Hola! It has now been about a month since I arrived here in Spain and I thought it was time for an update! Things are better than I ever would have imagined. Every single day is a new experience with new things to do and lots of new friends!
I have been getting a lot of questions from friends and family about my living situation, my school situation and more or less what the first month here has been like. With that being said, I am going to take the time to give you a little bit of background information about what has been going on this last month!
First things first: living arrangements. Probably one of my biggest fears before getting to Spain was connected with the housing situation. I decided to book my apartment over the internet through an organization that deals with housing for international students. I also made the decision to live with people I had never met before. Before getting to Spain I was able to see photos of the apartment and look at the general area on Google Maps, but there was still definitely a fear about what it would actually be like when I got to Spain. Luckily, my apartment is actually nicer than the photos I was shown before my arrival, as they did some renovations and such. It’s a good size and in a great location (only about a 10 minute walk to school).
I currently live with three other girls, all students, all from different countries. One is from Brazil, one from France and one from Italy and yes we all speak different native languages. At times communicating has been very difficult, but for the most part we are able to get our points across! It has definitely been great for me as it forces me to put my Spanish skills to work! It’s also been great because I have been learning lots about each of their countries and eating some great Italian cooking too! So, living arrangements are so-far-so-good!
Next thing: school! We started classes about two weeks ago and they have been interesting so far. I go to La Universidad Europea de Madrid (UEM for short) and it is nothing like Carleton, mainly because it consists of only three buildings! For me this is a major pro. Those who know me know that I still get lost on the Carleton campus, even after two years of being there! None of my classes have more than 15 students, most of whom are other international students, which is definitely another major pro. The classes are more or less all in Spanish and at times, yes, I do find myself completely lost, but find reassurance when I look around and see my fellow international students with similarly confused facial expressions. Luckily I can see my improvement daily and everyday I understand more and more.
Aside from school, I have been keeping busy with lots of things! From beaches to malls and restaurants, bars and museums, Valencia really does have a lot of things to do and see! The only problem with this is that it’s difficult to find time to sleep!
I will leave it at that for now. I am having difficulty finding time to write these posts lately, but will try to keep them coming as much as possible! Adios for now!