El tiemp va lento, pero la gente va rápidamente en Madrid

I think the Spanish are really on to something. Waking up around 9, you have all morning free. Then, after lunch at 2, you nap until 4:30. Then you have more free time, then dinner at 10, and then because of your siesta, you stay up until 2 or 3 walking around. And repeat the next day. It really makes your day feel soooo long. I cannot believe I have only been here 3 days, it feels like at least a week!

So yesterday, because I was still jet lagged, I woke up pretty early, and my roommate Casey and I decided to walk around Madrid in the early morning. It was so peaceful without having all the hustle and bustle normally swarming around. We went down Gran Via (the main street through Madrid), and ended up at an Egyptian temple. Yeah, that's right. I had to look around and make sure we hadn't accidently made a wrong turn and ended up in Greece.

Apparently, Spain somehow got it as a gift, but it was amazing because we were able to walk around inside of it, and see all the hieroglyphics.

After getting back, we took a quick rest before getting ready to leave again for our tour of El Prado. Obviously, because of it's size, it was more of a highlights tour. But it was still pretty cool, because I didn't know a lot about Spanish art. I think my favorite artist was (I know Papi, don't kill me) Goya. Although he went through a pretty depressing period, some of his paintings remind me of the "I Spy" books, where you hunt around for hidden objects, or in this case meanings and symbols. Afterwards, some of the girls and I went off to find lunch, and ended up in the cutest little plaza ever for a nice siesta meal. Just one of those moments, you know? When you look around, and are just completely content. For some reason, the only picture I decided to take was of a hilariously miniature bus trying to navigate the narrow streets, but you can kind of get the idea.

There's nothing I love more than sidewalk cafes. Ahhh... soo much to tell, and too tired to tell it now. Adios for now, I'll update more later.

Madrid

Jet lag is hitting me pretty hard. I woke up at 4 am, and haven't been able to go to sleep since. So what's the natural course of action? Write a blog post of course!

The flight was ok, no major hitches. Although I did get pulled aside at the security checkpoint so they could search my bag. When he pulled out the pineapple-shaped candle snuffer (don't ask), he said "Huh. Definitely thought that was something else on the screen". Don't know what that would be... but then he said, "well, you don't look like that kind of girl anyway". Uhhh... hello? Why do you think terrorists pay women to go on planes with them, or carry kids? It's a diversion technique! But so glad to know I don't look like terrorist, despite my previous experiences with airport security. When I got to the gate, I slowly realized that I was already on an extension of Spanish soil in Dulles Airport. It was Iberia airlines, so I was literally one of the only Americans. Not gonna lie, their rapid Spanish was making me really nervous. And then when they went on the intercom to say families with young children and rows 75 to 45 to begin lining up (only in Spanish of course, no translation), EVERYBODY lined up. I was sitting there looking stupid, waiting for my row number to be called, until I realized everybody was already inside the plane. Apparently lines don't really mean anything in Spain.

So I've been in Madrid for a grand total of one day, but it really feels like a lifetime. I wish I could be more descriptive of what I saw and everything, but it's all kind of foggy right now. I had been up for 36 hours straight (couldn't sleep on the airplane), so I was a zombie walking the streets of Mardrid pointing and shooting with my camera. We had lunch at a restaurant in the Plaza de Mayor, although it was kind of forgettable. I had a chorizo sandwhich, which ended up being a lot like salami instead of the sausage I thought I had ordered. But it was nice, because I was there with a group of girls, so we got to bond a little bit. My group is huge! There's about 50 people or more in it, so it's a little intimidating to try and meet everybody right now. Oh, and I'm definitely the only one from the DMV area. Met a lot of Californians and Rhode Islanders, curiously enough. For dinner, API treated us to dinner at another restaurant off the Plaza de Mayor. Now THAT, was yummy. True Spanish tapas. I think we literally had 12 plates of food come. My favorites were the Tortilla Espanola, Jamon Serrano, and these little round nuggets with potato in them. Don't really know the names of the rest of them, but they were all delicious.

The walk back was amazing. It was about 10:30, and all the stores were still open, everybody was walking around, it was livelier than during the day! Everybody was just walking around, or having tapas, or just enjoying doing nothing. And according to our API leaders, Madrid is way more fast paced than Granada!

On the eve of departure

It's finally here. I can't believe it! I have been planning for this for almost 2 years. To be honest, it hasn't quite hit me yet. It probably won't hit me until I'm getting in the plane tomorrow. Or maybe it'll just never hit me at all! I find that if I keep myself from really thinking about it, like really pondering the enormity of what I'm doing, then I'm fine! Ignorance is bliss, my friends. But here I am making it sound like I'm off to dig trenches in Siberia for three years. Everybody has been telling me this, and I know, that I will have the time of my life. So really, I'm not worried. Ok, maybe a little. But it's about stupid stuff that would never really happen. It's like the in-school-with-your-underwear nightmare. What if I get there and nobody wants to be friends with me? What if I get there, and they say my Spanish is atrocious and kick me out of the program?! What if I absolutely hate Granada? These are all silly questions, of course. Or at least that's what I tell myself (*just don't think about it, just don't think about it, just don't think about it*).

Anywho, my bags are packed, checked luggage coming in at 50.8 lbs. (the limit is 50), but if they try to say something, I'll just give them my nastiest nasty eye. Or just take a sweater out and stuff it in my purse. Either one. And may I take this opportunity to say, I am quite proud of myself for packing so light. Ok, I know it's not unbelievably light, but it's pretty good for me! Anybody who knows me knows I am such a clothes horse, sooo... 3 pairs of jeans, 15 tops, 5 cardigans, and 4 pairs of shoes really isn't that bad for me. Oh, and 4 skirts, 2 shorts. Still. I am totally impressed with myself right now. Ok, so here's hoping I have a good semester!!! The next time I write on this blog, I'll be in Spain!

Wish me luck!!