10 days in

The last week and a half have been a blur. Sometimes I feel like I’ve already been here for months, and other times it’s as if I just arrived. Little glimpses into the past ten days are the best I can do to describe it. 

The first day of class. I stare blankly at the professor as I wonder to myself if he is actually speaking a language that I know; I understand about a tenth of his words, and that tenth tends to be the least important. The Spanish students around me furiously scribble notes, so I know that he is, in fact, communicating, and it is, most likely, important. In other classes I do understand a bit more, and in a few the professors are very helpful when I tell them that I am an international student. The international students in the class all stick together, advising each other about what classes to take and communicating in whatever language we have in common.

Moving into my own room. After spending three nights sleeping in the living room, I was finally able to move to a room with a real bed a place to myself. Two giant posters of men’s faces grace the wall, and the room is only slightly bigger than the size of the bed. Nonetheless, it is mine- at least for the next four months. Lucia and Mariajo, my two apartment mates, are very patient with my Spanish and have already spent many an hour answering my many questions about Spanish culture, music, and food.

Sitting in the police station. On my way to eat dinner with other international students, I reached down to feel my pocket and suddenly realized that my wallet was gone. My debit card, driver’s license, school I.D., and various other important papers in my wallet were lost. With the help of a mildly tipsy, but very gracious, elderly man, I found the police station. After about an hour of waiting, I was able to report my wallet as lost. A new debit card is currently on the way, and it will be a relief to be able to get our more money.

Traveling. A day spent riding a bus with one hundred other international students is always interesting. In some ways it felt like we were back in middle school on a field trip, but there were ten different languages being spoken at the same time and everyone was about ten years older. A cathedral tucked between steep mountains, the first capital of Spain, and crashing waves on sharp cliffs were a few of the sights seen. The pictures below do a much better job describing than I can.

My time in Oviedo has been such a gift. There have been times when I’ve just wanted to sit and cry, but there have been so many other times when I realize how much I already love it here. The multitude of other international students, getting lost in the city, beautiful parks, and blue sky are only a few of the things that stand out in my memory. It is so different from anywhere I’ve ever been, and it has already been such a learning experience. 

The view of Oviedo from my running path

The cathedral that we visited surrounded by mountains

The ocean meets the mountains