Claire and Nicole standing in front of hanging laundry- people don't really use dryers hereGuess who's updating on time this week?!?
- Things around the residencia have been a little slow, considering I moved in right as Spanish University are giving exams. Spaniards don't really have midterms so they study all day every day for the two week finals period, since this one exam determines almost their entire grade! My suitemates promise me things will pick up in a week or so, and that one day soon I will see them not in their pajamas 24/7.
- I have been trying to pay attention to what my suitemates eat, and there seems to be a lot of frying of food in olive oil. The residencia doesn't have an oven so everything gets cooked on the stove top- lots of ham, rice, chorizo (sausage links?) and eggs, plus a lot of other things I cannot name. Tuna and mayo on french bread is also a crowd pleaser. Every meal usually includes cigarettes too (one of my suitemates, Miriam, smokes indoors ALL THE TIME. I have accepted that my entire wardrobe will eventually reek of second hand smoke).
- Alcalá de Henares is more or less a series of roundabouts, each with a distinct statue. I know to get off the bus when I see this:
Peace sign with a shell on the bottom?
- School is going well, nothing too hard yet and all of my teachers and kind and patient. I think my phonetics class will help me loose at least a little of my American accent!
El Instituto Benjamin Franklin, housed inside El Colegio Trinitarios
- On Sunday I ventured into Madrid to look around the Reina Sofia, a contemporary art museum. There were paintings by Miró, Dalí and Picasso, the most famous being his 'La Guernica'- it takes up an entire wall of an exhibit!
'La Guernica' by Pablo Picassso
Outside La Reina Sofia - Most days I walk home from school and wander a bit, trying to orient myself and discover new places to eat. I think I could try a different café/bar/pastry shop every day and still not get to them all. I also sit in the living room with my suitemates and try to figure out what they are talking about. They seem to surf Tuenti.com (the Spanish facebook- I made an account!) a lot and make fun of people? According to them, everyone falls into two categories- fea (ugly) or guapa (pretty). They are nice to me so I'm not drawing any conclusions regarding cattiness just yet.
Hi Laura -
ReplyDeleteYour blog is great! I can't believe there are storks everywhere - I'd love to see pictures of them. Pat and I just watched "The Birds" and you can't be too careful......
Take care, have fun!
Jackie
Hi Laura!
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid that with this comment you'll feel inhibited to write at ease whatever you want, but I hope you wont :p
I just wanted to comment on this post for a couple of stuff you wrote.
You see, this "They seem to surf Tuenti.com a lot and make fun of people? According to them, everyone falls into two categories- fea (ugly) or guapa (pretty)." is exactly the reason why I don't want to make a Tuenti account, and I believe it's not just our roommates that do that...
And also,
"Every meal usually includes cigarettes too (one of my suitemates, Miriam, smokes indoors ALL THE TIME. I have accepted that my entire wardrobe will eventually reek of second hand smoke)." LOOOOOL
Hopefully Miriam will keep her promise of stop smoking as soon as exames are over (yeah, right...)