I did this on Facebook, so I thought it might be fun to post it here, too.
1. I'm studying abroad in Madrid right now (now everyone is aware of this). I'm also going to visit Morocco, Edinburgh, Italy, and Prague in my journeys.
2. I really want to learn how to dance in that Ginger Rodgers-Fred Astaire-Ruby Keeler sort of way.
3. I don't know how to whistle. It really sucks. If I had 3 wishes, one of them would be to learn how to whistle amazingly well.
4. I love to pick my nose. I never grew out of the habit.
5. I'm left handed.
6. I've had lots of weird different jobs, including working on an organic farm, hairdressing, working in a cubicle (that was THE WORST), and selling those Asian tapioca drinks.
7. I have lots of tattoos, but my favorites are my Star Trek and I love Lucy tattoos.
8. Most people don't guess this about me, but I love science fiction. Forbidden Planet is the best movie ever!
9. I live in San Francisco (when not in Spain) in the mission district, and I love it.
10. I'm not a picky eater, but I hate green peppers and dill pickles. I always give my pickles to Jeremy and Thomas.
11. I had surgery on my knee when I was 7 and have a weird scar that looks like either and eye or a bug, depending who you ask.
12. I collect matchbooks. My favorite are really old ones that have advertisements on them. I have a bunch of Hunt's tomato soup ones, they're awesome.
13. Most of my friends know I fear and loathe modern technology. People make fun of my ancient electronics and I only listen to vinyl records. I don't know how to download music and I never buy or listen to CD's (does anyone anymore?)
14. I won Athlete of the Year my junior year of high school.
15. My ultimate goal in life is to write the next Great American Novel. Wish me luck. Even a top selling sci fi book would satisfy me. Hell. Publishing something would satisfy me.
16. If I could choose a last meal it would be sushi and a huge gooey chocolate cake. And tea.
17. One of my favorite authors is Dostoevsky, I read Crime and Punishment when I was 14.
18. I have really weird hiccups that sound like squeaking or chirping. Sometimes people think it's someone's cell phone. No. It's my hiccups.
19. I don't fear death, except when I'm in an airplane. And I'm going to be on one in about 12 hours, on my way to Barcelona. Awesome.
20. I love all the creepy animals that everyone else is scared of, like tarantulas, snails, and bats. I like cute animals too though. Like kitties!
21. I hate shopping in modern stores like Forever 21. The clothes look terrible on me, are poor quality, and I never even see anything I like. I'm at home in a vintage store.
22. I wear high heels almost every day. Practical ones though, and no, that is not an oxymoron!
23. I love sewing and like making my own clothes and crafts. I'm going to start selling them when I return to the states.
24. I make everyone's Christmas gifts every year, which usually includes some of my baked goods. I'm quite the Betty Crocker, in case you couldn't tell.
25. I'm a hairdresser (yes, professionally trained), and I love cutting hair and styling, but hate coloring (so don't ask me to do your color for you!)
I will post Barcelona Fun Facts next week!
Til Then,
"She's got me doing these 'Fun Facts'",
Emily
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Star Wars in Spain and Some Actual Spanish Stuff
May "La Fuerza" be with you! That's "The Force" in Spanish! Yes, I went to a huge Star Wars exhibit last week. It had tons of original items, including costumes, miniatures, storyboards and concept drawings. So even though it's not very Spanish, of course I had to go (I covered my Trek tattoo for fear of being chased down the street by "Star Wars Reigns Supreme" Spaniards carrying burning torches). And of course I had to drag people with me (Thanks Alanna and Eddie!). And of course I had to make a big deal about it. We also went to "Escuela Jedi", or Jedi School, and we learned how wield our lightsabers to slay Imperial scum! Hearing Jedis speak Spanish was weird. And sexy. Funny how I'm in Spain seeing all this stuff when Lucasfilm studios are right in San Francisco. Oh, well.
Behold the Highlights:
Wielding our lightsabers!
Sexy Spanish Jedis
All of Padme's dresses. I'm so jealous!
Using La Fuerza on Vader.
Another perhaps more obvious trip I made last week was to Toledo. It's only a half an hour train ride away from Madrid, but it's completely different. Madrid is a big, modern bustling city. I mean, everyone has a cell phone. Toledo, however, looks like something from a fairy tale-all narrow, winding cobblestone streets, Gothic churches, beautiful gardens, a lazy river. . . . It's completely stuck in time. It's so beautiful, I loved it here, and it has lots of hills, so it felt like home!
In front of some royal building. It's hard to keep track. There's tons.
The road to the beautiful Gothic Cathedral. Lot's of royal dead people inside! All of Toledo looks like this.
This isn't the cathedral, it's a much simpler Roman Catholic church. They let us climb up to the top in the bell tower and take photos. It was a really amazing view!
The view of the Cathedral and Toledo from the bell tower.
This is one of the monasteries and it's neighboring garden. So pretty!
Meanwhile, back in Madrid, I saw some not-so-shabby things. Plaza Mayor, the historic square is very beautiful and right near downtown. I went to a house party on Saturday and their apartment looked right over the plaza-no fair!
And the beautiful Neptune fountain is right across from the Prado Museum, so I get to visit him every Thursday!
AND last week I went to the Palacio Real, or Royal Palace. You're not allowed to take photos inside, but it's your basic, run of the mill, ridiculously over the top, ornate castle. It reminded me a lot of Versailles, if that helps anyone. They also had an impressive armory, complete with horsey armor! Is is messed up if I say it was cute? Because it was!
What a week! I've had fun exploring everywhere-there's so much to see! I've been here almost a month already, can you believe it? I feel like I'm running out of time! I'm glad I got out of my homesick-existential crisis-funk. Of course I miss people, but my friends are right, I shouldn't waste any time feeling sad. Who knows when I'll be in Europe again?
And like Gwen said, you'll get homesick, but next thing you know you won't want to leave Madrid. I'm already not looking forward to coming home to using BART, and I know I'll miss tapas and the architecture and cheap museums and my host family. Oh! I almost forgot: My "host brother" Esteban, is really into fencing, and last weekend we went to the national competition and won 3rd place! Here's a photo of us with his trophy:
He says it's the first one he got that has a lid on it, haha.
This weekend we're going to Barcelona, I'm really excited! It's by the beach and there's a Gothic quarter and tons of Goya, and a hearse museum! Sounds like my kind of city.
Just in case you're thinking I'm getting too acclimated here and thinking about not coming back, don't worry! I already started a list of things I have to do immediately upon my return:
-Asian food! And lots of it!
-Manicure and pedicure. People don't really get them done here, so they're super expensive.
-Lucy and Star Trek fest
-Tivo session with Thomas. I miss bad VH1 shows. Don't tell anyone.
-Walk through the mission and go to all my favorite places- Lost Weekend, Mission Thrift, Paxton Gate, Borderlands, and WeBe Sushi.
-Mom's cookin'. Ain't nothin like it! (I think my return dinner will be the same as my farewell dinner- homemade mac and cheese. yum)
-Get reacquainted with my sewing machine and baking.
Side Note: When I get home I plan to start selling some of my sewing goodies online, or in local stores, so I'll have something to do slash look forward to when I come home. I think lots of people go through a sort of PSAD (Post Study Abroad Depression), and I'm trying to avoid that.
Wish me luck in Barcelona! It's a whole other language their-Catalan. Should be interesting. . . . .
Seeking Asylum,
Emily
Behold the Highlights:
Wielding our lightsabers!
Sexy Spanish Jedis
All of Padme's dresses. I'm so jealous!
Using La Fuerza on Vader.Another perhaps more obvious trip I made last week was to Toledo. It's only a half an hour train ride away from Madrid, but it's completely different. Madrid is a big, modern bustling city. I mean, everyone has a cell phone. Toledo, however, looks like something from a fairy tale-all narrow, winding cobblestone streets, Gothic churches, beautiful gardens, a lazy river. . . . It's completely stuck in time. It's so beautiful, I loved it here, and it has lots of hills, so it felt like home!
In front of some royal building. It's hard to keep track. There's tons.
The road to the beautiful Gothic Cathedral. Lot's of royal dead people inside! All of Toledo looks like this.
This isn't the cathedral, it's a much simpler Roman Catholic church. They let us climb up to the top in the bell tower and take photos. It was a really amazing view!
The view of the Cathedral and Toledo from the bell tower.
This is one of the monasteries and it's neighboring garden. So pretty!Meanwhile, back in Madrid, I saw some not-so-shabby things. Plaza Mayor, the historic square is very beautiful and right near downtown. I went to a house party on Saturday and their apartment looked right over the plaza-no fair!
And the beautiful Neptune fountain is right across from the Prado Museum, so I get to visit him every Thursday!
AND last week I went to the Palacio Real, or Royal Palace. You're not allowed to take photos inside, but it's your basic, run of the mill, ridiculously over the top, ornate castle. It reminded me a lot of Versailles, if that helps anyone. They also had an impressive armory, complete with horsey armor! Is is messed up if I say it was cute? Because it was!What a week! I've had fun exploring everywhere-there's so much to see! I've been here almost a month already, can you believe it? I feel like I'm running out of time! I'm glad I got out of my homesick-existential crisis-funk. Of course I miss people, but my friends are right, I shouldn't waste any time feeling sad. Who knows when I'll be in Europe again?
And like Gwen said, you'll get homesick, but next thing you know you won't want to leave Madrid. I'm already not looking forward to coming home to using BART, and I know I'll miss tapas and the architecture and cheap museums and my host family. Oh! I almost forgot: My "host brother" Esteban, is really into fencing, and last weekend we went to the national competition and won 3rd place! Here's a photo of us with his trophy:
He says it's the first one he got that has a lid on it, haha.This weekend we're going to Barcelona, I'm really excited! It's by the beach and there's a Gothic quarter and tons of Goya, and a hearse museum! Sounds like my kind of city.
Just in case you're thinking I'm getting too acclimated here and thinking about not coming back, don't worry! I already started a list of things I have to do immediately upon my return:
-Asian food! And lots of it!
-Manicure and pedicure. People don't really get them done here, so they're super expensive.
-Lucy and Star Trek fest
-Tivo session with Thomas. I miss bad VH1 shows. Don't tell anyone.
-Walk through the mission and go to all my favorite places- Lost Weekend, Mission Thrift, Paxton Gate, Borderlands, and WeBe Sushi.
-Mom's cookin'. Ain't nothin like it! (I think my return dinner will be the same as my farewell dinner- homemade mac and cheese. yum)
-Get reacquainted with my sewing machine and baking.
Side Note: When I get home I plan to start selling some of my sewing goodies online, or in local stores, so I'll have something to do slash look forward to when I come home. I think lots of people go through a sort of PSAD (Post Study Abroad Depression), and I'm trying to avoid that.
Wish me luck in Barcelona! It's a whole other language their-Catalan. Should be interesting. . . . .
Seeking Asylum,
Emily
Saturday, January 17, 2009
School, Cultural Differences, and My Existential Crisis
The Boring Logistical-Type Stuff:
School! I just finished my first week, and man, am I pooped. I´m doing the required Conferencias right now-the additional mandatory classes that advanced speakers take, and it takes a lot out of me. My regular spanish classes are from 3 to 6 every day, and the Conferencias are Tuesday through Friday from 6 to 8. PLUS Tuesday and Thursday I have my art history class from 10:30 to 12:30, and on Thursdays we go to actual museums. (we´re studying Greek sculpture right now. We went to the Prado and I saw looked at so many marble balls I felt like a urologist for petrified men). I´m not used to being in school this much, especially when it´s all in Spanish, so needless to say, I´m pretty wiped out. Thank God the Conferencias are over on January 28th. Then I´ll be done at 6 every day.
Anyway, my classes are at Universidad Complutense de Madrid, which is MASSIVE (over 120.000 students-yikes!), and apparently one of the oldest universities in the world. It´s a pretty ugly campus though, all brick, and since it´s winter there´s like, no landscaping, and the plaster is falling off the walls in the classrooms. Pretty shabby. But- I´d rather have good teachers and ugly classrooms, which appears to be the case. And they´re all familiar with foreign language students, so they´re pretty understanding, considering the barage of blank stares they must get on a daily basis.
One of my teachers seems like she gets annoyed easily- she doesn´t seem to get it that if people aren´t doing what she asked, it´s because they didn´t understand her, not because they´re ignoring her. Just because I don´t know the language, it doesn´t mean I´m stupid, which some Spaniards don´t seem to understand. As my art teacher(who, for the record, is Spanish) accurately put it, the Spaniards that are nice are incredibly nice, and the ones that are mean are horrid. Like the poem about the little girl with the little curl (right in the middle of her forhead. . . ).
I´m disappointed with the level I got placed in after taking the placement test-4.2, which is advanced intermediate. I don´t feel challenged at all, and even though I know I shouldn´t compare myself to the other students in my level, me being me, I did it anyway, and I speak way better than almost all of them. However, I talked to my grammar teacher about moving up a level and he basically said if I´m okay with it, he´s okay with it, so I´m looking forward to that. I´d rather learn more and be challenged and get a B than be in a cake class and get an A, you know?
On a fun side note, the Complutense food is incredibly cheap, very much UNlike City College. A bocadillo (sandwich), is about 2 Euro, which is about $2.50 (that´s like, how much bottled water is at City). Awesome. And you order it from this crazy machine-you put in your money, select your item, and then a ticket prints out that you bring up to the counter and hand to a guy. Then, magically, he will bring you what is on said ticket. The machine looks like a 1950´s jukebox, except you´re picking food instead of songs. Ha,ha.
As long as I´m on a food thread, allow me to gripe about my Asian food withdrawl. I NEED SUSHI. I garuntee that will be the first thing I want when I come home. the have a couple restaurants here, but they´re all rediculously expensive, like $8 for a California Roll. Ouch. They just don´t really have a high Asian population here, so there´s no demend for it. I´m very spoiled by the food in Northern California.
Weird foods I have eaten since I have been here include, but are not limited to, the following:
Orejas (pig ears)- They were gross. Pure, sticky, fat. And crunchy cartilage.
Caracoles (snails)- Also gross. They were grainy, and kind of reminiscent of mussels. But I´ve always wanted to try them, so I can scratch that off my ¨List of Things to do Before I Die¨.
Bocadillo Calamari (squid sandwich)-tasty
Cerveza and Coke(beer and Coke)-Not too bad. Better than it sounds. Like rum and Coke, but not.
Morcillo(blood sausage)-Haven´t actually tried it yet, but it´s on the list. I´ll let you know.
Moving on to Fun Cultural Facts About Spain:
The music! It´s very odd, not many people here speak english, and if they do it´s generally limited, so it´s very surprising that everywhere they play American music-pop or classic rock. Molly and I went to this charming old fashioned tea and desserts place, and while we were there we listened to. . . . Guns ´n Roses! Who can forget such a classic from Madrid.
Commercials! They have far fewer commercial breaks, but the ones they have are loooooong, hence more times to make sandwiches. Brilliant. And I would say about 85% of them are for perfume. They have far fewer emabarrassing personal hygiene ads too. I think I´ve seen only one tampon commercial and two for erectile dysfunction.
Also, Sitcoms are not popular in Madrid. Lots of news, dubbed American movies, variety shows, and Dancing With the Stars type shows dominate. TV shows such as House, The Simpsons, Family Guy, and Desperate Housewives are all dubbed and popular (Homer´s voice is WAY off. It´s just not the same).
Night Life! Night clubs generally open at around midnight and people usually start showing up around 1 or 2 AM and clubs are open until 6 AM. Crazy! When do they sleep? Also Spaniards go out to have fun- people don´t party in their homes, and it´s very common for people in their 20´s and even 30´s to still be living at home with their parents. And, since we have all been teenagers, everyone knows what a drag it is when you have nowhere to be alone with anyone, so Spaniards just got over it and make out EVERYWHERE in public. The Metro (subway), is a hot makeout spot, so are bars and clubs. It´s a little odd, but they manage to keep it PG rated, from what I´ve seen.
Eating Hours! people don´t eat dinner in Spain until about 10PM. If you go to a restaurant at 9PM, you would be considered old or a tourist. Most places don´t even open until like 7PM, but I´m enjoying that places stay open later. Lots of smaller Mom and Pop type places close for siesta as well, from about 4 to 7, and, like the States, many places are closed on Sunday.
Customer Service! In America, when it comes to customer service, to put it bluntly, we´re used to having our asses kissed. Not so in Spain! People aren´t like ¨Hi! I´m Pablo and I will be your server today!¨ or ¨Please let me know what I can do to make your stay more pleasurable.¨ Customer service, if you can call it that, is very serious-not rude, but definitely not friendly. And don´t try substituting tomatoes for avocadoes-Spaniards are not into customizing orders. They make it how they make it, and that´s how you get it.
Teenagers and Young People! They look pretty much like kids here- lots of t-shirts, jeans and sneakers. generally I would say they dress a notch nicer, but they pretty much could pass for being American. my look, as usual, tends to stand out, but I don´t feel I´m quite as conspicuous, what with the people dressing nice and all. However, one night we went to this tapas bar called El Tigre where there were lots of people our age- I got a lot of stares. One group of guys kept saying ¨Que moda, que moda!¨ (what style!) to me, and one of them poked my vintage and hat and giggled. Needless to say, vintage clothes aren´t super popular here. The ¨counter culture¨ look here leans heavily toward very unkept dreadlocks, often styled in the mullet fashion. It´s pretty atrocious. I´ve seen some Hot Topic looking gothic kids, too. Oh, yes, and the facial piercings.
My Existential Crisis! As you can probably imagine, all this newness has left me in an ¨I Don´t think we´re in San Francisco anymore, Toto¨ like state. I´ve gotten lost, taken the wrong bus, said the wrong thing, walked around with my nose buried in a map and still not been able to figure out where I´m going, I feel I´ve been judged, been weirded out by foods, times, customs, and just about everything. It´s very tiring, and sometimes I feel my brain is about to explode. Sometimes I miss California and San Francisco and all the beautiful people and things I´ve left behind desperately. I´ve had some hard days, and some hard moments. I cried once on the Metro already because I saw this kid that looked strikingly like Andrew Jones and it caused a massive wave of homesickness. Anyway, long story long, I love and miss everyone very much. To quote the great and lovely Joni Mitchell ¨Don´t it always seem to go, you don´t know what you got til it´s gone.¨
I am coming back, I know, but 3 months seems a loooong ways away. Oh well. In the meantime I´ll choke down some more ham, pull up my bootstraps, wipe the snot from my nose, and take it one day at a time.
PS- Barcelona in two weeks! stay tuned!
School! I just finished my first week, and man, am I pooped. I´m doing the required Conferencias right now-the additional mandatory classes that advanced speakers take, and it takes a lot out of me. My regular spanish classes are from 3 to 6 every day, and the Conferencias are Tuesday through Friday from 6 to 8. PLUS Tuesday and Thursday I have my art history class from 10:30 to 12:30, and on Thursdays we go to actual museums. (we´re studying Greek sculpture right now. We went to the Prado and I saw looked at so many marble balls I felt like a urologist for petrified men). I´m not used to being in school this much, especially when it´s all in Spanish, so needless to say, I´m pretty wiped out. Thank God the Conferencias are over on January 28th. Then I´ll be done at 6 every day.
Anyway, my classes are at Universidad Complutense de Madrid, which is MASSIVE (over 120.000 students-yikes!), and apparently one of the oldest universities in the world. It´s a pretty ugly campus though, all brick, and since it´s winter there´s like, no landscaping, and the plaster is falling off the walls in the classrooms. Pretty shabby. But- I´d rather have good teachers and ugly classrooms, which appears to be the case. And they´re all familiar with foreign language students, so they´re pretty understanding, considering the barage of blank stares they must get on a daily basis.
One of my teachers seems like she gets annoyed easily- she doesn´t seem to get it that if people aren´t doing what she asked, it´s because they didn´t understand her, not because they´re ignoring her. Just because I don´t know the language, it doesn´t mean I´m stupid, which some Spaniards don´t seem to understand. As my art teacher(who, for the record, is Spanish) accurately put it, the Spaniards that are nice are incredibly nice, and the ones that are mean are horrid. Like the poem about the little girl with the little curl (right in the middle of her forhead. . . ).
I´m disappointed with the level I got placed in after taking the placement test-4.2, which is advanced intermediate. I don´t feel challenged at all, and even though I know I shouldn´t compare myself to the other students in my level, me being me, I did it anyway, and I speak way better than almost all of them. However, I talked to my grammar teacher about moving up a level and he basically said if I´m okay with it, he´s okay with it, so I´m looking forward to that. I´d rather learn more and be challenged and get a B than be in a cake class and get an A, you know?
On a fun side note, the Complutense food is incredibly cheap, very much UNlike City College. A bocadillo (sandwich), is about 2 Euro, which is about $2.50 (that´s like, how much bottled water is at City). Awesome. And you order it from this crazy machine-you put in your money, select your item, and then a ticket prints out that you bring up to the counter and hand to a guy. Then, magically, he will bring you what is on said ticket. The machine looks like a 1950´s jukebox, except you´re picking food instead of songs. Ha,ha.
As long as I´m on a food thread, allow me to gripe about my Asian food withdrawl. I NEED SUSHI. I garuntee that will be the first thing I want when I come home. the have a couple restaurants here, but they´re all rediculously expensive, like $8 for a California Roll. Ouch. They just don´t really have a high Asian population here, so there´s no demend for it. I´m very spoiled by the food in Northern California.
Weird foods I have eaten since I have been here include, but are not limited to, the following:
Orejas (pig ears)- They were gross. Pure, sticky, fat. And crunchy cartilage.
Caracoles (snails)- Also gross. They were grainy, and kind of reminiscent of mussels. But I´ve always wanted to try them, so I can scratch that off my ¨List of Things to do Before I Die¨.
Bocadillo Calamari (squid sandwich)-tasty
Cerveza and Coke(beer and Coke)-Not too bad. Better than it sounds. Like rum and Coke, but not.
Morcillo(blood sausage)-Haven´t actually tried it yet, but it´s on the list. I´ll let you know.
Moving on to Fun Cultural Facts About Spain:
The music! It´s very odd, not many people here speak english, and if they do it´s generally limited, so it´s very surprising that everywhere they play American music-pop or classic rock. Molly and I went to this charming old fashioned tea and desserts place, and while we were there we listened to. . . . Guns ´n Roses! Who can forget such a classic from Madrid.
Commercials! They have far fewer commercial breaks, but the ones they have are loooooong, hence more times to make sandwiches. Brilliant. And I would say about 85% of them are for perfume. They have far fewer emabarrassing personal hygiene ads too. I think I´ve seen only one tampon commercial and two for erectile dysfunction.
Also, Sitcoms are not popular in Madrid. Lots of news, dubbed American movies, variety shows, and Dancing With the Stars type shows dominate. TV shows such as House, The Simpsons, Family Guy, and Desperate Housewives are all dubbed and popular (Homer´s voice is WAY off. It´s just not the same).
Night Life! Night clubs generally open at around midnight and people usually start showing up around 1 or 2 AM and clubs are open until 6 AM. Crazy! When do they sleep? Also Spaniards go out to have fun- people don´t party in their homes, and it´s very common for people in their 20´s and even 30´s to still be living at home with their parents. And, since we have all been teenagers, everyone knows what a drag it is when you have nowhere to be alone with anyone, so Spaniards just got over it and make out EVERYWHERE in public. The Metro (subway), is a hot makeout spot, so are bars and clubs. It´s a little odd, but they manage to keep it PG rated, from what I´ve seen.
Eating Hours! people don´t eat dinner in Spain until about 10PM. If you go to a restaurant at 9PM, you would be considered old or a tourist. Most places don´t even open until like 7PM, but I´m enjoying that places stay open later. Lots of smaller Mom and Pop type places close for siesta as well, from about 4 to 7, and, like the States, many places are closed on Sunday.
Customer Service! In America, when it comes to customer service, to put it bluntly, we´re used to having our asses kissed. Not so in Spain! People aren´t like ¨Hi! I´m Pablo and I will be your server today!¨ or ¨Please let me know what I can do to make your stay more pleasurable.¨ Customer service, if you can call it that, is very serious-not rude, but definitely not friendly. And don´t try substituting tomatoes for avocadoes-Spaniards are not into customizing orders. They make it how they make it, and that´s how you get it.
Teenagers and Young People! They look pretty much like kids here- lots of t-shirts, jeans and sneakers. generally I would say they dress a notch nicer, but they pretty much could pass for being American. my look, as usual, tends to stand out, but I don´t feel I´m quite as conspicuous, what with the people dressing nice and all. However, one night we went to this tapas bar called El Tigre where there were lots of people our age- I got a lot of stares. One group of guys kept saying ¨Que moda, que moda!¨ (what style!) to me, and one of them poked my vintage and hat and giggled. Needless to say, vintage clothes aren´t super popular here. The ¨counter culture¨ look here leans heavily toward very unkept dreadlocks, often styled in the mullet fashion. It´s pretty atrocious. I´ve seen some Hot Topic looking gothic kids, too. Oh, yes, and the facial piercings.
My Existential Crisis! As you can probably imagine, all this newness has left me in an ¨I Don´t think we´re in San Francisco anymore, Toto¨ like state. I´ve gotten lost, taken the wrong bus, said the wrong thing, walked around with my nose buried in a map and still not been able to figure out where I´m going, I feel I´ve been judged, been weirded out by foods, times, customs, and just about everything. It´s very tiring, and sometimes I feel my brain is about to explode. Sometimes I miss California and San Francisco and all the beautiful people and things I´ve left behind desperately. I´ve had some hard days, and some hard moments. I cried once on the Metro already because I saw this kid that looked strikingly like Andrew Jones and it caused a massive wave of homesickness. Anyway, long story long, I love and miss everyone very much. To quote the great and lovely Joni Mitchell ¨Don´t it always seem to go, you don´t know what you got til it´s gone.¨
I am coming back, I know, but 3 months seems a loooong ways away. Oh well. In the meantime I´ll choke down some more ham, pull up my bootstraps, wipe the snot from my nose, and take it one day at a time.
PS- Barcelona in two weeks! stay tuned!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Photos and Fun Facts
My humble abode:
This is the living room. It's like page 256 of the IKEA catalogue!
The tiny kitchen. The washing machine is also in the kitchen, and no one in Spain has a dryer. I'm getting accustomed to crunchy towels. Carmen also makes my breakfast and dinner for me every day, it's part of the "deal". Usually for breakfast I get a dish of cereal with warm milk or a pastry with a piece of fruit. Pretty standard, minus the fact that the milk is warm. I'm getting used to it though. The other day she didn't heat it up for me and I automatically started doing it myself, despite the fact that I've been bitching about wanting ice cold milk. I guess I'm getting used to Spanish food.
For dinner she makes soups, pasta, fish, and LOTS of potatoes. I'm going to be a potato flake by the time I get home. I should become a body builder with all this carb loading I'm doing. But seriously, the food is good. Usually we eat around 9 or 9:30.
Oh, and Spaniards are very into courses. We eat the soup, she clears the plates, we eat the pasta, she clears those plates, then we eat the fish. Which seems very formal to me, and thus paradoxical because all this pomp and circumstance occurs while we watch the evening news on TV.
She also informs me when she is doing a load of darks or lights and I then give her my laudry to do for me.
It's an adjustment because I've been cooking for myself and doing my own laundry since I was like, 15 (thanks for teaching me to be independant, Mom!), so having someone else do those things for me is really different. But Carmen is really sweet, I'm glad I got lucky (no, not in that sense), and am staying with such a nice family. Carmen doesn't speak any english, which is good because it's really helping me with my Spanish. She does speak French, but unforunately that doesn't really help me. The son, Esteban speaks some english. He's also really nice, but kind of shy. He's in his room studying a lot, or out at school or fencing. Carmen and I were talking this morning and she alluded that she would like me to help Esteban come out of his shell. So cute! I told her I'd be happy to have him come out with some of my American friends, or I can go out with his Spanish friends. He's only 18, and a typical 18 year old in a lot of ways: Carmen tells him to eat more dinner because he's too thin and he calls her "bruja" (witch), meanwhile my head is moving like I'm watching a tennis match while I mediate their table banter. I guess some things are the same in every country.
The snowy view from the living room window.
This is the view from the front door of the apartment. Look out for slippery sidewalks!
This is a lovely plaza a couple blocks away from the house, near lots of little restaurants.
These green crosses for the Farmacias are everywhere, usually one on every block. This one was taken around the corner from my house. Ain't no Walgreens in Spain! The Farmacias are tiny, and usually only carry toiletries like shampoo and Band-Aids. If you want any kind of medicince, even just Advil for a headache, you tell the pharmacist what your symptoms are and then they choose it for you. You don't need a perscription for anything in Spain. Imagine.
I started classes yesterday. We had to take a placement test, which was kind of a joke because there were only some grammar questions and we had to write a paragraph or two in Spanish. Placing about 150 people based on such a brief test is pretty rediculous, thus, lots of us are in the wrong class. I got placed in 4.2, which is advanced intermediate, but it's WAY too easy for me. Luckily the Universidad Complutense understands that lots are people are placed innapropriately and so there's lots of shifting around in the first week.
There are lots of people from all over the world in our classes, which is pretty awesome. I've met people from Camaroon, Japan, France, China, and Italy, to name a few. Funnily enough, the language we all pretty much have in common is. . . . . English. Lots of people speak much better English than they do Spanish, so I'm using more English than I would prefer, but I think that will change when I get placed into the higher class.
This weekend me and Summer and Molly (pictured below-my partners in crime), are going to the charming ancient city of Segovia.
Til then,
Emily
This is the living room. It's like page 256 of the IKEA catalogue!
The tiny kitchen. The washing machine is also in the kitchen, and no one in Spain has a dryer. I'm getting accustomed to crunchy towels. Carmen also makes my breakfast and dinner for me every day, it's part of the "deal". Usually for breakfast I get a dish of cereal with warm milk or a pastry with a piece of fruit. Pretty standard, minus the fact that the milk is warm. I'm getting used to it though. The other day she didn't heat it up for me and I automatically started doing it myself, despite the fact that I've been bitching about wanting ice cold milk. I guess I'm getting used to Spanish food.
For dinner she makes soups, pasta, fish, and LOTS of potatoes. I'm going to be a potato flake by the time I get home. I should become a body builder with all this carb loading I'm doing. But seriously, the food is good. Usually we eat around 9 or 9:30.
Oh, and Spaniards are very into courses. We eat the soup, she clears the plates, we eat the pasta, she clears those plates, then we eat the fish. Which seems very formal to me, and thus paradoxical because all this pomp and circumstance occurs while we watch the evening news on TV.
She also informs me when she is doing a load of darks or lights and I then give her my laudry to do for me.
It's an adjustment because I've been cooking for myself and doing my own laundry since I was like, 15 (thanks for teaching me to be independant, Mom!), so having someone else do those things for me is really different. But Carmen is really sweet, I'm glad I got lucky (no, not in that sense), and am staying with such a nice family. Carmen doesn't speak any english, which is good because it's really helping me with my Spanish. She does speak French, but unforunately that doesn't really help me. The son, Esteban speaks some english. He's also really nice, but kind of shy. He's in his room studying a lot, or out at school or fencing. Carmen and I were talking this morning and she alluded that she would like me to help Esteban come out of his shell. So cute! I told her I'd be happy to have him come out with some of my American friends, or I can go out with his Spanish friends. He's only 18, and a typical 18 year old in a lot of ways: Carmen tells him to eat more dinner because he's too thin and he calls her "bruja" (witch), meanwhile my head is moving like I'm watching a tennis match while I mediate their table banter. I guess some things are the same in every country.
The snowy view from the living room window.
This is the view from the front door of the apartment. Look out for slippery sidewalks!
This is a lovely plaza a couple blocks away from the house, near lots of little restaurants.
These green crosses for the Farmacias are everywhere, usually one on every block. This one was taken around the corner from my house. Ain't no Walgreens in Spain! The Farmacias are tiny, and usually only carry toiletries like shampoo and Band-Aids. If you want any kind of medicince, even just Advil for a headache, you tell the pharmacist what your symptoms are and then they choose it for you. You don't need a perscription for anything in Spain. Imagine.I started classes yesterday. We had to take a placement test, which was kind of a joke because there were only some grammar questions and we had to write a paragraph or two in Spanish. Placing about 150 people based on such a brief test is pretty rediculous, thus, lots of us are in the wrong class. I got placed in 4.2, which is advanced intermediate, but it's WAY too easy for me. Luckily the Universidad Complutense understands that lots are people are placed innapropriately and so there's lots of shifting around in the first week.
There are lots of people from all over the world in our classes, which is pretty awesome. I've met people from Camaroon, Japan, France, China, and Italy, to name a few. Funnily enough, the language we all pretty much have in common is. . . . . English. Lots of people speak much better English than they do Spanish, so I'm using more English than I would prefer, but I think that will change when I get placed into the higher class.
This weekend me and Summer and Molly (pictured below-my partners in crime), are going to the charming ancient city of Segovia.
Til then,
Emily
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Mexican Spanish and Police Brutality
Yesterday Molly and I went to Sol (the big Union Square-esque place) to buy boots because it is FREEZING here. There´s one street where it´s just shoe store after shoe store, and after awhile I had looked at so many damn boots I was getting seasick. However, I did eventually select a lovely pair of black wingtip boots, made in Spain. Very snazzy. My no longer freezing calves are thanking me profusley, and I now have a pair of authentic Spanish leather shoes.
It snowed like crazy yesterday. It´s quite an experience becae a) I didn´t even know that it sowed in Spain, and b) I can count all the times I´ve been in the snow on one hand, and I´m not sure if one time even counts because I was in a car:
Thumb: Visiting my mom´s family in Jersey when I was about 4. But I DO remember making a snowman in the hotel parking lot, and then my sister fell through an ice puddle. Haha.
Index finger: Family ski trip to the Tahoe area when I was about 12. I´m not even sure if this counts because I think they had to bring in man made snow.
Middle finger: Driving through the Sierras on my way to visit my Aunt Susie´s. This was the first time I think I ever actually saw snow fall. I think I was 14 or 15.
Ring finger: When I was living in Chicago I went to visit my Grandparents for Thanksgiving and there was lots of snow on the ground. My Uncle Scott tried to get me to go out in the snow, and I looked at him like he was nuts. I don´t think I moved from the couch the entire weekend. I was 18.
Pinkey: This trip to Madrid. So far it´s snowed on two occasions, but contained in one trip, so I´m going to count it as one finger.
So the point being that I am a snow n00b (newbie). I asked Carmen if it was safe to go outside and she chuckled politely and told me to bring an umbrella. Apparently people bring umbrellas in the snow. It helped.
So anyway, after battling the snow and buying boots, Molly and I went to take the Metro home. we heard a bunch of people yelling in the station and everyone was stopped to watch waht was going on. There was some belingerent guy (I couldn´t tell if he was drunk or not) getting into it with the security. I couldn´t tell what they were yelling about, but it resulted in the antagonist taking off his shirt like he was ready to fight. ¨Let´s get out of here!¨ we shrieked and started toward the stairs. Bad idea. The police started to chase Shirtless Antagonist out of the Metro (toward us) beating the crap out him with their billy clubs as they ran. Seriously, one of the police ran into me as he was chasing the guy. So much for getting out of the way. Molly and I were so freaked out after getting caught right in the crossfire. It was like a high speed chase movie that takes place in a foreign country where the pursuer is on a motorcycle and hits a guy on a bike that then crashes into a fruitstand, except the policeman was the motorcycle, I was the bike, and Molly was the fuitstand. Eek.
I don´t know what the attitude is toward police in Madrid, but if that happened in San Frnacisco, there would be uproar about police brutality. It was very strange.
Anyway! At least we´re okay. So don´t worry, Mom!
On a less of a downer note, and as I have previously mentioned, Spain Spanish is very different from Mexican Spanish. In fact, Spanish is so regional that in Madrid, they don´t even say that they speak Spanish, they call it Castellian, or ¨Castellano¨.
I knew that Spanish varied pretty greatly from country to country, just like English does. Just think about how different American English is from British English, or even just Bay Area English (which is hella awesome!) from, say, Alabama English. There´s always different accents and words for things. However, I didn´t think I would be having such a rough time. Below, please enjoy a list of a few English words with the Mexican translation (what I´m familiar with), and the Castellian version. Also, Spaniards are kind of pretentious about their Spanish because theirs is the ¨correct¨ version, so I´ve had some people get weird when I say a Mexican word. Also, a lot of the food words are very different, because food is very regional. Don´t come to Spain because you love burritos. You will be very disappointed.
Computer
Mexico: computadora
Spain: ordenador
Cell Phone
Mexico: cellular
Spain: movil
Peach:
Mexico: durazno
Spain: melecoton
Brains:
Mexico: cerebro
Spain: sesos
The ¨F¨Word
Mexico: chingar or pinche
Spain: follar or joder
Living Room
Mexico: la sala
Spain: el salon
Okay
Mexico: orale, pues
Spain: vale
There´s just a few. There are lots more though, I just can´t think of them right now.
Fun fact about Spain- not only do they have lots of museums, they are open late, are cheap to begin with (about 3 Euro, which is about 4 bucks), they are usually free one day a week. Did you know the new Academy of Sciences museum in Golden Gate Park is $25 to get in? And San Francisco´s free day is only one day a month?
Spain: 1
America: 0
Anyway, long story medium, I´m going to the museum Reina Sofia today, where they have lots of Picasso and Dali, yay! Then the girls (Molly and Summer) and I are going to cheat and go out for Indian food. It´s time for a variance.
More later,
Emily Mc Spain Pants
It snowed like crazy yesterday. It´s quite an experience becae a) I didn´t even know that it sowed in Spain, and b) I can count all the times I´ve been in the snow on one hand, and I´m not sure if one time even counts because I was in a car:
Thumb: Visiting my mom´s family in Jersey when I was about 4. But I DO remember making a snowman in the hotel parking lot, and then my sister fell through an ice puddle. Haha.
Index finger: Family ski trip to the Tahoe area when I was about 12. I´m not even sure if this counts because I think they had to bring in man made snow.
Middle finger: Driving through the Sierras on my way to visit my Aunt Susie´s. This was the first time I think I ever actually saw snow fall. I think I was 14 or 15.
Ring finger: When I was living in Chicago I went to visit my Grandparents for Thanksgiving and there was lots of snow on the ground. My Uncle Scott tried to get me to go out in the snow, and I looked at him like he was nuts. I don´t think I moved from the couch the entire weekend. I was 18.
Pinkey: This trip to Madrid. So far it´s snowed on two occasions, but contained in one trip, so I´m going to count it as one finger.
So the point being that I am a snow n00b (newbie). I asked Carmen if it was safe to go outside and she chuckled politely and told me to bring an umbrella. Apparently people bring umbrellas in the snow. It helped.
So anyway, after battling the snow and buying boots, Molly and I went to take the Metro home. we heard a bunch of people yelling in the station and everyone was stopped to watch waht was going on. There was some belingerent guy (I couldn´t tell if he was drunk or not) getting into it with the security. I couldn´t tell what they were yelling about, but it resulted in the antagonist taking off his shirt like he was ready to fight. ¨Let´s get out of here!¨ we shrieked and started toward the stairs. Bad idea. The police started to chase Shirtless Antagonist out of the Metro (toward us) beating the crap out him with their billy clubs as they ran. Seriously, one of the police ran into me as he was chasing the guy. So much for getting out of the way. Molly and I were so freaked out after getting caught right in the crossfire. It was like a high speed chase movie that takes place in a foreign country where the pursuer is on a motorcycle and hits a guy on a bike that then crashes into a fruitstand, except the policeman was the motorcycle, I was the bike, and Molly was the fuitstand. Eek.
I don´t know what the attitude is toward police in Madrid, but if that happened in San Frnacisco, there would be uproar about police brutality. It was very strange.
Anyway! At least we´re okay. So don´t worry, Mom!
On a less of a downer note, and as I have previously mentioned, Spain Spanish is very different from Mexican Spanish. In fact, Spanish is so regional that in Madrid, they don´t even say that they speak Spanish, they call it Castellian, or ¨Castellano¨.
I knew that Spanish varied pretty greatly from country to country, just like English does. Just think about how different American English is from British English, or even just Bay Area English (which is hella awesome!) from, say, Alabama English. There´s always different accents and words for things. However, I didn´t think I would be having such a rough time. Below, please enjoy a list of a few English words with the Mexican translation (what I´m familiar with), and the Castellian version. Also, Spaniards are kind of pretentious about their Spanish because theirs is the ¨correct¨ version, so I´ve had some people get weird when I say a Mexican word. Also, a lot of the food words are very different, because food is very regional. Don´t come to Spain because you love burritos. You will be very disappointed.
Computer
Mexico: computadora
Spain: ordenador
Cell Phone
Mexico: cellular
Spain: movil
Peach:
Mexico: durazno
Spain: melecoton
Brains:
Mexico: cerebro
Spain: sesos
The ¨F¨Word
Mexico: chingar or pinche
Spain: follar or joder
Living Room
Mexico: la sala
Spain: el salon
Okay
Mexico: orale, pues
Spain: vale
There´s just a few. There are lots more though, I just can´t think of them right now.
Fun fact about Spain- not only do they have lots of museums, they are open late, are cheap to begin with (about 3 Euro, which is about 4 bucks), they are usually free one day a week. Did you know the new Academy of Sciences museum in Golden Gate Park is $25 to get in? And San Francisco´s free day is only one day a month?
Spain: 1
America: 0
Anyway, long story medium, I´m going to the museum Reina Sofia today, where they have lots of Picasso and Dali, yay! Then the girls (Molly and Summer) and I are going to cheat and go out for Indian food. It´s time for a variance.
More later,
Emily Mc Spain Pants
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Photos and the Origins Mecca
Yesterday I decided to go for a stroll by myself and explore my neighborhood. Let me say now that it is damn cold here and I'm glad I brought my massive $7 vintage ebay coat with the awesome fur collar. Which, I am happy to say, it quite fashionable here. Lots of women, especially older ladies, wear fur. Hey, it's the warmest thing out there.
Anyway, my neighborhood is really cute, and in a great location. I'm only two blocks away from the Metro station, which is on a large busy street called Miguel Angel. On Miguel Angel there's lots of big hotels, The Museum of Natural Sciences (pictured below),
and a beautiful plaza, complete with a fountain.
And, just for kicks, this is what Spanish mailboxes look like:
I've already dropped some stuff in there, so check your mailboxes, everyone! Fun fact: When buying stamps (cellos), you have to specify what country you are sending them to, as opposed to just putting on more stamps if you need to send something larger, or a further distance. You buy the stamps at these little shops called Tabaceros, where they also sell tons of cigarettes (remember how I said everyone smokes?). Anyway, when I was buying my stamps, the guy mistook me for being French and gave me French stamps. I was flattered. Hell, I'd like to French! I attribute it to the Amelie-esque haircut I have.
Oh, and two occasions people asked me for directions, once by French tourists and once by a Spanish woman, and both times I was able to help them! Woo! I'm quickly becoming a Madrilena!
Anyway, during my chilly solo tour of my neighborhood, I saw a few flakey things falling. I was walking under a bunch of large trees, so I thought it was just tree dandruff, but the little flakes just. . . . kept . . . coming. Snow! In Spain! It was amazing. I've only seen snow fall like, one other time in my life, so it was pretty momentous, especially considering I'm in Spain. I was euphoric. Don't all those big white flakes look great in my black hair?
The Holy Grail of Origins has been revealed to me! It's much more expensive here- I bought some Ain't Misbehavin' hairspray and it was $22.00, or like 16 Euro. Eep. I asked the gal if I could take a photo and she said no, so I'll have to go back all stealthy- like and sneak one, heh, heh, heh. They sell it at El Corte Ingles, Spain's only department store. They have a smaller selection and a bunch of items we've discontinued, like the Perfect World lip balm. And they had a Make A Difference toner-I had never even heard of that. I think I might have to buy it. Lori, do you know anything about it? The girl siad it's for combo skin. Also since the bottle is only in English and French, they add a sticker with the Spanish description:
I don't know if you can really see that it's in Spanish, but oh well. It's so cute, I swear!
And now for some photos of my charming living quarters:
Note the Kirk doll! I haven't taken any photos of the rest of the house yet, but it's cute-the kitchen is tiny, literally about 3 feet wide. No wonder Carmen always declines my help. It's impossible for two people to be in there at once! The apartment has lots of old world charm and detail, like crown molding and hardwood floors, but IKEA is huge in Spain, so pretty much everything in the apartment is from IKEA. It kind of clashes with the architecture, but oh well.
On a side note, I really appreciate everyone's Spain blog comments, or "Sblomments". I'm tickled that everyone wants to know what I'm up to, and what Spain is like, and that I'm not writing this Sblog in vain! So please keep it up and I'll keep Sblogging away!
Gettin' into the groove,
Emily
Anyway, my neighborhood is really cute, and in a great location. I'm only two blocks away from the Metro station, which is on a large busy street called Miguel Angel. On Miguel Angel there's lots of big hotels, The Museum of Natural Sciences (pictured below),
and a beautiful plaza, complete with a fountain.
And, just for kicks, this is what Spanish mailboxes look like:
I've already dropped some stuff in there, so check your mailboxes, everyone! Fun fact: When buying stamps (cellos), you have to specify what country you are sending them to, as opposed to just putting on more stamps if you need to send something larger, or a further distance. You buy the stamps at these little shops called Tabaceros, where they also sell tons of cigarettes (remember how I said everyone smokes?). Anyway, when I was buying my stamps, the guy mistook me for being French and gave me French stamps. I was flattered. Hell, I'd like to French! I attribute it to the Amelie-esque haircut I have.
Oh, and two occasions people asked me for directions, once by French tourists and once by a Spanish woman, and both times I was able to help them! Woo! I'm quickly becoming a Madrilena!
Anyway, during my chilly solo tour of my neighborhood, I saw a few flakey things falling. I was walking under a bunch of large trees, so I thought it was just tree dandruff, but the little flakes just. . . . kept . . . coming. Snow! In Spain! It was amazing. I've only seen snow fall like, one other time in my life, so it was pretty momentous, especially considering I'm in Spain. I was euphoric. Don't all those big white flakes look great in my black hair?
The Holy Grail of Origins has been revealed to me! It's much more expensive here- I bought some Ain't Misbehavin' hairspray and it was $22.00, or like 16 Euro. Eep. I asked the gal if I could take a photo and she said no, so I'll have to go back all stealthy- like and sneak one, heh, heh, heh. They sell it at El Corte Ingles, Spain's only department store. They have a smaller selection and a bunch of items we've discontinued, like the Perfect World lip balm. And they had a Make A Difference toner-I had never even heard of that. I think I might have to buy it. Lori, do you know anything about it? The girl siad it's for combo skin. Also since the bottle is only in English and French, they add a sticker with the Spanish description:
I don't know if you can really see that it's in Spanish, but oh well. It's so cute, I swear!And now for some photos of my charming living quarters:
Note the Kirk doll! I haven't taken any photos of the rest of the house yet, but it's cute-the kitchen is tiny, literally about 3 feet wide. No wonder Carmen always declines my help. It's impossible for two people to be in there at once! The apartment has lots of old world charm and detail, like crown molding and hardwood floors, but IKEA is huge in Spain, so pretty much everything in the apartment is from IKEA. It kind of clashes with the architecture, but oh well.On a side note, I really appreciate everyone's Spain blog comments, or "Sblomments". I'm tickled that everyone wants to know what I'm up to, and what Spain is like, and that I'm not writing this Sblog in vain! So please keep it up and I'll keep Sblogging away!
Gettin' into the groove,
Emily
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
The Obligatory Culture Shock Phase
Yesterday was my first really hard day. I was really missing and my friends, my family, my job, San Francisco, and all my weird little idiosyncracies that I indulge in when alone.
I´m also going through Lucy withdrawl. I´m afraid to try to find Lucy´s here, because I fear the the well will come up dry.
Last night I went to the parade for the procession of hte 3 Magi-it was very beautiful. There were elephants and camels and beautiful floats, and whimsical giant butterflies and the kings throw candy to all the children. Everyone brings small ladders so they can see the parade better. How come Americans never thought of that?
I was told not to try to compare Madrid to home or other places, but of course it´s totally impossible, so now for some mindless self indulgence:
Let´s get the bad over with first, shall we?
Cons of Spain:
-The food is rediculously salty. I´m not really a salt sensitive person. In fact, in America, I almsot always salt my food. Here, however, some of the food is so salty it´s almost inedible.
-The food is also meat, starch, and fried centered. I miss fruit.
-All the milk is served warm.
-I know Mexican spanish. Spaniards look down on Mexican spanish. If I accidentally say a Mexican word they either don´t know what I´m talking about or look at me like I just dropped the F bomb.
-Spaniards are not as American friendly as I thought they would be.
-The counter culture uniform is facial piercings. Lots of them. I mean, really. That was so five years ago.
-People smoke EVERYWHERE.
-It´s cold. I know it´s cold at home too, but still. It´s a con.
-There´s lots of Starbucks and other huge chain stores. Where´s all the stuff I can´t get at home?
Pros of Spain:
-People dress better. Leather shoes, no athletic sneakers, and a lot less jeans.
-Public transportation is far superior. Newer, cleaner, faster, and much easier to use.
-Places stay open way later.
-Cars are smaller and cuter.
-Better architecture. Older and more ornate, and lots of really cool statues and plazas honoring this or that.
-All the ham. You gotta love any place that´s this into pork. Sorry Jews. And vegetarians. This factoid would be on the con list if you were a member of the two former groups.
-People drink booze, but don´t get drunk. Imagine.
-People are into having pets. Thank god there´s lots of cute dog eye candy, or I´d feel really lonely.
-Metal is pretty popular here. I´ve seen tons of Iron Maiden T-shirts. Awesome.
-Not sure if this is a pro or a con (Jessica) but Hello Kitty is huge here, too.
I´ll probably add more to this later. this week I register for classes, and I start school next week. yay! I´m glad I have all this time to acclimate.
Your poorly adjusting expat,
-Emily
I´m also going through Lucy withdrawl. I´m afraid to try to find Lucy´s here, because I fear the the well will come up dry.
Last night I went to the parade for the procession of hte 3 Magi-it was very beautiful. There were elephants and camels and beautiful floats, and whimsical giant butterflies and the kings throw candy to all the children. Everyone brings small ladders so they can see the parade better. How come Americans never thought of that?
I was told not to try to compare Madrid to home or other places, but of course it´s totally impossible, so now for some mindless self indulgence:
Let´s get the bad over with first, shall we?
Cons of Spain:
-The food is rediculously salty. I´m not really a salt sensitive person. In fact, in America, I almsot always salt my food. Here, however, some of the food is so salty it´s almost inedible.
-The food is also meat, starch, and fried centered. I miss fruit.
-All the milk is served warm.
-I know Mexican spanish. Spaniards look down on Mexican spanish. If I accidentally say a Mexican word they either don´t know what I´m talking about or look at me like I just dropped the F bomb.
-Spaniards are not as American friendly as I thought they would be.
-The counter culture uniform is facial piercings. Lots of them. I mean, really. That was so five years ago.
-People smoke EVERYWHERE.
-It´s cold. I know it´s cold at home too, but still. It´s a con.
-There´s lots of Starbucks and other huge chain stores. Where´s all the stuff I can´t get at home?
Pros of Spain:
-People dress better. Leather shoes, no athletic sneakers, and a lot less jeans.
-Public transportation is far superior. Newer, cleaner, faster, and much easier to use.
-Places stay open way later.
-Cars are smaller and cuter.
-Better architecture. Older and more ornate, and lots of really cool statues and plazas honoring this or that.
-All the ham. You gotta love any place that´s this into pork. Sorry Jews. And vegetarians. This factoid would be on the con list if you were a member of the two former groups.
-People drink booze, but don´t get drunk. Imagine.
-People are into having pets. Thank god there´s lots of cute dog eye candy, or I´d feel really lonely.
-Metal is pretty popular here. I´ve seen tons of Iron Maiden T-shirts. Awesome.
-Not sure if this is a pro or a con (Jessica) but Hello Kitty is huge here, too.
I´ll probably add more to this later. this week I register for classes, and I start school next week. yay! I´m glad I have all this time to acclimate.
Your poorly adjusting expat,
-Emily
Saturday, January 3, 2009
I just flew into Madrid, and boy, are my arms tired!
Whew! After a loooooong plane ride and an even looooonger layover, I am here in Madrid, in all my American tattooed glory. Yes, I think I scream "American", but no matter. I already got ripped off in a taxi from the airport. 50 effing Euro! Can you believe it?!?!
Anyway! The first night I stayed with a couple other girls from the program in a hostel downtown. Tired as I was from my arduous journey, we walked around, "soaking up local color", as Lucy would say.
Yesterday I met my new Spanish family, Carmen and her 18 year old son, who-fun fact-is an avid fencer. They are both very charming and accomodating. Carmen came with me to buy a "pay as you go" phone-so call me!
011-34-639-336-223
Then she made me amazing paella, complete with shrimps that still had legs and eyeballs. Yikes. I watched Family Guy dubbed in spanish while I ate.
Oh, and they have a bidet. I´m terrified.
Last night I went out for tapas with some lovely gals from the program. There are awesome places where you can get a tasty grilled cheesy porky sandwich type thing (called a bocadillo) for 1.80 Euro. That´s like $2.50, if that. The foods here are super rich and salty, but portions are smaller and people walk a lot, hence, less fatness.
Today we went to La Plaza Del Sol, which I guess Union Square would be the equivalent. TONS of people. It´s way huger and busier than Union Square, but it´s the closest comparison. I was getting claustrophobic. And everyone smokes, which doesn´t help. But, today was Saturday, and a holiday weekend, so I don´t think it´s always like that.
Tomorrow is another gal-fest. There is a really huge and supposedly awesome flea market every Sunday that we are going to go check out.
Also right now is one of Spain´s major holidays, Cabalgatas do los Reyes Magos, or The Procession of the Magi. It´s like their Christmas. On Monday there is a really beautiful parade for the holiday, so I´m going to check that out.
Then classes start on the 12th. Boooo. No, I´m excited. Really. I´m already learning lots of Spanish-Spain Spanish is very different from Mexican Spanish. I´ll say a word that I use at home and I get a blank stare from Carmen. Oh, well.
Everyone write me! Or call me! Or email me!
Photos to come soon! Stay tuned!
Anyway! The first night I stayed with a couple other girls from the program in a hostel downtown. Tired as I was from my arduous journey, we walked around, "soaking up local color", as Lucy would say.
Yesterday I met my new Spanish family, Carmen and her 18 year old son, who-fun fact-is an avid fencer. They are both very charming and accomodating. Carmen came with me to buy a "pay as you go" phone-so call me!
011-34-639-336-223
Then she made me amazing paella, complete with shrimps that still had legs and eyeballs. Yikes. I watched Family Guy dubbed in spanish while I ate.
Oh, and they have a bidet. I´m terrified.
Last night I went out for tapas with some lovely gals from the program. There are awesome places where you can get a tasty grilled cheesy porky sandwich type thing (called a bocadillo) for 1.80 Euro. That´s like $2.50, if that. The foods here are super rich and salty, but portions are smaller and people walk a lot, hence, less fatness.
Today we went to La Plaza Del Sol, which I guess Union Square would be the equivalent. TONS of people. It´s way huger and busier than Union Square, but it´s the closest comparison. I was getting claustrophobic. And everyone smokes, which doesn´t help. But, today was Saturday, and a holiday weekend, so I don´t think it´s always like that.
Tomorrow is another gal-fest. There is a really huge and supposedly awesome flea market every Sunday that we are going to go check out.
Also right now is one of Spain´s major holidays, Cabalgatas do los Reyes Magos, or The Procession of the Magi. It´s like their Christmas. On Monday there is a really beautiful parade for the holiday, so I´m going to check that out.
Then classes start on the 12th. Boooo. No, I´m excited. Really. I´m already learning lots of Spanish-Spain Spanish is very different from Mexican Spanish. I´ll say a word that I use at home and I get a blank stare from Carmen. Oh, well.
Everyone write me! Or call me! Or email me!
Photos to come soon! Stay tuned!
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