A Bloody Nose

Well, I have almost been in Spain 1 month and finally the sickness going around in the dorms caught up with my immune system. I have been in bed for about 5 days now with a Spanish head cold. I made an interesting trip to the emergency room after I had 3 heavy, bloody noses and 1 of my good friends said, "Hmmm that's not normal." I excused the first by saying the air was dry and by the third we were in the waiting room. Quite an interesting experience, going to the emergency room in Spain. As Laura put it, "They don't teach you this kind of stuff in Spanish 1-6. We learn how to say we want to go to the beach, but not how to say I have a heavy, bloody nose or I am coughing up phlegm." Laura was a saint through the whole ordeal and also doubled as my translator. It's even more difficult to speak in Spanish when your head is throbbing and there are doctors shoving prongs up your nose telling you to bite down on gauze while they cauterize the inside of your nose. It was almost better that I couldn't understand them because I had no way of anticipating what they were going to do. The doctor found a cut on the inside of my nose and after cauterizing it the bleeding stopped. After, they took my blood to make sure I wasn't anemic or anything of the sort. The test results came back clear, they gave me some medicine (not sure what), and sent me on my way. I am still not sure of how to pay or what I am supposed to do now. The lady at the desk circled some things, highlighted a few more, and then told us to come back tomorrow. That was 3 days ago, but no worries, nothing is open on the weekends in Spain. :)

The confusion of piso hunting candidly captured on my face.

Before all of this getting sick business, I wore myself out applying for my student residency (worse than the DMV's office) and finding a piso. I found an amazing little Spanish piso in my favorite barrio of Granada, the Realejo. The Realejo is, I think, the most artsy part of Granada, with graffiti murals covering the stone walls and cobble stone alley ways. There are 2 vegetarian restaurants in the Realejo, 1 of which is completely gluten-free and vegan!

Hicuri-Veg food :)

Spain is changing its ways.

My room has a balcony over looking a little alley and my landlord is a kindred spirit! He is a holistic doctor who told me, when I forgot to bring the money for first month's rent, "Hakuna matata, Kristen." Him and his lady live in the piso above me and his daughter, her husband, and their son live in the piso next to me. The piso I am renting is his brother's, but he is in Germany making Flamenco guitars for the year so I get the privilege of living in this awesome family, love, nest. I got the chance to meet my piso mates, but won't be living with them until finals are over at the end of the week. Tamara is a psychology student from Spain and Charlotte is from England and is here to work and speak Spanish. They are both incredibly sweet and I can't wait to get to know them. I am so blessed that God provided an amazing place to live with these awesome chicas and can't wait to move in! I will post pictures of the place soon.

The Spanish - Livin' la vida loca at all ages

Besides ending the piso search, applying for residency, classes, and contracting a not-so-fun cold, the month mark has almost hit and reality is starting to set in. I have to pick my classes for the entire year this week, will be taking finals on Thursday, and moving out of the dorms and into my piso on Friday. Real life will be starting soon, and I am excited to see how my world is going to change.

Helado and Ham

Our epic hike to Los Cahorros

Hello friends and family~

I have been been in Granada for exactly two weeks and am just now starting to adjust to the Spanish time schedule! Of all Europeans, Spaniards stay out the latest and get the least amount of sleep. On the weekends the discotecas don't even open till about 2am (trust me we have tried to go before then) and they don't come home till 6 or 7am. I know...I can't believe it either. The siesta from 2-5pm is a much needed break in the middle of the day when all shops and restaurants close and Spaniards take their naps.  Over all, the pace of life here is so much slower than the United States - says the beach town girl from Isla Vista.

We are really trying to fit in here...hahaha

Spain has been a huge adjustment thus far. The time schedule, eating habits, language, and people are oh so different from California. I started the intensive spanish school last week and take my finals for my 5 classes (grammar, reading, literature, history, and oral comprehension) in 2 weeks. After that I have a week break where I am planning traveling with one of my dearest friends who came here with me from UCSB and a few other girls from California. After our week break we will start the actual Spanish university (la Universidad de Granada) and will be taking all of our classes with spanish students in spanish. I will be taking classes for my global studies major and art history minor. 

The accent here in southern Spain is like nothing I have ever heard before. For example, in Spanish you say "hasta luego" and here in Granada you say "hata lueo." Exactly, what the heck? Hata lueo? It has definitely been a challenge focusing in my classes when my literature professor is trying to explain Cervantes in a thick Granada accent.  

Another aspect of Spanish life my body is still adjusting to is the food. Spain loves their ham! For those of you who don't know I am a vegetarian, which is an unknown concept to the Spanish. My comedor at the dining hall in our dorms calls me "loca" every time I ask for my food without meat. I gave a presentation in my oral class on an animal rights documentary called "Earthlings" and he didn't even understand what I was talking about, not sure if it was my spanish or the subject of fair treatment for animals haha. After I was finished he asked me if I thought animals had feelings. I said, "Claro que sí" (of course). Then he asked me if I ate plants and I again said, "Sí." He then tried telling me that plants and animals have the same feelings and that it was silly for me not to eat meat if I ate plants. The conversation ended with him shaking his head in confusion and disagreement. Not only do the Spanish love their meat, but they love their helado (ice cream/gelato). I was on a role and was getting one everyday to cool off, but I had to cut that habit when I realized that I am going to be here for a year and didn't need to eat a year's worth of gelato in the first week :)

My gelato habit inspired me to join a gym along with a few other girls from my program. It is rare that women work out here (yet they are naturally skinny, walk in heels, and never sweat), so when we went to sign up the whole gym was very aware that a group of American girls infiltrated. The first day we exercised, we took a spin class with a very macho Spanish instructor. The music commenced with the song "So What" by Pink. Our instructor sang and shimmied to American pop songs through the entire class while yelling commands at us in Spanish! We laughed through the entire class with a room full of silent, blank faced Spaniards.  We are now regulars at Gimnasio Triunfo.

I am loving life here so far and have not had the chance to be homesick yet. My hands are full with trying to find an apartment to move into in 3 weeks, applying for student residency, and homework, but my heart misses you all!