Our New Home

Hola Amigos!

Here we are, in our new (temporary, maybe) home. It is just as incredible as we wished it would be, and I don't even know where to begin. The past few days have been a whirlwind, but I'll do my best to hit the highlights and please be sure to read the experiences I forced Addy and Vic to share, too! They did a great job, and I think they secretly enjoyed it, but they'll never admit it!

We hit the ground running in La Coruna when we got off the train and were greeted by one of the program organizers, Soraida, and one of our fellow students, Nicki. Soraida is from Venezuela, but lives here in La Coruna and Nicki is from California and arrived here the day before we did. Once we got outside the train station, Soraida immediately put Addy in a car alone and she began to ride off, and I think Vic and I both teared up a little bit. You'd think after four days with each other continuously that we might want to kill each other, but it really just felt like a piece of my heart was cruising away in a speedy white tic tac. Good thing it was only for like two hours. Anyway, Soraida then walked with Victoria and I to Victoria's apartment, and again I felt a ping in my chest. And then there was one.

We then walked to my apartment and climbed into a semi-questionable itty bitty elevator up to the top floor (I've taken the stairs ever since due to fear it may be my coffin). Soraida introduced me to one of my roommates, Feran (I don't know how to spell it), a Spanish PhD student who speaks at the speed of light. He is very friendly, but I'm afraid my high school Spanish is only going to get me so far and at this point he has my permission to believe my brain is the size of a peanut from the mess of words I spit out. So, for now our relationship is "Hola, Feran" when I get home, and "Adios, Feran" when I leave. I'll try again when I can tell him more than that I'm well. I met my other roommate a little later, but we focused so much on him pronouncing my name correctly that I forgot his. I know it had 3 syllables, but they all sounded similar, so until I know how to subtly ask Feran, I smile and nod and avoid the topic of nombres. I'm supposed to have another roommate, Aurora (I know the name of the one I haven't met, stupid brain) but she is yet to be seen. I think Feran explained that to me, but all I got was her name, so I guess I'll say hello if she's in the kitchen someday, otherwise just her name will do!

This is my apartment. I am yet to use the kitchen, but my granola bar supply is running low so I'll be forced to soon. My room is simple but pretty big. I like it here a lot!

Once we all got settled, we met up and got some dinner at the least expensive place we could. That was a mistake. I got a hamburger, but there's no telling if what I was eating was from this year or in fact meat. The lettuce seemed legitimate though. However, I didn't even win the weirdest meal award - Addy and Vic tied with fried mystery meat and french fries (rough name translation made from observations). The best part was that neither of them could cut it because their elbows were blocking each other, so Victoria was spraying french fries all over the table. Classy Americans. Anyway, whatever it was, it either filled us up or killed our appetite, and we walked home before it got too late so we'd be ready to explore the next day.

I made this face before I tasted it. 

The Seven Minutes War

The costs of war are high -  respect to those who fell on the battlefield.

Sunday we spent the entire day eating, exploring, and basking in the beauty. We started in the wooden corner booth of a small, stone-walled cafe near Addy's apartment. It was adorable and smelled of a combination of warm pastries and fresh European coffee. We then set out in search of the beach whose image pulled us through those last few weeks of our tough semester at school, and boy oh boy was it worth the work. As we crested the hill, we all took a short ,quick breath in, in unison. Below, the crystal blue water made a "C" with the shore almost as far as we could see in both directions. The cool breeze carried the salt water right up to us, and I think Vic's hair and my own curled up even more than before. The buildings behind us were white walls of windows and people strolled at a leisurely pace down the paved path. It was so beautiful, and it never gets old no matter how many times we walk by. We walked from one end to the other and in the process found a marina, a cool dock, a couple of the landmarks we are planning to see with our other classmates, and an unbelievable number of fun and unique buildings. I've never been someplace like this, and I think it's because there couldn't possibly be more than one in the world. We are so lucky.

Addy got confused because Victoria wasn't at the other end to yell back.

For lunch we met up with one of our new classmates, Nicki, and ate at a nice restaurant downtown. We then continued to walk around and explore until we stopped for a little coffee and sorbet (my new favorite treat) break before meeting up with the rest of our classmates in the main plaza for our orientation. It was really fun to finally meet everyone and everyone seems very nice (except for us, of course). Our program director, Nicole, then went over all of the details for the whole program, and all it did was make us even more excited for the weeks to come. Afterward, we all went to dinner together and ate shared several different tapas (small plates) before running out to the beach to catch the sunset. What a perfect end to a truly great day.

Un cono de fresa. Por siempre.

La Plaza de Maria

Nuestra nueva amigos!

Monday meant the start of our classes, jobs, and other real life responsibilities, but I'll tell you more about that soon! Adios, Feran!

Quote of the Day: "There was no toilet paper in the bathroom, bad muchachos." - Lauren, to Addy and Victoria, describing her new home.

Food of the Day: Fried Mystery Meat, ingested by Vic and Addy

Number of Beach Pictures Taken: Even greater than the number of french fries that have been consumed over the past week.

Use this link to check out a cool map of all of the things around us! Mostly for you, Moms :)
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=181kkPITjKzxqYDvXbeiALZ5yUpk&ll=43.3604600895598%2C-8.413978643623295&z=18

Other Pictures:

The 80's called. Must have been a misdial.

Back - First day of the semester. Middle - A month or so in. Front - Midterms and beyond. Not pictured - Finals.