A Month of Madrid Madness

Ahora, me llamo Cristina: La Madrilena.

Barcelona before Madrid?

-¿Can you make an 11:00 flight to Barcelona? Fulbright training scheduled to end at 11:30. Sure, why not. As always, I live in the moment.11:00 Wednesday morning, the 8th of September, I was maraculously aboard a flight from Madrid to Barcelona with the parentals and Deej and in Spain´s second largest city in an hour´s time. That left 3 days to explore. Having visited Barcelona before, I knew a few general must sees but I wanted to discover the city in more depth. Of course our trip led us to Barceoneta Beach and the Sagrada Familia Cathedral designed by Guadi, but we also took advantage of a more guided tour. Hopping aboard a tour bus we jumped on and off throughout the city while listening to detailed descriptions of the key sights and neighborhoods we passed.

Somehow made it to Barajas airport on time!

One of the many street displays to get money from tourists (that's a real guy in the center!)

Mi familia en Barcelona (At the top of the Castell de Montjuic)

Barceloneta Beach

The beautiful Mediterranean Sea

Plaza off of La Rambla

Port Vell

La Rambla (the most touristy street in Barcelona... usually packed with people)

La Sagrada Familia

Park Guell (overlooking all of Barcelona)

Entrance way to the eclectic park designed by Gaudi

Photo Opp View of all of Barcelona and the Mediterranean

Palau Nacional in the background

Everything Falling into Place

It seemed as though my first 2 weeks in Spain where a bustling whirlwind of uncertainty. Once I saw the familia off on there way back to the States, I could finally begin to create some semblance of a normal life.

Step 1: Moving into my piso.

-This entailed massive amounts of cleaning, unpacking, and organizing. And of course the hilarious search for perchas (hangers). Now this might seem a pretty straightforward purchase in the States when you know exactly where one might go to procure such an item. Not quite so simple when you´re in a new city in a different country. I began with what I thought would be the most obvious... El Corte Ingles (the mega department store). No such luck. Then off to the home goods store; strike two. Strike three, a ¨Chino" (basically the equivalent of a $5 below store) although they did have kid sized perchas. Then I moved on to grocery stores, but struck out at Carrefour, OpenCor and Dia. Feeling very disconcerted, I was on my way back to fetch the baby hangers when I stumbled upon yet another grocery store- Simply. And on a whim I entered and found my goldmine. And thus I purchased every single percha they sold and sauntered back home feeling quite satisfied after an almost 2 hour expedition. And away went the clothes into my new closet.

Step 2: Grocery shopping

-Since by now I was quite famished and getting tired of eating "Menus del dia" (fixed price menu with a first plate, second plate, bread, drink, dessert, and sometimes coffee) every day, I decided to make the trip to the supermarket. Of course another adventure befell me. Luckily, having lived in Madrid before, I was well aware that Spaniards bring their own bags (what I did´t know is that you get charged for plastic bags). So off I went to Carrefour right outside my flat carrying several sacks.

-First sign that I was a foreigner... I was the only one in the whole store pushing a cart. The Madrilenos shop often and buy small quantities and thus quickly push around their baskets on wheels. Entering into a supermarket in another country is like stepping into a whole new world. I was greeted by more hams than I think I have seen in my entire lifetime, more fish than I knew names for and fruits and vegetables I had never heard of, milk that didn´t need to be regrigerated, hundreds of loaves of the same type of bread and exotic cheeses from across Europe that are quite difficult to select between when you have no idea what the names mean in English. My eyes were probably too large for my stomach and I was quickly filling my cart with new foods to try, deciding on a Spanish and a British cheese, three cereals because I couldn´t pick between them, "semidesnatada" milk, and brown eggs with feathers still in the package. Off I went to the cash register and of course got yelled at by several people before I realized that there is a special line for strange people who decide to use a cart. Well, my avacado got taken away for I can´t tell you what reason and I dropped one of the breads out of my two loaf sack but I managed to pay without too

much altercation and drag my overflowing sacks back home.

Step 3: Procure a Cell Phone

-Impossible to survive in the 21st century without a cell phone regardless of what country you're in. Unfortunately, I hadn't used my Spanish cell phone for more than 9 months so it wasn't valid and I had to purchase another cheap pay-as-you-go movil. Since I realized the impossibility of memorizing a new phone number, i taped a scrap of paper with the number written onto the back of my phone. Now... to figure out how to get rid of the beeps when you press the buttons?

Step 4: Get Connected

- If you're living and working in the city, it only makes sense to get an Abono Transport Pass to have unlimited access to the Metro and Bus network. With my handy little pass, I can now easily get to work and zoom around the city. The Metro system here is extremely advanced and efficient and it's quite simple to get from one location to another. And my neighborhood is described as "buen comunicado" meaning that I have access to most Metro lines within a short walk in any direction.

Step 5: Open a Bank Account

- Another necessity when living in a foreign country... especially when you want to avoid paying American fees every time you swipe your card. I narrowed down the search to Caja Madrid, BBVA and Santander. Santander prevailed. An hour of filling out contracts, photocopying my passport and work documents later, I was the proud owner of a Spanish bank account and my September paycheck deposited. The debit card was unfortunately mailed to my American address (although the bank is literally steps away from

my flat) but I finally got a hold of my card and two days later received my pin. Shopping in my future?

Step 6: Become a Legal Resident

- We arrived in Spain on a temporary visa with the stipulation that we would apply for a N.I.E. (numero del idendid extranjero) when we arrived (the concept of a "Green Card" in America). A bit of paperwork, passport, visa and entrance stamp photocopies, pictures, and a small fee and I'm officially a legal resident of Madrid!

Step 7: Make Close American Friends

- With the hustle and bustle of orientation and the rapid fire introductions, I was apprehensive that none of the Fulbrighters would keep in touch once we were let loose in the city, but that was far from the case. I have been spending a lot of time with a few of the Fulbrighters and they're such wonderful people. I feel like given the circumstances of living in a foreign country, we became close very quickly, but it's nice to know that I always have that support group to fall back upon.

Step 8: Get to know my roommates

- I am truly enjoying my living arrangements. I found a flat in the perfect location, right on a traffic circle complete with fountain of Quevedo in the center. But more so than a wonderful location and a large room, what is so special about my home is the people. I've been spending many a night just chatting with Andy, Marieke, and Adel and it's very comforting to know that I'm coming home to such a wonderful group. Pati and Jorge (the Spaniards) sort of do their own thing but whenever they are home, they're wonderful to talk to and extremely helpful. I'm excited for the captivating conversation that will undoubtedly fill the rest of my time here.

Two of my 5 flat-mates (Marieke from Belgium and Adel from France)

Step 9: Start to make Spanish friends

- This was a very important goal of mine upon arriving in Madrid. Yes, I did study abroad here; but No, I never truly felt like I lived here. I mostly surrounded myself by Americans (and of course my dear friends from Lithuania and Kazakhstan) but not Spaniards aside from my classes, students I taught, and my host family. Going out at night, it was always with English speakers and to the most touristy attractions. I am determined on this trip to make Spanish friends and discover the off the beaten path places. I'm already off to an excellent start, making a few Spanish comrades that I can see progressing into close friends. Vamos a ver.

Step 10: Bring Home to Me

- When I reminisce about the US, I don't think about the places or the foods or the way of life. I honestly, don't miss any that. What I do find hard to live without are the important people in my life. And with the technological revolution that is the internet (and a handy little contraption called a BlackBerry), communication is still at my fingertips. But, to literally surround myself by loved ones, I lined my walls with my favorite photos of friends and family. A few plants, a few restaurant placemats, and a giant Madrid map later, my room is starting to feel cozy and a lot like mi hogar (home).

Step 11: Explore!