Pictures from Day 1

The Journey to Granada 6/29- 6/30

The Journey to Granada: 6/29/13 –After about two hours of sleep, Jeremy and I woke up at 4:30 am and got ready to go to SFO Airport. We had to stop by the gas station along the way, change the oil, etc etc, but in the end we got there earlier than early, at around 6:20 am. We walked around a little aimlessly at first, confused as to where I was supposed to check-in and eventually we found the right line, and found out that I had to visit a kiosk to print my tickets. The kiosk didn’t work so I had to wait for an agent, but after about 35 mins my bag was checked in and I had my tickets so everything was going well. By this point it was only about 7:00 am. There was a Starbucks so we stopped by to grab a pastry because we were both hungry, and afterwards we sat alone on a bench near the entrance of the airport. I was scared because I was going all the way to a foreign country alone, and everything was stressing me out, PLUS I was sleep deprived. However, around 7:30 am I decided that there was nothing I could do about it except face it so I gave Jeremy one last kiss and a giant hug and I went to the security area. Everything there went smoothly, I didn’t set off alarms—I went through that new body scan machine because the metal detector was broken, and it was kind of strange because it seemed so high tech, but it was really easy to go through. After making it through the gate I found a little area with snacks so I bought some cliff bars, potato chips and a water bottle for my flights, and then I went to my gate and waited. I was group four so I didn’t have to wait super long and when I got onto my American Airlines plane I was pleasantly surprised to find that the rows were only three seats wide, not more. I did have the middle seat, but in the end I got the window seat because the two other seats around me were a couple so they asked me to switch them and of COURSE I humbly obliged! ;) I talked to them a little bit and found out that they were headed to Germany just for fun—and I had talked to other people before I boarded who were headed to Germany too. It seemed that the plane from SFO to Chicago was full of people bound for Spain or Germany. The flight was about 3 hours and 40 mins long—not too bad because they played a movie and then put on Parenthood.  The movie was that new one with Matt Daemon as the bad oil company guy, but I didn’t watch it because it made me motion sick :P Mostly I listened to my Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows audiobook and tried to sleep, somewhat successfully. Arriving in Chicago around 2 pm (which was 12 pm in CA) was weird in and of itself, and as I looked around for my gate I upheld a promise that I had made to Jeremy which was to buy a Chicago style hot dog in Chicago. It was VERY good, I must say! Then I met one of my roommates, Molly, and we sat together while we waited for our plane to Madrid to board. This plane was GIGANTIC because it was a combination of three different airlines, so it had to separate aisleways and had eight seats total per aisle, but they were split up into pairs of two on the right and left sides (by the windows) and then four together in the middle of the plane. I was on the outside right seat of the middle area. The plane was really nice—from the moment I got on I felt excited because there was Spanish music on in the background and all of the crew smiled at you as you walked on, and then there was one crew member who smiled and said “Buenas Tardes!” very enthusiastically, which was very nice and made me feel like I was at Disneyland being greeted by one of their super kind employees. I found myself seated next to a woman who I talked to for a while and discovered that her name was Jill. She was headed to Barcelona to see her daughter who had been there eight weeks for studying abroad. All of the seats came equipped with a plastic bag containing a pillow and a fleece blanket, and after everyone was seated the workers passed out headphones in a sealed bag to all of us as well. In one of the little books in the back of the seat in front of me I saw advertisements for the business plus seats and REALLY wanted one! They have private screens, a built in phone, they fully recline! Etc etc. Eventually I fell asleep to my Harry Potter audio book. I woke up not too long later because I was hungry, so I ate a cliff bar and of course immediately afterwards a dinner was served that I hadn’t known was coming. The options were chicken or beef, I chose chicken, and I was given a cute little platter with herb rice, chicken, carrots and peas, some sort of shrimp salad, bread with butter and/or brie (courtesy of President) and a piece of carrot cake. There was also a small empty red mug and a little half n half container so I knew coffee must be coming later. Eventually the guy who had greeted everyone with “Buenas Tardes” earlier walked down the aisle offering cáfe, and I graciously accepted. The plate already had one half n half, but Jill and her friend gave em theirs also so mi cáfe was perfecto! When I was reaching in the little bag of silverware to get a spoon another little bag fell out of it, which I discovered had salt, pepper, sugar and a towellete. The trip was full of pleasant surprises. On the flight I was really struck by the fact that all of the workers spoke Spanish first, English second, and that everything including the safety videos and announcements were in Spanish first. I got a taste into what it must feel like in California when you speak English second, and it can be kind of a pain, I must say. After the coffee, which was probably a stupid idea, I could NOT sleep even though I had six hours of dark plane ride left. I crocheted for a bit in the dark successfully, and then I just listened to Harry Potter and tried to sleep until my ipod died, at which point I tried to sleep for like two hours aimlessly. The whole time I really wanted to look out a window and see what was below, even though it was dark, but I never could.  At 6:10 am the lights in the plane turned on and the stewardesses/ stewards began walking down the aisles carrying little rectangular yellow boxes that I thought contained a flower for some reason, haha, but actually had a little croissant, a muffin, a kit kat bar, a cup of fruit, and an empty cup for forthcoming coffee. Since I don’t like sweets for breakfast and I was already motion sick from flying, all I had was the fruit cup and a glass of orange juice—and some coffee—but the service was really nice. There were always many drink options and the stewardesses made themselves readily available. Eventually we got there and I was VERY happy because I could no longer feel my poor legs, and I was going stir crazy with nothing to do. Overall, I was really pleased with the flight—the only thing I didn’t like was the lack of internet on the plane. It was an EIGHT hour ride. It should have had internet :P Getting off the plane was surreal because I knew that I was stepping into Madrid. The walkway out of the plane had all clear glass walls and ceilings, and it made up about two stories that we had to go to get to the actual building. My roommate Molly and I met up and found a bathroom and were really confused because it was fully of fogged glass walls, but they didn’t all go to stalls, some were just there for show. We figured it out in the end, and I was very happy to find that they had toilet paper, even though *someone* told me they would only have bidets. It turned out that Madrid airport is REALLY confusing. You have to walk up that giant winding ramp and then go a WAYS before you find signs with terminal areas. And then after you follow the signs you eventually you end up in customs, which is just a guy who stamps your passport, and then another baggage check. Then you run into elevators, which take you to an underground train. The train was SUPER cool though because the tracks had lots of different splotches of color of light and I felt like I was on Space Mountain! Then we got out and ran around to find our gate. I showed them my ticket and my passport and was directed to walk forward, so I walked and then there was an image of a stick figure walking and an arrow pointing left, so I went down some metal stairs that were kind of janky but I just went with it. Then I ended up at sliding doors which opened into a little shuttle bus, which took us to the plane. It had a narrow little staircase that had been placed up to its door and the plane was so small it only had twelve rows of two seats. I got a window seat but the window was really tiny and foggy so it was hard to see out. I discovered that after being on such nice airplanes, going on a small one is kind of scary and when I heard a giant THUMP! which made everyone jump, I was super freaked out, but then I realized it was the sound of the middle wheel going down to prepare for landing. But still, freaky planes… no me gustan. When we got to Granada there was only one small building, which was good because we couldn’t get lost. We got our luggage and then met our program director—and then a taxi took us to our host family home. On the drive there I realized that the speed limit was not 80 mph but in fact 80 kmh, whatever that means ;P When we got to our home, Esperanza—our host mom—came to greet us. She showed us the little private park by her building and then around her home. It is a very nice apartment, and I really like the decoration. She also explained the necessity of wearing shoes when inside the house and never walking barefoot—although I don’t know the exact reason for this custom. I took a shower which was much appreciated, and then unpacked a little while talking to Molly. Estabamos tratando de hablar en español todo el tiempo para practicar. (For those non-Spanish speakers that means that we were trying to speak in Spanish the whole time for practice.) Then Esperanza showed us how to get to downtown on a map, and told us about some of her other host kids. Around two Molly and I ate lunch with Esperanza’s son, Luis, and it was very good. It was all homemade, and we had gazpacho (which you drink! I thought it was like soup and asked for a spoon :P) and delicious potatoes and chicken. The water is served in a bottle like a pitcher into glasses, which seems very elegant. After lunch I was stuffed and Molly and I both took advantage of the siesta and napped. Later, we got up and then I started writing this blog, and at some point our other roommate, Chelsea, arrived. That is where I stand right now. It feels like it should still be Saturday because I never went to sleep but because of the time difference Sunday is almost over. !Hasta luego mis amigos! Estoy en España… (I am in Spain…) It hasn’t hit me yet. Adios.