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I can't believe it! I am in Spain!
Yesterday I arrived on the 1st of January. I was so anxious on the plane. The clouds were in the way of seeing the ground, and I couldn't wait any longer to land! When I landed, I told myself to be very calm, and all went well. I went through customs, found my luggage, and there was my cute little Spanish family waiting for me.
They all hugged me and kissed me, and it was a nice greeting/arrival. It's only day 2 and I'm already used to all the double kisses on cheeks. I really like this part of their culture. It's a way of acknowledging everyone in the room without someone standing there awkwardly. Which of course, the only awkward person would be this blonde, non-Spanish speaking American. But I feel treated like royalty.
I went to Marian's parent's house for the first meal there, and I really enjoyed their food! They had potatoes, ham, sardines and salad, but they all taste very different from American food. I felt bad that I couldn't eat much, but to me, it felt like 6am and there was no way I could eat such a heavy meal. (Heavy to them-they don't eat very much here!)
My first day was a little uncomfortable and a little strange to me. But the next day when I woke up I said "This is my new home. I'm going to have to get used to it eventually, and I might as well do all that I can to make it as soon as possible." I decided to start acting like myself, and I had a MUCH better day.
When I woke up, I found that at 7am, Marian had taken baby Martin to the hospital :( he had some kind of break out. He had it again tonight after dinner, and they are at the hospital again tonight. Pobre bebe pequeno...:(
Chechu went to work, so the whole day it was me, Marian and the 2 boys. We went shopping, and bought the food for lunch and the party we would have later in Madrid. It's very frustrating to me when I can't communicate with Nicolas because he is just the sweetest thing, and I want to understand him so bad. Chechu works in Madrid, and he had a party at his work for all the work members who have kids! When I spoke in English, all the kids stared at me like this O_o hahah. they were so confused.
There at the work party I met 2 ladies (24 & 29) that live here in Madrid. They are originally from Venezuela, and they have lived in the USA, Canada and now Spain. They spoke English, and I asked them a lot of questions about their culture and new life. They were very fun to talk to! I asked about the difference in their accents, and when Marian and Chechu came over, I could finally here the difference! Latin American accents definitely have a smoother sounds, whereas here in Spain it is more choppy and the Z's and "Ci's" are sssss. <lol. with the tongue.
While shopping earlier, Nico and I played I-spy. That was really fun because we both know all the colors in English and Spanish so we could play it both ways. It still frustrates me that I can't speak to him, but tonight I decided to try something new. I told myself to not try so hard, but to just love him! When he says something to me in Spanish, I will say something in English that I'm sure doesn't relate to anything he said. I put him to bed tonight and read him a story in English and we played a card game. I figured out how to play it just by watching him.
Nicolas will speak English very well the more I do, so I will not try so hard to communicate with him in Spanish anymore. He will learn English muy rapido y aprendo espanol muy rapido tambien.
Here are a few things I notice different about Spain:
-NO four way stops. There are roundabouts EVERYWHERE. It seems pretty convenient because you never have to stop on the way to where you're going
-The cars are TINY. Even the vans. nothing fits in the trunks and I barely squeeze in the back next to Nico and Martin's car seats.
-People do not say "Excuse me" when passing. I noticed in the grocery store and throughout the day shopping that people just kinda shove past you. Esta bueno..
-There are LOTS of hugs and kisses all the time! I love it! Friends, family, strangers..people are always kissing and hugging. Chechu and Marian always say to their kids "Un besito de Lyndi." It makes me feel very welcome.
I have been speaking a lot of Spanish in the past 2 days. Whoever I'm with, the parents, children, strangers, their family members, I like to say things that I know. They are always helping me, and never making fun. When I do say something right, they get all excited, and that makes me even more excited.
So far, I love the people of Spain. All throughtout, I have not seen one blonde, and I notice that people stare at me. Where most people would be scared and look away, I give them a big smile, a hair flip, and strut on my way. Okay, not really. But the smiling, yes.
I met a girl here named Vea, or maybe Bea? I'm pretty sure it's Vea, with a B sound. She speaks some English, lives in Guadalajara, and attends the secondary school in Madrid. She's 17 and muy bonita! She is very friendly, and she plans to give her number to Marian's sister to give to me. That way we can keep in touch, and she can help me around Guadalajara.
I've also noticed that America has started to take over Europe. It disappoints me because I'm here in SPAIN, not America, I don't want to see our American crap. (I mean that in the nicest way posible) But the toys, products, anything else you can think of, is English, and clearly from America, and for some reason that bothers me.
The area that I live in is not super pretty. I can say that I miss the green grass of America, but I like the idea of change! Most people live in apartments, but Chechu says where they live is considered a home. Their home is VERY nice, and very clean--all the time. I like the area though because the market is a 2 minute walk, and when I start getting used to it, I can go freely.
I feel very safe here. I was nervous coming to Spain because I wasn't sure about the safety. But walking the streets and through the stores, I feel comfortable and safe. That doesn't mean that I shouldn't take precautions, but overall, I feel very comfortable.
A female missionary from the church called me today. I didn't quite understand her, but I tried my best. She will hopefully visit tomorrow, and I'm pretty sure she said that the ward is getting together to watch a movie tomorrow night at 8:00. I guess I'll find out tomorrow if I was right. From there, I will decide on schooling, because Chechu says he prefers that I hang out with people my age from my church. I agreed with that, and I was happy that he said that. It makes me feel really good that they respect my values, and not just that, but want to make sure I am in an invironment where I will feel comfortable. I really love these people!
Wow, I can't believe it is 1am. I still haven't gotten used to the time yet, but at least today I never got tired. More to come tomorrow!! I'm so excited!
BUENAS NOCHES.
- comments
Trisha Smith Lyndi! You are having quite the adventure. We love reading your emails and now the blog. I love how you are embracing the culture and new family. We love you!