Class and Little Life Things

Classes have started, and honestly, I'm so excited because now I am surrounded by Spanish casi todo el dia. My grammar class is wonderful; we cover common phrases without direct translations to English and useful vocabulary for everyday things. And, Anna, la profesora, is incredibly patient and openhearted, which makes speaking easy and invites people to get involved.

Everyday proves a mixture of comfort/discomfort, and happiness/anxiety. One minute I am rattling off Spanish, esctatic to be understanding so well and the next I am confused, wide-eyed, and dumbfounded by a question asked in jibberish. Most negative thoughts come in the morning while I'm walking to class in 32 degree weather and I have to treck up a mammoth hill (THE hill) on the way. Melissa and I are waiting until we learn a suitable Spanish name for it, but for now she's Big Bertha. Playing "Would you rather..." helps the meters pass. Today it was "Would you rather walk sideways forever or have a sandwich for a hand?" and yesterday- "have an umbrella growing out of your head or speak only one language no one can understand?"

Trust me, if you saw the hill, you'd understand.

The metro is a different world with its own customs, traditions, geography, and people. They walk fast, don't smile, and always head towards the door BEFORE reaching the stop (yes, while the train is still moving-good balance is part of the test). Oh, and always stand to the right on the escalator (stand to the left and be prepared for glares, heavy sighs, and a shove from someone on the move). Whenever I use it there's always a little knot of apprehension in my stomach, rooted in fear of pickpockets, getting lost, and standing out. But I'm learning.

Still haven't mastered simple things like ordering a sandwich or buying shampoo without revealing I'm a foreigner yet. Sure, I've ordered plenty of bocadillos and don't worry I'm showering, but I have yet to enter a store and seamlessly buy what I need with no "perdon? otra vez por favor?" included.

The eating schedule is something to get used to. Breakfast virtually doesn't exist, except for a cafe con leche break around 10 (my favorite part of the day). Comida (lunch) is huge, usually around 2-4pm, and lasts about an hour (at least). Dinner is light (a lot of times bars include tapas with drink orders- the most typical being a piece of bread with jamon iberico and olive oil). Typical spanish food is fat, grease, and a side ingredient (usually potatoes). Since arriving, I can't remember a meal without meat stewed in its own juices or vegetables drenched in oil. Ham is EVERYWHERE: on the cielings (at least one bar on every street has huge legs of pork dangling and drying from above), in the typical sandwich (bocadillo), and on tapas. I'm still testing the different types; so far serrano is winning out.

Arroz con leche is delicious. Josefina made the first batch Sunday and it was gone by last night! Who knew rice, cinnamon, and milk could be so good?

I have a goal to read one Spanish newspaper article a day. Today was the strikes going on in London. (We'll see if that sticks when classes start...)

Sleepy. Hasta luego!

My first two weeks in Espana

Beautiful moment 1: Waiting for the plane to be de-iced at the Newark Airport for FOUR hours. Why you ask? Because I was surrounded by Spanish people. To my right a posh woman wearing a fur hat entertained herself by putting lipstick on her husband and taking fotos. In front, a playful son played tricks on his father.

Beautiful moment 2: Moving into my homestay family's apartment. I have a tulip headboard in my room!

Beautiful moment 3: Buying a cell phone with the help of a friendly semaritan who spoke English. As if cell phone plans aren't already confusing, buying one in another language is near impossible. When I heard "Do you understand?" in plain English after my long, exhausting Spanglish argument with the woman behind the Movistar Movil Telefonica counter, I felt like jumping for joy.

Beautiful moment 4: Seeing for the first time the Goya statue that I now pass everytime I take the metro.

Beautiful moment infinity: Passing the Goya statue everytime I take the metro.

Beautiful moment 5: Realizing the churches right across the street from the Goya statue are full of some of his only frescoes.

Beautiful moment 6, 7, 8, 9, 10: Visiting Segovia. It is ancient and new, with traces of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian architecture weaved throughout. I rememeber one distinctly Christian church facade with a single Mudejar window floating in the middle displaying unabashedly the convivencia "coexistance" that existed in Spain so many years ago and the clash of cultures that characterizes this country's history so well. I also visited the Castilla de los Reyes Catolicos, Fernando and Isabel, who united Castilla and Leon provinces, leading to the unifcation of the Iberian peninsula. Inside, there are ceramic blue and white tiles lining the walls in the dining room to guard from food they flung while they ate (which I just loved). The Roman acueduct dates the city back to c. 50 AD, and sits casually wedged between antique apartment buildings and shiny, new shops. I was so overwhelemed all I could do was scream "Estamos en Espana!" in the center of the plaza with my arms spread wide. People stared and laughed.

Beautiful moment 11: Visiting Alcala de Henares and touring the house where Cervantes grew up. They have some of the orginal Don Quixote manuscripts there!

Beautiful Moment 12: Getting in to an Art History class taught at the Prado covering Goya, Velasquez, and El Greco. Class starts Monday!