Finally Adjusting

So I’ve been here a few days short of two weeks and I am finally adjusting. AFS put together an orientation last week which was at the perfect time. I got to see my new friends from the program again and also some  more of Madrid. Some other AFSers and I were strolling around through Plaza Mayor, a very beautiful and popular square, taking pictures and simultaneously getting lost and loosing the rest of the group.



Me, Ozen, and Ville



A normal reaction to being lost is to worry yet the Turkish, Finnish, the other American and I, the foreighners, couldn’t be happier to aimlessly stroll through the beautiful narrow alleys of Madrid trying to find our way back. Of course we ended up going in the exact opposite direction and after some delicious mango zumas and a while’s wait, we made it to the park where everyone was enjoying a traditional Spanish lunch.  While eating lunch in the grass, you could see amazing historical buildings and alleys everywhere you look and live violin and accordion were playing through the streets. It was absolutely remarkable. After another activity right outside of the Palace, the orientation was over but the day had only begun. Afterwards, I went with Clara and her two friends to a local festival full of rides, games, and food. That night I had my first churros, a delicious Spanish dessert, and laid under the most magnificent fireworks I had ever seen. This past Tuesday I met with my friends from AFS and explored Madrid again for a total of eight wonderful hours, my favorite being Retiro Park. This park has the same function as Central Park in New York City, with people selling their art and jewelry and people playing and singing music. It was magnificent; with trees everywhere and people canoeing and again old historic buildings in sight; absolutely beautiful. After a long and fun day, I managed to use the metro without worries which is what made me most happy. I switched metros and from the stop to the home where I live is about a twenty minute walk and at first I did get lost but I managed in the end. This day, I also signed up for my classes in my new high school “Instituto Alameda de Osuna”. Some of the classes are: Cultural Classics, Latin, History of Culture and World Religion, Music, History of Spain, Computers, Spanish Language and literature, and even English. All of these classes are new to me and some of them sound really exciting, especially Cultural Classics and History of Culture and World Religion. This School is very different than Emery. There is no dress code, I am not taking any form of science, the day is from 8:30 to 2:30, there is no lunch break, and It is public. Also, something that is interesting is that I stay with my class all day; the teachers move from class to class, it is not the students that move around. From the sound of it, the class must get really close by the end of the year, if everyone is together all day. The School is walking distance and every day I will walk to and from which is wonderful because being outside and walking in the morning is nice, and I desperately need the exercise with all that I am eating. Yesterday was the first day so I walked there and I was very nervous, but it was only an hour presentation. Today there were busses taking the students to an event but unfortunately I wasn’t sure where to go and I missed the bus. Tomorrow is whats tough; there are placement tests in SPANISH; that shall be interesting. I forgot to mention that I still speak little to no Spanish and did not understand one word of the presentation yesterday at school. Real classes start Monday and I cannot wait. The thought of a new school, meeting new people, and all in a new language is exhilarating and exciting. I have absolutely no idea what to expect, I guess I shall wait and see.

Hasta Luego

Danielle