¡Buenas días, España!
After a horrible two-days delay in Boston and another two-hours delay in Atlanta, I have finally arrived in SPAIN. Along with about twenty other students from Tufts and Skidmore University, I spent my first night at El Bedel Hotel in Alcalá de Henares, a small city about forty minutes from Madrid. Orientation started immediately. The information I was taking in day after day was all so new and interesting, but overwhelming. I didn't realize how listening and speaking in a different, somewhat unfamiliar language everyday could be so physically exhausting. But, often there's no time to be tired. Greeting people with los dos besos, visiting las plazas (I live near La plaza de los Santos Niños) and cathedrals, getting lost every single time, trying not to sound like a dim person...it's all part of the experience!
Sergio and Miguel, two of the coordinators of this study abroad program, are angels. But, more on them later. First of all, Alcalá is a quaint little place with a lot of history. The first day I was here, I knew I made the right the decision to study abroad in this city, instead of the more modernized Madrid. It seems that I will have many more opportunities to experience the depth of the Spanish culture here. The architecture is beautiful, by the way...so many sculptures, shapes, colors, and much detail.
As for my host family, I live with a single mother. She is widowed, but she has two daughters and one son, all grown and not living with her anymore. I really like my room, and I don't know if it's with all Spanish houses, but the rooms are so classic and antique! She does make me eat a lot, but doesn't push me too much, thank goodness. We eat breakfast and lunch while watching the television, commenting on the news and the weather and Spanish celebrities. There's so much I need to get used to, like showering in five minutes, having her do my laundry, and wearing my shoes everywhere around the house.
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| my room for the next five months! |
I love the Spanish culture, or the little I have experienced so far. The instant friendliness and closeness that is so different from regular mannerisms in America is completely fine with me.
So far, I've been to Gabana Bar, Manámana, and the restaurants Indalo, Rusty, and La Cueva de Antolin. I'm getting used to eating tapas, instead of full meals. During the gathering of los intercambios yesterday, I met many other Spanish students, some who are working, others who are studying at the university. Unfortunately, both my pen pals didn't show up, but I was able to talk with other students, so it wasn't a big problem.
This coming week, I want to/plan to:
1. Watch a Spanish movie
2. Go to Madrid
3. Talk to Sergio about taking dance classes
4. Find a post office!
5. Decide what classes to take at La Universidad de Alcalá
Today, my host mother told me there are going to be quite a lot of family members coming for lunch. I already hear people downstairs and I must go down to greet them very soon. I'm a bit scared, but for now...hasta luego!
-----Update-----
I have never eaten so much before in my life. There was dish after dish after dish of delicious food. As I sat around a huge table with eleven family members while three children ran around among us, we started our lunch with some cheese, crab-stuffed pastries, las morcillas (blood sausage, egh), and bread. Then we moved onto a soup where I was supposed to add salted ham into it. Next, there was ham with pastry-like bread baked in a pan. Then we had these huge pieces of shrimp, and everyone around me began to slurp the heads and I followed suit and licked my fingers afterward. Up to that was alright. I was comfortably full, and all the while I was given more bread and cheese. But then I was also given two slices of ham and was offered fried fish with a small salad on the side. There was so much food to eat and smell, while at the same time I was trying to talk with so many family members, as they addressed me as "Yah-NEe." Everyone was so nice and friendly. I loved how the talk never stopped throughout the whole four to five-hour lunch. There was always something to talk about and I didn't mind listening or trying to listen. I also liked how the children (three boys, Guillermo, Arturo, and Uvo) were treated like everyone's child, so sometimes I even got confused about who the actual mother or father was. Finally, dessert came out, but only after I shared half of a chirimoya (sweetsop) with the grandfather. This fruit has a sweet white pulp with large black seeds and a thin dark green skin. It was pretty good, but hard to eat because there were so many seeds. In addition, I had croissants with coffee and milk. I thought I was done by then. But as I sipped the last of my coffee, my host mother brought out a large cake of cold tiramisu and was given a slice. I was proud of myself for eating so much, but my stomach was beginning to groan from all that food. I thought we were finally finished after the tiramisu. But not before we had bon-bons (chocolate), and lastly, a semi-frozen champagne drink. Salud.
-----Update-----
I have never eaten so much before in my life. There was dish after dish after dish of delicious food. As I sat around a huge table with eleven family members while three children ran around among us, we started our lunch with some cheese, crab-stuffed pastries, las morcillas (blood sausage, egh), and bread. Then we moved onto a soup where I was supposed to add salted ham into it. Next, there was ham with pastry-like bread baked in a pan. Then we had these huge pieces of shrimp, and everyone around me began to slurp the heads and I followed suit and licked my fingers afterward. Up to that was alright. I was comfortably full, and all the while I was given more bread and cheese. But then I was also given two slices of ham and was offered fried fish with a small salad on the side. There was so much food to eat and smell, while at the same time I was trying to talk with so many family members, as they addressed me as "Yah-NEe." Everyone was so nice and friendly. I loved how the talk never stopped throughout the whole four to five-hour lunch. There was always something to talk about and I didn't mind listening or trying to listen. I also liked how the children (three boys, Guillermo, Arturo, and Uvo) were treated like everyone's child, so sometimes I even got confused about who the actual mother or father was. Finally, dessert came out, but only after I shared half of a chirimoya (sweetsop) with the grandfather. This fruit has a sweet white pulp with large black seeds and a thin dark green skin. It was pretty good, but hard to eat because there were so many seeds. In addition, I had croissants with coffee and milk. I thought I was done by then. But as I sipped the last of my coffee, my host mother brought out a large cake of cold tiramisu and was given a slice. I was proud of myself for eating so much, but my stomach was beginning to groan from all that food. I thought we were finally finished after the tiramisu. But not before we had bon-bons (chocolate), and lastly, a semi-frozen champagne drink. Salud.
