Hola España

Apparently I've come to have a distinct lack of planning in my life.

I don't know if this newfound listlessness is only in respect to Spain or if it's life in general, but I've realized I didn't really make plans for this trip.

Part of this is definitely because it was surreal. I've never left the country before, and while I know Europe exists, until today it was an abstract and out there thought, a place I planned to one day visit, and the home to a bunch of people with nutty accents.

But this monoply-esque money is real euros, the signs in Spanish don't magically translate themselves to English, and not having a plan can run you amuck.

Take for example, not having an real plan for getting from the airport to the hostel. I knew I had read that there was a train, but I knew nothing about the Madrid Metro, which lines I needed to be on, how to get there in the airport, how much it cost - nothing.

After I managed to get my baggage and get through customs (the real worries of my trip), I suddenly found myself at the exit door of the airport, looking out at Spain for the first time, with no idea how to get there, and somehow I was sure those sliding doors weren't a magical portal to my hostel. Luckily, I plucked up the courage to ask the information desk where the metro was, understood enough of her Spanish to know there would be signs, and set off to find my way. Though I didn't run into any issues, the lack of planning and focus made that part of my trip almost scary, and very abrupt.

I ran from line to line on the train carrying three bags, and when I finally got off at the right station, I had no idea where I was or where my hostel was from there. So I did the probably American thing to do -- I scammed free wifi at McDonald's. Sad to say that my first meal in Spain was, in fact, a happy meal. In Spain you get apples and fries!

But my second meal was much better, though also much more expensive! I did have some minor planning for this trip, since I booked a hostel with two girls from Mizzou also on the program. Without even meaning to, I ran into them in the lobby while checking in for my hostel, found out we were in the same room (not planned, but hoped for), and the three of us went exploring later this evening. We ate dinner on our way back, at the bar next to our hostel, we could even see the balcony to our room from the table.

And, exciting news... I bought my first drink!!

Sangria = yummmmmmmmmmmmm!

Right now we're just chilling out in the lobby, enjoying the free wifi and the nice couches. I'll leave my first Spanish purchase for another post.

Adios!

Los Viejos

The sun was rising over Spain when we flew into the city.

It sounds like the beginning of an epic novel. You don't know where it's taking the passenger, where they're coming from, what will happen as they land, but that sun you understand. A rising sun - we've all seen it, but have you seen it from Madrid?

In a way, this sentence is the beginning of my epic novel, corny as that sounds. As the next five weeks unfold, I will scribble fragments of what happens in my own story on this blog, and so I begin today for real, actually sitting in a hostel in Madrid, Spain, and writing these words.

Los viejos - travels - is the topic here (and I'm doing more than one in a day to cover all of these new experiences). My travels were good, but long and tiring.

I flew from Springfield, IL to Chicago, to D.C. to Madrid. Since I've flow domestically before, it wasn't anything new from home to D.C. The one really exciting thing was getting off of the tiny little plane (my friend made the joke that it'd be like strapping rockets to the van, turns out it was!) and we actually got to use the stairs and step out onto the tarmac. TOO COOL!

However, it became an adventure getting to Madrid. First, my plane from Chicago landed, on time in their defense, but since they could not get the jetway to operate, we had to deplane over 20 minutes later. My connection was only 45 minutes until boarding time, and losing that 20 minutes meant that it was more of run through Dullus than a pleasant walk. Luckily, I was in the same terminal, though at opposite ends.

I knew I had made it to the right gate when everything suddenly became duel languages. The announcements were in English and Spanish, a mother was scolding her two sons for being selfish in Spanish, a college-aged boy was accompanied by his hysterical mother to the gate, and he pushed her off and said goodbye in the most non-committal American way possible.

The photo is of the plane I took to Madrid. Aer Lingus - an Irish carrier - is apparently famous for their shamrock logo.

The international flight was full of firsts for me. First time leaving the country, first time being served a meal in the air, first time standing up while on a moving airplane, first time using a bathroom on an airplane (it was 8 hours, even I couldn't resist!), first time meeting a real, live Spaniard.

And then of course, the first time seeing Spain, as the sun was rising, as my adventures were actually beginning, and as I got really excited for this trip for the first time. I've been everything - excited, nervous, upset, worried, intrigued, nervous again - but as the plane was landing, I was giddy-excited for the first time,  and I knew it was going to be a good trip. But of course, that would change quickly.

T-Minus 12 Days

Preparing for Spain means doing the little things - getting a camera, buying a converter for electricity, starting a packing list, and deciding whether or not to take my phone. But some days, like this one, preparing means doing the big things.

Today my dad and I booked a hostel and a train ticket, so I'm 100% ready to get from my living room to the train station in Oviedo, the city where I'll be staying. Luckily, I've found some girls from my trip who will be in the same hostel, and hopefully it'll be great to have some comforting, familiar English-speakers around while I'm in Madrid. Hopefully that'll be an island in a sea of Spanish that I'm throwing myself into here in two weeks.

¡Ay dios mios! (Spanish for "oh my god!") I'm incredibly nervous for all of the Spanish I'll be speaking, hearing, and interpreting during my stay. The most brutal things, I think, will be the most common. Understanding the directions to take the Subway is hard enough in English, right?

But it's all going to be a learning experience, and I can't wait to get started! Only 12 days between me and flying out, and I'm sure that time will fly by!

Hopefully the next time I write, I will have found out information about my host family! I'll keep you posted!

¡Hasta luego!