La Vida Madrileña

It's odd to be settling into a class schedule away from Sewanee. Something just feels off. But Dr. Sanchez quickly reminded us that we are indeed in school by informing us of a quiz we would have the second day of classes. Luckily it was nothing to overwhelming, but it was a bit of a shock.

My day began at 7am. For me, typically breakfast is a crucial and much anticipated part of my day. I definitely have some acclimating to do. It's really no different than breakfast in the states, but there is such a gap between this meal and the next, that my body needs more than a standard bowl of cereal. Nonetheless, it was delicious, and different. I opened the fridge to get the skim milk out and Yolanda looked really confused; "You take it cold?" I decided well, I do like hot cereal; why is this any different? So now I eat my cereal with warm milk. The first bite is still a surprise, but it's good!

I left for class a whole hour early to leave time for getting lost (which I did manage to do), and I still managed to get there early. We are taking classes in a building across from the Spanish stock exchange (the Bolsa), near the Banco de España. I walk about 4 blocks from the apartment I am living in and take a simple metro line to the station that is about 4 more blocks away from the building.

I love my morning walk! Cities are fascinating places for me, especial these European ones. On my way I pass a shop for anything and everything I could need. There is a fruit store, a dried fruit store, a natural food store, an estanco, a zapatería (shoe store), a peluquería (salon), a farmacía, distinct from the drogaría, a joyería... on and on and on. Not to mention the several hundred cafeterías and other places for bread and candies and pastries. I'm pretending not to notice those.

Classes are great. The most helpful is the Conversación class. Today for instance, we worked on all of the vocabulary and phraseology we need to successfully navigate the Metro. It is unbelievably complicated. Our homework was fun too. Our profesor, Daniel, gave us an essay that was chock full of idioms and locutions that you can't understand if you literally translate them. My señora and I had a really fun time trying to communicate their subtleties. I love charades.

On to my favorite topic: FOOD! My journal has become mainly a repository for recipies and vocabulary. I hope no one will be too upset if this blog heads in that direction as well. :)
Some of my favorites have been paella, and champiñones con huevos fritos (mushrooms with scrambled eggs).

Right now it's lunch time (3pm) and we're having fired anchovies. It definitely sounds better in Spanish--boquerones fritos. I'll let you know what I think...