10 Lessons in 5 Days

Alright everyone! I know I have been a stupid face (as Meara pointed out) and have not written in a few days! But I've been out learning instead of writing! Here is what I've learned.

1. Two kisses, one on each cheek, is the typical greeting in Spain. I definitely did try to shake someone's hand at first, and they were super weirded out.

2. Everything is different. Doorknobs, phones, light switches, showers, elevators, stoves, ovens, electrical outslets... All different. It's a learning curve really, adjusting to things like the main floor in a building be floor 0, not floor 1, stoves being sorta touch screen, fruit being a typical dessert and eaten with silverware, NOT your hands.

3. Street signs are a luxury. I've seen a total of 4 street signs since I arrived in Spain. They only exist on main streets and are placed very high up on buildings. There are no street signs in residential areas or any cross streets.

4. Cake is delicious in every language. Similarly, so are bread, jam, fruit, orange juice, ham, cheese and pizza. In fact, these things may even be better in Spain. Other things... Are not as good.

5. Get out of the house early. The past two days, and almost every week day until I leave, I'll be home alone all day. This gives me an awesome opportunity to go experience things on my own. But, I've discovered that most little stores and boutiques close before 2 and similar to Colorado in the summer time, it seems to rain here at about 5 every day. Solution: get out early, get to the stores, home before the rain.

6. Always bring an umbrella. However, if you don't have an umbrella and it starts to rain and you are standing on a street corner, people will share their umbrellas and be super nice and make your day. So maybe it's no so bad to forget.

7. Everyone is attractive. I'm not kidding. The ratio to good looking people to unfortunate looking people is much different then in the states. I went to a birthday party for a neighbor of ours and several of the parents could have been movie stars. Everyone is fashionable and chic and awesome.
7b. People do not wear ripped jeans. Also, androgyny is so not in here. I have not seen any women with short hair or in men's styles. Also, I haven't seen any lesbians. Lame.

8. People talk fast. Sometimes, they sound like a movie or song set to fast forward. I have had a really hard time understanding the language but I know that my brain will click over eventually. Also, if I stare at people blankly, they sometimes translate what they said! So that's sorta my strategy right now.

9. Kids are the same everywhere. Kids love Spongebob, Spiderman, TV and pizza and they hate taking showers and running errands. They don't listen and they wander off and get distracted by leaves and shiny things. They have short attention spans and don't like books as much as you want them to. The boy who I am teaching, Ishor (age 5) is no exception. But he's freaking adorable, so that makes it ok. :)

10. Breathe. This one I already knew, but I'm always remembering it. When I got lost this afternoon, when I was surrounded by people I couldn't communicate with, when my luggage got deayed, simply breathe and it will past. Lonliness, home sickness, jet lag, culture shock, anonymity... All battles I've faced the passed few days. But I know that if I take deep breaths and try not to get overwhelmed, I will be ok. I have the support of my friends and family and I'm on one of the greatest adventures of my life.