Day 2

Crazy day today! We're all still recovering from jet lag, it seems.  My roommate and I got very lost in Alcalá last night, and it was getting dark.  We didn't make it home until 9:30 pm, and our host mom Ana was not pleased.  She fed us, but then she said that every other night, la cena (dinner) was served at 8 or 8:30 at the latest.  But it was an adventure! We're much more familiar with the city now, and we're told that it's actually a very safe place, so long as you're not stupid about it.   Everything that our host mom feeds us is delicious, though I don't have a clue what most of it is.  Daddy was right about the bread. It is delicious, and we eat it with every meal.  

Today, we got up at 8 to eat breakfast with las francesas (a couple of French girls that are also staying here--they don't speak very much Spanish, pretty much no English, and I don't speak any French, so we pretty much can't communicate) before they had to leave at 8:30, and then C. (my roommate) and I were sent back to bed.  We basically didn't wake back up until it was time to get ready for almuerza (lunch) at around 1:30 pm.  I was shocked that I had slept so late, until I realized that my body thought that it was a very reasonable 5:30 am. Despues de almorzar (after lunch--and all meals take forever, they're all very much an ordeal), we had an orientation at the school, which I feel was not very helpful at all.  They told us the history of all the buildings, but as I couldn't hear the guide (and I wasn't really paying attention anyway), I didn't learn much.  But at least we know what building our classes will be in, so I guess that's nice.  They gave us our bus passes there, and they won't begin working until May, I'm told--which is fine.  There's plenty to do here in Alcalá without needing to go into Madrid. 

In the morning classes start! I'm excited for them. I have class every day except for Friday from 9-10:30.  The Spanish don't believe in class on Friday, which is lovely.  On Friday we're going to Segovia.  I have no idea where that is, but I'm sure it will be amazing.  Pictures are up on facebook! I've also included a few of my favorites here, for those who don't have access to facebook (*cough* dad *cough*). 

Also: top weird things that Spaniards do.  No one waits to cross the street.  They pretty much just go and assume the cars will stop.  C. says that they do this in the East too, so it's not weird to her.  Also. They just stop their cars in the middle of the street (with enough room to go on either side) instead of parking in a parking lot.  I love this idea. I wish we did this. I hate parking. Always.  No one greets anyone on the street (not a very outgoing culture), which is actually kind of nice.  Everyone we've talked to (we've stopped and asked for directions a few times) is very nice, so it's not that they're rude.  It's just not the norm to smile at people as you pass them or anything.  Which I really like, actually.  Our host family is really great, our group is pretty great, and the city is everything I had fantasized that it would be.  It's a beautiful place.