I didn't sleep at all.

Hugging my dad for the last time was heartbreaking, and even more heartbreaking was wishing my mom and grandmother goodbye as they left spain today.

There are so many things that are different here. Coffee is served in small cups. There is no coffee to go here. You sit. You talk. You finish your coffee before you walk out that cafe, because here, you have time. It's not a place where we just can't take a minute to have a conversation. It's better that way. Cafe con leche, is cafe regular, so don't ask for that if you want it the american way. 5 cups and 20 euros later, i finally figured out that you have to say "cafe americano."

I love Spain. The Palacio Real (it was so beautiful inside that my eyes felt like your stomach does after a big meal when you can't possibly eat anymore food), the small streets, the small coffee shops, the brick roads, the architecture... you will never really have any idea what it's really like until you come. I developed such an image of what it would be like before I came and it was completely different. It's like when you see New York City in movies, and then you go and the vision is so different. Part of the city here is old and part of it is very commercialized. My apartment is halfway in between, and I'm right near the metro to go to school.

I miss my family so much, and it's hard because sometimes you feel like you just want to be able to touch them, and you know you can't hug them until you get back. It's the hardest feeling to overcome, but I think that it's going to be possible to handle. Right now I am going through a lot of culture shock. To think that i have to live like a different culture for 5 months is overwhelming and very difficult to get used to. The spanish is freaking HARD AS HELLLLLLLL (PLEASE TAKE VOSOTROS SERIOUSLY!! WHOAAAAAA) and I'm doing my best to understand what's going on but it's incredibly difficult....I am also very sad, missing what i left in DC, despite being in on of the most amazing cities of the world. But I'm not worried too much. I'm going to find companionship soon with friends, my senora and her son are wonderful (more about that later. Her son is 15 and so cute by the way.... I'll send pictures girls), my school is going to be so hard, but im in the hippy school of philosophy and a lot of marijuana, so how hard can they really make it??

I can't wait to tell you all about my past week, but i have to run home to make it in time for dinner!!!!!!
This should be interesting!!!!

written by  vashaffer on February 7, 2008 from Madrid, Spain
from the travel blog: España: Andar Conmigo
Send a Compliment

---

comment on this...