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¡Estoy viviendo en Espana!

I have been in Spain for just over a month now.  It has flown by when I look back but at the same time the days seem to drag on.  It is hard to imagine that when I studied abroad, I was already ¼ the way done; now I am only 1/9^th the way done.  I have also started to indulge in the Spanish tradition of café.  Many people drink “café con leche” which is just coffee and milk, but with my lactose in tolerant self I result to “café cortado”, which is café with just a splash of milk and then proceed to add lots of sugar.  The coffee here is VERY strong and the first time I tried just plain coffee I was almost knocked over!

I arrived in my province on September 25^th.  The first night reminded me of my Spain excursions as we went to the grocery store and bought cheese, chorizo, bread and 1.5€ wine.  Then we proceeded to sit on the beach just down the road from our hotel and watch the sunset and get our first glimpse of the Spanish beach culture … topless people.  However, tourist season and summer has officially ended and so there were only a few people, not too many.  The following days all blur together as I set off on a mission to find a place to live.  Due to the fact that this town is so small, one literally has to walk around to obtain numbers for apartments “se aquila” (for rent).  Then began the nerve-racking and tedious process of calling these people and trying to ask about their apartment and set up an appointment all in Spanish.  Needless to say I could use a few conversation classes to improve my confidence level in the area of speaking Spanish.  The next few days numbers, money amounts and rooms all gathered in this little notebook of mine. 

Before long I ran into a place located in Garrucha that was rented by an L&C A (Language and Cultural Assistant) like myself.  The landlord knew English and was the receptionist at my hotel.  She gave me a ride to view the apartment and the deck overlooked the Mediterranean Sea and was gorgeous.  The apartment was small but that seems to be the style here.  The washing machine was on the deck outside of the “master” bedroom.  Later that night I went with a few girls from the program to the festival that was being held in our school town, Vera.  Bea (the landlord of the first place and the receptionist) told us it was a great experience to feel the ambiance and indulge in Spanish tradition.  We walked around the different venders, drank cerveza (beer), and  ate two different meals plates.  One consisted of chicken (or rabbit, not sure), peppers and patatas.  The other was blood sausage (I did not try), pork, patatas, fried egg and a few other meats.  Following that we arrived at a stage and saw that something was going to start and thus proceeded to stick around.  There were men playing different types of guitars (or whatever they are called here) and then women walking out in traditional dresses of some sort with baskets.  The men played music and the women began to do a dance of some sort.  Very interesting.  Then afterwards came out to the audience with their baskets which were filled with unknown fruit.  After this there were many carnival rides that would most likely have been illegal in the US!  They had the swinging ship but with standing cages on the end.  People were standing and going perpendicular to the ground!  It was fun and crazy.  We then decided to stick around later to see what the dancing was all about that people said started happening around 1 am.  Was stuck around until 3 while dancing a bit and listening to the latest songs in Spanish.  We all soon figured out about the unreliable transportation in Vera.  We waited for an hour after calling four times for a taxi and having one finally arrive.  I also learned that the busses were not very punctual either.  This is when I decided I had to look else where besides Garrucha for an apartment if I wanted to get to work on time. 

After looking and asking for prices I finally found one in the small pueblo of Vera.  The city is pretty much like a ghost town from Oct-March when the beaches are not in season.  However this is my new home and I will make due!  Long story short, I have a wonderful apartment in the heart of the city!  My new home definitely gives off a Spanish vibe as it overlooks “Plaza de Hospital” (which does not have a hospital but just a library and I think a church) and a cute littler restaurant on the corner that I have been to three times!  Patatas alioli are my favorite!  There are small floor to ceiling windows with small railings.  The furniture and appliances are all old and worn but it’s the Spanish way.  The apartment came with cooking utensils but I have had to buy my own sheets, towels etc … 

I also have a roommate that is doing this program as well whom I met the day he moved in.  Very nice and we get along well.  We also are both interested in cooking different Spanish dishes and are beginning to only speak Spanish to each other.  We had “Arroz a la Cubana” the other day for lunch and it was delicious.  This is rice with tomato sauce and an egg on top.  We also had breaded eggplant.  Yummy!   As some of you might know, all you buy here is whole fish … fillets are rare to come by.  Hence, me and my roommate are going to attempt to cook a whole fish later this week … yikes!  We will see how it goes! 

Now … I started work on Friday and we were only there for an hour but I am SO excited!  Everyone (meaning the teachers and staff) were so welcoming and excited to have native English speakers in their school.  They have to speak English to us and we have to respond in Spanish.  I got many kisses that day!  Then we walked around to the classrooms and all the kids said hello.  I will be teaching mostly 4^th,5^th and 6^th graders.  I have Monday’s off and half a day on Tuesdays.  I am so excited to begin my experience!  I hope to get to know some of the teachers and have them show me around the town and introduce me to some Spaniards! 

The internet is hard to come by here and I have to go to the Plaza outside or in the library in order to get it.  Hence being in the plaza I have met an abandon puppy.  He has an underbite and is so cute.  Every time I sit on the bench he comes and snuggles with me and tries to nibble at my shirt to get my attention.  Hence I named him Pico (I bite/nibble).  I hope he does not have fleas as I have been petting him and he has been laying on me but I guess we will find out!  Haha.

That is my past week or so experience here in my new residence for the next 8 months!  I am both excited and nervous!  Now that things are settling down and I don’t have so much to do I have started to get homesick but hopefully once school picks up I will find myself with more to do and less time to think about the US … I mean I’m living in Spain!  How much better could it be?!?! 

Hope everyone is enjoying my blog!  Time to eat some lunch and possibly go to the beach J

Besos,

Julie