My First Full Day

Tuesday was my first full day in Madrid. We had orientation at SLU Madrid, so we had to wake up kind of early. I ate an orange and bread for breakfast, and then we headed off to SLU! Our Señora helped us buy a 10 trip metro pass, and then rode with us on the metro to the stop where SLU is, which is about 8 stops. My first trip on the metro was really confusing, but we made it alright. She walked us to the 2 buildings on campus (they are building a third) and we found our way to our color coordinated groups, which felt like being a freshman again. Like most SLU orientations, it was confusing, long, and unorganized…I love SLU, just not the orientations. They put us in an auditorium and told us about academics, student life, trips, sports, and a lot of other things. Half the group was falling asleep due to jet-lag and comfy seats. The student ambassadors didn’t really answer the questions that we really wanted to know – where to buy a phone and a monthly metro pass – and made us even more confused. We were provided lunch, which was a bag of Spanish Lay’s chips, ham sandwich on really good bread, a bottle of water, and some kind of hazelnut candy bar. We then stood around for a while wondering what to do, and then went on a tour of about 50 people in the surrounding area. Our guide pointed out a tobacco shop (but that one didn’t sell metro passes), a bar, grocery store, office supply store, banks, and then a park. The park was different, with a driving range (golf), soccer field, fountains, a track area for runners, and a place for people to sunbathe when it gets warmer. We got back to SLU, and found the finance office. No one actually said which of the 2 buildings it was in, so we just guessed. I bought a phone that looks like it’s from the 90s and a day trip this weekend to Segovia and next weekend to El Escorial, which should be fun. The three of us roommates then ventured back to the metro and to our apartment, and I surprisingly remembered most of the way that our Señora showed us, and it wasn’t so scary as it was in the morning. So we just did whatever until dinner at around 9:00 again, which was fried eggs and rice with olive oil, and plums for dessert. Overall it was a confusing day, but it ended up being alright.

Things I have learned so far in Spain:

• Electricity is expensive in Spain because they get most of their energy resources from France
• The unemployment rate for Madrid and Spain is about 20% or higher
• Conserve water and electricity
• A lot of people in Madrid wear fur coats
• The thing to do on the metro is to read a book, Kindle, or look busy on your phone
• The metro stops running at 1:30am and starts again at 6:00am
• Garbage trucks come around at all hours
• Watch out for dog poop on the street
• I don’t know if this is politically correct to say but one of the SLU faculty said it…SLU Madrid and Madrid have gypsies that will pick-pocket you or steal your things
• There is a SLU-Madrid priest who reminds me (and friend Anna) of Dr. Stump from Micah back at SLU

 

 ¡Adios!