First few weeks in Spain

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I would like to prompt my first blog with a warning that it is the product of a drunken rant at about 730 am and edited in my hungover state sometime thereafter...


It is weird to say that in the days before I left for Madrid it almost seemed surreal to me, but that was entirely the case. Often times friends and family would question whether or not I was excited or prepared for the upcoming semester in Spain; my final semester of my undergraduate degree; and I was not even sure of that fact myself. Needless to say, Chris and I somehow got our act together, and in a week that consisted of last-minute-shopping, insurance companies unwilling to comply with abroad requests, parents, and just overall stress in general, we found ourselves on a plane bound for Europe on January 17th.

Our travel time was to consist of 6 to 7 hours in the air (a night flight) that was to land in London’s Heathrow Airport at roughly 7 am on January 18th (around midnight United States’ time). This part of the trip went off without a hitch, as we passed through security in Newark Airport effortlessly, to make our flight on time at 6:50 pm. Once on board we enjoyed some free drinks and were able to sleep and watch movies comfortably due to the fact that less than ¼ of the plane was full, and every passenger had about 2-3 seats to himself.

Once arriving in Heathrow, I was told that a British Airways flight had crashed while landing on the runway there just one day prior to our landing in London. Aside from how shocking (and somewhat terrifying) this was, we managed to keep calm and proceed to our connecting flight that was scheduled for about 9:30 am to Madrid. Soon we found out that this flight (and many flights after us) would ultimately be cancelled, thus signaling a turn of events that largely ruined our first week in Spain.

After being ushered outside in the pouring rain to a tent set up by airport/British Airways officials, we sat in water soaked chairs, unsure if we would ever make it to Spain to be with our program during its kick-off dinner that upcoming night. While trying to arrange a new flight, we met two other students from AU that had their flights cancelled as well, and we ended up making arrangements with them for a new flight to Spain. Needless to say, roughly 6-7 hours after our original flight was scheduled to leave London, we were finally on a runway about to leave Heathrow.

When we arrived in Spain, there was no one from the program to meet us there as promised, and also our luggage had not come with us (as promised by BA officials in London). We waited for two more hours at the airport in Madrid with hopes that they had followed us on the remaining flights from London that night, yet we were not successful. We proceeded to file the necessary paperwork in broken Spanish, and were promised our bags by delivery in roughly 48 hours (somewhat disheartening after that nightmarish travel experience, but acceptable nonetheless). We soon realized a cab was necessary since the program directors did not intend to retrieve us from the Madrid Airport at that time, and we arrived (first at the wrong hotel by taxi) to a kick-off dinner that had already been started without us.

That night, some of the girls convinced us all to take a walk over to Sol for some first-night-drinks with the group since it was a Friday night. Of course the four of us who lost our luggage were a bit disheartened at this, seeing that we were in a terrible state from extended travel and had no luggage or toiletries to clean ourselves beforehand/acceptable clothes in which to venture out into Sol. The whole night was somewhat of a tainted blur for me, because I was largely just annoyed at everything thus far.

The next day, after blowing out one of my hair-straighteners in a foreign plug, and realizing I was in no mood to meet my senora (due to the fact that program incompetence had resulted in no set address to give the airport to send my bags, and also that they had failed to make sure anyone had working cell phones- as promised and attached to our program fee, or give the four of us calling cards since we were late arriving), we were whisked away to our respective homes.

I know it seems like I am complaining quite a bit (and I am the first to realize), but I will honestly say that if my home-stay had turned out as poorly as the experience up until that point, I would have probably returned to the states (since I was looking at that option already). I know that they warn about culture shock etc, and I understand that an airplane crashing is an extenuating circumstance, but the lack of service and complete disregard of costumers of the airway, is absolutely unfathomable to me. I am extremely fortunate that I have been placed with an incredible senora and her family, in Northeastern Madrid (off of Linea 8, Pinar del Rey…for those who are familiar) despite the fact that we are quite a distance from the center of Madrid and the school.

Anyways, the first day I was in my new “casa” I met my new roommate Ana. For some reason only a few of us were fortunate enough to be assigned roommates, and I was one. We live with a Senora named Puri (short for Purification), her son, Sergio, her daughter, Elsa, and their dog, Nene. Everyone is very nice and talkative at the homestay, and we are starting to realize more and more that they understand English better than we previously thought. Puri explained to us during lunch (the first and only meal we have ever seen her eat…una mujer muy flaca) that she would help us to learn conversational Spanish over the coming semester. She began to inquire with the program director as to the location of my luggage…and it was clear that we would be largely on our own to fix that situation.

Later that night, Ana let me borrow some clothes and we went out for our first real night in Sol without a big group. We bar hopped and had a few drinks, settling on one place where guys were relentless, and some of the girls were friendly. Here we danced until 4 am and met some Guatemalan friends who we have hung out with. After about an hour of trying to hail a cab, we finally made it home…drunk and not entirely up for group fun in the morning.

The next day, we were expected at the Retiro by 12:30 in the afternoon. The Retiro is a large garden park in Madrid near the Prado and other various landmarks. It is beautiful at all times of the week to digress from busy city life, but it is especially breathtaking on Sundays when almost all of Madrid comes out to mingle and get some exercise. After viewing this through hung-over eyes, we proceeded towards Plaza Mayor for a group lunch (the place where the Inquisition used to kill people for heretical behavior, but now is just full of shops and small restaurants). After lunch the director dropped some of us in Sol where she said we could buy clothes at many shops (which was not entirely the case at all). In Spain right now, there are many sales in almost every store (rebajas) and we were able to find some reasonably priced clothing (me more so do to fact I explained to a saleswoman in broken Spanish that I had not changed my clothes since Thursday- and it was now Sunday- and she rung all my clothes up as more than 70-85% off).

The next day started orientation- and the fourth day with no luggage. At this point we were taken on another walking tour that was difficult to understand. Also, it was very hard to listen due to the fact that all we could think about was our lost bags and how ridiculous the situation was becoming. I believe it was either this day or the next that Chris and I went to the airport for the first time to see the status (since no one would get back to us), only to find that on of Chris’ first bag was on the belt- a fact they had not even called us about…when we found out another would be arriving at midnight that evening, I decided to wait while Chris returned home. When it finally came (about an hour late), I discovered it was one of mine, but contained just toiletries and shoes basically. I was told that our other bags would be arriving at a time not disclosed to Madrid officials, and warned to return home. Dejected, I realized the metro was closed, and called a cab to my house (less than 8-10 miles away).

In the shortened version, what happened next was that the cab driver pretended not to understand my accent as he drove me around in circles claiming that he was taking me home (as I slowly became aware that he wasn’t). After I asked if he really knew what he was doing (since this cab ride should have been 10 Euro, not the 30 he had racked up), he pretended we were at my house and told me to get out- at a place that was not my house, and was actually about ½-1 mile from my house in an unfamiliar area. At this point I put him on the phone with my program director, who basically did nothing…and could not even tell him how to get us back (although she has been using my home-stay as an address for over 15 years). I called my Dad somewhat upset who apparently conference-called her in just as I was explaining to him how horrible this program seemed, and its complete lack of any real organization in the event that a student has any type of emergency. Since this point, Chris and I have pretty much dealt with the bag situation on our own, and I have not sought out the directors once for any more guidance

Later after arriving home, my senora joked that she wished she could give us both a valium because of everything that has happened. I went to sleep and was back to school the next day to finish orientation and visit the Prado museum (to see some Velazquez and Goya works), as well as lunch in Retiro. One more day of not receiving my bag…Chris got his last bag by going to the airport himself that night

Wednesday night…my bag comes (6 days after our arrival) and Chris goes to the airport to get it….at this point I had become completely disenchanted with the program and how terribly both the airport acted and how disorganized this has been since arriving. I brought the bag inside, and went to Chris’ casa to talk to his Senora. I left somewhat early, since we were to tour Toledo the next day.

Toledo was gorgeous (though somewhat cold on the day we went), and while there we saw some famous paintings, Cathedrals and castles, and were able to find a cheap place to eat during the siesta. We looked at swords for a bit, and Chris settled on a shield of Spain, and we left on the bus back to Madrid, returning home around 7.

That weekend was full of drinking…we were in Sol for tapas and drinks with people in our group (Zach, Casey, Ana, Chris and I), and then to Chueco, and then we returned to Sol for an Irish bar the following night (Saturday) with the entire group. The next night Chris, Ana, and I walked the wrong way in my neighborhood looking for alcohol for awhile and then met Andrea and Casey (other girls in our group) at Andrea’s casa, since Chris and Andrea’s senoras leave for Valencia every weekend. We pregammed here and ended up at Palacio, a gorgeous club until about 6-7 am when we went for churros y chocolate. I spent pretty much this whole weekend with Chris, since I haven’t been able to since arriving.

The next Sunday we all just recovered, and classes and internships started on Monday. Since the Courts, where I will be interning, have not requested me to arrive until February, this has been a relatively easy week. The first few classes were okay (art much better than our scattered, drawn out seminar), and Chris and I were even able to catch part of the Kennedy endorsement of Obama, straight from AU, on TV here in Madrid at a tapas bar. Monday night my roommate and I came to realize that if you go to a bar with just a few girls, it will likely be hard to exit since they (in this case the bartenders) inundate you with free drinks and conversation…making it hard to focus in an 11 am class the next morning, hungover on wine and with little to no sleep. It was also during this week that I caught a man with his hand in my bag searching for my wallet on the metro, and a person refused to put minutes on my cell phone because he said “Tu eres Americana”…that I am an American…

Sorry this was so long, I just thought I would give whoever was curious a bit of insight into the first week or so here in Spain. As far as the bags go, we are in contact with a British Airways executive who informed us that we will be reimbursed for this in full…and do to the fact that a few items were missing from my last bag.

I hope all is well in the States. Talk to some of you soon.



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I guess this is about to become longer, because I have not had time to post the previous ongoings/ do not have internet at my house in which to post this with…

Classes have started here in Madrid…they are alright…I cannot say I have been exactly impressed with them, but seeing as everyone has been sick during our first couple classes, I am hoping that they will improve. Also, our program director spent the last week at AU promoting abroad, and we were left with another man (who my roommate and I affectionately refer to as “el hombre mas aburrido del mundo” for his somewhat boring approach to our seminar classes…in Spanish…

Oh yes, if I have not already mentioned it, all the classes we take here are in Spanish. This has not been particularly terrible for me, since I only need 12 credits to graduate, and have opted to take Spanish Art History, the required seminar, and internship credit. The art class is pretty interesting, and I am able to understand her well (although I think I may have a slight advantage due to the time we spent covering Spanish painters in high school). She gave us a syllabus during the last class, and we were pleased to see that once a week we would be visiting a museum in Madrid (such as the Prado which houses such works as Las Meninas, and La Maja Desnuda…and the Reina Sofia which contains many of Dali’s works, Picasso’s works- most notably Guernica, and Miro’s- to name a few)…The seminar has been boring so far, but we are getting by…

On Friday, Chris and I went to Segovia (about an hour-hour and 1/2 outside Madrid). I was very impressed with this small town near the mountains- where we even glimpsed some snow. While in Segovia, we visited a beautiful castle named Alcazar, which is thought to be the castle that inspired the design for the castle in Sleeping Beauty. This castle was gorgeous, and while touring it we saw old artillery equipment, and a beautiful old bed that was said to be the royal chambers of Los Reyes Catolicos (Ferdinand and Isabella). After climbing a steep spiral staircase, we reached the top of the tower that is located at the back of the castle, for some breathtaking views of Segovia to the mountains. We then went for lunch in town, and Chris ordered a baby pig- complete with hoof and all…We then saw the last baroque Cathedral built in Spain, and finished our day by touring the famous aqueducts (thought to prove Roman occupation of Segovia in the past). I would recommend this day trip…it is a pretty city and well worth the 12-13 euro, round trip bus ride.

This weekend has been uneventful. Bars this weekend…expensive…Superbowl tonight which I am excited about (Go Patriots)

I think some sort of culture shock has been creeping up on me. I am used to being constantly connected to news, internet, information, other people etc…I think it has been difficult to take advice on this situation or my feelings of isolation (even from other students here) because for the most part, they have internet at their casas, or at the very least, are not located over a mile away from the nearest metro stop. I don’t know…it has been extremely difficult to adjust, and I have been getting more and more upset the longer I reflect on it. I think it is going to be more difficult for me, not having some of the comforts that others enjoy here…and has made my cell phone minutes deplete extraordinarily fast.

Anyways, that’s all for now…if you managed to read to the bottom of this, leave me your address if you want a postcard…love and miss you all

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