UN-real

THESE. DAYS. HAVE. BEEN. INSANE.
Nothing like I'm used to.
I'm in a big city. THE BIGGEST city. The only city I've ever lived in.
And I SUCK at navigation.
So much has happened. I cannot even describe the details.
This week has been crazy. I feel like I have sooooooooo much to say.

This lifestyle is awesome & so different. It is so hard to eat and not be starving all the time!!!! I eat breakfast then have to wait til 2!! ( I usually snack) and dinner doesn't occur until around 9-10, and the past few days I even waited til 11-12, which is completely normal!

This city is so romantic, and everything is new. You could never have the same day in Madrid. My friends in my program are amazing. We are all so unbelievably different, and we all love to have fun.

I haven't written in a few days, so I forgot so much that has happened to describe because SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED. We had everyone over the other night for wine at our apartment, and it was essentially a girls night- super bonding- until Josh and his friends FINALLY showed up to got out at like 2:30/3, but of course we had to all hang out before leaving. That night was very fun- and very random + we were up til 6, again.

The next day we had orientation then Josh, Alina, and I (my roomies and I) ate lunch by our apartment, and it was delicious! We got back and had planned a nap, but it didn't happen, and we went shopping at the supermarket again and planned our trip to Barcelona. Javi came over for awhile, and Alina passsssed out. Josh and I left to go meet everyone at El Tigre Del Norte, it's a tapas bar where you order a drink for 6 euros, and it is a liter large, and you get all the tapas you want to eat. Josh and I got lost for about thirty minutes because we kept asking for directions, and we were pointed in the opposite direction almost every time- WHY?- because APPARENTLY there are 2 El Tigre Del Norte's, and they are a few blocks a part AND there is an apparel store called the TIGER. SO DUMB. Anyway, we found our group, and they led us there. It was amazing & delicious. ~15 of us shared a room, and we had a great time & then departed to go to 2 separate clubs. "It" got real.

We planned on going to Toledo the next day, but my body was WAY to over exhausted, so I slept in ... til 3 ( I had gone to bed at 6 again). Josh and others still went though, and they said it was AMAZINGLY beautiful - hopefully he'll get me some pictures soon.

Javi and I instead went to Parque del Retiro- the most surreal and beautiful park ever and to be in a city!? We ate lunch and relaxed outside, and it was amazing. We proceeded to an intercambio, which is where Spanish speaking and English speaking people go to learn the other language. It was basically this tucked away bar where everyone just stood an conversed and met each other. Everyone there was SO nice because they all wanted to meet people. We met several locals who bought us drinks, and I met people from Javi's program. They are also SO NICE. I was so excited because I haven't met anyone I haven't liked here. We exchanged phone numbers with several locals, and left for a bar that had food & drinks and free hookah with it. I got to meet a lot of people from Javi's program, and it was so amazing. 


We split up at around 12:30, and I met up with Josh to walk to a stand where most of the guys from our program were. It's called Heineken Bar, and it has 1 euro shots & 6 beers for 5 euros. After a bit, we left to meet the girls from my program and to go to La Pancha - a big club in Madrid. We had a great long walk altogether, and half of us ended up returning home because we had to get up for Segovia this morning, and the toll of several nights (or mornings) in Madrid was having its way. 

Segovia 
It was beautiful. I don't know how the HECK my roomies got up because they were up til 6 AGAIN. Alina had napped one day, but Josh literally hasn't slept more than 2 hours a night since we've been here. We had a tour through the cathedral and around the city, and we ate the Segovia-famous Chinchillo (pig leg roasted).

In front of the castle in Segovia 

Fun Fact: the castle from which Walt Disney got his inspiration! Thanks, Megan, I believe it was who told me that!

Thank you, Rachel, for the pic!

On top of the castle tower with the API group- Ethan, we missed you!!!

Thanks again for the pic, Rachel!!!

Upon our return, Javi and I fixed my phone- SO HAPPY MOVIL, I learned, IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH VERIZON WIRELESS- lesson learned. I ended up having to buy a cheap phone for that SIM card, but it's honestly easier, so whatever. We wondered the streets, and we found another great place for eats and drinks called La Parallel (I believe). We then stopped at several other places and ended up greeting his friend Chris before I took a taxi home because of my exhaustion and because I must wake up at 7 tomorrow, and we go to SEVILLA! with my program group, Javi's and some of Alina's friends will be there too. It's going to be awesome!

New World

Sitting here at 22.30 (10:30) with a glass of Tempernillo from Chile that was 2.98 euros and manchego  (also ~ 3 euros) with crackers and some plantains with olive oil and garlic. Believe it or not, the olive oil is the most expensive part of my meal (9 euros for the bottle). The Spanish give a lot of ducks about their olive oil (not a type-o, I seriously mean ducks, quack-quack). After that parenthetical remark, you probably think I have had a glass too many, but I actually haven't had a drink since noonish, and I'm waiting for my wine to open up, so I haven't had any! I'm just soooo exhausted.

I have so much to tell. This day has been INSANE. I need to hurry before my friends in the program come over to our apartment any minute. We're going to talk and drink wine then go to one of the local clubs.

Last night, we went to a strand of bars on the street they call la Latina. We went and had some sangria and such at two bars, but our group was so large (compared to the bars there & because they were busy) that we ended up going back to la Plaza Meyor and drinking some sangria in the square and people watching. It was a tame night, and we woke up for more orientation then basically wondered the city until 4:30- then moved into our new homes!!!!!

Many- a MANY faux pas occurred today.  You wouldn't believe. I heard in orientation at A&M that I would make mistakes and embarrass myself, and they were SOOOO RIGHT. Alina and I laughed a lot, but we also looked like morons.

FOR THE PHONE. If you come to Spain, don't second guess, don't have a phone in mind. I don't know; at least, that's what I found. Get something cheap (29 euros or under) that has 9 cents a minute or less - this is for local calls I'm talking. I went to 3 different phone stores, waited in line with a number for a LONG time, and they didn't even end up having the cheapest phone in stock meaning I would have had to buy a legit, 50 euros or more phone just for making local calls. I ended up buying a happy movil sim card - 20 euros - which includes 15 euros worth of minutes already. It's only 6 cents a minute for local calls, and if you come to get an international phone, get the international option and it's only 3 CENTS PER MINUTE INTERNATIONAL. Unfortunately you can't get both options on one sim card, but that's pretty legitimate.

We went to this amazing market, which will be featured on the video soon. We got oysters and a glass of white wine, which was delicious!!!

Okay, so the best part. We moved in today!!!! I love my roommates. Alina & Josh are the absolute best and easiest to live with. We went apartment shopping for the basics. Just to let you know, Alina speaks fluent Russian & German!!! It's crazy. I've been telling everyone. She yelled at me this morning in the hotel while asleep in Russian, and I thought she was cussing me out in her sleep, but she actually just accidentally asked what time it was in Russian.

Our apartment is surreal!!!!! We got it kind of far away from Puerta del Sol and everything because JOSH had to have A/C!!!! Hahahaha just kidding, it's grand, but the place is AMAZING. SO SAFE. We have an elevator, key to get in the building & in the room & an extra safe bolt for when we go out. There's a security guard on a bike that goes between our building and the one beside us (good space in between, like 200 meters), and a guard stand that can see the street and the entrance to our building.
The neighborhood is BEAUTIFUL. The metro is so close. A super market and restaurants are within a 5 minute walk. The botanical gardens, Museo del Prado, and amazing Parque de Retiro are within walking distance. --yes I Oxford comma--
It will be in the next video.

We each have our own bedrooom, 2 bathrooms, a washer ( you dry EVERYTHING on close pins), a kitchen, a living room! And we're on the 8th floor and have amazing views!!!

I have so much to tell, but I have to go because we have to ring our friends up, but I'll tell more & some great embarrassing moments hopefully tomorrow!!!

1st DAY

Today has been crazy!
Today really is composed of 2 days; I left Saturday at noon in Texas & arrived in Madrid at 3 AM (Texas time), 10 AM Madrid time on Sunday (today) AND now it's around 2:30 PM.

That flight was realllllllly rough. It is so IMPOSSIBLE to sleep on planes. I sat next to a friendly male studying Archaeology in Mallorca. We watched We Bought a Zoo, which wasn't that bad for the low expectations set on air planes (+ Matty D) & the awful Midnight in Paris (awful because I've seen it before with slightly higher expectations & the acting is straight up atrocious in that movie- sorry if you liked it - the Hemingway component is great!)

ANYWAY, ANYWAY- upon descending, it was soooo amazing because you just see vineyard after vineyard. I've never seen anything like it. Tons of little trees perfectly spaced out in thousands of grids.

The airport was overwhelming- many a faux pas if you know me, but I made it to the API table! And met a bunch of people. Five were from UT and were all going to Seville. I met my future apartment roommate, Josh from Boston, and I meet the girl soon! As she will be dropped off from the airport a n y minute to share this cute and quaint hotel room with me.

 --- speaking of my idiocy & exhaustion, I COULD NOT FIGURE OUT HOW TO TURN ON THE ELECTRICITY IN MY  HOTEL ROOM! I knew it was somewhere, and like Ace Ventura on the PC game, I tried so hard to find clues, but nothing worked. Found out that you put the room key in the little square thing by the door entrance (which I had previously pushed furiously to try to make SOMETHING work). So lesson learned: don't make the same mistake I did and feel like a defeated moron. ---

It is very, very close to Puerta del Sol, which is this grand plaza in Madrid that is beautiful and has tons of stores, bars, and restaurants. There are so many people here. It's amazing how many people dress up and do acts on the street for photos and tips. They will be on my video in a day or two. It's UNBELIEVABLE.

The Madrid API group and I all ate lunch there at an outdoor restaurant. It was beautiful, and we people watched in awe.

We are all quite exhausted, and now I write in my hotel room awaiting the meet up with my future and current roomie! THEN shower, nap, orientation, dinner, & bar hopping in Puerta del Sol! I hope Javi & I get to meet up. My current lack of local phone is a bit of a problem that I will fix as soon as I find this legendary Orange company...

Will update again soonish-
!

Hello!
This is my first post on my blog! I am on the airplane home from Puerto Rico, and in 6 days, I will be on a plane to Madrid! I am so excited and so nervous! I hope that my posts will help show a window into the culture and assist you in future travels to Europe because sometimes you don't get all the advice needed, which I expect I will experience very quickly in a country knowing little Spanish alone, well, mostly alone; my boyfriend of almost 4 years, Javi, will be going as well for an internship at a hospital (I am going to study abroad). He will have a blog as well, and I will post the link soon! If you're reading this, you probably know Javi and I, and I just sound really strange... anyway! Enjoy!