So I haven’t been able to blog since I arrived in Madrid because we haven’t had Internet. So here are a few recaps from my memory, some are more jumbled/fresher than others:
Thursday night 9/17: So after traveling a ton of hours and getting no sleep, we get into Madrid. We get to our apartment and our landlords were waiting for us. They were older than I had imagined, probably in their late 50’s early 60’s. Anyways, they were really nice people but I couldn’t understand a WORD they said!! Talk about a culture shock and a slap of reality. Thankfully, Alissa and Erica are pretty much fluent, but I felt so isolated it was unbelievable. Also, when we were at our stopover in Dublin we drew rooms and I got the smallest room, to say it was tiny would be an understatement. It was probably the size of the bathroom at my house back in the states. So after the landlords left and pretty much considered me a mute, I go into my bed and pretty much cried myself to sleep. I was thinking about how this was a huge mistake and wondering how I could get out of it. I rationalized with everything that was going through my mind that I should just sleep on it and make any decisions at a later date. Is it bad that when I felt myself wakeup, I hoped that when I opened my eyes, I would be back home……
Saturday 9/19: I am going to feel Saturday on my feet for many days to come. But the saddest part is that I didn’t take a camera with me. So me and the roomies wondered around the city today some more, went and kind of got our internet set up, nothing too eventful, but I did make plans to meet up with Jorge, one of my Spanish friends from Australia. Last nice was “el noche del blanco” which is a big street party that happens once a year in Madrid. Each plaza (think cul-de-sacs but more European like) had something different going on. We saw a Tupperware band (yes, Tupperware) and some street performers and such. After being lost for a while trying to find Jorge we finally got to meet up with him and his friends. Something kind of funny. In Spain they do besos (kisses) on each cheek when they are meeting people. Well Jorge had told them that we were all Americans and since they all knew English they greeted us in an “English” style by shaking hands. I guess they think that’s how we greet random people in the states, but it was just really funny. I wanted to say “we don’t do this at home, this shaking hands business”, but I knew it was their attempt to make us feel comfortable because for almost the entire night, they spoke English (which I was so thankful for!) After bar hopping, which is what I guess Spaniards do, we got to this Havana club and it was real cool, I would go back. The only thing is that drinks are expensive, but you only need one to really feel anything. It was 9 Euros for a mojito!! Don’t worry though folks, my head started spinning half way through……oops
What was so cool about last night though was just taking with a lot of highly educated Spaniards that speak English and getting their take on a couple things. One thing that Jorge said that caught my attention. Specifically He is an attorney now and went to the best university in Spain. Anyways he was complaining that him and his friends work so hard and go to school for such a long time so that the rest of the country can keep up their irresponsible behavior and partying (it was definitely said with resentment). He was saying he only get paid 35,000 Euros as a first year associate after taxes, which he said are excessive. It was just interesting to hear that take and how they personally perceived a “socialized” system. There was also another guy that was asking about the cost of healthcare in the US and asked if I thought Barack would get it passed. I said probably not because the insurance companies make a lot of money, but I just thought it was interesting that people in Spain are following our quest for a public provided health care, when a lot of people in the states might not even have a clue about what is going on right now.
Sunday 9/20: Like everyone has said before, absolutely nothing is open on Sunday. There are a few stores, but nothing compared to all other days. So after sleeping until noon ( I have never slept that late in my life, but I usually don’t stay out until 5 walking the streets of Madrid either), I took my computer in search of Internet. Café y Te was closed (shocking) so I walked down towards plaza del Toro. Plaza del Toro is one of the bullfighting rinks in Madrid. It was a BEAUTIFUL building! Imagine Lucas Oil Stadium, but older, and you have plaza del Toro. I ended up not getting Internet down there so I walked closer towards home and went to a park and did Rosetta stone. That was pretty much my Sunday.
Monday 9/21: On Monday we left the piso determined to get Internet. Unfortunately, you have to jump through a million and one hoops to get Internet, one of which is open a bank account. Luckily Erica wanted to open one anyways. So we go to Phone House, which is where our landlords told us to go, and they tried to tell us it would be 20-30 days for Internet!! We asked, no es posible muy rapido? and she said “no”. So we went to Telefonica and that said later this week! So we went to bed happy on Monday.
Tuesday 9/22: I noticed today my Spanish is getting better. I haven’t gotten to the point where I am able to speak it, but I can finally understand people. Thank god! What is the most exciting though is that I don’t find myself translating word for word, I just get it. It is something that cannot be understood unless you have experienced it, but it is a great feeling truly. I have been wondering around Madrid like a lost puppy never far away from Alissa or Erica. Today was a great day overall! This morning Telefonica called and said that they could install our Internet this evening! So we get out of bed with an extra pep in our step and headed off to the metro to meet our WONDERFUL landlords/grandparents for our NIE appointment. They said they consider us their children, and they do truly treat us as such—they even called our schools LMAO. Back to the NIE, For those that don’t know, an NIE is like our version of a social security number and allows me to get paid while in Spain. Typically arranging an NIE appointment takes 2-3 months, but our wealthy and connected landlords knew somebody and got us right in. They are truly incredible and we would have better utterly lost without them. In addition, they took us to see Alissa’s school, which is out in the campo (country). Random note--Spain is very dry!!! Imagine Nevada. There are mountains, dry grass, the whole works. The strange thing is that it struck me as beautiful. It just appeared so natural. It’s hard to describe.
What was even more exciting was that today in the park I was practicing Spanish with Rosetta stone and this older guy (probably 70’s) came up to me and asked me a question (in Spanish of course). First thing to know, is that older men wonder streets and parks everywhere and everyday in Madrid. They are us also dressed up, like suites. They don’t wonder around in a senile way like the states, but more as a thing to do and a way to see people. Anyways he comes up to me and I respond in Spanish that I couldn’t understand him and asked him to repeat it. So he repeated it and I still couldn’t understand so I just explained that I didn’t speak Spanish. So in a very clear and slow manner, he asks where I am from and I was able to respond in Spanish!! We had probably a 5-minute conversation and I almost understood EVERYTHING and was able to respond. I just felt such a high. I really did it!!! The topping on the cake is that 5 minutes after I came back from the park the Internet guy came by and now we have Internet in the piso. What a great day!!!! Now I am just wrapping this up and then we are going to an intercambio (language exchange) tonight. Somehow I have become the evening event planner of our piso and I have something for us the next three nights.
Last notes: My favorite quotes thus far,
“ I’ve been thinking about it and I just can’t understand, how can a pillow be flat and lumpy?”- Erica
“Where are my pants?!?”- Alissa
“I work so all these people can party”- Jorge
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