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I havent updated in forever.. but what else is new? Actually, a LOT.

I am more than halfway through being in Madrid, which is scary, shocking, and unbelievable. Although the Spanish way of life is to take things slow, time flies when youre having fun, and that I have been doing. Lisey and I moved out of our single into a beautiful, luxurious double. It is 100x better than being in the single with bunkbeds, making it 1000x better than being in our first residencia. I get my own desk, a ton of space, and a balcony with a window that extends from ceiling to floor. The best part… I get my own BULLETIN BOARD which means pictures finally adorn the walls in an attractive and artistic way (for those of you who were constantly in my room in Edmonds… you will understand this). It isnt nearly as cool (although in comparison to LISEYS BLANK ONE [metro maps dont count] hahaha it is THE BOMB) as the pictures on the tapestry, but I do have a calendar of babies smack-dab in the middle. Things that make me happy: babies, animals, theme parks, and delicious food… so check. This place works for me!

I cant really begin to recap on everything that has happened in the past month. I intended to travel more than I have, and I should start to book trips NOW. This coming saturday morning I leave for Tenerife on the Canary Islands, and then after I head to Barcelona for a couple days, including Easter. For lent, I gave up biting my nails.. and although this has worked, my cuticles have suffered. I’m sure tons of you read this blog to find out about my nail beds, but I am now going to document some of the places that have become important to me while in Madrid.

Fog – this small club at Metro Chueca is always a good time. Lately I have felt a little “Fogged Out” because we went there so often in such a small period of time, but I enjoy the music and the environment. There is a bar and a large area where you can either stand or dance, and they play current music that we swing our hips to. I have both danced with members of our group and Spanish guys.. and I have to say.. Spanish men can get a bit too touchy. It surprises me how, here, men cat-call more in a day than in an entire lifetime in the US. I have learned to ignore the smoochies on the street… but when men and women alike stare at you on the metro, even after you give them a look of warning, it is a bit unsettling. Do I have something on my face? is the appropriate reaction. ANYWAY – when Lisey’s large group of friends came, we brought them there. After some “botellon-ing” we arrived and took some tequila shots (drink of choice here apparently?) and danced the night away. That night Juan’s sister was also in Madrid, so she got to see what Fog is all about as well.

Nike Bar – this bar is also in Chueca (seeing a theme?) and you are able to buy a HUGE cup of beer or calimocho (a drink consisting of approximately 50% red wine and 50% coca-cola) for 4 euro.. and this is a good start to any night. It is always crowded and a bit smoky, but those are conditions we’d have to endure at almost any bar in Madrid.

Luckily, we found out that these places are only a short walking distance away from our new dorm. I like walking the city streets more than taking the Metro because it puts things into perspective (yes, even for me, the directionally challenged), and it makes me feel like I know the city beyond the Metro. Hopefully, between April 2 and May 25, I will learn more.

So the most recent scandal: housing. Res Life, or I should probably say, the new StarRez program, is an absolute BROMA (joke). I really will not even go into all the horrendous errors and confusion of yesterday.. ranging from the Res Life office not opening until 9am (when the process started at 7am) to giving out FALSE PICK TIMES and taking them back. Honestly, after all of that I at least expect to know what room (sadly, notice how i didnt say mod) I will  be living in! But no cigar. We are once again left in the dark, like yesterday, but with the slight improvement of actual e mails telling us… that nothing has been figured out… and please, please have patience and an understanding heart while you wait. En serio, this is not okay. I personally called in 3 times yesterday with concerns for my group, 3 of 1000. However, I cant plan my (multiple) days around the 5 minutes Ill need to be at my computer to choose my room. I wish everyone luck during this monster of a process… and I hope that only the 6-man apartment drawing is afftected by the inpreparation.

I signed up for all of the classes I wanted when I registered today. Luckily my sister did not have to do it for me, but I am still thankful for her willingness to go into work late. I am in a battle with the Economics department about one of my classes here counting towards my Economics major, which might turn into a minor if I dont win the war. Otherwise, classes have been going OKAY, but I guess the truth is that I am learning more outside of my classes than in. I had a 40 minute conversation with one of the girls names Angela, in my residencia today. She struggled to test out some English and I responded in Spanish, and we had a couple laughs. I explained to her that sometimes you feel like other people perceive you as “slow” when you cant speak a language or when you have a road block due to vocabulary. I misinterpreted her when she said, in spanish, “I feel like an Indian (Native American) when I speak,” meaning that her words may be choppy… but I responded as if she said something COMPLETELY different. I told her the better way to put it would be to say robot, in english. Aye, language barriers can be FUN!

I think I’m out for now… I have to consider the ups and downs of housing… the fact that I physically cannot choose my place if it is beyond Friday. I also am going to finish Twilight #2: New Moon, because I finished the first and if I finished the second, which I will, then I bring the third with me to the Canaries! “Oh Edward..” you are too fickle and quick tempered… but you are a strikingly handsome Vampire in love with or obsessed with a human girl and for now, let’s just say that’s me. Bella complains too much and is a hypocrite.

Hasta pronto (because I dont know the next time I’ll write! baha)

TMK

p.s. I have more to say about that stupid effing BOX we had to check.

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