It's been over a year since I've logged into this blog! I'm annoyed with myself for never finishing blogging about my last two weeks in India, especially since they were two of the most action-packed/adventurous.. it's amazing how now, a little shy of two years later, there are things that have already totally evaporated from my memory. I did start an entry about them and I have notes on what I did everyday, and obviously tons of pictures, but I am bummed that I never put it all together. I don't even have a good excuse. It'll happen.. but for now..
I'm in Spain! I'm currently in Chelsea's Madrid apt in a sugar-enduced coma from the chocolate croissant and Fanta I just consumed. I want to go out adventuring despite my jet lag but I wanted to chill here on my sugarhigh for a few minutes a jot down (are you still jotting down if you're typing..? sorry, sugar talking) this trip so far.
A week and a half ago I was talking to Chels and we talked about me visiting.. so I got online and looked up tickets and booked. And I didn't tell her. At first, I was going to tell her.. but then the suspense built up and it became kind of a game.. like, can I keep this a secret?! So it got to be the day before I left and I had kept the cat in the bag and just decided to take the risk of completely surprising her.
I left on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. Mom and Dad braved the insane traffic with me and we chilled at the airport for a few hours before my flight. It was the exact same time and gate and flight as my trip to Madrid two years ago before I left for India so I was definitely flashbacking.. Our crew was stuck in the massive Thanksgiving traffic jam but pretty soon we were underway. I had a whole row to myself on the plane so I drank complimentary white wine and watched Magic Mike and slept. Not the worst way to spend 7 hours.
I had a two hour layover at Heathrow and revisited the restaurant where I had my first western meal during my layover from India. Weird throwback. My flight to Madrid was quick and this time I lucked out with the emergency exit row to myself >:)
When I landed in Madrid I was kinda giddy.. I was so pumped to finally surprise Chelsea after all the build up. I called my parents via skype and tried to make myself look less like I had been travelling for 15 hours. I went to possibly the least helpful info booth ever and bought a ticket for a train to a station not far from her apartment. I spent the whole train ride sitting next to a troupe of 10 year old ballerinas and hoping that I had picked the right train going in the right direction.
Fortunately I did. I got off at the Atocha train station and walked in the general direction of where her street is. With no map and only my Spidey senses to get me anywhere, I overshot by a few blocks and ended up walking around in the Retiro park. I must be really bad at faking it till I make it because a guy with a weed wacker noticed I was lost and pointed me in the right direction. Thanks, Madrid.
I finally escaped the labyrinth and started heading down what I thought was her street.. I was picturing how I thought this would go down. I knew from google street view that there was a bench outside her house and I had just thought I'd sit there and wait for her to get home. What would I say?! "Hola." "Happy Thanksgiving?" or something. I'm still not exactly sure what I was expecting but it didn't matter, because a few minutes after I had escaped the park, someone grabbed me by the shoulders.
We pretty much just babbled incoherently for 20 seconds in mutual shock that we had run into each other on the street. She had spotted me while she was getting off of her bus, because I just happened to be walking by at that exact moment. It was awesome.
Her apartment is super cool and Spanish and artsy. There are a couple European apartment-mates and she has a pretty balcony that overlooks the street. We relaxed for a while and then headed out to a Thanksgiving dinner for the Tufts in Madrid program. I finally met Andy and Cristina and got to see some AOIIs who are here studying abroad!
We came back to the apartment and pretty much immediately crashed. This morning Chelsea headed out to work at her school where she teaches English to adorable 12 year old Spanish kiddos who are named things like Nacho and Guillermo. I walked with her to her bus stop and went to a cafe to grab some breakfast. My body has no idea what time it is, but it is literally always time for a chocolate croissant as far as I am concerned. I am grateful that I know the question "caliente?" meant "would you like me to heat up this little slice of heaven for you?" Time to learn more Spanish.
Chels is free for lunch at 1 and then hopefully I'll get to see where she works in the afternoon. It will be my first time taking a Spanish bus by myself but I'm down for the challenge. Time to get myself out of this comfy apartment and adventure around :)
CIAO!
I'm in Spain! I'm currently in Chelsea's Madrid apt in a sugar-enduced coma from the chocolate croissant and Fanta I just consumed. I want to go out adventuring despite my jet lag but I wanted to chill here on my sugarhigh for a few minutes a jot down (are you still jotting down if you're typing..? sorry, sugar talking) this trip so far.
A week and a half ago I was talking to Chels and we talked about me visiting.. so I got online and looked up tickets and booked. And I didn't tell her. At first, I was going to tell her.. but then the suspense built up and it became kind of a game.. like, can I keep this a secret?! So it got to be the day before I left and I had kept the cat in the bag and just decided to take the risk of completely surprising her.
I left on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. Mom and Dad braved the insane traffic with me and we chilled at the airport for a few hours before my flight. It was the exact same time and gate and flight as my trip to Madrid two years ago before I left for India so I was definitely flashbacking.. Our crew was stuck in the massive Thanksgiving traffic jam but pretty soon we were underway. I had a whole row to myself on the plane so I drank complimentary white wine and watched Magic Mike and slept. Not the worst way to spend 7 hours.
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| Inner Harbor from Above |
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| Londontown Layover |
Fortunately I did. I got off at the Atocha train station and walked in the general direction of where her street is. With no map and only my Spidey senses to get me anywhere, I overshot by a few blocks and ended up walking around in the Retiro park. I must be really bad at faking it till I make it because a guy with a weed wacker noticed I was lost and pointed me in the right direction. Thanks, Madrid.
I finally escaped the labyrinth and started heading down what I thought was her street.. I was picturing how I thought this would go down. I knew from google street view that there was a bench outside her house and I had just thought I'd sit there and wait for her to get home. What would I say?! "Hola." "Happy Thanksgiving?" or something. I'm still not exactly sure what I was expecting but it didn't matter, because a few minutes after I had escaped the park, someone grabbed me by the shoulders.
We pretty much just babbled incoherently for 20 seconds in mutual shock that we had run into each other on the street. She had spotted me while she was getting off of her bus, because I just happened to be walking by at that exact moment. It was awesome.
Her apartment is super cool and Spanish and artsy. There are a couple European apartment-mates and she has a pretty balcony that overlooks the street. We relaxed for a while and then headed out to a Thanksgiving dinner for the Tufts in Madrid program. I finally met Andy and Cristina and got to see some AOIIs who are here studying abroad!
We came back to the apartment and pretty much immediately crashed. This morning Chelsea headed out to work at her school where she teaches English to adorable 12 year old Spanish kiddos who are named things like Nacho and Guillermo. I walked with her to her bus stop and went to a cafe to grab some breakfast. My body has no idea what time it is, but it is literally always time for a chocolate croissant as far as I am concerned. I am grateful that I know the question "caliente?" meant "would you like me to heat up this little slice of heaven for you?" Time to learn more Spanish.
Chels is free for lunch at 1 and then hopefully I'll get to see where she works in the afternoon. It will be my first time taking a Spanish bus by myself but I'm down for the challenge. Time to get myself out of this comfy apartment and adventure around :)
CIAO!
