Sorry for the boring weekend, folks.
I haven't done much besides relax, watch movies/tv, read, and work on the blanket I'm making. I'm officially 80 years old, I guess.
That's not totally true because I did go for a really nice long walk both today and yesterday to El Centro. Yesterday's trip was for grocery shopping, but today's was for fun (and some ice cream, if we're being totally honest). I strolled down the hill and stopped in my favorite gelato shop (where they speak English and are usually less busy than the more popular one down the Boulevard). I was so glad I waited 'til later in the day because I got a beautiful sunset going down the hill and coming back up, which made the walk very worthwhile.
While I walked, I was thinking about fashion here. I was expecting the fashion to be pretty great, but honestly, I've been pretty disappointed. So far as I can tell, the kids have the best fashion. Kids here are adorable and dress adorably. Little girls (under 12 years old) are always in dresses and siblings usually match. The kids clothing stores are also super adorable.
Older men and women fall into two camps. The first is very, very stylish and chic. The other is (usually for women only) really, desperately not age appropriate AT ALL. Imagine rhinestone studded jeans, mini-skirts, strappy halter tops all on women who are clearly over 70 years old. Yes, usually they are in great shape. But no, thank you, I do not need to see you in a white 1 piece romper with rhinestones and a low cut in the front.
People my age are a total mixed bag. I've known the 80s have been coming back for a while, but the level of neon here is disconcerting. The biggest "trend" I can point to is sliver sneakers. Which I do not understand. I also am not sure where these people are shopping, since the stores I walk by tend to be pretty chic and understated. I have yet to go into a shop to try on clothes because sizing is so looney here. I think I'll order some stuff online to figure out what size I really am before going in to try stuff on. Plus, in El Centro, the boutiques are really expensive. Typically the prices are similar to fancy boutiques in Chicago, except instead of dollars, it's euros. I do realize I'm getting paid in euros, but I can't stop converting prices in my head and thinking "there is no way I will pay that much for something!" I'm still waiting to see people who are incredibly chic and have fashion I'd like to copy - I may have to head to Barcelona or Madrid for that, I guess.
Now, for what will probably be a semi-regular feature is Something I Miss About America (not people I miss - but specific things about American culture). To kick this off - two things:
- Ethnic Food
- Coffee
The first is ethnic food ... it doesn't really exist here, so far as I can tell. I have spied a pizza shop while walking up the hill, but it never seems to be open. Other than that, your choices for food when going out are Spanish and Basque. This is a huge change from my old neighborhood where we could get basically any kind of food we wanted at any time of day. A very, very weird transition to make, and something I'm sure I'll talk about later.
As many of you know, I quit caffeine over two years ago, now. That does not mean that I quit coffee. There is something really comforting about strolling around with a cup of coffee or tea while you're enjoying whatever city you're in. Except this culture does not exist in the part of Spain I'm in. So far, I have yet to find a single place where I can get coffee "para llevar" (take out). People enjoy their coffee at cafes (which become bars at night), sitting on the terrace, usually while having a pintxo or two. People do not stroll with coffee. There are over 180,000 people in San Sebastián and there is not a single Starbucks, or other Starbucks-esque establishment. As far as I can tell, there are actually no Starbucks in Bilbao either (the population of greater Bilbao is right around 1 million people). I am not sad to discover there is a part of the world that Starbucks has yet to conquer, but I do miss strolling with a cup of coffee in hand. The Spanish "solo" (teeny, tiny cup of super strong coffee - which they will often make decaf for you) just doesn't do it for me.
Finally, even though the Spanish don't really celebrate it, I'd like to wish a very, very happy Mother's Day to my mom, my grandmas, and all the other moms reading here.
Showing posts with label hills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hills. Show all posts
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Music
Last night, I went out with some friends for a quick drink. Then we ended up at the cafe/lounge/bar where one of the girls' boyfriends leads a session. It's pretty informal with everyone playing or singing at some point - the music is a little folky/singer-songwritery, but overall it was a lot of fun. I was told a girl would be there with a violin - it was actually a viola ... and I chickened out about playing it (plus, she wasn't fantastic and I didn't want it to seem like I was attempting to show her up). Apparently this happens every Tuesday, so I'll definitely go back again. I think I might sing next time though. It was a good way to celebrate 3 weeks of being in Spain. I'm almost halfway to my first trip back to see Pete (I've been here 21 days - there are 27 days 'til I go to Puerto Rico - not that I'm counting).
I walked home, which was fine (and apparently totally safe as I saw a child walking by himself, an old woman walking by herself and about a dozen people my age walking by themselves).
I walked home, which was fine (and apparently totally safe as I saw a child walking by himself, an old woman walking by herself and about a dozen people my age walking by themselves).
The problem is that the hill involves aerobic exercise - so when I wanted to go to sleep, I was completely hyped up. I'll have to take a cab home next time if I want to go to sleep soon after I get there!
As always, there is various drama in my life - this time we're back to the people at my apartment building insisting they haven't received my deposit or my rent for last month. I'm pretty sure the problem is that it came under Pete's name, not mine, but who knows. The money has moved out of Pete's account and into an account at the bank in Spain. Hopefully, they'll get this sorted out because it's really (really) obnoxious for Pete to have to deal with. And also obnoxious for me to have to deal with!
I'm starting to feel more and more like this is a real place and I'm not on vacation. I see the same people at the bus stop every morning. Including three nuns from a nearby convent who come out to buy the paper and some bread every morning. There are also two kids in school uniforms with their nanny who get picked up by their school bus (a huge charter bus) every morning right before my bus comes. There's also a guy who gets on my bus every morning and also works in the area where I work. It's weird to already be recognizing people, but I sort of like it!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Tired of my long weekend
Today was day 5 of my long weekend. Frankly, I probably should have gone into work to keep myself busy. I got an e-mail around noon from my supervisor who was at work, but I had dreams of doing some exploring today, so I worked from home for part of the day, setting aside the rest for exploring. Unfortunately, today was probably the ugliest day of the long weekend - both in terms of weather and my mood. I think my mood was directly caused by the gross-ness outside. I woke up to it being both cold and disgustingly rainy.
I was extra crabby about the rainy part because I did laundry yesterday. Laundry here is (a) expensive and (b) requires lots of a coin I don't get very often - the 50 cent coin. The euro coins come in a variety of denominations - 2 euros, 1 euro, and then 50, 20, 10, 5, 2, and 1 cent coins. 20 cent coins are good for me because until I get my bus pass (Dear bus pass, please come tomorrow!), I pay 1,40 euro for each ride on the bus. The bus drivers hate you less if you pay with correct change. [Once I get my bus pass I have unlimited rides without paying - just touching my card.] A lot of places (including the bus) will give you three 20 cent coins for 60 cents of change, rather than a 50 cent coin and a 10 cent coin. So, I have very few 50 cent coins. And each load of wash requires 4(!) 50 cent coins to wash and who knows how many to dry. I say "who knows how many" because I don't. Yesterday I washed two loads of laundry because I had exactly eight 50 cent coins. I decided I'd rather split my clothes into lights and darks, than wash and dry everything. Because I have air! And a terrace! Which is just like a dryer, except free! Except when it rains. I hung most everything around my apartment (that's what an entertainment center, extra chairs, and a mostly empty closet are good for, right?). Except for my jeans, pants, and pajama pants which I hung out on the terrace railing. Which got soaked in the night by the torrential downpour. I know, I know, it's just water, but I was still SUPER crabby about it. Everything is mostly dry now, and my pants are coming inside for the night in case it rains, but still. CRABBY!
I was also crabby because I forgot to put my key in the light switch slot last night and thus had no lights this morning until I hunted down my key and put it in the slot. My key to my place is a lot like most European hotels. The key itself just touches the outside of the door and magically unlocks it. Once inside, there's a slot for your key next to the light switch - it's required to turn your lights on (mostly - some of those plugged into walls don't require this but most do). Your lights go off a few minutes after you take the key out of the slot. But, it's a pain. I'm also SUPER paranoid about forgetting my key, so I have a little note on my door warning me to remember it. If I don't, I can't get into the building or my room and would have to call the emergency number if the desk is closed. I'm sure they'd want to punch me in the head if this happens, so I'm trying to avoid it.
Anyhow, I spent the afternoon studying Spanish, trying to work, and being crabby that everyone in the US is sleeping and it's hockey playoffs and baseball season and very few games happen while I'm awake. Finally, I decided to brave the outside and go for a walk. So, I went down the hill into the town. I stopped by the infamous Chinese shop to try and find a soap dish for my shower (sort of found one - not sure it's going to stay put), and a couple of full-size dish towels (since mine are more washcloth size). I also got enough hangers that now all of my clothing is on it's own hanger (except for the hangers that are designed for four pairs of pants). I also found a cheap power strip until I find a slightly better one so I can plug in my iPad and my bedside lamp at the same time, and a broom/sweeper thing I was hoping would clean my dust bunnies better than the regular broom I have. It doesn't work either. I have no idea what is wrong with these cement floors (not kidding - cement tiles), but they gather so much crap and refuse to give it up to any amount of sweeping. What I really need is a Swiffer. I saw one in the Super Amara, but I couldn't find any of the little pad things that go on it - which defeats the purpose. Any advice? I also tried to find a whisk, tongs, and spatula or turner in the shop, but had no luck. I'm hopeful I'll find one eventually.
I also stopped by the bakery and got some bread, since every other shop (besides touristy gift shops and bars) are all closed still today. I wandered around finding a couple of other shops I want to stop by later this week - one sells yarn, one sells home goods - yay new sheets towels, and something to put under my sink so my medicine and hair dryer aren't just laying around in plain view, and one sells my shampoo that I use! I also found a store which literally made me laugh out loud. So, in El Centro, there are tons of really fancy, posh stores and boutiques. Right in the middle of these stores is a Carhartt store - except they don't sell any of the stuff I typically associate with Carhartt. It's all pretty fancy looking jeans and shirts for guys, with some fancy bags and shoes as well. Apparently, it's very popular here, which I think is hysterical, since they pride themselves on being so fashion-forward (another day I'll have to talk about the fashion in this part of Spain which I ... do not understand).
I strolled around downtown for nearly two hours and then decided that since I was carrying my loot from the Chinese shop, I'd take the bus back to my place, so I wouldn't have to climb the hill. Except I forgot which street the bus actually stops on, and walked on the street parallel to it, walking past the cross street by about 8 blocks before I realized where I was. At that point, it was stupid to turn around and backtrack, so I climbed the hill with all my stuff. The hill is getting slightly easier, but I still want to die ~half way up. The problem isn't the climb so much as how quickly the bulk of the climb happens, after you've already done a fair amount of climbing. I made it home just fine, but still sort of crabby.
I also have realized that I definitely didn't over pack. I have a lot of work appropriate clothing, which is good. I do not have a lot of casual clothing, and am missing a medium warm coat. I have a spring-weight coat, a dressy coat, a rain, and a very warm winter coat, but I need something that's more like a wool coat in terms of warmth. Who knows if/when I'll find something like that since it's now "summer" in all the stores. I also don't really have enough casual shoes or warm casual clothing. I think Pete's going to have to put together a box to ship to me.
I think the real reason I'm crabby is that, coupled with the weather, the reason I came here to begin with is to work. And I haven't been able to do much of that since everyone took almost all of last week off and we had the conference the week before. Hopefully, this week I'll be able to get started really doing work here, and then I'll feel even more settled than I do now!
I was extra crabby about the rainy part because I did laundry yesterday. Laundry here is (a) expensive and (b) requires lots of a coin I don't get very often - the 50 cent coin. The euro coins come in a variety of denominations - 2 euros, 1 euro, and then 50, 20, 10, 5, 2, and 1 cent coins. 20 cent coins are good for me because until I get my bus pass (Dear bus pass, please come tomorrow!), I pay 1,40 euro for each ride on the bus. The bus drivers hate you less if you pay with correct change. [Once I get my bus pass I have unlimited rides without paying - just touching my card.] A lot of places (including the bus) will give you three 20 cent coins for 60 cents of change, rather than a 50 cent coin and a 10 cent coin. So, I have very few 50 cent coins. And each load of wash requires 4(!) 50 cent coins to wash and who knows how many to dry. I say "who knows how many" because I don't. Yesterday I washed two loads of laundry because I had exactly eight 50 cent coins. I decided I'd rather split my clothes into lights and darks, than wash and dry everything. Because I have air! And a terrace! Which is just like a dryer, except free! Except when it rains. I hung most everything around my apartment (that's what an entertainment center, extra chairs, and a mostly empty closet are good for, right?). Except for my jeans, pants, and pajama pants which I hung out on the terrace railing. Which got soaked in the night by the torrential downpour. I know, I know, it's just water, but I was still SUPER crabby about it. Everything is mostly dry now, and my pants are coming inside for the night in case it rains, but still. CRABBY!
I was also crabby because I forgot to put my key in the light switch slot last night and thus had no lights this morning until I hunted down my key and put it in the slot. My key to my place is a lot like most European hotels. The key itself just touches the outside of the door and magically unlocks it. Once inside, there's a slot for your key next to the light switch - it's required to turn your lights on (mostly - some of those plugged into walls don't require this but most do). Your lights go off a few minutes after you take the key out of the slot. But, it's a pain. I'm also SUPER paranoid about forgetting my key, so I have a little note on my door warning me to remember it. If I don't, I can't get into the building or my room and would have to call the emergency number if the desk is closed. I'm sure they'd want to punch me in the head if this happens, so I'm trying to avoid it.
Anyhow, I spent the afternoon studying Spanish, trying to work, and being crabby that everyone in the US is sleeping and it's hockey playoffs and baseball season and very few games happen while I'm awake. Finally, I decided to brave the outside and go for a walk. So, I went down the hill into the town. I stopped by the infamous Chinese shop to try and find a soap dish for my shower (sort of found one - not sure it's going to stay put), and a couple of full-size dish towels (since mine are more washcloth size). I also got enough hangers that now all of my clothing is on it's own hanger (except for the hangers that are designed for four pairs of pants). I also found a cheap power strip until I find a slightly better one so I can plug in my iPad and my bedside lamp at the same time, and a broom/sweeper thing I was hoping would clean my dust bunnies better than the regular broom I have. It doesn't work either. I have no idea what is wrong with these cement floors (not kidding - cement tiles), but they gather so much crap and refuse to give it up to any amount of sweeping. What I really need is a Swiffer. I saw one in the Super Amara, but I couldn't find any of the little pad things that go on it - which defeats the purpose. Any advice? I also tried to find a whisk, tongs, and spatula or turner in the shop, but had no luck. I'm hopeful I'll find one eventually.
I also stopped by the bakery and got some bread, since every other shop (besides touristy gift shops and bars) are all closed still today. I wandered around finding a couple of other shops I want to stop by later this week - one sells yarn, one sells home goods - yay new sheets towels, and something to put under my sink so my medicine and hair dryer aren't just laying around in plain view, and one sells my shampoo that I use! I also found a store which literally made me laugh out loud. So, in El Centro, there are tons of really fancy, posh stores and boutiques. Right in the middle of these stores is a Carhartt store - except they don't sell any of the stuff I typically associate with Carhartt. It's all pretty fancy looking jeans and shirts for guys, with some fancy bags and shoes as well. Apparently, it's very popular here, which I think is hysterical, since they pride themselves on being so fashion-forward (another day I'll have to talk about the fashion in this part of Spain which I ... do not understand).
I strolled around downtown for nearly two hours and then decided that since I was carrying my loot from the Chinese shop, I'd take the bus back to my place, so I wouldn't have to climb the hill. Except I forgot which street the bus actually stops on, and walked on the street parallel to it, walking past the cross street by about 8 blocks before I realized where I was. At that point, it was stupid to turn around and backtrack, so I climbed the hill with all my stuff. The hill is getting slightly easier, but I still want to die ~half way up. The problem isn't the climb so much as how quickly the bulk of the climb happens, after you've already done a fair amount of climbing. I made it home just fine, but still sort of crabby.
I also have realized that I definitely didn't over pack. I have a lot of work appropriate clothing, which is good. I do not have a lot of casual clothing, and am missing a medium warm coat. I have a spring-weight coat, a dressy coat, a rain, and a very warm winter coat, but I need something that's more like a wool coat in terms of warmth. Who knows if/when I'll find something like that since it's now "summer" in all the stores. I also don't really have enough casual shoes or warm casual clothing. I think Pete's going to have to put together a box to ship to me.
I think the real reason I'm crabby is that, coupled with the weather, the reason I came here to begin with is to work. And I haven't been able to do much of that since everyone took almost all of last week off and we had the conference the week before. Hopefully, this week I'll be able to get started really doing work here, and then I'll feel even more settled than I do now!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
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!
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!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
In the Land of Expats
Today was great. After messing around most of the morning in my pajamas, I met up with my two new post-doc friends at ~3:30 at the Aquarium and started climbing to the statue of Jesus. We climbed up part way and I was pretty sneezy, due to allergies. We got up where we thought the cafeteria/bar was, and unfortunately it was closed for the weekend. We took in the beautiful view by the cafeteria and continued our climb. We got almost all the way to the top and decided to stop in the little museum that is in the castle underneath the statue. We poked around there for a while and then continued our trek. We got up to the top and took in the statue and the gorgeous views of not only La Concha bay (the more famous part of San Sebastián, but also the beach in Gros. This is the part of the beach that surfers love. The view is completely astounding - I don't know if any words can do it justice. You all should just come here and see it for yourselves. :)
After the climb we went back down the "mountain" into Parte Vieja. We met up with another expat friend of my new friends who is from England. We went to a cafe for some coffee and tortilla española (a very famous dish around here with eggs, potatoes, and onions. Sort of like a quiche with mostly potatoes instead of eggs). Then we strolled around Parte Vieja and ended up at a cute park that has a lot of ducks with kids feeding them. After the park, we went to a French bakery for a small pastry which we took out by the harbor to eat and people watch for a bit. The people watching ended up being great, because we ran into one of the girls' former roommates, who is from Italy, and her Spanish friend. We ended up going into Gros (a neighborhood on the east side of town across the river), and decided to meet up with the former roommate later. We went to a bar and sat on a terrace by the sea watching the sunset. We ended up running into the English guy's fellow English teacher from South Africa and her Spanish boyfriend. So we all had a drink together. Then the Italian girl, her Spanish friend, and 4 of her other Italian friends came to meet us at the bar. All of us had another drink and pintxos and then went our separate ways. The two other postdocs had family plans tomorrow, so they went home, but it was only 9:30 (early, even by Chicago standards), so I went out with the British guy to meet some of his Spanish friends.
We met his friend Tomas at a bar back in Parte Vieja. He was with some of his "cuadrilla" friends. So far as I understand it, the concept of "cuadrilla" is very particular to the Basque country. Basically, this is the group of friends you grew up with. It's the people you've known you're whole life who you remain close with your whole life (regardless of where you move). Typically, it's very hard to become friends with these sorts of groups of friends, but everyone was very nice tonight. Unfortunately for me, very few of them spoke much English. So, I listened a lot in Spanish (I understood most of what was going on). I spoke a little bit of Spanish, and then spoke English which Tomas translated for me. :) We had some really great Basque cuisine - including tomatoes (which I normally hate, but were actually very tasty), some small mild peppers (also usually not my favorite, but very good) and then the chuleta. Chuleta is an extremely tasty steak - and these guys, from this area, say this bar has the best chuleta in the area. It was really some of the more delicious steak I've ever had. After we finished there, they went on to another bar, but I ended up coming home. The climb really made me sleepy - plus, I didn't want to be coming back here by myself too late tonight.
I'm still hoping to go to the sideria on Sunday. I was also invited out for drinks tomorrow night. The conflict is that now I have too many plans. :) I was actually invited to stay with my friend from Michigan at her house out of San Sebastián. I may take her up on that, since it'd be nice to get out of my apartment for a night. That said, I'll be happy either way, since I can spend some time with my new friends if I don't spend the night there.
I also must talk about "besos." When you meet anyone in Spain, especially if you are female, you get besos - one kiss on each cheek. Usually the person you are meeting says their name during the besos, which means, I rarely learn anyone's names. I'm trying to concentrate so much on not bonking my head into their head that I can't really pay attention. This especially problematic for Basque names, which tend to be long and phonetically difficult for me. Fortunately, I can use the excuse that I am not a native speaker (and that I am American and not used to besos yet) to ask their name again. Plus, they all have trouble with my name, so they have to ask me too.
Everyone I've met so far is incredibly, incredibly nice. It's strange here because even people you think you'd have nothing in common with, you do - especially expats. It's really incredible to see this community of people that form just because they're all from places other than here. The cool thing to see is that everyone who has lived here for a long time loves it. It's almost not fair to say "loves it" - they are incredibly infatuated with the place. I met a guy tonight who has lived here for 7 years and used to live on the Mediterranean in Italy. He insists that this is the most beautiful place on Earth. He said he's lived here for 7 years and still thanks God every day for the beauty of the place and the kindness of the people.
In spite of the difficulty of transitioning here, in spite of how much I miss Peter, Sophie, my friends, and family ... in spite of all of that, I am really, truly lucky to be in such an incredible place with amazing people. I'm not sure I could imagine doing this anywhere else. So tonight, I'm just letting myself be grateful to be exactly where I am ...
After the climb we went back down the "mountain" into Parte Vieja. We met up with another expat friend of my new friends who is from England. We went to a cafe for some coffee and tortilla española (a very famous dish around here with eggs, potatoes, and onions. Sort of like a quiche with mostly potatoes instead of eggs). Then we strolled around Parte Vieja and ended up at a cute park that has a lot of ducks with kids feeding them. After the park, we went to a French bakery for a small pastry which we took out by the harbor to eat and people watch for a bit. The people watching ended up being great, because we ran into one of the girls' former roommates, who is from Italy, and her Spanish friend. We ended up going into Gros (a neighborhood on the east side of town across the river), and decided to meet up with the former roommate later. We went to a bar and sat on a terrace by the sea watching the sunset. We ended up running into the English guy's fellow English teacher from South Africa and her Spanish boyfriend. So we all had a drink together. Then the Italian girl, her Spanish friend, and 4 of her other Italian friends came to meet us at the bar. All of us had another drink and pintxos and then went our separate ways. The two other postdocs had family plans tomorrow, so they went home, but it was only 9:30 (early, even by Chicago standards), so I went out with the British guy to meet some of his Spanish friends.
We met his friend Tomas at a bar back in Parte Vieja. He was with some of his "cuadrilla" friends. So far as I understand it, the concept of "cuadrilla" is very particular to the Basque country. Basically, this is the group of friends you grew up with. It's the people you've known you're whole life who you remain close with your whole life (regardless of where you move). Typically, it's very hard to become friends with these sorts of groups of friends, but everyone was very nice tonight. Unfortunately for me, very few of them spoke much English. So, I listened a lot in Spanish (I understood most of what was going on). I spoke a little bit of Spanish, and then spoke English which Tomas translated for me. :) We had some really great Basque cuisine - including tomatoes (which I normally hate, but were actually very tasty), some small mild peppers (also usually not my favorite, but very good) and then the chuleta. Chuleta is an extremely tasty steak - and these guys, from this area, say this bar has the best chuleta in the area. It was really some of the more delicious steak I've ever had. After we finished there, they went on to another bar, but I ended up coming home. The climb really made me sleepy - plus, I didn't want to be coming back here by myself too late tonight.
I'm still hoping to go to the sideria on Sunday. I was also invited out for drinks tomorrow night. The conflict is that now I have too many plans. :) I was actually invited to stay with my friend from Michigan at her house out of San Sebastián. I may take her up on that, since it'd be nice to get out of my apartment for a night. That said, I'll be happy either way, since I can spend some time with my new friends if I don't spend the night there.
I also must talk about "besos." When you meet anyone in Spain, especially if you are female, you get besos - one kiss on each cheek. Usually the person you are meeting says their name during the besos, which means, I rarely learn anyone's names. I'm trying to concentrate so much on not bonking my head into their head that I can't really pay attention. This especially problematic for Basque names, which tend to be long and phonetically difficult for me. Fortunately, I can use the excuse that I am not a native speaker (and that I am American and not used to besos yet) to ask their name again. Plus, they all have trouble with my name, so they have to ask me too.
Everyone I've met so far is incredibly, incredibly nice. It's strange here because even people you think you'd have nothing in common with, you do - especially expats. It's really incredible to see this community of people that form just because they're all from places other than here. The cool thing to see is that everyone who has lived here for a long time loves it. It's almost not fair to say "loves it" - they are incredibly infatuated with the place. I met a guy tonight who has lived here for 7 years and used to live on the Mediterranean in Italy. He insists that this is the most beautiful place on Earth. He said he's lived here for 7 years and still thanks God every day for the beauty of the place and the kindness of the people.
In spite of the difficulty of transitioning here, in spite of how much I miss Peter, Sophie, my friends, and family ... in spite of all of that, I am really, truly lucky to be in such an incredible place with amazing people. I'm not sure I could imagine doing this anywhere else. So tonight, I'm just letting myself be grateful to be exactly where I am ...
Friday, April 22, 2011
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.
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.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
I'm scared of the grocery store
Okay, here's the thing about the BIG supermarket. It's super scary.
American grocery stores can go in, get what you want, and get out. Plus I can read the labels. Plus I know where things are and what things are. Here, not so much.
But, I needed food before the town shuts down tomorrow. So I ventured down Big Hill 2 (less steep, but much longer path) to the Super Amara. So, the Super Amara is in the basement of this mall, and right above it is a fancier market with fancier meat counters, fish counters, fruit counters, etc. The Super Amara also has these things, and it was PACKED. Apparently, everyone had the same "stock up before Easter" idea I did.
I got downstairs and saw the line of registers, but no entrance. One of my best techniques for figuring out how things are done is watching other people. So I watched a lady grab one of the wheeled baskets (I saw no one with full-size shopping carts, but lots of people with the kinds of bags and carts people use to take groceries home - and a lot of people with large baskets on wheels). She headed around the corner, down the hall, and into the grocery store. The store is laid out very strangely and is sprawling, but doesn't actually have a large selection of practical things. I got to the fruit/veggie section and noticed everyone weighing and labeling their food. Of course, the labeling machine is in Spanish, so I used my watch other people technique and figured it out. I got almost everything on my list, besides meat and fish. The lines at the meat and fish counters were HUGE, so I decided to buy stuff in a package instead of having them carve it. I need to study up on my cuts of meat, parts of a chicken and fish names in Spanish before I'm brave enough. Maybe I'll go on a week day afternoon so I don't get too scared by being rushed. I managed okay until I got to the check out line. You have to bag your own stuff - and they are not good helpers. This is true even at the small markets, but then I'm typically not buying as much stuff as I did tonight. I was feeling rushed and the woman was sort of sassy, but I survived. I even managed to ask in Spanish if I could pay with a credit card (yes, but she's not happy about it was the basic response I got). Overall, it was a success. I have to see if the other Super Amara's are any closer/easier to deal with as far as buses go. I took a bus home today with all of my loot, but it is a bit of a walk from the grocery store.
I also really, really wish that the store had my favorite things in easier to find packages. I haven't been able to find broth (either packaged liquid or cubes) which is one of my favorite things to cook with. I also haven't found any shallots (though onions and garlic will suffice). There are also no fresh herbs as far as I can tell in the shops (even the small fruits/veggies markets). I'm considering growing a few things out on my terrace since I have both shady and sunny spots, but (a) I'm terrible at growing things and (b) I'm not sure where to buy pots, soil, seeds, etc. We'll see if I can figure that one out!
I had my first American food craving today. Seeing everyone on Facebook talk about Easter (and hearing all about it here) made me crave jelly beans, which are nowhere to be found. There's actually a decent bulk candy section at the Super Amara ... unfortunately, no jelly beans. However there are gummy things shaped like toes. Which is creepy. And lots of gumdrops.
In other news, I currently have a Spanish keyboard and a PC at work. Apparently, a Mac was supposed to be available for me, but someone else claimed it when I had visa troubles. I guess they're working on getting another one, but it's sort of hard to justify given that they have perfectly nice PCs. Unfortunately, a PC sort of messes me up. As does the Spanish keyboard. I think I discussed my issues with the @ symbol earlier, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. The left shift key (a.k.a. the only shift key I use) is moved over slightly to the left, so I end up hitting the < key which is next to the left shift key. Basically all punctuation, besides commas and periods are in different places. There are also keys for ñ and ç which are jammed in and I hit all the time by mistake. I'm getting more used to it though and I'm sure soon enough it won't be a problem.
I got my office key only one day after I asked for it. I also got my new debit/credit card in the mail today (less than 48 hours after opening my bank account). It's good to know I can officially bank in Spain, though I'm having trouble understanding the "young people's benefits" my card comes with - especially because the website is a combination of crazy financial Spanish and young people's slang. I THINK I get discounts on trains and buses within Spain and around Europe, which would be great. I'll have one of my more proficient friends parse it for me.
I also got my two pairs of shoes that I ordered. I got a great pair of shorter boots with a cute chunky heel that are cute and SUPER comfortable. I also got a little pair of black mary janes since I forgot all of my black shoes at home. I'm really happy I have them. I still have a few other things I forgot or would like in my wardrobe (long sleeved shirts to sleep in since it's cold at night, cute scarves to accessorize since it's cold and everyone has them and thinks I'm sort of crazy not to, more layering pieces).
It sprinkled today for about 10 seconds at two different times, as far as I could tell. Not bad considering it was supposed to rain from noon to midnight. Tomorrow is supposed to be very warm, and sunny. That should be nice considering it's now supposed to rain Friday through Monday.
I'm feeling unusually exhausted for 9 pm. I'm starting to think it's a good thing I have a few days off. I'm going to go in to work tomorrow, but I don't anticipate putting in a full day since I only know of one other person going in. I have plenty of work to keep me busy - but I might prefer to do it sitting on my sofa. :)
American grocery stores can go in, get what you want, and get out. Plus I can read the labels. Plus I know where things are and what things are. Here, not so much.
But, I needed food before the town shuts down tomorrow. So I ventured down Big Hill 2 (less steep, but much longer path) to the Super Amara. So, the Super Amara is in the basement of this mall, and right above it is a fancier market with fancier meat counters, fish counters, fruit counters, etc. The Super Amara also has these things, and it was PACKED. Apparently, everyone had the same "stock up before Easter" idea I did.
I got downstairs and saw the line of registers, but no entrance. One of my best techniques for figuring out how things are done is watching other people. So I watched a lady grab one of the wheeled baskets (I saw no one with full-size shopping carts, but lots of people with the kinds of bags and carts people use to take groceries home - and a lot of people with large baskets on wheels). She headed around the corner, down the hall, and into the grocery store. The store is laid out very strangely and is sprawling, but doesn't actually have a large selection of practical things. I got to the fruit/veggie section and noticed everyone weighing and labeling their food. Of course, the labeling machine is in Spanish, so I used my watch other people technique and figured it out. I got almost everything on my list, besides meat and fish. The lines at the meat and fish counters were HUGE, so I decided to buy stuff in a package instead of having them carve it. I need to study up on my cuts of meat, parts of a chicken and fish names in Spanish before I'm brave enough. Maybe I'll go on a week day afternoon so I don't get too scared by being rushed. I managed okay until I got to the check out line. You have to bag your own stuff - and they are not good helpers. This is true even at the small markets, but then I'm typically not buying as much stuff as I did tonight. I was feeling rushed and the woman was sort of sassy, but I survived. I even managed to ask in Spanish if I could pay with a credit card (yes, but she's not happy about it was the basic response I got). Overall, it was a success. I have to see if the other Super Amara's are any closer/easier to deal with as far as buses go. I took a bus home today with all of my loot, but it is a bit of a walk from the grocery store.
I also really, really wish that the store had my favorite things in easier to find packages. I haven't been able to find broth (either packaged liquid or cubes) which is one of my favorite things to cook with. I also haven't found any shallots (though onions and garlic will suffice). There are also no fresh herbs as far as I can tell in the shops (even the small fruits/veggies markets). I'm considering growing a few things out on my terrace since I have both shady and sunny spots, but (a) I'm terrible at growing things and (b) I'm not sure where to buy pots, soil, seeds, etc. We'll see if I can figure that one out!
I had my first American food craving today. Seeing everyone on Facebook talk about Easter (and hearing all about it here) made me crave jelly beans, which are nowhere to be found. There's actually a decent bulk candy section at the Super Amara ... unfortunately, no jelly beans. However there are gummy things shaped like toes. Which is creepy. And lots of gumdrops.
In other news, I currently have a Spanish keyboard and a PC at work. Apparently, a Mac was supposed to be available for me, but someone else claimed it when I had visa troubles. I guess they're working on getting another one, but it's sort of hard to justify given that they have perfectly nice PCs. Unfortunately, a PC sort of messes me up. As does the Spanish keyboard. I think I discussed my issues with the @ symbol earlier, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. The left shift key (a.k.a. the only shift key I use) is moved over slightly to the left, so I end up hitting the < key which is next to the left shift key. Basically all punctuation, besides commas and periods are in different places. There are also keys for ñ and ç which are jammed in and I hit all the time by mistake. I'm getting more used to it though and I'm sure soon enough it won't be a problem.
I got my office key only one day after I asked for it. I also got my new debit/credit card in the mail today (less than 48 hours after opening my bank account). It's good to know I can officially bank in Spain, though I'm having trouble understanding the "young people's benefits" my card comes with - especially because the website is a combination of crazy financial Spanish and young people's slang. I THINK I get discounts on trains and buses within Spain and around Europe, which would be great. I'll have one of my more proficient friends parse it for me.
I also got my two pairs of shoes that I ordered. I got a great pair of shorter boots with a cute chunky heel that are cute and SUPER comfortable. I also got a little pair of black mary janes since I forgot all of my black shoes at home. I'm really happy I have them. I still have a few other things I forgot or would like in my wardrobe (long sleeved shirts to sleep in since it's cold at night, cute scarves to accessorize since it's cold and everyone has them and thinks I'm sort of crazy not to, more layering pieces).
It sprinkled today for about 10 seconds at two different times, as far as I could tell. Not bad considering it was supposed to rain from noon to midnight. Tomorrow is supposed to be very warm, and sunny. That should be nice considering it's now supposed to rain Friday through Monday.
I'm feeling unusually exhausted for 9 pm. I'm starting to think it's a good thing I have a few days off. I'm going to go in to work tomorrow, but I don't anticipate putting in a full day since I only know of one other person going in. I have plenty of work to keep me busy - but I might prefer to do it sitting on my sofa. :)
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
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]).
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]).
Saturday, April 16, 2011
The Good, the Bad, and the Really, Really Sad
I'm going to start with the Really Really Sad since that's where I'm at right now. My cat Sophie, as many of you know, has chronic kidney failure. We've been managing pretty well for almost 2 years now. Recently she had a kidney infection, and while she seemed to be getting better, the week or so before I left she started to seem a little off. But, you know, she's a cat so I figured that cats are sometimes sleepy, etc. So I didn't do anything about it. Apparently, since I left, things have gotten worse and Pete had to take her into the vet today. I guess her numbers are through the roof (not good) and she had a lot of constipation (also a sign of kidney failure). So, the vet's keeping her for the weekend, and if she gets to come home she has to have daily fluid injections. Overall, it's sad news. I hate that Pete has to deal with this by himself. I hate that I didn't do anything about it before I left. I hate that Sophie is dealing with this. I hate that I'm not there. It's hard, and it's not fair. I had a feeling something was up with her ... We do have a great vet, which I'm happy about, but this is really tough. Your thoughts and prayers would be appreciated (which I know might sound silly), but Pete and I are really attached to her. Especially me. And if you've met her, you know she's a great cat. It's awful that there's nothing I can do about it and that I can't be there to help her feel better.
In less dramatic news, I managed to give myself big blisters yesterday walking up the hill in my conference shoes, so today wasn't super comfortable.
The good (which honestly seemed way better before the Sophie Issue) is that I had dinner with a girl who is from this area. She's a friend of the girl who was teaching me Basque in Chicago. She's really nice and lived in Chicago for two years, so it was really nice to reminisce with someone who's lived in Chicago. She seemed really friendly and I hope we can be friends in real life. I need to try to head to bed now, but hopefully a more substantive (and less sad) post will happen tomorrow.
In less dramatic news, I managed to give myself big blisters yesterday walking up the hill in my conference shoes, so today wasn't super comfortable.
The good (which honestly seemed way better before the Sophie Issue) is that I had dinner with a girl who is from this area. She's a friend of the girl who was teaching me Basque in Chicago. She's really nice and lived in Chicago for two years, so it was really nice to reminisce with someone who's lived in Chicago. She seemed really friendly and I hope we can be friends in real life. I need to try to head to bed now, but hopefully a more substantive (and less sad) post will happen tomorrow.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Conferencing
I'm often overwhelmed at conferences and today was no exception since I'm still jet-lagged and still adjusting to the whole idea of moving across the ocean. But, overall it was a good day. I got to see people I like and got to meet new people. I talked to the people I'm going to be working with who are great and smart and interesting. Overall, it was a good day.
The worst part about conferences, though, for me is the breaks between talks. I'm not very good at going up and joining (i.e., interrupting) conversations. I'm okay at introducing myself if it's not too difficult to do so, but I also hate tagging along behind people, which is basically what you have to do when you're new. I know eventually it will get easier, but it does feel a tiny bit like the Cool Kids Club and I'm the new kid in school. Everyone I have talked to has been great and very, very friendly, so it's 99% in my mind and I just need to get over it.
I have walked to and from the aquarium - more than 2 miles each way, including half a mile that is up the huge hill - two days in a row now. I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow. Tonight we had a "social event" that involved snacks and drinks at the aquarium. The aquarium is gorgeous and we had it all to ourselves, which was really nice.
Tomorrow, I'm having dinner with a friend of the girl who was teaching me some Basque before I moved her. She used to live in Chicago, so I'm excited about that. It will give me something to do on a Friday night besides sit in my apartment. :)
I'm getting a little anxious about next Thursday-Monday with the BCBL being closed, since being alone (especially alone in my apartment) is the most homesick part of this whole thing for me. I hope to be able to find people to help keep me company, but it seems like a lot of people are going on vacation, since they get 5+ days off. I'm not sure I'm ready for a long weekend totally on my own yet.
I'm off to eat a little food and get ready for bed. Fingers crossed that I'm able to sleep some tonight.
The worst part about conferences, though, for me is the breaks between talks. I'm not very good at going up and joining (i.e., interrupting) conversations. I'm okay at introducing myself if it's not too difficult to do so, but I also hate tagging along behind people, which is basically what you have to do when you're new. I know eventually it will get easier, but it does feel a tiny bit like the Cool Kids Club and I'm the new kid in school. Everyone I have talked to has been great and very, very friendly, so it's 99% in my mind and I just need to get over it.
I have walked to and from the aquarium - more than 2 miles each way, including half a mile that is up the huge hill - two days in a row now. I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow. Tonight we had a "social event" that involved snacks and drinks at the aquarium. The aquarium is gorgeous and we had it all to ourselves, which was really nice.
Tomorrow, I'm having dinner with a friend of the girl who was teaching me some Basque before I moved her. She used to live in Chicago, so I'm excited about that. It will give me something to do on a Friday night besides sit in my apartment. :)
I'm getting a little anxious about next Thursday-Monday with the BCBL being closed, since being alone (especially alone in my apartment) is the most homesick part of this whole thing for me. I hope to be able to find people to help keep me company, but it seems like a lot of people are going on vacation, since they get 5+ days off. I'm not sure I'm ready for a long weekend totally on my own yet.
I'm off to eat a little food and get ready for bed. Fingers crossed that I'm able to sleep some tonight.
Day 2 Begins!
I actually got up over an hour ago (~6:30) to Skype with Pete and his parents after their Passover seder, before they went to bed. I got to see Sophie the cat which was pretty cool, and it was good to catch up with everyone. Plus, I am much more awake for the conference, which I'm leaving for in <10 minutes.
The bad news is I couldn't fall asleep last night. I think even my 45 minute nap confused my body enough that it wasn't sure that it was nighttime - and the street lights shining into my windows don't really help things. Hopefully, after 11 hours of conference today my body will adjust well enough. I always have some trouble falling asleep, especially in new places, so I'm not too concerned about this yet.
In other news, this hill outside my house is going to be pretty much the best thing ever for my butt, legs, and abs. I woke up this morning feeling like I'd done a couple of hours of Pilates yesterday. I may try seeking out a Pilates studio here sometime soon, but I might also try to get started with my official Spanish classes at work first. :)
I'm off to the conference! Wish me luck.
The bad news is I couldn't fall asleep last night. I think even my 45 minute nap confused my body enough that it wasn't sure that it was nighttime - and the street lights shining into my windows don't really help things. Hopefully, after 11 hours of conference today my body will adjust well enough. I always have some trouble falling asleep, especially in new places, so I'm not too concerned about this yet.
In other news, this hill outside my house is going to be pretty much the best thing ever for my butt, legs, and abs. I woke up this morning feeling like I'd done a couple of hours of Pilates yesterday. I may try seeking out a Pilates studio here sometime soon, but I might also try to get started with my official Spanish classes at work first. :)
I'm off to the conference! Wish me luck.
Day 1 (Take 2)
I took a 45 minute nap today after writing the last post, which was pretty much the best thing ever. I woke up refreshed and took off for a walk to meet my new Michigander friend. Amazingly, she's from Alma (which Michigan people will know is very "It's a Small World"), and has an MA in linguistics. In spite of a large age difference, we got along quite well, plus we both knit and crochet, so even more to talk about. She is going to try to get together with me again next weekend, which is known as "Easter Week" here. Basically, the whole city (include my workplace) shut down from Thursday through Monday. 5 whole days! The Spanish love their holidays, apparently. I'm a little worried that I might go crazy with 5 days of nothing, so I might try to plan something with other friends. If not, I'll plan some adventures to get me out of the house and plan to get some work done anyhow!
And now for some random bullets:
I met a bunch of people at the BCBL today, including a guy who introduced himself to me and then announced that he is the captain of the soccer team. He implied that I should join, which resulted in a hysterical discussion about how the rest of the team is also not great. I pointed out that most of them are European which means they are inherently better at soccer than me. Apparently they are one of the more popular teams among other teams - which, they hypothesized, is because they are easy to beat.
The walk to my bus stop is literally uphill both ways. See, I live at the top of a really, really big hill. A "we don't have hills like this in the Midwest" hill. Actually, it's sort of like the hill I lived on when I was at a music festival in Vermont. Which they called a mountain. So anyway - big hill down to the ocean. Past my house, the hill goes up some more and then starts going down to the street where my bus stop is.
I had to sign a bunch of paperwork today, including a form that said I read the center's emergency plan which states prominently "IN CASE OF FIRE OR OTHER EMERGENCY DO NOT RUN OR SCREAM!!" I laughed for about 10 minutes reading that.
The cafeteria is sort of like a dive bar with pintxos. The women working whipped out their very fast Spanish with me, and when I asked them to slow down because I don't speak Spanish well, they told me that I didn't look like an American. Apparently, my trench coat purchased at the Gap for 10 dollars this winter is the best purchase I've made. I saw several Spaniards in nearly identical coats today, so at least I'm not betrayed as being clueless 'til I open my mouth.
Everyone warned me how expensive it was to live her. Apparently, no one has lived in Chicago. Or Boston, or New York, or anywhere else with expensive things. Wine and food in particular are dirt cheap. I stopped by a slightly larger market today to pick up food for the next couple of days. I bought granola bars, some pasta, some cheese, an apple, enough salt to get me through my whole time at BCBL, garlic, and paper towels for 5€ - a little over $7. REALLY. I was so happy I almost danced up the giant mountain to my apartment (until I got tired and took a break to watch some tiny Spanish children playing). I bought a bottle of rioja wine yesterday for 5€, which was by far not the cheapest bottle in the store, and it is actually really tasty. My apartment is much bigger than the studio I had in Evanston my first few years at Northwestern. And it's cheaper than my apartment was then (4 years ago - I'm sure it's way more expensive now). The bus costs 1,40€ for the full fare, and once I get my bus card next week, it'll be 0,75€. Which is significantly cheaper than the CTA buses, is super clean, and runs fairly reliably. I know hotels are expensive, and fancy restaurants are too. Sure we're taxed a lot, but I also get free health care and a number of other free benefits for that. So, yay to that!
My work keyboard is a Spanish keyboard. Which has most of the stuff in the right place, but lots of stuff in totally confusing places, and I still don't know how to make the @ symbol. Today I resorted to copying and pasting it. The left shift key is also in a weird place, as is the dash, the forward and back slash, and the question mark. The parentheses are on 8 and 9 rather than 9 and 0, which means every time I tried to hit the left parenthesis key, I'd get the right. As a fast typer, this makes me crazy pants. One of the guys I share an office with was totally amused as I was hunting for something on the keyboard, muttering to myself. I doubt he'll be that amused when I have a day when I write for 8 hours. On those days, I'm going to have to bring in my laptop.
And now I'm off to bed since I have to get up crazy early for 11 hours of conference-ing tomorrow!
And now for some random bullets:
And now I'm off to bed since I have to get up crazy early for 11 hours of conference-ing tomorrow!
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