Rain, rain, go away!
¡Hola a todos! ¿Qué tal?
So, I have officially made it through my first two days of class at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. And as I sit here typing this, I look out my window and see a rainbow over the city. Yep, that’s right. A rainbow. That means rain. And it has been raining on and off for the past few days. Everyone has always said how little it rains in Madrid, but when I come, it pours. Go figure. 🙂
Bueno. At last post I was getting ready to start orientation, the final start. It was actually the shortest orientation I have been through to date. Only 24 hours. On 2 June, I checked into the orientation hotel in the morning, then because no one was there yet and the rooms were not ready, I headed out to get a few items, such as picking up my tickets for a Real Madrid-Bayern München Fútbal/Fußball/Calcio/Soccer game. It took a year, but at last I was going to go to a Bayern München Game! I know, I am in Spain- I should cheer for the home team, but alas for Spain, I could not bring myself to. Stern des Südens!!! But in the end, Real Madrid would have the last laugh as they won. Oh well. Anyway, around 12.00 most of the other students started arriving and checking in. Also, the rooms were available. Thus, I checked in, received my housing information, my orientation packet, and then had free time until around 19.30 when any students who wanted could go on a walking tour of the neighborhood.
Since there was plenty of time, a few of the other students and I, whom I met in the lobby, when to get lunch and walk around. Then we returned to the hotel and went on the walking tour, followed by dinner as a whole group of USAC Madrid Summer 2011 in the Hotel Restaurant. It was a bit funny for me, as all the other students were jet lagged and tired, and I was just dandy. Ah the joy of being used to this time zone. jaja
The next day, Friday, we had orientation, starting nice and early at 7.00 with breakfast, y despues (see I can write a bit of Spanish!) we were off the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos to get our library cards, see the campus, take the language exam, and have a general orientation. Seeing the campus was nice, but it was shocking to me that it is an actual campus. I was expecting more like Freiburg where there is a “campus” but it is not as a campus like in the US. The city just flows into campus in Freiburg-here it is more separate like most are in the US. But it is nice and I cannot wait to just do homework outside! Then it was back to the hotel to get our bags and make our way to our new homes.
So I live only 20 minutes away from Uni, which is really nice. Most people live 30-40 minutes away (some days I can even make it in 10!). I take the bus as it is the easiest way and quickest. I have my own room, which is wonderful, and I share a living room, kitchen, and bathroom with two Spaniards. I have been here about a week and so for it has been great. The language was a bit tricky at first, but as my Spanish slowly improves, it is becoming easier to communicate, but for the most part, we can. There are a few words here and there that are lost in translation, or that I simply don’t know in Spanish and they don’t know in English, so then it is dictionary time! jaja
Sunday was a great day: finally the Bayern München game. Our seats were great-we were able to see the whole game, and when it started to rain (rain? Madrid? Yep… figures, no?) we were sheltered. Then it was back home to sleep as Uni started Monday. So I have Spanish class Monday-Friday from 9.00-11.35. Somehow, and I am not sure how, I placed into a higher level than I was going to take… So far, we have been reviewing a lot, which is nice as after Italian and German my Spanish… well I can read it, but not speak it so well. But it is getting better. It is just hard to believe that I have now had a week of class! Midterm next week on Friday means there will be a lot of studying. But what is nice is that there are only 2 other students in my class, so we can go more in depth for topics we are unsure of, or might need more practice with.
After class I have been getting lunch, doing homework, and relaxing a bit, getting used to Madrid. And, of course, enjoying my last week off from training. In the evenings I hang out with friends in the various parts of Madrid and am enjoying all the city has to offer! Vale!
So stay tuned for the next post!
Monument in Park Retiro, Madrid
