I left Puerto Rico today. Or yesterday. Or whatever day it is/was. My body is totally confused by the fact that it is noon right now and not 6 am. I'll write about the trip itself tomorrow or this weekend. In the meantime, here's some whining for you:
This whole living in Spain thing is fine. It can be exciting and interesting. My job is great. I actually like it, except for the part where I live in a different country than my husband. And that part is awful. And really, really not fair. I know I chose this path and I know I chose this career and I know I am lucky to have a job at all, let alone the job I have in the place I have it. That said, I would really like to live in the same place as Pete. Coming back was much, much harder than I anticipated. I know it will be better once I get back to work and back in the swing of things. I already have plans for tonight to catch up with my friends. But in the meantime (and probably at other times) it's just awful. I've been trying not to cry in public because I hate doing that. Especially when I'm by myself. On a plane. I think it takes away from my savvy traveler persona that I try to project. :)
Travel is always stressful. I love travel, but I don't love flying. I hate turbulence. I hate being herded onto planes with a billion other people. I hate terrible airport food (and even worse airplane food). I actually love take off and landing, though. I love the idea of going somewhere and getting there. I do love the quiet time that being on a plane gives me, and it shows me that I don't really hate being alone (when I'm not totally alone).
There's a shift that happens when I'm suddenly on my own. It used to happen when I traveled for work, and I sort of liked it. I was independent and able to be successful getting myself from one place to another. I've now flown across the ocean without a travel companion about a dozen times. I've always gotten where I needed to be, even if that involved a series of planes, trains, busses, and cars that would sometimes make me crazy. But I don't mind traveling on my own. I just like it more when the end result is NOT me being on my own. I like it when the result is visiting people I love or going back home (stay tuned for musings on "home). Today the result is being on my own without the best companion there is for 33 days (not that I'm counting). Then, I'll see him for a week again and be back here until November. Hopefully, he can come in the interim, so I won't be here for three and a half months without interruption. If he can't, I'm just going to have to put myself to the task of finding cheap European travel, so I at least have something fun to look forward to.
As for now, I'm trying to remind myself how much better it gets ... and how much easier it will be this time than when I arrived in April. And I'm counting down those 33 days.
Showing posts with label homesickness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label homesickness. Show all posts
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
I guess I live here now ...
Today is the first day that I felt like I had a "normal" work day. I actually walked to work from the bus in a downpour that lasted about 5 minutes. By the time I got to my office, the sun decided to shine. I did a bit of work, had a meeting, had people in and out of my office to ask me questions, got a bunch of work done, had lunch, went to Spanish ... and the miracle is, it all feels a little normal. It feels like this is where I work. And I know how to do things here (*at least a little bit).
I also got a series of hysterical e-mails that culminated in a phone call to my work. So, yesterday, I placed an order with Zara Home (Zara is a huge clothing chain in Spain - they have some stores in the US too. They also have a home store with home goods for slightly less than a regular home stores - I don't think it's particularly cheap, but I'll take what I can get). Anyhow, I ordered some things from them, and had to use their online chat feature to chat in English with a representative because I couldn't change the billing address to the US. Of course, this was not a trivial thing to do, but we figured it out. I thought. For my phone number, he said I could put a US number, so I put my Google Voice number. Then this morning, I got an e-mail saying "Dear Customer, Beforehand we want to thank you for your order. Please be informed that we have tried to contact you by phone as it is mandatory a valid contact telephone number in the United Kingdom in order to proced with you order. Anxiously awaiting for your reply." Fortunately, I have an ancient, expensive cell phone with a UK number that works anywhere in the world that I use for emergencies. So I e-mailed them that number. Since they were awaiting anxiously and all.
About an hour later, I got another e-mail saying "Dear customer, Beforehand we want to thank you for your order and apologize for our incorrect previous e-mail. Regarding your order, we need also to have a valid Spanish contact telephone number in order to procede with you order [closer this time, in terms of English]. Anxiously awaiting for your reply." So I e-mailed them my work phone number. And, then they called. I don't have my own phone yet, but the guy who sits next to me got a call announcing it was for me. The admin assistant said "It's Zara Home for you." So, I talk to a very nice guy who said they were just checking my numbers to make sure they worked. Very intense this whole process.
Tonight, I'm going out with a couple of friends to a bar where one of the girls' boyfriends organizes what sounds like a sort of music session where people play and sing. It should be interesting! Then, we're going to do something on Thursday night, and possibly also this weekend! It should be a lot of fun, I hope. I'm most hopeful I can convince them to hang out with me this weekend, I heard rumblings of a party, so we'll see!
Finally, I found a cookbook on Amazon that is for cooking in Spain, but written in English and geared toward expats! I'm too excited and can't wait for it to come!
I also got a series of hysterical e-mails that culminated in a phone call to my work. So, yesterday, I placed an order with Zara Home (Zara is a huge clothing chain in Spain - they have some stores in the US too. They also have a home store with home goods for slightly less than a regular home stores - I don't think it's particularly cheap, but I'll take what I can get). Anyhow, I ordered some things from them, and had to use their online chat feature to chat in English with a representative because I couldn't change the billing address to the US. Of course, this was not a trivial thing to do, but we figured it out. I thought. For my phone number, he said I could put a US number, so I put my Google Voice number. Then this morning, I got an e-mail saying "Dear Customer, Beforehand we want to thank you for your order. Please be informed that we have tried to contact you by phone as it is mandatory a valid contact telephone number in the United Kingdom in order to proced with you order. Anxiously awaiting for your reply." Fortunately, I have an ancient, expensive cell phone with a UK number that works anywhere in the world that I use for emergencies. So I e-mailed them that number. Since they were awaiting anxiously and all.
About an hour later, I got another e-mail saying "Dear customer, Beforehand we want to thank you for your order and apologize for our incorrect previous e-mail. Regarding your order, we need also to have a valid Spanish contact telephone number in order to procede with you order [closer this time, in terms of English]. Anxiously awaiting for your reply." So I e-mailed them my work phone number. And, then they called. I don't have my own phone yet, but the guy who sits next to me got a call announcing it was for me. The admin assistant said "It's Zara Home for you." So, I talk to a very nice guy who said they were just checking my numbers to make sure they worked. Very intense this whole process.
Tonight, I'm going out with a couple of friends to a bar where one of the girls' boyfriends organizes what sounds like a sort of music session where people play and sing. It should be interesting! Then, we're going to do something on Thursday night, and possibly also this weekend! It should be a lot of fun, I hope. I'm most hopeful I can convince them to hang out with me this weekend, I heard rumblings of a party, so we'll see!
Finally, I found a cookbook on Amazon that is for cooking in Spain, but written in English and geared toward expats! I'm too excited and can't wait for it to come!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Secret to Success
I think the secret to success and being in a good mood here is sleep and exercise (also known as "taking care of yourself). Friday night, I went to bed late, and woke up early. With relatively little sleep, I was not a happy girl all day yesterday. I did some knitting last night while watching tv, which really helps me relax and be more calm. Last night, I went to bed late and this morning when I woke up early, I made myself stay in bed and read until I was sleepy again. Then, I slept in. I also did yoga this morning before even getting out of bed. And so far, I've been in a great mood for no reason!
I have a Skype date planned with a friend today, and got to Skype with two friends yesterday - it really helps me to feel more connected to the rest of the world!
I'm going to go to El Centro to grab some bread at the bakery and enjoy being outside a bit. I might even do some more exercise after my 5 mile walk to and from the center. Today is beautiful so far - 70 and sunny with a small chance of rain this afternoon/evening!
I have a Skype date planned with a friend today, and got to Skype with two friends yesterday - it really helps me to feel more connected to the rest of the world!
I'm going to go to El Centro to grab some bread at the bakery and enjoy being outside a bit. I might even do some more exercise after my 5 mile walk to and from the center. Today is beautiful so far - 70 and sunny with a small chance of rain this afternoon/evening!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Warts and all ...
Since I'm trying to keep this as honest as possible (so I can look back and see how much progress I've made in a couple of weeks or months!), I will admit today was a rough day with a few bright spots.
I woke up feeling sort of in a funk. I was pretty anxious about the allergy symptoms I'm experiencing - a slight rash on my face - I saw my doctor about it in Chicago before I left and it had gone away. I was feeling pretty hopeless about a remedy because everything is different here - the detergent I wash things in, my sheets, my towels, the water, etc. So I decided to go to the pharmacy to try to get hydrocortisone cream for my face and for my itchy bug bites. Every kind of medicine is behind the counter in a pharmacy here, so you have to talk to the pharmacist to get most medications. The plus side of this is that pharmacists can actually give you medication that normally requires a prescription in the US, and for many things, you can just go to the pharmacy instead of to a doctor. Anyhow, I went in and explained to the woman what I wanted. I wrote down "Hydrocortisone" and said I didn't know the word in Spanish, but this is what I wanted in English. She looked totally confused and I managed to pull the word for "itchy" out of nowhere and showed her my bug bite. She immediately understood and came back with a little box of "hidrocortisona" - not sure why "hydrocortisone" so confusing! Anyhow, she gave me instructions for how often to apply it and sent me on my way.
I then made my way to the yarn shop which was totally packed. But I found some beautiful green merino wool yarn, and a pair of circular knitting needles I wanted for a project I'm hoping to start soon.
Finally, I went to the grocery store. After today, I've realized I either need to shop exclusively in the smaller shops, or try to go to the big shop when it's not the weekend. It was packed. And the lines at the meet and fish counters were long. I was about halfway through the shop when I was looking for cleaning supplies and suddenly I got panicky. I'm not sure if it was a full blown panic attack, but it was awful and I felt like I was going to pass out. And/or die. Not that I'm dramatic at all. I managed to calm myself down pretty quickly (I sort of crouched down in an out of the way area and tried to breathe deeply - it worked). I continued on with my shopping but I was still feeling pretty anxious and really, really frustrated with myself. I just couldn't understand why I was so panicky - nothing in particular made me more anxious than normal (although I'm sure the crowded store and my general anxiety about speaking Spanish didn't help).
I eventually made my way home, made myself lunch, took a nap, watched tv and read. I spent a lot of the morning sort of beating myself up for not going out with people today; although, now that it's rainy I'm happy with my choice.
In retrospect, I'm also pretty proud of myself for making it through today. I did a lot of scary things (talking to the pharmacist, for example). So, I panicked a little - no big deal, right? I'm sure my morning anxiety did nothing to help me. Hopefully, if it happens again, I can keep myself calm. And if I panic, I'll survive. I'm fine and feeling totally normal now, so I know what to do if it happens.
In other news, I watched some Spanish television - most of what I've seen so far is horrendously bad. There was a show that is sort of like Jerry Springer. I found the Spanish version of Ugly Betty "Yo soy Bea." They also had the tv movie about Prince William and Kate Middleton dubbed into Spanish. It's really trippy watching dubbed things because the actors mouths are no where close to being in sync with the audio.
Finally, the power went out very, very briefly this afternoon. I used that as an opportunity to reset the clock on my oven (which I couldn't figure out how to reset). But now the oven isn't working and seems to have no power. So tomorrow will require a visit to the doorman downstairs.
Sorry for being a downer today - hopefully tomorrow will bring a more sunshine-y day all the way around!
I woke up feeling sort of in a funk. I was pretty anxious about the allergy symptoms I'm experiencing - a slight rash on my face - I saw my doctor about it in Chicago before I left and it had gone away. I was feeling pretty hopeless about a remedy because everything is different here - the detergent I wash things in, my sheets, my towels, the water, etc. So I decided to go to the pharmacy to try to get hydrocortisone cream for my face and for my itchy bug bites. Every kind of medicine is behind the counter in a pharmacy here, so you have to talk to the pharmacist to get most medications. The plus side of this is that pharmacists can actually give you medication that normally requires a prescription in the US, and for many things, you can just go to the pharmacy instead of to a doctor. Anyhow, I went in and explained to the woman what I wanted. I wrote down "Hydrocortisone" and said I didn't know the word in Spanish, but this is what I wanted in English. She looked totally confused and I managed to pull the word for "itchy" out of nowhere and showed her my bug bite. She immediately understood and came back with a little box of "hidrocortisona" - not sure why "hydrocortisone" so confusing! Anyhow, she gave me instructions for how often to apply it and sent me on my way.
I then made my way to the yarn shop which was totally packed. But I found some beautiful green merino wool yarn, and a pair of circular knitting needles I wanted for a project I'm hoping to start soon.
Finally, I went to the grocery store. After today, I've realized I either need to shop exclusively in the smaller shops, or try to go to the big shop when it's not the weekend. It was packed. And the lines at the meet and fish counters were long. I was about halfway through the shop when I was looking for cleaning supplies and suddenly I got panicky. I'm not sure if it was a full blown panic attack, but it was awful and I felt like I was going to pass out. And/or die. Not that I'm dramatic at all. I managed to calm myself down pretty quickly (I sort of crouched down in an out of the way area and tried to breathe deeply - it worked). I continued on with my shopping but I was still feeling pretty anxious and really, really frustrated with myself. I just couldn't understand why I was so panicky - nothing in particular made me more anxious than normal (although I'm sure the crowded store and my general anxiety about speaking Spanish didn't help).
I eventually made my way home, made myself lunch, took a nap, watched tv and read. I spent a lot of the morning sort of beating myself up for not going out with people today; although, now that it's rainy I'm happy with my choice.
In retrospect, I'm also pretty proud of myself for making it through today. I did a lot of scary things (talking to the pharmacist, for example). So, I panicked a little - no big deal, right? I'm sure my morning anxiety did nothing to help me. Hopefully, if it happens again, I can keep myself calm. And if I panic, I'll survive. I'm fine and feeling totally normal now, so I know what to do if it happens.
In other news, I watched some Spanish television - most of what I've seen so far is horrendously bad. There was a show that is sort of like Jerry Springer. I found the Spanish version of Ugly Betty "Yo soy Bea." They also had the tv movie about Prince William and Kate Middleton dubbed into Spanish. It's really trippy watching dubbed things because the actors mouths are no where close to being in sync with the audio.
Finally, the power went out very, very briefly this afternoon. I used that as an opportunity to reset the clock on my oven (which I couldn't figure out how to reset). But now the oven isn't working and seems to have no power. So tomorrow will require a visit to the doorman downstairs.
Sorry for being a downer today - hopefully tomorrow will bring a more sunshine-y day all the way around!
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!
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 ...
Thursday, April 21, 2011
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."
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.
--------------------------------
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."
Monday, April 18, 2011
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!
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!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
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!
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!
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.
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.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Things are looking up ...
After the conference today, I set off with the aim of getting to the electronics store when they re-opened after the 3 hour lunch break/siesta all the stores take every day. I had a lovely walk, but unfortunately, once I got to the store, I realized they (like many other stores) close at 1 pm on Saturday - and don't reopen 'til Monday. That's right - closed Saturday afternoon, and all day Sunday. I am already imagining that this will make running errands tricky when I have to get everything done after work or Saturday mornings! Anyhow, I decided to console myself with some gelato (there are great, plentiful gelato shops all over the city, particularly in El Centro and Parte Vieja). On my way to the gelato shop, I happened upon one of the fabled Chinese shops - the best way I can describe this is a combination between a dollar store and a very, very small Walmart. Basically, they have everything you could ever want for your home, for really, really cheap. Of course the quality is also terrible, but if you need a few things, it doesn't matter so much. My haul today: two trash cans (kitchen + bathroom), broom, dustpan, garbage bags, dish soap, hand soap (X2), storage for my silverware (my apartment has no drawers in the kitchen - design oversight, but now I have a place to put them on the counter), another storage container for the rest of my kitchen utensils (cooking spoons, grater, kitchen shears, etc.), a hamper, 12 regular hangers and 2 pant hangers that hold 4 pairs of pants each (not nearly enough, but makes my closet slightly more organized), a basket with suction cups for the shower, two dish towels, a cheap hairdryer (I'll get a real one once I can get to the electronics shop) and a cutting board. The apartment was supposed to come with a cutting board, but didn't - and I couldn't deal any more without vegetables or being able to cut meat (plus since the counters are brand new, I didn't want to destroy them by cutting stuff up on them). Overall, I feel better about my place. I was able to actually put things away which makes me feel a little bit more like I live here.
I also took out the trash and the recycling (thrilling, I know), but it's very easy and on the way to my bus stop. Basically, there are four dumpsters - glass, plastic/metal, paper/cardboard/styrofoam, and regular trash. The only thing that needs to be bagged is your regular trash - so I carried all the cardboard from the boxes that all my pots in pans came in when I moved in, and dragged them out to the recycling. Not having a closet of trash also helps with the whole "feeling lived in" thing.
I think one thing that's daunting about this place is the sheer quantity of storage space I have. I have never lived in a place where I have so little stuff and so much room to put it! I have a whole closet that is nearly empty - more than half of my entryway "cupboard" is empty - though I might move my shoes in there. I have whole cabinets in the kitchen that are empty, as is the entire entertainment system. I need to either start accumulating things or find cheap/easy ways to decorate ASAP. The empty, white space is part of what makes me crazy.
After I got home from the shopping/trash adventure, I was feeling pretty sorry for myself. I had several hours to fill before an acceptable bedtime, and the time 'til I start work on Monday seemed never ending. I also found out that my direct supervisor will be out of the center Tuesday and Wednesday. Since I'm going to get my residence card Monday (fingers crossed my rental company comes through with the lease!), I probably won't be at the office 'til late afternoon, if I go up at all. This means I probably won't be starting new work 'til after the holiday. I have plenty of old work to finish up, but I was hoping to have something new to throw myself into for the 5 day holiday break. I know I already described how much everything shuts down, but what I didn't realize is that EVERYONE leaves town. Everyone I had talked to in the past few days talked about the trips they were going on, and my supervisor told me today that most everyone is taking off the whole week at work. So anyhow, between this news that I was going to have a quiet week, and worrying about the cat (who is slightly better today, yay!), and feeling homesick for Pete ... I was pretty worried about what I was going to do to occupy myself not just 'til Monday morning, but also next weekend.
After being totally pathetic for a while (and having Pete call me on it - one of the reasons he's the best husband ever), I decided to try to make some plans for next weekend. I e-mailed the girl I met last night (who will be out of town for some of the weekend, to see if she wanted to get together this or next week). I e-mailed my Basque teacher from Chicago who is in town for the holiday to see if she might be available. Then I e-mailed two other post-docs. One of them is going out of town for the holiday - but said she'd like to hang out some time. The other said she is going to be around and will be sure to include me in some of her plans - AND she invited me out for drinks tonight. So, even though I'm a little bit sleepy, I think I'm going to go. Hopefully, it'll be fun, and I won't go too crazy being alone next weekend!
Finally, I think I'm going to be in awesome shape with all the walking I'm doing. I know I won't walk quite as much once I'm working more or less full time, but I've been walking over 5 miles a day, most of which is in hills. I need to get a mat so I can add Pilates and yoga to that list and I'll be all set. :)
I promise my posts will shift more toward life here and less about my whiny adjustment as the time goes on! It's been really interesting to observe differences here in how things are done!
I also took out the trash and the recycling (thrilling, I know), but it's very easy and on the way to my bus stop. Basically, there are four dumpsters - glass, plastic/metal, paper/cardboard/styrofoam, and regular trash. The only thing that needs to be bagged is your regular trash - so I carried all the cardboard from the boxes that all my pots in pans came in when I moved in, and dragged them out to the recycling. Not having a closet of trash also helps with the whole "feeling lived in" thing.
I think one thing that's daunting about this place is the sheer quantity of storage space I have. I have never lived in a place where I have so little stuff and so much room to put it! I have a whole closet that is nearly empty - more than half of my entryway "cupboard" is empty - though I might move my shoes in there. I have whole cabinets in the kitchen that are empty, as is the entire entertainment system. I need to either start accumulating things or find cheap/easy ways to decorate ASAP. The empty, white space is part of what makes me crazy.
After I got home from the shopping/trash adventure, I was feeling pretty sorry for myself. I had several hours to fill before an acceptable bedtime, and the time 'til I start work on Monday seemed never ending. I also found out that my direct supervisor will be out of the center Tuesday and Wednesday. Since I'm going to get my residence card Monday (fingers crossed my rental company comes through with the lease!), I probably won't be at the office 'til late afternoon, if I go up at all. This means I probably won't be starting new work 'til after the holiday. I have plenty of old work to finish up, but I was hoping to have something new to throw myself into for the 5 day holiday break. I know I already described how much everything shuts down, but what I didn't realize is that EVERYONE leaves town. Everyone I had talked to in the past few days talked about the trips they were going on, and my supervisor told me today that most everyone is taking off the whole week at work. So anyhow, between this news that I was going to have a quiet week, and worrying about the cat (who is slightly better today, yay!), and feeling homesick for Pete ... I was pretty worried about what I was going to do to occupy myself not just 'til Monday morning, but also next weekend.
After being totally pathetic for a while (and having Pete call me on it - one of the reasons he's the best husband ever), I decided to try to make some plans for next weekend. I e-mailed the girl I met last night (who will be out of town for some of the weekend, to see if she wanted to get together this or next week). I e-mailed my Basque teacher from Chicago who is in town for the holiday to see if she might be available. Then I e-mailed two other post-docs. One of them is going out of town for the holiday - but said she'd like to hang out some time. The other said she is going to be around and will be sure to include me in some of her plans - AND she invited me out for drinks tonight. So, even though I'm a little bit sleepy, I think I'm going to go. Hopefully, it'll be fun, and I won't go too crazy being alone next weekend!
Finally, I think I'm going to be in awesome shape with all the walking I'm doing. I know I won't walk quite as much once I'm working more or less full time, but I've been walking over 5 miles a day, most of which is in hills. I need to get a mat so I can add Pilates and yoga to that list and I'll be all set. :)
I promise my posts will shift more toward life here and less about my whiny adjustment as the time goes on! It's been really interesting to observe differences here in how things are done!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Ugh
In case my recent posts were a little too roses, sunshine and love for you, I just got hit with a 30 minute bout of homesickness. I HATE being homesick. My typical cure for homesickness is a warm shower and pajama time, and it worked tonight. And I'm sure it'll work again next time it strikes. But it blows.
As great as my job is (and honestly, if I felt comfortable blogging extensively about work there would be several long "Oh my God I am so ridiculously lucky" entries about how great this job is going to be and how great the people I'm working with are) ... as great as it is, it is not great to be across the ocean from my husband, my cat, my friends. Skype is great and Google voice is a miracle. Both of those things are true. This town is so unbelievably beautiful. It's easy to get around and I'm meeting people both in and out of work. I know things will get better, but the thing that probably won't be better is being away from my life. Being away from Pete and Sophie is probably going to be the worst part of this. And that sucks. That said, I'd rather be homesick than have a terrible job and be homesick or be in a terrible place and be homesick. So, I'll survive. And just count down the days 'til I get to see Peter.
As great as my job is (and honestly, if I felt comfortable blogging extensively about work there would be several long "Oh my God I am so ridiculously lucky" entries about how great this job is going to be and how great the people I'm working with are) ... as great as it is, it is not great to be across the ocean from my husband, my cat, my friends. Skype is great and Google voice is a miracle. Both of those things are true. This town is so unbelievably beautiful. It's easy to get around and I'm meeting people both in and out of work. I know things will get better, but the thing that probably won't be better is being away from my life. Being away from Pete and Sophie is probably going to be the worst part of this. And that sucks. That said, I'd rather be homesick than have a terrible job and be homesick or be in a terrible place and be homesick. So, I'll survive. And just count down the days 'til I get to see Peter.
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