Not All Who Wander Are Lost
But those who wander with a big map and an aura of hopelessness probably are - so offer to help, dammit.
By Grace Carballo ‘17
This summer I am studying in the beautiful city of Madrid. This is my first time traveling without my family and my first time outside of North America so everything is new to me and so far has not been the smoothest of adjustments. I may not be the most fluent of speakers or the most apt of travelers, but I sure do have a gift for finding myself in interesting situations. While these incidents may not be funny to me for a few more years, I trust they will be entertaining for third party viewers and offer a good insight into the summer study abroad experience.
On A Jet Plane, Livin Da Life
My flight to Madrid was ideal in the way all flights ought to be: the turbulence kept my blood circulating, preventing a clot or me taking my own mortality for granted, AND there were free movies. I popped two sleeping pills right off the bat but I am a sucker for cinema and I used my time wisely, to maximize jet lag, and watched three movies (Batman Begins, Crazy Stupid Love, and 500 Days of Summer (which they translated to 500 Days Together in the Spanish version kind of defeating the purpose because her name is Summer but I’m not even mad) and three episodes of Modern Family. The voice they chose for Gloria didn’t really fit in my opinion- probably should have just asked Sofia Vergara to do all the lines again but in entirely Spanish.
I landed about 7:45 am Madrid time which conveniently translates to 12:45 am Chicago time, about when I would have loved to go to bed. Customs was cake which made me regret eating all my American snacks on the plane because I thought they would be taken. Peanut butter withdrawal is not going to be pretty.
The shuttle I booked was full of Americans so I had no practice with my Spanish until they left and I realized just how falsely high my confidence in my abilities was. My driver was so sweet though and gave me a tour of the city because I kept saying how “bonito” everything was, an adjective choice I stand by.
El Hogar
My host mom’s apartment is on the fourth floor on Calle Fuentes in the antiguo parte de la ciudad. It’s really close to everything, but remarkably hard to find your way back to. Also the stairs are from the original design, all worn and wooden, and I carried my 49.9999 lb suitcase up all four flights (which is really five because the first floor is somehow the second floor here) leaving me literally breathless when I met my new mother, Carmen.
Carmen is wonderful and very patient and extremely hospitable. I don’t know if I’ve ever said “Gracias” to one person so many times and sincerely meant it and it’s been all of 1.5 days so far. She has a daughter, Marta, who is 26 and a wonderful artist. She is a vegetarian, too, because in her words “es mejor” and estoy de acuerdo. We were a house of girls we decided and if there is anything living in a sorority has prepared me for, it is this.
I took a nap because I was too jet-lagged to speak English or Spanish or even my strongest language, Spanglish. When I reemerged ready to socialize (mostly just nodding given my current linguistic abilities), I found myself alone in the living room with a stranger. He was just as surprised to see me and I learned that Carmen had a son, as well, and this fellow was he and his name was Victór and it’s possible I completely misinterpreted what I thought was a girl power anthem just a few hours before.
I wasn’t positive he was actually supposed to be there because she never mentioned a son and we had covered a lot of other topics, like mice that are a problem in the building. I decided I would not be gullible or foolish like my father reminds me often and would just minimize the risk until someone else came home to confirm he was in fact my new brother by going for a run to bank some endorphins before I was hit by a wave of homesickness. I’ve come a long way running away from my problems and I’m not about to stop now.
An Idiot Abroad
Unfortunately, I failed to consider that I cannot access Google Maps and I have no sense of direction and a confusingly selective memory. When I wanted to return home, I was not even certain which way home was. Luckily I brought a map which had the big streets labeled and there I was- in the streets of Madrid amongst some of the most glamorous Madrilenos you ever did see with big sunglasses and cool shoes- sweating profusely clad in tie-dye and carrying a large map.
I put on my most adorable, approachable, damsel in distress face but I think the sweatiness deterred them or maybe no one really cared. I had brought 10 euros in case of emergency and decided I would go to a store to buy a water bottle and then beg for help, but when I arrived in said store my money was no longer in my running arm band. I’m not sure if some expert pick-pocketer somehow nabbed it or I just dropped it out of carelessness and I’m also not sure which of the two would upset me more.
Like a beacon of hope, I saw a sign advertising free wifi (pronounced wee-fee here) and did a little jig. But to get the wifi you had to register with an email and like them on facebook which requires weefee in the first place and really riled me up.
Nothing looked familiar but also everything looked familiar. Finally, I found myself in another plaza and decided just to use data because I had literally become a lost cause. Amazingly, I had gotten within 4 minutes walking distance of my house! That is my biggest accomplishment this summer so far.
What’s a study abroad blog without scenic photos?
This is the clothesline outside the apartment window where all my clothes will dry/the reason I bought new, classy underwear.
This is my favorite thing so far. When I asked Carmen the rules she showed me this on the fridge, held up by some of the many magnets she has received from her host babies (this ain’t her first rodeo). The only rule I’ve broken so far is cry only of happiness or emotion, but I’ve made up for it with “saber perdona” because I say “lo siento” like a broken record. I didn’t know all of the verbs at first because I am a dingus, but she acted them out which was fun, too.
If my Spanish doesn’t improve, I think I could leave this trip an excellent Charades partner.
