Garbage Street

The street behind my apartment (that my terrace opens onto) smells like garbage at night.  I think this is because people have to take their trash out to the block's dumpster between 7 and 10 pm.  This is smart because then it doesn't sit in the sun, but dumb because the sudden increase of trash makes everything stink like garbage ... and because the sun doesn't set 'til after 9:30, so it still festers in the sun for a while.  I walked in tonight and couldn't figure out why my place stank like garbage, until I realized the smell was coming from outside the house.  Gross.

I went to see a movie tonight with my Spanish friend.  We saw the new Woody Allen film "Midnight in Paris."  I liked it.  I especially liked that it wasn't dubbed like most American films here are and instead was in English with Spanish subtitles.  It was sort of fun to read the subtitles along with the English sound.  Much more fun than trying to understand what's going on in a movie where the actors lips don't match up with the sound.  They actually dub EVERYTHING here so even American tv is dubbed - usually badly. There is something really disconcerting about hearing a voice that is not an actors come out of their mouth (sort of).  It's especially weird when the words the actor says are much longer or shorter than the dubbed words.  It happens with subtitles too.  My favorite example today was in the movie a character says something like "I don't understand what you're saying" and the subtitle was "¿Que?"

Tomorrow if the weather's good we might take a little day trip.  Otherwise, I need to do laundry, start packing, and do some work!  I'll be busy this weekend either way!

Elections

Yesterday, they held elections for local and provincial government.  What, you ask?  Elections on a Sunday?  When no one has to work?  So people can actually go vote?  Yes!  The elections were preceded by pretty mild protests here (and some not-so-mild protests in Barcelona and Madrid).

As far as I can tell, Spain has a constitutional monarchy, and the elected government functions in a similar way to that of the United Kingdom.  There's a governing party made up of the party with the "majority" (not a numerical majority in the sense that they have more than 50% of the seats, but in the sense that they have more seats than any other party).  The prime minister is usually from this party after the big national elections.  Then, there's an opposition party, which is usually the party with the second most seats ... unless that party decides to make a coalition with the ruling party.  Anyhow, people have been pretty disenchanted with the current governing party - the socialist party - since unemployment is through the roof (around 21% nation-wide and over 40% for young people) after the financial collapse that was caused by a housing bubble (sound familiar?).

Nation-wide the opposition party won by a "landslide" (the more conservative Popular Party - which is the best name for a political party after The Rent Is Too Damn High Party in New York).  Of course, the Basques have to do everything differently and we only had municipal elections here, not elections for the provincial government.  [I should say here that a lot of my information is from Spanish newspapers and guess work form what I've heard, I could be totally wrong.  About everything.]  And of course, the Popular Party wasn't so popular here.  The newly formed Bildu party won.  Bildu means something like "gathering" in Basque and is a coalition party itself in some ways of the many nationalist groups around here.  Nationalist, in this neck of the woods, does not mean pro-Spain, but rather pro-Basque.  Not everyone who is "nationalist" is pro-separation, but a lot are.  And they're definitely pro-autonomy.  That is, they want to function without much interference from the Spanish.  This results in a sort of weird language thing in which people around here will answer a question like "Are you Spanish?" by saying "No, I'm Basque."  Some locals aren't very nationalist, but it's not something that's discussed in public at all.  In fact, on Saturday, we were talking about this with my friend who is from here and someone asked her if she was offended if people said she was Spanish.  Her answer?  "No, I'm not really nationalist."  But she said it very quietly so as to not incite the ire of a group of Basque speakers nearby who probably would have been unhappy to hear that.

Anyhow, back to the Bildu.  There was a big issue last month before I got here about whether or not they could even participate in the elections.  Apparently some of the candidates on the ticket have ties to ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna - or Basque Homeland and Freedom) - a nationalist, separatist, and terrorist organization.  ETA has called a permanent cease-fire recently (and they're honestly not super active in the Basque country - more in Madrid), but people tend to be pretty wary of them.

It's a pretty fascinating situation, not least because I don't totally understand what's going on or how the government works, so I get to sort of fill in the blanks with my imagination.  :)  It's also really interesting to see how people react to these sorts of situations, which is quietly so far.  I'll be interested to see if there are more protests now that the elections have happened.  The big election happens next March, so I'm sure that will be more of a show-stopper in terms of reaction.

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In other news, in my Monday tradition here, I was eaten alive by mosquitos this morning - a huge bug bite on my temple and one on my arm.  Two is the fewest I've had so far though.  Last Monday, it was 4 and the week before that it was something absurd like 12.

I am really, really liking my friends here.  There are two girls in particular who I feel like I would be friends with in any situation, not just the sort of weird situation I'm in here.  I feel myself genuinely enjoying myself, relaxing, and laughing.  It is a huge, huge relief.

I'm probably about a third of the way done with my stripy blanket and I love everything about it.  I love making it.  I love the crazy color combinations.  I love the yarn (which is a huge shock because it's 100% acrylic which is usually a bit of a pain to work with and doesn't feel this great when it's done).  I want it to be done now, so I can hunker down under it, wear it as a cape, etc ... and I also never want to finish it because it's so fun.  I can't bring it to work because it's too big ... and I'd only want to work on it all the time, which would be unproductive.

Speaking of work, I know a lot of you are curious, but I'm not talking about it here - other than to say that it's great.  I'd be happy to e-mail or talk on the phone in more detail.  You know it's good when I happily work 12 hour days (with a blog break once in a while).  :)

Finally, my little plants are doing well.  The cilantro is thriving, the rosemary is great, and the basil is huge.  I've been really enjoying fresh basil and rosemary.  Unfortunately, my chives were attacked by bugs.  I think I got most of the bugs, so I'm trying to re-grow, but I might have to sadly scrap the chives.  They are making cooking easier, as is the fact that I'm getting more adventurous about what I'm trying to cook (and I've accrued more staples now, making life much easier).  I have yet to brave the real meat and fish counters, but stay tuned for a post soon about the food that I love here.  It will probably be titled something like I (Heart) Anchovies.  If you've only ever had canned anchovies that are super salty, you can't judge me ... Wait 'til you hear about the deliciousness that are white anchovies!

Morning Market

This morning, I walked to the market in Gros (a neighborhood across the river) to meet up with some friends.  It's a small market that rotates between four sites each weekend of the month. There are a few farmers who sell veggies, a person selling sausages and some other meats, several cheesemongers, and a couple of people selling baked good.  We strolled around the market and a newly opened playground and then stopped to have some coffee on the terrace of a cafe.  The whole morning struck me as very Spanish because I wasn't in a hurry at all on my 45 minute walk to meet my friends.  Then we had a relaxing couple of hours at the market just sitting, talking and people watching.  I stopped by the grocery store on the way home and got enough food for the week, I think.  I did a bit of window shopping since I'm trying to decide what to wear for the wedding Puerto Rico (I leave a week from Tuesday for Bilbao!  Cannot wait!!!!).  I have a couple of options, but wouldn't mind something new.

I'm home for a relaxing afternoon and then I'm meeting up for a drink and some pintxos out on a terrace tonight.  I might go upstairs to work on the blanket I'm making.  It's getting so big that I won't be able to take it on my flight to Puerto Rico, I don't think.  I'll have to find another project to take.

Next weekend, both of my closest friends here will be out of town (and I'll be getting ready to leave), so I'm sure it will be a slow, relaxing weekend.  I'm trying to re-do my website for work since Northwestern is shutting down my access in June, so maybe that will be next weekend's project!

Since I'm getting ready to fly, I need suggestions for tv shows and movies to download (rent) through iTunes for my long travel days and books for my iPad and Nook.  Any ideas?

Good and bad

I'll start with the bad.  I woke up in the middle of the night with a terrible stomach ache.  I'm pretty sure my stomach was not happy with something I ate last night.  My guess for the culprit is the arugula I had since it was sort of iffy in terms of freshness, but who knows.  I'm still not feeling 100%, but I wasn't going to let a little stomach problem stop me from enjoying my day!

I had plans with the friend of my former Basque teacher (who took me out for dinner my first week here).  We had met for a drink on Thursday night, and met again today for a Basque style brunch, so I suppose she's my friend now too.  The Basque do not really do brunch like Americans do, but we had plans to have a big mid-day meal of pintxos.

I think I previously described pintxos as like tapas - but that doesn't quite do it justice.  Basically, the way pintxos work is you walk into a bar and they have some pintxos out on the bar on plates.  These are usually pre-made and typically are eaten cold (sometimes they'll take them into the kitchen to eat them).  You can take what you want off the platters and when you're done, you tell the bartender what you want - completely done on the honor system.  Then, there's usually a menu on the wall of hot pintxos that you order at the bar and are made to order.  These are usually more delicious and a little more exotic than the pintxos at the bar.  Because all the pintxos are relatively small and made for one person to eat (or for two people to have a little bite of), there are also "raciones" which are slightly larger plates made for sharing.  I should also clear up the meaning of "bar" before I move on.  So, bars here are not really like bars in the US whose sole purpose is for drinking.  Typically you have a drink, but it is as often grape juice (inexplicably served with an olive in it) as it is beer, wine or cider.  Mostly it's the primary place most people go out to eat.  You often order at the bar and they bring it to your table, or you eat at the bar.  Bars are also where you go to have coffee most often, so it's slightly less like a bar and more like a catch-all for place to grab some food, drink and company.  Okay, definitions out of the way (for now) - back to the story.

I met up with my friend on the Boulevard at 12:30.  She was with her two friends and their incredibly, incredibly adorable son who is "a year old" (my guess is he's about 15-16 months, but it was a little hard to tell), named Oier.  He was incredibly chatty, smart, and charming with huge brown eyes and eyelashes a mile long.  And he's totally mischevious running everywhere and wanting to do everything himself.  Parenting here is a lot more relaxed generally than parenting in the US.  Kids of all ages run off and play together with parents keeping an eye on them generally speaking, but not keeping them on a leash of any sort.  They also don't typically bring toys or snacks to keep the kids entertained while they're out with their parents.  The kids eat what their parents eat (today I saw Oier try pig cheek with olive tapanade, various other meats in sauces, grilled veggies, plantain chips, and his favorite - patatas - actually french fries in this case).  I've seen this happen a lot, but I was still surprised when I saw him eating (with help from his parents) with a knife and fork.  They were careful about the knife, but let him help cut up his meat and try things on his own.  It was actually really inspiring to see how independent he was - he would try things and if they didn't work, he'd either ask for help, or try again.

Most of the conversation today was in Spanish (fortunately for me, since normally they all speak Basque to each other and to Oier - who is very, very competent in both languages).  I said most of what I needed to say in English, but was talked to entirely in Spanish.  I did manage to ask if Carla Bruni (the French first lady) was pregnant in Spanish and talked about work in Spanish as well.  Afterward I promptly came home and took a nap - processing Spanish is infinitely more exhausting than processing English - more on that later.

Anyhow, we went to the first bar and each ordered our pintxos.  I had a bottle of water, since I was still feeling a little off from my adventures with stomach pains last night, but I tried some risotto (not the best upset stomach food, but I go with whatever sounds good to me).  I'm glad I did because it was DELICIOUS.  We also put together our "bank" - everyone puts in a set amount (usually 20 euro) and then the bills at each place get paid out of the bank.  At the end of the event everyone splits the change.  This is a very common way to do things here - and really nice because you don't have to pay for each thing you order separately and no one is very nit-picky about who ordered what.  After the first place, we went to a second which is sort of a "chain" (I think there are two - one here and one in Madrid) which has more inventive pintxos - olives stuffed with vermouth jelly, for example.  We got miniature burgers, slightly smaller than sliders, with "ketchup" buns.  I'm not a huge ketchup fan, but these burgers were delicious and came with plantain chips.  We moved on to the third bar which I'd been to before.  They have a large terrace on a shared plaza that used to be a bullfighting ring and is now home to several shops and bars who divvy up parts of the terrace.  Kids run and play in the rest of it, often playing pick-up games of fútbol.  We got their famous pistachio croquetas (sort of fried balls of stuff, if you've been to a tapas restaurant you've probably had them).  Basically these had pistachio cream inside and were covered with chopped pistachios and then fried.  Really delicious.  We also got two raciones - calamari and "hongos" which are basically wild mushrooms.  Both were really delicious.  We then tried to get coffee at the bar next to the bar we had gotten food from (which was busy and didn't have phenomenal service, which is saying something for Spain, since the service typically ranges from non-existant to terrible).  They refused since we were on the wrong terrace.  So we decided to move to another bar that was a favorite for coffee.

We walked a ways to get there and Oier almost fell asleep, but once he saw we would be sitting on a couch, he perked up and decided to plop himself between my friend and I.  His mom asked him if we were his new girlfriend and he replied "si, novias" (yes, girlfriends).  We all had some coffee (coffee here comes with a million options, so you have to be prepared for the questions when you're ordering.  I got a small decaf with milk.  When they say small, they are not kidding - coffee typically comes in very small glasses (like espresso glasses in the US).  But the coffee is rich and delicious.  I really liked the atmosphere of this particular bar, which my friend compared to Uncommon Ground in Chicago.  We hung out there for quite a while, watching Oier play.  We ended up having a very animated conversation with the women behind us about parenting - it seems that the debate regarding breastfeeding, working moms, and private vs public schooling rages no matter what country you're in.  It was interesting to hear the variety of opinions (in our group people were:  indifferent about breastfeeding - try it, if it works for you great, if not, you and your kid will survive; very pro working moms; and split on the schooling issue with one mom being a huge fan of Montessori schools and the others thinking that public schools were fine when the kids are really little).  Anyhow, throughout this time Oier had been running between the restaurant and the park across the street with his dad.  He came in and announced it was time for all of us to go see the "qua qua" or "los patos".  Have you guessed what we were going to see?  The ducks that live in the pond in the park across the street.  Before we left the place, he came up to my friend and I to ask us to go see the qua qua with him.  When we agreed he gave us both "besos" (the kisses on each cheek).  The kid was too cute.  After about 20 minutes in the park we decided to go our separate ways - over 4.5 hours after we started our culinary adventure.  I got more "besos" as well as an English "BYE!" from Oier.

I headed to the nearby Chinese shop to buy some plastic tubs to store things in my bathroom and took the bus home, since I was exhausted and still feeling a little yucky.  Overall, I'm glad I went - we'll see how glad my stomach is tonight, but I feel pretty safe since I've passed the last 12 hours without incident!  I really enjoyed being with real Spaniards - I learned a lot and got to practice a lot of Spanish.  It really motivated me to practice more!

I promised a bit more on the issue of processing Spanish.  When I first got here, I could understand a fair bit of Spanish if it was being spoken directly too me, but I found most conversations between Spaniards on the bus or on the street to be far to fast for me.  Now, though, I understand a lot more which is both good and bad.  Obviously, it's great that my Spanish is improving, but it's hard because I CAN understand things now, but not without some effort.  Paying attention to Spanish when it's being spoken to me is exhausting, but so is hearing Spanish conversations around me, which my brain tries to process automatically now on the bus or in restaurants.  It's strange because working hard to understand the language around you isn't something we think about a lot, but it takes a lot of mental energy!

No pictures yet

I've been in a little bit of a mood today because of a sinus headache caused by the awesome weather we're having today (rain, rain, and more rain).  I'll put up pictures soon, but I'm trying to photoshop them a bit (adding an arrow to my building in a picture I took from across the bay, etc.).

Things have been mostly really, really good.  I just returned from a trip to the Scary Supermarket, which is getting less scary now that I know where things are (and I've found the perfect time to go - during siesta!).  I still have yet to brave the fish counter or the meat counters - I've bought pre-packaged stuff, or stuff from my friendly market - but overall I find the trips much less stressful.

There's been a funny shift over the past few days.  I actually LIVE here.  We were out last night in a huge group, everyone speaking a mishmash of Spanish and English (with some French, Italian, etc. thrown in as well).  The conversation moved between languages without people really thinking about it.  All of a sudden this table of guys were asking me something, and I was really confused.  Then I realized it's because they were American.  American tourists are pretty rare here, and though I spend my time mostly with extranjeros (foreigners) I spend relatively little time with other Americans.  Once I realized what was going on, I figured out they were asking me for directions "because I spoke English and obviously lived around here."  It was so weird because I was tempted to say "Oh, I'm new here I don't know where you're going" but then I realized I could tell them and show them on their map.

I've been thinking a lot about my trip to Puerto Rico (17 days!) and wondering what it will be like to go. And what it will be like to come back.  More on that later I'm sure.  I'm off to meet some friends for coffee and try to make plans for EuroVision tonight!

A few matters of business

First, if any of you heard that there was an earthquake in Spain yesterday, don't worry, it was over 900 km away (an 8 hour drive) from here.

Second, my computer charger is inexplicably working in my work outlets, but not in my apartment (or at least it wasn't this morning).  I'm going to get a new one and possibly a spare, if the new one works at home.  Then I'll keep the unworking-at-home one at work (where it works).  Confused?  Me too.

Third, I managed to bring raw pork chops to work today instead of my leftovers from last night.  Awesome.

Fourth, I've been in Spain for over a month now.  It's strange because I think other people (who maybe don't leave so much behind) manage to adapt much more quickly than I did.  Their life here is easy to fall into because they don't have a life waiting for them back where they  are from.  I'm not sure I'll ever shake the feeling of being in limbo.

More later ...

Laundry (and other great things)

Like I said yesterday, I did laundry again and hung everything out to dry on my new drying rack (outside on my terrace).  I got home from work today and everything was dry, unwrinkled and smelled like sunshine (if that's possible).  I love my terrace here.  Love it.  It's not huge (pretty tiny), but I'm growing and using my fresh herbs which are great.  I can sit out there and crochet or read.  I can watch the sunset.  It's incredible.  So is not having to dry everything I own.

I also really, really love how late sunset is.  Tonight it's at 9:20 and it's still over a month away from the solstice.  I went for a long walk after work.  I came home and cooked dinner and now I'm going out with some friends for Leize night (the live music night I went to last week).  We're going to go "terracing" on Thursday or Friday (out for pintxos at a place with a terrace).   Tomorrow I might go watch the soccer team from work (This team and league deserve a post of their own because pick up soccer, this is not).

My management company finally found my deposit, first and second months rent.  I even over paid, so I get a 200 euro discount next month!  Can't wait!  I think I'll buy the last of my "stuff I need for my apartment" and maybe a treat for myself with my surplus. :)

As you can tell, it was (is) a good day.

Things I do not love ...

One thing I do not love is spending all day with customer service of various sorts.  I had to send a sassy e-mail to my management company for my apartment since they decided to bill me for my deposit/last months rent + this months rent even though I know both have been deposited into their account.  Plus, my oven has been out of commission for over a week now.  No word from them yet. 

Then it was on to Amazon UK.  I ordered a few things from them last week (a cookbook and a drying rack) but part of my order hadn't shipped with the rest (namely kitchen utensils and the Britta pitcher that will hopefully make my water taste like Not Garbage).  All of that was supposed to be delivered today, but I got a cryptic e-mail saying it was being returned.  So, back to the e-mail I went trying to ask WHY it was being returned.  I got a really nasty message back about how sometimes if you write the wrong address they can't deliver it.  I knew this was not my fault so I pressed the issue with them again.  And it turns out their delivery guy BROKE all of my stuff (dropped some other heavy box on it).  So they were refunding me.  But I don't really want a refund.  I want my Britta filter and a pair of tongs so I can turn over meat without having to stab it with a fork or scoop it between a ladle and a sieve.  Plus, all of the things I had ordered were on sale last week, but not anymore.  After some finagling, I got first class shipping on that package, plus they're refunding the difference in price.

The final customer service nightmare was the worst.  Verzion Wireless, how I hate you.  Long story short, I'm trying to transfer my old phone number to a prepaid account - which I know you can do since my friend Neil did just that before he moved to Europe.  Well, of course it's not that easy because I had a smart phone in the US.  Apparently that ruins everything. This is literally the 10th time I have called Verizon about this.  I tried to resolve the issue via e-mail and I got a ridiculous reply telling me to use a link that does not work outside the US (a fact I said in my first e-mail to them).  I hope the guy gets in trouble because I complained about it when I called.  A lady insisted on transferring me, but I refused (and cried - which, let's be honest, always helps), and she finally fixed the problem.  Mostly.  Apparently, Pete has to call to make sure the number is transferred to my new non-smart phone in the US.  I actually told the lady at the beginning of the call "I am really, really mad at Verizon, but I am not mad at you because I know this isn't your fault personally, so I'm sorry if I sound like I'm mad at you."  She actually told me at the end of the call that she really appreciated me saying that.  She said she was also sorry that I had to call after a long day of work.  Which I was also sorry about.  I did not want to spend an hour and a half between 7:15 and 8:45 on the phone with Verizon Wireless.

In spite of all of this ridiculousness, I did manage to get work done today, which is a minor miracle.

This is all just foreshadowing the Spanish customer service I have to deal with in the next few weeks, picking up my resident card, changing my bank account from a foreigner account to a national account, and getting a cell phone here.  Hopefully there will be no crying and much less drama.

I also made two mistakes in the blanket I'm making but because the colors change every other row, I didn't have enough yarn left on the ends to go back and fix it.  So I made an improvisational fix.  I'm getting good at improvisation now, in crochet and knitting, in cooking, in shopping and in language.  Maybe I'll learn to be more spontaneous while I'm here.

Hah!

Finally, Pete said he sent me my camera cord, so in the next week or two there will be many (many) picture posts!  I can't wait to show my apartment and the town!

Mine

I finally got my box of goodies from Zara Home.

I got:

- A new, non-scratchy fitted sheet
- A flat sheet (I didn't have one before) in the pattern I chose - blueish-green symbols on a white background white that look a little like fleur-de-lis.
- 2 pillow cases in the same pattern
- A reversible duvet cover (big version of the pattern on one side, small on the other)
- 2 small throw pillows with covers that are the same color as the sheets (one side is velvety and the other is a linen material with buttons)
- A small throw blanket in a darker blue
- 2 placemats in a darker blue-green
- A handful of things for the bathroom (soap dish, cup for my toothbrush, small tray for other miscellaneous things
And ... most exciting of all
- A small shopping cart.  This is a bag that folds up into itself to be smaller than a purse, but then folds out into a cart that could wheel several bags of groceries home.  This is going to revolutionize the way I can shop here, since I don't have to worry about my arms falling off before I get home. It's also really nice because it has a few zippered pouches to put my reusable bags and wallet into!  I was so excited when I pulled it out of the bag.

Anyhow, I quickly washed and dried the sheets ... put them on the bed ... and promptly cried.  The apartment finally has color.  More importantly, it finally has things that I chose.  I chose them, not the people who put this place together for researchers.  Immediately, it felt less sterile, less scary, and much, much less like the place I found three weeks ago greeting me.  It felt like it was mine.

While that is a really, truly great feeling, it's also a scary feeling.  When things weren't mine, I could imagine in my head that they were temporary in a very short-term way.  While I still know this situation is temporary, it's not really short-term.  That realization made me a little bit sad.  Mostly, though, it's a great feeling to have this place be mine, at least for a while.  Now that it's really real and this place is my place, I'm hoping that I can grab the bull by the horns, so to speak and really throw myself into work, learning Spanish, and learning the culture here.  There are many, many exciting things on the work front that I'd be happy to talk more about via e-mail, phone, or Skype.

Another major breakthrough is that today a friend of mine came to get me when it was lunch time.  We ate outside with some others and it was beautiful.  I felt like a part of the club.  We're going out tonight to celebrate another post-doc's birthday.  Hopefully, I can finagle my way into some plans for the weekend, too.

Pictures of the new colorful apartment will come as soon as I receive my cord for my camera (or after my trip to Puerto Rico - whichever comes first!).  I think I took pictures of the dismal whiteness - but if not, I'll re-dress the bed in it's old sad clothes for some before and after shots.  Now, I just need some storage boxes for the entertainment center and bathroom and I'll be all settled here, I think (plus the things I ordered from Amazon UK that are on their way!).

Operation: Start Speaking Spanish

So this weekend made me realize that I've been here for nearly two weeks, and eventually, I'll have to stop using the "I just got here" excuse for not speaking Spanish. As some of you might know, I hate being bad at things.  So much so, that I just don't do them if I have a choice.  But with Spanish here, I don't really have that choice.  I just have to be a grown up and ... Start Speaking Spanish.

I know more Spanish than I give myself credit for, I think.  I was just going through all my notes from my Spanish teacher last year, as well as some worksheets and books I have, and I'm starting to realize that I probably can hold my own in conversation.  But I need some more work.  Starting this week at work, I think I get to start Spanish classes 4 days a week for an hour a day.  I'm also going to try to watch an hour of Spanish TV a day + listen to Spanish podcasts/radio at least once a day.  There's no reason I can't listen to a podcast while I'm cooking or cleaning.  Then I need to work on grammar and vocabulary.  Unfortunately, I had to leave many of my grammar/vocab books at home, but so much is available online.

I'm trying to put this out there publicly, so in a month, you can all ask me how it's going.  In a month, I want to be much more confident about speaking Spanish in shops and around town.  In six weeks, I want to be more confident speaking to people I meet (and the Spanish speakers at work) in regular conversations.  So, those are my two goals now!  Hopefully, I can meet them.

In non-Spanish news, I'm also working on improving my knitting and crocheting skills while I'm here, so I may update every so often about projects I'm working on.

My Weekend with a Spanish Family

Yesterday afternoon, I met my friend from Michigan and we drove to her house in Pasaia (about 15 km outside of San Sebastián).  Specifically, we went to Pasai Donibane, which is a small village of ~2000 people on the east side of a harbor.  On our way there, we picked up her husband at the track (he is a big runner, who I think used to do a lot of international competitions).  Her husband was very nice, but speaks no English, so our communication was a bit limited.

We parked in their town and walked through to their house.  The village, as I said, is very small in terms of population.  It is also physically quite small.  It basically consists of one street that has a traffic light at either end.  The traffic light is on a 10 minute timer, because the street is only large enough for one (small) car at a time.  At points it's impossible for people and cars to both be on the street, which is tricky because it is also the main pedestrian route - and the only one in town that I found that didn't resemble or hiking trail, or exist far above the roofs of the houses.  The street opens into a square near the harbor, and then closes back to one lane until the end of town.  The houses are all very close.  In fact, many of the houses actually have a common wall between them.

They live in a beautiful house across the street from where my friend's husband was born.  His sister and brother-in-law currently live in that house and his brother and sister-in-law live next door to that house.  Their house is an old Basque fishing house - it's very long and very skinny with stone walls and wooden beams in the ceiling.  The house is 3 floors.  The floor you enter on is where their son is currently living. The next floor has a small living room, a bedroom, a full bath and an office with a bed in it.  The top floor is where they spend most of their time, with the kitchen/dining room, living room/office, and master bedroom and bathroom.  This floor has a ton of natural light from skylights as well as from the windows on the sides of the building.  In the back of the kitchen is a pantry and a ladder up to the terrace, where they have a small vegetable garden.

After we got to their house, we had lunch with their son, who I saw 2 other times during my stay, and who said a total of 4 words.  His mom told me that he is "very quiet."  After lunch, my friend's husband took a quick siesta, while she and I knitted and crocheted (yes, I'm officially 80 years old)!  It was nice to chat for a while and relax.

In the late afternoon, we went for a drive with our final goal being Hondarribia, a town on the French/Spanish border.  We went there via the mountain route which climbs up Jaizkibel, which is around 1800 feet in elevation.    We stopped several times along the way at various points.  First, we stopped at a small fort.  A lot of families were having picnics there, and we went for a short 20 minute hike around the park by the fort to see some of the views it had to offer.  The views were quite beautiful, although it was starting to get cloudy.  After we got back in the car, we continued climbing in elevation, which meant driving into the clouds.  We stopped twice more, but the views were stunted by the weather.  We also stopped at a very beautiful old church, that has relics from a couple Spanish martyrs (blood, apparently, in very fancy vials with recreations of the martyrs' bodies on display - gruesome stuff).  We went into Hondarribia, which is another lovely, old Basque village.  It's actually a walled city - so you have to cross a bridge to get into it.  We walked to the square there, where we stopped in a shop owned by some friends of my hosts.  She has some beautiful hand-painted ceramic pieces done in the traditional Basque style.

We headed back to Pasaia by a route that doesn't go into the mountains, so that we could stop at a large garden shop.  They needed some things for their vegetable garden, and I was lamenting the lack of herbs (fresh or dried) available for cooking.  So, I bought a few plants (basil, rosemary, and chives).  My friend said she would give me some potting soil and some extra terra cotta pots she had, as well as some coriander to plant.  I am notoriously bad at keeping plants alive, but I am hopeful that I can do it with the mix of shade and sun I get on my terrace!

We got back to Pasaia and stopped by their church, which is incredibly ornate, before their Easter vigil service.  My friend wanted to watch the commencement ceremony at her alma mater (Alma College in Michigan), and while she was setting up the live feed, there was a knock at the door downstairs.  It was a cousin of one of their neighbors who is visiting for several months from Santa Barbara, California.  He stayed for a while to chat and we all had some tea. It was really nice to talk to another American about life in the Basque Country.  He loves to surf, mountain bike, and climb mountains so this is a really great environment for him.

After he left, we ate dinner - the first time I've had fish since I got to San Sebastián!  During dinner we watched the fútbol game between Real Sociedad (San Sebastián's team) and Athletic Bilbao.  These two teams are huge rivals, so the game was very exciting.  The final score was 2-1.  It's interesting because the games often start very late here, around 9 pm local time.  I spent a lot of time giggling at how incredibly dramatic the players are.  Soccer in Europe is a very dramatic sport, and I think this is especially true in Spain, where the players milk the cameras for attention, beg the referees for calls, and have wild celebrations after goals.

I went to bed in the downstairs bedroom which was a bit cold, but sort of nice and cozy.  I read for a while, and then slept for 7.5 hours straight.  I'm sort of loving the fact that every few nights I'm able to do that.  I still have several nights a week where I wake up after three or four hours, and then go back to sleep.  This was my typical pattern at home (due in part to a certain cat waking me up several times a night).  But I always feel great after a longer stretch of sleep - waking up is much easier!

I went upstairs around 9 to eat some breakfast.  I knitted and read for a while.  Then we decided to go for a walk/hike.  We walked down to the port and around the bay.  We hiked up part of the mountain and then took the path that goes above all the roofs of the houses in town.  It's great to have a birds' eye view of the town.  It's very charming from every angle.

We headed back to the house for lunch.  I'm not sure if I've mentioned this already , but lunch in Spain typically takes place ~ 2 or 2:30 with dinner happening no earlier than 9.  I think this is in part due to the later bedtimes most Spaniards have.  It suits my eating style, since Pete and I often eat dinner quite late in Chicago, but I am often very ready for lunch at 2.  Lunch was a big affair today with my friend's son, daughter and her daughter's boyfriend all joining us.  We had some tapas before the meal, and then had a Middle Eastern style feast with lamb, rice and bread.  It was quite good, and I was happy to have food that wasn't totally bland (or Spanish).  It can be quite hard to find good ethnic food here, which is something Chicago had no shortage of!

After lunch, I came back home, transplanted my herbs into pots and did some wash.  Unfortunately, the machines downstairs only take cent coins.  I had enough for one load of washing and drying or two loads of washing.  I decided to do two loads of washing and bring all of my stuff up here to dry on my terrace and around my apartment.  I'm hoping I can find a drying rack or a portable clothesline somewhere.  I can't hook a permanent or retractable clothesline anywhere as I can't drill holes or screw anything in anywhere.  If anyone knows of retractable clotheslines that work on suction cups or some other non-permanent fixture, please let me know!

I'm planning a trip to a home goods store this week to buy another set of sheets, possibly some more towels, and some cushions.  I'd just really like something that's not white, beige or silver in my place.  I do have some tables that are brown, as is the headboard to my bed, but I need something a bit more colorful!  I'm also going to stop by a local yarn shop.  I'm hoping to get some yarn to make a very colorful blanket for myself.  I'm hoping I can work on it and finish it before it gets too hot so I have an option instead of just a duvet.  I'm debating between this blanket and this one.  I might not do quite so many colors, but I like the idea of having something bright, soft and fun in my apartment!

It's been fairly grey the past two days, but I can't complain too much since it's been spectacularly sunny the rest of my time here.  The sun has come out a few times over the past couple of days, but it did rain like crazy last night.  The nice thing is that, so far at least, even when it's cloudy it is sort of bright out.  You don't need to have lights on, and it's not too hot.  Actually, the temperatures here today and yesterday are apparently much more typical of the area this time of year.  I'm a little worried about my coat options if it gets much colder right now.  I may have to order something for myself.  ;)

I am medium sad that I missed out on the sideria today, but I'll get an opportunity later (if not this season, then next).  I'm hoping I might be able to make some plans either tonight or tomorrow, but we'll have to see.  I do have some work to do, and even though the shops are all closed tomorrow, I can definitely do some exploring!

Time for a break ...

As I mentioned yesterday, I had two options for today.

One was to hang out with the people I was with yesterday.  They were going to a town west of here for a beer festival (not really my thing) and then going out to a bar tonight.  Strangely enough, it's the bar I went to with the Basque girl who lived in Chicago the first night I went out here (last week).  Then tomorrow would be the sideria.

The other option was to see the woman from Alma, Michigan and stay at her house overnight.  I've decided to do that, though I may try to come back to San Sebastián in time to go to the sideria tomorrow.  I'm excited to get to see some more of the Basque country, since other than my very jet-lagged bus ride from Bilbao to San Sebastián, and the one day Pete and I visited Bilbao in the fall, I really haven't seen much of the area.  I'm also excited to be in a real house.  The woman suggested I bring my knitting and some reading material, so I am (and maybe a tiny amount of work too).

So I'm off to pack my over-night bag for my latest adventure!

So, maybe I was a tad bit dramatic last night before I got an invitation to go out. I sort of feel like a teenager because my mood can change in a blink of an eye, mostly revolving around if anyone calls me. So,apologies for my drama last night.

I ended up going out with a couple of people from work, and a couple of their friends. We went out for pintxos (like tapas) and drinks. For pintxos, you go to one bar for one pintxo and a drink, and then move on to the next place. We went out in Parte Vieja, which is the old part of town. It's mostly pedestrian only, and full of bars and rstaurants. There's also a square in the middle of town with a lot of outdoor seating. You can go into any of the bars around the square, order food, and then sit outside. It was beautiful out last night, so that was nice. After we had enough pintxos, we got ice cram (of course). Everything closed down a little early last night due to La Semana Santa, but I had a lot of fun. I liked all of the people I met a lot, so hopefully I can hang out with them again. Everyone is from other countries in Europe besides me, and they've all been here for a little while (between 4 months and a year and a half).

I even made more plans for the weekend! Today we're going to "hike" up one of the two little mountains over San Sebastian, Monte Urgull. At the top, there is a giant statue of Jesus, which gets lit up at night. It's supposed to rain, but maybe it will stop before we go.

Then, Sunday, we're going to a sideria. I don't know if I can describe it that well, but I've been told it's a Basque thing you have to experience. And this weekend is the end of their season! I've had a lazy morning, though I wasn't able to sleep in as much as I want. I have been trying to watch a little Spanish tv in an attempt to improve my Spanish. The shows I've seen are all pretty ridiculous, but I'm hoping to be able to find some dubbed American shows, so at least I know the situations people are in. I'm able to understand some of what they say, but I've found that turning on the closed captioning in Spanish is really, really helpful.

I'm going to exercise a little this morning before I go out for the afternoon, and I might even try to get some work done.

Thursdays ...

Maybe Thursdays are just going to be the days I'm in a little bit of a funk. I went into work today and a couple of people were there.  Unfortunately my supervisor wasn't making it up 'til the afternoon and I was tired of sitting in a silent office, so I went home early.  Which was probably a mistake.

I should have stayed there and worked and met with him for a while so I had less time to sit around being crabby. I've tried to keep myself busy, but here's the tricky part.  Normally, for me, keeping myself busy involves going out and going for a walk.  I got an e-mail from another postdoc this afternoon saying they might be doing something tonight, so I've been waiting around to hear from them.  It's now 8 and I've heard nothing (which doesn't mean nothing's happening, but still).  I don't know if dinner is being had later, or if I should eat before.  I don't even know if ANYTHING has happening later.  I don't know these people well enough to harass them to make a solid plan - or to hanging out with me before making a plan.

I think the real problem is that today is SO quiet.  Everyone who lives here goes away for La Semana Santa.  And the hotels are packed with people who don't live here.  Because my neighborhood is super residential it is silent.  I've had my door to my terrace open all day, and even then I only hear a car go by every 30 minutes or so.  And when I go out on my terrace I can see a few other people out on their terraces.  I've seen a couple of people walking and I saw a total of 5 people on the bus today.  It's really different than Chicago.

In some ways, it's a nice difference.  There's nothing wrong with silence and being alone (although I'm not very good at either).  It is easier to rest and relax here.  In spite of how stressful the move here has been, I find myself not terribly sleepy during the day and sleeping pretty well at night.  I also don't have the sore tension shoulders I often did back home after working (or just living for that matter).

I'm having trouble today with the "patience" part of this whole being patient with myself thing.  I want to meet people and have friends now.  I want to have new projects started at work now.  I want to have friends I can go visit and can have over now.  I want to have a cell phone and my residence card and my bus pass now (Soooooooo tired of paying in change every time I get on the bus!).  I want to be not afraid of the grocery store and to be more confident about Spanish now.  I want to be settled and feel like I have a life here now.  And I know I've been here for a week.  And I know I'm doing pretty well, considering I've only been here for a week.  I spend a lot of my time being not-miserable, which is pretty great. I know logically that I'm doing well here.


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So I'm posting this still, even though since I started writing it I'm feeling better.  I'm going out to meet some friends for the evening, which should be good.  Before I got that call, though, I turned on some music.  Which helped.  And then I read some stuff by one of my favorite authors, Anne Lamott.  She has some great lines about trying to let go of attempts to be in control all the time (my major problem in life). So, I was reading her as a reminder to, as she says, remove my sticky hands from the steering wheel and let life happen for a while.  And guess what?  It did.  And now I get to go out and have some fun.

To close, let me give you some advice from a graduation speech Anne Lamott gave that literally made me laugh out loud through tears a while ago:  "And -- oh my God -- I nearly forgot the most important thing: refuse to wear uncomfortable pants, even if they make you look really thin. Promise me you'll never wear pants that bind or tug or hurt, pants that have an opinion about how much you've just eaten. The pants may be lying! There is way too much lying and scolding going on politically right now without your pants getting in on the act, too."

1 week

Today was my first true full day since I got here.  First I had the conference, then it was running around like a crazy person yesterday for all my papers.  Today I got up and headed into work.  I left my house at ~8:40 and got to work just before 9.  After years of hour long commutes to Evanston, that was pretty great!  The one problem is that I do not have a key to my office (which is locked) or to the main office (which is not usually locked on days the building is open).  The problem is that the machine that programs the keys (they are combination electric smart keys and keys that turn in the lock) ran out of batteries.  And it's a special battery the center doesn't have.  So, like many things in my life, I was told "after Easter."

I put in a pretty solid work day - I had a lot of setting up to do getting the IT guys to install things on my computer (Praat, R, etc.).  About halfway through the day, I realized that I have a real grown up job.  People dress pretty casually, but in general, they dress like grown ups.  Also, the office is super quiet.  Because people work when they're there.  There's very little messing around (though I did get an e-mail in the middle of the day asking if I wanted to place a small "purro" [bet] on the Madrid-Barcelona game tomorrow night).  At first, I thought it was just because I share my office with two faculty-types and another post-doc.  So I stealthily walked past the pool where the grad students sit (they don't get offices but rather cube sort of things) and the pool where the research assistants/interns sit. And they were ALL doing work!  No Facebook.  No e-mail.  No PhD comics.  Just Praat, EEG analysis tools, fMRI scans.  It was sort of spooky, but no wonder this place is productive!  I think I'll like it there - I got a ton done today, which made me really happy.

Then I came home and ran to the market for some more food.  I feel like there's no way I can make it through this weekend with the amount of food currently in my kitchen.  So, tomorrow, I'm venturing out to the big grocery store.  This store is pretty scary to me because you can't just go up and pick out your meat.  And often not your fruits and veggies either.  Someone is there who you have to talk to in Spanish and explain what you want.  I might try to get some fish tomorrow ... but I'm not sure if I'm brave enough for that yet.  Regardless, I need to stock up.  I'm sure the place will be mobbed tomorrow (imagine pre-snowpacolypse this past winter in Chicago) because no one's going to be able to get much after tomorrow night!

I also think I'm going to try out a church that's right up the road from my house - it looks like it's about 10 minute walk and that it's a pretty small church.  I'm a little scared to go, since I'm sure it will be intense ... and in very fast Spanish.  So I'm planning a walk by on Holy Thursday ... if I'm too chicken to go in, I'll probably go back for Good Friday, etc.

I'm starting to get used to the city, which is great.  I walked downtown today to get a hairdryer (finally I can stop looking so disheveled!).  I knew where I was walking and what order the streets went in, which surprised me a lot.  It was really warm today so the beach was packed as was the boulevard.  It was really nice to walk around and people watch for a while.  I got a little cup of gelato to reward myself for making it a whole week here.

I sort of can't believe I've been here for a week.  It simultaneously feels like I just got here yesterday and that I've been here for months.  I hope that I continue to become more and more acclimated to my life here.  I keep checking things off my "things I need to be comfortable in this place" list.  I still feel really wildly emotional - swinging from being really happy to really sad almost every day.  I find that going outside helps.  Unfortunately, it's supposed to rain tomorrow starting at around 12 and continuing  through the evening.  It's also supposed to rain on Friday, and showers are possible on Saturday and Sunday.  So, I'll either be exploring in the rain, or enjoying my apartment this weekend.  I'm hoping I can get out to do some exploring as long as the rain isn't too drenching!  I know I've been lucky to have no rain for a whole week, but I'm a big baby about walking in the rain (especially up Old Giant Hill [it needs a better name]).

So Much Bureaucracy

Today was the day that the administrative assistant at work was going to take me around to get all the various cards and things I need to be legal here (and to get paid, get healthcare, etc.).

I was supposed to meet her at 9:30.  So, at 9:30 I headed downstairs.  The woman who is sort of in charge here came out to tell me that my contact from work (E.) was running late and would be there in 15 minutes.  I asked the woman if she had my contract (lease) signed for me to take with me.  She said, "yes", which apparently meant "not really."  So about 15 minutes later E pulled up on her scooter.  And I realized I was going to be riding around on the back of the scooter all day.  She came in and asked the woman for the contract.  The woman's "si" to me turns into 5 minutes of a rapid fire Spanish conversation.  I understood things like "on it's way" and "the guy has to follow a path."   I turns out that of course they did NOT have the signed contract, but were messengering it over - from the building we were about to go to (ugh).  So we waited.  And waited.  It's 10:30, 10:45.  We got coffee from the vending machine in the communal living room here [side note:  the coffee from this little machine is dirt cheap and they have plenty of decaf options.  You also get to choose how sweet your coffee is on the machine.  Unfortunately, the least sweet coffee tastes like you're drinking super sweet coffee flavored milk - you get what you pay for, I guess). Finally, the woman came in with a FAXED copy of contract - not the original.  The original wouldn't be there 'til the afternoon.  Keep in mind, I asked them for this copy 5 days ago.  I thought E was going to kill the woman.  But she didn't and we headed out to the scooter.  She said on the way that she was pretty worried they wouldn't accept the copy of the lease, but it was worth a try.  So, she laid out what we were going to do today:  register with the census, register for my resident card, open a bank account, register at my health center, get my bus card, and get a cell phone. She said "we might be lucky and finish everything today."

So, we got on the scooter (I have known this woman for all of 5 days and we've talked for maybe 5 minutes before this - but modesty isn't a thing in Spain I guess - on the scooter we went).  We zipped down the hill to the area where all the offices were.  I needed 6 passport photos (taken in a photo booth) and some photocopies before I could fill out all my paper work.  So, we got the photos and the copies.  Then we went to the comisario (police station, basically), where we grabbed a number from a machine.  We saw there were about 14 people ahead of us, so we ran over to the padron's office (essentially the social security office) to register.  This was where we needed the lease we didn't have - and one copy of it was on the 4th floor of the building we were going into.  So ... we took a number again (2 people ahead of us) and E got on the phone with the people upstairs.  They were completely unhelpful and we our number was called.  We sat down with the guy behind the desk, who was not to happy we had a copy.  E explained to him the situation and he finally agreed to fill out the paper work.  She said after that she knew him from doing this with other researchers, or he might not have been so helpful.  I was registered with the census, and we sprinted back to the comisario.

We got there, and there were only 3 people ahead of us.  As we were waiting they cut off the line for people taking numbers - it was 12 and everyone who didn't already have a number had to come back tomorrow.  We got in, and filed the paper work for my resident card.  E explained to me that after 40 days, I'd come back to get my card ... this is sort of cutting it close since I can't leave the country and get back in without it - and I'm going to puerto rico in ~ 44 days.  Fortunately, she said that it is often ready earlier since they get shipped in batches.  So, then we had to run to a local branch of the bank to make a transfer from my employer's bank account to the comisario to pay for my resident card.  We took a number (again) at the bank, got the paper work for our transfer, and went back to the comasario, where we took another number (they make exceptions on the whole "no new number" thing for people making the bank transfer).  It took FOREVER to get in this time.  We got yelled at once for being impatient and trying to sneak in early.  We finally got in and gave them the transfer paperwork.  They took fingerprints (because obviously the set I sent the FBI and the Spanish government earlier are not sufficient).  Then we decided to go get my bank account before the bank closed (even though my health center is in the same neighborhood as the comisario, etc.).

So, we sprinted back to the bike, and went into El Centro and went to the main branch of the bank.  We ran into the bank and ... took a number!  Fortunately, no one was ahead of us in line this time.  We sat down with the woman and she determined that I would get a "young person's account" since I'm under 30.  I also had to open a foreigner's account since I don't have my resident card yet. Once I get it, I get to go to the bank and they will not charge me any more fees (it's 14 € every six months for the foreigner account).   With the youth account account I get discounts on group tours and other "young person's events", apparently.  The bank is also where you apply for a bus card, so I got a bus card application to fill out as well.  After more than an hour there, we left with all my bank account information, and the promise that my bus card would come "after Easter."  Then we went to a computer to change my PIN and password to sign into my account online.  A guy also showed us that I have a "virtual credit card" I can use online.  I have no idea when I'd ever use it, but it's nice to know it's there, I guess.  Then E decided it was time for lunch - we'd already been at this for over 4 hours and we were both starved.  So we went to a little pintxos bar and had a couple of sandwiches and she had coffee.  Everyone around us was enjoying some wine, which made me want some, but we still had a lot to do.

After lunch, it was back to the scooter, and back to Amara where the health center is located.  The health center looks really new and convenient.  After taking yet another number, we talked to a lady who got my account set up.  She assigned me a doctor who "speaks more or less the English," who is in every afternoon.  If I need an appointment, I call or go online, show up and go to the office number I'm given online.  The health center is completely free and covers everything except for dentistry, chiropractic and a few other miscellaneous things.  Hopefully, I won't have to visit them often (if at all), but it's good to know they're there.  I get my permanent health care card in 2.5-3 months.

After the health center, we went back downtown to get my phone.  E decided I should get a phone with a contract, because they give you the phone free (or cheap), whereas a pre-paid phone you have to pay for the phone and the plans are more expensive.  So, we asked the woman at the store who insisted that I need my official residence card to open this kind of account.  I decided to just wait on the phone until I get my resident card - it's not like I'm calling tons of people in Spain and I have a phone I can use for emergencies here.

So then it was almost 4 o'clock (6.5 hours after we started all of this), so rather than going into work, we headed home.  We decided we WERE really lucky because we didn't have to wait too long for anyone or anything.  Now I have to wait 40(ish) days for my resident card to arrive to the comisario.  We'll call in a month or so and see if it's there.  When I get it, E and I go back to the comisario to retrieve it, then we'll get my phone and change my bank account to a non-foreigner's account.  Now, I just have to wait for my ATM card, my bus pass, and my permanent health card to show up in the mail!

I'm pretty relieved all of this is done - though I wish the resident card would come sooner!  I'm ready to finish these other things now!  I also have to say I am SO lucky to have an employer who helped me take care of all of this.  Bureaucracy is hard enough in your own language and country, let alone a new country with a new language.  I would have been totally lost today and it would have been way, way more stressful than it was.

I managed to get some grocery shopping done this afternoon.  I know I still have at least one more big trip to make before this weekend to make sure I have enough food - my local market is totally closed from Wednesday at 9 until Tuesday at 9.

I'm struggling a little with cooking here (especially with coming up with stuff to take to work for lunch ... I'm hopeful I'll have decent leftovers tonight, but we'll see).  It's hard to cook for one person, especially with limited ingredients since I have yet to go to the real supermarket!  Hopefully, I'll be brave enough to go this weekend. I'm also hoping I can get ahold of one of those great carts that everyone here has, so I don't have to haul my stuff by myself.  My supervisor and I are both working on Thursday - apparently we can get into the building.  So I'm feeling pretty good about that - I'll only have 4 days to fill instead of the dreaded 5. I'm trying to look at these days as an opportunity to relax a little and be really refreshed to start work in earnest next week.

Saving the best news for last, I managed to go a whole day yesterday with NO tears.  I knew it would happen eventually, but looking back to last Tuesday (it's hard to believe I've been here almost a week), I thought it wouldn't.  I remember saying to someone "I wish I could just see a week or a month from now and know I'm okay."  And I am.  Okay, that is.  It's not easy.  And it's still not particularly fun (especially at night, and especially being away from Pete).  But it's okay - and that's all I'm asking for right now.

Congratulations if you made it through this novel.  I'm happy to have this as a chronicle of my time here, and I'm sure I'll be glad I have it to look back on in the future.  Hopefully, it's not too tedious to read!

Ay yi yi ...

Stay tuned this evening for the tale of So Much Bureaucracy - it is almost too good to be true.  Unfortunately, I have to abandon my apartment so the workers can install the curtains (hopefully this actually occurs - they dropped the curtains off, so I'm hopeful)!

The rest of the day

I was so worried that today would be awful, and I think it's been one of the best days yet, in terms of adjustment.  I read outside on my terrace for a lot of the late afternoon - though I managed to bruise the crap out of my elbow carrying a chair out there.  I also managed to watch some stuff I rented on my iPad before I came.  I cooked dinner, caught up with friends + Pete + my parents.

I'm starting to reach for things and know where they are (particularly in the kitchen).  I put away a bunch of stuff that was still in my carry on bags.  I hung up most of the stuff that needs hanging up (although a lot of it is doubled or tripled on hangers because I have so few right now).  So I'm officially unpacked and moved in.  I only have a few more things I need (and a few more things I want) to make things more manageable.

One thing I want is color.  I have a beige couch, a beige rug, white entertainment center, white + stainless steel kitchen, white sheets, white chairs, brown (ooooh) dining table,  three coffee tables (2 brown + 1 white), white closets with brown interiors.  Grey floors, grey and white bathroom, etc.  I need something pink.  Or green.  Or blue.  Or any color.  I'm thinking about getting some pillows/cushions that I can then take out on the patio to sit on instead of the chair (which is too hard and also too tall - my feet don't touch the ground.  Even my two turquoise dish towels help with the color problem.  It just feels a little more sterile.  Hopefully either this or next weekend I can get out to do a little shopping in the 'burbs or at least with a car.  I also need to figure out how to cook for one person - anyone have any tips about Europe friendly recipes for one person??

Tomorrow is supposed to be Spanish Bureaucracy day (when I get register for the census, get my resident card, get my health card, possibly open a bank account, possibly get my bus card - after which the bus will be <70 cents per ride!!).  We'll see if it actually happens since I need a signed copy of my lease and my rental company is operating on Spanish time.  Worst case scenario - I go next week to get it.  It's weird, though, because my visa is only good for 30 days and then I need to have my residence card, or I'm here illegally.  I also NEED my residence card to open a bank account and to get paid.  Additionally, once I have my residence card, I get free wifi in my apartment (and most places in the city).  So, hopefully it will all work out soon!

Things About This Town

I went out for my wander this afternoon.  It got cut slightly short by the fact that there was a huge children's festival going on down by the port AND the fútbol game was about to start.  There were SO many people in the city center it felt like the Cubs game had just gotten out in our neighborhood.  I had also found a frutería (tiny market with mostly fruits and veggies, some cheese, a tiny bit of pasta, and a small wine selection) and a panadería (bakery with really tasty freshly baked bread, pastries, and often gelato) that were both open, so I stopped in to each to get some fruit, veggies, a loaf of bread, and a bottle of wine.  It's good to know about those options in case I ever run out of food on Saturday or Sunday, since both of the markets within relatively easy walking distance of my house are closed starting at 1 on Saturday.  I got some veggies and some more apples.  They have a kind of apple that I don't know the name of but know by site that is great - super crispy like a granny smith, but not as sour.  SO yummy!

The children's festival was super cute.  There were bounce-houses, groups of musicians playing, and kids going crazy, all by the beautiful old carousel that overlooks the sea.  Very cute.  

The football game people were slightly less cute.  For those of you who don't closely follow Spanish fútbol, last night Real Madrid and Barcelona played last night.  They are basically two of the biggest rivals in soccer - Barcelona, it is commonly agreed, is one of the best teams in the world right now.  Soccer is bigger than ever in Spain after their World Cup win last year.  Making things even more dramatic, from what I understand, they spent the last three seasons in the second division of La Liga (basically, the pros?), before being sent back up to La Liga this year.  This means they're playing Barcelona in a couple of weeks IN San Sebastián.  I'm going to have to stay far (far) from the stadium that day, unless I can convince anyone to go to the game with me.  :)  Anyhow, the team is called Real Sociedad, and everyone (tiny babies through very old people) was decked out in their Real Sociedad finest today, for the game against Sporting de Gíjon.  There were a fair amount of Sporting fans running around too - Gíjon is about 4 hours west on  the coast, so it's interesting to see so many fans here.

Since it's gorgeous outside, and I'm not paying attention well enough to write whole paragraphs here are some more observations about San Sebastián:

•  People who live here really enjoy the city.  The beach, the parks, the benches, the sidewalks, the ice cream shops are all full when the weather is decent. Today was the busiest I've seen it so far, but it's sort of great because everyone really enjoys where they live.  

• People walk incredibly slowly.  I am not a super-speed walker, but I walk at least three times as fast as the average person here.  I am trying to make myself slow down - or at least not be frustrated with slow walkers!

• People here are also much less racially diverse and also much skinnier by and large than Americans.  The latter is probably due to the fact that everyone walks all the time (up giant hills) and portions are much smaller.  I am not sure how this works though, given the fact that they eat copious amounts of cheese and pig products, and have gelato shops every ten feet.  The racial diversity thing throws me off though.  I've lived in Chicago for so long that it's strange to see such little diversity.

• San Sebastian has three beaches.  The main one (Playa de la Concha) is the only one I've spent much time near, and while it's not a nude beach, kids are pretty typically naked on it.  By kids, I mean up to and including about 5.  Then, they typically just wear underwear - until they're about 10, both boys and girls.  I guess this saves on having to buy a new swimsuit every year.  The adults are typically in various stages of dress and un-dress, which is weird for an American beach, but actually pretty tame for Spain.  I'm going to go try to check out the beach in Gros (one of the neighborhoods) next week.  I've heard they have great surfing there, which might be fun to watch.

• Just when I thought I had escaped the curse of "what neighborhood is this" in Chicago where I never knew which neighborhood was where or where a particular place was (with the exception of a handful of neighborhoods), I'm back in the throes of it.  I found out on Friday that I live in Aiete (a highly residential neighborhood on the hill), and I went to dinner and a bar in Egia.  Last night I was again invited to go out in Egia or Gros (both of which are across the river - which, like the Chicago River, curves, which makes it all the more confusing).  I've visited El Centro (the downtown/shopping/banking area) and Parte Vieja ("old town" with lots of restaurants, bars and some shops).  I still need to explore a lot of other areas.  

• I'm trying to figure out which church would be the best for me to try to visit during Holy Week - fortunately, the town has about 8 billion Catholic churches, including a cathedral (Buen Pastor), a basilica (de Santa Maria del Coro), and a convent within easy walking distance of my house.  There's apparently another church just up the street from here, which might be less scary than going to a cathedral or a basilica during the holiest time of the year when I don't speak the language.  And I have no clue what people wear to church here ... especially on Easter.  I'll learn soon enough, I guess!

Sunday

Today was the first day I had no agenda (and no wake up time in mind), so I didn't set an alarm.  I woke up on my own as the sun came up, which is much nicer than being jolted awake by an alarm - and promptly threw the covers over my head and fell asleep for another hour and a half.  For a few days I've felt like I might be coming down with a cold - between flying, exhaustion from jet lag, the stress of the move + homesickness, and being in a new environment, I felt like either I had a cold or allergies - or maybe both.  So I slept a little more.  I still feel a little sneezy and gross, but I think I'll be okay - especially if my new plan goes as I hope.

I bought an iPad app before I left called "Yoga in Bed" and it's designed to be done when you first wake up in the morning, before your feet even touch the ground.  It's kind of basic, but is a nice idea.  I did it this morning and feel way, way more energized than I normally do when I get out of bed.  I'm not sure I'll do it every day, but I want to try, at least.  While I was listening to it, a few things struck me.

The program is organized in chapters and the first one is called "breathe."  I was really struck by remembering that the basis of yoga, Pilates, and life, for that matter, is about breathing.  I think it's something I forget to think about when I'm in a panic or homesick or stressed or overwhelmed.  Once I get some post-it notes ... or tape, I'm going to put up some reminders about this throughout my house.

The second thing was that the woman in the program was talking about the "practice" of yoga and "your practice."  It made me realize that today is the first day I get to practice living here.  Before I've been all-conference-all-the-time, but today it's just me and my life here.  I know I won't be as good at it as I am at my life in Chicago (I've had a lot more practice with that life - and I was pretty bad at it at first, too), but I get a chance today to practice it. As a musician, I know the value of practice.  I read something in the notes for the yoga program today that I liked which is "practice makes progress."  I always used to think the phrase "practice makes perfect" was wrong - my more pessimistic version of the "practice makes progress" statement was "practice makes you suck a lot less."  And I think it's true.  Practice makes you better at things, but it doesn't mean you'll never struggle - it just helps you get through the struggles more easily, I guess.

The third thing was when the woman instructed me to "be gentle" with myself - to take care of my body and my emotions.  This is something I really struggle with, since I have next to no patience.  Relaxing, being gentle with my emotions, taking care of myself, and being patient are not my strong suits.  I am good at many things in my life - but these things are not in that set.

So upon hearing this, I decided to practice my life here today.  I wanted to practice what I want a relaxing day to be like.  So, I stayed in my pajamas all morning.  I read a bunch and stayed away from the computer (until now).  I sat on my terrace and enjoyed the fact that the air here is clear and easy to breathe.  I watched little kids playing on the jai alai court outside my window.  And now, I'm going to take a shower, finish the last bits of unpacking, unload the dishwasher, and head out for an adventure.  I'm not sure where I'm going yet - probably back to El Centro or Parte Vieja.  I might even be brave and get lunch by myself at a restaurant (not sure if I'm ready for this one yet, honestly!).  Regardless, I'm going to practice my life here a little bit.  Pete said to me the other day that there was nothing wrong with being by myself.  I don't think I like to be alone because I'm not particularly patient with myself - when I'm with other people I can be impatient with them instead. ;-)

I think in a lot of ways being here is good for me.  It's giving me the chance to live a healthier life and to practice things that I wouldn't practice if I stayed in my comfort zone in Chicago.  I get to practice writing for work, something I've always had trouble being patient about.  I get to practice feeding myself good food (it is almost impossible to find processed food other than candy in a grocery store or restaurant).  I get to practice taking care of myself by exercising in ways that don't feel like going to the gym (climbing the hill every day, for instance).  And I get to practice being patient with myself, and realizing that my life here isn't going to be wonderful all the time - but it doesn't mean it isn't going to be perfect in it's own way.