Updated Rainy Days

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It's already Thursday, this week has been a lot of working and a little day trip to Toledo, it is so pretty and medieval (Thanks Ashwanth 😉 ), the album will be coming soon.

I've made a lot of progress on my internship projects and look forward to getting some feedback from the org.

So, there was a minor setback to my progress yesterday. My computer charger has been acting up and it finally died. This is a big problem because all of the work I do is on my computer, including banking, emails, skype, trip planning, and most importantly, the english-spanish dictionary! I felt like a lost puppy so I was quick to find an electronics shop nearby. By that time it had closed so I spent one long night without access to the internet, I don't know how I ever survived without it when I was younger!

This morning, I bought a universal charger from a tiny shop down the road. Surprisingly, it was really affordable... could be something to do with the current financial crisis that Spain is going through.

Last Tuesday, there were demonstrations in all the main plazas of major cities here protesting against recent salary changes for governmental positions. Because of the current financial issues they are having, they've had to cut benefits and salaries in the public service sector, and needless to say, the workers are not happy about it. When i was in Toledo, they were waving flags and setting off fireworks in the plaza, and the other tourists and I were really confused.

There is a lot of animosity right now towards the US as Spain is now experiencing the cuts that we went through two years ago... maybe I should say I'm Swiss----it would be better received!

Basically my interactions with new Spaniards have gone as follows (unless I know a friend of theirs or knew them previously)... they look at me like they are surprised that I actually speak some Spanish, then they look at my weird clothes, blonde hair, and tall stature and are a little confused about where I am from. They call the tourists "guiris" (Updated: not gili as previously posted which has a negative connotation, thank you for the comment because i did think they were calling me the short version of gilipollas which is why I took offense) here, meaning foreigner. The only issue that I've come across is not being able to get a savers card at the supermarket...apparently they have a quota, my roommate told me it was because I'm a guiri!

Other than that, I have had a great experience with the people here in Spain, they are very helpful and will be nice to you even if you look weird.

This weekend is a retreat for the internship exchange group that I am here with AIESEC, so it will be nice to get out a bit with them and practice my Spanish with people who also speak English fluently.

That's all for now!

Besos!

Christina

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