Follow the Running Man

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Ok so here's the thing....

Since I didn't have internet for the first week I was here I couldn't keep my blog updated- but I kept a written journal the whole time so I could go back and write everything that happened the first week- which is the most critical I think. So here it is.

Sunday January 25th, 6:15 am
Frankfurt - Germany

Sitting at the terminal in Germany. It's 6 am so there's not much action which is fine- I've had enough action for one day thank you very much. Everyone came over for a send-off fiesta last night and Morgan stayed over and helped me pack- thank God. Saying goodbye was fine until my mom starting crying when I was walking through security. Oh great. Needless to say I cried a little too once I had my shoes back on and realized how alone I was in the airport. Even when I met up with a couple other girls from my program I was so nerve-racked sitting there waiting for the flight. I think it's the closest I've ever come to passing out- I really thought I would. The flight itself was flawless once I stopped silently panicking. But 7.5 hours on a plane is not fun no matter how smooth it is. Anyway, the 7 of us from the group who took that flight are now laying strewn about on benches in the German airport because its 5 in the morning and we're exhausted and our flight doesn't board for another 3 hours. Oye.


Monday January 26th, 20:15
Madrid, Spain

Notice how I'm attempting to use the 24 hours clock like they do here. Yea, we'll see how long that lasts. Anyway, I cannot believe how easily I'm adjusting to this whole situation. Everything is still crazy and I'm still jet-lagged but I'm already starting to feel really comfortable. Yesterday was insane. The Frankfurt to Madrid flight was a piece of cake after the 8 hour one. By the time we touched down I was too tired and headachey to be nervous anymore. I found myself feeling like a giddy schoolgirl on the plane to Madrid- especially because it was a tiny plane and I had the whole row to myself which made me feel like a celeb. And then the adorable British male flight attendant came over and said "Coffee or tea for you mamm?" in his perfect British accent. I think I might have even laughed out of pure joy- haha. So there we were, the 7 of us, in the Madrid airport looking utterly lost but relieved to finally be on Spanish turf. We didn't really know where to go after we got our luggage but there are always theses little green signs with a little running man on them that lead to the exits, so Chris said "Follow the running man" which has kind of become our motto here because it applies to often, haha. So we did. And he lead us right into the arms of Isabel, out program director, who gave us an authentic Spanish greeting (double kisses and all) and somehow knew all of our names already even though we've never even seen her.
So after I decided that I want to be Isabel when I "grow up", we got on a shuttle bus and picked up 2 more girls at another terminal, and we were on our way to be dropped off to our senoras. It was rainy and dark out so my first impression was "Oh, great. I'm in a glorified New York City." But by the time we got into the Getafe section where I live, it was bright and sunny and gorgeous and Madrid was suddenly the Madrid I had been expecting. So we were dropped off one by one and I was third. I was such a mess of nerves and excitement I could barely grip my suitcases. So I got onto the sidewalk and there was Dama to great me with the classic double-kiss and proceeded to tell me how "guapa" I was all the way up to the apartment. The building is your classic city apartment building but it has a gorgeous little garden in the back where you can tan and read and whatever. It's 7 floors- Dama has the penthouse, naturally, and the apartment itself is so homey and adorable but also very modest. I notice a distinct lack of dust-collecting nick-nacks and unnecessary furniture. She showed me my room which is tiny but again, adorable. I've just now finished unpacking and it's starting to look like MY ROOM.
So right away Dama made me lunch- even though I wasn't hungry because they fed us 4 different meals on the plane. But I had learned that turning down food from a Spanish woman is not only socially unaccepted, but extremely dangerous as well. So i sat down and she served me some kind of noodle soup and a garbanzo bean salad and I thought, perfect- that's all I can handle right now anyway. But then she busted out the meat. And I swear to you, on this meet platter, there was a representative from every creature in the animal kingdom. I literally think I may have eaten giraffe.
I tried to only eat a little but she kept saying MAS MAS MAS!! So so, mas I ate. I'm realizing more and more that that's just how it works here. There's really no getting out of it. But I figure if my worst problem in life is that I'm eating to much amazing Spanish food, them I'm doing OK.
So, I knew Dama and I were gunna be friends when she finished her meal and said, "LA BOMBA!", meaning she was gunna explode like a bomb if she ate one more bite, and then proceeded to eat dessert. This is my kind of woman.

So then we met up with this other girl from the program who lives on my street named Clare and her senora Concha, and we met Isabel and the rest of the group from a massive walking tour of Madrid- as if we could handle that at this point. (Yes this was all in the same day.)
I was cold an tired the whole time, even when we were eating chocolate con churros, which was mind-blowing even though I obviously wasn't hungry at all.
Then we took the metro home and I managed to find the apartment and unlock the 4-lock-puzzle to let myself into the apartment. And then, huge surprise, DINNER WAS ON THE TABLE. THIS IS ALL IN THE SAME DAY KEEP IN MIND!!!!! But Dama knew I was tired and wanted to sleep so she made a nice light meal: Apple/pomegranite salad, 2 ham and cheese sandwiches, and cheese with honey for dessert. Yea. I wish I were kidding.

Talking is awkward sometimes- I mean what do we really have to say to each other? But usually the TV is on so we talk about Obama (who she loves) or whatever else is on the news. When I'm tired I have a hard time understanding things so I ususally just smile and nod my head and say "vale" a lot, which works like 90% of the time.

So after a 13 hour coma, I got up and Dama helped me make breakfast for myself before I left to meet Clare at our metro station- but just my luck, she wasn't there. So at this point I'm like, "OK. I'm in Madrid. By myself. I'm at Lagazpi and I need to get to Atocha and that's all I know." But I did it. I hopped on bus 19 and it dropped me right in from of the Ministry of Agriculture where the rest of my group was. (Clare was 20 minutes late cause she got lost...)
Then Isabel showed us how to get to the University, which is gorgeous by the way. And all the students are incredibly well-dressed. I was relieved to discover that there was not one pair of Uggs to be seen, nor a north face or a single pair of valour sweat-pants that say "Juicy" on the butt. I think this is what they call paradise.

Later that day we were all feeling cocky about being able to navigate the metro so we took it down to Puerto del Sol and the famous Plaza Mayor, which are a good places for shopping and eating- my two favorite things. And it was great, naturally. I bought a non-Ugg pair of boots so I can fit in with the Spanish girls and a bag that isn't easy to pick-pocket on the metro- which is apparently really important.

I have a lot more to write but I'll do it later because I have to get ready for school and such.
Hope your enjoying my adventures so far!!!

~ B (Or, Eli, as Dama calls me because she can't pronounce any of my 36 American nicknames).

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