No Puedo Esperar

I can't wait to:

Be over with finals. Seriously, it's ridiculous how unorganized our study abroad program is. All the students here are sick of it.

See my family. Less than a week until they arrive.

See my friends. Less than 3 weeks until winter quarter starts (though I'm not particularly looking forward to starting classes.)

Dance. I haven't danced either swing or blues since I've been here and its driving me crazy.

Go to a good mass. Seriously, the Spanish don't know anything when it comes to designing a good liturgy.

Eat American food. Not that the food here is bad, I just need something familiar *cough*milkandcereal*cough*

Play D&D. I have become a Dungeons and Dragons junkie and I need my next fix. Fortunately, I'll be running a game this winter, so I can create my own fun.

Las luces de Navidad

The Christmas lights of Madrid are incredibly beautiful.

Because the streets are narrow enough, they string strands of lights between the buildings so they are just floating in midair. It is amazing to see. Also, they have an enormous metal tree that they construct at the Plaza del Sol that you can walk inside of. It is surreal so say the least. They have also set up a Christmas market and carousel in Plaza Mayor. The stalls either sell figures for Nativity scenes, or really gaudy Christmas decorations.

Toledo y Granada

In the past two weeks I have taken three excursions to cities in Spain, two to Toledo and one to Granada.

The trips to Toledo were amazing, and although it rained (lightly) both times, I still had a blast. High quality steel is produced near Toledo, and as a result it became an important manufacturer of swords and armor. This is evident because every single tourist shop sells some type of sword and it is impossible to walk a block without seeing store windows filled with armaments. We also visited the Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo which is stunningly gorgeous. Every single inch of that building seems to be filled with religious art and the scale of it all is massive. Sadly, we weren't allowed to take pictures inside, but that is why Google was invented.

This past weekend we traveled to Granada to see the famous Alhambra palace. Unfortunately, the bus ride was long and uncomfortable, and it rained the whole time we were in the city, but the palace was spectacular. Like the Great Mosque of Córdoba, the beauty of the place cannot be put into words or captured in photographs. Because parts of the palace were undergoing restoration, I would love to return one day to see it again in its full magnificence.

My Regards to the British Museum

(Part 5 of 5 detailing my vacation to London)

I awoke for my last day and was disappointed to discover that it was raining. It was be expected considering that it is England after all, but it was still not encouraging. After breakfast and a very long ride on the tube I arrived at my first destination for the day: The Who Shop.

The Who Shop is a store dedicated to memorabilia from the British TV show Dr. Who. The store was unlike anything I have ever seen before. They had every kind of toy/poster/swag available for every season and character from the show. There were even life-sized replicas of props from the show, I was constantly geeking-out over how cool that place was.

After buying some souvenirs, I traveled to the British Museum to spend the rest of the day. That place is MASSIVE and has artifacts from everywhere and every culture. It was astonishing to see just how expansive their collection was. One of my favorite pieces was definitely the Rosetta Stone. This stone block has the text of a speech written in three different languages: Greek, Demotic, and Hieroglyphics. It was because of the discovery of this stone that people were finally able to translate hieroglyphics.

Another of my favorite pieces was the Royal Lion Hunt. These bas reliefs depict Assyrian kings hunting many lions from their chariots and on horseback. Even though they were just stone carvings, it was incredibly detailed and felt like a seen from an action movie. Had I been an Assyrian king I definitely would have liked hunting lions.

After the museum, I returned to the hostel, and went to a nearby pub for my last dinner in England. I had chicken with ham, barbecue sauce, and cheese on top, it was amazing. The pub had a very relaxing environment as well. I sat at a counter facing the windows along which there were lit candles. It all had a very quaint feeling to the place and was a nice way to end my day.

Except that my day wasn't over by a long shot. My bus to the airport left at 3:40 in the morning, which meant that I would have to leave from my hostel at around 2:40 to get to the bus stop on time. As a result, I decided not to go to sleep that night because I knew that if I did I might sleep late and miss both my bus and my flight back to Madrid. So I pack my bags and waited in the lounge for hours just watching television. It was boring. I didn't have the remote and whoever did refused to change the channel when Two and a Half Men came on. It was horrible.

Finally 2:40 rolled around, I made the long walk to the bus stop, rode the bus back to the airport, checked in, boarded the plane, sat down, and got some MUCH needed sleep. I awoke two short hours later as the plane was landing in Spain, headed back to my homestay, and more importantly, to my bed.

Stranger in a Strange Mass

(Part 4 of 5 detailing my vacation to London)

That night was not nearly as bad as the one before it, and I was incredibly happy that my awful roommates left the hostel that morning.

I met up with Laurel and some of her roommates at St. Paul's Cathedral, and we all went to mass together. Because the church is Anglican, the mass was different than the Catholic masses that I am used to, but just slightly. The similarities were so great that I was even able to accept communion, and if I hadn't been paying attention, I probably would not have even known that it wasn't a Catholic mass. It was that similar, and it made me wonder why it was a separate faith altogether. The familiarity of the mass was relieving after the culture-shock of Spanish mass, and because Laurel was there, I had a sense of the community spirit that we have back at DePaul.

After mass we all walked around for a little bit, but because it was freezing out, we were glad when we found a place to eat. Having hot lasagna on a cold day like that really helped, but I found it funny that they already had the Christmas Coca-Cola bottles, even though it was just November 7th. I think that because they don't have Thanksgiving in Britain (or at least not in the same sense as in the States) there is not a buffer holiday to prevent people from preparing too early. (i.e. you can't say "You're putting up Christmas decorations already!? But it isn't even Thanksgiving yet!)

Afterwards, we traveled to Camden Town which is a very strange area of London. It was comprised almost entirely of shops selling really gaudy/touristy things. Although some of the clothing was trendy, most of the stuff there would probably make me lose respect for the person who bought it. The weird thing is that it was absolutely PACKED with people, and not just tourists either. People legitimately did their shopping there.

To our frustration, when we tried to take the tube back home we discovered that the station was closed to outgoing traffic, and that we would have to walk to the next station. Although the walk wasn't long, I still was not fond of the fact that there were no signs advertising this when we left the station to begin with. On the ride back to the hostel, Laurel and I said our goodbyes because she would be leaving for Scotland that evening and we would not see each other again.

That night I went to a local pub and had English breakfast for dinner. It was incredible, and I wished that I was able to have that much food for breakfast back in Spain. It consisted of: an egg over easy, toast, bacon, grilled tomatoes, and a grilled mushroom. Afterwards, I went back to the hostel and hung out in the lounge before heading off to bed to get a full nights sleep, because tomorrow would be my last day and I wanted to make the most of it.

Night of the Drunken Roommates

(Part 3 of 5 detailing my vacation to London)

My sleep was interrupted on my 2nd night in London, by a large group of my roommates entering the room. They were obviously drunk and were swearing extremely loudly. Suffice to say that that night was not fun, and I was glad to leave them behind the next morning.

After breakfast, I traveled to downtown London and walked across the Thames river on Millennium Bridge (the same one that was destroyed by death eaters in Harry Potter 6.) It was refreshingly cool that morning, which was a nice contrast to the heat in Spain because it actually felt like it was November.

I went to the Tate Modern, a modern art museum, and strolled around inside for a short while. It was interesting, but not exactly my taste in art. However, I was surprised to see "Whaam!" by Roy Lichtenstein. I had done a small art presentation on him in high school, and it was cool to actually see his work in person.

I left the museum for the tube station where I was supposed to meet Laurel for the day, and waited for her. And waited. And waited. . . and waited. Finally, after 40 minutes of waiting, one of the station attendants told me that there was a second station about a block away. I was not amused. Fortunately, as soon as I arrived at the other station, I found Laurel right away.

We headed out to the Borough Market, which is a street market where vendors sell all kinds of food. It was very interesting to see because nothing like it exists in Chicago. After seeing all of that food we both decided that it was time for lunch and we stopped in a nearby cafe to eat. I was excited that they had Eggs Benedict because I would eat them practically every Sunday when I was back home.

We remained at the restaurant for over 2 hours just catching up and talking about our experiences abroad. It was nice to have the chance to talk to a friend, and we were able to commiserate about the stresses of being away from our friends back in Chicago. We both thought that it would be strange to return home and have a whole new group of freshmen who don't know us, but know our friends already. I know that I am especially worried about being left out of experiences that everyone back in Chicago are sharing, and I think that it might be jarring to try to reintegrate myself back into my circle of friends.

After much conversation, we said goodbye for the day and I headed off to Shakespeare's Globe Theater. I was surprised to learn that it was actually the 3rd Globe Theater (the 1st burned down, and the 2nd was abandoned) and that it only opened in 1997. The theater itself was incredible and it really felt like a time capsule to another era. I wish that I had been able to see a performance there, but the theater season ended in October.

When I returned to the hostel, I went on a computer in the lounge to look up directions. I also checked my Facebook and email and was surprised to find that I had a TON of messages. I'd been away from my computer for just 3 days and already I had over 4o messages to check. They would have to wait though, because it was already time for bed and to pray for a better night than the previous one.

Remember remember the 5th of November

(Part 2 of 5 detailing my vacation to London)

"Remember remember the 5th of November/Gunpowder, treason, and plot/I see no reason the gunpowder treason/Should ever be forgot."~Bonfire Night Rhyme

I awoke early the next morning and made my way down to the continental breakfast. There, I was extremely excited to have cereal because I NEVER have it in Madrid. It was a good way to start the day.

Afterwards, I walked down the block to the Natural History Museum to check out the dinosaur exhibition there. The museum was incredible, and the dino bones did not disappoint. I made sure to explore every part of that gallery because I knew that I might never have the chance to go back there. The rest of the museum was also very nice, but seeing the dinosaurs was definitely the highlight.

When I returned to the hostel, I inquired about the Chrystal Palace Dinosaurs, but was disheartened to learn that they were too far out of the way for my visit. It would have been nice to see them because they are featured in a dinosaur video that I have watched since I was little.

Later that evening, I headed out again and met up with Laurel near Big Ben. We then walked around for a bit and she showed me the London Eye as well as Parliament. This was especially appropriate considering that it was Bonfire Night (AKA Guy Fawkes Night) when the English celebrate the foiled plot by Guy Fawkes to blow-up Parliament. We then joined Laurel's roommates and traveled to see a fireworks show. The tube was absolutely jam-packed because everyone was heading out for the night. It was a great time and I commented that the fireworks were even better than what we had in Des Plaines for the 4th of July (I thought the comparison was funny, considering where I was.)

We all went out to dinner together and afterwards I returned to my hostel where I met my new roommates for the night. I was surprised to find out that they were also Americans who were studying in Madrid (though not at the same university.) I had a nice talk with them before heading off to bed and further adventures.

An American Student in London

(Part 1 of 5 detailing my vacation to London)

Last week I woke up at 6:30 in the morning to catch my flight to London. It was not enjoyable to say the least. I had to make sure that everything I would need for the next six days was crammed into my backpack and then I left for the airport. I didn't have any hassle checking in or going through security, but unfortunately my flight was delayed for half an hour because they did not have enough room in the cabin for everyone's bags to fit in the overhead compartments, so they had to put them below (why this took 30 minutes is beyond me.)

I arrived late, and missed my bus, but was fortunately able to catch the next one out. After a short while on the bus, I realized that it was driving on the opposite side of the road. I knew that that would happen, but it was still surreal to experience. I tried to imagine myself as the driver and how everything would be backwards from what I was used to.

When I reached my stop, I had to walk through Hyde Park to reach my hostel. Even though I got *slightly* lost, it was worth it because I got to see more of the park, which was absolutely gorgeous. At the hostel, I was able to meet two girls from Canada who just began a five month backpacking trip around Europe, and had a nice conversation with them.

Before long I was off to meet Laurel, my friend who is studying abroad in London, and I headed to the tube station to catch the train. I already knew that my trip was going to be costly because the conversion rate from dollars to pounds is awful, but MAN is the underground expensive. It costs nearly two pounds (around $3.20) for a single ride, and honestly, it isn't worth it. In my opinion the tube is much too slow and has too many random closures for that price.

I met up with Laurel and she brought me to a pub where I had my first taste of real English food: fish and chips with a pint of ale. It was much better than what I was expecting, considering the stereotype that British food is flavorless. It was also nice to have REAL ketchup compared to the weird imitation that they have in Spain. We talked for awhile at the pub, catching up on what has been going on and commenting on the culture shock. Then we walked around the area to look at the Christmas lights (yes, they were already lit, I think because they don't have Thanksgiving as a buffer-holiday between Halloween and Christmas.) The lights were very pretty and some of them shimmered in a way that WASN'T irritating.

After walking around for a bit and making plans for tomorrow, we said goodbye and I returned to my hostel. I decided to hang out in the lounge where I joined two girls from Australia and two guys from Germany in a card game before eventually going to bed. I was exhausted and sleep that night was much appreciated.

La gran mezquita de Córdoba

On Saturday I visited Cordoba with my medieval art class to see the Cathedral of Cordoba. It was originally the Great Mosque of Cordoba, but was converted into a cathedral by the Christians during the reconquest of Spain.

Simply put, it is absolutely incredible. Though I will try, photographs and words cannot do this building justice. When I first entered, I was literally stunned by how massive the place is, even though I had seen pictures and had studied it in class I was unprepared for its scale. The most distinctive feature of the mosque are the signature red and white horseshoe-shaped arches that span the entirety of the inside and seem to continue for an eternity.

The most striking feature, however, has to be the cathedral itself and how different it is from the rest of the building. Constructed right in the center of the old mosque, it seems impossibly tall compared with the (relatively) low ceiling of the rest of the building. The clash of architectural styles is very interesting because one can distinctly tell which parts were built by the Muslims and which by the Christians.

Outside, there is an equally impressive courtyard where palms and orange trees grow. They are irrigated by an ingenious series of channels, which in turn are fed by a fountain at the center of the courtyard. Rising above this is the Christian bell tower, which was built on the same spot where the minaret used to stand. As I approached the mosque, I could hear the deafeningly loud tolling of the bell as it signaled noon, but as I rounded a corner and saw it for the first time, I noticed that the clamor was originating from only one of the many bells. I was left to wonder what great noise would have been produced had all of the bells rung at the same time.

El año sin Halloween

Halloween is one of my most favorite holidays, and this year I'm missing it.

Not that they don't have Halloween here in Spain, but it has a distinctly different vibe to it. Whereas back home there are haunted houses, costume parades/contests, and decorations for the whole month of October in preparation, Halloween here is mostly an excuse to wear a costume when you go clubbing. There was a story on the news tonight showing grade-school kids in their costumes and decorating pumpkins, and I think they go trick-or-treating, but there are remarkably few reminders that the holiday is 2 days away.

It is sort of depressing because of how much I enjoy getting in the spirit of Halloween. Honestly, when else can you put on bloody make-up in order to make little children scream in terror, and NOT be arrested for it? I also throughly enjoy seeing the creativity that others put into their costumes. Last year I saw both a LEGO man and a guy with a playable NES strapped to his chest, it was awesome. Those "wow" moments when you are throughly shocked and excited by another person's costume are part of the fun of the holiday and why I love to dress up.

In local news, I went to the Prado art museum today because it is free in the evenings. The works showcased there are absolutely incredible. I am usually not a fan of art museums because I generally don't care what the artist has to say, but the painting at the Prado just pop stunningly off of their canvases.

Tomorrow I am taking a day-trip with my art class to Cordoba to see the Great Mosque there. It is supposed to have extremely beautiful architecture and I just hope that the weather is nice so that I can take good photos.

T es para "té"

And tea is for me.

Every Tuesday and Thursday I have a 3 hour break in-between my classes during which I have to eat lunch and commute between campuses. However, this doesn't remotely fill the time, so I spend a lot of it at the large public park, el Parque de Retiro. It is incredibly relaxing to walk around on the many paths, lie on the grass, or have a bite to eat at the cafe.

Back in the States I am always running around to get to another appointment, whether it be class, choir, swing dance, or homework, it is difficult to find free time. And when I do have time to relax, it usually doesn't line up with when my friends are available. Here it is nice to just be able to sit with friends, drink coffee or tea, and have a conversation with each other.

One of the sentiments shared by many of the other students traveling with me is that it will be incredibly difficult to adjust to the hurried pace of life and especially the rushed schedule of DePaul. I want to be able to simply sit outside (not during the winter, of course) sipping on tea and not worrying about my next assignment or how I will find time to spend with my overworked friends.

My friends at DePaul call the little moments of relaxation they have "Sanity Time" because it helps to keep them sane amidst the stress and pressures of school, but when I return, I just want to call those times when I can relax "Everyday Life."

Felicitación. Esta historia es el final feliz.

Congratulation indeed. I didn't die after all.

This weekend excursion to the city of Cuenca was amazing. We departed from Madrid via bus early Friday morning and arrived aproximately 2 1/2 hours later. We began by visiting a local park and went on a hike among the rock formations. It was incredible and I was reminded of my time in the Boy Scouts. Much fun was had by everyone as we climbed all over the rocks.

After that, we checked into the hotel (which used to be a monastery) and ate lunch. The food was great (ham of course) and the restaurant was very fancy; I had one glass of red wine and one of white wine (preferred the white.)

Afterwards, we took a tour of Cuenca and visited both the Cuenca Cathedral and the Museum of Abstract Art. The cathedral was absolutely beautiful and because the sun was setting it made the stained glass shine brilliantly. The art museum was also fun, although many of the other students very vocal about their distaste. My favorite room was the "white room" which had four windows which captured the nearby cliffs as if they were paintings.

The next morning we awoke to extreme cold. As noted by one of the girls on the trip, it was the first time year that we could see our breath. There was concern amongst us that the cold would put a damper on the days' activities: horseback riding and cliff-jumping. By the time we arrived at the adventure base to pick up our horses/wet-suits the sun had risen higher as well as our spirits. I squeezed into a wet-suit and we took a short drive to the river.

The water was, predictably, freezing cold, and although the wet-suit protected me somewhat, water was still able to seep in especially near my hands. Our two guides started us off by having us hop off small rocks and slide down short rapids to get a handle on it. After each jump we floated downstream to the next one where we climbed out at jumped again. Soon, though, we were leaping off rocks ranging between 25-40ft in height. Honestly, it was terrifying, and I had to psych myself up for a couple of seconds before each of the jumps. I would not say that it was dangerous though. I don't like heights and I don't like being cold, but the river canyon was absolutely gorgeous. Had it been a stifling summer day, I think that I would have enjoyed it better, but by the end I was shaking uncontrollably and happy to get back to dry clothes.

By and large and all in all, I had a wonderful time in Cuenca. The city is beautiful, the landscape is breathtaking, the river-sports are insane, and I would love to return one day.

Mañana procrastinar

It's been a couple of days since my last post, so I guess I should write one now...

This past weekend a group of us went to a jazz club here in the city. It was incredible (if a bit too smoky.) The music reminded me of some of the songs I dance blues to back in Chicago and I really wanted to just grab a girl and start dancing. Unfortunately 1) it was not a dance club, and 2) I do not know if anyone at the club even knew how to dance blues. I really want to go dancing here to show off my Chicago-skills and to pick up a few Madrid-moves, but I have no idea where to go or who would want to go with me (one of the reasons to go social dancing is to socialize, after all.)

I also went to the National Museum of Natural Sciences hoping to see some dinosaur skeletons, but to my severe disappointment that gallery was closed. I got to peek past the construction wall and I saw that they had an impressive collection, but I was still frustrated because I couldn't see them up close.

Otherwise I've just been wasting too much time not doing homework (sorry Mom and Dad) but fortunately tomorrow is a national holiday so we don't have any classes and I can try to get it done then.

This upcoming weekend we are traveling to Cuenca and I am going to go cliff-diving. If I die, I want it in my will that all my friends and family have to each eat a pinecone.

My Schedule

Some of you have been asking for my weekly class schedule to know when the best time to chat/skype. Here it is with both the local time with Chicago time in parenthesis. As a reminder, Spain is seven* hours ahead of Chicago, so when it is noon here it is 5 in the morning in Chicago, and when it is noon in Chicago it is 7 in the evening here.

*I am not sure if daylight savings time will throw this number off.

MONDAY

3:00-5:00 (8:00-10:00) Written Comprehension and Expression

5:00-7:00 (10:00-12:00) Oral Comprehension and Expression

TUESDAY

10:00-12:00 (3:00-5:00) Art and Architecture in Medieval Spain

3:00-5:00 (8:00-10:00) Grammar and Practice

WEDNESDAY

3:00-5:00 (8:00-10:00) Oral Comprehension and Expression

THURSDAY

10:00-12:00 (3:00-5:00) Art and Architecture in Medieval Spain

3:00-5:00 (8:00-10:00) Grammar and Practice

FRIDAY

3:00-5:00 (8:00-10:00) Written Comprehension and Expression

In addition, I'll give you the times we eat here in Spain.

BREAKFAST

8:00 (1:00) Usually just 2 pieces of toast with butter, jelly, and fruit juice. Honestly, not the best way to start the morning.

LUNCH

2:00 (4:00) The biggest meal of the day. My favorite so far was the paella, but one of my roommates hates seafood so I doubt we'll be getting it again. Sadness!

DINNER

9:00 (2:00) Similar in size to lunch back in the States. In my opinion it is served much too late because my stomach is eating itself by the time dinner rolls around.

Volver al punto de partida

It is back to square one with me, now that I have officially forgotten how to speak Spanish.

Well, not exactly, but that's how I felt when my first Spanish class at Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Complutense University of Madrid) began this afternoon. We started with the basics, the easiest verb tense, present indicative (I run, you cook, we talk, etc.) and I quickly realized just how out of shape my tongue really is with the language. It refuses to pronounce the syllables correctly and I sound like I'm trying to talk with a mouthful of food.

Additionally, my professor is both relatable and terrifying at the same time. She wants us to refer to her in the 2nd person familiar, but she began today by listing off the rules of what we absolutely must not do in her class. It also didn't help that I was unprepared for the first day because I wasn't able to pick up my ID card, which the professors use to take attendance and to remember the students' names. Afterwards, I had a flashback to my first Spanish class during my freshman year of high school. Back then I was just as intimidated when I realized that Spanish did not exactly flow out of me.

I am optimistic about it though. I think that it'll just take a little bit of time to get settled into speaking and thinking about the language. Until then, I look forward to more classes tomorrow and getting to know the foreign students in my class.

La ciudad de Madrid

I'm getting more acquainted with the city of Madrid.

Every day now I've gone out to a different place and gotten to know the city just a little bit more each time. I went to el Parque del Retiro on the metro again today and I everything on the train is a reminder of how much I hate taking the El back in Chicago. Compared to the El, the metro is cleaner, faster, more reliable, and there are significantly fewer sketchy people riding it.

Orientation is tomorrow, which I am actually grateful for because I am searching for a sense of community here. One of the things I miss most about DePaul are the close bonds that I forged there, and with those now severed for the quarter, I have to find my place again with a whole new group of people. I particularly miss going to mass at St. Vincent's because was there where the community came together strongest. I went to mass for the first time here by myself and it was completely different. I will probably try to find a group of people who can go to mass together in order to preserve the communal experience.

Lastly, I just want everyone to know that I think about you all often and miss you tons. Please, feel free to message me on Facebook chat or call me on Skype.

Es peligroso ir solo

It is dangerous to explore a foreign city alone, so I went with friends.

The past two days I explored the city with my roommates, Ian and Julian, as well as other students from DePaul. I started off by walking to some of the plazas and doing some window shopping. There is a store here called El Corte Inglés (literally, The English Cut) which is the big store here in Spain. And it really is big, we went to their department store and it was seven stories tall, then across the street there was a Corte Inglés music/DVD shop and down the street was a Corte Inglés fútbol store.

That night, a large group of us from DePaul went out to dance. Let's just say that the club scene isn't my scene. I prefer to go social dancing or stay in rather than be packed into a lung-rottingly-smoky bar infested with creepy guys who are following the girls in our group and offering them drinks.

Today was a better day though. We went to el Parque Retiro, the huge park near to downtown, to spend the afternoon. We began by renting rowboats and rowed around the large man-made lake in the park, this was followed by a casual stroll through the gardens. One interesting thing that we noted was that rollerblading seemed to be much more popular here than back in Chicago. Not only were there people skating for recreation, but there were classes being taught to adults as well as children and they appeared to be preforming routines as a group. Because the park is so big we planned to visit it again soon in order to travel all over it's sprawling pathways.

Final del primer día

It is the end of my first day here in Spain, and it certainly was interesting.

Our plane arrived on time, so we were able to pass through customs around 8:00 this morning. A group of us who had met at O'Hare then claimed our baggage (luckily nothing was missing) and then went to be driven to our homestays.

My roommates and I met our host-mom, Mari Angeles, at the door and she showed us to the apartment she shares with her husband Arturo. It is cozy (which I was expecting) but it is already starting to feel like home.

We then went on a walk around the neighborhood to change money and find a store that sold European sim-cards for our phones. Walking about the city is an incredible experience, and even small differences/similarities jump out at you. For example, an enormous crowd of hundreds of protesters from the transportation union rode by on their bicycles shouting chants in demonstration, and I was immediately reminded of the Critical Mass bike rides which take place in Chicago.

After exploring a little, my roommates and I came back home and crashed. I had been running purely on adrenaline and my body had had enough. I was very happy to get some rest, and what was supposed to be a quick nap turned into a 5 hour sleep (one of the reasons I hate to nap).

Unfortunately, the day was not all roses. I accidentally broke my surge protector when I plugged it in because of the higher voltage used in Europe (I thought it wouldn't matter for a surge protector, guess I was wrong) and it turns out I didn't need to bring it anyways because my computer doesn't even need it. I also learned that I applied to receive a phone with the program wrong, and as a result, I won't be getting one; which is great because I left my charger for my phone at home. I will probably end up getting a pay-as-you-go phone here, but not for another couple of days.

Tomorrow I have yet another free-day because orientation was pushed back to Monday due to the strike and I plan on exploring even further.

El primer día, 80 días se mantienen

It is my first day here in Madrid, 80 days remain in the quarter... and I'm on no sleep.

I'm sure you're all wondering how I'm doing, so I'll keep it short.

Flight: boring, no sleep
Homestay: family-nice, apartment-nice
Roommates: seem cool, getting along well

I woke up on Sept. 28th, at 10:45AM Chicago time and it is now Sept. 29th 6:25AM Chicago time. I got MAYBE 1hr of sleep on the plane. Luckily orientation was postponed until Monday, so I have time to rest/get acclimated before then.

More details about my family and the city will follow, but now I need rest.

Alba del último día

It is the dawn of my last full day here in the States, and I'm ready to go.

Well, that's not entirely true, I still have to finish packing some last minute things and make sure that my flight and arrival plans are all tied up. But I spent last night saying my final goodbyes to my friends at DePaul, and I feel ready to leave.

This summer has probably been the longest and possibly greatest one of my life. I remember each summer by the theme of what I did, and this one will definitely be remembered as the summer of storytelling. The very first day of summer I participated in a role playing game, I played in a game once a week for the whole summer, I became heavily immersed in the rules and mythos of Dungeons and Dragons, and I ultimately decided to run my own storytelling game when I return this winter.

When I was not involved in role playing, I was usually watching TV. This summer, either through DVDs or the internet, I viewed a total of 12 series of television (1 of Lost, 1 of Dr. Who, 5 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 3 of Avatar: the Last Airbender, 1 of Glee, and 1 of Coupling). It was entertaining to say the least and hopefully helped me to further understand how to develop an interesting, grounded character.

My flight leaves tomorrow afternoon (if it is not delayed) and I expect to be out of contact with everyone back home for a couple of days due to orientation and getting my internet hooked up there. So, I wish everyone lots of love and ask that you keep in touch whenever you have the chance.

Seis días hasta la salida

Six days until I depart, and I'm on no sleep.

I'm so excited and anxious about my (incredibly fast approaching) departure that I can't turn off my mind when I try to fall asleep. A never-ending barrage of thoughts cascades through my head. Endless questions about what-ifs, hows, wills, and whens. "Will I get along with my roommates? What will my host-family be like? How will I adjust to the culture?" All of these swirl around like a raging tempest in my mind, keeping sleep just out of reach.

I would be frustrated, if there weren't so much to do. I still need to finalize details for my arrival, purchase last-minute items, and of course pack. I expect the next couple of days to be an interesting mix of hectic preparation spotted with 11th hour summer enjoyment.

Here's hoping that I can squeeze the last out of this summer in the few days I have left, and of course, for some much needed rest.