A dia en mi Vida

This whole week has been a wave of emotions as you might imagine.  Part of my day I am on a mission to open bank accounts, change phone numbers, and acquire transportation.  The other part I am walking blissfully around the streets of Madrid, wondering where to eat next.  Then of course I hit by intensities of joy, sadness, ojida (I just had to look up how to spell that, definition: mental angst).  It was particularly frustrating trying to open a bank account because I only have my passport.  I could not get my point across that I could still open an account with it.  Some people are rude and just roll their eyes when I start talking, others kindly let me spill out what I’m saying before they pat me on the back and point me to the door.  I found one finally….now hopefully to get money into it!! 

              Once I got somewhere with all items on my check list today, I took some time to be a tourist.  I walked to the palace and cathedral today, which are about a 30 minute walk from my apartment. Yup, I live near a palace, and the royal gardens are right next to me.  The ROYAL gardens.  I went to the most touristy plaza in Madrid and ate, what will be, the most expensive meal ill have in Spain.  It was delicious though, and I ate every bit of it J I had manchego cheese, Spanish tortilla, and a glass of sangria.  After that I just meandered through the gardens and found my way back to my apartment.  Whose life am I living?!  

Here I am again in my wonderful apartment!  This time with pictures included...I woke up this morning and met Janine (another auxilliare who is switching places with me) and we turned in the paper work.  She is from England, looks like Kat Deely from "So you think you can Dance," and was pushing her baby stroller around.  We turned in the paperwork and we started talking about our lives.  She ended up coming with me to several banks and tried to help communicate with me and we got lunch together.  It was a calamari sandwich...its amazing just how "go with the flow" you have to be.    

I think part of her felt sorry for me, part of her was glad to not immediately have to get on the train for an hour to go back home.  She was very sweet and I offered to babysit for her.  She goes "Its a shame we cant both work at Aranjuez, I like you!"  So out of the 3 people I know here?  2 are mothers.  

Banks close at 2 here, so after 2, I meandered around learning the area near my apartment.  Its very residential and "Posh" as it is right near the center of Madrid.  The Lion King (El Rey Leon) is playing at their version of Broadway, and I just might go!  Its amazing walking around and absorbing the culture.  Sometimes I get a chance to talk in Spanish, sometimes I can immediately be like "No hablo espanol!"  and go on my merry way.  Is it lonely?  Not yet.  Its nice being able to do my own thing and not be focused on trying to make best friends with all the American's in Madrid.  I will be meeting a few a week from today at my school.  

El Viaje

Dia numero 1

     I am off!  I am currently on the air plane flying to Brussels where I have a connecting flight to Madrid.  I can’t believe it…after all this anticipation I am finally on my way to teaching in Madrid!!  In the mean time I have to deal with the highs and lows of traveling.  Which included a near panic attack at JFK trying to catch my flight from Terminal 8 to Terminal 1.  Then going through sa-curity again.  And making it onto the plane with about 20 minutes to spare, PHEW!!!   Needless to say I will be very glad once I officially step foot in Madrid, and better yet, get into Zaragoza where I will be staying with my American friend. 

She has been so nice as to let me stay with her, in her new home about an hour away from Madrid.  She did the program before me and has been soooooo helpful in this entire process…It will be nice to see her and have her show me the ropes!  And of course the one jar of peanut butter I bring especially for her got confiscate, fyi peanut butter counts as a liquid…

    Now I’m sitting in the Brussels airport watching the sunrise, eating the apples my mom cut up for me this morning.  My plane landed 40 minutes early and I am very thankful because I had to go through security AGAIN!  I know everyone wants to read a blow-by-blow account of my flight journeys but let me tell ya, this is stressful!  I am by no means a seasoned flyer, and the first big experience I had flying had a problem at every turn.  Only this time I didn’t have Eric with me.  At least if I was stranded in an airport I had someone else by my side, helping me navigate/freaking out with me.  This time I know a little more what to expect and can anticipate what may potentially go wrong. 

     I still have one more flight andddd baggage claim to go through so let’s not get ahead of myself…

In the meantime, I am picturing the way life is going to be for me for the next few months.  It’s impossible of course, but Ill be sure to let everyone know my address (cross your fingers)  

     Well after 3 flights, a 2 hour scramble to find a bus, and a 3 hour bus ride, I am finally in Zaragoza!!!  Leah got me from the bus station and rode with me back to her cute, but tiny, apartment.  She then made me a delicious dinner, spaghetti with chicken/meat sauce, and made me some coffee while we caught up.   I couldn’t have felt more comfortable after my excursion over here.  To top it off, I then got to SHOWER before sleeping…The next couple of days will consist of finding a place to live and running around Madrid with Leah getting myself settled.  Monday is orientation and ill catch everyone up next week about the excitement going on...