Put on your reading glasses....

Hola mis amores, it's going to be a long entry!!!!
Well last Thursday, my friend Jeff came to visit. First of all, I think it's about time that I gave him credit for this blog. I never would have thought of it without him. Jeff is a world traveler for those of you who don't know and he knows all the cool places to go....but luckily, on this trip he played tourist, and Liam and I showed him what we could of Madrid. I like to think that he got the best of it...the Prado, Gran Via, chocolate...tapas...paella...sangria (do you see what I like to eat here yet? Today my Senor asked me what I didn't like to eat...oh my goodness I was scared to answer and said I like it all- LIAR!). And of course, we took some CLASSIC pictures...let me tell you it's nice to go places with goofy people so that I'm not alone, haha. It was weird that he wasn't staying. Now, who else is going to come visit me?
I also had my finals on Friday....not too bad, better than I expected.
Then on Saturday we left for Avila and Salamanca. Avila is a beautiful (cough - BORING - cough) city that is surrounded by walls, which we were obliged to climb. It was really cold, and even though I was warned, I was still not properly dressed for the weather. We continued on to Salamanca, which is an absolutely gorgeous old city. It has a fantastic town square and a beautiful Cathedral which we got a tour of on Sunday (I was not permitted to go to mass during the tour, which slightly irked me...even though I went later that night with my Senora, I was peeved that my tour guide thought that listening to her was more important). We stayed in a four star hotel (oh la la!), which was really nice. We all went on a walking tour during the evening and then we were free. I found a place to eat with Molly, Vanessa, and Alec for 8,50 euros - 2 courses, a drink, and dessert - a GREAT deal in Europe! Of course...the food wasn't AMAZING, but I did think that it was worth it. And then, even though it was still freezing, we decided that we needed ice cream. So we walked around the plaza for a while...then met up with some of the rest of the group to go to some bars. As fun as it was, I was soooo tired, for some reason more tired than I should have been, and Molly and I went back around midnight (I think my parents would be proud).
On Sunday we had to get up more or less early to go on our tour of the cathedral and the university. I was pretty sick of walking around by the end...then we were on our own for lunch and I got some (really bad) Chinese. It made me feel so sick - I slept the entire way back to Madrid and then later when I got home and was eating with my family, I must have looked so out of it that my senora sent me to bed at 9:30...a little pathetic, but I needed it because regular classes started on Monday.
Let me tell you something...2 hour classes are LONG. LOOOOOOOOOOOONG. Endless. They never stop. And when youo think they should stop, they keep going. But I have to admit that my classes are good...I have a literature class with Carmela, which should be really enjoyable, and a Spanish class that will be fun as well. I also have a history class, but I'm switching into another one (about Spain instead of Western Europe) and a Political Science class. There are less than 8 people in all of my classes. It's incredible.
I still like all the people in my program...every day I kind of marvel at how lucky we are that we all get along. And I still feel so lucky to have my family here - yesterday they went to the Portuguese embassy to meet the King and Queen of Spain and the President of Portugal! They are obviously important people, but so modest and sweet. When I asked Emilio how it was last night, he said "Normal."
They still treat me as if I were their daughter...when I got back from Salamanca, I felt really sick. Babis made me go to bed early and made me tea and told me that if I needed anything I should come get her...and then the next day she kept telling me which things I should eat and which were too rich...She was so nice to me, but I have to admit that Sunday night was the first night that I cried in Spain. I ended up calling my mom. There's something about feeling sick in a foreign country...there's something about not being able to call your parents whenever you want to, and I just broke down. There wasn't even anything really WRONG. I just needed to cry I guess...
This weekend is Barcelona...and then we have a trip to Toledo next weekend. Then, I'm changing my plans. Forget Morocco...Molly and I are looking into tickets to Greece. We need to decide soon, because our trip would be October 12 - ack, I need to find tickets!!! The organization that runs the Morocco trip seems kind of sketch to me...so we're going to do some other grand place. Then in late October, my parents will be visiting!!! I'm already so excited...Now all I need is for some of the rest of you to come see me and I'll be all set, haha.
All right well I'm sure that I'm leaving something out...Babis will be going to Barcelona this Friday (but not with me) because her granddaughter is going to be born soon - I'm so excited for them! I hope that I will get to meet her whole family.
Next Friday I may be going on a burro ride...oh my gosh this is so exciting!!!
I need to upload my pictures so that you can see some, but we'll save that for another day.
By the way...Wednesday is my favorite day. The maid comes and changes my sheets so I don't have to make my bed!!! :-P
Muchos besos mis amores!!!

Antes de clase...

¡Hola mis amores!
Last night we went to the Flamenco show - it was incredible!! The theatre was beautiful and we had rather good seats (ok they were kind of in the nose-bleed section, but I was still happy with them). Eva Yarbabuena is AMAZING. I cannot understand how anyone can move their feet so fast. And this show had some kind of plot (although it was hard to follow) so it was more like seeing a play than a flamenco show...actually, not one more than the other, just more plot than the show at the metro.
After the show, I went out and found some cheap paella with Molly, Vanessa, and Alec, and then of course, we got ice cream. Ugh...I´m thinking back to all the junk I ate yesterday (ice cream AND a bag of Maltesers) and I think I really need to just go join a gym and that way I´ll have no money to spend on food.
Today my friend Jeff is coming to visit!! I´m so excited to show someone this city that is slowly becoming my own. However, my final exam is tomorrow...hmm, we´ll have to see how I coordinate this...then tomorrow evening Liam and I are taking Jeff over to Sol and Plaza Mayor and taking him to a chocoleteria (Jeff is a chocoholic).
Then this weekend is our trip to Avila and Salamanca...and then on Monday regular classes start. I´m excited for that, but kind of nervous as well. So far, Madrid still kind of seems like a game, more surreal than real life. The money is like play money...the people are like actors...the city is like something out of a dream. Every day when I go home, there is a man who plays an electric violin on the streetcorner, and when I sit out on my terrace/balcony, I can hear him play classical music. Two nights ago there was the grand opening of Burberry next door, which I could watch from my terrace. I´m going to Morocco and Lisbon. On Lisbon, I was reminded by Brother Eric (a priest/monk who taught Bible study at GW and now is in Costa Rica) that Fatima is near Lisbon. I know that I´m probably the only one who´s interested in my group, but I´m thinking that I will have to go. We´ll see how everything works out.
I guess that I should go to class soon...
Things at my house are still going really well. It´s so weird though to have people taking care of me again. I feel like I´m 16 or even younger...Babis makes my lunch and packs it for me...she sets up my breakfast dishes on a tray every night before going to bed and puts the peanut butter and the bread out for my breakfast. Every night she leaves a glass of water on my desk. Emilio always serves me extra at dinner and asks why I´m not eating enough, and asks me what kind of fruits I like so that I don´t eat the same things over and over again. Yesterday they brought out an umbrella and told me that it was mine to use while I´m in Spain. It´s so strange to be walking out the door to go out and to have someone tell me to wear a different coat because I will get cold...don´t get me wrong, Carrie and Chris are amazing roommates who always take care of me (ha...ha...ha...) but there´s something very different about living in a house with ´´parents´´ again. It´s really nice in some aspects, not negative at all, but just kind of weird.
Ok, time to go learn some stuff...algunas cosas...whatever.
¡¡¡Muchos besos!!!

Happy Birthday!

I finally figured out why I´m feeling so blue today...today is my mom´s birthday!!! I really wish that I could be there...or at least call. I´m going to try to Skype her today, but if not, I want her to know that I wish that I could be there to help her celebrate!!!
My mom, for those of you who don´t know her, is an absolutely amazing woman who deserves every happiness in the world. I hope that today is a special day for her and that she knows how much she is loved and admired by everyone who knows her!
¡¡¡MUCHOS BESOS A MI MADRE!!!

Blue Violets

Hola amores...
Last night I woke myself up singing the theme song from ¨Titanic¨(I´m not sure if I was actually singing or if I just was in my dream...hopefully just in my dream) and that has already kind of set the tone for my day...
I´m still loving my new family. Babis keeps telling me all about different kinds of Spanish and Portuguese foods that she is going to make - I hope that I will learn how to make most of them! Last night I ate swordfish, aren´t you all proud of me? Haha...I´m all grown up, I suppose, I make my bed every day, clean my room every day, clean the sink and the bathroom at least once a day, try new foods (I even tried pate, but it´s a bit too much like cat food for me and I have a hard time swallowing), I go on the metro by myself, I use a map...by the way, this is when I admit that my mother was right (another sure sign of maturity!!) when she bought me my pop-out map of Madrid. I use it every day! Yesterday, I was sitting on the terrace and Emilio came out to talk to me. He told me about a sweets shop here in Madrid: La Violeta. I plan on going there very soon, haha. They make this little candies (here, carmelos) that are in the shape of violets. They have the most distinct taste - Emilio keeps a little jar in his room and he brought them out for me to try. Then he took a little dish and put some in MY room. I think that he really enjoys showing me all different kinds of Spanish culture. And Babis has already given me 5 different books in Spanish...some are on Madrid and others are literature. One is the biography of the current queen. There is no way that I will be able to finish them before I leave - they´re all at least 3 inches thick!! I don´t know how I´ll ever be able to thank them...I already want to give them so much - I want them to try pretzels from Reading, and I want to find a Christmas ornament for Babis. The other day we were talking about how much we both love Christmas. I´m soooo exciting that I´ll be here when Madrid begins to decorate and even more excited that I will be decorating the house with Babis! She said that they put their tree up by December 1st - I will be so excited!
Today I need to go buy flamenco shoes for my class. To me, this is incredibly exciting - imagine, I HAVE to buy shoes!!! What a thrilling concept, I think all classes should require their students to buy shoes...let´s see, we can have black heels for history, blue ballet flats for Spanish literature...
I got my midterms back yesterday and although not fantastic, they´re not awful either. I did extremely well on my culture, which will make my grade easier. Last night I wrote a composition about the quality of life in the US...I said that people either have an amazing life or a really hard life and that it wasn´t fair. Then I realized that I kind of sounded like a Communist, so I added that we have a swell quality of life cause we live in freedom under a democratic government, haha.
I have class in about 15 minutes...I´m trying to think of what else I wanted to tell you all...
I guess that the truth is that I just checked my e-mail and found all these announcements about the ongoing activities at GW. And while I have my own activities here (like running in the Retiro, flamenco shows, and trips to Morocco), I can´t help but feel a little bittersweet. There are times when I don´t even think about DC or GW, but sometimes I do. Although I don´t necessarily miss it or want to change back and magically be there instead, I feel a little sad that I´m not there, that I´m missing so many activities....sometimes it´s really hard to remember that life goes on without you, that people´s lives don´t stop and the world keeps turning, the days keep passing even when you´re not there. People can miss you, like I miss all of you, but no one´s life is going to stop because you´re not there. We have no pause button for our old lives when we go and find a new one...and even though I´m returning, and when I return it will seem like I never left, right now I feel like I was never even there.

Una Nueva Casa

Hola mis amosres!!!!!
I'm sooo happy to be writing to you from the beautiful terrace of my new home! I'm living with Emilio and Babis (a nickname) and they are the perfect people for me. They are such sweet, endearing people - they have 3 grown children who I will meet soon. My bedroom is very nice (and WARM, unlike my last room which suddenly became an icebox) and I have my own bathroom. When I go out on the terrace, I can connect to 3 different wireless connections (thank you Hermes).
I'll have to take some pictures to post of my view - incredible!!!!
Yesterday Emilio took me on a tour of my new area. It's soooo pretty!!! He showed me where to find the best ice cream, where to find the best pastries (man this guy already knows me!) and where to go to church. He also told me that he would teach me to pray in Spanish. He and Babis are both Catholic. Babis is also Portuguese, but she's lived in Spain since she was two. However, I'm expecting to get a lot of info out of her for our trip to Lisbon!!
I have to say that I'm already eating much better...there go my hopes for losing weight this semester, haha. Yesterday for dessert we have this special kind of grapes (uvas) that are only in season 30 days out of the year. I feel priveliged! I wasn't sure if it would be polite to go out with my friends, but they kept asking me when we were meeting so I went out around 11:30 to meet up at an Irish pub. It was fun, but I didn't stay out too late, because we went to El Rastro (a huge fleamarket that I will always love and already want to go back to!) this morning at 10am. They were so cute when I left - Babis kept telling me to call if I had any problems - even if I couldn't open the front door (it gives me trouble, haha). Then when I came home, there was a glass of water waiting in my room. They obviously are very close to their children, and I think that it's very nice for them to have another child in the house. I talked to them all day yesterday in Spanish...I feel so talented, haha!
There are also a lot of hotels in the area and I'm already so excited for my parents to come. I want them to see how neat I'm being, haha.
Yesterday I went out to the Retiro and went running for a bit. The weather here is more fallish, but it's very nice and I like it a lot.
Oh yes...and I told Emilio and Babis how much I love peanut butter and they've already decided that they need to buy it for me. I feel kind of bad!!! I certainly don't need it...they also went out immediately yesterday and bought me cocacola light, because I don't like regular. I hope that I can do something for them soon!! I bought them some African violets at the Rastro today, but that's not nearly enough...
The Congreso de los Diputados was more beautiful than I thought it would be. It's much prettier than the Capital and the tour was shorter so naturally I enjoyed it more.
By the way, I know that Alex doesn't read my blog, but if he did, he'd know that I'm wishing him a happy birthday!!!
It's so weird to be so far away from everyone...sometimes I forget that I'm so far and sometimes it's painfully obvious. But I have to say that this experience just keeps getting better. 2 euros for 2 pairs of earrings?! Thank you Rastro! (i'm going to be broke by October).
Well, I love being on the internet, but I feel like I should go talk to Babis. They won't let me do anything, not even take my dishes from the table!! She kept saying poco a poco, but I want to help now!
I keep trying to call my mom but she's not on Skype, which is disappointing...I'll have to try later.
Buchos besos!!!!

Peanut Butter and Portugal

Hola mis amores!
I hope that you all like my greeting, cause I don't think I'm ever going to change it...
Well, the trip to the American store was successful - my peanut butter supply is replenished!! I got so excited that I opened it up outside the store and starting eating it (don't ask me how, I'll post a picture later). Yay!
My midterm was...
Ok new topic. The zarzuela was quite good, except that I couldn't really understand most of it. It was a lot of colloquial language :-( Oh well, it was still a good experience! I'm more excited for the flamenco show next week. Tomorrow we're going to visit the congress and then on SATURDAY, I'm finally moving!!! This has been the biggest mess so far and I just want to get settled in my new house. I did talk to my current senora and luckily there are no hard feelings. I feel so much better! I've decided that I'm never going to worry about anything ever again in my entire life because somehow everything always works out okay. I don't know if it's just my extreme charm (haha) or what, but all I know is that worrying doesn't help. It only makes you sleepy and sick.
I like how I just glaze over "we're going to visit the congress." It makes me feel so important. Actually, I don't really care about Congress, either in Spain or in the US, but it will still be an interesting excursion. Then tomorrow night is a winetasting at Carmela's house, which should be fun. And after that, I'm going out for my friend Vanessa's birthday - we're going to a chocoletaria (I have no clue how to spell that, but I'm very excited!!).
Today we went to get our tickets to Portugal - they came out to less than 150 euros for roundtrip transportation and 3 nights in a 3 star hotel!! I'm sooo excited, and as promised, we are leaving on my birthday!! We're coming home on my friend Alec's birthday - Alec and I have already decided that we need to do something special while in Portugal to celebrate! It was so weird going to the travel agency...I felt like I was more or less in charge (I'm holding everyone's tickets and the hotel receipt). I feel so adult and grown up...it's so weird. I think I better make photo-copies or something...this is a big responsibility!
I'm hoping to find cheap tickets to Rome, but that is still a work in progress.
So far, all I've been able to do in Spain is run around a small park near my house. On Saturday Alec and I are going to try to do some distance in the big park (El Retiro - it's amazing, you have no idea), but I MISS GW's gym!!!! I'm so anxious for them to tell us that we can start doing stuff at the UAM's gym here, but it's not nearly as nice. I'm just glad that I'm taking flamenco, at least that will be a workout.
I'm so tired, I could have fallen asleep at 8...
Oh yeah...and cause I found such a good deal for Portugal, I couldn't resist buying a red skirt that I found for less than $25. It's ADORABLE.
Just had to share that with you.
Muchos besos mis amores...

A Poem (not in Spanish)

In honor of my father's advice, I've written a poem that I think pretty much sums up what he meant (for those of you who are avid readers of my blog, I think you will understand. Newcomers will need to go back a bit to find his wise words).

***DISCLAIMER*** This is meant as a joke, aka I wrote it while studying for my midterm. This is not meant to be offensive, or even true.


Guard Your Heart: Father's Words of Wisdom
Guard your heart my dear
Do not fall in love with a Spanish man
Avoid listening to them as best you can
They'll tell you all the things you want to hear

But they are unstable, unfaithful men
Without regard to your heart or mind
They go after any pretty girl they can find
Before every woman they love lies another ten

They look good, especially after a drink
They'll turn up the charm at your pretty face
You'll think they're so witty, with so much grace
Stop before you fall too far and think

Romantic is nice, but a gentleman is better
A rose can make you smile for only a night
But it won't make him admit it when you're right
And when he's done with you, he's ready for her

Guard your heart my dear
Do not fall in love with a Spanish man
It's best to wait a while for an American
They're like me, so you have nothing to fear!

Flamenco and Food

Hola mis amores!!
Last night, a group of us went to a free flamenco show at the Madrid metro. Sounds sketchy and weird right? WRONG. It was absolutely AMAZING!!! I'm going to drop out of school and dedicate the rest of my life to learning how to do this dance. I can't even tell you how incredible it was. We're going in a week to a performance in a theatre (haha, almost as classy as the metro), so I really can't wait for that. I wish that everyone at home could see this!! I also can't wait to learn this dance - we're taking classes in a studio. However, I'm not sure if I'm QUITE coordinated enough... I know what you're thinking...that it would be more entertaining to watch me try to learn it than to actually see someone good. You're all sick, sick people. :-p
This weekend was fairly quiet for me...however I'm still exhausted. I don't know why, but I still haven't slept a full night since I got here. It's finally started to cool down, but I still don't make it through the night. I keep waking up and thinking that it's already morning. Also my bed here only has one pillow - when you sleep for 8 years with a pillow under your head and a pillow on top of your head (ask me for that story later) you cannot sleep with only one pillow. It's impossible.
I will be moving out this Friday, if all goes well...I'm so ready for my new house!! Although I have to admit, the whole food thing still worries me. I cannot tell you how much I dislike Spanish food. It would help if I liked ham...or eggs...or ANYTHING that anyone gives me here, but I haven't found anything that I can eat on a daily basis and enjoy (except coffee, which doesn't count as food, and paella, which I can't expect to eat every day). I'll either come home completely emaciated or extremely overweight from a diet of ice cream and beer (more ice cream than beer of course, this is me we're talking about, after all).
My midterms for my intensive class are this Thursday...I'm more worried than I thought I'd be. Apparently I don't know as much Spanish as I thought, heh. I still need a lot of work. Unfortunately (and fortunately) we're going to la zarzuela tomorrow, which is a form of Spanish opera and I'm so excited to see it, but it cuts back tremendously on my study time. I've dedicated tonight to studying, but at 6 I think I'm going to have to take a break and go to the American food store. I know, I know, it's pathetic...but I can't help it! All I've eaten today are some weird cookie things and half a thing of yogurt (and cafe con leche, but again with the whole food thing). Give me some peanut butter!!!!!!! (yes of course I brought some with me, but did you really think it'd last me longer than a week?!?) A part of me can't believe that I would go to this store...I mean, c'mon, I try to be cultural...but let's be honest here. I'm quite possibly the pickiest eater on this trip. Perhaps the pickiest eater to study abroad.
Now all I need to do is convince my current senora (who, by the way, still doesn't know we're moving out yet) not to make me dinner tonight so I can avoid having to be creative with getting rid of it...suggestions?
My trip to Lisbon seems to be coming together - I just need to figure out who's coming with me so that we can all get our tickets together. If everything goes as planned, I will be leaving for Lisbon on my birthday - what an awesome birthday present!!
Ok, time for me to study so that I can go get my peanut butter...muchos besos y hasta luego!

Franco = a disappointment

Hola mis amores!
I am so so so so so TIRED!!
Yesterday we went to El Escorial, which is a monastery/palace/library/church. whew! Big place and it takes FOREVER to walk up an enormous hill just to get there! My butt is so sore today, haha. Definitely worth it though...there was even a wedding going on when we were there! We hung around there for most of the day, going on an EXTREMELY long tour, which I have to admit, while fascinating (we saw where Carlos V died), was a little bit too long for me. We also saw where the kings and queens of Spain are interred, and the "rotting rooms" where the current king's parents are now rotting.
I cannot tell you how disgusting I think that is.
Anyway, then we went up to El Valle de los Caidos, which is an enormous monument to the victims of the Spanish Civil War, but built by prisoners of the war (mostly political prisoners) and mostly in honor of Franco.

Ok, so this man, this dictator, has this huge monument built, where he is going to be buried, and then he has himself buried in the floor. In the FLOOR, with a tiny little plaque!! I walked right by it...TWICE. LAME, Senor Franco, LAME. I mean, come on, if I were a dictator I would totally have a huge mausoleum built for me when I died. It might not stay up after you die, but I say if you're going to be a big powerful dictator, you might as well TRY to retain that after death. I still can't believe that that's it. I was so disappointed, it was a little pathetic.
It also rained while we were there - I was cold for the first time in Madrid.
I tried to go to a movie last night, but ended up just getting ice cream and coming home. I am not good at this whole staying out till 6am thing. Oh well...
Today I went over to where my friend Molly is living...oh my gosh, they have this beautiful park..I want to live with her!
More classes this week, with a midterm on Thursday...ack!
I'm starting to plan a trip to Lisbon and hopefully one to Rome too. Molly and I are already planning to go together - not only will it be amazing, but she has Gilmore Girls AND Friends on DVD. We are going to have an AWESOME time.
Ok mis amores, I need to do the rest of my homework. I think tonight I'm going to try again with the whole movie thing. I think it would be good for my Spanish.
hope all is well with everyone, muchos besos

More than Posh and Sara Bara

Hola mis amores!!
Good news!! I went to visit my new "family," an older couple who my director said live in a "posh" district.
This is not posh, people. This is straight-up FANCY. I will be moving in next Saturday to an apartment above an Hermes store...the street is lined with names like Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Chanel, Escada, Dolce and Gabana...
But the best part is that this is a NICE couple. They want to have a student, I'm not really sure why. They are very sweet and we both seem eager to please. Their son and his wife are about to have a baby! The man, Emilio, was telling me that if I like to cook, his wife, Babis, will teach me how to make Spanish dishes. I can't wait to cook for them! And there are plenty of hotels nearby for when my parents come to visit.
Unfortunately, I have to wait another week before I move.
It took me forever to find the right bus to take to their home. I'm realizing that although being a woman sometimes makes things harder, it does make other thing easier. Like asking directions. I went off the metro to catch a bus and couldn't find my bus, so I asked a man (ok he was pretty guapo :-p) where to find it. He didn't know, but he stopped someone else and made him help us and then they both pointed to where I needed to go and explained it like three times. And then once I got on the bus, the driver told me to stay near him and he would tell me where to get off.
And they say that we're the weaker sex.
Today, we're going to "El Escorial," a monastary. It's supposed to be incredible, I'll give more details when I've seen more. Yesterday we went out with Miriam, our Spanish mentor, and had dinner and walked around La Puerta del Sol. It's nice that we have some outside activities that are mandatory cause otherwise I wouldn't know what to do with myself. But honestly, I'd hang out with all of these people at any time. It's just that in Madrid, I'm still not always so sure where I'm going, haha.
Tonight I'm going to try to find a place with wireless...or I might go to the ballet, Miriam is looking into that for us. She said that if we can't see the ballerina, Sara Bara, we need to go back. I want that to be my name.
Ok, I better get dressed and ready so that I can begin avoiding my current "senora" and also make it to the bus station in time! Muchos besos!

Trouble in Paradise...

Well, that title must have caught your attention...
Yes, this is the best place ever - I'm in love with Spain. Today we went to El Prado museum today and saw so many famous paintings...we were there for over 2 hours and I can't wait to go back!!! Yesterday we had a wonderful night - I went out with Rebecca and Cristina after El Retiro and got cheap paella and beer - the best I've eaten since I got here.
Yep, the trouble is with my "senora." Apparently my elegant widow is perhaps more concerned with fooling around with her boyfriend than hosting two American kids. So far, she's served us frozen pizza, hot dogs, and meatballs. This is the weirdest thing ever. So I talked to Carmela, and she's going to move me. Tomorrow I'm going to meet an older couple who live in a "posh" district - apparently very fancy!!! They are even more nervous than I am! I'm going to their apartment tomorrow for coffee...I hope they like me! Say a little prayer for me, this could get ugly...I wouldn't be able to move in till the 15 and my senora now will be PISSED OFF when she finds out that she's not getting my money...
Anyway...classes are still great. I'm actually starting to think in Spanish - it's so incredible!! We got some information on cheap trips to Italy and Portugal today that I'm definitely going to take them up on. And we're starting to organize our trip to Morocco!! I feel like I won't even be home!
It's finally starting to cool down here...I can't believe how hot it's been! I haven't slept through an entire night yet!
Tomorrow we're going out with Spanish students...and on Saturday we're going to a monastary...and on Sunday probably to El Rastro...and next week we're going to one of the Congressional buildings.
We don't stop here!!!
Muchos besos!!!

Rebajas!!!

Hola mis amores...
Well, things have settled down here in Madrid...I'm in my apartment with my "elegant widow," who is about 55 and who is a bigger party-er than me, haha. She's really nice though, and my room is AMAZING - huge, with big windows, painted dark pink (how did they know??), with a big desk, lots of closet space, and a tv...oh yeah and random wireless connections!! Her daughter isn't even here, so I don't need to share the bathroom...a major plus for those of you who don't know me.
Yesterday, my roommate Max and I went into El Parque de Buen Retiro, which is absolutely gorgeous. We rented a rowboat for under 5 euros and rowed for 45 minutes around this beautiful lake...pictures to follow later.
Today we went to the UAM, which is only 3 metro stops away from my house (less than 20 minutes roundtrip). We went this morning for a placement exam....the professors are really nice and I'm excited to start my classes tomorrow. No class until 10 and when regular classes start (not till the 25!!!), no friday classes. I love Spain!!!
I went for a run during the siesta...everyone looked at me like I was nuts, haha. It's so hot here, it's still over 100. Even though my room has a window, I woke up more than once last night because it was so hot. It stays light until after 9pm.
Today I went to la Corte Ingles, which is this amazing superstore - you can buy your groceries, designer clothes, bargain clothes, school supplies, cars, perfume, purses, books, washing machines....everything you could ever want. Definitely spent a little bit more than I wanted to, but I got a GREAT hair straightener (also very important) and a notebook for class. Then I found a pair of shoes for only 12 euros...less than $20. Oh my goodness, I'm the best shopper ever.
Tonight I had veal...can you believe I ate veal??? La senora keeps trying to make me eat and I'm trying not to eat too much!!! (Yesterday, she gave us a frozen pizza and showed us how to use the microwave, then went out with her "amigo". hahah, we were so confused). I went out and bought some granola bars, so that I can eat them between classes...my classes don't end till 2:30 and I won't eat lunch (almuerzo) until after 3. Must ration food in stomach...
Tomorrow night we're going on a tour of the city...I can't wait. Can you believe that I'm already learning the area? I know how to get to school, how to get around my little area...there's a church that's only a block away. I need to learn all the prayers in Spanish, it will be great practice. My Spanish is so much better already...I'm even learning to speak with a lisp, haha. Today on the metro, I mentioned to Liam that I hope we all still have our lisps when we get home so that people will ask and we can brag that we were in Spain.
Well, hopefully it will be cooler tonight...I can't wait to go to class tomorrow and for the tour...and later this week we're going to El Prado (look it up and be jealous) and Carmela, the director, is already arranging for us to go to a flamenco show and una "zarzuela" - Spanish light opera. By the way, GW is paying for all this. We also get reimbursed for any football games we go to, anything cultural basically.
So...things are wonderful here. I miss you all, but this is so great...the people in my program are fantastic, the city is incredible, and my Spanish is improving (ultimate goal, I guess).
Muchos besos

Raw Beef

Today was my first full day in Madrid...after arriving at 9pm last night and not going to bed till 1am (and then getting up at 7:30), I thought I'd be insanely tired...but today was absolutely fantastic.
Started out with a fancy smancy breakfast in the hotel...complete with pig leg (which I chose not to have with my cereal). Then we all wandered over to the "office," which I will never be able to find again in my life, where we were inundated with information and maps and details about the different programs. Carmela, the woman in charge of us here, is absolutely AMAZING - this beautiful older Spanish woman who somehow knows each of us by name already. There are also two other amazing women who are helping us make Madrid our home. After a three hour meeting (which somehow seemed like 15 minutes and I didn't fall asleep during, a small miracle), I went out to lunch with Liam and Raquel. We went to the beautiful restaurant, which was probably overpriced, but soooo fun, we sat in a window seat and just had a nice lunch. Then we had to walk about 45 minutes back to the hotel and we arrived just in time to put on some deodorant before our bus tour (it was over 100 here today!!!).
The bus tour was nice, although it was then that I found myself dozing. We went to a monument (I have no clue what it was for) and saw this incredible view of the city (this was, of course, outside of the bus). It was a nice opportunity to talk to more students....we're all sooo different, but everyone is so nice and I hope that we all stay as friendly as we are right now. It's somehow not so awkward - we all kind of talk like we've known each other forever.
Then we went to this absolutely beautiful restaurant for dinner (it's called El Espejo - look it up). Unfortunately, the only thing I really enjoyed was the sangria, haha. Now that everyone has seen what a picky/childish eater I am, I think that the rest of the trip will be easier, haha. I ate about 4 lettuce leaves and two bites of REALLY REALLY REALLY rare beef (it was bleeding...I can't believe I ate any of it) and then about three bites of some weird dessert thing...and of course, I finished two glasses of sangria and some fabulous espresso (that could be why I'm still awake right now). Luckily, I've found who I will be sitting next to at all meals - Andrew will be my meal buddy, if only because he'll eat some of what's on my plate so that I don't look TOO bratty or anorexic (that's a long shot - don't worry about me though, I definitely hit up the peanut butter before leaving).
Tomorrow we leave this hotel, which I've grown quite fond of, and our senoras will pick us up...I'm soo excited and kind of nervous. Carmela assured us, however, that they are amazing women and that they will take great care of us. She made it sound so wonderful, so I'm really not concerned.
Well, I'm going to get up earlier than everyone and go find mass tomorrow morning (I seem to be the only Catholic on this trip?? I invited two guys from the program to go with me, and although Alec seemed like he might want to sometime, they both informed me that they're Jewish...as did quite a few other people, haha). So I think I'm on my own...I better find one close to the hotel, or else this might be the last message you get from me, lol.
Buenas noches mis amores!

Guard Your Heart, My Dear...

"Guard your heart my dear,
Do not fall in love with a Spanish man..."
~my father
Oh the poetic words of wisdom that my father left me with as I left the US for the next four months.
Oddly enough, at the ticket counter, I immediately found someone else from the Madrid program - standing right in front of me. I joined forces with Mike, and we soon found Russell and Alec. The four of us took the flight to London from Philly...in London, we encountered massive security and we arrived at the gate for our 8:30 flight at 9:25. They told us that we would have to take another flight - we thought ok, no problem.
The next flight was at 4:30 that afternoon.
So we waited around Heathrow airport for 7 and a half hours.
Now I'm here in Madrid with some pretty amazing people...and all I want to do is take a shower and go to bed. It's already almost one o clock...I'm in this fantastic hotel with a kitchen and a huge bathroom and an enormous bedroom with only one other roommate. I met Max, who is living in the same apartment as me this semester with our "elegant widow."
The people in the program seem nice.
Tomorrow we're going on a tour, which is good, cause I missed everything today - except some major card games while sitting on the floor in Heathrow Airport, terminal 1.
Ok, I'm stinky and I have to get up before 8 tomorrow morning...lots of love