Things I Have Learned...

On the first day of my grammar class my professor told us that it's okay to struggle sometimes, it's the only way that you learn anything. I have decided that this is a great motto for my first couple of weeks in Spain. Below is a list of just a fraction of the things I have learned in my time here so far by doing them wrong the first (few) times...

• The two most essential clothing items to have are a scarf and a good pair of boots. Never leave your house without them.

• The light switch by the door of my apartment is in actuality NOT a light switch. It is a doorbell. Don't push it when you come home at 3am fumbling with your keys in the dark

• If it looks like it is going to rain, it's going to rain. Especially if you forget your umbrella. Keep one in your purse at all times.
  

• People here don't hug each other or shake hands. Every time you say hello or goodbye to anyone kiss them on both cheeks, first the left and then the right.

• Ignore construction workers. They seem to have nothing better to do than sit on the street, smoke cigarettes, and yell things at blonde Americans such as myself/my roommate - annoying but harmless.

• All electrical appliances not being used should be unplugged (including lamps and the TV)

• Northface fleece = Americana. Don't wear it out in public.

• Always bring all sets of keys with you when you leave the apartment, otherwise you will find yourself locked out of the building and have to wait until someone with keys comes and creep in behind them.

• Fruits and vegetables cannot be purchased at the normal checkout counter in a supermarket - they have to be weighed and priced at the produce counter first. The first time I tried to buy an orange ended with lots of pointing and undecipherable Spanish on the part of the cashier and me walking out of the store with said orange still unpaid for. Oops.
  

• I walk too fast and worry way too much. This is the most valuable lesson I have learned in the past 3 weeks. Learning to stop worrying about things that are out of my control and trusting that everything will work out. And usually, it does.

• Don't be overly concerned about where you are going, take time to enjoy the ride. Look up, see what is around you. Trust that your feet know where to go, and if you get lost it's just another chance to discover something new.

• Don't put up with cold churros - ask for hot churros and people will make fresh ones for you

• If you smile and wave at people you see everyday (the guys that work in the cafe in my building, the doorman, the super friendly old man who works at the pharmacy down the street) they will eventually wave back and strike up conversations when you see them.
  

• Three people should NEVER make one bed at the same time (I came home to María and María changing the sheets on my bed and tried to help out. Big mistake) it's considered extremely bad luck for the person who sleeps there.

• Never open an umbrella inside. Ever.
  

• Be aggressive at crosswalks, traffic lights aren't really mandatory and if you let every car run the light you'll be standing on one side forever.

• Tomar un café y comer un postre cada día. The coffee in Spain is fantastic, and one should never pass up the opportunity to drink un café con leche and eat a pastry after class.

• The refrigerator door is broken, open carefully unless you want to break it some more.

• Cover all drains in the bathroom when they are not in use, and leave the toilet cover down. I'm not really sure why we do this but it has something to do with 'cucarachas' and since I don't want any of those, I follow this religiously.

• María does her 'big cleaning' on Mondays. If you leave stuff on the floor and don't straighten up your desk she will do it for you and rearrange everything how she thinks it should be set up. It's like a little game, you never know where your things will end up.

• Barcelona is the greatest team in the world. Messi is God. No discussion needed.

• In my experience, everything we were warned about Spanish mothers during orientation is true. They are super nosy - always wanting to know what you're doing, what you're writing, whose facebook or tuenti you're looking at, what your friends look like, what your exam scores were, the status of your love life. They are blunt, sometimes embarrassingly so, regarding how people look (muy fea, gordita, etc.), what they are thinking, what they want from you or things that you're doing that they don't like. They are proud of their cooking and take offense when you don't eat everything on your plate and ask for more. They will force feed you if that's what it takes. Showers are supposed to be 7-10 minutes. At minute 10.2 they are knocking at the door "just checking" to see if you are done. They have an internal sensor for what they consider to be unneccesary light usage. If they don't think you need the light, they will come in and turn it off. But most importantly, they love and protect their children fiercely. They are so proud of every single little accomplishment that their kids have and call all of the friends and relatives to let them know, whether it's getting a good score on an important exam or getting your picture put in the local paper. They know when you are upset even when you try your best to hide it and will do everything they can to fix your problems or just hug you until you feel better. I have had the wonderful opportunity to experience all of the extreme ups and downs of my very own Spanish household this semester. It has been an unbelievable ride, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.
  

To Be Continued...