Saturday, September 24, 2011

I'm here!

The air smells just as I'd remembered it.

Instead of sleeping on my flight from New Jersey to Madrid, I watched Bridesmaids (really funny), He's Just Not That Into You, most of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and an episode of Parks and Rec.

Gregorio, one of my roommates the last time I lived here, picked me up from the airport (around 11am).  We came back to the apartment, chatted for a bit, then I slept from 12:30 until 8 or so.

As some of you know, I have this necklace with a small clock that I bought at the Rastro the last time I was here.  About a month ago, the battery gave out.  Gregorio asked me if I had a watch when we got to the apartment today (he had bought some in Paris the last time he went), and I mentioned that story to him.

When I woke up from my nap, we were going to go eat some kebap, and he asked if I had the watch/necklace with me.  I grabbed it, and we made a stop at the chino-shop on the corner.

The guy working opened it up and put in a new battery -- less than a euro!  A new necklace would have cost 15 euro, and I have no idea how much clock batteries are in the US.

Now it's midnight and Gregorio is showering to go out.  Although I'm still super tired, he's guilted me into coming out for a bit ("I come and pick you up from the airport and now you're just going to sleep!  You already took a nap, you don't need to sleep, this is Spain, bla bla")

I only have to stay out until 3.  At first he was saying "Come on, you have to come out, it'll just be until 5 or 6am!"  It will take a bit to readjust to the Spanish nightlife.  But when in Spain...

UPDATE: We actually got home at 6am, and now it's 4pm Saturday and I'm just waking up.  Goodness! I'd hoped to get a phone plan today, so I can start apartment hunting.  Vamos a ver.

2 comments:

  1. Hi there! I found your blog while searching for info on the Language Assistant program, and I've been enjoying reading through your posts. I studied abroad for a semester in Spain (2nd sem 1992), but back then we didn't have the Internet and blogging! Anyway, I met a guy, but then went back to the States and the rest of my life, only to end up marrying him in 1999 and moving back to Spain. It's neat reading the blog of someone else who is just beginning (or continuing, in your case) the Spain adventure.

    I'm working in a school right now myself, and I'll be interested to hear more about your experiences as a language assistant.

    Best of luck!

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  2. Hi Kate!
    I think I might have actually stumbled upon your "School in Spain" blog a while back at the end of my study abroad when I was looking into how one could become a permanent English teacher here.

    I didn't realize that you had your "Expat Mama" blog, which is current. I'll have to take a look at that and follow the story to see how you got to where you are now.

    Thanks for commenting/reading! It's good to know I have another virtual contact.

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