Arrival in Spain

OK, let’s jump into this. I’m not exactly sure who will read this among our companeros at home and overseas; how much of a filter do I need? Hard to say really, but I’ll try to err on the side opposite to that of caution whenever possible. For anyone who doesn't know...Mike and I are spending the next four months in Alicante, Spain studying Spanish and doing some other things you are able to do when you study abroad.

We arrived in Madrid Friday morning on separate flights to await connecting flights to Alicante, Spain; Barajas is a HUGE airport, but eventually I found Miguel as I was aimlessly wandering and convinced him to join me for a couple mid morning Cervezas Nacionalas to go over things. I slept well on the flight to Alicante.

I arrived in Alicante before Miguel, got picked up by the CIEE folks, and was bussed to the orientation hotel which happened to be absolutely seaside and next to the main city beach. Went out to eat with my new friends that are in the program and had una pinta de Cruzcampo, not my best idea, with una tapa de eggs and potatoes. Afterwards my new friends wouldn’t let me sleep in the hotel room, which was expected, and we were off to the beach… the playa was very crowded and we saw a significantly larger quantity of topless females (of all types and ages), which was not expected. Looking back on it, my standard line of wanting to “go people watching” likely freaked out/estranged me from any prospective females in the group!

We went to el barrio that evening and had a few beers etc. Very tired and slept well. Three girls in the group stayed out until 8am! Great work out of them. The next day was orientation etc. and one more night at the hotel before we would meet our host families. We stayed out later on this night (with a nightcap dip in the Mediterranean for me and some others). The next morning right before the 10:30 orientation session I was regaled by our gregarious friend Pato (Miguel’s orientation roommate) about how he had first watched Miguel move, in almost unbelievable slow-motion, after being woken up, and THEN choose to take a shower when he had only 15 minutes before check out. I loved it. Needless to say, Miguel missed out on the hotel breakfast Sunday.

~Nick