Monday, January 31, 2011

Only in Spain

What would you do if you went home, and a member of your family told you they had bullfighting practice?


Only in Spain, my friends, would this happen.

I never really thought about going to a bullfight, as I've been told it's stereotypical of Spain and may people go all their lives without seeing one- but Sunday I was able to go for the first time.


They call it bullfighting, but they don't actually kill the bull. This bullfighting school is for students 14?-18. After 18, they can go further with their career and start actually killing bulls.


My host sister is in this school, and Sunday my host family and I went to this event. First there was a mass in a tent outside the bullring. This was interesting, as it has only been the second mass I have been to during my stay here in Spain.


Next, we all went to watch. After, there was a big meal with everyone- the bullfighters and family. This was a very nice lunch, not to mention very Spanish.

Plates just kept being brought out, one after another. First, ham, bread, and cheese. Second, potatoes & peppers with olive oil (everything, everything in olive oil...) Third, a typical prepared salad (olive oil!). Fourth, a plate of various types of meats. Fifth, another type of meat. Sixth, dessert. I'm sure I am missing two plates for sure which at the moment I cannot remember what they were.


I wish I knew more about all the rules to explain even more, but until then here are some snapshots I took.







They have to put the bulls away; as usually they are killed and dragged off by horses. This can prove to be a difficult task...

And don't underestimate the women of this country- as they were there too.






Grab life by the horns?




-mb

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Bienvenidos a Alicante

Palm trees, anyone?



Welcome to wonderful land of Alicante. Need I say more?



For the first time in my life, I am living on the beach. To just think that I can look out my window and see the ocean in the horizon is amazing.


Saturday my host family took me down the street (no more than 10 minutes by car) and I was able to walk around to take some pictures.

The coast is amazing, and let's not forget the temperature. I could have been with a t-shirt and jeans the whole day.

I also had to make a mental note that I wasn't in Hawaii.









I had to catch a shot of the "metro" here in Alicante vs. Madrid. I'm not exactly sure how it works yet but I'm sure it won't take much time to figure out...



A few more shots of Alicante...




Best of luck with the snow blower,



-mb


Photoshop makes everything feel better, no?

Friday, January 28, 2011

Part Two.

As I was writing in my journal from Madrid to Alicante, my pen ran out of ink. That's how much I have to say.


(And yes, that is Caroline in the bag I brought to Alicante:)

There are no words to describe the confusion, lost-ness (is that a word?), and complete overwhelming changes I have gone through. And to add- nothing is familiar. I was going to write a blog post on familiarity, and can't remember all that I have said. Usually when you are put into a new environment, you look for anything to connect to. This may be talking, looking at pictures, thinking about how something reminds you of another, etc. etc. And what do I have? Nothing. Well, almost.

In addition to all of the changes, I am going through the weirdest homesickness that I have ever, ever gone through in my entire life. I miss Madrid. Because for me, right now, that is my home.

My Madrid home consists of many things. Not necesarily the actual house, but the people I met along the way. The adventures I went on. The streets I know. The metro, transportation. The monuments. The street performers. Knowing which tile to stand on, waiting for the metro to Pinar. I hope a post to come is all on familiarity. And really. It may be boring- life, but familiarity is a word often forgotten.

This doesn't mean change isn't good. Or that adventure will kill you. Absolutely not. But, it is something that is way beyond overlooked.

I am doing well, so to speak. I can't say I'm doing awesome, as the fact my life has completely started over is...well...overwhelming. And stressful. Let's add in the Madrid-homesickness as well.

What I do know, is this change will bring good. I will have more of a family experience, and more of the basic needs. Some needs are unwritten, such as interest. You can't ask for it, but it's a necesarity in life.

(How Jake & I pay for lunch. But don't worry, we put the coins in order...)

With change brings challenge, as the two always come hand in hand. I have grown to be so independent, I have to remind myself that someone telling me something simple could just be the fact to help me. I am used to doing absolutely everything on my own, and seeking for my own help if needed. Now I am overwhelmed with direction. But some things have to do with a first time host family as well. Like really. If I have loose change and want to keep it in my purse, in my purse it stays. If I want to bring my credit card with me in my wallet in my purse, it will come. I don't need an 'adult' to carry it for me. I know that trash goes in the trash can. I know how to speak English. And (for Mackenzie:) I definitly know where Arizona is. I am definitely most capable of introducing myself if needed. I don't need someone to explain to my teachers (school starts Monday) who I am. And let me make one, gigantic thing clear.

I understand Spanish.

I don't understand every single individual word, but I get the idea. A big thank you to whoever told my host family I don't speak a word of Spanish. What else were they told? I was a problem child? Great first impressions to give a host family...

So I also have to explain that I have already been here for five months. I lived in Madrid. I know things about life. Not everything. But a few things. It's a new set of challenges, but an interesting set. Completely different than my other challenges. But once you overcome those challenges, comes growth.

And by no doubt, I have grown more in the past five months than ever before. Or after.

What you learn from Madrid? Lots. And one?

You just know where you are. I amazed not only myself, but my host family with this.

We dropped off my host sister at her "bull fighting?" (minus killing a bull...?) practice. We then drove five or so blocks down to find a parking spot. We walked to the ring, and then left to return almost two hours later. We came back, walked to the car in a completely different direction, and my host mom didn't know where we were. She didn't know where she had parked either. I looked at the streets, and somehow I pin pointed exactly which corner it was on from being two blinded corners away from the car. This did not only impress them- but scared the living out of me. I had been in Alicante for about 27 hours, never on those streets before, and was able to know where we had parked? Ask anyone and there are no street signs. I was using references from- the distance we were from a building a third of a mile away, and the number of minutes we had walked from the ring. I also was able to precisely remember leaving the car, when I had made no effort to do so before.

It wasn't luck. I don't like to say it, but I just knew. Can I mention this frightens me?

It's weird for me to sit here and say how small Alicante is. It's incredible. I did not realize how much I had gotten used to until it was taken away. The small things.

Which drawer you put your pants in, cause this time they aren't going on hangers. Where the clock is where you wake up.

But then you wake up, frantically searching for the clock you have in Minnesota, and freak out when you realize you're not in Kansas anymore.

And that's exaclty what happened. As my "previous life" seems so much like a dream now, my "third one" is by far the strangest. Waking up thinking I was in Minnesota (legitimately) was, almost one of the scariest things in my life. I had to go through my whole story to figure out what was going on.

That I had left Minnesota. For Spain. Lived in Madrid. Which house? The aparment. Remembered what the apartment looked like. Then had to figure out what happened. A flashback of waving Madrid goodbye came, and finally, it hit me that I was in Alicante.

Possibly the fastest thinking I've ever done in my life.

So there is more to come, as I need to write more about familiarity and "being used to" vs. "getting used to." I can tell you I am not used to many things, such as the umbrella lamp in my room. With being in Alicante for 24 hours, and my room only about half of that time, I have hit my head on this lamp 18 times in counting. But it's getting there.

I do want to add that I really think this will be a good 5 months with this family. They are very nice and excited to host an exchange student this year. Will update more about that soon.

Another shoutout to my friends-

Thanks for everything. You are all very, very missed.





Con amor

-mb

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Segovia


There are so many things that I love about being an exchange student, and creative surprises are just one.


(Photo credited to Danielle)

Eight of us students from Madrid went to Segovia to surprise another student for her birthday.

Upon arrival, we all got newspapers. As we were waiting for Sarah to bring Linda into town, we spread out around the plaza. You can imagine the looks of people walking by, gradually noticing eight students "casually" spread out around the place.

(Caroline on a bench)

We got quite a few looks, followed by people pointing us out, looking at us in a happy, confused manner.

(Zeke against aqueduct, Mackenzie on stairs)


(Jake on a bench...)

...Pictures can explain the 'ridiculous-ness' the best?


We later headed out to the castle, which I have wanted to see for a long time. The class trip to Spain that my American school takes stops by this castle. I have seen many pictures from the bulletin board in class. It was really cool to finally be "there," as I studied that bulletin board for quite some time.

Especially the map. Sitting, wondering where my new home would be.

We then continued to take pictures, climb the tower, and grab some churros right before heading home.

Saying goodbye to my two dear friends Sarah & Linda in Segovia made me realize the reality of my situation. As I will see them again at the end-of-stay orientation, the thought of early goodbyes is so very...sudden.


When one door closes, another one opens. And sometimes those doors are slammed shut in your face- while the opened doors are rather hard to find. There are fake doors, trap doors, and others that lead to secret passage ways. It is our job to find those hidden doors, and persue the surprises that the other side brings.



-mb

Friday, January 21, 2011

Alicante

So first of all, a big happy birthday to my older brother. I miss you :(


Second, I have received news from AFS that I am moving to a new host family in Alicante. I have very mixed feelings about this. As I am very happy to be placed with a host family that really wants to have a student, but at the same time, the move brings up so many changes. A huge reason why I picked to stay a year is because I wanted a strong, year long relationship being with a family. Experiencing beginning to end, changing and growing with the same family is huge. Picking AFS over other exchange programs was also partly because AFS has their students stay with the same host family year long, instead of making switches two or three times.

Though it is difficult not to think too hard, I feel like five months is nothing. I hope that with these last five months I am able to have a very strong experience. It's getting down to crunch time, and it's though I am on two different programs. One- in Madrid, Spain. The country's capital and largest city. Two- Alicante. Not as big, but more of a resort town on the beach. Both very cool.

But I am back to square one.

The same feeling of awaiting the application, knowing the basics, researching the area, etc. etc.

The same 'unfamiliarity' that a student longs for.

I still have yet to write a blog post on that. More or less of what I'm trying to say is- I've finally found familiarity. I recognize people on the metro. I know the streets of the city. I know how long it takes to get where. I know how the school works. I have my friends here.

I have my friends here.

What a simple sentence. Let's break it down.

I, Mary Beth, a human being

Have, something that takes time

My, mine, not others

Friends, the people I enjoying being with and can't imagine living without

Here, as in this town, right now, in Madrid.


How can I just leave? It's like moving to another country. Even if I see them a time or two, we will never have this type of everyday normal life friendship again. I know we will keep in touch, but I am about to go through a completely new stage of life.

And what is that? A five month life.

I have to:

Adapt to my surrounds.
Learn the norms.
Change myself.
Make new friends.
Accept the concept of having a new family.
and completely merge into a different life.

Knowing I will leave in five months.


It's one thing to sign up for a six month program. That's great if you want only a taste of a lifestlye. You know you are only there for a short time, and can plan for such an early return. Me? I have to cram a lot of goodbyes and 'last times' in less than a week. I can't even start to list the things I haven't done in Madrid yet. There are so many things that I don't have the time to do before I go.

So here I am, sitting, wondering what my 'next life' is going to be like. I am overly thrilled to be living on a beach for the first time in my life.

But the thought of leaving my friends continues to haunt me.

In time, sure. It will get easier. Time brings adjustment, and things will start to once again, become familiar.

On the bright side, I am psyched to know that I am going to a better place.


The buck stops here. I have not much more to explain, as the concept is simple. I am very suddenly being placed in a new position, starting over for my second time.

Let's not forget going back to the states is yet another adjustment yet to come.

And to wrap up my post, I would like to make a shout out to all my friends.

Thank you, for being there.

I would also like to thank all of the adults that have helped me through these past five months of living on my own. I have to thank my host family for hosting me, as they have given me all that they can. I can also add the fact that I have learned a ton in these past five months. I have to thank my future host family, that I know they will be great and I am overly excited about being a part of their family.

Thank you, all, for everything.




I hope the future brings promise. And that in those promises, there is good.


My bus leaves next Thursday afternoon.

-mb

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Day 134

That's right. I went one hundred and thirty three days in Madrid without being pick-pocketed.

Day number 134 got me.


The story is short, but it's a good lesson learned. I lost my abono. The monthly metro pass that just a few days ago I described as magic.

My destination was a disco- Kapital, at the Atocha metro station. First I had to take the metro outside my house to another one- and there I had my abono. I had to run it through the machine again there.

I am always a bit paranoid about my bag, constantly checking to make sure that it is closed.

From there I met some friends at a different metro station in the west side of Madrid, and later we headed to Atocha. I did not need my ticket again until after the disco.

Leaving the Atocha metro station, I put a flyer in my bag. It is possible that at this time my abono fell out, or even before this point.

We get to the coat check at the disco and I notice the outside pocket is open. Panicked, I looked for my abono, and mistook it for a different piece of paper.

Leaving the disco early since I am still sick, I get to the metro- abonoless.

After thinking about it more, I can almost confirm I got pick-pocketed. The strange thing is I don't remember being in crowds really. Where we were really wasn't all that crowded.

As of now that's all I'm aware of that I've lost. Hopefully, that was all. Being January 15th, I have just enough time to apply for another card (it takes 15-20 days) for next month. However, I do not know if I will still be living in Madrid next month. I am moving in more or less one week. Where? No idea.

I still however have a 'A' level pass (I was robbed of a B3) and could use that. But am I going to use thirty trips on the metro in one week?

So the icing on the cake for the week. Monday was a trip to the hospital.

Let me make a note- if the United States does not go to free health care- we'll all good.

Like seriously? the hospital was terrible. This place was more like a clinic, but it was nuts. After finally getting my paper work cleared up (there really wasn't much...minus the fact that no medical records were included) I went and sat outside door #8 for over two hours. After the doctor knew what type of throat infection I had, his only question was- "What are you allergic to?"

And this doctor doesn't speak a word of English. Penicillin translates just fine, but I guess ceclor doesn't? But it wasn't too important to him, he gave me my perscription and off I went to the pharmacy. I had an idea of what the Spanish name was, but took it home and translated it before I took it anyways.

I'm not sure what I have now, but I have no over the counter medicines to help me out. Tomorrow I will be on a search for what I can find, as I'm not sure what they have here in Spain. Hmm...

**I'll try to get pictures, as this post lacks a great deal of creativity. Click on the picture to make it bigger.

So it's been the longest Christmas vacation for me on record- with 25 days in total. This past Monday I was at school for only a total of two hours before going to the clinic, and was out until Thursday. Friday I should have stayed home, as I got more of flu like symptoms and barely had class. First hour was PE, and I was allowed to stay inside and study since running outside probably wasn't the best thing for me. Second hour was biology. Third hour was philosphy, but for some reason the kids had to take some type of survery or test for statistical purposes, and I was asked to go to the library. Next was our 'recess', and the class after that was an English class, in which I am excused to go to the library and study Spanish. After that was literature. Ending the day was English where, well... I don't have to work that hard.

On a side note, I would like to apologize for all my grammar mistakes. Not only has my English been slipping, my spell checker here on blogger is set to Spanish.

So according to it- I have spelt every single word wrong. Talk about confidence...

As I'm sure I can fix the settings to that, I would like to make a side note that my Google search is also in Spanish. www.Google.es (ES=Espana)



As I know I have gotten google.com before, I continue to fail to access the website. Perhaps I'll get it figured out one day.


So that's how I conclude my post. Nothing special, just a boring week of an exchange student. I'd like to point out the fact we (exchange students) didn't sign up for a walk in the park. In my case, it was a walk through Madrid. We come across a challenge, and "take it by the horns."

Like a bull. The Spanish way.


-mb


"When the going gets tough, the tough get going."

Friday, January 14, 2011

How to Comment

Yes. This is real.


I've been asked by more than one person how to leave a comment, so I thought I'd write how. But then I figured I needed visuals, so here it goes:

(INSERT INSTRUCTOR'S VOICE HERE)



Scroll to bottom of blog post. Click on # Comments.


You will be brought to this:


Write Comment, and then select profile.


If you have one of the listed accounts, click on the type you have. You will then be brought to your login page where you will be asked to write that ridiculous name you choose to call yourself and the secret passage code

(that word/number/caps combination you forgot and didn't write down in the fear of someone finding it, taking over all your life's information- just to realize that it wouldn't even matter, you don't use the account anyways...)

in order to be granted access to your profile. AKA: Description of Self.

You have to login to your "description of self?" Weird.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN ACCOUNT: (because you never thought you'd need one...)

Click on the 'Anonymous' profile. Add your name if you wish for your identity to be discovered.

I do throw out an apology for not realizing I had my settings marked to only allow people to comment if they had account, so my deepest apoligies for that.

After selecting your profile and typing your message, you click "Post Comment"




You are now free to move about the country


-mb




Oh yeah. Jake copied my "The Adventures Of" so I had to come up with a more create title. And if the pictures are took small for ya, click on 'em.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Excuse Me, Where Am I?

A collection of randomness that often makes me wonder where I am. The odds and ends that make up this country to be an adventure for some, and everyday life for others.

The great diversity of Spain: a million tiny countries in one.







Madrid Skyline












View from highway...











and another...










and another...









and another...are we in the same country?











Overview of Segovia






So there you have it. What is Spain like? Can is be described with one post? A book? I don't think so. Four and a half months later I am still incapable of summing up Spain.



Back to the question. Where am I? It's a question that comes up quite frequently. Everyday in it's own way... Four and a half months later the little things aren't so obvious, and you start to fall into a routine. The shower doesn't look funny. Your apartment looks familiar. You start to recognize people on the metro. You've got the metro system so memorized, switching lines becomes automatic and you don't have to think about it anymore. Not having a regular sized spoon in the house doesn't confuse you. You...finally (well, debatable for some) learn if the door swings out or in... and if you admit that you speak English or Spanish to someone on the street they will interrigate you and beg you for money. That's how I've learned to say random stuff in different languages.



My host situation has been a bit different, which I will explain in a later post. I haven't exactly had the same challenges as a...normal...exchange student. There have been some problems with my host family, as their financial situation is not suitable to have a student at the moment. I'm in the "pre-departure" feeling a little bit, as my host family is going to change in about two weeks. Therefore, I do not know where I will be living.

Madrid. Valencia. Sevilla. Barcelona. Mallorca. Cantabria. Basque Country.

Back to square one.

Awesome.

But I've got a long post almost done explaining all of that. Below are some more things I've captured that are bits and pieces of what makes up some confusion as to where in the world I am. And the meaning is deeper than the little things. Whether it's the way people act, how they think or talk to you, the level of respect they show, or the opinions they have- there is always something that stands out, and I can start to see how foreigners might feel in my own country...


"The Towers" -Also used as a compass and distance calculator.


Metro outside my apartment.



So this is why you need to get an Internationl Driver's License. To figure out what all these signs mean...




Riofrio..."cold river"...with two buildings and a deer(?!)




Random sign in metro. There are worse- trust me. Just ask Jake ;D

'Ta Luego,

-mb