Madrid, friends and a trip

Hola! This past week has been a tumultuous one. I spent much of the week aimlessly wandering around my town during the day, and then staying home with the kids in the evening. Up until Friday, the greatest accomplishment I could lay claim to in my new life abroad was a new found love and appreciation for Ernest Hemingway. While reading The Sun Also Rises, a novel set between Paris and Spain, I realized I needed to go to Madrid. Now this may seem like common sense, after all the city is only 60km from my own, but I had not found the desire to do so during my first 11 days here. However, I awoke on Friday the 23rd and hopped on the bus with Narcisa, the housekeeper who lives in Madrid. After getting off the bus I was hastily rushed onto the Metro, told to get off at Sol, and then left on my own with only one piece of advice. Que no te pierdas (Hope you don't get lost). Helpful, I am well aware. Equipped with my map and an excess of nerves I embarked on a four hour journey around the city of Madrid, the third largest city in the European Union. Contrary to my expectations, I fell in love. I am not sure whether this is the fault of Hemingway's charming novel, or a power that the city itself holds I will never know. I also do not particularly care. I spent my time just walking up and down and around the centro, and finally wound up in Plaza Mayor, a sunny plaza filled with cafes, people and some of the most creative beggars. (I will snap some shots of them next time!)
The streets of Madrid are all similar to this shot, with the facades of the buildings all intricately and uniquely designed. I managed somehow to not get lost in the city, the streets all seem to lead to plazas and Metro stops that make it surprisingly easy to navigate. To congratulate myself for a job well done, I bought a little premio (reward). My efforts earned me an Argentinian empenada filled with dulce de leche, a treat I consumed with gusto on the bus ride home, completely ignoring cultural protocol that seems to prohibit eating outside of the home or restaurant. I pled ignorance to the nasty looks shot my way, and there were plenty as I had picked one the messiest postres possible.
Saturday I spent the morning with the kids, we made the daily trip to the panderia to buy the baguette that is consumed each day by the family. In the evening I was invited to Madrid to make dinner. This was my first outing since the coffee date with friends (it was the same two girls). I met Indigo on the bus and we continued on to Emily's apartment in Madrid where we made mushroom tacos. I had not realized how much I missed being able to cook a meal for myself until we made this meal. It was a relief to get out of the house and interact with people my age. Not to jinx it, but I believe I now have two friends outside of the house. Indigo even invited me on a trip with her during La Semana Santa.  To explain how easy traveling is within Europe (an act I believe the European Union has put great effort in to try and maintain a strong economy), the invite was given in the same tone and intonation as an invite to dinner would be in the US. Indigo said "I'm going to Italy for Semana Santa, if you're free you should join." I said I would check my schedule and get back to her. Really, no big deal, it's just a week in Italy. Esther approved the time off (which is wonderful because I most certainly did not supply her with a written request at least two weeks in advance). Although this is a completely normal thing to do, it's actually expected that I do this, I am still not accustomed to this change of lifestyle. That being said...
I AM GOING TO ITALY! Es normal, no? I will be in Pisa, Florence and Rome (hoping for a day trip to Naples, a town of 1,600 pizzerias, a side trip I would consider sinful to not attempt). In case you are not green yet, I will be in Rome for Easter. Perhaps the Pope will accept an invite to hunt for eggs with me?
<3

Watch your step!

Just a quick note on some of the cultural differences I have experienced so far:

1-It is appropriate to eat copious amounts of sugar for breakfast, as long as there is a piece of bread underneath. As a matter of fact this habit is encouraged.
2-All the curse words of Latin America are common terms here. That means that instead of letting someone know where they can stick it, you would instead merely be asking them to help you in the kitchen or pick up their plate. To answer your question, yes, this has led to much confusion on my part.
3-The rearing of children is quite different, not bad, just different. In an effort to promote individualization and responsibility, rules are flexible.
4-While eating, for goodness sake, KEEP BOTH HANDS ON THE TABLE. Failure to do so reflects on one's lack of culture.
5-Coffee breaks are imperative. Passing on an invitation or failure to partake in the ritual million breaks of a day can be perceived as rude.
6-A word of caution: Most people live in apartments, but many have dogs. This means that you can always pass someone on the sidewalk walking their dog. Watch your step, because the only place you're safe from the droppings of man's best friend is in your own home.

A not so compact view of week one

It has now been almost a week since I arrived here in San Lorenzo de El Escorial and I am loving it. The town itself is absolutely beautiful, tucked quaintly into the Monte Abantos, and housing the historical (and enormous) Escorial. I was met at the airport by Esther, the madre of the family I am working for, and taken through Madrid to my new home. Along the way I was given a small taste of the historical importance of the town I will be living in for next few months. The route from Madrid to my house includes the burial site of Spain's most recent dictator, torres used for lookouts and, of course, El Escorial, a Monastery constructed by Felipe II as a mausoleum for his father, Carlos I. I was greeted at the house by David (9), Ana (7) and Blanca (5). They were shy at first, but as I am sure you can imagine, that did not last. I spent my first day unpacking, napping and chatting with Narcisa, the housekeeper from Ecuador. When Jose brought the kids home from school, I helped prep the merienda and then we went to swim lessons. Swim was followed by los deberes (homework), Disney Channel, showers, la cena and then bed. This is a typical after school day. Tuesday I woke to this beautiful view from my bedroom window.

I will have no problem waking to this everyday. I spent Tuesday chatting with Narcisa, she has a lot to tell me about everything I 'need' to know. This information includes, though is in no way limited to, the habits of the family, how attractive her son is, how great Ecuador is and how much she loves the pastor on her favorite radio channel. Monday-Friday there is no escaping the sounds of Ecuadorian Evangelists in every corner of the house, a program she is sure will help me see the light as well. I was also measured for a pair of shorts while enjoying my lunch on Tuesday, Narcisa would like to make me a pair to wear this summer. Jose came home for lunch as well and I had the opportunity to get to know him a little better. Jose heads the juvenile activities for the town of San Lorenzo and seems to get no greater joy out of life than he gets from being a dad. He speaks no English, but wishes for his children to be bilingual.
 Tuesday at swim I was approached by a boy of 3, with the gentle coaxing of his father, who wanted to practice his English. The boy sat right next to me and stared at me. I asked "What is your name?" he replied "Sergio", I told him "My name is Tiffany, it's nice to meet you." At this point Sergio seemed confident in his ability to provide the proper response to this common greeting. He stood up, made eye contact with me, and said (in a heavy Spanish accent) "Elephant." I would also like to note that Sergio's father spoke no English, found it necessary to tell me about the World Cup of 2010 that Spain won, looked like an IT guy, and wore a shirt with a picture of Fred Flinstone that said 'I can make your Bedrock'.
Wednesday I went into town to meet with two girls from the US working at the local school and as Au Pairs. I took the time to explore the downtown area of San Lorenzo, an activity that I repeated on Thursday as well. I located the central plaza, numerous librerias and what has to be the only Mexican Restaurant in town. I love everything about the set up of the town. The sidewalks are cobblestone, and much of the street is made of stone as well. This statue commemorates the guardia civil of San Lorenzo. This is the street my house is on, a welcome sight after hours of aimless walking.

Friday I went out for a short hike behind the house and down into the commercial area of town. The house is tucked into the mountains which are full of trails similar to the foothills in Boise. This helps to make me feel more at home.

My House is the yellow with rock siding. Off to the side, the far right, is El Escorial. This view is absolutely breath taking, and I feel the pictures don't do it justice.

Saturday was an incredibly active day that gave me great insight into what Esther has deemed La segunda joventud. This weekend is a holiday in Spain to celebrate Father's day. Jose invited two other families out for a hike to celebrate. This meant a group of thirteen Spaniards plus me. The group met early in the morning and decided that before we could hike we would need, yes NEED, coffee. It did not matter that coffee had already been drunk by all at breakfast. The kids went to a park and the rest of us went for coffee. Next came the hike. We hiked to the Silla de Felipe II and then continued on to the summit of the mountain. The silla is rumored to be the location of choice by Phillip II to watch over his kingdom. In utter lack of compliance with copyright laws, I have stolen these photos from Wikipedia. Unsure of the route we would be taking and what I would carry for the kids, I did not bring my camera.
This is Phillip II's silla, and the view it provides. Not a bad way to keep an eye on one's kingdom. The hike itself lasted a couple of hours and provided a stunning view of the entire valley, and out past Madrid. I plan on doing the hike again in near future and will bring my camera to share the experience! Upon completion of the hike there was a picnic. The kids went off on their own while the adults, who all insisted I join them, ate at a picnic table. The table was surrounded by trees covered in vines at the base of the hiking trail. Each family brought a cooler of food to share and a cooler of booze. Food was passed and everyone dove in with their own forks to the same containers. Cups were used to pour the wine and beer. At multiple points during lunch the dads sang to the group. Everyone spoke loudly, quickly and at the same time. This is what Esther describes as la segunda joventud, the point at which an adult turns 40, and then reverts to their childhood. Following lunch no one was ready to part ways, adults and children included, so a second coffee break was agreed upon and the group caravanned up to the Horizontal, a restaurant I found in a travel guide book just today that is one of the best in the Madrid area. A couple of hours were passed in which the parents all drank coffee and cocktails and the kids ate chocolate cakes. It was at this point when I was asked if I had ever had a torrija, a rich cake served traditionally during the time surrounding la semana santa. I had not had the cake, so it was decided that the day was not over. The dads played rock, paper, scissors to determine whose house the party would be moved to. Angel won, so the caravan continued on to Angel's house. Along the way one of the party stopped for the cakes, and they were served with more coffee and a game of Trivial Pursuit, for which I was no help. As it turns out, shockingly enough, I do not know a lot about the pop culture of Spain, nor its politics. Nor how many spikes are on the crown of the Statue of Liberty, 7; nor that the most popular cocktail of the United States is a martini, though had I given it some thought I may have been able to guess the final one. The group was incredibly hospitable, and patient with my Spanish. I returned home exhausted and ready for a day of solitude, which I observed today. This next week I plan on being more active and having multiple entries into the blog.