First few days!!

Hopefully I’ll be able to post this soon but I’m not sure when I’ll have internet again.  My first few days in Spain have been great.  I arrived around noon on Friday (Spain time….7 hours ahead) and was able to get through customs, find the metro, and get to the bus station with little error.  I had some trouble at the bus station because after finding where to buy tickets, it’s practically impossible to find the bus.  Like they just don’t tell you where it is and the bus station has about three levels with busses everywhere.  I did find it in time though (and almost got on the wrong bus…even after getting directions) and made it to Toledo around 3:30.  By the time I found the phone and figured out how to work it (there’s no dial tones here….someone had to help me (no wonder other people think Americans are stupid…I’m not helping the stereotype.)).  Anyways….Vicki (the friend I was staying with) came and picked me up around 5 and we walked back to her apartment.  The hills and cobblestone streets in Toledo are quite impressive.  I’d really get into shape if I had to do that every day.  And girls wear heels on this stuff!!  I can’t even wear heels normally, let alone on a very steep incline on a very uneven street.  After a shower, nap, and some dinner, Vicki took me out to the bars in Toledo.  I’m going to have to learn to stay awake late…Spaniards don’t even leave the house until after midnight!  I guess I’ll still be prepared to work night shift by the time I get back to the states.

So…It’s Sunday now and I’ve been at the hotel for a few hours.  I managed to get back on the bus, back to Madrid and through the Metro another time.  I only had to ask for help once to know exactly where the hotel was (yeah…I had walked right past it, it was literally right in front of the metro station).  Me and my roommate have just been napping and hanging out in the room…she just got here today so she’s feeling the jet lag!  Getting ready now, we meet back up with the group at 6 for a tour of the city.  Even though I flew into Madrid, I haven’t really seen any of it yet because all my time here has been spent on the Metro.  Oooo…so after me and my roommate (Amber) got to our room, we had to go back downstairs to ask Heidi (our group director) how to turn on the lights.  After flipping every switch in the room and looking everywhere, we were lost.  I guess you have to put your room key in a slot for the lights to turn off.  Go figure.   I can’t think of anything else to write right now, the weather is perfect so far and I’m excited to be with my group now and to start getting to know the people I’ll be spending the next two months with!!