Spain really is not that different from the U.S. For one, girls still avoid those big puffy winter coats at all costs, and will come to school wearing a couple long-sleeved shirts, tights, and pretend not to be freezing. Needless to say, I have been doing the same thing, but that's because I actually don't have any warm clothes! One suitcase of clothing doesn't really cut it when the country has 4 seasons.
Rocking my host brother's puffy jacket
This past weekend I went to a youth hostel in Segovia for an AFS camp. It was a lot of fun seeing all the students in the general Madrid area, even though I see some of them pretty often. Segovia is a BEAUTIFUL mountain town with lotof old buildings and a nice village feel. Almost all of Saturday was taken up by activities covering the usual stuff; culture, communication, be nice to your host families, don't do drugs, etc. We were outside most of the time, and since we were in the mountains the air was super cold, but the Spanish sun was REALLY hot. Our solution was to keep moving the chairs and benches into the sun once shadow had passed over where we were. Afterwards, We managed to find a small bar to sip hot chocolate in.
The feeling of spending time with a group of kids from all different countries is impossible to describe. When questions stop being "what is your school like" and become "I've never heard Flemish before, what does it sound like?" conversations are much more interesting. I never thought the world could be so different! A HUGE part of this experience has been becomming friends with people from so many other countries, and that is something I never even expected when comming here.
On Sunday I went back to Madrid with Mariah and Fiona (a girl from France). I spent the rest of the day relaxing, and talking with one of the neighbor girls. My Spanish is deffinitly improving in leaps and bounds, but sometimes I have those days where everything just comes out all wrong. I think that probably happens to most people living in foreign countries. I learned a new tactic of getting attention though! Today between classes, my group of friends were all speaking very quickly about something apparently really important and quickly walking somewhere. I kept asking over and over in Spanish what had happened, but either they didn't here me, or they were really engaged in what was going on, but no one was answering. Finally, frustrated, in English I yelled out "Ok can someone PLEASE tell me what is going on because I can't understand any of you right now!" They all stopped, turned around, and asked "Que?" When asking in a way they understand doesn't work, try something they don't understand. People are curious, and what they don't know is more interesting. than what they do.
Today my cell phone and Ipod were stolen out of my backpack sometime between my first and third class at school. I'm pretty upset, but my host family and friends and helping me out, and we will figure out something. Who steals from the shy new kid who worked really hard to come learn about your culture?! Thanks to whoever stole my stuff for teaching me a lesson about Spanish culture.
Love,
Chloe
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