In-Madrid Update 1

By Jordan Nelson (Note: this same text also appears at the Notes From Spain forums, however not all entries will always be identical.)
Well, I'm back in Madrid! I arrived yesterday.

Getting here was bit of a nightmare. The plan was OKC>DFW>JFK (NY)>MAD. Trip started great, but near the end of the DFW>JFK leg, we were held in a flying pattern due to weather. We were delayed so much, that I only had about 15 minutes to get to the connecting flight...AND I was not to be issued a boarding pass for the overseas portion until New York, so I was going to have to get that too! When I got off the plane and asked the agent where to go, she told me (and 3 other Madrid travelers) the wrong place. We lost valuable time.

So, I (and the other 3) missed our flight to Madrid, and were sent to be on Standby for the last Iberia flight of the night. American Airlines, who had delayed me into missing my flight and told me the wrong place to go was unwilling to help much. They could only promise arriving in Madrid on Sunday...which I was unwilling to do (I had a meeting Saturday evening). It was overbooked and it looked like it would take a miracle to get on...a miracle which just so happened to come to pass. By politely pressuring and pressuring the Iberian ticket agents, I finally persuaded (or annoyed ) one into issuing me a seat! All I had to do was ask if upgrading to 1st class would increase my chances of getting on the flight, and she gave me a pass (but not 1st class, so I'm a little confused what changed the situation ). I quickly told the friend I had made (a girl who is also studying at Complutense who missed the flight) to do the same and she got on too! Qué suerte!

I slept most of the flight over here, and enjoyed the onboard movie...in Spanish. Finally I was landing in the promised land--er, I mean Madrid. After going through customs and enduring difficulties using my American cell phone to call a Spanish number, I took a taxi straight to Vallecas to meet the family I am staying with. We had a little trouble finding the obscure street, but I arrived.

They could not be nicer. There is the mother, around 35 years old, and a similarly-aged man, and a daughter, age 8. I spent the afternoon talking with them (in Spanish, no less) about my trip, my home, and everything. We had a very good lunch and then I left to go to Retiro park to meet my roommate who was already there with some friends of his who are studying in Barcelona. I had only seen a small portion of Retiro before and so I got quite lost trying to find him, but finally did. After that we went to the Prado for a short time (which I had seen before, and to be honest, I find to be quite a bore ) and then we went to the Puerta del Sol to meet the other students in the study abroad program.

I met the director of the program, who is from Madrid, and is very nice. We had a short meeting regarding the study program, and then we went on a quick bus ride around Madrid. By this time jet lag was kicking in with a vengeance and so I accidently fell asleep. Woops. After the "tour" we were free to go and I and some of the newly-acquainted fellow students went to eat. I once again reacquainted myself with the wonder that is the Spanish Calamari, and had some of the ubiquitous fruity sangria (which is okay, but I don't think it lives up to the hype it is given). Afterward, I decided to take the metro home in order to avoid more jet lag the next day, and I was in bed by 11:45pm (very early for the Spaniards' schedule!)

I woke up early today (Sunday) around 7:45am and went to the Plaza Mayor for breakfast. I had a toasted ham and cheese sandwich mixto, coffee with lots of sugar, and the best orange juice I've ever tasted (they said it was freshly squeezed from oranges). The weekly coin trading market was already being set up, but I headed to catch the Metro to La Latina to experience the must-do that is El Rastro. I had not gone to El Rastro the last time I was here, so it was a new experience.

I bought a cool jacket (but it's WAY too hot here to wear it now; I'll save it for home) and talked to the kiosk owner about Madrid and why I was there. After that, I went on walk-about and headed to Gran Vía to experience the heaven-sent "H&M." Unfortunately, this location is closed on Sundays so I wento the location nearer to the Puerta del Sol to see its limited muchachos section. I stopped in at Corte Inglés and looked around, and then I decided to head home, as lunch time ws nearing.

I took the metro back to Vallecas, and got thoroughly confused finding my way back to the very obscure street I live on (everyone I ask has never heard of it!). I finally found it, and so, here I am in my room, typing this first reportaje of my time in Madrid. Lunch will be soon and then I will probably go back to the city center to simply hang out and enjoy the free day.

I am again falling dearly in love with the city of Madrid and the country that is Spain. To hear the constant stream of the Madrileño accent in my ears is as if heaven's clouds have parted and God himself is whispering in my ear . I have resolved to speak nearly 100% in Spanish and only use English with some of my fellow students. When I'm en la calle however, amongst the locals, it's strictly Castellano (Spanish).

Well, that's all for now! Note: I'll be posting photos and videos in the next day or two.

Hasta luego!