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Published: January 20th 2009
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Artsy Cow
Here is one of those cows. This one is titled "Milk on the Rocks." Very funny. I wanted to share some more of my observations of the city:
- There is graffiti everywhere. Everywhere. I have never seen so much in a city before. On buildings, the trains, stores, everywhere. Sometimes it can look artsy but sometimes it it just trashy, which is a shame because the city is very clean.
- The Metro is AWESOME. It is much more complex than the one in DC. Sometimes when I switch lines or exit I need to take three levels of elevators up or down! It is extremely clean and almost all of the cars I have taken look brand new. Patricia told me that our stop was created only a few years ago. There are no signs prohibiting eating or drinking like how DC has a $100 fine if you get caught, but apparently no one does it anyway because it is considered poor manners. Like DC, the Madrid metro also has electronic signs counting down the minutes until the next train. I've never had to wait more than three minutes! (Gotta love those Sunday nights in DC when you switch from the red to orange lines and wait 12 minutes both times...) I've also
Artsy Cow
Another one! I seriously want to document every one in the city. They are too cool. seen TVs in a few of the stations while waiting (they were showing the free concert in front of the Lincoln Memorial!) My favorite thing about the metro is that people also live by the Escalefting Law. For those of you not from DC, this means that when you use the escalator on public transportation you stand to the right and walk up the stairs to the left. It's a win-win situation because the people who need to move quickly can and those who don't want to be bothered can just stand there. I still don't understand why other cities haven't caught on to this brilliant policy.
- Most students studying at universities stay at home and commute to school. It is rare to live on campus, which is usually the opposite in the US.
- Milk comes in a box. I was deeply disturbed when Patricia opened a cabinet to show me where to get extra milk if there was none left in the refrigerator. Today I asked Tina how that was possible, and she said it had to do with how they seal it in the box. After it is opened, it has to stay in
Artsy Cow
Ashley and Jordan (las rubias) with another cow. the refrigerator but until then it is easy to store and has a longer expiration date. After growing up in the US, Tina said this was much easier than buying milk every week at the store because the "boxed" milk is still fresh.
- Patricia warned me on my first day that many Spaniards don't like Americans. Luckily for me, she said I totally fit in with my height and hair color. There are four blond girls in our program and so when we go out all together we definitely get looks from people. Although Spaniards can be very blunt, the people I have encountered have been very helpful and polite.
- Patricia and I also had a conversation about Spain's history and the influence of Catholicism. I was surprised to hear her identify herself as a "practicing" Catholic because this is a term I thought was only used in the US, where so many people are baptized and confirmed and then pick and choose what they believe. She said many people are no longer practicing although Spain and Ireland are the only two countries in Europe currently with Catholics as the majority religion of their population.
Recycling
These things are everywhere on the street. One is for paper and one is for bottles. Today I had to be at my first language class at 8:30 am. I had tea and a banana for breakfast and it took me 35 minutes to get to class door-to-door which wasn't bad. Our intermediate class is the biggest of the three with eight people total (Craig, Diana, Andrés, Hallie, Sezen, Edgar, and Jarrad). Our professora, Mercedes, is extremely nice. We just went over the syllabus today but should be pretty busy over the next few weeks in class and we will have a lot of homework since there is so much grammar to review. She asked us what we would like to learn about in addition and Sezen suggested Spanish music, and Mercedes was shocked that we couldn't name one single Spanish artist. Our group was supposed to have a large 2 hour break before our Spanish culture class but luckily Carmela moved it so we could combine it with the bilingual group so we could have it right after our language class. The professora, Rocío (meaning "dew" in English) is also very nice but she spoke very fast and I had trouble understanding some of the vocabulary. Tina said I have to option of dropping
More Recycling
These people are really into it. back to be with the third class at the original late hour but I really don't want to stay on campus that late so I'm going to try and see how it goes.
After class a student from the university, Maria, gave me and a few other students a tour. She showed us how to check out a library book, all of the buildings, and the sports facilities. Unfortunately, you have to pay to use any of the gyms and so I'm going to compare the prices of pool memberships between there and the one close to my house.
Then all of us bought our textbooks for the intensive course and I came home for my siesta. For lunch I had a sandwich with wheat bread, peanut butter, and marmalade and another with salami and cheese I think? She also gave me an apple and two clementines. So far the number one thing I'm glad I brought to Spain with me in my GW water bottle which I use during the school day. I napped from 3 to 4:30 and then I took the metro to a hotel to watch the Inauguration ceremony with the people in my
For Rosemary
Maybe Peter Sage could teach abroad? Yoga is an international language, after all. program. We had been searching for a place and finally Carmela called the US embassy today and they suggested el Hotel Intercontinental, where a group called Democrats Abroad (Madrid Chapter) were hosting a big party. There were snacks and drinks and I pulled up a chair just in time to see everything. I loved Obama's speech and definitely wished I was on the Mall with all my friends (even though it was 11 degrees!) Afterwards we hung out in the hotel's lobby (a lot of people got champagne from the Democrats Abroad people for 5 Euros but Sezen and Diana ordered some from the hotel's bar instead thinking it was the same price...it turned out to be 20 Euros each! Whoops.)
Some people went out to celebrate at a bar afterwards (I refer to myself as an independent, Craig is a republican but everyone else is a democrat and most worked on the Obama campaign) but I went home to eat dinner with Patricia because I get a packed lunch while everyone else gets to go home and eat because Patricia works while the other Señoras are retired. She made salad with lettuce, corn, onions, and cherry tomatoes, a
The Guys
Our first day walking around the city. pasta dish with a cheese puff on top, bread, and for dessert a little candy and an apple compote made with wine, sugar, and topped with whipped cream. All of her meals have been so excellent! Tonight she was funny when she said all of her students from GW say that they always eat chicken every night. She was totally right.
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Susan
non-member comment
YUM!
All your food descriptions sound really delicious!! Miss you and have lots of fun!!!