day 1
I left the United States last Wednesday at nine PM, USA Eastern Time and landed in Madrid Thursday morning. I got absolutely no sleep on the plane and I still needed to take a train from Madrid to Sevilla. At the airport, I began my Spanish language immersion, attempting to get directions from the airport to the AVE station. I was told that the metro – an underground train from the airport to various places in the city would take me right there.

However, taking the metro was definitely the worst decision of my trip so far. It wasn’t a direct connection; to get to the AVE station you need to change trains four different times, all the while lugging two huge suitcases and an assortment of bags. This was made especially difficult since a) I wasn’t entirely sure if I was on the right train each time ( I wasn’t twice) b) my brain was still in English mode and everybody spoke Spanish and c) each time I changed trains I had to lug my suitcases up an escalator or a flight of stairs because I couldn’t find the elevators at any of the stops but the last. This caused everyone around me to resent me, and between being hated, my lethargy, and my struggle to communicate, and my utter confusion as to I was so overwhelmed I wanted to cry.

Finally, I got to the ave station, and a man named Fernando saw me struggling with my suitcases and helped me to the ticket counter. He even waited with me to show me where to go after. I cannot even put into words how grateful I was for this.

Once I got through AVE security he said goodbye. Then I stopped quickly at the café in the station to grab something to eat on the train. After quickly scanning and then translating/evaluating my options I grabbed a cheese and turkey sandwich and a dark chocolate bar. Both were AMAZING and I learned later that the delicious cheese on the turkey sandwich was queso espanol. My senora loves it too. (and please note that though I may go to school in Wisconsin, I am definitely not normally a fan of cheese, so saying I loved it means something).

The ride to Sevilla was two hours long. I arrived in Sevilla, took a taxi to the orientation hotel, met my roommate, went to the orientation meeting and then bed. Not really super exciting. I was just kinda glad the traveling part was over. Though, I couldn't believe how much Spanish I had already spoken. It was an immediate immersion.

Day 2
Carolyn, my roommate, and I left the orientation hotel after breakfast in separate cabs (since all our luggage wouldn’t fit in one) and went to our Senora’s apartment. She greeted us warmly and then showed us to our rooms - I was happy to learn we each had our own. Then she went over some general house guidelines and she seemed (as is since I am typing this almost a week later) very relaxed and sweet. She tried very hard to make us feel right at home. Then, while we unpacked, she made lunch.

Lunch was delicious. It was a ball of rice in this really good tomato sauce with fried bananas (or possibly plantains). And then of course, there was fruit and bread and Spanish cheese to choose from as well.

That night, after Cena, Carolyn and I went out to a bar. Inside there were many Europeans (mostly Spaniards but French, Portuguese, and other visitors too) just talking by the bar or dancing on the dance floor. (I envy the European’s natural ability to dance; its something I don’t personally posses.) At first Carolyn and I just stayed to ourselves, but I really wanted to interact with the Spaniards and use my Spanish in a social setting. Therefore, after a while the very bold, brazen, extroverted American in me came out and I tapped an attractive Spanish man named Antonio on the shoulder. I told him my name was Kirsten and engaged him in a conversation. I think he found us as fascinating as we found him. We talked for a while – he seemed very outgoing and not really bothered by my forwardness – and then we ran into him later with his friend Miguel on the street. He asked if we wanted to go back to elephunk (the bar we were at before) and he and Miguel bought us drinks. Around 3:30 in the morning they walked us back to our apartment, saying goodbye to us at the - door (with a kiss on each cheek as is Spanish custom) promising to take us on a tour of Sevilla the next day. It felt very surreal – the whole making friends in Spanish, flirting in Spanish, being hit on in Spanish – being said goodnight to by Spanish men, at my apartment in Spain…I was officially off English mode and in Spanish mode. It was all coming so naturally.

The next night was very similar – excepted it started with Senora Nieves knocking at my door saying there was a Spanish boy on the intercom asking for me. And of course that almost never happens at home.

Anyway so yeah, Saturday night very similar. Sunday I slept pretty much the whole day and Monday I started classes. For the first 3 weeks I only have two classes – a Spanish grammar class in the morning from 9 till 1 Monday thru Friday and a cultural class from 1-2 on Wednesday. Oh and I’m taking flamenco dancing ant night some days. (Again, can’t dance so this should be interesting). So really that’s pretty much the catch-up. I’ve gotten pretty much settled now – my room is all set up, I have my gym membership, I’ve gotten lost enough times to know essentially where I’m going now.

I’ve also adapted to their way of eating and I have to say, it makes a whole lot more sense than the American way of eating. Breakfast is very light –fruit or yogurt or toast and coffee. (oh and OMG they have the best coffee here anybody who knows me knows I always have to put a ton of Splenda or sugar in my coffee back home to be able to drink it but here I don’t need ANY. None. Nada. It just naturally tastes good). Anyway, so then after breakfast you go to class (or work) and you don’t eat lunch until about 2. But lunch is the main meal of the day, Stores close so people can go home for lunch (and take a siesta afterwards if necessary). All of my meals have been homemade because my senora likes to cook. It feels nice to be all mommyied. We all hand-wash our own dishes and if one of us isn’t around when lunch or dinner is severed, Senora Nieves leaves it out and we can have it when we want. But its nice to always have food prepared for me when I come home that I can choose to eat or not to eat and not have to wait for others.
Dinner is around 9:30 to 10 and is a light meal. Nieves usually makes soup, which is always amazing and light and filling. So, so far, in general, I’m loving Spain.