Day 1 of España

         After 27 hours of traveling, I finally made it to my destination! I live in an apartment with a sweet roommate, Katherine, and a wonderful host mother, Rosa. Rosa is more like a grandmother, she loves to cook, loves to eat sweets, and has a small dog named Iri (pronounced "eerie"). I arrived in Spain yesterday, slept eight hours, and then had to take a placement exams for my classes. Jet lag has not won the battle because I feel quite on track with the Spanish schedule, and even had a"merienda" with Katherine of rich and thick hot chocolate with churros in a cafe close to the Cathedral. The chocolate is unlikely anything I have ever had in the US, if you leave it to cool for even a few moments, it will turn to a pudding-like substance.
         This afternoon, Katherine and I took our "paseo," or "wandering," through the city where all the stores are having their "rebajas" (sales"). The American men have it easy-- I did not see one girl without a man beside her as she shopped, some looked content, others, not so much.
         Crash of the cultures is just beginning to set in, and the fast-paced American within me is still very alive and well. Walking behind a a crowd going at a snail's pace is quite painful, but when you quickly walk by (with your reusable, BPA free, metal water bottle), you get odd glances. Punctuality is a phenomenon of the past because "no pasa nada" when you arrive 10-15 minutes late. Finally, the person with a very tight personal bubble cannot exist. Spain is a culture of physical contact, and without that contact there cannot be any form of friendly relationship. These being the main peculiarities of the culture, I am curious to witness my adaptation with humor and a ready smile.