Orientation is over. Therefore I can’t get lost anymore?

I survived the first week of classes!  And I’ve only managed to change my course schedule three times.  That may be a record.  However, this can get pretty tricky when I have to take 5 of the 20-ish classes offered (5 of which are grammar and I can only take one of these).  There are limited options on limited topics, which don’t seem to line up with my nearly unlimited interests.  The drop/add period ended, so I sure hope my newest schedule is a little more suitable.

The rundown:

Grammar class: Mandatory; Monday through Thursday, 9am.  It’s a good thing I sort of like grammar (no joke).  After the placement tests last week I was really unsure of where I’d fall in the mix.  But to my surprise (and boy was I surprised…), I found myself in level five (out of five).  Confusing?  Yes, very.  Want to know why it was extra confusing to me?  The professor who teaches level five was my same professor from orientation classes.  For what feels like the first time in my life, I’ve encountered a teacher with whom I can’t seem to get along.  Long story short, she asked for my travel plans and I told her where I wanted to go and why (Canary Islands – to listen to the silbo gomero, a language all of whistling), and she disliked my reasoning and argued with me that it was a bad choice.  Yeah, okay no big deal.  She argues with everyone, but she caught me at a bad time to pick a fight and I haven’t been pleased with her since then.  When I learned I was in her class, it was bittersweet.  I’ve decided to take this as the challenge that it is.  I will win her over and attempt a good grade at the same time.  And go to the Canary Islands.

Spain and the European Union: I had high hopes.  They were crushed when all we did was talk about econ theories that I would struggle to grasp in English and then reverted back to microeconomics topics.  Didn’t hold my interest….

Contemporary Spanish and Latin American Women Writers: During the first class I was pretty excited about this one and thought it could lead to good discussion and interesting reads.  By the second class, I was convinced otherwise.  Dropped that class too.

Legal and Political Structure of Modern Spain: Semi-interesting so far.  The professor seems cool and excited to teach us something/anything.  I’ll stay in this class.

El Greco, Velázquez, and Goya in the Prado Museum:  Yes, in the Prado museum.  Twice a week I have class in a famous art museum in Madrid.  Even if this class were horrible, which it isn’t, I’d stay in it just for the experience.  Good thing it’s kind of cool so far.  The professor is really passionate about the art and the details and teaching us.  And, as a neat little coincidence, he is my host mom’s younger brother.  Crazy.  Perhaps we will chitchat about art or something over some tapas with the family.  Or not…just a thought.

That leaves me with two more classes that I need.  So I picked up Almodóvar and his Contemporaries: The Image of Women in Spanish Film and Cultural Myths and Spanish Literature.  So far I haven’t been to the film one but I’ve heard good reviews.  The professor is so entertaining; I don’t know where to begin.  He is energetic, dramatic, very young, etc.  I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to sit through the 1.5 hours without laughing at least a dozen times.

What else have I done besides gone to class this week?  There are many adventures, but a few include textbook shopping that lead to the discovery of the most wonderful book store ever, making friends with a baker at a bakery around the corner from me (where I intend to become a regular), enjoying the royal botanical gardens, and finding a cool neighborhood with international cuisine and vintage clothing.

The bookstore: You’ll be seduced by the perfect lighting, soothing music, and smell of new books within seconds of walking through the door.  It’s heavenly

The bakery: Conveniently located near the bookstore; the baker is a sweet woman who explained the difference between many indulgences for me (and gave me a little discount!).  She was patient and kind and my new favorite pastry seller…

The botanical gardens: well…beautiful.  I can’t even imagine them in the spring.  I only took 150 pictures.

The neighborhood:  American bakery, French crepes, Italian everything on one corner.  Two small plazas, plenty of shopping, cobblestone streets.  I approve.

Quaint.

American bakery storefront. 

They sold "classic American treats" like cupcakes, brownies, peanut butter, marshmallows, Dr. Pepper, Betty Crocker mixes, etc.

OJO!  This was a Hanes ad originally.  I used it in a project for a COMM class last fall.  Scroll to the bottom to see it.

I had one of these bad boys.  Yummy.

Lucky Charms!!!!  I was so close to buying them.  Then I saw they cost 12 euros.

All in all, the start of classes wasn’t terrible.  It marked the end orientation when I basically had no responsibility, but I’ve missed productivity a smidgen as well.  You’ve read enough for now!  At least about this stuff.. hasta luego!

PS – Orientation may be over, but I still get lost from time to time.

PPS - I know it's really early in the game for this, but I've been having food cravings for things (such as the Lucky Charms pictured above) that are damn near impossible to find here.  If you'd like to send me a package of tasty treats that the Spaniards are lacking, I'll gladly accept your donations (and provide you with my address).  : )

Is it really as wonderful as it seems?

Everyone keeps asking me this, as if I’m painting a much prettier picture of my life in Madrid than is reality.  Well, to be honest…. Yes.  It is as wonderful as it seems!  But to show you that nothing is perfect, here’s my current list of flaws with the city and/or my experience thus far:

1) There is so much gosh darn graffiti.  Apparently the youth is very rebellious here [and certainly fired up about politics and such].  A lot of the graffiti that I’ve found is anti-government related.  There is also some kind of pretty graffiti and murals (but much less of this).

2) Many mornings look like a parade passed through town.  Or there was a frat party.  Or a tailgate.  Or whatever other excuses you can come up with that somehow make it acceptable to litter.  And I don’t mean a candy wrapper or beer bottle here and there.  I mean a lot of trash.  If the graffiti didn’t make me sad enough, the trash really gets to me.  I often feel like the people here have no respect for or pride in their home.  But then again, I have no way of knowing that it’s the madrileños constantly making the mess and not just the visitors.  Visitor or not, it’s frustrating and disappointing to see such a beautiful city soiled with crap.

3) Speaking of crap…. City dogs are accustomed to “doing their business” just about anywhere.  Madrid has tons of parks and green spaces, but when you’ve gotta go...  Most of the time people are good about bringing a bag to clean up, but just a warning - watch your step. (some city trash cans have plastic bags available in the sides for dog walkers – fun fact),

4) Shameless, non-discrete males.  Whistling and blatant once-overs are something none of us will get used to.  Use your manners, boys.

5) Ham - one of the foods that I am desperately trying to learn to like.  So far, this has proved unsuccessful.

That’s all I can complain about just yet, but I’ll keep you posted if it becomes any less magical.

Demasiada Comida

I’m pretty sure I had the three biggest meals that I can remember for three consecutive days.  My host mom is generally good at knowing that I don’t eat much, so she’s cut back on our meal size.  However, her brother was visiting this weekend, so there were extra dishes at each meal.

So to begin, Friday’s lunch in Segovia (with IES) was about 17 plates.  Or so it seemed.  It was served family style, which was good so I didn’t have to have a full plate of anything.  The food was delicious and I’d definitely go back if I were looking for a feast.

No, not literally 17 courses.  But it felt like it.

I thought I’d had enough over-eating for a long time after la comida in Segovia.  Oh was I mistaken…  My lunches at home on Saturday and Sunday were gigantic and very entertaining.

On Saturday (back at home) the first plate was cangrejo (aka crab).  Not only did I try the crazy looking crustacean for the first time, but I got a lesson on how to eat it in Spanish.  It was ridiculously messy and fascinating and incredibly delicious.  My Spomma, her brother and I all found it hilarious at my novice shellfish skills and just how messy eating them with sauce can really get.  The second course on Saturday was slightly disastrous.  It was a combination (yet again) of foods I really don’t care for, topped with one that I just can’t pretend to like.  Hard-boiled eggs filled with tuna smothered (to the point you can’t find what’s underneath) in mayonnaise.  I tasted it, and really tried to be open-minded about this one, but it just was not happening.  The third course was fried chicken (not KFC style or anything), but simply fried on the stovetop a little.  I’m pretty sure, although a little confused since I’m still in a food coma, that the next plate was dessert, which was a huge hunk of juicy watermelon.  We finished off the meal with some Spanish coffee (made the Italian way).  Amazingly as a junior in college and anything but a morning person, I’ve never had hot coffee before.  I figured it was time to try something else new, so I had a cup of it.  It was surprisingly good.  What a relief, since I have 9am classes all semester here!

Somehow, by Sunday’s lunch I wasn’t still full from the last two days.  And I was pleased to find the cangrejo as the first plate again.  I forgot to mention that every meal is accompanied with freshly baked breads (aka heaven).  The cangrejo had extra sauce on Sunday, making it even harder to eat.  In fact, it made for an epically messy and embarrassing meal.  My Spomma suggested we all wear bibs after yesterday’s experience.  However, we needed tarps for the table and floor the way we (mostly I was) were struggling today.  One of the crab heads ended up slipping and bouncing onto the tablecloth and then onto the floor.  ¡Qué horror!  The next plate was this puree/soup kind of thing that was really tasty - almost as good as the crab.  It was just a bunch of vegetables pureed with oil and made into some soup-like thing.  And with the fresh bread, I believe I will be requesting it again.  A fish dish followed and I have no idea of the kind of fish it was since I can’t find a translation, but I’ve eaten it here before.  It’s light and tasty.  I’m pretty sure my host mom can make any food taste excellent (with the exception of tuna, ham, and mayo; no one can make them taste good).  We finished with watermelon and coffee after that.  We stopped eating 5+ hours ago and I still feel crazy full.  I’m so unaccustomed to eating like this.  I am still in awe that this country is not chock-full of obese people.

Yes, that was over a page of me blabbering about food.  But hey, it’s freaking delicious and I wanted to share it with you.  I didn’t get any pictures because I’m trying not to let my host mom in on the secret that I’m a little nuts about food (and in general).  Also, fun fact – she said she would give me a cooking lesson!  Wahoo!  And because for some reason my Spomma swears she can’t make a paella worth eating, my friend’s host mom is going to invite me over for a cooking lesson on paella some time!  If I’m lucky, I’ll pick up a few tricks and recipes along the way.  And if you’re lucky, you’ll be getting a Spanish themed dinner cooked just for you, courtesy of the madrileña.