I love Madrid!

I woke up this morning with the oddest feeling that I was over my homesickness and ready to start the semester. We took our 50 minute commute complete with 8 metro stops and a 15 minute walk (yes I know, so fun especially with 9 am classes everyday) to the IES center where we take 1 orientation class a day that covers Spanish culture and language to help us not stick out as much as we already do. Little things I learned: don't tip for it is insulting (oops), Spaniards wear their wedding ring on their right hand usually (oops again as I am walking around like a married woman with my grandmother's ring on my right hand), and if you can't figure out one vocabulary word on any menu item, do NOT order it. I love my teacher and it is nice being in smaller groups based on tests we took to determine our level of spanish. I still can't get used to how casual things seem to be at school. My teacher is never on time and complains about getting up so early for work; she has to be there at 9 and is NEVER on time (pretty sure almost all Americans have been working at least an hour by that time). We also have a 45 minute break to get coffee or food since Spaniards have a million meal times, therefore our 3 hour class ends up being quite short but who's complaining?

After class I went to the supermarket since I am in charge of providing my own meals and cannot afford the 10 euro a meal prices. It was interesting trying to figure out what everything was using familiar pictures or vocabulary. I find with more and more everyday conversations like the supermarket checkout line, my confidence in my spanish continues to grow! After we ate, 2 other girls from my apartment and I went on a guided tour around historic Madrid. I have never really been interested in sightseeing or historical places but I have never been so happy just looking around as I was today! We went to the Palacio Real, La Catedral, Medieval Madrid and the plaza there, La Plaza Mayor, La Puerta de Sol or the Times Square of Spain, and many of the embassies. I fell in love with Madrid right then and there. It still amazes me how I found a place that allows me to experience city life but also offers the old architecture and beautiful sights. Today made me so so excited for all the sights I will have the opportunity to see and so excited to connect my knowledge of Spanish history to physical sites.