Chapter One: Rollecoaster Ride

Wow, it's been quite some time since I was able to update this and for that I must apologize. Although it's really not my fault. It's been a hectic last few days, arriving in San Sebastian, going through orientation, finding out my new family, moving in, starting class. It's just been plain crazy!! Especially the first two days.

In the beginning of just about every story you read, it’s always an awkward time having to get to know the characters of the story, the setting, as well as the theme and genre of what is to follow. That day was no different. The morning started off at a much more decent time than the past few days with breakfast in the hotel with the rest of the USAC group members then it was off to orientation. Orientation consisted of the usual boring talk except this time it was the usual boring talk in another country... nothing too exciting. After that we were to take a Spanish placement test. There were almost 100 questions completely in Spanish and only 45 minutes to finish those questions. Not bad over all, I knew exactly where I was going to go wrong and I did. Afterwards we had an oral test which was interesting to say the least, but unfortunately we weren't to find out till later what the results were. The pressure was on for me to place in the third level in order for my credits to transfer in my major. After that whole ordeal was over it was time to move in. Call me crazy but I chose to live with a family in San Sebastian in hopes of perfecting my Spanish, knowing full well that they wouldn’t speak English. So I went to the advisor and he called the house to make sure someone was home while I hailed a taxi to come pick me up and take me there. Up until the point of arrival I never really understood why everyone had made such a big deal about living with complete strangers until I arrived at the doorstep and my throat went dry and I lost almost all matter of thought, the only thing that came to my mind was, awkward. That’s when I finally understood why so many people had looked at me in disbelief of what I’d done. And so during siesta I sat around trying to think of all the advice given to me, and how none could help me out of this new situation. I can’t help but wonder why this makes me feel almost nervous. Why could I deal with having a horrible foreign roommate and have no troubles traveling a whole city as well as other countries by myself, I have no trouble giving speeches in front of people, no trouble getting up on stage and making a fool of myself, no trouble at all with the average fears like bugs and spiders and rollercoaster’s, even the thought of death only makes me frown, but yet with all that I’ve come this far, that I’ve made it through so much else, I’m beginning to feel I don’t know nervous... maybe even a tinge scared... why??

Why is this? All of sudden out of no where it hits me like this? I’ll be honest I don’t understand it, I don’t like this feeling, it’s not something I’m used to, but I know that the only way I can grow from this experience is to face it head on and fight back the bile rising in my throat and buck it up. So not to worry this was after all only the first day, the first chapter. There are many more to come and I know that I won’t quit. I hate quitting anything and this is no exception. I’ve been called crazy so many times now that I’ve started to believe it, and this is just part of being crazy I guess, so go ahead and say it to me once more, I’ve become immune to the word because in the end I am still living out my dream...

I just wish there was some sort of instruction manual or some cue cards to tell me where to go from here, how to make this transition just a little easier...

That had been my original post, and even now a lot of it stood true in the end. I sat down only a few hours later to write a second statement with a changed mind but allowing anyone who reads this to see that I’m not perfect, and I can’t always be brave I have my faults, also to show you it is difficult but don’t be quick to decide. The difficulty level hadn't changed, but the difficulties have. Instead of the nerves and stress of before I'm left with other things about the family. No one's perfect but long story short a big part of me feels ripped off. I paid all of this extra money to get a family that I hoped would make the transition easier, help to improve my Spanish, and be there to help me. Instead I've gotten my own apartment with a maid pretty much. But for this I've paid twice as much as those living in any other apartment.

My family consists of two extremely elderly people, not the family I'd been expecting, with two kids both in their 40's. My host father is almost never there, I've yet to see him since dinner the second day. My host mother is nice, and over all I thin she tries, but another thought in my head keeps wondering if it wasn't for the money, or to fill the large spacious rooms they have, or because she misses her own kids, or not for the right reasons. And although she does try sometimes, there is just no connection, no similarities and often times we approach controversial subjects and I actually think I've offended her multiple times. But she cooks, she cleans, and she's even doing my laundry so I guess I've no room to complain.

Dinner is completely different. I've yet to eat a dish that didn't contain olive oil or just regular vegetable oil of some proportion. It appears that when it comes to food here simplicity is key, for the most part. Allowing natural flavors to peek through and letting the food do all the work is what gives Spanish food flavor. Estrange no?

I've taken pictures of my room but having left my camera at home and only getting wireless from the school you will have to wait till Monday to see them. The Madrid photos have been posted to facebook, now to figure out how to put them somewhere more public for everyone else. Any suggestions?

Classes started Wednesday and strange as it is to say, I love them. They're a challenge as I knew they were going to be, but I enjoy every aspect of them, especially the extra curriculars I'm taking. Things have not been finalized yet because of the slow communications with MUC and the registration and international offices so I won't post classes until I'm positive of what I'm taking. As of right now everything, but next week that will change depending on what credits transfer to the major and what doesn't. Happy to say I made it to the third level with ease, if not I would've had to request to be placed there instead. But no I made it there on my own. A good thing.

So for now I'm working on keeping myself busy, never a dull moment with classes and just hanging out and around the city. There's so much to do. One of the most exciting things is, regardless of what my final schedule contains I won't have classes on Fridays and a friend has agreed to take a few trips to both Barcelona and Madrid to catch a few soccer games. As well there is a four day weekend in October in which I'm hoping to make it to Greece, so more fun and exciting adventures along the way. As for this weekend, well there is a concert tonight that I might check out. Sunday there is a festival going on with local rowers competing in a race at the beach near my house. I may head to that soon and see if I can get some good pictures as well. In the meantime my object is to stay away from home as much as possible, see, and do as much as possible... and over all, just have fun!!