Things are well here in Spain. I'm slowly but surely getting acclimated to the different lifestyle here. It seems that most Spaniards get about 6 hours of sleep a night plus another 2 (max.) during siesta. Siesta is a midday break during which people eat a large meal and take a short nap. It's strange how everything, and I mean EVERYTHING closes from 2pm until ~5. I can't imagine anything of the sort happening in the States! Well, with the exception of the Spanish Embassy (and consulates too, I assume) -- they do have the siesta factored in to their hours.
I've done pretty well picking up the language, and I've been successfully able to procure a cellphone, health insurance card, and register as a resident of A Coruña as well as apply for my Tarjeta Millennium (literally "Millennium Card," but used to get on the bus, into libraries, etc...basically, it's a municipal works debit card), NIE (Numero de Identificacion de Extranjeros -- Foreigner Identification Number) and my TIE (Tarjeta de Identificacion de Extranjeros -- Foreigner Identification Card). Although it'll take about forty days to receive the tarjeta, I'm now able to sign myself up for contracts (yay WiFi!) and do other necessary things that they want to keep illegals from doing. It has been extremely difficult to do all of this though, and I can't imagine how much more difficult it must be for those immigrating to the United States.
As I alluded to earlier, Matt (my roommate) and I have found a piso (flat), and it's very comfortable. We're located right in the middle of La Ciudad Vieja (The Old City) and we're within walking distance of everything for the most part. I've posted pictures on my Facebook, so you can check them out! I'm not too far from La Torre de Hércules (Hercules Tower) -- the oldest continually functioning lighthouse in the world! Although I can't see it from my piso, my runs take me right past it.
I've met lots of cool people too. Some are Americans, some are Spaniards, and some are from elsewhere in Europe. It's very diverse, much moreso than I thought it would be in little Galicia tucked way up in the northwest corner of Spain. Hopefully over the course of the next few weeks, I'll be able to get some pictures with them so y'all know that I'm not just making them up -- they exist, I swear!
Although I haven't spent much time there yet, due to getting settled as well as Spanish holidays, I love my school! The kids seem to be eager to learn...or at least to talk to me. They're not supposed to know that I speak Spanish, and last Thursday I made the mistake of responding to someone in Spanish. One of the students heard, and next thing I knew, four or five of them came running up to me asking me all sorts of things! That was fun to explain, but we settled on "He understands Spanish, but he can't speak it." Hopefully none of the students see me speaking to the other teachers (asides from Natalia, who I will be working with the most, the other faculty do not speak much English).
I've yet to see a fútbol (soccer) match, and unfortunately Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña dropped from the first division to the second division in the off season so Real Madrid and Barcelona will not be travelling up here for matches. Oh well, I guess I'll gave to travel down to see them!
I think that's all for now, like I said, the last few days have been spent getting myself organized rather than adventuring. While I've traveled throughout the city, and to Santiago de Compostela for an orientation, I haven't had much time to do as much sightseeing as I'd like. In time though. The four day weekends that I have are REALLY conducive to that!
Chao!
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