Today is March 1, 2011, and how time has flown since I first arrived in Madrid, Spain on February 4th. I know that I could not even begin to accurately describe all of the events that have made this past 3.5 weeks incredible, but I can at least make a feeble attempt. As an engineer, I’m not used to writing anymore, and the persistent use of Spanish is making me lose my English. I’m giving a little disclaimer for what at times may be spastic, stream of conscious writing. So here we go:
February 4th, 2011: Arrival
My landed in Aeropuerto Madrid-Barajas at 8:00AM local time. My eyes were puffy from spending the entire night crying on the plane–for the pain of goodbyes, for the excitement of a new beginning. As I got of the plane, I passed a window where I needed to show my passport, and I’m sure I looked like such a mess–having not showered nor slept in well over 24 hours (how could I then night before leaving or the night on the plane?). I continued passed the window, grabbed my luggage from the trolley, and walked towards the exit of the airport, slightly nervous to pass through customs. I approached the sign that said customs and…I reached the exit of the airport? Then I realized that the unofficial ‘window’ I went pass was the customs booth. Funny, cause they didn’t even look at my visa. That was when I realized that this sure isn’t the United States! And maybe all that time and money wasn’t necessary, after all.
Outside the Apartment
I sat in the exit terminal at 8:30AM, waiting the arrival of my roommate, Gara. I had only seen her once, from the pixelated screen of my Skype webcam a month before, so I was afraid I wouldn’t know who she was. Fortunately, that was not the case; within fifteen minutes she had arrived and began kindly helping me with my luggage. On a side note, I might add my bags were few (I’m so proud!). I just checked a large suitcase and carried with me a backpack and smaller roller. Total price for overweight/excess baggage: $0.00 ;). From there, Gara and I walked to her car from the terminal, and we began our drive to our apartment. We began to speak, to get to know each other, and I realized then that my broken Spanish would HAVE to improve. I was here, I was in Spain, and I was to be speaking Spanish, nothing more. No way of backing out!
By the time we got to the apartment, it was about 10AM. I then met my other roommates: Laura, Ruben, and Eugenia (Ruben’s girlfriend). They all greeted me with warm welcomes and smiles, and I felt very reassured to have them for company. Instantly I had two necessary errands to run: I needed money (or more precisely, a bank account), and I needed a phone. Gara again graciously offered to help me out, so we promptly left together. For the next three hours we walked around our neighborhood, speaking with various banks in order to open an account. It ended up being really complicated, and with all the specific Spanish vocabulary in such matters, I am super lucky to have had Gara with me. After the bank account was created, I was able to then get a phone. I bought a pay-as-you go phone, and with 10EUR credit, it was still only 20EUR. Major difference from the U.S., number two.
Kitchen
Phone and bank account in check, we returned to the apartment. I was starting to collect my thoughts, when I remembered that I still had another thing to do that day! You see, I had enrolled in an intensive Spanish language and cultural course, that had just began the day before. That Friday, there was a cultural activity–a Spanish film, and something else I couldn’t remember at the time. By then, it was approaching 2PM and I had to be at my university by 3. I hadn’t yet eaten, nor did I know where to go. Fortunately, my roommates saved the day, again. Laura, who was making herself some lunch, kindly shared with me and meanwhile showed me how to arrive on campus with google maps. She was preparing for her exam at 4PM, and otherwise would have taken me as well. With that, I scarfed down the food, and I ran to metro station (I was running late). I wasn’t sure how the trains worked, but I figured that it would all work out. I haphazardly chose a direction, which ended up being the correct one, and within 10 min I was on campus, running to what I hoped was the right building (again, luck found me).
I got to the classroom, finding it by means of the conspicuous group of people speaking English standing outside who I know call my friends and fellow classmates. We sat down to the film, “Un Crimen Ferpecto” by well-known Spanish director, Álex de la Iglesia. I’m not sure if I would recommend it, to be honest, the humor was a little dark for my taste. However, those two hours sedentary did present a good opportunity for a little shut-eye. At such a state of exhaustion amply mixed with excitement, even five sparse minutes did wonders. And I would soon realize that I would need it.
–because afterwards (Surprise! Surprise!) was the scavengar hunt throughout all of Madrid! Broken up into a team of 7-8 people, we walked around the city, discovering several major hotspots. At the time, it was all a blur…I was just amazed by everything but too inebriated with sleep deprivation to make any sense out of it. I realize now I had been seeing La Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, El Palacio Real + Jardin, y La Plaza de España, to name a few. Afterwards, me and my group stopped at Montaditos, a restaurant in which I can now already call myself a regular: it’s great! They serve 100 different types of bocadillos (little sandwiches) filled with wonderful things–jamón, queso (brie, azul, mozarella, etc.), tortilla (potato egg omelet–NOT like in Mexico), shrimp, salmon, and more!–all for very cheap, 1.50EUR at the max. Plus, everyday they serve cañas (pints) of beer for 1EUR. Might I add, on Wednesday, every bocadillo and every drink (tinto de verano, sangria, vino) is 1EUR. So yeah, it’s now a favorite. By the time we finished eating at Montaditos, it was about 10:30PM. Almost asleep, I floated back to my apartment, once more luck-ing my way with the metro. I think it was around 36-40hours without sleep nor shower. To be honest I’m not sure. I just know that that night of sleep was nothing but wonderful.
Apartment Hallway Bathroom (Larger)
February 5th-11th: First Week
One of my favorite things from the first impressions are the supermarkets. Yeah, so maybe the Euro is stronger than the Dollar, but it’s still cheaper to be here! Groceries (especially healthier food, produce and such) in the U.S. are too expensive, making it much more economical to eat out. In Spain, groceries are MUCH, MUCH, MUCH cheaper. In the U.S. we’re fat, in Spain, they’re not. There’s some ‘food’ for thought. Anyways, yeah. I really like looking around in the supermarket. You can really find a lot of differences, here. For example, they don’t refrigerate eggs or milk (at least until it’s opened) here. Also, maybe you think you know ham, but actually, you don’t. Cause here, they might as well have a dictionary dedicated to the various vocabulary to describe the art of jamón. Also, they don’t really provide produce that’s out of season here. I actually like it, cause everything is pretty local, cheap, and fresh. Lastly, another major difference (not nearly all) is the bread. It’s a commodity to be boughten daily, baked fresh every morning.
Stret View of Neighborhood (Notice Butcher Shop 50m from house)
Plaza del Sol--Heart of Madrid's Downtown
Aside from the supermarkets, the first week I spent beginning my Spanish language course lectures. They were for four hours every afternoon Monday through Thursday. Fortunately my other university classes didn’t start the same first week, or I would have been to overwhelmed. In the classes I was able to meet a lot of exchange students from all over: France, Italy, Sweden, U.S., Germany, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Australia, and so many more. What was really nice was that we instantly began our friendships speaking nearly only Spanish because I was concerned that if kept too many Erasmus friends, we would only speak English. I’m really glad I elected to take this course because my classmates are some of my closest friends.
Also, I’m really thankful for my friend José, who I met in Chicago at IIT but was originally studying at my host university, La Universidad Politécnica de Madrid–La Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Telecomunicación (UPM, ETSIT). José has helped me out tremendously so far, be it recommending me teachers, giving me notes to study, or even just helping me with my Spanish. Additionally, I have had the pleasure of meeting his mother, Carmen, here in Madrid, and she is such a sweetheart. She accompanied me to the suburbs when I first got here so I could go to Ikea and buy my bedding, and I had such a great time talking with her and felt a lot more at home. We’ve also been able to have tea and dinner once more since, and yeah, I don’t know what more to say. Carmen’s a wonderful lady, a second mother.
Plaza de Cibeles
While I’m on this tangent, I just need to reemphasize HOW wonderful the people I have met here are. They are so kind, compassionate, endearing…I really couldn’t be more welcomed.
February 12th-20th: Second Week
Soon enough, it was time for my ‘real school’ to begin, at ETSIT. I was really nervous because I heard from many people that my school is one of the hardest at the university, but also one of the most prestigious. Being as those my university is the best in Spain, I can pretty much say I am in the best program in the best university in the entire country (ain’t that great?). But of course, with all the highly-technical classes in Spanish, it proves to be much more difficult. Fortunately, I am not required to take as many courses as the average student, and only have four currently at ETSIT (my Spanish course counts for transfer as well). Even still, I know I am really going to have to study with these four courses: Analysis and Design of Circuits, Electronic Analog Circuits, Mathematical Methods of Telecommunication II, and Laboratory of Numerical Analysis. The last two courses shouldn’t be as bad, because math has always been my strong point. However, the two circuits course are, according to the head of transfer admissions at IIT, third-year electrical engineer’s courses, two things I am not! But I’m going to work, I’m going to work hard. I hope that I will prevail! View of Toledo and the River
I became really tired fast my first week of classes. My Spanish intensive was still continuing, so Monday through Thursday I had eight hours of lecture everyday, Tuesday and Thursday without a single break. I also began to feel the weight of the language, because I had to truly concentrate at 100% every single minute of class in order to comprehend 1/3 if what was being taught. Through the exhaustion, I began to feel really lonely, and slightly depressed. However, I think that’s normal. And things are getting more familiar, better, everyday. The expression in Spanish that I use in almost all scenarios these days is “little by little” or “poco a poco”.
I also began a ballet class at an academy within walking distance of my flat. The instructor is super nice, and she helps me out a lot when I don’t understand an instruction. Luckily, ballet is globally taught in French, so I didn’t really have to learn any new steps vocabulary (only to acclimate to French with a Spanish accent!). Now that my Spanish course has ended (last week) and I have free evenings, I looking forward to adding another class per week.
One of Many Cathedrals in Toledo
That weekend in Spain (19th), I went on an excursion to the city of Toledo included in my Spanish course. Toledo is the old capital of Madrid, and is very charming, maintaining the same appearance for the past several hundred years. The streets are beyond cobblestone–more like granite slabs arbitrarily laid to form a clearance–and the city is filled with hills and steps. Essentially, 100% wheelchair un-friendly. However, in my nimble youth I quite enjoyed the visit! We were fortunate to have a guide, otherwise I may have gotten lost. It was a little bit of a labyrinth.
That following Sunday, I had to meet with two of my better friends here, Laura and Laura (one Italian, the other French) to work on a group project for our Spanish course. We had to give a presentation about the neighborhood (barrio) of Madrid, Salamanca–not to be confused with the city! We initially met in a separate barrio, La Latina, which was awesome! On Sundays, most stores are closed and there isn’t much life on the streets. However, in the Bohemian district of La Latina, the sun was shining and the streets were filled with people taking tapas in cafes in all directions. We were really enjoying ourselves, and it took a lot of effort to will ourselves to go to Salamanca, which really was a mood killer. Salamanca is the ‘luxury’ neighborhood, with all the expensive apartments, designer clothing stores, and gourmet restaurants–nothing to appeal to a group of college students! We walked around for a bit, collecting more disgruntled sentiments than pictures or data for our project. However, by presentation day this last Wednesday, we were able to turn our frowns around and produce a nice speech.
Left to Right: Laura (Rome), Laura (Marseille), Ali (Florida), and I
in Toledo
February 21st-27th: Third Week
This past week proved to be much better than my first week of full-scale studying. My Spanish course came to a close, and I started to get into the routine of being a student again. After a two month+ winter break, there was a little reluctancy to study at first. Overall, things are getting brighter even still.
This weekend just spent was excellent. I saw a symphony, I went for tapas, I took a tea with Carmen, I went out Spanish-style until seven in the morning, and I booked a trip with my good friend, Nicole, who is studying in Sweden. It’s really exciting! While we’re going to visit each other in our prospective countries this summer, before we decided to meet up and travel in another part of Europe. This weekend we were able to find really cheap tickets in April, and so we decided to go to Croatia! However, even better is that it was better to take two layovers–on the way there, Düsseldorf, Germany and on the way back, London, England! Overall, it ends up being three countries in six days for a grand total of 60EUR. Not bad, not bad. So I’m really looking forward to this trip. Two weeks later, is Spring Break, or Semana Santa, so I need to figure out where (which country) I will travel to then!
So that’s a brief summary of my life in Spain. Hopefully next time, I will update this sooner!
February 4th, 2011: Arrival
Spanish Flag on a Dreary day in Salamanca
Outside the Apartment
I sat in the exit terminal at 8:30AM, waiting the arrival of my roommate, Gara. I had only seen her once, from the pixelated screen of my Skype webcam a month before, so I was afraid I wouldn’t know who she was. Fortunately, that was not the case; within fifteen minutes she had arrived and began kindly helping me with my luggage. On a side note, I might add my bags were few (I’m so proud!). I just checked a large suitcase and carried with me a backpack and smaller roller. Total price for overweight/excess baggage: $0.00 ;). From there, Gara and I walked to her car from the terminal, and we began our drive to our apartment. We began to speak, to get to know each other, and I realized then that my broken Spanish would HAVE to improve. I was here, I was in Spain, and I was to be speaking Spanish, nothing more. No way of backing out!
Living Room
By the time we got to the apartment, it was about 10AM. I then met my other roommates: Laura, Ruben, and Eugenia (Ruben’s girlfriend). They all greeted me with warm welcomes and smiles, and I felt very reassured to have them for company. Instantly I had two necessary errands to run: I needed money (or more precisely, a bank account), and I needed a phone. Gara again graciously offered to help me out, so we promptly left together. For the next three hours we walked around our neighborhood, speaking with various banks in order to open an account. It ended up being really complicated, and with all the specific Spanish vocabulary in such matters, I am super lucky to have had Gara with me. After the bank account was created, I was able to then get a phone. I bought a pay-as-you go phone, and with 10EUR credit, it was still only 20EUR. Major difference from the U.S., number two.Kitchen
Phone and bank account in check, we returned to the apartment. I was starting to collect my thoughts, when I remembered that I still had another thing to do that day! You see, I had enrolled in an intensive Spanish language and cultural course, that had just began the day before. That Friday, there was a cultural activity–a Spanish film, and something else I couldn’t remember at the time. By then, it was approaching 2PM and I had to be at my university by 3. I hadn’t yet eaten, nor did I know where to go. Fortunately, my roommates saved the day, again. Laura, who was making herself some lunch, kindly shared with me and meanwhile showed me how to arrive on campus with google maps. She was preparing for her exam at 4PM, and otherwise would have taken me as well. With that, I scarfed down the food, and I ran to metro station (I was running late). I wasn’t sure how the trains worked, but I figured that it would all work out. I haphazardly chose a direction, which ended up being the correct one, and within 10 min I was on campus, running to what I hoped was the right building (again, luck found me).
My Subway Station-Guzmán el Bueno
I got to the classroom, finding it by means of the conspicuous group of people speaking English standing outside who I know call my friends and fellow classmates. We sat down to the film, “Un Crimen Ferpecto” by well-known Spanish director, Álex de la Iglesia. I’m not sure if I would recommend it, to be honest, the humor was a little dark for my taste. However, those two hours sedentary did present a good opportunity for a little shut-eye. At such a state of exhaustion amply mixed with excitement, even five sparse minutes did wonders. And I would soon realize that I would need it.–because afterwards (Surprise! Surprise!) was the scavengar hunt throughout all of Madrid! Broken up into a team of 7-8 people, we walked around the city, discovering several major hotspots. At the time, it was all a blur…I was just amazed by everything but too inebriated with sleep deprivation to make any sense out of it. I realize now I had been seeing La Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, El Palacio Real + Jardin, y La Plaza de España, to name a few. Afterwards, me and my group stopped at Montaditos, a restaurant in which I can now already call myself a regular: it’s great! They serve 100 different types of bocadillos (little sandwiches) filled with wonderful things–jamón, queso (brie, azul, mozarella, etc.), tortilla (potato egg omelet–NOT like in Mexico), shrimp, salmon, and more!–all for very cheap, 1.50EUR at the max. Plus, everyday they serve cañas (pints) of beer for 1EUR. Might I add, on Wednesday, every bocadillo and every drink (tinto de verano, sangria, vino) is 1EUR. So yeah, it’s now a favorite. By the time we finished eating at Montaditos, it was about 10:30PM. Almost asleep, I floated back to my apartment, once more luck-ing my way with the metro. I think it was around 36-40hours without sleep nor shower. To be honest I’m not sure. I just know that that night of sleep was nothing but wonderful.
Apartment Hallway Bathroom (Larger)
My Room (Messy, Undecorated)
February 5th-11th: First Week
Apartment Building (Farthest on the Right on this Block)
One of my favorite things from the first impressions are the supermarkets. Yeah, so maybe the Euro is stronger than the Dollar, but it’s still cheaper to be here! Groceries (especially healthier food, produce and such) in the U.S. are too expensive, making it much more economical to eat out. In Spain, groceries are MUCH, MUCH, MUCH cheaper. In the U.S. we’re fat, in Spain, they’re not. There’s some ‘food’ for thought. Anyways, yeah. I really like looking around in the supermarket. You can really find a lot of differences, here. For example, they don’t refrigerate eggs or milk (at least until it’s opened) here. Also, maybe you think you know ham, but actually, you don’t. Cause here, they might as well have a dictionary dedicated to the various vocabulary to describe the art of jamón. Also, they don’t really provide produce that’s out of season here. I actually like it, cause everything is pretty local, cheap, and fresh. Lastly, another major difference (not nearly all) is the bread. It’s a commodity to be boughten daily, baked fresh every morning.
Stret View of Neighborhood (Notice Butcher Shop 50m from house)
Plaza del Sol--Heart of Madrid's Downtown
Aside from the supermarkets, the first week I spent beginning my Spanish language course lectures. They were for four hours every afternoon Monday through Thursday. Fortunately my other university classes didn’t start the same first week, or I would have been to overwhelmed. In the classes I was able to meet a lot of exchange students from all over: France, Italy, Sweden, U.S., Germany, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Australia, and so many more. What was really nice was that we instantly began our friendships speaking nearly only Spanish because I was concerned that if kept too many Erasmus friends, we would only speak English. I’m really glad I elected to take this course because my classmates are some of my closest friends.Elegant Building Located on Madrid's Famous Gran Vìa Street
Plaza de Cibeles
February 12th-20th: Second Week
Soon enough, it was time for my ‘real school’ to begin, at ETSIT. I was really nervous because I heard from many people that my school is one of the hardest at the university, but also one of the most prestigious. Being as those my university is the best in Spain, I can pretty much say I am in the best program in the best university in the entire country (ain’t that great?). But of course, with all the highly-technical classes in Spanish, it proves to be much more difficult. Fortunately, I am not required to take as many courses as the average student, and only have four currently at ETSIT (my Spanish course counts for transfer as well). Even still, I know I am really going to have to study with these four courses: Analysis and Design of Circuits, Electronic Analog Circuits, Mathematical Methods of Telecommunication II, and Laboratory of Numerical Analysis. The last two courses shouldn’t be as bad, because math has always been my strong point. However, the two circuits course are, according to the head of transfer admissions at IIT, third-year electrical engineer’s courses, two things I am not! But I’m going to work, I’m going to work hard. I hope that I will prevail! View of Toledo and the River
I also began a ballet class at an academy within walking distance of my flat. The instructor is super nice, and she helps me out a lot when I don’t understand an instruction. Luckily, ballet is globally taught in French, so I didn’t really have to learn any new steps vocabulary (only to acclimate to French with a Spanish accent!). Now that my Spanish course has ended (last week) and I have free evenings, I looking forward to adding another class per week.
One of Many Cathedrals in Toledo
That weekend in Spain (19th), I went on an excursion to the city of Toledo included in my Spanish course. Toledo is the old capital of Madrid, and is very charming, maintaining the same appearance for the past several hundred years. The streets are beyond cobblestone–more like granite slabs arbitrarily laid to form a clearance–and the city is filled with hills and steps. Essentially, 100% wheelchair un-friendly. However, in my nimble youth I quite enjoyed the visit! We were fortunate to have a guide, otherwise I may have gotten lost. It was a little bit of a labyrinth.
Typical Toledo Streetpass
That following Sunday, I had to meet with two of my better friends here, Laura and Laura (one Italian, the other French) to work on a group project for our Spanish course. We had to give a presentation about the neighborhood (barrio) of Madrid, Salamanca–not to be confused with the city! We initially met in a separate barrio, La Latina, which was awesome! On Sundays, most stores are closed and there isn’t much life on the streets. However, in the Bohemian district of La Latina, the sun was shining and the streets were filled with people taking tapas in cafes in all directions. We were really enjoying ourselves, and it took a lot of effort to will ourselves to go to Salamanca, which really was a mood killer. Salamanca is the ‘luxury’ neighborhood, with all the expensive apartments, designer clothing stores, and gourmet restaurants–nothing to appeal to a group of college students! We walked around for a bit, collecting more disgruntled sentiments than pictures or data for our project. However, by presentation day this last Wednesday, we were able to turn our frowns around and produce a nice speech.Left to Right: Laura (Rome), Laura (Marseille), Ali (Florida), and I
in Toledo
February 21st-27th: Third Week
This past week proved to be much better than my first week of full-scale studying. My Spanish course came to a close, and I started to get into the routine of being a student again. After a two month+ winter break, there was a little reluctancy to study at first. Overall, things are getting brighter even still.
This weekend just spent was excellent. I saw a symphony, I went for tapas, I took a tea with Carmen, I went out Spanish-style until seven in the morning, and I booked a trip with my good friend, Nicole, who is studying in Sweden. It’s really exciting! While we’re going to visit each other in our prospective countries this summer, before we decided to meet up and travel in another part of Europe. This weekend we were able to find really cheap tickets in April, and so we decided to go to Croatia! However, even better is that it was better to take two layovers–on the way there, Düsseldorf, Germany and on the way back, London, England! Overall, it ends up being three countries in six days for a grand total of 60EUR. Not bad, not bad. So I’m really looking forward to this trip. Two weeks later, is Spring Break, or Semana Santa, so I need to figure out where (which country) I will travel to then!
So that’s a brief summary of my life in Spain. Hopefully next time, I will update this sooner!
Inside a Cathedral In Toledo The Same Cathedral's Dome
Yet Another Stunning Cathedral View of Toledo from Above
Yet Another Stunning Cathedral View of Toledo from Above
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