Fútbol y Flamenco

This has been quite the jam-packed week. Every night we’ve had something going on in Madrid. But that’s good, right? No chance to be bored. And right now, I’m in Valencia – more on that later.

Bueno, it seems there is always one day a week where famous sites open their doors for free. For la Reina Sofia it was Monday. La Reina Sofia is an art museum, like the Prado, that houses the works of artists such as Picasso and Dalí (the surrealism guy, the one who painted the melting clocks painting). Picasso’s famous “Guernica,” is displayed here, a depiction of the bombing of the Basque city Guernica by the Germans during the Spanish Civil War. This museum is full of a lot of modern and contemporary art, which includes styles such as cubism (Picasso) and surrealism (Dalí). In all honesty, not my favorite. I have a difficult time seeing beauty in these particular styles. Maybe they are too bizarre for me, or maybe I just don’t know enough about art to see the beauty and innovation there. I don’t know. I can appreciate the skill that went in to creating most of the pieces (others, not so much), but I don’t think I’ll ever become an adoring fan. I’ll just leave it at that.

Tuesday, most of the group went to a pro soccer game! El Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, home of Real Madrid (yes, this time I rooted for them), is the biggest stadium I’ve ever been in. Incredible. And the soccer? Wow. Yeah, it was awesome, even though we sat in the nosebleeds. And by nosebleeds, I mean the very last row in the stadium. Was it worth it? Absolutely. We had the best view of the field and could see everything. Madrid played Getafe, a small city in the Madrid area, and won 4-0, with señor Cristiano Renaldo scoring three of the four points. There’s not a huge rivalry between the teams, and the players were really friendly to each other. So it wasn’t super crazy, but I still had a great time.

Wednesday, I again found myself in Madrid, but this time for some flamenco at El Teatro Real. The show we went to had two parts. First, was Bodas de Sangre (Blood Wedding), packed into a thirty minute Latin-ballet-type production. I definitely enjoyed it, although I did think the five-minute, silent, slow motion, fight scene was slightly ridiculous (I’d be happy to do a short reenactment, if you’d like). The second part was all flamenco. It was unbelievable. The way they move and coordinate their hands and feet just blows my mind. As I mentioned early, flamenco comes from Andalucía, a province in southern Spain. For a while, this particular dance genre (there are tons of different styles within it, as well) was fading, but it has recently been making a comeback, and more people want to learn it. Thank goodness, because it’s amazing.

The rest of the week we’ll be in Valencia! Helloooooooo playa!

¡Bienvenidos a España!

Oh my freak, I’m in Spain. You know that moment, when the realization that a long-anticipated event is really happening hits you like a ton of bricks? Well, that realization finally hit me as I stepped off that stuffy plane and breathed in the sweet, Spanish air. What an interesting trip it has been getting here.

First, yesterday doesn’t even seem real. If I didn’t have a blog post to prove it, I would have thought that I dreamt the entire thing. Of course it may have something to do with the fact that this has felt like one long, continuous day and that I got somewhere between only 30 minutes and 3 hours of sleep on the plane. Yeah, I’m kinda exhausted. But I’m trying to fight that jet lag by making it until hopefully 9:00 tonight (Tuesday). I’m not entirely sure I’ll make it.

Second, right after that lovely realization hit me, it quickly faded away as we proceeded to spend the next five hours at the airport. Our plane arrived at 7:50 AM, Madrid time (for all you Pacific Standard Timers out there, that is 10:50 PM, your time). Our bus was supposed to pick us up at 10:30 but somehow didn’t appear until 1:00ish. Let me tell you, sitting around in one airport does not feel any different from sitting around in another airport, whether it’s foreign or not. At 10:30 our group progressed outside. Luckily, it was sunny and beautiful, but I felt like I was in California, not Spain.

Now finally, as I’m sitting on my bed at the home of my host family, I really do feel as if I’m a long way from home. I’m definitely not in Kansas anymore, or Utah, or Idaho, or anywhere else familiar for that matter. And there is so much Spanish! It’s a little overwhelming, but I have a feeling that I’ll get used to it real fast, since that’s all I will be hearing and speaking. The city I’m living in, Alcalá de Henares, is so beautiful. The entire city is like a giant work of art. It’s also the city where Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote, was born and lived. There is so much rich history here. I can’t wait to learn more!

The family I am staying with is very sweet. The woman’s name is Conchi, or Mari. She says either one works. Her mother lives here as well. I think her name is Concepción, but I couldn’t really tell. She’s a little difficult to understand but she is adorable. Mari has two daughters, both married, and three grandkids. I met one of them, Hugo, who just turned one. She has a little dog named Mafí and a parakeet. She is one of the most thoughtful women I’ve ever met! She is going to all this trouble just to get the internet set up here at the apartment for us. She knows it is important for me to stay in contact with mi familia.

I’ve always wondered what it’s like to live in an apartment in the city and now I get to find out. I like it so far. I feel so connected to everything that is going on because I am right in the middle. I’m not sure how close her apartment (or piso as they call it) is to the school but she says it’s an easy walk. Here is a view of our bedroom.

And a view from the window.

Not too bad, eh? I think I could get used to this. Bonus, we travel to a different city every weekend! Sooo cool! Tomorrow, we’ll go to the university and take an aptitude test. If we fail, they kick us out and send us home. Not really. That would be terrible! Our professor just wants to know where everyone is at so the other professors can teach appropriately. Then we have the rest of the day to keep resting. Thursday is the start of classes for us. I think usually we’ll have four class days a week and then travel the other days.

Mi compañera, Erin, arrived a while after I did. 

I think we’ll have lots of fun being roommates and we’re both taking the same classes too. She seems like a very sweet girl and I can’t wait to get to know her better. Plus, it kinda makes me feel like a secret agent, knowing that I can slip into another language to discuss secret affairs. Not that we will. It’s strictly Spanish here of course.

Farewell U.S., Hola España

Today I begin my grand adventure. Two months in Spain. Seriously, who does that?! I am one very blessed girl, especially after this weekend. Yup, in spite of all that happened I'm still getting on that plane: cuts, scrapes, bruises, and all. If you haven't seen the pictures, here's a couple of the accident.

But all is well. This amazing, little body of mine (amazing as in astonishing or awe-inspiring because of its complexities, not as in insanely attractive. Although, I won't be offended if you think my body is kickin'! ;)) will be healed in no time.

As we speak, or as I write I guess, I'm sitting in the Dulles (pronounced dull-is, not dools) airport in DC waiting for my eight-hour flight to MADRID!! How am I feeling right now, you ask? A combination between ridiculously excited and completely terrified. This is my first time out of the country, and I signed a contract saying I would only speak Spanish, a language I am definitely not fluent in. But you know what? I think it's good for you to be completely terrified every once in a while. It makes you appreciate the times when things are nice and comfortable. Plus, how are you supposed to grow if you're not thrown outside your nice, comfortable world? I think that is what I'm looking for in this experience: growth, and lots of it. I want to become an even better person who is more aware of the world and the people in it. That is what I'm so excited for (besides those steamy Spanish men. JUST KIDDING!). So one emotion leads to the other. My terror brings potential for growth, which in turn brings excitement for that growth. What a great time to be alive!

I can’t wait to share all my experiences and growth with all you loved ones. Yeah, it sucks having to be so far away. You guys make my life worth living. But then we’re back to the terror and the growth and the excitement. All I can do is say thank you. Thank you for the guidance and the experiences that have brought me to this point in my life. I hope you enjoy watching my antics as much as I will enjoy doing them! It’s going to be a great two months. So jump on and relish the ride with me!

I can’t use my phone over here since it costs outrageous amounts, so please don’t text me! If you want to get a hold of me, add me on Skype! Username: e.chipman. Just let me know who you are because I won’t add creepers!! (but creepiers are alright)
Facebook is a great way too!
Also, I have this texting app I can use when I have Wi-Fi. So if you get a text from a strange number it’s probably me, although I’ll let you know just to be sure.
If you want the address where I’m staying, shoot me an email or a facebook message. I don’t want stalkers to find me without my consent, ya know.

¡Hasta pronto!