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?