I have made it through my first two days in Madrid, but somehow it feels like it´s been two weeks! Perhaps because they have been packed with important information to remember, new places to navigate, and so many new people to meet, or maybe the jet lag has just made me completely delirious... Nonetheless, I am starting to feel settled in what will be my home for the next 4 months.
After a fairly smooth flight through D.C., I soon met with my host mother, who smothered me in besos (kisses). The Spaniards are a very friendly people, and they greet each other with besos on both cheeks. My ¨mother,¨ Elisa, is a very nice older woman that is full of life and a little bit of spunk, too. She is super nice and has a great sense of humor, and from what I´ve eaten so far, is a great cook! Her house is beautifully decorated and is much larger and more elaborate than I expected. I have my own room and share a bathroom with Kaitlyn, another student. She is fabulous! Her Spanish is much better than mine, so it is extremely easy to get around and communicate when she´s around.
On the first day here, we took a bus tour through the center of the city, and it was just so overwhelming! There was so much more to see than I could look at: the beautiful parks, the gaudy old buildings, the people, the restaurants, the cars, the signs, ahh!!! I can´t wait to discover all of the amazing and interesting things that await for me amidst the bustling streets.
At 8:00 in the morning (long before most Spaniards even THINK about waking up), we met to take our language placement test, which was definitely news to me. We´re taking a 3 week intensive language course before the real classes begin, which we have basically just been thrown into immediately. No time to adjust, catch up on sleep, or become familiar with the city. We spent the rest of the day in orientation, learning about how intense this is really going to be: Spanish classes ALL day, EVERY day (minus the weekends), with homework, tests, and other cultural activities on top of that! The whole time I was thinking (while trying to still pay attention to the fast speaking Spanish director): What did I get myself into?!
One thing is for sure, it is definitely going to be an adventure!! There are so many adventures ahead of me, that I can´t wait to share with all of you. While I am here, I want to soak up as much as I can, so that when I leave here in December, I will not only be fluent in Spanish, but also feel like a madrileño, and not just a tourist. I know that I will learn so much and gain such a valuable understanding of myself along the way, and I am excited beyond words!
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