There's Just One Thing...

It seems surreal that I've been back in los EE. UU. for over a week now. Things are already (creepily?) back to normal.

I don't think I've experienced reverse culture "shock" so much as what I like to call reverse culture surprises. Now I notice the absurd amount of Oreos that Kroger stocks and how the waiter cheerily greets me in any restaurant. The overabundance of things is odd, too. I am used to small shops with specialized merchandise, like the ferreteria which sold, no joke, locks and little else. I have also noted Americanness, which I have never done before.

It all began on the flight home. I sat next to a tour group of Americans returning from a trip around Spain. They were loud and, frankly, somewhat obnoxious although they could have been worse. The Iberia flight attendants just loooooved them, especially when they made an announcement to please sit down, and five minutes later this guy stands up. He liked to stand up to stretch - and yes, I get it. However, he might have thought to place his backside in a place where it would NOT be directly next to my ear so that if I turned my head, his rear end blocked out the depressing cabin light. Just a thought. I got off the plane and raced through immigration, although O'Hare was my final destination. I emerged bleary eyed from the terminal and ran into the arms of my awaiting parents. Home sweet home. Home sweet home, but it was almost hailing and traffic was so typically Chicago-ian. Blahhh.

I would recommend going abroad to anyone who's thinking of it. It's an experience and no one is the same. I thought, due to my "Maximizing Study Abroad" book that everyone's would have the four stages, but pshhhh. That's BS. I never had the honeymoon stage and I'm experiencing little, if any, reverse culture shock. I don't want people to feel bad if study abroad isn't absolutely the most divine thing you've ever done because that's not always the case. It's not all glamor and travel and staying out till 6 A.M. There's also studying and roommate problems and sometimes crappy food. Siiiigh, I really could write a novel...or perhaps just a short story.

I am chugging along, don't you worry. "Just" three more exams (entre comillas) and I'll be done. Saturday is when we find out our grades, can complain to our professors, and then eat a final meal together. Sunday will entail packing and saying goodbye to Toledo, although I feel like the whole weekend will involve that. Jenni suggested something like spending the whole day at Enebro, eating tapas of french fries with the special sauce and drinking tinto de verano or café con leche.

I am leaving Sunday night with Melissa. Long story, but Toledo had a bus strike and we had no idea if we would be able to get to Madrid on Monday morning, so we bought train tickets for Sunday night and are going to "pasar la noche" (spend the night) in Madrid Barajas Airport. It's okay. We're all grown up and going to watch movies on our laptops, drink soda, and just generally enjoy knowing that in a few short hours we will be, finally, returning to our país de origen (country of origin).

I think now that I will be home in a week! What an odd thought...

I miss home. Like craaaazy.

I guess I am just culture-tired. I am ready to be readily accepted as an insider, as someone who belongs. I don't want to continually get on the wrong bus or say the wrong thing. I just need a little Estados Unidos. I just need home. I am going to tell you things I miss, like it or not:

• Hugs from my family
• Walking into a store and not getting stared at
• Walking into a restaurant and not getting stared at
• Walking down the street and not getting stared at
• Reliable Internet
• Food: baby carrots, boneless/skinless chicken breast, frozen yogurt, freshhhh delicious food
• Spicy food too
• Non-stressed out traveling
• Smiles from people as I pass them
• Watching non-dubbed movies
• A refrigerator
• My family & friends!
  

I guess it's good I'm going home soon (2 weeks tomorrow!). School is winding down - I am finishing up this 10 page paper. I still have a few others to write, but then it's time to buckle down and get ready for finals.

I think suppertime is still too late! I'm hungry :)

Hello everyone! I apologize for being so lax in writing my blogs lately. It's just that, well, you see...I've been doing schoolwork! (Gasp!) Yes, yes, I know, that's difficult to believe, especially for me. Well folks, let me just give you a little taste of what my last few weeks have looked like:

• Literature: Essay due three Mondays in a row. Not only that, but I've had to read a book and write the essay.
• Art: Project to do a small presentation over a certain architectural site in Toledo
• Theater: Paper due Thursday (2 pages), watch a movie over a representation, paper due next Thursday (10 pages)
• Cultural Heritage: project due today, 30 minutes in total over an autonomous community here in Spain
• Not to mention numerous small little things that I just can't remember, as my brain is too frazzled.

This weekend, I am going to Alicante. What's there to do there, you ask? Nothing - and thus the reason we chose it. Please, try not to envy me too much.

Also, my intercambio, Alberto (see below) invited me to his house for lunch (a.k.a. the main meal) on April 26th. Let's just say I'm pretty excited. :)

Alberto and me

I come home in, what, 18 days? I hate to say it's gone fast, but March just flew by. I have definitely made some friends here and I hope to keep them for life, and that does include on Spaniard. Ah ha ha, if you only you knew...Let's just say that I don't miss Crawfordsville, but I do miss home. Quite a bit. I'll close with a list my friend made up, one I think is rather funny and might make you laugh:

So, I recently found a poem that I find interesting, as a nerdy language student. I often get frustrated with Spanish, but after reading this poem I am reminded that at least English is my native language. Seeing as how it's increasingly the global language of business, it's really necessary nowadays. It's such a crazy language, though! See what I mean:

Hints on Pronunciation for Foreigners

I take it you already know
Of tough and bough and cough and dough
Others may stumble but not you,
On hiccough, thorough, laugh* and through.
Well done! And now you wish, perhaps,
To learn of less familiar traps?

Beware of heard, a dreadful word
That looks like beard and sounds like bird.
And dead: it’s said like bed, not bead -
For goodness’ sake don’t call it “deed”!
Watch out for meat and great and threat
(They rhyme with suite and straight and debt.)

A moth is not a moth in mother
Nor both in bother, broth in brother,
And here is not a match for there
Nor dear and fear for bear and pear,
And then there’s dose and rose and lose -
Just look them up - and goose and choose,
And cork and work and card and ward,
And font and front and word and sword,
And do and go and thwart and cart
Come, come, I’ve barely made a start!
A dreadful language? Man alive!
I’d mastered it when I was five!

Other news: Please check out my pictures to see pictures of my parents' visit and our trip to Paris. I had a great time! I got to see the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre (Mona Lisa) which was really cool. It was so cold though! Spain's much warmer. I am planning on going to Alicante, located on the Mediterranean in a week and a half with Melissa. We're going to relax and take it easy. It's very soon and then I'll be back! Weird to think about it!

So, today I was walking to the Fund at about 8:45 and I happened to walk past, you guessed it, a construction site. I only heard part of what the 40-something year old man said, but it went a little something like this: "Las cosas guapas por la mañana." Yeah, if you don't know, that's like, "The pretty things in the morning." Pshhhhh. I wasn't too offended. I'm more offended when people yell at me while I'm running. I wish they would just leave me alone.

Well, Linh is here and we spent the weekend in Barcelona. If you want to see pictures, click here. It is a pretty city. I'll admit, the latest thing to take Barcelona (or Barça, as many locals prefer to call it) is the buffet. No joke. We found one and for 9 euros had all we could eat. It was wonderful, especially since we had a very crappy "menú del día" on Friday night. We saw the Sagrada Familia and Park Güell, along with many other things.

Weirdly enough, life in Spain has taken on a rhythm of its own. They are many things I dislike about this place, but there are also, I am realizing, many things I do like. I like the cobblestoned streets and the little fruteria, which sells fresh strawberries, pineapple, and other enticing fruits for just a few euro. I like how much our professors care about us, and how they specifically chose to teach foreign students, when perhaps they could be listening to native speakers wax eloquently about the pros and cons of the Transition. I like Alberto, my intercambio, who always makes me laugh and frequently stops dead in the middle of the street to make a point or ask me how it is said in English. I like going to "tomar algo" with friends, and how they don't bring you the bill until you ask for it. I enjoy the idea of siesta, even if I never participate. I like how my art class gets me into places for free. I like being aware of at least one other country's political issues, and trying to understand how their systems works. I like eating at Melissa's house and talking to her host father, her "padre," and learning random things because, let's face it, he knows it all.

I want to come back and be able to say I learned a lot, I changed. Right now, with all of life's frustrations and petty annoyances, I feel sort of trapped, like I'm exactly the same person I was when I left two months ago. (Wow - how time flies and how, at the same time, it crawls.) I wish I could tell you how I'll feel on April 28th when I get ready to leave, to get on Iberia Flight #whoknows and set off toward the United States. I wonder if things will astound me, like going into a shop and speaking English or plugging something in that doesn't require an adapter. Hmmm. I don't know. I just know that right now I'm doing all I can to just keep going, keep learning, keep stretching and finding out new things.

The world seems big, but when you get right down to it, people are the same the world over. People still yell at referees, but here it's fútbol, not basketball or baseball, that riles them up. People still love to go to the cinema, but here the voices speak in a strangely dubbed voice instead of actually corresponding with the actor's lips. People still like eating, but here lunch is at 2 and dinner at 9. It's strange but normal all at the same time. As much as we like to complain, the people here are just like you or me or my suitemate. They too have hopes, dreams, goals, loves, hates, fears. I think that learning that was one of the reasons I came here. It just needs a bit more time.

So, last week was midterms. All in all, I can't say they were too bad. I had five exams, all packed into three days: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I was most worried about my art exam. It's Christian, Muslim, and Jewish Art of Toledo, which sounds all well and good until you take into account that it deals with architecture. You see, I barely know any English words for architecture, which results in me having to look up words twice. I would try to explain it to you, but to be honest my knowledge of it is much more complete en español.

On Thursday, my intercambio Alberto took me and my friend, Melissa, out with him and his friend....you guessed it, Alberto. Hahaha. We went to a little place outside the walls. It was really fun, just talking and laughing. They laughed at us when we tried to get them to explain the phenomenon of the usage of the word "Venga" at the end of conversations. We laughed when stupid 80s songs came on in the Spanish bar. It was just....weird. That's all I can say. They took us back in the car and tried to drive us to the Fundación. Well, the streets are narrow as you may know (you've seen pictures), and they went the wrong way on the one way street, resulting in us having to back up for about 50 feet and hitting a sidewalk plant. I was dying laughing. Perhaps I should've been more helpful. But they were sweet and walked us back to the Fundación, even though Melissa doesn't live there. We pretended like she did, shhhhh.

On Saturday, I spent the night at Melissa's house and tested out their new air mattress. It was fun! Her padre is so hilarious (he's Spanish) and her madre is American. She was studying abroad here in the 60s or 70s and met him and they moved here. They have two kids, and I think the boy is living in Washington, D.C., now, working for the U.S. government. Her padre made me pancakes and we had funny discussions about the state of American and Spanish politics. Ahhh, they have such strong opinions on American politics and most of the time I agree with them. I did say one thing, though, when talking about topless beaches: "Me pondría nerviosa." = "It would make me nervous." It's true...I don't think I'd ever be comfortable there.

Well, this Friday Linh is coming to visit. We're going to Barça or Barcelona. Should be fun! It's a really cool and pretty city. Then the next Friday, mis padres van a visitarme!! Yay. Can't wait to see them and hopefully be able to put some of my mediocre Spanish skills to work. Hahaha.

I should be going now. I have class in 10 minutes. But oh yes, please check out my photo albums. I added a few pictures of the Cena Rociera, which we had on February 13.

I got an awesome package in the mail the other day!! It included: wheat thins, dark chocolate M&Ms, more chocolate, skittles, candy canes, pretzels, trail mix, the list goes on...I am so, so grateful for it. Believe me, I get tired of eating salads everyday to lose the weight I have put on since being here. You see, my diet before consisted of wheat bread and fried potatoes. That's only a slight exaggeration.

I know you all don't know Spanish, but I'm about to share a few new Spanish phrases I've been learning, just for kicks.
 - "Se me traba la lengua" = I'm tongue tied
- "Barra de pan" = baguette. Very important here. That's all they eat. And consequently all we eat.
- "Tacos" = Slang. Yeah, you think a taco is a corn tortilla filled with meat, cheese, and lettuce. You're so wrong.
- "Tu verás" = Literally, this means "You will see." However, Alberto (from Talavera) tells me it's their way of saying "Claro"/"Of course."

Just a tidbit of my learning.

I went out on Thursday night. I had to see what it was all about. First, we went to this place called Garcilaso (Gar-theee-lah-so) to see a free acapella concert, which was pretty freaking sweet, not gonna lie. They were very good and did an encore after the audience called for it. I had a drink there, which was actually kinda strong, but that's the norm for Spain, I think. Around 12, we left, and there was some sort of party going on at this club called "Cason." We got free admission from people on the streets, and a free drink apiece or something. Well, we got there, and apparently nothing is starting till 1 or so. We should've known. Nobody starts going out until AT LEAST midnight and things don't get going until 1 or 2. People stay out till 6 in the morning here, though, so that's to be expected. I ended up dancing a little bit, but staying away from creepy men and helping some drunk-ish people get home around 3, which actually is quite early for Spain. I called Mom on Skype, who may have been surprised to hear me at 9 PM, seeing as how that's 3 AM Spain time.

Oh yes, and next week after exams, my intercambio, Alberto, is going to take me and my friends out. He's a schoolteacher (cute, right?) and he tells me we should meet "early" as he has school the next day. I agree, and he says doce, or 12. I am a bit confused - this is early? Midnight? I remember where I am, and nod because, yeah, that's early.

Oh, and apparently I'm having a sleepover with Melissa next weekend. Her host father is going to make me PANCAKES. From scratch. They do have Bisquick, though. I am way excited, plus her host father is super cute. (Like old man cute, not CUTE, okay??) It'll be good relaxation time after midterms, which are NEXT WEEK. Did I mention that? Yeah, that seems really, really odd. Pretty soon, I'll be getting visitors for two weeks in a row! Barcelona & Paris - can't wait. :)

One thing I am getting really, really tired of is getting stared at. Yes, I know we're funny foreigners and that we do/say stupid things. But LORD JESUS IN HEAVEN, please leave me alone sometimes. I speak Spanish and I'm not a dumbass just because I don't know how things work here. Forgive me for not being Spanish and even more for not having lived here all my life.

Well, the trip to El Escorial was Friday and it was all right, but ick, I've had enough museums. Plus my art teacher was my tour guide, and so it was like being in class again. No thanks. We had lunch, which included paella (yum) and not nearly enough water. I hate hoarding water, but it has to be done. Melissa and I watched a movie (yes in English, sue us) and we ate (omg) McDonald's patatas fritas with real ketchup!! Heaven. I walked back and went to bed early.

Yesterday we went to see a movie, Juno, in Spanish at Luz del Tajo, the shopping mall here. Good movie & I understood a lot of it, surprisingly! Kendall told off some Spanish girls who were laughing at our inability to see there was no line (although they were standing in the way as if there was)..."Tienes un problema?" That shut them up. We were all so proud of her. It feels nice to get an advantage, even if it was small. Then we ate dinner. I had salad - it was all right, nothing like U.S. salads. I bought basalmic vinegar at the grocery store there so I could have something else besides regular vinegar on my salads at the Fund. (Pronounced Foooo-nd)

Today I think we're going bowling with Kendall's intercambio, Vanesa. More Spanish practice? I'm all for it. I need it, especially with Spaniards.

This is really a boring entry...SORRY, but I'm going to go read some more theater stuff that I don't understand. Aren't y'all thrilled?

Okay, I´m back again with what I am sure will turn out to be another thrilling update.

I went to Portugal this weekend! Lisbon, to be exact. If you want to see pictures, please click here. It was a lot of fun! The traveling part wasn´t even too stressful. I just ended up spending more money than I thought I would. I think you forget about a lot of little expenses. For instance, on Sunday coming back, we had to take a bus to the Lisbon airport. That was €1,35. Then we took our flight to Madrid. When we got there, we had to take the metro to the bus station. That metro ride was €2,10. The bus cost €3,17 with my Carnet Joven (which is like a youth discount card). Altogether, that´s about €6,62 or almost $10. I guess not a whole lot, but small stuff like this adds up when you´re me. Let´s see, in Lisbon we saw the Castelo de Sao Jorge. Picture here. We walked around the Alfama quarter of Lisbon, where it is still possible to see Roman and Arab remains, with narrow streets and cute little buildings. We had dinner at a quaint restaurant, where our waiter spoke to us in English, the people next to us in French, and obviously could speak Portuguese. The next day, Saturday, we headed over to Belém, where we saw the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, a monastery for monks, obviously. We visited a cute park, and saw the Torre de Belém, which was built to commemorate Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese explorer. We ate some pastries, called pasteis de nata, which are small cream tarts for which Portugal and especially Belém are famous. We went to El Corte Inglés, which is Europe´s form of Macy´s, a.k.a. a huge shopping mall with over 7 floors and millions of things to buy. It was crazy.

All in all, a good weekend. This weekend, we have a scheduled visit to El Escorial, which is about 28 miles from Madrid. During the 16th and 17th centuries, it was both a monastery and a royal palace. Apparently, it´s pretty cool. We shall see. My friends and I also have plans to go to the movie theater on Saturday, just, ya know, for the cultural experience of it all. If it´s in Spanish, I´ll understand a good 4% of it, but hey...whatever.

- Trying to explain the imperial system of measurements to someone who has never heard of it is not so easy or fun. I recommend not trying.
- In a similar way, trying to explain the electoral college is also not easy. Nor does it make much sense when you really think about. We don´t directly elect our president? Then who does? Why? I told Carlos it was because our forefathers thought we weren´t to be trusted with directly electing our commander-in-chief, and he asked if I thought that. I thought about it, and said no, but that´s just how it is for now, I guess.
- I now have two intercambios, Carlos and Alberto. Alberto has MSN messenger and messages me on it. Alberto cannot really speak that good of English. So usually he has to explain things to me in Spanish if I want to understand it.
- I really, really miss salads. And spicy food. What I wouldn´t give for some Little Mexico salsa.
- I need to STOP speaking Latin American Spanish. Shrimp = gambas, NOT camarones as we call them at Little Mexico. Alberto had no idea what I was saying. (That happens a lot when I speak Spanish).
- I am ind esperate need of some good hair products. My hair is terrrrrrrrrrrible right now.
- I miss having a fridge.
- I miss reliable Internet.
- I have good, hilarious friends here. Ohhhh man. I have taught them Indiana´s official card game, too, as I already told you. It´s funny to watch them play.
- Some people really, really like to get drunk. 3 nights a week. Ick.
- Spanish still isn´t easy...and I wish I could eloquently express myself in it.
- Mullets are all the rage here. I am serious, I am getting used to them.
- You can buy flan from the grocery store in little pudding cups.
- All the airport English translations are British English, and sound ridiculously funny at 7 AM when you got up at 4:30 AM to leave for Madrid.
- People have stopped me in the street to ask me questions in English. Guess I just reek the English language.
- Getting called ¨guapísima¨ and ¨preciosa¨ by random men in vans is no big deal.
- Getting stared at in the Plaza is also not a big deal. Hey, you´re a funny foreigner. People are bound to stare.

All right, gringooooooooooos, I am going to go. I should do homework or something useful with my life.