Whelmed.

"- I know you can be overwhelmed, and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed? 

- I think you can in Europe."

Those of you who got that 10 Things I Hate About You quote...awesome.  This definitely applies.  I am whelmed.  Madrid is....too many words to describe, and I can't really say that I've been here long enough to really understand this place yet.  I am not overwhelmed, since I'm not curled up in a ball crying in my bed or booking the first flight back home, but I am most definitely not overwhelmed, because you would have to be absolutely silly to come to a place like this feel any lack of emotions, excitement, or desire to try and do EVERYTHING. Since I can't get all philosophical or literary on you just yet since I haven't been here quite long enough, I will simply explain what the last 48 hours or so have been like.

I arrived on Monday morning at the hotel in Madrid, Hotel Husa Princesa.  We had some IES introductions, and I immediately went out with some of the kids here to get a cell phone, a must for anyone, anywhere...because what am I supposed to do without my cellphone?! We went on tours with the "Compañeras" or Spanish students who either work or volunteer to hang out with the American students and/or live with the ones that are on their own in apartments.  Christian, the Spanish students who I as with, showed us around the area near the hotel, but it was freezing and raining.  Even the Spaniards were surprised at the weather, which was encouraging because it was pretty chilly.

He took us to a bar/restaurant, 100 Montavidos, which is really popular on Wednesdays because you can get a beer and little sandwich, and everything is only 1 euro.  He also pointed out some others we should try.  After the tour, some of the IES kids and I went to one such bar, La Gandaría, where I had the most giant sangria of my life, it took me all night to finish that one.  We also ran into Christain there, who came with some friends to get a drink and a plate of fries, chicken pieces, and a bunch of salsas, the salsas is what the bar is famous for.

My giant sangria.

The highlight of today was definitely meeting my host mother, Pilar.  She lives in a small apartment en the "Retiro" neighborhood (because we are by a park called Retiro).  I cannot wait to check out the park, apparently it is huge and awesome!)  We came to the apartment and she showed me my room, the biggest in the house, with a decent bed, desk, and closet just big enough for all my clothes.  We all share a bathroom, and the shower looks like one of those tubes that sucks people up in sic fi movies to transport them to somewhere else.  It is also tiny.  We had lunch and then she brought me to the IES center, where I had to take a test (ew) to place me in a Spanish class for the next 2 weeks.  

 Mi cuarto (bedroom). This is the view from the door. On the opposite wall, there is a closet, and I have a wind the looks out into the area between the apartment buildings, so no direct sunlight or pretty view.  But there is a map of Spain on the wall by the bedand a map of the world above my desk, yay!

After, we went on walks with the host mothers and study abraders in the area.  Most of the host moms were soo classy looking, with fur coats, layers of make up, and spicy personalities.  It was really fun to get to see them all and slightly get to know them and their students.  We went "El Museo de Jamon" for dinner.  Literally, The Ham Museum, a restaurant/bar.  The place was lined with dried pig legs.  Everything on the menu was hammy, a common trait in most places.  To top it all off, I had a bocadillo (sandwich) con jam on (ham) y queso (cheese).

I think I've eaten more ham in the last two days than in my entire 20 years of life combined.  

I also learned the word for brussel sprout, "La Col," and if you know me at all you must imagine how excited I was to learn this.

Tonight, I watched TV with Sergey (pronounced Ser-jay), my 13 year old host brother, whom Pilar describes as "pre-adolescent and just starting to get pimples."  He seemed pretty into the Simpons episode on TV and I was too tired to even try to converse with him, but hopefully we'll get to know each other better later.

Tomorrow, I have to be at the IES school at 9, and I am nervous to make my way to the metro station in the morning, but I am meeting up with friends at the station, so it should only be scary for the first 10 minutes.

More to come later!!

Abrazos y Besos,

Lily