Y pasan los días

Beautiful thing about Spain is it's not weird to just up and head out to a bar after siesta. We spent most of the day in the Plaza again. This time, a bit productive. We did our homework for our grammar class for Monday. All of us together. I feel we're all starting to get more accustomed to each other, it's a good feeling that you're almost among friends as you'd be back at home. Makes it easier to cope with be estranged from you home country and friends.

Classes are boring, and tiresome. Nothing new. Can spilt nearly any Spanish word into syllables now though and all that fun stuff dealing with diphthongs. Get sick a bit at times, just thinking of the work that I have in front of me.

Food is improving, mostly by my own doing. Went to Carrefour today (a French owned Supermarket/Target type thing) and bought some French cheese. Looks and tastes a lot like Brie but isn't quite. Very creamy although the outside mold covering was bitter, of course. Brought it home to have my host mother try it. She seemed to like it, said we will be getting more of it then. Good news. Beats the manchego and cheddar we've had (I brought Wisconsin yellow cheddar which I detest). Win for me. Also had a bit of fish today at lunch, although only after I had nearly stuffed myself on bean soup and bread. Still, nice gesture. Breakfast wasn't too pleasant though. The milk has a habit of picking up the odor of everything else in the fridge. That includes manchego and chorizo. Then you heat it up in the microwave...it makes for one terrible tasting café con leche. Not a way to wake up in the morning.

I know it sounds a lot like I'm complaining but it's really not terrible here. I am enjoying it a lot, but I tend to feel the disagreeable and annoying stuff more interesting than the positive things. Nevertheless I will try to keep an even balance of "I can't believe this happened" and the "I love everything so much" crap.

Dinner in a bit. Still have some homework to do. It's so much harder to get work done here than in the States. There it's expected to finally get around to work because you're still at a big university with lots of resources and everyone else is very serious about doing work (usually). Not the same here. Everyone wants to be on vacation, which is sorta what this is like. No one is used to going to the library. The resources aren't as openly available and so then we end up sitting around and talking a lot and not really accomplishing anything. Today was an exception, to an extent. I got homework done for a Monday class but didn't touch the stuff I have due tomorrow. Not healthy. Then again, most things I'm doing aren't.

I fear my heart burn is coming back, and I'm not sure why. I thought the diet in Spain would cool down my heart problems but they seem to have worsened. Sat in class after a breakfast of galletas and that bad café con leche with the worst heart burn. Washed my hair this morning, seemed like more hair than usually came out. Fear I'm going bald, apparently because I don't get enough protein. Although beans should have a lot of protein, right? I would think so...but I still feel I'm severely lacking in my meat and dairy department. I miss the diet, to an extent, of the States. Even if I was eating poorly there I was getting sufficient protein and fat and sustenance. Here, I can't be so sure. Too much of anything, even bean soup, can be too much...

Still not dead. That's good.

Primer día de las clases

No mucho hoy. 

Went to classes. Más o menos bien. Grammar with Cristina (nuestra directora) looks to be a bit difficult at times, just due to the time and effort that needs to be put into it. Got this gigantic course booklet today. Only two classes on Mondays and Wednesdays. Phonetics after that. Seems to be pretty interesting but anything that get even close to science scares me. We were talking about parts of the mouth and throat I've never even thought about before. 

School supplies are extremely expensive here. I bought a pack of liquid ink pens (mis favoritos) and they were nearly 5€. All the notebooks are lined like graph paper. And yet Cristina wants our composiciones on blank paper because it's easier to write straight, according to her... Also, hand written. Because Word is often wrong, she says. Will help my handwritten Spanish though, so that's fun.

Afternoons without class (M/W I get out at 12:30) can be boring. Or awesome. Try sitting in the Plaza for 2 hours. That's entertaining. I feel as though last week no one was around during the day but since yesterday the whole of Alcalá has filled up with people everywhere at all times of the day. Not sure if anyone actually works here. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Heck, I want to move here and just sit around and do nothing all day but eat. 

I'm excited. After meal after meal of sopa de judeas (bean soup) looks like I'll be finally getting some really good Spanish food for dinner tonight. Tortilla española. Although mi mama said that it wasn't the type you'd find in bars, that it was her mother's recipe. A bit scared. 

Was sitting in la Plaza today and had one of those outer body experiences that are so fashionable. I tend to like to zoom out of my head and look at where I am at any given time like a satellite. Zoomed all the way out and saw the whole of the Iberian peninsula. Then I zoomed in on Madison. And Milwaukee. I wonder how all of YOU are doing right now. Clearly I'm keeping you all well informed (and I promise I'll get more photos soon). But I want to hear from you guys, what are your adventures? Have any recent photos you want to share? Would love to see them. So, yeah, kinda miss yall a bit.