1. Buy a phone
2. Call the apartment
3. Find my school
4. Buy Spanish food at a restaurant
And you know what I did? All of them. I should be feeling pretty good right now, but honestly it's a mixed bag. As promised, a quick follow up on the phone. It's super easy to get a SIM card, at it cost about 45 Euro. But then you have money on your card, and if you don't plan on using the phone much, it should be fine. (I think you have to use at least six euros a month)
I got to the phone place early, so before that I went to check out my school's location. It's in an... interesting place. It's at the end of a road with nothing else close by it. It's next to a park though, so it's a nice walk. It was also my first time through the rest of the city. I'm not as fond of it as the old town. It's very apartmenty...
As I walked through the town, I noticed something kind of odd. All these teenagers were carrying bottles of water, and dressed in team costumes. I wondered, and went to go buy my phone card. On the way back from that, I followed the crowd to the plaza mayor, where I found the teens engaged in a water fight-soda water actually. Some of them were opening it and pouring it or throwing it, and others shook it up, punctured the sides, and let it spray in every direction. Above them, the people in the balconies threw down glitter and something powdery. It was pretty cool. I took a video of that, and I'll post it after I get some better internet connection. Here's a photo of the event.
I also came upon these things called "gigantes" and "cabezudos". The gigantes I saw yesterday, and posted a picture on Facebook, but I'll post one here.
Someone gets in the bottom of the costume, and then the gigantes dance. Usually in circles, as these things are huge. Cabezudos are basically people wearing giant paper mache heads. They have this soft, pool noodle like bat that they run around smack people with. Parents especially like to egg on the cabezudos to bop their children. This little devil got me twice. I'll post a video too, but basically, they're nightmare fuel. Also, super racist. This one is, and I kid you not that is what everyone called it, the Chino. Yep.
To be fair, the abuela also had fangs, but I'd like to apologize to the Chinese anyway. Oh and look! A small child imitating the Chino! (scroll to the right. I can't make this picture any smaller)
I then found my way to a party, had a glass of wine, and danced a bit. What phrase would a Spaniard not understand? 'It's always five o'clock somewhere.' The drinks came out at lunch. People got pretty drunk. I got hit on 3 times, once with a guy offering to 'trade drinks with me' and another guy who put something on my head (a stuffed animal I think) and asked me where I was going. That kind of set me off. I went home several times today to cool off. (You can also be confident that you're being hit on when they speak English to you). I also passed by not one, not two, but three guys peeing in alley. Plus, the streets were pretty gross from the fiesta, but I guess that's to be expected.
After an awkward phone call with my landlord, I set up a meeting and met with her and her daughter to talk about the apartment. They were both super wonderful, said I spoke well, said that Castilian is the best of all the Spanish accents (if I had a nickel...). It's a really nice place, in a fantastic location. It's more expensive than what I was hoping, and no one else lives there right now. If you wouldn't mind praying for me to get some roommates, I'd appreciate that.
I did manage to go get some Spanish food, though not really at restaurants. Everyone goes to restaurants together, and not only do I not understand their system (do you come to me? Do I go to you? When do I pay?) I don't have anyone to go with.
I think I'm at the point where I really need to make some friends. I'm tired of doing everything totally alone, even though I think I'm fairly independent. Another good reason to have roommates (otherwise, Anna and Eileen, we might be having a lot of Skype x-files ;) )
To end on a happy note, I got to eat this today:
This is churros and chocolate. That cup is full of dipping chocolate, kind of a mix between really good hot chocolate and melted dark chocolate. The chocolate's bitterness took me by surprise, but it was good.
I'll get those videos up soon. I might be off the internet for a few days. They have to get the internet started up again. But tomorrow their will be a Marian procession, so I'll definitely be taking video/pictures of that. Though I'll also be hauling around my luggage all day, so we'll see what I manage to do.
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