Wow. That’s all I can say to sum up this past week or so. It has been the craziest whirl-wind adventure of my life, and a lot of “firsts.” My first trip to Europe, my first time staying in a hostel, my first Metro ride, and the first time I’ve totally felt out of my element. Now that the dust of traveling has settled, I am trying to fit in a completely different lifestyle to that of mine in the States.
Life in Córdoba relaxed to say the least. My day consists of waking up to go to school from 9:30-2 (which is entirely in Spanish also), and then I go home for lunch and siesta. Lunch time is the main meal for Spaniards, and everyone participates. When I say everyone, I mean EVERYONE. Most every shop in town closes from 2 til around 5 more or less. This is the time when families come together, talk about their days, etc. Very similar to family dinners, just earlier. Not only that, but my host mother is an amazing cook! I never really know what to expect when I get home, but it’s always good.
I knew it was going to be cold here, but man was I definitely not ready for it. There are lots of nights spent with several pairs of pants on, socks, gloves; the works. My host mother said it should warm up soon, so I keep telling myself I’ll only be cold constantly for about two more weeks. One plus to not having enough clothing is being able to get myself more clothing here, and I definitely came at the perfect time: REBAJAS. Imagine Black Friday for approximately a month and a half. It’s amazing, and I don’t even like shopping.
Even though Córdoba is considered as one of the more laid back, quiet cities, it still has so much to do. We went on a field trip to the Mezquita, and it was the most magnificent and awe-inspiring thing I’ve ever seen in my life. It made me that much more excited to see all the other art and architecture that Spain and Europe have to offer. I have been exploring a lot with my fellow EAPers, and we’ve come across a lot of cool internet cafes and pubs. Hopefully I’ll muster up enough courage to strike up a conversation with the locals soon.
For the first few weeks, I’ve just been trying to get through the day without getting run over, having my stuff stolen, and trying to understand what my host mother is saying to me is enough. Homesickness has come and gone, and come back again. It’s a daily battle. Facebook and are both life savers and reminders of homesickness. Technology has definitely had more benefits though… except for those crappy prepaid phones we get to contact each other. But I guess it’s better than nothing, right?
I think the hardest adjustment of all is accepting isolation. It’s not a physical isolation, I’m constantly around people. It’s a mental isolation. I’ve learned how it feels to resort to the most primitive ways of communication in order to get a simple message across. It almost feels like I’ve lost my personality. I can’t make jokes and tell interesting stories at meal times because I don’t know how to express myself, or even completely follow the conversation because they speak so freakin’ fast!
It’s so mentally draining to have to translate every dialogue in your head that sometimes by the end of the day, it’s easier to just not speak. I have learned to force myself to keep going and really put myself out there to initiate conversations and practice my Spanish skills, because in the end that’s the only way I can learn to be fluent. It’s a process like any that has its ups and downs, and I know one day I’ll look back on this as one of the best experiences of my life.
Until next week,
Keity (How my host mom spelled my name)