I have been living with my señora, Charo (short for Maria de Rosario) (wait, how is that short for Rosario? Weird, Spain, weird), for a little over a week now. I don't really know how to say how thankful I am that I ended up with her. This past Sunday I went into a bakery I pass a few times every day on the way to school and bought us two pastries to have with cena (dinner) and said thank you to her for our first week. She is sincerely the most comfortable part of my life here so far and after all of the stories that I heard about crazy señoras and their "rules" and weird habits, I am so glad that Charo is as relaxed, kind and genuine as I could hope for. Last weekend when I was panicking and I started to cry on the first night, she was so good to me and helped me calm down, even walking me out to the elevator. This past week we have had a lot of good conversations about her life, my life, family, independence, etc, and I'm really glad that even though sometimes there is a language barrier, we understand each other well.
We also have a lot in common, here is a short list:
1. We like chocolate.
2. We like cheese.
3. We wake up late and are in a hurry in the morning.
4. We like to watch movies on tv. (Well, I never thought this was something that I liked but now I do).
5. We sometimes laugh at what the more conservative party says in press releases (In Spain, it's the PP - Partido Popular).
6. We like turquoise and coral. (She sells jewelry on the weekends in a pueblo outside of Madrid! How cool! I am going with her some day when it's warmer).
7. We are independent/self sufficient.
8. We like to drive.
9. We like bargains.
10. We stay up late.
All in all, my interactions with Charo have been some of the best parts of Madrid so far.
For those who are interested, here is a little run-down of what I do everyday:
1. Charo comes barrelling past my room to the kitchen (next to my room) to make café (coffee) at 7.30am. I mutter to myself that I didn't want to wake up until 7.45, and listen to her making me lunch to put in the fridge while I wait for my alarm to go off. Recently, I haven't woken up to her moving around but to my alarm so I must be getting used to sleeping with noise. Usually I don't actually get out of bed until closer to 8. This isn't a good idea.
2. While Fernando snores in his bedroom next to the bathroom, I take a shower in Charo's round-ish shower.
3. Charo leaves, rushing.
4. I rush around eating between the kitchen and my bedroom getting everything together and thinking about how I should actually get out of bed at 7.45 tomorrow.
5. I leave the apartment, see the bustle of tons of kids and parents heading to school, professionals going to work, and shopkeepers opening up and walk the two blocks to the Instituto for class at 9am.
6. I leave class and take the Metro to my internship in el Barrio de las Letras at Arana-Poveda. I get a little more comfortable with this windy, confusing neighborhood every day.
7. I sit in the backroom of the gallery and translate press releases, presentations and various other publications into English and struggle with how to get Photoshop on my Mac for free.
8. I leave at 2, and take the Metro back to heat up the almuerzo (lunch) Charo has left in the nevera (fridge) for me.
9. Sometimes I have another class at 4, sometimes I do homework, sometimes I go to a museum or something (Thursdays usually) and sometimes, I do, actually, take a siesta (nap).
10. Charo comes home at 6, we have dinner at 8 or 8.30 (early for Spaniards) and I do homework/play on my computer/watch a movie with Charo/go shopping/etc.
At first, I had a hard time because life here seemed like there was a lot of "nothing" going on... I felt like I wasn't busy enough. I am getting busier with my internship, but I'm also learning to relax into the leisure of being able to do whatever I want with my afternoons and evenings. Sometimes I watch movies (usually they are American movies dubbed in Spanish) with Charo... she LOVES TV, we always have the set on during dinner. Also, we have salad EVERY single night, which is nice, and she's being very "sneaky" about figuring out what I like. I finally told her I didn't like uncooked tomatoes, and then she started adding other things like carrots, cucumbers and corn and seeing what I ate. It's very cute. There is no salad dressing. We put olive oil and salt (what?!) on our salads, and I always end up putting too much salt because I can't see it, so I feel like that is taking away some from the nutritional value of the vegetables. But anyway, that is neither here nor there...
Other things I have done in Spain so far:
1. Visit Toledo with my program. It was a beautiful, beautiful old city but the streets were so small, steep and cobblestone-y that my calves hurt for two days after from walking around all day. I am so glad I saw it though.
2. Go to a Spanish movie, También la Lluvía, which was so good! I followed the plot, didn't understand all of the dialogue, but really really loved the theme/overall message.
3. Try to start planning travel - hopefully my first trip will be to Salamanca the weekend after this one coming!
4. Walked around a lot by myself looking at things.
5. Tried churros con chocolate - incredible.
6. Went to El Rastro - this HUGE market/flea market thing that is all within this neighborhood, covering several streets and plazas (not strip malls - more like small "commons" to use a New England-y word) that is set up every Sunday and perused Madrileño wares.
There is probably a lot more but this is already incredibly long and includes more than two lists so I should limit myself and go to bed... and maybe actually get out of bed at 7.45 tomorrow morning like I mean to...
Hasta pronto!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Every emotion in the world.
I think I have, in all seriousness, experienced almost every emotion imaginable in my first week here in Madrid.
I am sure that it is getting better, although I know I am still having my moments. I've been very lucky to know that a lot of people are supporting me and reminding me of that support from afar, and I'm so grateful for that.
As far as living in the middle, my emotions have taken me more to the extremes than ever, but I can almost feel myself leveling out already, and I feel like this will be a good place for me to settle into "the middle."
Today, I went to the Mosque of Madrid and the Prado, for the first of what I'm sure will be many visits. One of my friends got robbed on the Metro today, which is terrifying, but despite this, I'm feeling more comfortable with the city, and how it's set up. I think this weekend will be a good time to explore more and get more acquainted. I also finally got my schedule for my internship, and I look forward to spending a few hours every day of the week at Arana-Poveda. I keep reminding myself that it's still just the beginning, and I know that when I leave in 4 months I'll wish I hadn't spent time at the beginning doubting myself.
Tomorrow, we go to Toledo for the day and I'm really excited to see an old Spanish city. Soon I'll write more about what exactly I do every day and what life in Casa de Charo is like. She and I have had a lot of good conversations this week and I think she is without a doubt the most comfortable part of my life in Madrid so far. She makes feel much more relaxed, which is good for me.
Hasta pronto.
I am sure that it is getting better, although I know I am still having my moments. I've been very lucky to know that a lot of people are supporting me and reminding me of that support from afar, and I'm so grateful for that.
As far as living in the middle, my emotions have taken me more to the extremes than ever, but I can almost feel myself leveling out already, and I feel like this will be a good place for me to settle into "the middle."
Today, I went to the Mosque of Madrid and the Prado, for the first of what I'm sure will be many visits. One of my friends got robbed on the Metro today, which is terrifying, but despite this, I'm feeling more comfortable with the city, and how it's set up. I think this weekend will be a good time to explore more and get more acquainted. I also finally got my schedule for my internship, and I look forward to spending a few hours every day of the week at Arana-Poveda. I keep reminding myself that it's still just the beginning, and I know that when I leave in 4 months I'll wish I hadn't spent time at the beginning doubting myself.
Tomorrow, we go to Toledo for the day and I'm really excited to see an old Spanish city. Soon I'll write more about what exactly I do every day and what life in Casa de Charo is like. She and I have had a lot of good conversations this week and I think she is without a doubt the most comfortable part of my life in Madrid so far. She makes feel much more relaxed, which is good for me.
Hasta pronto.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Don't panic.
Here is what no one told me about study abroad: I was going to freak out.
I read the pamphlets about culture shock. I know Spanish. I am an independent, self-sufficient, confident person. I was prepared. I packed pretty well, I had plans and goals for what I wanted to do here. Yet despite this, I spent most of yesterday in such an uncomfortable, panicked state, crying on and off and not sure of anything.
The first two days we were here we stayed in a hotel, moved around in huge groups, the helpers (ayudantes) from the program helped us with everything, and it felt basically like we were on a school field trip. So I was excited to move into my señora's house yesterday and start to get actually acclimated. What I didn't realize would happen is that once it started to set in, I panicked. I spent most of yesterday wildly stressed out. I compared meeting all these new BU people to coming into college during orientation, except for I was never this nervous about meeting people when I started college. It was a nervous, panicky stress that I wasn't comfortable with. I was worried that if I didn't want to go out all night I wouldn't be able to make friends. To my surprise and good fortune, when I explained that I wanted to ease myself into this kind of life, everyone was really receptive, and a few other people even went home early-ish last night as well. I think I just had a moment of crisis where I couldn't figure myself out or what I was doing here, and considering I am usually very comfortable and do what I want, it made me completely panicked that I couldn't just do that here. I am feeling 100 times better today, but I'm sure I'll have more moments once school starts, I just hope that the worst is over. I'm going to do what I want to do when I want to do it, and everything will be fine.
If I've learned anything so far it's that I'm not invincible, just because I want to be here and have wanted to be here does not mean I'm going to feel perfect about everything right away and that's fine.
Today we walked around El Parque de Buen Retiro which is kind of like Central Park of Madrid, and is beautiful. Charo, my señora, said that now it's not even a good time to go because it's not springtime, so I can only imagine how good it will be in a few months. I can't wait to have time to explore these places on my own and see everything better.
Tomorrow classes start, and I actually decided to switch practically all my classes so... we'll see how that goes. The Director said I can go to whatever classes I want, so I will.
I like lists, and I have been thinking about this in terms of lists so before I go to get notebooks and explore, here are a few lists of things that I have noticed/things that have happened:
1. Madrileños really like PDA. Like, right next to you. On the bus. And it makes no one uncomfortable.
2. Don't try to find the button for the crosswalk, because there isn't one, it's just automatic and you look silly.
3. You also look silly when you don't know that you need a bag for your items at the mercado.
4. You also look silly when you can't tell the difference between a 1e and 2e coin and you get confused at the register (caja).
5. Ham is everywhere.
6. Even little children are dressed nice.
7. I have not gotten lost on the metro once.
8. I have tried every food.
9. I lost my watch, but successfully bought a new one.
10. I can already feel like my Spanish is getting better.
Vale. Voy a explorar. Abrazos.
I read the pamphlets about culture shock. I know Spanish. I am an independent, self-sufficient, confident person. I was prepared. I packed pretty well, I had plans and goals for what I wanted to do here. Yet despite this, I spent most of yesterday in such an uncomfortable, panicked state, crying on and off and not sure of anything.
The first two days we were here we stayed in a hotel, moved around in huge groups, the helpers (ayudantes) from the program helped us with everything, and it felt basically like we were on a school field trip. So I was excited to move into my señora's house yesterday and start to get actually acclimated. What I didn't realize would happen is that once it started to set in, I panicked. I spent most of yesterday wildly stressed out. I compared meeting all these new BU people to coming into college during orientation, except for I was never this nervous about meeting people when I started college. It was a nervous, panicky stress that I wasn't comfortable with. I was worried that if I didn't want to go out all night I wouldn't be able to make friends. To my surprise and good fortune, when I explained that I wanted to ease myself into this kind of life, everyone was really receptive, and a few other people even went home early-ish last night as well. I think I just had a moment of crisis where I couldn't figure myself out or what I was doing here, and considering I am usually very comfortable and do what I want, it made me completely panicked that I couldn't just do that here. I am feeling 100 times better today, but I'm sure I'll have more moments once school starts, I just hope that the worst is over. I'm going to do what I want to do when I want to do it, and everything will be fine.
If I've learned anything so far it's that I'm not invincible, just because I want to be here and have wanted to be here does not mean I'm going to feel perfect about everything right away and that's fine.
Today we walked around El Parque de Buen Retiro which is kind of like Central Park of Madrid, and is beautiful. Charo, my señora, said that now it's not even a good time to go because it's not springtime, so I can only imagine how good it will be in a few months. I can't wait to have time to explore these places on my own and see everything better.
Tomorrow classes start, and I actually decided to switch practically all my classes so... we'll see how that goes. The Director said I can go to whatever classes I want, so I will.
I like lists, and I have been thinking about this in terms of lists so before I go to get notebooks and explore, here are a few lists of things that I have noticed/things that have happened:
1. Madrileños really like PDA. Like, right next to you. On the bus. And it makes no one uncomfortable.
2. Don't try to find the button for the crosswalk, because there isn't one, it's just automatic and you look silly.
3. You also look silly when you don't know that you need a bag for your items at the mercado.
4. You also look silly when you can't tell the difference between a 1e and 2e coin and you get confused at the register (caja).
5. Ham is everywhere.
6. Even little children are dressed nice.
7. I have not gotten lost on the metro once.
8. I have tried every food.
9. I lost my watch, but successfully bought a new one.
10. I can already feel like my Spanish is getting better.
Vale. Voy a explorar. Abrazos.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
The Sun Has Landed
I'M HERE! After an arduous journey including leaving my house Tuesday at 11am, staying in Queens by myself overnight, and being in JFK airport for 11 hours on Wednesday, I have finally arrived! The plane wasn't as bad as expected, and I just spent the whole time trying to sleep/fantasizing about life in Spain. So far everything is wonderful. It's a little strange trying to fit in with the BU students and few students from other schools. Most of the BU students don't know many people but at least 1 or 2. I'm trying my best, and hoping we will get to know each other even better once classes start and we are together then. Today, we came to our hotel, had lunch, and then went off to buy metro passes and moviles (cell phones). We explored a little bit and I bought a European voltage flat iron (the essentials). I am staying near Puerta del Sol, just one of the many signs that this is the best place for me to be right now. Another sign? The snack with dinner on the plane was nothing else but a piece of Cabot Cheddar cheese from VT, complete with a little outline of the state on the package. I nearly teared up.
I nearly teared up several times on the way over the Atlantic. Once when I realized I was on my own. Another time when I realized I was never really on my own, and a third time when I saw the separation between night and day as we approached the Iberian peninsula from the Portuguese side and I could see dark blue with light blue, a fuzzy cloud line, and then pink-orange-yellow underneath. It felt like I was seeing day and (k)night at the same time, and it was beautiful.
Anyway, we're being "oriented" here and the interns have a meeting starting in 5 minutes... I'm trying to spend my time in Europe on time, instead of late, like I usually am in the U.S. So far, so good.
Hasta pronto.
I nearly teared up several times on the way over the Atlantic. Once when I realized I was on my own. Another time when I realized I was never really on my own, and a third time when I saw the separation between night and day as we approached the Iberian peninsula from the Portuguese side and I could see dark blue with light blue, a fuzzy cloud line, and then pink-orange-yellow underneath. It felt like I was seeing day and (k)night at the same time, and it was beautiful.
Anyway, we're being "oriented" here and the interns have a meeting starting in 5 minutes... I'm trying to spend my time in Europe on time, instead of late, like I usually am in the U.S. So far, so good.
Hasta pronto.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
life in the middle
So, I am getting ready.
I am not nervous.
I am not really "calm", necessarily, either.
I mostly cannot believe that this is actually happening to me.
I've spent the last week spending time with people I love, shopping for things I need, getting my last American haircut for awhile (I LOVE getting my hair cut), cleaning my house for the "buen viaje" party, and trying to figure out how I got so far along in my life already. I've been planning and preparing, mentally, to study abroad in Spain since I was in ELEMENTARY school and we started taking Spanish as a "special" in 3rd grade. I was one of the only students who enjoyed it. I've been planning for Madrid since my senior year of high school when my crazy Spanish teacher told me it would be a good fit for me, and freshman year when Profesora confirmed this. I prepared my BU application starting last March, and starting last January and I was looking into/originally deciding on the Middlebury program before switching. This has been a long time coming. I have very few doubts about what's about to happen in my life, or that it's the right thing for me right now, but I am in disbelief at how quickly this has happened.
Before we went to college, I remember saying to my friend "once this happens, our life suddenly speeds up until we're real adults. Tomorrow I move into college and 5 minutes later I'll graduate, and so much will change. Tomorrow is the first day that my relationship with my parents starts to become like my parents relationship with my grandparents, and that's only a small part of it." It's true... it feels like it's been 5 minutes since I moved into SMC in August 2008, but it's been 2.5 years. Next week I will get on a plane and fly to Barajas airport, and when I come back across the ocean I will be considered a senior in college. It's unbelievable.
Recently I asked my brother "what age do you feel?" and a friend asked me "what is your real age?"... I LOVE this question, because I just recently discovered it. I think, for one of the first times in my life (that I remember), I really AM and really FEEL the age I actually am. I am 21. I am how old I am supposed to be. What I think is affecting the fact that I feel like time is moving so fast, is that I think I have been/felt this age for a couple years, and now that I'm really here it feels fast. My brothers response? "old. I don't know how old... I just feel old." My friends response? "35... I am definitely 35." (She is actually 22!)
Things have been so crazy I've hardly had time to think about all of this and I've been meaning to write this so many times this week but just found other things to do. I think one of my biggest goals in going abroad is to learn to just let go and relax. To stop finding other things to do and just be. I like to be really independent, I like to do things on my own, and I like things to be done right...I need to learn to let things be. In a short story we read in Intro to Spanish Lit sophomore year, Profesora described the protagonists problem as being between two extremes - either one strong emotion or another, and struggling to find the middle ground and peace in his life. Although I am fairly easygoing, I am also often at extremes, and I think I need to learn that balance as well, I need to learn to live in the middle. I think I've been learning and practicing this in my life at SMC, but it's time to apply it to my life out in the world. First stop: Madrid.
My to-do list is seriously dwindling. I have 5 real days left in the US. Tomorrow I'm going grocery shopping with Mom, having lunch, shopping and catching up with Kendal, picking Janel up from the airport when she gets back from Costa Rica (!) and then spending the evening hearing all about her trip. Then I'll get to spend a beautiful evening with most of my favorite people before a crazy last three days of packing, getting last minute things, and relaxing!
I don't think I'll get a chance to write until I'm in Madrid. So, here's to: Spain, Iberia Air not being as horrible as the reviews say, making sangria, saying "see ya later" and living in the middle.
Until Madrid :)
I am not nervous.
I am not really "calm", necessarily, either.
I mostly cannot believe that this is actually happening to me.
I've spent the last week spending time with people I love, shopping for things I need, getting my last American haircut for awhile (I LOVE getting my hair cut), cleaning my house for the "buen viaje" party, and trying to figure out how I got so far along in my life already. I've been planning and preparing, mentally, to study abroad in Spain since I was in ELEMENTARY school and we started taking Spanish as a "special" in 3rd grade. I was one of the only students who enjoyed it. I've been planning for Madrid since my senior year of high school when my crazy Spanish teacher told me it would be a good fit for me, and freshman year when Profesora confirmed this. I prepared my BU application starting last March, and starting last January and I was looking into/originally deciding on the Middlebury program before switching. This has been a long time coming. I have very few doubts about what's about to happen in my life, or that it's the right thing for me right now, but I am in disbelief at how quickly this has happened.
Before we went to college, I remember saying to my friend "once this happens, our life suddenly speeds up until we're real adults. Tomorrow I move into college and 5 minutes later I'll graduate, and so much will change. Tomorrow is the first day that my relationship with my parents starts to become like my parents relationship with my grandparents, and that's only a small part of it." It's true... it feels like it's been 5 minutes since I moved into SMC in August 2008, but it's been 2.5 years. Next week I will get on a plane and fly to Barajas airport, and when I come back across the ocean I will be considered a senior in college. It's unbelievable.
Recently I asked my brother "what age do you feel?" and a friend asked me "what is your real age?"... I LOVE this question, because I just recently discovered it. I think, for one of the first times in my life (that I remember), I really AM and really FEEL the age I actually am. I am 21. I am how old I am supposed to be. What I think is affecting the fact that I feel like time is moving so fast, is that I think I have been/felt this age for a couple years, and now that I'm really here it feels fast. My brothers response? "old. I don't know how old... I just feel old." My friends response? "35... I am definitely 35." (She is actually 22!)
Things have been so crazy I've hardly had time to think about all of this and I've been meaning to write this so many times this week but just found other things to do. I think one of my biggest goals in going abroad is to learn to just let go and relax. To stop finding other things to do and just be. I like to be really independent, I like to do things on my own, and I like things to be done right...I need to learn to let things be. In a short story we read in Intro to Spanish Lit sophomore year, Profesora described the protagonists problem as being between two extremes - either one strong emotion or another, and struggling to find the middle ground and peace in his life. Although I am fairly easygoing, I am also often at extremes, and I think I need to learn that balance as well, I need to learn to live in the middle. I think I've been learning and practicing this in my life at SMC, but it's time to apply it to my life out in the world. First stop: Madrid.
My to-do list is seriously dwindling. I have 5 real days left in the US. Tomorrow I'm going grocery shopping with Mom, having lunch, shopping and catching up with Kendal, picking Janel up from the airport when she gets back from Costa Rica (!) and then spending the evening hearing all about her trip. Then I'll get to spend a beautiful evening with most of my favorite people before a crazy last three days of packing, getting last minute things, and relaxing!
I don't think I'll get a chance to write until I'm in Madrid. So, here's to: Spain, Iberia Air not being as horrible as the reviews say, making sangria, saying "see ya later" and living in the middle.
Until Madrid :)
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