First times.....Primeras veces.....

Hoy domingo, el 8 de enero de 2017.

Recuperando de efectos de jet lag, inflamación en mi muñeca izquierda (comenzó 7 días antes de que dejara San Francisco :-|, privación de sueño, y dolor en muñeca.  Por Dios :-) 

MUY FELIZ Y CONTENTA...los classes no empiecen hasta martes!  Mucho tiempo para recuperar, desde llegué el 3 de enero -- 4 days.


As I stare off into space....a number of firsts on this trip come to mind....

--Traveling because of a study program so this does not feel completely like va-cay or holiday.  I'll be in Spanish language class five days a week--generally 2 hours each day.  Plus a  2-1/2 hour Culture In Spain class on Tuesdays And Thursdays in English.  As I am here to study Spanish....every day is a school day :-)  The brain is definitely getting a workout as I listen to people chatting away in Spanish as I sit on the Metro or walk down the calles.  Or my homestay hostess chatting away with me in Spanish.  Or reading signs everywhere in Spanish.

--Staying in one place for more than 30 days. The only time I traveled and stayed in one place was Napoli, Italy for 4 weeks.  Fun to get to know where places are close by....market, post office, bakery, restaurants, pharmacy.  And where to buy things because each country is different than the U.S.  For example...Epsom salt.  Went to farmacia..nada.  Herbolario...nada.  Ecocentro...nada.  Oh well.

--Traveling in weather that I am not fond of -- cold :-) No me gusta el clima frio.  Para mí hace mucho frío ( 30's F at night).

--Staying in a home stay.  Although...after reading the homestay handbook provided on Day 1, it has me think of staying with family or friends.  Guidelines for homestay apply regardless if your host/hostess is family, friend, or stranger.

--Being on a WhatsApp group chat with 9 other participants who I am guessing, as I have not asked each one, are all in their 20's.  They are a lot of fun.  It's fun to wake up to 50+ messages and 'hear' where they went while I was sleeping.

Interesting to notices differences and similarities with my life experiences.

Worn Out :-)

It is 5 a.m. Madrid time on Friday, el 6 de enero de 2017.

Too much (and too worn out) to think and write in Spanish :-)

I finally got more than four hours of sleep.  

Slept from 8:30 pm last night until 3:30 am.  Woke up -- worn out still and my left wrist hurt even without moving it :-|.  Pain definitely takes a lot out of you!

As I do my Morning Pages...I see I am worn out....from last month (wrist inflammation began).  From traveling from home to airplane to hotel to homestay in the past four days, accompanied with four hours of sleep each night -- jet lag at its finest.  From 3 consecutive nights of sleep deprivation, especially for this Queen of Sleep.  From the inflamed left wrist.  From doing the simplest of things one-handed.

HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY to finally sleep 7 hours instead of four.  And to have the next four days with no plans except to take small actions that will benefit me, my wrist, my sleep, my wellbeing!  Today is a National holiday--Epiphany.  How's that for an epiphany :-)

YAYYYY... had my second sleep from 7:30 am to 12 noon.  Hot/cold water contrast soak & 600 mg ibuprofen at 5 am helped effects of inflammation and pain. Second sleep helped with effects of jet lag and sleep deprivation. Now for 600 mg more ibuprofen and a walk outside while the sun is shining.  And the temp is 50 degrees F.

¡Buen Viernes!

¡Buen Fin De Semana!

Update:
Started at 3:30 pm to explore the neighborhood (Chamberi).  Instead of my usual meandering from one street to another, I decided to walk on one street a number of blocks one way, then turn the corner left & walk one block, turn the corner left & walk down that street a number of blocks, turn the corner right & walk one block, turn the corner right & walk down that street a number of blocks, repeat, repeat, or meander.

Got one block from the homestay and saw a small eaterie that was open.  As it's a National holiday today--unsure what will be open so stopped for lunch.  YUMMMM....ensalada and my favorite--arugula--topped with porchetta and una copa de vino blanco. Delish...oops no saco un foto :-(   What?  no photo - I can tell I am still not my usual self...yet :-) And hey, the Spanish is kicking in :-)

Now 5:30 pm and time for another bathroom stop :-) Translation...tapa, servicios.  Perhaps vino.

I learned during orientation yesterday...those in Madrid live in small apartments and do not generally entertain at home for that reason.  Plus it keeps noise to a minimum for the building and neighbors.  This is the reason for lots of plazas and lots of places to eat.  Case in point.  I walked five blocks from my home stay.  Almost one bar (where one can get cafe, vino, cerveza, tapa) and one restaurant on every other block.  Good to know I will have plenty of bathrooms (servicos) when I need them :-). Plus 2.50 € is well worth los servicos y copa de vino.  Tapa es gratis.

Note to self...remember to bring Qlipters. No hooks so had to hang my bags and coat from my crossed knee :-|

Dinner is included in the homestay.  And the homestay hostess serves dinner at 8:30 pm daily.  A wonderful opportunity to eat what a local would eat at home and practice my Spanish.  Living in a homestay means speaking español solemente with the hostess.  And she keeps me to it, especially if she hears me talk to myself in English :-)

Tonight we are having tortilla de patata.

And afterwards, another homestayer and I walk two blocks to a street filled with bars and restaurants to have a glass of wine (area called Ponzano).  Per Accent's homestay policy, alcohol is not allowed in the homestay.  Love seeing the various varietals I have not seen before.  The vino (combination of treixadura, torrontés y loureiro) from the Ribeiro area was tasty!

Es la verdad....

Learning new things...fosho...

Looks beautiful from here.  And quite happy to be on my way from Frankfurt to Madrid.  And not down there in snow. :-)

Meanwhile....do not know for certain the ages of the other 10 participants in this semester-study-abroad program.  What I do know...it will be fun to be around the college-age.  Been quite a while since I have been in college :-). Or for that matter, people in their 20's.  Most of those in my Spanish classes (since I have been taking the evening classes) are working folks.

Plus the vocab used when texting.

For example...

Fasho

Forsho

Am down for dinner.

LOL...the terms amuse me....for sure (fasho....forsho)

I know I will learn more than Spaniah on this trip.  A Camino of a different look and feel than Camino de Santiago.  And yet  a Camino to me.  A chance to step out of my day-to-day routine, reflect and re-evaluate.  A Year-End set of questions given to me many years ago.  And Susan Scott's Integrity Scan questions.  The español classes I will be taking.  Living in a different culture.  All helpful as I reflect and reevaluate where I am and where I am going!

¡Buen Camino!

holiday lights....Madrid-style

The eve before Epiphany day is a big event for children.  When it was explained to me, it reminds me of Christmas Eve or Christmas when children In the US look forward to gifts.  In this case, the Wise Men..,the Three Kings come to bring gifts 

Here in Spain, Epiphany is the end of the holiday season...a national holiday...a day to spend with family and friends.

So it is wonderful to still see holiday decorations throughout the city, especially the lighted ones.

¡La vida es una aventura! ¡Siempre!

¡La vida es una aventura!

¡Siempre!

Hoy es el 31 de diciembre....T menos 2 días antes de voy a ir a Madrid.  Y mi aventura de hablando y escuchando y aprendiendo español.  Mi aventura de viviiendo en una otra cultura por tres meses.

¿Emocionante?  Sí.

¿Interesante?  Sí.

¿Miedo?  En realemente...no porque me gusta aprender nuevas cosas.

Esta aventura es tan difici como caminando Camino de Santiago.  Y después de completar Camino Frances y Camino Finisterre, creo que puedo qualquier cosas.  Es la verdad para mí.

¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

¡Salud!

¡Buen Camino!

T menos 27 días y contando....antes de ir a Madrid

Mi Camino amigo en Madrid escribó....

"Alto, alto, Nina, no hagas trampas ¡¡  ;-)

Debes escribir este correo en Español.

Y el Blog debes continuarlo en Español que lo empezaste muy bien.

Ánimos. No temas equivocarte que de los errores se aprende."

¡Es la verdad!  Así que estoy escribiendo en español.....

Hoy es el 5 de diciembre.  Y t meno 27 dias antes de ir a Madrid.  Estoy emocionado.  Excepto para el embalaje, estoy lista para este aventura.  Me recuerdo un dicho que está consido en mi abrigo Desigual "Cazador de aventuras".  Sí, soy cazador de aventuras.

Mi compañero de clase español y yo dimos un presentación el pasado jueves.  Todas debe presentarse en 5 minutos.  Y habla sobre 7 temas de pais:  presidente, bandara, comida, musica, dinero, clima, y 3 personas famosas.  Elegimos España.  Era una buena práctica hablar.

Mi clase español termina el 15 de diciembre.  Mi baile clase rueda termina el 11 de diciembre.

Buen camino.  Y deseo que tu próxima aventura sea muy buena.

Expeditions....

October 17 and just finished reading this article....

http://m.dailygood.org/story/1413/how-to-talk-to-strangers-kio-stark/

And watching Kio Stark's TED Talk....

https://www.ted.com/talks/kio_stark_why_you_should_talk_to_strangers

I am intrigued with the five expeditions she outlined in her article.  Mostly because they bring up past personal experience with such expeditions (in some similar form to what she outlined).  And has me think ahead as I embark on my three months in Spain amidst strangers.  With the added twist....speaking my non-primary language.

Anywho....check back as I embark on Kio's five expeditions while those around me speak my primary language!  And blog what I notice!

Love it!

!¡Buen Camino!