Siesta Time

Just got up from my first siesta, and I must say, it was quite pleasant. These people are crazy about their siestas...it's not just a stereotype or hearsay; it seems like EVERYONE takes a siesta! Businesses really DO close between 2-5pm so people can go home, eat a big meal, and take a nap. I was walking around the city yesterday around 5pm, and all the business owners were slowly coming back and opening up shop to stay open again until 8 or 9 or 10. It's such a drastic change from our culture, but, as Miguel says "Así es España."

Waking up is the worst part of my day, actually. When you're in a nighttime culture, it's extremely hard to wake up at 6:30 in the morning. For one, it's pitch dark. And stays that way until 8. I don't know how that works, but it's just getting light when I get to my classroom at 8. There is no central heating in the buildings here, if I haven't mentioned that already, so it is absolutely freezing first thing in the morning. I shiver at the kitchen table alone (what, you think my host family is crazy enough to get up when it's dark??) and eat my frosted flakes out of a tiny bowl with a tinier spoon and loathe the person who signed me up for early class. Also, on my way to the busstop, NO ONE is out. By 7-8am, especially in big cities, people are already going 100mph on their doses of caffeine, the sun is up, and business is moving. Here? No. It's dark, it's cold, and everyone knows it. That's why I walk to the bus every day in silence and a winter coat. I'm the only one on the street until I reach the stop.

By the time I'm on my way back home for the day around 12 or 1, it's 60 degrees and I burn up on the crowded bus. I can't win.

Finally, I'm proud to say that as I sit here I am wearing completely new clothes. It's weird to start seeing people from my group look different everyday as the bags come in. Oh, you don't always wear the same sweatpants? You don't always wear glasses? Yeah, I'm going to school tomorrow lookin' fresh ta death in my new clothes.

I'm thinking I'll finally have time to take and post pictures tomorrow. Actual pictures probably would be nice, so I'll work on it. Until then...hasta luego.