Llegada

We arrived in Spain this morning around 8am, tired with extreme lack of sleep. There were no flight issues or problems at the airport so that's always nice, I've heard of some pretty bad ones. Our luggage was a pain though.  I could have done a better job at planning/buying a better suitcase. But we ended up with a rolling suitcase of 50lbs and a duffel bag of 40 lbs, which is a lot to carry since one is a duffel bag. We tried placing it on top of the roller, which worked fine until we got to the small cobble stoned streets of Madrid. Which at that point I just hoisted the duffel bag onto my back. What is about a 10 minute walk from the metro station to our studio turned into about a 25 minute process. We finally checked into our studio that I found through airbnb.com, my new best friend, and after a two hour nap headed out into the city.

It took me a while to register that I was in Spain, honestly I don't think my mind has fully grasped it yet.    Maybe tomorrow morning when I wake up in this studio confused for a brief moment. I think my delayed reaction it's partially because my mom is with me, always a safe haven. Also, I have already been through the breath taking experiences of walking through the historical streets of this city. But then again, it's still amazing.  I didn't realize that the street we were on was a street on which I had walked many times. Although it wasn't the main area I am familiar with (Atocha/Sol area), it is still one I passed through on many occasions. I passed by a local french coffee shop my friend Q had taken me to on one of our last days.

After a frappucino the headaches me and my mom were experiencing went away. Madrid is a very dry city, so for me it affects my sinuses quit a bit. Also readjusting to the air pressure from a plane may have caused it.

Puerta del Sol didn't phase me this second time around. I thought I would be overwhelmed by nostalgia and the area all over again, I guess I was a little but not to the extent I thought I would be.  We walked by my favorite pasteleria, which we'll go to tomorrow for breakfast.  When we made it to Plaza Mayor, that's when I'd say it really started kicking it. Something about that area is just like a dream, and the buildings are gorgeous. It was then I got the energy to do more exploring and show my mom around. I think I'd make a good travel guide.

From Plaza Mayor we walked all the way (took the long route towards Cibeles and El Prado) to Anton Martin where we met up with my friend Rio. I'm glad we took the long route, we passed by significant places for me. Funny how what you think will trigger your nostalgia (Puerta del Sol/el metro) don't. But then smaller things like where we first had drinks for Q's birthday and then went to El Kapital, or the Thai restaurants, really made me excited. This was also all in the area where my home stay was near, so  I had spent a lot of time there.

For dinner we decided to go to La Sureña, a typical Spanish chain restaurant where they serve a bucket of beers for 3 euros and traditional tapas for cheap prices and great taste. I forgot how the Spanish lifestyle thrives at night. While walking home at 11:30pm there were still as many people out as there would be in the day time. Maybe it's because it's Madrid the capital, or maybe it's because it's summer and hot. Anyway, I think my mom felt more secure when she realized that nighttime here is not very scary. Although always be on guard!

Tomorrow I'll try to squeeze in as much sightseeing as possible, definitely El Palacio, El Templo de Debod, y El Parque del Retiro. With yummy Spanish food in between. I really think it was because I was in a host family that I didn't get to fully appreciate Spanish cuisine. Then Thursday it's off to Cartagena so I can finally move into my piso!!!

Asian Food

So with about a week before I leave to Spain, one of my main concerns is food. What to eat before I leave to a world of pan, queso, y jamón.  So I need to get my share of Asian food. Not just my Mom's amazingly good Thai food, I'm talking Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, and well I guess that's it. It was very hard to find a good Thai restaurant in Madrid, I found three, all of them good in different dishes. Never ate chow mein or sushi or pho. Both times I studied abroad though I lived with host families, so this will be different.

I am extremely excited to live on my own with roommates in a foreign country. It was difficult to go from living on my own in college to being under a parent's rules again, only it wasn't my own parents so there was no way to try and fight back, out of respect and awkwardness.

I've been looking online, befriended a French girl with whom I'm looking for pisos. Always check in real life though before you finalize anything! It's difficult though because I am arriving late in comparison to others. It's because I'm going to take my little brother to college literally the two days before my flight. That's another great aspect of this experience. Him and I are both embarking on incredible adventures literally days within one another. Both of use are leaving very important people to  us in order to do these incredible things. It's been nice having him around since we relate so closely to what we're experiencing right now. Which means my youngest brother will be an only child, it's okay though I'm sure it will be like heaven to him. Not that we're that bad.

One of my favorite and most inspiring professors will be in Spain this academic year as well, which I took as a sign to definitely do this program. It is reassuring to have him in the same country, although four hours away, it is still a benefit.

The other times I studied abroad in Madrid, Spain and Quito, Ecuador were different than this. I found myself at my last "going away party" that it was just one of many that I had had. It felt repetitive, and therefore less important. However I thought about it, and this is different. All of them were different. But this one is not just something I will come back from and jump right back into school after to be surrounded by the same friends and environment. After I return I'll be taking on the real world. Finding a real job (I guess), moving into a semi-permanent place, getting a teaching credential and masters, bills, health insurance, everything. I am fortunate to have only had to worry about some of these things up until this point. I know many have to grow up much faster than I do.

I'm having the typical sensations before I leave. Anxiety, excitement, fear, antsy-ness, worry, wonder. My mom has already packed me a small pot and pan and spatula for my apartment, plus packaged foods i'll need (Mama's), and a surprising amount of flashlights. Which reminds me, maybe I should start planning on what I'll need to pack.