Mis primeras dias de trabajar

Hola!




Well I have to force myself to write in English! How cool is that? Slowly but surely my confidence in communicating in Spanish is growing. Everyday there is a new challenge but I have risen to them all!




Let's start with yesterday.




Monday. June 29, 2009




I had planned to get up at the early hour of 6am, which would be midnight your time in the states. But I slept really badly that night and slept right through the alarm of the $25 travel alarm clock that I bought at the Brookstone store in the airport, expensive yes, but I think it will come in handy! So instead I woke up at 8. I wanted to leave my hotel at 8, so that obviously didn't happen.




I quickly got myself ready and packed up my crap, went to the ATM, checked out and headed to find a taxi, I was armed with my handy dandy internet directions from the university's website. Luckily, not to far away from my hotel I found a very nice taxista who made it clear that with the directions he could get me to where I needed to be. It was a very quiet ride, but it was quite a nice one. Within 25 minutes and 20 euro plus some change, I arrived at my home for the next 28 days.




I checked in at the reception desk like Rafael had told me to when I called ealrier to find out where I needed to go. Within a few minutes a very nice woman named Elizabeth Harris came and escorted me to the dorm, or ground zero, for the program. I was introduced to Rosa, the concierge for the building, Apparently this is common in all university style dorms. From what I have deduced the dorm I am in is used during the academic year by high school girls who are part of the college's integrated high school. But I could be wrong. I am quite impressed with my room though. I have my own room and it has EVERYTHING! It has a full bathroom, a bed, a desk, a nifty fold down table, a closet and a KITCHENETTE COMPLETE WITH PLATOS! Mira las fotos.

A view from the entrance to my room. Notice to the left the kitchenette with the refrigerador, la estufa (stove),el micorondas(microwave) y el fregadero(sink).

Remind me later to tell you all about the anti-heat shades, if you don't know about them already.

Then day one was off and running, we started to set up our office which is in the basement of the dorm, as is la cafeteria. Woohoo, one stop shopping. We also met Marta, who is our university coordinator essentially, she is a ball of energy and loves to talk. We did various other things, I went on a mini supply run to get cell phones charged and what not. We also took a tour of the campus. Which was short and sweet, but nice nonetheless.

Then we all worked on various assignments until about midnight when I went to bed.

That brings us to today, Tuesday June 30, 2009.

I actually got up on time, well, let me rephrase that, I woke up on time but spent a half hour actually laying in bed convincing myself to get up. I showered in my cool little bathroom, pictures at another point in time of that one.

Then went to breakfast and started on the work. I had a HUGE supply run to do today. I ended up with over $1400 worth of stuff for the office, the instructors and our health care person. But the rub of these supply runs is this, la universidad is not within walking distance to ANYTHING. So we, or should I say I, have to rely on taxis and autobuses.

So I was nervous to call the taxi company, but I did and it worked out ok for the going to trip, it was the return trip that wasn't so great. Luckily another person was assigned to go with me on this shopping excursion. And after 2-3-3.5 hours of shopping, which is much more fun when it isn't your money, and since the majority of it was office supplies, I was a happy girl. (For those of you who don't know, I love office supplies and I don't know why.)

Well, I call the taxi company again to ask for a taxi to pick us up at the Carrefour (Spain's HUGE version of Walmart), but this time the operator doesn't understand me at all. So I think we have a taxi coming, along comes a woman, Arantxa (like the tennis player) and her daughter and she offers to talk to the taxista, gives him directions, then they go off on their way.
10 minutes later they come back and try to talk to the driver again, but to no avail. At this point, Arantxa, offers to drive us back in her car, not so much offers but INSISTS. Her and her daughter help us with our $1400 worth of supplies, by the way, Spain has much smaller cars than the US, just hink VW BUG, we barely all fit with our stuff. But someone we did it. And we arrived safely back to the university. The entire car ride back Arantxa and I talked about the importance of kids traveling and experiencing different languages and cultures and how her son was currently in France and how she was hosting a boy from France in his place. It was awesome.

Once we got back to the university they helped us unload our bags and then we exchanged emails because she wants her son to come study in the states for a year before going to the university.

Now, I know what all you mom's out there are thinking, "EMILY YOU ARE STUPID! You got into a stranger's car! Don't you know what could happen to you?" The answer is yes, but couldn't the same thing happen to me in a taxi or on a bus? And I have some retorts. 1. I had another person with me, safety in numbers. 2. She had her teenage daughter with her, who by the way was braiding a friendship bracelet the entire time, how harmless is that!!?!, 3. She was NORMAL. So stop mentally yelling at me.

After recent events, I know life is too short to live too safely. Am I going to go do something really stupid and dangerous, hell no, I hope you all know that is not me. But am I going to take the opportunities that life hands me and run with them. For the most part yes, and honestly I gained a new friend and contact in Spain.

Well it is now 1:05 here and I am done with my novel for the past two days. I must apologize to Heather, who is having to pick up my slack in the Web 2.0 class, but after Friday, my schedule will be more conducive to working on the class with you again.

Pues, hasta por ahora.

Buenas noches todos!