Last Friday I had to meet all of the other AFSer's that are living in and around Madrid in Madrid. Except for the ones from Europe because they don't have to get their visa extended or they don't have a visa or something like that. Anyway, they weren't there. But everyone else was. So we had to meet at some train station in Madrid at 10 in the morning on Friday, which was great because we got to miss School. I was taking the train and would have to change trains once to get to the right place. I was perfectly fine, I had ridden the train before and if all went according to plan i would be there about 10 minutes early. My train from Tres Cantos was supposed to leave at 859 but we didnt end up leaving until 905. I dont know if this is normal, and we were supposed to wait that long or what, but we waited for about 5 or 6 minutes with the doors open just sitting there. This wasn't a big deal because i was going to have about 10 ish minutes to change trains, so it wasn't like i was going to miss the train or anything. I wasn't worried. That is until we got to Chamartin. (That is another station about 4 stops down the line towards Madrid from Tres Cantos). There the doors opened like normal and then the people got off and then we sat there with the doors open (and i was thinking, "Hey, we are just doing the same thing as we did in Tres Cantos. No biggie."). And then all of a sudden people just start getting up and walking off of the train. And not like people that wanted to switch trains, but people who didn't get off right when we pulled up but who sat there for 5 minutes and then started to get up. So i pull off my headphones and look around. Some girl who looked about 20 says to me, "Sin Servicios." I am like, "Great, what does that mean?" (I didn't actually say this out loud, but that was the first thing that popped into my head). I then realized that, "Crap. This train is having problems. That means i need to change trains." At first i was fine with this, but once i got off of the train and saw how HUGE this train station was, i was really freaked out. I was thinking that it would be some easy train station where it just says the places the different platforms go to and you figure out where you want to go and which platform that is and just go there. But no, this train station had to have some wonky electric signs that were really confusing. So i just ended up following some lady from my train who didnt get up until we had sat there for five minutes. I ended up getting on a train that was going to the station i needed to go to to catch my other train to Aluche. So i arrive in Atocha (the place where i am supposed to change trains) and i try and figure out which platform i am supposed to go to. I saw some electric sign that said i was supposed to go to a certain platform. I get to that platform and see a different sign (a permanent, stuck to the wall type of sign) that says i am supposed to be on a different platform. I run up the escalator, and am halfway down the one going to my platform when the train leaves. So i had to wait for another 10 minutes for the next train. I finally made it to Aluche and was only ten minutes late.
And now about the visa appointment itself. We all met up in the train station. It was really fun to see all of my AFS friends there and see how the first few days of their exchange were going. Once the AFS person got there (she arrived later than i did) she told us what was happening and where we were going. We then proceeded to walk about a mile to this building where we were having our first of two appointments for our visa extension. Oh, and i forgot to mention something. It. Was. Pouring. Like rivers down the streets, my shoes were soaked in minutes, this is crazy what the heck are we doing pouring. It was bad. And then when we get to the place we have to go through security. Like full out, take off your backpacks and put anything metal on this table. And we were all soaked already and this building with the security was about ten feet wide. So there is this long-ish line out one side and then about 2 people can fit inside to actually go through security. It was crazy. But the appointment took altogether way to little time. I seriously walked up, sat down, said, "Hola" to the lady, gave her my passport, sat there for two minutes, took back my passport and two other papers, said, "gracias" and then left. Really. I had to get soaked and walk a mile in the rain and freak out with the trains for a two minute appointment. Oh, and i forgot to explain something. To get your visa extended, you have to do 3 appointments. The first is in your city's city hall where you register yourself as a citizen. The second is this one, which is where you make the appointment for your final one where you present a bunch of documents and stuff. So basically we had to have an appointment to make an appointment. Pretty great. Anyway, we walked back to the train station and then all of us AFSers decided, "Hey, we are already soaked, lets just go into Madrid and hang out." So we went to Madrid, all 11 of us in our Bright yellow AFS t-shirts that you really couldn't see because of all of our coats. But it was fun. It actually didn't rain on us in Madrid until we were in Retiro and we were going to split up anyway. Me and this other guy named Robert had to go to the train station. We looked at a map and we knew which way we were supposed to go. We had to walk south out of retiro and then west a little to get to the train station. So we walked. And walked. And walked. Retiro is SO HUGE. It took us forever to get out of the park. Not to metion we couldn't find the exit, so we ended up walking to the south east corner when we needed to go to the south west corner, and then we had to walk all the way over to the south west corner to get to the train station. And it was pouring, again. But it was a fun day and i didn't go to school so it was worth it. :)
And then Saturday I had a birthday party in Madrid and we walked a ton (like even more than friday) and then Sunday we went for a hike. So i basically walked all weekend. It was fun but i was (and still am...) super tired.
Now random things...
IT HAS BEEN ONE MONTH SINCE I LEFT SAMMAMISH! Wow. I have never been away from my family for more that a week, and only once outside of the country without my family (to Canada. For a day. So that doesn't really count...). I really miss them (some days more than others...) but i am having a great time here. I would have said this earlier but i started writing this post yesterday and am finishing it today.
Super great questions I have been asked:
Do high schools look like they do in the movies? Depends on the high school (like Bear Creek not so much, but others, as far as i know, do), but for the most part yes.
Do people watch Jersey Shore? I about died when asked this, i was laughing so hard. Which is bad because it was in the middle of class... Anyway, i said some people do.
What are all the english swear words? I was asked this Yesterday during Recreo by two of my friends, Monica and Maria. I did my best to avoid answering and told them the already knew all of them. They then proceeded to list all of them off and i was like, "Yep, thats all the ones i know..." It was pretty awkward.
I got some pants for you! Would you like me to mail them to you? This was my mom. My answer: "Sure..."
Yesterday I skyped with my friend, Erin, for two hours and twenty six minutes exactly. It was really nice to talk and see how she is doing. We talked about things we miss from the US, random things about exchange, school, and independent travel. Oh, and just as a warning mom, i might have to do some independent travel... Because i REALLY want to go to Barcelona. Anyway, it was really fun, and, Erin, we are doing it again.
WE MOVED SEATS IN CLASS! This is NOT GOOD. Now I can't talk to Carla and ask her what the teacher said, i have to fend for myself. AHHH!!! But whatever, I'll manage. It will help my spanish because now i cant talk to her in English during class... But I did lose my laughing buddy for English class.
I got my package today!!!!!! Two pairs of pants (yep, she actually did send them...), two large jars of peanut butter, one bag of chocolate chips, and the whole assortment of American measuring cups and spoons.
Ha, i just now realized that i probably should talk about the title. So Septima is when we have 7 classes one day a week. Most days we have six, and our schedule goes twp classes, recreo, two classes, recreo, two classes and then we are done. But on Thursdays I have septima, so i have three classes at the end of the day. That means i dont get out of school until 3:00. And i dont eat lunch (thats right, lunch) until 3:15 ish. It is super annoying. And we dont even have a regular class, we have Tutoria, which is like Homeroom or Advisory. Ugh. And i never understand any of it.
Christina Grimmie: So when i have finished my homework (or maybe not...) and no one is home or everyone else is doing something or i am just bored i doodle around on the computer or play the piano or look up songs on Youtube. Well a couple days ago i found Christina Grimmie. I was looking up people singing "Some Nights" by Fun. and found her. She is super good, and Christian, and she just has a super fun personality. Watch the video and see:
Tuesday I went to the library! I was looking for Harry Potter in Spanish, but they didnt have it. So i ended up getting Hamlet (the No Fear Shakespeare version) and The Lord of the Rings. Both in English. I havent started them yet but will soon. Hopefully.
Yesterday in English (and apparently every Thursday in English) we are going to have an American lady come in to help us with our pronunciation. It was really funny yesterday because she asked us some questions, and we were supposed to write the answers in our notebooks. The questions:
- What do you know about the US?
- Have you ever been the the US?
- If so, do you want to go back? and where?
- A TON!
- Yep. I live there.
- See #2. And I am going back in July. I have been to: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Montan, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, WASHINGTON, and Wyoming.(and maybe South Dakota...)
Okey Dokey. So i have decided that i want to do a Q&A. Send me all you questions and i will try to answer as many of them as possible. I dont care how, just send them to me. Facebook, Email, comments on this post, any way you can. I am really interested in answering them.
And two things more:
- Today i am going to the American Store! :) :) :) i am super excited and am going to bring my ipod for pictures. :)
- And i dont remember the second one. Whatever.
Hope you are all doing well. Send me letters! My address is:
Ronda del Aguila, 52
28760 Tres Cantos (Madrid)
SPAIN
It costs $1.05 to mail a letter (i think). So do it! :)
Miss you all!
Adios!
P.S.
I remebered what i was going to say! and something else!
- This is a quote/paragraph/thingy that Isabelle put on my Facebook wall last year. It is about exchange. I DID NOT WRITE IT. But it is super good:
How do you know what is a dream if you never accomplished one. How do you know what is an adventure if you never took part in one. How do you know what is anguish if you never said goodbye to your family and friends with your eyes full of tears. How do you know what is being desperate, if you never arrived in a place alone and could not understand a word of what everyone else was saying. How do you know what is diversity if you never lived under the same roof with people from all over the world? How do you know what is tolerance, if you never had to get used to something different even if you didn’t like it. How do you know what is autonomy, if you never had the chance to decide something by yourself? How do you know what it means to grow up, if you never stopped being a child to start a new course? How do you know what is to be helpless, if you never wanted to hug someone and had a computer screen to prevent you from doing it. How do you know what is distance, if you never, looking at a map, said “ I am so far away”. How do you know what is a language, if you never had to learn one to make friends. How do you know what is patriotism, if you never shouted “ I love my country” holding a flag in your hands. How do you know what is the true reality, if you never had the chance to see a lot of them to make one. How do you know what is an opportunity, if you never caught one. How do you know what is pride, if you never experienced it for yourself at realizing how much you have accomplished. How do you know what is to seize the day, if you never saw the time running so fast. How do you know what is a friend, if the circumstances never showed you the true ones. How do you know what is a family, if you never had one that supported you unconditionally . How do you know what are borders, if you never crossed yours , to see what there was on the other side. How do you know what is imagination, if you never thought about the moment when you would go back home. How do you know the world, if you have never been an exchange student?
and 2. I FOUND FROYO IN MADRID. Like legit, exactly like the US, pay by weight froyo. Super happy.
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