Lost in Translation

I have been meaning to update for a few days now, so I'm sorry about the delay. I almost had a system going on... I think. Maybe not. Anyway...! It has been a really busy week at work and not at work, oh and dealing with 90-95 degree days now is just making everything so much fun. (its not)

Monday was World Refugee Day. This meant that ACNUR held a huge press event at a government owned congress building to launch their new campaign. We had prepped a lot for this event, so it was really great to see it all come together. We filled a courtyard with a real refugee tent from Chad, which was a huge pain to put up, but then had what would be their typical supplies and belongings around it. I didn't understand at first its purpose, but it ended up looking pretty cool as the press came in. There was a press conference at noon, and afterwards the Spanish version of Hors d'œuvres, which are like ours on crack. Being a Deschaine, I ate as many as possible in the time I had. Hey, they should be paying me somehow! There 4 or 5 interns in the legal department at ACNUR, actually more than the actual staff, and it was nice to hang out and converse with them for the first time while the event went on. Gonzalo, the other intern with me in External Relations, has some pictures I'll try and steal. Anyway - it was a pretty important event for ACNUR, and so being part of it was great.

Monday night three of us CDS participants met up for sangria and tapas (obviously?) in the city and discussed our jobs and whatever for a few hours. Although are group is hilariously small, it was still nice to have a couple people who I can relate to while being here. Also saw a new part of the city!

On Tuesday things got ridiculous at work.  I have officially experienced the weirdest case of something lost in translation. After showing up at work like normal my boss asked me if I had my passport with me that day because she needed my passport number. When I didn't, she seemed very frustrated and said something about me not being prepared. After this I found out we were going somewhere around 1pm, to "the program" (el programa) that I was supposedly supposed to know about. I remember them mentioning something like this a couple weeks ago, but it was brought up in conversation very casually. I had apparently agreed to something I did not understand. So I just continued the day until 1, and then my boss María Jesús, Gonzalo, and myself got in her car and drove into the desert. By then I had found out we were going for a radio show and a different program at Warner Bros studios in Spain, which was 30 minutes south of the city. After we arrived, Jesús Vasquéz, who is an ACNUR ambassador and Spanish celebrity, met us at this studio so he could record a radio promotion for the new ACNUR campaign. We were just hanging out in his dressing room like it was no big deal (intern celebrity life?) So then after this was done, María Jesús, who drove us there, left! And I had a video release document in front of me that I was asked to sign. Gonzalo and myself were then walked into a huge studio and I was on the set of a Spanish game show. The two front seats of the audience were reserved for us - and everyone was yelling and excited and obviously knew what was going on. I was in complete shock. I had no make-up on, my outfit was a joke, I was clearly not prepared for my television debut!!! Obviously, it was too late by then to back out, and I realized I had agreed to be on Spain's "Deal or No Deal." It started to all make sense when I found out Jesús Vasquéz is the host of this show and that's the reason we were invited to be part of it that day. Technically, we were representing ACNUR.

The show was ridiculous. It was like America's version but with different people representing regions of Spain as the people with the cases. And for some reason the host was wearing a pirate costume that day. The contestant had the worst luck ever, but I think he left with like 6,000 euro. There was also a RANDOM duck dance in the middle of it - so weird. I included it below. Also, you can see what the show looks like. I am hoping to see it aired here next week. Truly think we were shown a bunch of times because we were sitting right behind the host.

On Wednesday no one really mentioned the event at work - like this wasn't even a big deal. I did not agree!
That night my roommates and I met up with a couple of their classmates and got Indian food in the city. Since the Spanish people hate spicy food, it was not really Indian food at all. We even ordered it extra extra spicy, and it just came out sweet. This was just amusing to me. Laura left this morning to spend the rest of the summer in Portugal, so it was nice for us all to be together one last time before she left.

My roommates on the right, and their friends Ashley and Brian next to me.

On Wednesday night we went out to Kapital, a 7 story discoteca. Thursday was Corpus Christy, a national holiday, so nobody had work the next day. It was a ridiculous club that now I can say I've done.

Thursday - my day off work - was spent at Retiro Park. A huge park in the city (kind of like Central Park) with the students from my program and a couple of their friends. We had a picnic - in the shade - and just layed around for hours. Their holidays here are designed around doing nothing - as most things are closed all day.

By our picnic spot.

Row boats you can rent.

Last night I went to a Bachelorette party with Kristin and Laura. I will say no more.

It was a great week. I am really missing everyone at home, and hope Michigan summer is beautiful as always. Not missing the humidity, however. The dry heat actually isn't as bad as I predicted. Also, because I am starting to really feel like my Spanish is not progressing, I set up a one on one intercambio with someone for next week. She'll practice English and I'll practice Spanish (she's a native Spanish speaker from Madrid). I was really nervous to do something like this so far, as the last intercambio was at a bar with a lot of people, but I really really want to start learning more, and faster. Especially because of work. I am here in Spain to learn Spanish, so it's time to be a little more proactive, sí?

 

Toledo, El Rastro, Sleepiness....

Happy Father's Day DAD! :) (since Marianne didn't believe I said it) 

I had a very sun-involved weekend (yup, said it) and so right now my eyes are totally burning and I can pretty much feel the redness come out of my skin. BUT, that's okay. It was a great weekend spent in and around Madrid, and I am going to finish my book tonight just in time to start another one tomorrow.

On Friday I was feeling pretty down after having to leave work early due to how horrible my cough had become. Once my head starting pounding and my vision started to go a little, I finally asked my boss if it was okay if I left a little early. Immediately after hearing this request, she and 4 other coworkers had come over to me and asked if I need anything. They offered medicine, to take me to the doctor so they could help translate, and they gave me all their phone numbers in case anything happened this weekend.... before I could even take another breath. It was SO nice. Spanish people get such a bad reputation sometimes, at least I think, for being cold or self-centered. My work place has proved to be this stereotype so wrong. 

So I finally went to the farmacia, which ended up being a simple and not so scary task, and got some pretty strong allergy medicine. It so nice not be coughing up a lung every five minutes, now. I'm a little worried at the week long headache I've been sportin, but besides that I am feeling much better. yeee haw.

Anyway, with the power of meds, I was able to go to Toledo on Saturday. It was a very spontaneous decision Friday night to try and do it on Saturday, but I'm so happy I did. Round-trip was just 8 euro, and the bus was air conditioned and 50 minutes. Plus, I saw some of the Spanish countryside from the bus and did some much needed journaling along the way.

Toledo was like no where I had ever been before. It was an intense up-hill hike from the bus stop, but once I was within the old city, it was completely worth it. Pictures are really the only way I can describe the city. I stayed about 5 hours, saw everything I wanted to (including some free museums), and then got back on the bus for home. I was actually quite happy to have done it alone, as I got lost every minute or so. I literally wandered all day, hoping to end up at a landmark or anything on the map. Most of the time I had some really good luck. If any of you ever go to Toledo, do not bother with a map, seriously.

These are kind of out of order. The things that hung above the streets were my favorite. Also, can you see how its so downhill?

Another view of the cool tapestry above some of the streets.

The Cathedral in the center of the city. Didn't go inside because it was a whole 7 euro.

A normal street. Do you understand the lost/no map part?

Attached the supposed house of El Greco.

Favorite street. People live in those apartments!

People wearing shorts.... obv tourists

From the top of the long hike up the city.

I insist you pity me for that walk

Part of the plaza in the center of the city where their festivals are held

Alrighty then.
This morning I decided I just couldn't get enough of all this touristy fun so I went to El Rastro, an open air flea market in a southern district in town. It was streets and streets of stalls and open shops. The craziest part to me was that this market operates weekly. It's pretty nuts.

View from one of the main streets. So many people...

From above, kind of.

A different part of the market

Afterwards, roommate Laura, her visiting boyfriend Raffi, and myself went out for a huge lunch. We were forced to finish a bottle of wine, since it of course was just included with the meal (mm good old Spain) and then we got froyo afterwards. Great Sunday I'd say. Especially since I just Skyped with Molly AND Laur and then the family. (Marianne, I have officially seen enough of you. JUST KIDDING)

Tomorrow... World Refugee Day. Must be at work at the crack of dawn so I will be heading to sleep shortly.  Sending love from Madrid!

Barcelona

Well, it seems I should give a nice little report about my very short time spent in Barcelona! I was there less than 36 hours but definitely think I made the most of the short time I had. I'd love to return and see everything that I couldn't later in the summer... but I think I definitely need to prioritize seeing other cities first.

So Saturday morning I jumped on a plane for a 50-minute ride to Barcelona, and met up with Alan and his fellow euro tour friend Ankit at our hostel by 1. We immediately left and walked around the city all day, seeing La Rambla, a huge market, and sat on a pier at one of the ports for a while. Afterwards we hunted for a "magic fountain" that I completely thought Alan was making up, until finally we found it. However, the search led us to see another part of the city - the very upscale part - and that was cool. And once we did find the fountain, it was ridiculous. A huge fountain that lights up and does a kind of "routine" to music at night. I will post pics because it probably sounds unbelievably LAME. By the time that it was over, it was time to meet other neighbors Andy and Adrian (so. many. A's.) at our hostel. We then we out for the night, getting really good Doner(?) and then going to a few bars. We ended up hanging out at the protests for a while before taking a taxi (OR TWO, OR THREE) back to the hostel. Slight mishap with a taxi driver that led to a very difficult journey back to the hostel for a couple of us, but we made it back alive and with a good story to tell! Oh jeez.

So, with very little sleep... the 5 of us ventured out Sunday and went to the part of the city where the Olympics were held, which was cool and pretty. Afterwards we went on a walking tour that was about Gaudi's work in Barcelona - ending at the Sagrada Familia. I wasn't able to go inside - sorry Jane! - because of the very very long line and there just wasn't enough time. Having a tour guide from the exterior to be able to explain a lot of it was very helpful, though, and it was an amazing sight to see. Truly incomprehensible. By then it was almost 8 - so we ate at a not-so-Spanish and probably not up to any kind of health codes restaurant and afterwards I hopped on the train back to the airport. By 2 AM I was sweeping in my wittle bed.

Overall, I'm really glad I went. Barcelona is very different from Madrid - in good and bad ways. But I think the biggest difference was lack of security I felt in Barcelona. I was very happy to be traveling with a group of people - I mean who's going to mug me when I'm with Alan? - and so that was great. The concentration of tourists in the city was also quite ridiculous, something I have been accustomed to not having to deal with now that I'm settled in Madrid. However, Barcelona has a lot more historically interesting sights to see, and it was really really beautiful the way it is a coastal town. I really would have liked to see so much more.

A few pics

Market right off La Rambla

The pier where we watched cruise ships come in for a while.

Alright obviously this picture doesn't do it justice, but this was the start to the "Magic Fountain"

Looking up from the opposite direction of the previous picture

Cheesin' from the top of the stairs

No one's poses are okay. At the time this blue screen of death was obviously very entertaining.

Without the fountains running! On our way to the Olympics site.

So this is the Olympic area.

Gaudi's work! Crazy architecture.

The unfinished La Sagrada Familia

Otherside. Buidling which is only going to get way bigger.

So that's about it! I started another work week today, as we are preparing for World Refugee Day which is next Monday. The campaign that is translated as "Put yourself in a refugee's shoes" launches then, represented by this site: http://ensuszapatos.es/. I know most of you don't understand Spanish but just the site itself is kind of fun.

Just got home from Sangria and tapas with the roomies. Spain is fun.

Two Weeks In

Well, I don't have too much to report.
In a couple hours I will officially have made it two weeks. Pretty happy about that!

On Monday and Tuesday it thunder-stormed like crazy, until Tuesday evening. It was very strange to see so much rain in a place I had been told it barely ever rains in the summer. The temperature here has been fairly... dare I say... chilly. But I'm SURE the sweltering heat is on its way.

So Tuesday night after the rain let up I went to Museo del Prado with TJ, since it is FREE most nights of the week. I, personally, am not really into that type of art (mostly portraits), but it was cool to see. It is apparently the most visited site in Madrid, so I'm glad we did it.

Wednesday, last night, I took a nice siesta after work... and then we went to an Intercambio at a bar in the city. It was fantastic. An Intercambio is set up where people who want to speak in different languages than their own can go and practice with native speakers. So, four of us English speakers went and practice taking all night with native Spanish speakers who wanted to do the same with English. I think we are definitely going to return, as it's a really good way to talk to native Spanish speakers without the intimidation. It's far too hard to just find someone on the street and practice Spanish with them, especially in this kind of society, but this event intentionally does that for me. You correct people when they pronounce things wrong or mix up words, which is usually thought of as super rude. Plus, it was also a relief to see Spanish speakers struggling with English as I have been with Spanish.
We were there for like three hours, but it was truly such a tiring activity that we headed home. My speaking skills really are coming easier now, at least I think. The listening and comprehending part is kind of getting better, but I am giving myself at least another week to determine that I'm doomed.

I don't know if it's the change in weather or what but my alergies the past couple days have been absolutely awful. Sounds like its time for another siesta.

Ciao  

Primavera Pop

I've been here over a week now which is actually not hard to believe. I was talking to someone last night who has been studying here for about a year and she said that at first it feels like time is not moving, and then it all flies by. It'll be interesting to see if that actually happens.

Thursday night my roommates and myself had a going away dinner for the girl whose room I am now living in. She was from northern Spain and is going home for the summer. She cooked us this huge dinner and we just ate and drank together in the kitchen for a hours. It was great.

Patricia, on the far right, is the girl whose place I'm taking for the summer.

I officially completed a week of work Friday night at 12:30AM when I got home. There was a huge concert called Primavera Pop, as I described earlier, and that took up the entire day. I got to the office at 9:30, and by 11:00 we had left to go set up. We had to hand a pamphlet to every single person that walked into this huge arena. I believe we handed out about 10,000, and it seemed just about all the concert attendees were 16 year old screaming girls. It was so tiring. All of the acts signed shirts we had and talked about their support for ACNUR, which is cool,  however this was in the Press Room that I did not see. :( The life of an intern.
So we also had a booth there, which I DID see:

The best part was after everyone had entered the show, I was able to go in and see a lot of the acts. Everyone only sang one or two songs, and then the next person or group came on. It was organized ridiculously well. I didn't really know any of the Spanish groups, but everyone in the crowd knew every word to every song. I assume if I knew Spanish music it would have been a really good concert. Enrique stole my heart <3

The two interns!

Enrique Inglesias aka boyfriend

 

Coworkers dancing inside the show :P

 After getting back to my apartment that night I crashed. Beyond tired.

Yesterday, Saturday, I took a really long walk around my neighborhood (Moncloa) where the parks are. There's this egyptian temple about a mile from me, but it was full of tourists sine it was Saturday, so I did not go inside. The parks are a nice escape from the city, or at least you can trick yourself into thinking you aren't in the city for a little while. I'll have to bring my camera next time and upload moar pics. Later, I went out with my roommates and their whole group of students in the teaching program they are (were) part of. It was a bar crawl titled Beer Golf. I'll let you imagine the ridiculousness of this very outing. I did get to see many different types of bars in a part of town really close to me, so that was awesome. Oh and pizza at 3 AM is not just an American thing, apparently.

I just booked roundtrip tickets to Barcelona next weekend, where I'm going to see a few Gumbies. I'm only going to be there Saturday and Sunday, but the plane ride is just an hour - and it was pretty cheap!

Walking Tour of Madrid - Pictures

And so begins a Sunday afternoon walking through the downtown area. It's all pretty touristy but also quite pretty. It was a FOUR hour walking tour... and I'm sure they could have covered much more.

View from above. Artsy, I KNOW. 

Area for kids at the protest - I think this is part of the "Daycare" they offer. 

Buildings surrounding Teatro Real, the big but not that great looking Opera house.

Crazy dancing in front of Teatro Real. Zumba-ish..

Plaza de Oriente

Plaza de Oriente

The little girl and her ballon were just too cute.

These guys are everywhere, walking around or making crazy noises. NOT okay. 

Catedral de la Almudena. Ugly from this side....

Beautiful from behind. Tour guide had a good joke about this as you can imagine.

Apartments above a restaurant.

Pretty Pretty.

Street signs like this are the norm. No where to be found but on buildings.

Plaza Mayor with something huge and ugly in the middle!

All those windows are individual apartments that sell for 1 million euro. Insane. 

Lunch break outside "Museo de Jamon" in Plaza Mayor.

View of the city center from afar. 

That covers a lot of the tour. It was extremely hot and I got a pretty bad sunburn. It was bound to happen eventually I guess.

I've just moved into my apartment for the summer. Great feeling to finally be settling in, although also quite bizarre.

Pictures from Week One

Ah, typical first picture of European waters. About to land in Amsterdam! 

View from my hotel room when I arrived. This is the northern part of the city, so very quiet and residential.

Out after our first real day in the city. Tintna de verano.

Sign on one of the protester's tents

The protest on Friday night. Liveliest about 2 AM.

They took over most of the Metro stops at the Plaza del Sol. This one was still open, at least. 

Typical street downtown. Very blurry :/

Spanish room service breakfast. Adorbs.

I'm so awkward. This was the walk to lunch, still northern part of the city. 

Store front. Lots of these places. 

Grand Via. Comparable to NYC's Broadway maybe. Some parts of the street look like Times Square. 

Pictures of historical Madrid coming.... in a minute!