Move-in Day!

For the last few days, I have been getting progressively more nervous for move-in day, the day when I would meet my roommates and host senora and move in to my new apartment where I will live for the next 4 months.  Today was the day, and I soon discovered that I had no reason to be nervous.

As lucky as I thought I was with my living arrangement, I found out today that I am even more blessed.  I live in the apartment directly below my host senora Mari Paz (and her husband and sister) with not 3 (like I expected) but 5 other girls.  The apartment is huge to me (especially compared to the usual small apartments in Spain).  We have a little entryway, a kitchen which we are allowed to use, a little table to use for breakfast, and a long hallway with a living room, 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms which we will share.  Well...although I am sharing a shower and toilet with 2 other girls, I was lucky enough to be put in one of the single rooms.

This is what happened...Paula and I took a taxi along with my luggage to my new apartment and buzzed to be let in.  Mari Paz came down and graciously welcomed us and took us upstairs to see the house, placing me in the only other single room because I didn't know any of the other girls staying with her (and they knew each other).  After a tour, meeting the only other girl who had beaten me there, and a few basic rules, Paula and I said goodbye and she headed home. 

I have to say...I am going to love this living arrangement!  Two other girls arrived soon after me and we all get along very well.  Plus...my room is HUGE!!!!  Like at least as big as my room at home...maybe bigger!  I definitely got the best room in the house...I have a large closet where I can hang clothes and then there's a shelf underneath for more folded clothes, a cabinet to put shoes and undergarments in, drawers for cosmetics and electronics, a desk where I have a few things displayed, a bulletin board, a bed, a rocking chair, a shelf which I am hardly using, and...drum roll, please...A BALCONY!!!!!!  And my balcony overlooks the gorgeous plaza!!!!!  I am the only one with a balcony and one of only two bedrooms with such a great view!!!!!!   And I feel like I brought nothing...I have sooo much storage space left even after totally unpacking!


After giving us some time to unpack, Mari Paz and another host Senora who lives on the floor below (and has 2 girls who are friends with some of my roommates) took us around the plaza area.  Then we were left on our own to unpack, eat, shop, etc.  3 of us went back up and unpacked for a while and then met one of the girls on the floor below for lunch.  It took us awhile to find the restaurant we were looking for...the girls who had gone out earlier had eaten there but hadn't exactly told us where it was.  After walking around for about 1 hour and then going back to the apartment to ask for better directions, we finally found it - a pizza and pasta place.  I have to say, it was super cheap, but only offered like 5 kinds of pizza.  One of my roommates and I, who tend to like cheese or pepperoni pizza had to settle for a pizza with various kinds of cheese, including blue cheese.  I wasn't a huge fan and ate very little of it.  She ate more, but then we forgot the leftovers at the table anyway. 

After lunch, we went to the supermercado to purchase some necessary items and then returned home for some quiet time.  Unfortunately, the internet wasn't working (the router needed to be reset, which is super easy, but I didn't know how to do it), so I was feeling a little down and missing home.  Soon everyone else had awoken from their naps and we were chatting, speculating on what time the other 2 girls might finally arrive.

We ended up going up to dinner without them and had just started eating when they joined us.  Dinner was the Spanish equivalent of chicken noodle soup (but really good!), chicken croquets, and salad (didn't like these as much), and ice cream for dessert!  Mari Paz is quite lenient - she says if you don't like it, you can leave it.  Great policy for a picky eater like me.  Over dinner, we chatted loads and she gave us more advice.  Sounds like we'll be a little family!  How nice!

So far, all my roommates seem super sweet!  But they prefer to speak only English and cannot speak as much Spanish as I am able to after 5 days here.  Still, I think we'll have a fine time sharing the apartment and hopefully they will introduce me to some other friends of theirs who are also in Spain.  As much as I already think my roommates are great, being with people my age again makes me miss everyone back at my home university. 

I also love Mari Paz, my host Senora!  She has already figured out that I am the one who can speak more Spanish and understand more of what she says (she speaks very little English) than the others.  So she kind of relies on me and takes more time to talk with me!  She seems like she'll be a great Spanish mom!

After dinner, we came back up to the apartment to chill before bed.  It has been a great day so far.  The only minor problem we had was when one of my roommates attempted to plug in a power strip (where she had to convert the plug from 3 holes to 2 and then to an adapter).  She blew a fuse and we had to get Mari Paz to help us fix it.  She was quite nice about it even though we probably woke her up.

Overall, I have learned several things today:
1. Eating here might not be so bad!
2. All the American students will want to speak English whenever possible.  It makes me feel a bit like an oddball because I am the only one so intent on speaking Spanish (plus they all know each other and I don't).
3. Don't attempt to use an American power strip!
4. Not all apartments are super small.
5. Dressing up for my host senora was not necessary.
6. door locks are very different here...you have to turn til it clicks 4 times.

Enjoy the pictures of my new apartment in the next post - this one is already super long.

Peace and Blessings,
Melanie

Spanish Words of the Day:  apartamento = apartment, mudarse = to move (i.e. from house to house) :)