Week 1

I've been in Spain since the 4th.

On the fourth I arrived at Madrid airport where my program director, Amalia, picked me and my classmates--Doris and Sima--up. Our program is very small, just the three of us. We went from the airport to the bus station to get to Burgos. The adventure started there, when someone dropped a suitcase on an escalator and one by one us three fell down the escalator like dominoes. It was an omen, but perhaps a good one.

After a three hour bus ride, we were picked up in Burgos by our co-director Amanda. Amanda is American, 23, and tiny. In heels she barely reaches my shoulder but she has one of the loudest booming laughs I've ever heard. She took us to our dorm (residencia) at Camino de Santiago and we signed into our rooms. Doris and I dorm together and Sima has a single next door until another International student moves in with her.

The first night I was a little bit homesick. Due to the time difference it was difficult to get in touch with any of my loved ones via Skype and I had no phone. However, for some ungodly reason, Sima, Doris and I live on a boys' floor. Well, a wing separated by two sets of doors. The boys in our hall came to our rooms and introduced themselves. Having spoken little Spanish outside of perfunctory requests such as taxi-hailing, the culture shock began here. Not only did I have to decypher the Spanish accent, but Spanish youth speak super fast and litter their speech with slang. However, we made friends with Carlos, the apparent alpha male, who happens to look like a character on my favourite Polish soap opera.

After the first night though, things got much better. Amalia and Amanda are amazing. They showed us around Burgos on Friday and took us out for dinner. They're really nice and the best part is that Boston U pays for everything school-related. This includes museum trips, field trips and dinners out. Amanda took us out for drinks later that night, along with two of her Spanish friends, another Carlos and Alberto.

Another cultural lesson to be learned: Spanish nightlife is nothing like that in the States. Spaniards leave home eleven at the earliest and come home at six. There are no cover charges for bars or clubs, bars have no places to sit, one is allowed to smoke everywhere. Therefore, Spaniards barhop alot. One starts the night off in one place and over the course of the night hops around to a whole handful of other venues.

Yet another lesson? THERE ARE NO LAWS IN THIS COUNTRY. This is amazing. Friday, one of our male companions smoked two fat joints in the middle of a club. Using a cigarette holder, which will amuse me til the day I die. And nobody noticed or cared (about the pot, not the cigarette holder). Saturday night, Sima, Doris and I discovered the true depths of Spain's lawlessness when the boys from our floor took us out. Gracious hosts that these Spaniards were, about ten to fifteen of these gentlemen hosted us three ladies. We began the night by pregaming at the bus stop.

Yes, the bus stop.

We took the bus to the Center of Town and went to the Cathedral. To pray, you ask? Because it was on the way to the club? No. To drink more. We shared in gin, wine, and god knows what on the steps of the third largest church in Spain. Here follow a few photos, because after all, a picture is worth a thousand words:

Sima, myself, and Doris with our new amigos.

I daresay the weekend was successful. Starting Monday, we began Spanish classes of Review, which are to continue throughout the week. For homework we are assigned ludicrously tedious essay. Thankfully, we get a little help from some of the boys. Apart from that, we're getting on really well and have formed a lovely friendship quickly. We are among the loudest people in the cafeteria and we laugh about the stuipdest things and sing the Natalie Portman Rap in the hallways. When we're not bored in class, Sima, Doris and I walk around town, take pictures, and take coffees.

In Burgos it's commonplace to take a turn, or "dar una vuelta". This means the people dress up really nice to see and be seen, which means to walk around the Old City and chat and people watch. This is what we saw on our vueltas:

Tuesday was Sima's birthday, so we went out with Amanda to an oyster bar. Pictures of seafood and the rest of Burgos follow.

So far, it's been pretty eventful. I miss my parents a little bit because the internet here is very weak, but honestly, I don't miss the states at all. I happen to like standing while I eat dinner in bars, drinking in public, oogling Spaniards, and sleeping very little. I could get used to this. Then again, I think I already am.