Advertisement
Published: September 15th 2009
Airport
My parents dropping me off at SFO :(It's Wednesday September 2, 2009. I'm at an internet cafe right now, and I'm getting used to all these new things here in Spain. It's 10:36 at night right now, and I am probably going to bed soon, because I have to be up at 7:30 am and I'm super tired. I only slept like 1 good hour on the plane, because I was uncomfortable, and had a BAD headache. I slept an hour and a half on the second flight. Maybe at least that will help me adjust better to the 9 hour time difference. When I arrived on the group flight today, we were greeted by the program directors of USAC Madrid. We went on a bus to El Hotel del Museos Artes. We had our first Spanish dinner with the group. Tomorrow I have a housing orientation at the hotel, and I get to see Plaza Mayor. Then my host mom, Isabel Fernandez-Shaw, will pick me up and take me home for the first time.
It is Thursday September 3, 2009. Me gusta estar en la casa con la familia española. (I like being in the house with the Spanish family). It's 10:47 at night here, and
Airport
Me and mom I just finished eating dinner. I ate jamon serano (a cured ham...nothing like deli ham in the states), ensalada (salad), vino (wine), pan con queso, y tortilla española (it's like a potato omelet). It's all sooo yummy! I had a housing orientation at the hotel this morning at 9 am, then we were set free on the town for 2 hours, and I bought a Spanish phone for 49 euros, and took photos in the photo booth at the Atocha train station for my metro/bus pass. Also, I went to an ATM machine to take out my first euros!!! yay! 😊 After that, we met back at the hotel, and we all went to Plaza Mayor, which has AMAZING architecture, and a statue of a man on a horse. After that it was time to eat, and I walked with some girls to this cafeteria (it's a restaurant, but that's what it's called). I ate a bocadillo (sandwich) and headed back to the hotel to have my host mom, Isabel, pick me up.
It's pretty neat, because 3 other students from my program live in the same apartment complex, so we can all go to school together. Also, our
In the air :)
AHHH!!! I'm really doing this! host moms are all good friends. I got back and unpacked (in under and hour....which was awesome for me!) and I headed down to the pool in the apartment complex to hang out with the other 3 students. We then went (accompanied by our host moms) to buy our metro pass, to the store, and to see the lines for the metro and the bus that are close to our apartment. I feel so much more comfortable now at least knowing those essentials 😉
I am not really jet-lagged, so that´s good. I'm glad my body adjusted pretty well to the time change. We have been doing a lot of activities with the USAC (University Studies Abroad Consortium) group.
It is Friday September 4, 2009. We had to meet at the metro stop by campus and took a tour of the campus, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. It is pretty small. There are about 5 buildings in total. I guess it's an advantage, because I will be able to see more familiar faces. Today we had to take a placement exam, then have orientation. After, I had time to walk around and have lunch off campus. At 2:45, I
Landing
Landing in London...then off to Madrid! had my meeting with Alvaro Carredano, the program director. He said according to my score I was ready for Nivel 4 (Track 4, the highest level of Spanish). I did not think that my Spanish was that advanced, but we'll see ho it goes. 😊 The other classes that I am in are: Spanish Conversation 4, Spanish dance, and Spain seen by photography.
It is Saturday September 5, 2009. I love that my host family has internet. Most people in Spain do not. Last night I went out with 4 other people from the program for my first night on the town. I met two of my friend's Spanish friends, and practiced my Spanish. It is so crazy here in Madrid! People stay out until 7 am or even later some nights, and they start going out not until midnight or 1 am sometimes. Last night I made it an "early" night and was home by 4:30 am. Today, we had a program scavenger hunt around the city. Alex, Sarah, and Bri were in my group. We were sent on a mission to find Mercado Maravillas, and the Estadio (stadium) Santiago Bernabéu (home of Real Madrid "futbol" -soccer- team).
Atocha
Atocha train station, near the hotel we stayed in the first night in Madrid. I have my heart set on attending one of the games, so I am going to have to look into that. Our scavenger hunt ended at El Parque Buen Retiro. It is beautiful, and even has little boats that you can rent and paddle around on the pond.
It is Sunday September 6, 2009. Last night I met some friends to drink Sangria and walk around Sol, (one of the cool hang-out spots, known to be pretty tourist-y, though). Today is a lazy day for me. I am relaxing, and later on I am meeting up with Alex to see where our dance class will be, because it is not on campus. I met my host brother and sister today! They are really nice. Maria is turning 11 on September 17, and Carlos is 23. There is another son, Oliver ("Oli"), who lives with his girlfriend, Maite, on a piso (flat) on the first floor of this building. I was invited to have lunch with Isabel, Carlos, and Maria today because it is the first time I have met them. Usually, I only get breakfast and dinner (cena) at home, and I get lunch on my own.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.067s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 7; qc: 23; dbt: 0.0313s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
mom
non-member comment
Beautiful
Ay mija que hermosura! You're right the architecture is really neat. It was so exciting seeing pictures of the places and people you have told us about. I hope you take it all in safely and with good health. Love you.