I rescind my previous statement

In my previous post I was in the middle of a spat of homesickness. I'm not leaving, so don't worry. Bigger blog coming soon.

I'll just come out and say it.

I might be going home out of my own volition.

Fuck Me Sideways (AKA, my first weeks in Spain)

To sum up the last couple weeks in Spain, things have gone from good, to better, to homesick, to shitty, to worse, to drunk (a lot), to good, to shitty. I will get to these all shortly.

In the last week I've seen some marvelous things in Madrid. I have finally become acclimated to the Metro system and know how to walk to pretty much everyone of my friends' houses and to other important places. I've met a lot of cool people since I've been here and enjoy spending time with all of them. Our first week consisted mostly of orientations and getting drunk way too late in areas with transvestite hookers, so it was a good time. This week we started our classes and they seem pretty easy and very similar to the way Albion had classes set up. It takes me about an hour to get to school, so learning to be a commuter student is not exactly the most enjoyable experience in the world, but I am quickly learning to deal with it and have started to enjoy my 45 minute nap on the way to class.

This past Saturday was spent enjoying one of Spain's last festivals of the summer, la Noche en Blanco (white night, and trust me I've made all of the racist jokes about it that could be made). La Noche en Blanco is essentially a night when museums, bars, and concerts are all open till about 6 in the morning. This night, Mariah and I deecided to go to a classical music concert and meet up with friends. However, nothing this night went as planned. We arrived there about 45 minutes early, but could not meet up with our fellow CIEE students so we enjoyed the concert separately. After the concert we headed back to meet our group at our local sangria hangout in Plaza del Sol. After deciding to be cultured and see a Flamenco dance exposition instead of getting black out drunk, we ventured through the streets of Madrid.

This is when things got hairy. Upon turning on the street that the exposition was on, we realized we were on the same street as the biggest event of the night. The world record holder for the farthest and highest tight ropes (something like at the top of a 100 something story building, and crossing the Thames) was set to cross the busiest and biggest street in Madrid. After wading through the crowd of at least 5000 people for 30 minutes, we had only managed to travel a mere two blocks. Our night was on the downslope. After a mental breakdown or two, Mariah and managed to make it out of the clusterfuck that was downtown Madrid and proceeded to duck into the closest dive bar we could find to drink the night away. Eventually we manage to meet up with the rest of our friends to close out the night and caught the first Metro at 6 AM.

In other news, I have received multiple e-mails from Albion and CIEE stating that there have been problems with my tuition payment. My parents are currently working on it, but I don't know if we will have everything done by Friday (the deadline). If we don't have everything finished there is a very good chance that I will be going home this week. Hopefully this doesn't happen.

Alright, time to go take care of my tuition issues and stop stealing this cafe's wireless.

Besos a todos,
Gregorio


Pictures from the last few weeks (some are doubles)
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2032058&l=56d29&id=36202877
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2032056&l=296df&id=36202877

Day one recap

I'm currently writing this from the rooftop of our current hotel in downtown Madrid.  From my vantage point in the south of the city I can see almost all that the city has to offer.  The wind is blowing strong and I'm starting to enjoy the city more after my first harrowing day in Europe.

As I boarded my plane at Detroit Metro I just knew there would be a problem with my luggage.  Call it intuition, call it not trusting the French (I flew with Northwest to Paris, then connected using Air France), but my luggage did not arrive.  After talking to the lost luggage people in a foreign language, I really saw how my Spanish skills would be put to the test.  I finally left the airport at 1800 (5 PM) after arrive at 1500 (3 PM) local time with the understanding that my luggage would arrive on the 2030 (8:30 PM) flight coming from Paris.  After paying 20 euro for a shitty salad at my hotel, I hopped back on the shuttle for the airport.  I was told to go to three different places to reclaim my lost luggage, which contained all of my clothing for the next three months.  After getting lost and turned around in the Madrid airport for an hour I finally decided to work up the courage to just sneak back through security to the baggage claim area.  After committing which was most likely a felony, I was told that my luggage would not be arriving until 2220 on a flight from Paris.  I busied my self in the airport by reading a copy of El Mundo (the national Spanish newspaper, think USA Today).  Finally around 2300 (11PM) I was rejoined with my luggage and ventured back to the hotel.  In short, yesterday was a Hell involving airports and trying to describe luggage in a foreign language.  Hopefully this isn't a precursor for the rest of my trip.

So far today has been much better as I joined up with my group around noon.  I awoke at 1000, checked out and caught a cab to my current hotel (I was staying at the airport Hilton before, check Facebook for pictures).  They all seem like good people and one of the other guys is even an Rx Bandits fan.  We went to lunch at a restaraunt called Gingers (no it's not owned by the half human freaks) and now we are back at the hotel.  Since everyone else arrived today, they have not had time to adjust to the time difference and enjoying their first siesta.  

The programs that CIEE (the organizing program) has set up seem really interesting and I can wait to immerse myself in Spanish culture.  Noche Blanco is coming up (all night street festival) so I will be sure to post pictures.  I miss all of you and be good to eachother.

I Hate Airports

I'm currently in my de facto home for the next 3 hours, the Detroit
airport. This message most likely won't be posted till I get to Spain,
but I need to do something to kill the boredom. Sitting in the Fox
Sports bar, I'm surrouded by at least a hundred people waiting for
buisness trips, vacations, and flights to see loved ones. Undoubtedly,
some of these people are in the same boat as me. They're waiting to
start a new chapter in their lives like I am. I'm sure someone in this
smokey sports bar is going through similar to what I am. Someone here
is afraid, anxious and nervous just like me, waiting to start
something new. They are waiting just like me. I know everything will
be just fine, I know Jill, my friends and my family will all be
waiting for me when I get back in December, but I am sure I will have
changed by then. Time to kill two hours walking around the terminal. I
hope everyone is happy and healthy, and I miss you all.

Americans Abroad!

Golden arches risin' above the next overpass.
These horizons are endless.
Americans abroad!
Americans abroad!
Profit driven expansion into foreign markets.
And while I hope I'm not like them, I'm not so sure.

This is the best summer that I've ever had.
European Vacation, me and my best friends.
Americans abroad!
Americans abroad!
Whatever there is to be said is said in English.
And while I hope I'm not like them, I'm not so sure.

Here we are, a rock band looking for new audiences.
Wherever we go, Coca-Cola's already been.
Americans abroad!
Americans abroad!
And I just can't help but think that there's nothing in sight.
And while I hope I'm not like them, I'm not so sure.