Look at me being an adult

I made it to my home town! I managed to catch a taxi from the Hostel I was at, buy a ticket at the bus station, wait for three hours, get on the bus, and walk into town, not knowing where I was going. I asked the man at the bus station gift shop if he had a map, and he said I had to go to the town center. So I did. By the way, the town center is awesome. I put a picture up a couple posts back, but it is so cool in person. I'll take my own when I head back out there tonight. Anyway, I found the tourist office, asked him where the hotel was, he gave me a map. Then, after getting so close I gave up and asked a cop. Turns out I was right across the street. (On a side note, I don't know how anyone can do this program without speaking Spanish. It's hard for me as it is, especially with the accent. To those who do go without it, I salute you, and wish you luck.)

After that I was on the hunt to find a phone. The basic pattern for what you need to do when you get here, and this is mostly for future auxiliares, is 1. Phone 2. Apartment 3. NIE 4. Bank Account
Right now I'll just run through the phone part. I haven't completed it yet, so I'll update this post tomorrow.

Before you leave home, have them suspend your account. Yes, you can get the international plan, but for a trip as long as this, it's just too expensive. Plus, if you have a smart phone and internet you can use Skype and Wechat and whatever that iphone version of wechat is. Now, take your phone over to one of many carriers. The one that I'll be going to (because it was the first one I found of the recommended two) is Yoigo. I think it's pay as you go. I've heard Vodafone is also good. You'll get a SIM card put in, and get a Spanish one. I'm going to go with a cheap option, and pay as you go. That way, I can proceed to step two (which I'll also be doing tomorrow) getting an apartment.

To wrap up, here are some fun things I noticed and learned in the past couple days.

Spanish shopping baskets are far superior to American ones. Why? Because they have wheels. They're basically a tiny cart. Pictures to come later.

You have to pay for plastic bags at the grocery store.

Groceries are cheaper here, at least at Mercadona. Also, their version of shopping music is all in English. For example, Owl City.

Stores have different hours. A lot of them close by 3 or 4, and are closed from 11-1 as well (that's what happened with me today at Yoigo). Get stuff done early, and try not to do stuff on Sunday. It looks like they're closed then as well.

If a hotel room's lights don't turn on, check the wall for a small box-like apparatus, with a hole in the top. Then, if you have a card attached to your key, stick the card into the slot. That's how you turn the power on.

Ladies, regular feminine products are available here, not just the Diva Cup.

Alright, I think it's time for a nap. But later I'll post a shot of the creepy hallway leading to my hotel room. It freaked me out when I first got off the elevator, and I'd like to share the experience.