Getting there...

Last week was rough. For starters, I was sick all week. My first few days at my internship made me realize how difficult my potential life path is. I was on constant information overload, and not knowing the right way to consolidate all of it was making me wonder if I'm cut out for this business. Madrid was slightly failing to keep me engaged. I didn't feel very connected to my host family, though they were nothing less than attentive and caring. Twelve hour days had never felt so long. I missed Ecuador more than I had ever before. I felt a little lonely even when I was with friends. I failed to book a single flight for this semester because Ryanair failed me. Spring break was (and still is) looking like a failure. I woke up every morning missing the sun because the way my window is set up/the hour the sun rises in Madrid, it's dark until almost nine in the morning! I was sick and tired of everyone from all over the world telling me how great Spain is and what I should see and how I should see it. Oh, and I'm gaining weight. Fast.

I was at no point regretting being here. I would much rather be abroad than in Boston right now. But, this heaviness set in and brought me down. So, dear reader, that was my first full week in Madrid. You know me, I'm always honest with you, and though I wish I could have written about some wonderful first week...well, it was what it was.

Good news, though. Things started looking up when I went on a day trip to Toledo with the program. Though everyone was tired, there was a happy buzz in the air. Plenty of good conversation throughout the day. Too many (but not enough) delicious coffee and pastries. The city itself was very charming. Just the cathedral of Toledo made my day. When we got back to Madrid, we decided to go to a club and dance till six in the morning. Used to going out dancing every weekend usually for free in dear, sweet Ecuador, and not having gone out dancing once in Madrid before last night, I finally felt at least a bit weight lifted off my shoulders. My body had been angry at me for not moving it for so long. Today, we went to a special exhibit at the Museo Thyseen. The exhibit, "Lagrimas de Eros" followed themes of erotic love and the death instinct from the sixteenth century to present day. Later, I went to see the new Spanish movie "Celda 211"--blew my mind!

I also connected more with my host family, my friends and my sense of direction in regard to what I want from this trip.

I apologize that these last few posts haven't been the amusing anecdotes I'm so used to sharing from my Ecuador days. But, this is what's going on in my life right now. I miss my family in Boston but I don't miss Boston itself. After Toledo, I'm all the more excited to travel around Spain. Maybe, one day, I'll call Madrid as I do Quito another home.

Oh, but I must share this. This makes me so angry, I can barely control myself. Bouncers at bars and clubs at Madrid are just plain old mean. I want to know what self-esteem issues they have that they take so much pleasure from belittling and insulting 20-year-old girls. I hope you don't have trouble sleeping with that dirty conscience of yours, Mr. Madrid security guard. Do you enjoy ruining teenage girls' nights with your snide remarks? Go take a look at yourself in the mirror and rethink your attitude problem. Geez.