Boarding the Freedom Train

Ay dios mio! It's been a crazy couple of days. Let me start at the beginning.

Andrea's casa (I'm warning you now, you might need google translate for this blog because my mind is already starting to want to go directly to Spanish, and it's very possible that I will write a few words or phrases en espanol). Anyway, we left Andrea's in the morning after her grandparents came to say goodbye. Her grandma was asking us all these questions about going over to Spain, like if we were going to date and if we were excited/nervous. My favorite was when she said that we had the look that we were boarding the freedom train (hence the magnificent title). It was a pretty uneventful morning compared to the events about to conspire. The ride to O'Hare was nothing and then all the fun stuff happens.

This is my story of coincidences before the trip actually began. We were in the restaurante in the Hilton connected to O'Hare, and when we got there, I saw this girl who looked a lot like a girl I went to high school with during freshman year. I didn't want to say anything because I wasn't really sure, but then we overheard them talking about Spain and someone named Pilar (which is the name of Andrea's host mom). Turns out, they were also studying in Spain, but in a city more north than us. It's right on the coast, as where we are between the coast and Madrid. Anyway, when they were leaving, one of the moms said Kendra's name, and I knew it had to be her, so I asked if she had gone to Bay Port, and she did. It was crazy. That reminds me, I still need to add her on Facebook. Anyway, that was the little coincidence to start off this loco trip.

Now the fun begins, and by fun, I mean almost everything that could go wrong, does. So we're waiting at our boarding gate. Up until 30 mins or so before our flight, it's on time. Then... 30 min delay. No big deal. Andrea, Mitch, and I walk over to the gate and find Steve, Kayla, Nate, and Aryn. Then our flight is delayed again... Now we're a little worried but we figure that if our flight to Philly is delayed the flight from Philly to Madrid is also delayed. Turns out it wasn't, so they call all of us up to the desk (including 3 students from other universities). We're put on a direct flight with Iberia (we were flying US Airways) and are told to go and get our luggage at baggage and recheck everything. I'm glad they told us to do so, but they probably should have informed baggage that our luggage shouldn't have been put on the flight. So that's how we ended up flying to Madrid with our luggage on another flight.

The flight to Madrid was great. I slept quite a bit of it, but it was always at weird angles. Mitch, Kayla, and Steve made fun of me for it afterward, but who cares. I finally got comfortable using the lap desk with a pillow on it. The hydrocodone for my leg also helped quite a bit. I was awake long enough to get some food (crab salad!) and then before I knew it, we were in Madrid at 7:30 am... wow. That seems forever ago. I tell you the time because we left at 12, and were waiting for at least an hour before we got picked up so you can have a time frame for the crazy that's about to happen.

Trying to find our luggage became our quest. We leave through customs and everything is going swimmingly. At baggage claim, we go up to the desk and ask the man if our original flight is on time (it had already landed, which meant it left Philly on time) and where we could get our luggage. He told us to go to Terminal 1... we went to Belt 1 and there was nothing there. Finally, after waiting for a very long time, we went down to the help desk and filed a claim for our luggage with Iberia and hopped on this bus to Terminal 1. It was fricken far away. Seriously, I thought we were leaving the city because we were up on the highway and everything. And then once we got to Terminal 1, we pretty much explored the entire area. We talked to US Airways and Iberia and US Airways/Iberia (because apparently one works for the other?). Nothing. I don't know how much we walked, but it could have easily been a couple miles from one end of the airport to another. Eventually, we find where our original flight's baggage should be and ours isn't there (this includes some of the people our first flight who also got transferred. We made friends during all this, at least). So we figure that our luggage got to Philly after our flight from Philly left... muchas gracias! So we left the airport with our carryons and nothing else. Sad panda.

Once we got out of the airport, we spent an hour waiting on a late flight and were finally on the road. I slept, even though I wanted to see the country side, but it's all good. I needed the sleep, plus it made time go really fast because I woke up and we were in Valladolid about to meet our families! We got picked up by Belen, our host mom and took a taxi home. It's really close to a major street in Valladolid, which is awesome and we have a doggy! His name is Gabi (short for Gabilondo). He's super sweet and excited to see us all the time. He loves to give kisses. So we get home and unpack, which takes Katie much longer than me because she has everything, whereas I do not. Our room here is nice, too. We're sharing but it has enough space to be comfortable.

After we were all unpacked we went to talk with Belen and her friend Teresa came over. So we talked for about 2 or 3 hours on our first night. It was difficult, but it was good practice. I can't believe how much I already think in Spanish, or want to start conversation in this language. I guess that's a good thing. Anyway, she offered us vino, and it was really nice to just talk and get used to everything. She gave us a run through of the area on the map we were given. Then we ate at like... 9:30 or something really late like that. And then we didn't go to bed until about 10:20, and we were exhausted. It was a mental drain because we had to constantly think about what we wanted to say, but Belen and Teresa are so nice and willing to help. they think we're wonderful speakers and will talk like them by the time we leave. I hope so!

And now to today. We had a test... which I won't talk about too much. It was a placement test and took like no time, and then after we took a walking tour of part of the city. I learned a lot... spaced out a lot... and walked a lot. It's a little like Caesar, except not at all. And then we walked home from La Plaza Mayor which is pretty much at the center of the city. It's only like 15/20 min so it's not bad at all. Belen came to meet us with Gabi. The morning was pretty boring because it was mostly school stuff. I should have pictures on facebook of some of the stuff once I get my camera cord, though. Keep a look out!

After our tour and school type stuff, we came home for almuerzo (or lunch). We ate at like... 2:30. It was late, but it was actually the perfect time for Katie and I to eat. Belen always wants us to eat more. We told her we were strange Americans because we don't eat a lot. She's afraid that we don't like the food, which is completely untrue! Everything is very rich here. It's not too different from some of the things back home either. Then after lunch came the most glorious siesta of all time.

Katie and I slept for 3 hours when Belen came in to tell us our friends were here. Kelsey and Andrea live one floor below us. They asked if we wanted to go shopping with them because Emily and Leah were meeting up with them at our house, so we got up... looking all sleepy and whatnot and vamos a compras (went shopping in case the context clues weren't strong enough). We went to an electronic store so Katie and Kelsey could get converters and then down to Corto Ingles. Holy crap, that place is like a 7 story Kohl's! We went up like 5 floors before realizing all the shower stuff was probably on the first floor, which it was... but it was in an area we couldn't see from the entrance. Everyone there was very helpful and I even got some stuff from the States. I have Garnier Fructis shampoo, Herbal Essences conditioner, and Dove soap. Everything is in Spanish though. And then we went to get moviles (what they call cell phones here). Mine is the color "fresh turquoise." I love it. Well the name, the phone itself is pretty basic but it will help me accomplish what I want to get done here. So getting phones brought us almost to 9 when we went to eat dinner with everyone from the program.

The restaurant wasn't far from where we were and we got there in no time at all. Everyone was outside because for whatever reason, we couldn't get in- probably because they had to clear out the entire basement for us. There was so much food (y mas vino!). I tried jamon which is cured pig's leg and this bread with tomatoes on it, and then they brought out this salad with shrimp and mushrooms. I hated the mushrooms, but otherwise it was good. There was also battered shrimp that was deep fried like a mini corndog and what looked like a pizza pocket but with tuna and tomatoes. There was tortilla espanola which is made with eggs and potatoes. It was really good. I like everything and then we had what I think was pork as the main course... maybe beef with vegetables inside with a really sweet gravy. Then they finally brought out dessert which was flan with raspberry syrup on the side. This whole thing took about 2 hours to eat, so it's not that bad. There was also a band that came down and sang to us. It was so neat. They were really entertaining. And then we finally like at like 11:40? It was pretty late, so we don't have school until 11:30 tomorrow and we're done at 1:30, I think.

So that was my first couple days in Valladolid. It's been crazy busy and insane, but I'm already loving it here. I don't feel like I'm staying for the whole semester, and by the time it sinks in, it will be time to leave. I'm trying not to think about that kind of stuff because it's daunting so early on. But I'm happy here, and I'm having a lot of fun. Of course I miss you all very much and wish I could spend my time here with you. You should come visit me! I'd show you the ropes, but I guess that's all for now.