Traveling and Madrid
This is my first time blogging, so forgive me if its boring! If you have suggestions, then facebook me.
On January 12th, I headed to Madrid, Spain in the hopes that I would have the time of my life while learning Spanish and meeting new people. I stayed in Madrid for a couple of days, then went to Toledo two days ago, and am finally now in Barcelona.
Madrid
Dallas' new international wing in the airport is phenomenal. My favorite part of traveling is meeting new people. In Dallas, I met a young english teacher who was from New York but lived in Madrid for the past three years. I helped her fix her iPod and she told me some really random things about what to expect and not expect in Spain like, how there wouldn’t be any bubble gum flavored gum, nor would there be fritos, or cheetos, or like how to not get robbed while in Las Ramblas.
After a long but good flight from Dallas to Madrid, I headed through customs. Having gone through many different customs before, I didn't think this time would be any different. The lady at the customs desk who questioned me was younger and cute, but was very serious. She asked me what I was doing in Spain (in spanish), and I told her that I was studying. She then asked me what I was studying… and for some reason I totally froze. It was my first real conversation in Spanish and I was really rusty. So I told her that I was studying “negaciones”. After her and her coworker both looked at me weird for a second, she kept on processing her paper work while saying “negaciones….. Negaciones…… negaciones” out loud so all could hear. Then she gave me my passport back and said “Negocios” with a bit of cheek. I turned red, awkwardly corrected myself and quickly walked away!
Spain: 1 Josiah: 0.
After my rocky first conversation, I was determined to use the metro like a pro and find my Hostel without getting lost. Spain: 1 Josiah: 1.
Boom……
Roasted!
I also helped a lost Australian find her hostel. She didn’t speak any Spanish, but I didn’t hold it against her because this was her 6th country she had traveled to in the last 5 weeks.
My Hostel experience was awesome. It is definitely the best way to travel if you are single, male, in your 20’s and don’t mind loud drunks stumbling around trying to find there bed from 2-6am. I met people from Australia, Ireland, France, Columbia, South Korea, and of course some other Americans. With the Irish, we talked soccer, with the South Koreans, we talked about the world cup 7 years ago, with the French, we talked politics and culture, and with the Americans, we ate “tapas” and talked about previous travels.
The french guy at the front desk of the hostel was hilarious. He said: “If you want shits, its a 15 Euro deposit that we will give back to you tomorrow.” (imagine it with a thick french accent) Since we had already become great friends by this point in the conversation, I felt that it was okay to laugh at him and tell him that it was “sheets” not “shits”!
My first beer in Spain was at a cervercia where I downed a delicious beer (unknown name) while talking to the server who was from Ecuador. They gave me olives and chips with my beer. At first I thought that it was awesome that they were doing that, but since no one else has done that since, I think they were just worried that I was drinking the beer too fast… it was sooo good. It was 9am in Colorado, so it was a good breakfast. My spanish was so much better with the server. We talked for a while, and although I didn’t get some of what he was saying, I was able to hold the conversation for a long time!
Later at the hostel, instead of going out with the big group if Irish people, the two Americans (Louisiana and Missouri) wanted to go with the two french girls and one french guy who we had met earlier. We first stopped at an Irish pub which are rather popular in Madrid. We watched Barcelona beat Sevilla 1-0 and then sat down and talked. They of course liked talking about Obama and health care. They were really nice people and very fun to get to know. I forgot what its like to be in a restaurant that allows smoking. Its everywhere here. It's like the show madmen... everyone.... everyone smokes!
By the way, apparently the French come off as really rude because they are lazy. Apparently, if your lost in France, and you go to ask for directions to a frenchmen, they most likely know English, but are too lazy to speak it and/or too afraid that they are going to sound like an idiot. So they just don’t want to help because it would be too much of a hassle! This is straight from their mouths!
After a lot of beer, and bar hopping the others all got drunk, except the Presbyterian from Missouri and myself. Lets just say that it is very nice to have a wing man when going out. All in all, it was a fun night.
Next day in Madrid was a shock because all of the ISA students arrived and ISA began. I can see why most people don’t like Americans.
Traveling Tip #1: don’t be a stupid loud american while traveling.
Life Tip #1: don’t be a stupid american anywhere...
Blog #2 may or may not happen... this was a lot of work!
