Vino We Are Dinomite: First Week in La Coruna

Hello All!

Sorry for the long silence, it has been a crazy week! We are all loving it here in La Coruna and can't believe a week has already gone by. Monday came as a bit of a shock, we haven't really had a set schedule and responsibilities for a little while (I know, poor us). But, by the end of the week, we'd fallen into the routine - class in the morning for Addy and I and work for Victoria, a break in the middle of the day for lunch and exploring/the beach/a cafe, and class in the afternoon for all of us. Our evenings vary a little bit - one night we went to the supermarket and bought some fruit, ham, and bread and ate ham sandwiches all together on the beach; other nights we went out to a random restaurant for tapas; others we were so tired we just parted ways and went to bed early. Dinner time here is usually about 10PM, which is difficult for any of us to grasp, so when we would go right after class around 7:30 or 8, either nothing was open or we'd be the only ones in the restaurant. Often when I'm getting ready to go to bed around 11:30 or 12AM, I fall asleep to the smell of whatever my roommates are making for dinner. It's crazy. It's also currently 10:09 and the sun is still up outside my bedroom window. I really love that, but also my body is very confused about what time it is. Good thing I'm always hungry so I don't really care what time I eat :)

Anyway, Addy and I's class in the morning is pretty fun! There are only 3 people in our class, us two and Nicki (you met her earlier), and our very nice teacher, Eugenia, who speaks like five languages. That class focuses a lot on the basics, which is very much necessary for us right now. The second class in the afternoon is with all nine of the students in our study abroad group and a different professor (also nice), but that class is at a much higher level. It's fun to have everyone there, but I'm afraid for now I stumble through and take as much as I can from the speedy Spanish conversation happening in front of me. We are noticeably better at speaking now than we were a week ago, so hopefully that will continue and by the end I'll be able to keep up!

The following is a compilation of stories, updates, pictures from this week. They are in no particular order, very similar to how we live our lives. Hope you enjoy :)

1. Victoria's computer at work keeps crashing because it's getting too hot. Unfortunately, it usually crashes when her bosses aren't around, so she can't do much but twirl in her spinning chair (I have proof). Addy suggested an ice pack, but I don't think Vic liked that idea much. The sad part is that her work isn't saving when that happens, so she is in quite the pickle there. She also has to become an expert in photobioreactors and give a presentation about them. I think she's excited, but her teeth are always clenched when she says it. Weird.

2. One of the guys in our group arrived the day after everyone else and we all went and got dinner together the night he landed. After we had all been sitting there a while, he was going around the table trying to get everyone's names (not doing a great job) and gets to Victoria and out of nowhere says, "yeah, you're terrifying." She wasn't sure how to feel about that, but after Addy and I picked our heads up off the table from laughing so hard, we felt good for her.

The best part of it all was the next day in our class together he started doing the same thing, except when he got to Victoria he actually stopped and reintroduced himself to her, handshake and all. We thought he was being funny, but when she said her name again, his reaction made it obvious that he literally didn't recognize her. Equally as funny for Addy and I.

3. One day Addy, Nicki, and I hung out on the beach between classes. It was the perfect temperature, the sand was warm but the breeze was cool, and I accidentally fell asleep. Later that night a very embarrassing sunburn surfaced. For my parents - yes, I put on sunscreen. No, I did not reapply, I fell asleep. Yes, I look like a lobster. Yes, it hurts when you poke it, Dad. Yes, I know it's really bad for me, believe me I don't plan on doing it again. Yes, you taught me better. My apologies.

This is a learning experience - consider me learning.

4. On her way to work one day, Victoria was waiting at a crosswalk when a very little old lady mumbled something and looked up to her. Victoria wasn't entirely sure what she said at first, but then the lady held out her hand and asked her again to walk her across the street. So, Victoria, being the wonderfully kind person she is, walked an old lady across the street. If that's not adorable I don't know what is.

5. We were strolling down the street one night when we came upon a street performer in a bright blue suit and purple bow tie who began to serenade us with his viola. It was very beautiful, and Victoria seemed to be having some serious flashbacks, I was just hoping it was to the viola and not the suit.

6. As she was checking out during her first trip to the grocery store, Addy was asked by the cashier something very quickly, but she didn't catch what he said so she just said, "no, gracias." Well, the cashier finished checking her out, and when he called for the next person without bagging her items, she knew. He had asked her if she wanted a bag, and she said no, and instead of asking him afterward for a bag, she walked home with all of her stuff filling up both arms. If I had been able to catch a picture you know I would share it, but I think it's equally fun to just imagine it. In her words, she "said two words and messed up half of it."

Recently learned vocabulary word: Bolsa - bag

7. I finally met my last roommate, but her name is definitely not Aurora. I have no idea where I got that from. Her name is Juliet, and she's really nice. She's also 19 and she's studying sociology (maybe). I also figured out my final roommate's name - Alvaro (also not Aurora, but that would've been funny). They are all very nice and patient with me, however our language barrier is tougher than I thought - one day I was sitting in the living room, half in a conversation, but more trying to figure out what they were saying, and I really wasn't getting much. Then, Feran turned to me and asked me a question, and I literally understood nothing, at which point I must have made that obvious because he leaned his head back and said "oh si Castellano, Castellano." When he asked me again, I got it, but I asked what he was speaking before and he said, "Catalan y Castellano (type of Spanish spoken here)." Catalan is a similar language to Spanish, but not the same, and it seems my roommates speak the Spanglish of the two. So, while it made me feel better that I wasn't getting it because it wasn't even in the language I am studying, my hopes of being able to understand them dropped substantially. However, they do know Castellano, so if I can learn it I will still be set, but what a realization.

My roommates also made a group message for us if we ever need it, which is pretty cool. However, I cannot understand anything they're saying because not only is it in the Catalan-Castellano combo, it's text language. At first I was sitting for like an hour on the computer translating what I could, but instead I just decided they would put my name in front of it if they needed me. So far, so good.

Also, most people here call me Lorena, which I feel pretty good about. Not as good as Aunt La, but pretty good.

That's all I can think of for now - while we laugh almost constantly, it's usually at our own natural goofiness. Check out the pictures below from some of our expeditions!

This weekend we are travelling to Santiago de Compostela and el Monte de San Pedro. I'll tell you all about it soon!

Quote of the week: "For context" - every time Addy, Vic, and I burst out laughing, we usually have to explain to everyone else why it's funny, and usually start with this. Sometimes they join us...

New favorite joint: The Bio Factory. Nope, this is not Victoria's office. It's the sorbet shop :)

Thing we didn't expect to miss but we do: Dryer

Las fotos: