5 Days in...

Okay.... so the culture in spain is way different. I mean of course it is. But wow...I had no idea that mullets (mullet 1 noun |ˈmələt|2 a hairstyle in which the hair is cut short at the front and sides and left long in back), rattails (A rattail is a haircut that is characterized by a long "tail" of hair growing from the back of the head), and variations of both were still "in." I really should have taken pictures....Oh wait I just got one:

This is a dreaded Mullet... in case you weren't sure or couldn't tell by the pic.

Everyone smokes here too. It's CRAZY! We were in a back room at this mexican restaurant the other night (where there were NO windows) and it was filled with people smoking. There's no "smoking or non?" QUE LOCO! There are so many teenagers as well. The streets are covered with teens drinking, making out, or smoking. They all have something pierced, lot's of piercings around the mouth. And NOBODY speaks English... They all speak this castellano spanish that is SOOOO hard to understand. Instead of "cinco" for the number five it's more like "thinco." and "grathias" instead of "gracias"... And it goes on and on... they all speak SOOOO fast too. Hah.... it's funny hearing my try to have a conversation with any spaniard. I met a lady from Colombia and it was SOOO easy to talk to her. She agreed with me on it being hard to understand espanol de Madrid.

Another thing that is different is nobody says, "good morning" to the passerby. I said it (in spanish of course: Buenos dias) the first morning I was here to an older spanish lady... picture one with a skirt, apron, broom in hand, bandana on head, and in her 70's (just like the movies). And she said in a most short and monotonous way, "hola, buenos dias." I just thought she was having a bad day and had no idea about the cultural difference until later when my friend Anna said, "nobody greets or makes eye contact with anybody on the street." So then it all came together.

I got lost in the Metro system the second day I was here. I was by myself and was told, the metro is really easy... yeah, not so true for a first time user. I spent about an hour underground just LOOKING for the right line to get on or the exit. I was too scared to ask anybody after I had talked to the security guard and didn't understand a thing he said. (Even AFTER I told him I didn't speak much spanish) But eventually, I got on a train, got lost again, and asked a very nice spanish lady for some ayuda(help). She was SOOOO sweet and helped me beautifully. I then found the right stop... and proceeded to spend 20 minutes following "salida" signs (exit signs) in circles. FINALLY I got above ground into Madrid. (I'm staying just outside the city with Anna in Pozuelo). Anyway, I was glad to be done with it. Anna later explained to me the whole metro system and it's much easier now.

Friday was Noche en blanco... this huge festival that happens once a year in Madrid. "Noche en blanco" is an expression that means not getting any sleep the night before. I mean in spain everybody stays out sooo late (until 7 in the morning is not uncommon). Hence they don't get any sleep and the expression "noche en blanco." A pic from that night with some friends:


Saturday we went shopping with some of Anna's friends.... super cool people. Sunday we went to an international church and then RETIRO. It's a HUGE, Beautiful park. A pic of me on the man-made lake in Retiro in front of the monument to Alfonso XII.


And then yesterday we went to anna's bible study, which was so great. ON the way over to the bible study we met the sweetest couple. I sat down across from them and pulled out my pedometer (because you walk everywhere here) to see Anna's and my info on our walking. The Spanish man leaned over to look at it and Started talking to me.... I have no idea what he said, but I tried to explain what it was. They knew NO English, and anna and I know so little spanish. We just kept coming to stumbling blocks in our conversation. BUT they were sooo sweet! We were going to the metro station as were they, and they told us the best way to get to our destination. I asked the woman what her name was and she said, "marie lkadfkja" (i don't know what she said after maria). Then she put her arm in mine and said, "se llama?" and I told her. She said, "oh Elisa, que bonita." She was just so cute! Anyway, with all that being said, they may not greet a stranger whose just walking by, but the moment you actually stop to have a conversation with ANYONE you realize they are the NICEST people.

It is really great and I'm having an amazing time. I go to Salamanca on the 30th. I'd love to hear what's going on with everyone else. Email me if you have time... or leave a comment! XOXO! Keep on Praying for me... it's much needed!