It seems that my three riveting posts have attracted quite a following because I have had many requests to continue writing on my blog in the past month. In fact, I should probably change my header to "Fine Dad, I will make a blog" because surprisingly, he is the one trying to convince me to post again at the end of each phone call home.
I have finally settled in to my life in Madrid! I am doing much better than before. I have just gotten back my mid-terms from last week. Half the semester is gone already! I am taking Spanish Architecture, Spanish for Business, Spanish Grammar IV, and an Internship Seminar. I am a Business Development Intern at Imaste, a Spanish start up that sells technology that allows companies and universities to organize virtual fairs via the Internet. The software imitates the look of a traditional fair booth with a receptionist and logo, and allows visitors to communicate with different companies using an online chat feature. For example, Monster.com is one of their biggest international clients; Monster organizes an online job fair where companies can directly collect CVs and resumes. Imaste has huge potential in the U.S. for individual businesses to coordinate online conferences and for colleges to reach students from the other side of the country. However, right now, Imaste mostly works in Spain/Europe with 55% of their business coming from Spain and 55% from international clients.
So far, I have traveled to the Spanish towns of Valencia, Segovia, Toledo, and Barcelona. Most recently, I visited the Whittaker family (our old neighbors in Orinda) at their beautiful home in London! I am sure you are wondering how my trips went, especially the one to Barcelona- so I will give you a brief summary. This was my first real low-budget college student trip. I traveled with five girls on an overnight bus from Madrid to Barcelona (12 am to 7 am). Unlike Madrid, the general public was not awake upon our arrival, but luckily, it took us an extreme amount of time to find our way to our hostel. In case you didn't know, people speak Catalan in Barcelona, a language completely different than Spanish taught in Madrid/the U.S. In fact, people are more likely to speak to you in English before Castilian Spanish for political reasons. In our 48 hours in Barcelona, we managed to see Goudi's Sagrada Familia Cathedral, parque Guell, and the two houses he designed, as well as the main Cathedral, Chocolate Museum (I know you Muscarolas' are jealous!), Picasso Museum, the beach, Columbus Monument, las Ramblas, and Plaza Catalunya. This involved very little sleeping, lots of walking, getting to know a public transportation system that might as well have had signs in German, blisters, meltdowns, and candy (to get me through the meltdowns). My only souvenir purchased in Barcelona was a clear pill bottle filled with candy from a store called "Happy Pills." A clever concept, each customer can buy a different sized clear bottle for a set price and fill it up with as much candy as possible. At the end, each person gets to select a label. I choose "Porque si? porque no?." But if they had one more fitting it would say "in case of a meltdown" as I found the store just in time to avoid me crying on the streets of Barcelona out of hunger and desperation. (That "short walk" to the beach actually took an hour and half, when we got there I put my feet in the sand, sat on a ledge, and shivered from the cold 6 o'clock breeze). Meanwhile, my friend Margaret bravely swam in the waves in a sports bra and underwear, the only one to forget to bring a swim suit. Surprisingly, I became the main navigator, guiding us from location to location using a tourist map with few street signs and uncharacteristically large symbols.
After my fun, but action packed weekend, I knew that I needed some time off. So for my five day break, I decided to go visit the Whittaker family in London! Since I have toured London with my family before, I spent the weekend doing things that I can't do as easily in Madrid: shopping for warm clothes with Carol, reading a book, cooking with Olivia, eating, and visiting fun markets. My suitcase was double the weight and size on the way home. During my visit, Carol made sure to satisfy all of my cravings. I indulged in instant oatmeal, dried cranberries and blueberries, tortillas, Japanese food, and chocolate chip cookies. Mmmmm! Everyone spoke English, the weather was warmer than in Madrid, I could use the oven, have my own bathroom, and cook! Just the break I needed.
For those of you that haven't heard, I am learning to cook and have turned into quite the foodie. I made two of my specialties for the Whittakers: lemon ricotta pancakes and homemade apple sauce. After realizing that I had to feed myself after living in a house where the only cooking skill required is boiling water, I knew I had a very humbling experience ahead of me. The only products that you can be sure to consistently find at a grocery store are vegetables, fruits, and pasta. Luckily, my best friend Megan from Oklahoma knows how to cook and enjoys international cuisine. Each week, I make apple sauce from scratch (of course they don't sell that here) and have resorted to eating yogurt, pasta, fruit, and vegetables when I am at home- mostly because I need to get rid of my food baby. The Spanish people may not eat an American breakfast, but they sure know how to eat sweets. Everything I said no to in America is now a staple of my Spanish diet: churros con chocolate, candy, coffee, chocolate croissants, cookies etc. I need the sugar and coffee to get through my long day.
I have been lucky enough to receive a few packages from my Mom, Mima, and Marilyn. They have been sending me all of the things that I miss the most from America! While the candy corn did help me make friends at work, I am pretty sure that the half a pack I ate with my lunch is NOT helping me eat more healthily. But now I have a drawer full of candy just in case I need it (just in time because I am out of happy pills). So I hope that my next package contains something more along the lines of wheatgrass shots or.... protein powder. Just kidding... but seriously, candy is going to be the death of me. I can't decide if I should just try and rock the cute but tight dress that I bought at H&M and accept that Spanish people are used to some chubby in the tummy or wait until my new diet and crunches regimen start to take effect...
My Senora (Rosario) is very nice and always greets me when I enter the house. She is always very accommodating. The first week, she taught me how to make Paella. Right now, she is unemployed so she spends most of her time going to English class, studying for a job placement exam, and watching tv. She also boils her milk and leaves random jars filled with water in the house....
Megan and I have decided that our main objective is to explore reasonably priced restaurants in different zones in Madrid. Megan eats a five course Spanish meal every day at home so she is always craving a different type of food by night. But for me, I have finally concluded that I just don't like Spanish food. I am a fan of jamon iberco, manchego cheese, and churros con chocolate, but I could go the rest of my life without eating tortilla de patata, gazpacho, and croquetas again.
My parents come to visit in three weeks! I am planning a trip filled with great restaurants (slightly out of the college student price range) and local hot spots. For now, I am looking forward to a trip to the Hard Rock Cafe. Megan and I are waiting to splurge on a quality American meal.
Hopefully, I will be motivated to write again soon!
