Finally here!

Wow. I feel like yesterday was 33 hours long. Oh wait, it was!

Saying goodbye to my family and Erik was the hardest thing I have ever done. Luckily, the security workers at the airport were waving too and laughing and it really helped.

Made it to Houston, through the Houston airport, to Newark, NJ, through that airport (which is really stupid: why did I have to get off the airplane, take all my stuff, run all the way across the stupid airport, and then get back on the same airplane?) To Madrid, through the Subway system (where I met a friend named Victor from Brazil who was going to the same train station) to the train station, on my train, and then to Santander. Where finally I met Carmen, who I am staying with.

I cannot say enough about the kind heart of Carmen. First of all, her house is maybe the nicest house I have ever been in. I have a beautiful room, huge closet, and a bathroom with as much how water as I'd like! There is also some weird kind of urinal looking thing... I decided it would be better not to ask about it... Each room is off a hallway and has a door. It is on the fifth floor, but there is an elevator! But only for skinny people, it is a tiny little thing. The city is very hilly and seems huge. I wonder how long it will take me to figure out where in the heck I am...

As soon as I got to her house she showed me around, fed me a "tortilla" (it was not a tortilla. I think it was an omelet or a scrambled egg not scrambled)... Then I went to sleep! Definitely hoping the first night is the hardest. Between being exhausted and being overwhelmed, I might have cried so much I woke up needing water this morning because I was so dehydrated.

This morning I took a long hot shower, and realized that even though I am halfway around the world--I am in a place (not solely physical) most people never get to experience. Yes I am sad, I miss my family, boyfriend and friends. I am scared and lonely, but this is a once in a lifetime experience! Once I get through the exhaustion crying, I will be done with that.

After I got ready, looking more America than I would prefer, I went to eat breakfast. I stuck with a banana today, I am not hungry at all. It must be part of flying. Carmen seemed kind of worried, I wanted to tell her "don't worry, once I get my appetite back I'll eat everything in this house.." But I couldn't figure out how to say it so I didn't... I drank "coffee". Not sure what it was but it was probably the last time I drink it. We went to the school where I paid for my orientation. I am really excited about that part! I'll have more to say about it in my next post.

All in all I am very excited. I can't wait to make friends, I think that having other people here will make the homesickness go away. I wish I had brought some salt and pepper with me... But I spose I'll get used to the food. I understand about 70% of what people say... But I can already tell that it is getting better.

Everyone told me that people here would speak English: WRONG. But that's okay, I didn't come here to speak English.


If you are still reading this never-ending post, you must care a lot about me! In which case I miss you and love you and can't wait to see you again!

Until next time! :)