So one of the big milestones in an American's undergraduate college-aged life is turning 21 years old. As almost everyone knows, we are considered adults at age 18 and can do basically every legal thing except drink alcohol, which happens when we turn 21. It is normally a big going up and ordering your first drink the day you turn 21 and have your ID checked and prove that you can in fact purchase the drink. Well, that was going to have to wait until July when I get home. Nonetheless I was in Madrid on my birthday and was going to make the best of my second consecutive birthday abroad (last year I was in London).
I went to work that morning and didn't expect anything special to happen, I only knew of one person that knew it was my birthday (my boss that I went to Aranjuez with on Sunday. His nephew was asking me questions and one of them was when my birthday was. So that's how he found out). Most people don't know this but birthday's are not a big thing for me. Growing up birthdays were a time to spend with family, I had birthday parties and they were all great. But for me, my birthday was really celebrated when I went to see family in Ohio every summer and spend time with them. So for me, the celebration was going to happen when I went home.
Anyways, I went to work like any other day and no one mentioned anything about it and I was perfectly content with it. One of my bosses and I had a meeting while everyone else went to get coffee (I wasn't too happy at first because I really wanted to get coffee but my boss told me we would be joining them soon). We talked a little and he then wished me a happy birthday (just when I thought he had forgotten). I didn't think anything about us having a meeting while people went to get coffee until we were about to head into the cafe and my boss asked me "Are you ready?" I sat down even more confused with what he had said and then someone got cake but took it back (confusion kept growing). Then she brought the cake back with a candle on and they all started singing Happy Birthday (in Spanish). When I look back it was obvious something was going to happen. They got me a book about hiking trails around the mountains in Madrid (they didn't know about my asthma :/) but I really appreciated the gift and they all signed a card my other boss made.
After a fun celebration at work I went back to my place to talk to some family via my mom via Skype. Most of my family does not have Internet so I called my mom via Skype who called some of my family, mainly my grandma who is one of the most important people in my life and who I haven't been able to talk to much since I have been in Spain. It was great to spend a few hours talking to family and it made me more excited to be able to call them when I get home.
For dinner I met up with a few friends from home and we went out for dinner and some drinks afterwards. It was great to celebrate with some friends especially since I do not know many people in Madrid.
So was my birthday a typical "American 21st birthday?" No, but it was definitely a great day and I honestly would not have changed many things about it if I could. Second of many birthdays to come celebrated outside the US :)
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Una Semana de Primeras
Primer Día a Cibercorresponsales:
Depués de un fin de semana muy ajetreado, uno que no tuve mucho tiempo para explorar mi barrio o relajarme, fui a mi primer día de mi práctica con Cibercorresponsales. Supe que esta experiencia iba a ser muy difícil porque todo iba a hacer en español, una idoma que había estudiando por dos y medio años. Está cambió de sentimiento a un hecho en los primeros minutos de mi primer día. Yo encontraba todo la gente en la oficina (2 quien son mi jefes) y depués mis jefes y yo ibámos en otro salón para hablar sobre Cibercorresponsales y que me querían hacer y que yo quería hacer durante los ocho semanas. El hecho que no había dormido casí nada el noche pasado y no había hablado o esuchado español por más de una semana, entiendé más de medio que ellos me dijieron. Y ellos entendieron y me dijieron que cada día era mejor y podría entender más.
Depués de nuestro conversación tomamos un café con la otra gente de la oficina. Ellos me dijieron que esta es una cosa normal, casí cada día ellos toman un café (una cosa que entendé perfectamente y encantó- café de leche cada día, perfecto para mi :)
Primer Días de Clases de Español:
Cuatro horas depués de yo había llegado a la oficina fui a AIL Madrid, la escuela que estaba tomando clases de español durante los noches. Estoy tomando dos clases, una clases que es fácil para mi pero bien para repasar cosas cada lunes y miércoles, y otra cada martes y jueves que es un poco difícil para mi y es bien para conocer más gramática para entender la gente a mi trabajo más.
En general me gustan las clases y pienso que las fueren bien para practicar y mejor mi español y las son solamente por una hora y media lunes-jueves.
Los Premios de ATR:
Jueves no asistí a clase porque había los premios de ATR, un premio para las organizaciones y gente de periodismo y Cibercorresponsales (donde estoy trabajando) ganó un premio y la gente de mi trabajo me invitó al espectáculo. Me gustó porque pude hablar con la gente de mi trabajo y conocí ellos más y también pude encontrar otra gente y practicar mi español (todo el mundo era muy agradable y paciente con mi español y me ayudó).
Después de los premios yo, un de mi jefe, cuatro de su amigas y su hermana cenamos a un restaurante cerca de los premios. Pude hablar y conocer la hermana de mi jefe, ella estuvo en Madrid por unas semanas y hablamos sobres planes en el futuro para explorar Madrid juntos y sábado nos encontrábamos y tomábamos un tour de medio parte de Madrid :)
Aranjuez:
Uno de mis jefes es de Aranjuez, una ciudad que es 45 minutos sur de Madrid y el domingo de mi primera semana de trabajo fui a Aranjuez para explorar la ciudad con él, su novia, y su sobrino. Nos encontramos al estación de tren en Aranjuez y después fuimos al Palacio Real de Aranjuez. Una cosa interesante para mi fue a veces nosotros hablamos en inglés y a veces en español. Lo fue interesante porque nunca había hablado a mi jefe en inglés, no supe que el pudo hablar bien inglés y él, su novia, y su sobrino pudieron. Después del palacio y los jardines del palacio íbamos a un parque y almorzábamos cerca del parque (no pudimos comer en el parque). Paseábamos por el parque y después de unas horas volvíamos al estación del tren porque era un poco tarde y necesité regresar a Madrid.
Al final, esta día era perfecta para terminar mi primer semana completa en Madrid :)
Depués de un fin de semana muy ajetreado, uno que no tuve mucho tiempo para explorar mi barrio o relajarme, fui a mi primer día de mi práctica con Cibercorresponsales. Supe que esta experiencia iba a ser muy difícil porque todo iba a hacer en español, una idoma que había estudiando por dos y medio años. Está cambió de sentimiento a un hecho en los primeros minutos de mi primer día. Yo encontraba todo la gente en la oficina (2 quien son mi jefes) y depués mis jefes y yo ibámos en otro salón para hablar sobre Cibercorresponsales y que me querían hacer y que yo quería hacer durante los ocho semanas. El hecho que no había dormido casí nada el noche pasado y no había hablado o esuchado español por más de una semana, entiendé más de medio que ellos me dijieron. Y ellos entendieron y me dijieron que cada día era mejor y podría entender más.
Depués de nuestro conversación tomamos un café con la otra gente de la oficina. Ellos me dijieron que esta es una cosa normal, casí cada día ellos toman un café (una cosa que entendé perfectamente y encantó- café de leche cada día, perfecto para mi :)
Primer Días de Clases de Español:
Cuatro horas depués de yo había llegado a la oficina fui a AIL Madrid, la escuela que estaba tomando clases de español durante los noches. Estoy tomando dos clases, una clases que es fácil para mi pero bien para repasar cosas cada lunes y miércoles, y otra cada martes y jueves que es un poco difícil para mi y es bien para conocer más gramática para entender la gente a mi trabajo más.
En general me gustan las clases y pienso que las fueren bien para practicar y mejor mi español y las son solamente por una hora y media lunes-jueves.
Los Premios de ATR:
Jueves no asistí a clase porque había los premios de ATR, un premio para las organizaciones y gente de periodismo y Cibercorresponsales (donde estoy trabajando) ganó un premio y la gente de mi trabajo me invitó al espectáculo. Me gustó porque pude hablar con la gente de mi trabajo y conocí ellos más y también pude encontrar otra gente y practicar mi español (todo el mundo era muy agradable y paciente con mi español y me ayudó).
Después de los premios yo, un de mi jefe, cuatro de su amigas y su hermana cenamos a un restaurante cerca de los premios. Pude hablar y conocer la hermana de mi jefe, ella estuvo en Madrid por unas semanas y hablamos sobres planes en el futuro para explorar Madrid juntos y sábado nos encontrábamos y tomábamos un tour de medio parte de Madrid :)
Aranjuez:
Uno de mis jefes es de Aranjuez, una ciudad que es 45 minutos sur de Madrid y el domingo de mi primera semana de trabajo fui a Aranjuez para explorar la ciudad con él, su novia, y su sobrino. Nos encontramos al estación de tren en Aranjuez y después fuimos al Palacio Real de Aranjuez. Una cosa interesante para mi fue a veces nosotros hablamos en inglés y a veces en español. Lo fue interesante porque nunca había hablado a mi jefe en inglés, no supe que el pudo hablar bien inglés y él, su novia, y su sobrino pudieron. Después del palacio y los jardines del palacio íbamos a un parque y almorzábamos cerca del parque (no pudimos comer en el parque). Paseábamos por el parque y después de unas horas volvíamos al estación del tren porque era un poco tarde y necesité regresar a Madrid.
Al final, esta día era perfecta para terminar mi primer semana completa en Madrid :)
Monday, July 1, 2013
A Week of Firsts
After a much more than anticipated busy weekend I woke up Monday morning, exhausted but excited to start my first day of work. My biggest worry about the entire day, well my entire internship, was my Spanish. This entire internship was going to be in a language that I have only studied for 2.5 years and I had the biggest, and one of the scariest, feelings that it was going to be a huge challenge. Unfortunately, this feeling was quickly reassured. I got to the office on time (huge surprise for me, I woke up late and did not really know where I was going) and met everyone in the office (there are 8 people, two of which are my bosses). I headed into one of the meeting rooms with my bosses to talk and do basic orientation things. Between my lack of sleep and the fact that I had not listened nor spoke Spanish for over a week I had a really hard time understanding the overall conversation with what they were both saying. I kept apologizing for my lack of Spanish and they said it was perfectly fine and that things would get better soon. For the rest of the day I got situated and the various accounts set up and started to talk to everyone in the office. We also went out for coffee which was something that they informed me was going to happen almost every day and of course I was excited about that (café con leche every day, yeah I can definitely get used to that).
Once I was done with work I went to the school that I was going to take Spanish classes at night to sign up and get things taken care of there. For the past few weeks I had been emailing someone about the classes and luckily she was there so it didn't take much time to get my schedule sorted out. Then I headed back to my place to relax before I went back for my first class later that night. Mondays and Wednesdays I am taking a class that is below the level I tested in just as a review and with languages you can never study the basics too much. Tuesdays and Thursdays I will be taking a class that is a little bit more challenging for me so that I can get ahead and improve my Spanish faster. I really enjoyed both classes and both teachers are great.
The rest of the week was a lot of adjusting and getting used to being in Madrid and getting to know my new surroundings. Thursday night (ended up skipping class) I went to the ATR awards show which recognizes achievements in the journalism field. Cibercorresponsales, the place I work at, won an award and they invited me along. The night was a lot of fun and after the awards one of my bosses and myself along with a few of her friends and her sister went to eat dinner. It was a lot of fun and it was nice to get to know my boss a little bit better. Also her sister was going to be in Madrid for a few weeks and we made plans to get together and explore the city a little bit.
Almost the entire day Friday I spent relaxing, besides walking around a little bit outside. Saturday morning I met up with my boss' sister and we took a free walking tour of the city, well half of the city. It was nice to explore the city a little bit and it was great to explore with her.
Sunday I went to a town that is about a 45-minute train ride south of Madrid called Aranjuez. My other boss is from that city and he invited me down for the day. I took the train, which is so easy and convenient to use (keep in mind I am from Los Angeles where the public transportation is either non-existent of mediocre at best) and was met by my boss and his girlfriend and his nephew. They were all so nice and excited to explore the city with me for the day. Also, they all spoke English really well (his nephew was learning it in school and was great for only learning it for a little bit) and it was so weird to hear my boss speak English because we set rules from the start that we would only communicate in Spanish, unless I got extremely beyond confused, so hearing him speak in English was weird.
We walked around the royal palace and the gardens around it for a few hours and I really enjoyed talking to all three of them, especially my boss' girlfriend. We kept switching back and forth between English and Spanish and it was just a lot of fun to talk to her and all three in general. We got sandwiches for lunch and ate outside a park (we weren't allowed to eat inside of it) and then spent a couple hours walking around the park. By the time we were done it was starting to get kind of late and my boss' nephew had to finish homework and I needed to start heading back. They dropped me off at the train station and then headed back to Madrid. It was such a great day-trip and I really enjoyed getting to know my boss because we were going to spend the next 7 weeks together so it's nice to know something about the people you are working with.
With that, my first week in Madrid had come to an end.
Once I was done with work I went to the school that I was going to take Spanish classes at night to sign up and get things taken care of there. For the past few weeks I had been emailing someone about the classes and luckily she was there so it didn't take much time to get my schedule sorted out. Then I headed back to my place to relax before I went back for my first class later that night. Mondays and Wednesdays I am taking a class that is below the level I tested in just as a review and with languages you can never study the basics too much. Tuesdays and Thursdays I will be taking a class that is a little bit more challenging for me so that I can get ahead and improve my Spanish faster. I really enjoyed both classes and both teachers are great.
The rest of the week was a lot of adjusting and getting used to being in Madrid and getting to know my new surroundings. Thursday night (ended up skipping class) I went to the ATR awards show which recognizes achievements in the journalism field. Cibercorresponsales, the place I work at, won an award and they invited me along. The night was a lot of fun and after the awards one of my bosses and myself along with a few of her friends and her sister went to eat dinner. It was a lot of fun and it was nice to get to know my boss a little bit better. Also her sister was going to be in Madrid for a few weeks and we made plans to get together and explore the city a little bit.
Almost the entire day Friday I spent relaxing, besides walking around a little bit outside. Saturday morning I met up with my boss' sister and we took a free walking tour of the city, well half of the city. It was nice to explore the city a little bit and it was great to explore with her.
Sunday I went to a town that is about a 45-minute train ride south of Madrid called Aranjuez. My other boss is from that city and he invited me down for the day. I took the train, which is so easy and convenient to use (keep in mind I am from Los Angeles where the public transportation is either non-existent of mediocre at best) and was met by my boss and his girlfriend and his nephew. They were all so nice and excited to explore the city with me for the day. Also, they all spoke English really well (his nephew was learning it in school and was great for only learning it for a little bit) and it was so weird to hear my boss speak English because we set rules from the start that we would only communicate in Spanish, unless I got extremely beyond confused, so hearing him speak in English was weird.
We walked around the royal palace and the gardens around it for a few hours and I really enjoyed talking to all three of them, especially my boss' girlfriend. We kept switching back and forth between English and Spanish and it was just a lot of fun to talk to her and all three in general. We got sandwiches for lunch and ate outside a park (we weren't allowed to eat inside of it) and then spent a couple hours walking around the park. By the time we were done it was starting to get kind of late and my boss' nephew had to finish homework and I needed to start heading back. They dropped me off at the train station and then headed back to Madrid. It was such a great day-trip and I really enjoyed getting to know my boss because we were going to spend the next 7 weeks together so it's nice to know something about the people you are working with.
With that, my first week in Madrid had come to an end.
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