Day 3: Reflections

The trip over was an experience to say the least. I went from Rochester to Dulles to Frankfurt to Madrid, and I'd have to say the Frankfurt airport was the most poorly-planned structure of all of them. It was a labyrinth, it was like the set of American Gladiators. There are kiosks there that let you use the internet for 2.5 minutes for 1 Euro (the cheapest option when you've promised to let your parents know you've made your connection but it's 3AM their time)... Anyways, they made the keyboard so confusing that my 2.5 minutes was really like .5 and my e-mail to dad was essentially "on waww to Madrid thank". I swear to god there was a niner on that keyboard... and maybe some morse code. Anyways, my flights were good because I didn't have to sit next to anyone directly except for the flight over the Atlantic (of course), which was spent between a not-delicately built man, nay a chatty mouth-breather (with halitosis, I swear!) and an amphibous-looking German who was in the WINDOW seat and had to go to the bathroom every hour on the hour (I actually timed the flight by his bathroom trips)... Also, they played "Nights in Rodanthe" which I could only watch half of before resorting to listening to Lufthansa Radio (German techno) and ordering another v&t (open bar plane)!

So, I got into Madrid's Barajas Airport and went to luggage pick-up and who's there but... FC Barcelona's Basquetbol team (pro bball... played Real Madrid's Bball team on the 28th... all monstar-sized). That was the team NBA All-Star Pau Gasol played for when he played in Spain. I thought it was cool, but I was afraid to stop and take a picture with them because I didn't want to lose 6 months worth of luggage! Also, I was being harassed by a random who wanted me to follow him to his taxi, but he was leading me to the normal passenger parking in the opposite direction of the official taxi pickup. I told him I was waiting for friends. That said, Madrid is the most intimidating place I have ever been. I didn't feel very comfortable until I got a cell phone and the girl I live next to helped me set up my wireless... cell phones are cool here though because everywhere in Spain is a standard local rate. So, I can call my friend Leigh in Oviedo like it's no big deal!

Anyways, obviously there are jerks and nice people everywhere, but I had a very unpleasant experience with a salesman at El Corte Ingles who was rude to me because I didn't know the word for the plastic piece at the end of an internet cable!! Sorry, I've been here 3 hours and I don't know what that is in ENGLISH!!!! Anyways, I got to explore the metro (read: get lost a few times... you have to push a button on the door to enter and leave. Also, you have to keep your ticket out for the whole ride because you need it to get out of the system).

I got to visit my friend Matt and meet all his friends in Alcala de Henares, 40 minute train ride from where I am. That was my first night there, and I was exhausted, but I didn't want to be alone. So, we had a fun night. If you want stories, I got stories, but they are not for the faint of heart. They include but are not limited to: open flames, boots on fire, 80s music, fountains... like I said, you might not want to know.

The Spanish kids on campus are high-strung because it's first semester exams right now, and they travel in packs so I've been a little timid around them, other than the occasional "hola" in the hallway. Their style is very different from ours, they love unflattering denim (we're talking light wash, straight boy-cut jeans on girls that are saggy baggy in the butt). I'll do a fashion post later. I'm mostly astounded by how cavalier the natives are with their bags. Pickpockets MUST target "guiris"... white people haha because these people are asking to by pickpocketed while I sit there making sure my secret pockets are concealed.

I had a chance to go to the grocery today... So cool, so cheap, cheap, cheap. Cheeses you've never heard of, wine from the Rioja Region for cheap, and the seafood section is TRULY remarkable...

I haven't been taking many pictures because I have been mostly doing chores in places that would make me feel vulnerable if I gave off a tourist vibe so... I'll save that for Monday and Tuesday, when I use the Madrid Card I received for Christmas!! I can't wait! Expect another post after that! Hasta luego!