Sunday, February 03, 2008

Well this is my first entry into my laptop blog for Spain. Right now I have been here for about a month and I think I am finally getting the hang of everything. This, though, is not saying that I am getting the language down! True, I understand more and I am able to communicate but not near to the extent I would like to be able to! Yesterday was a good day. Sean, Jon, and I called it an early night on Friday after a nice little laptop party at Isla de Cuba, a nice little café with free wifi. Saturday morning I woke up early (for Spain) at 9:30 and went to Los Prados to mail some stuff and look for some swimming/shower sandals. I didn’t really find any sandals that I liked or a price I was willing to pay for so I made my way to some of the chino stores they have around town. I found one store with sandals but the sizes were small and they looked like they were stocked in 1997. I left. I didn’t get far though because I really wanted to go swimming at the gym I workout at and I knew that if I didn’t buy any sandals there I would not be able to swim. At that realization, I turned around and bought the overly colorful sandals that were a size and a half too small for 2 euros. A great purchase I thought. This purchase led to one of my most uncomfortable situations in Spain. When I arrived at the gym I did not really feel like working at all so I got on a bike for a little bit until Sean was finished with his cardio workout and while Jon was still arriving (we all obviously workout at the same gym). I was on the bike for a maybe 6 minutes before Jon arrived and after that I justified stopping because I was incredibly sore from the last 4 days of solid workouts. I stretched for a bit and then told the guys I was making my move to try the pool. This is an intimidating thing because nobody in our group knows exactly how it works down there or what you are supposed to do to be able to enter. We tried to go in one day and were quickly shooed out. I had figured out that you must wear sandals to enter the pool area and so that’s what I was gunning for. Just get in and go from there. With the a confident attitude I changed into my suit (in the wrong locker room mind you) and walked down the stairs in my over colored sandals and very blue flowery shorts. I was looking good. I made my way thru the correct locker room to the pool entrance and was home free. I went thru the doors and was immediately stopped by a girl about my age, who immediately starting rambling something out in Spanish. She was talking soo fast I had not a chance to comprehend. I eventually told her I am a beginner at the language and luckily she knew some English so we could communicate efficiently. With a common language, she explained to me that her dad was in the locker room I just left and that he had her shampoo that she needed and that she wanted me to go to ask him for it. I told her I had no idea who her dad was and thus would not recognize him. She said that’s not important just go in and ask for shampoo. Being a valiant dude, I decided to give it a shot to help her out. I went into the locker room of half naked Spaniards and said, Hay un padre que tiene una hija? porque ellla necessita shampoo. I thought I said it well and had high hopes for a response. Everyone stared blankly at me. Haha. I tried again. Same reaction. “Who is this gringo?” they probably thought. I tried the other side without success and had to return a disappointed dripping wet damsel. I felt bad I was unable to retrieve her shampoo. But it is so strange to me sometimes. I speak in their language yet everyone looks at me like I was speaking in Elfish (or some other very foreign language). A very strange feeling. I sometimes doubt that this language works! When it does tho, it is a fantastic feeling. So after parting ways with Noella I went to mull things over in a gigantic hot tub which I think is similar to the prefects bathroom in Harry Potter (mom you would love it). As I get in and sit down, I look around and realize everyone seems to love to wear those silly little swim caps. Not one person is without one. Except me. Oh. I get out of the tub. I find one of the workers and ask them about it and luckily this guy took care of me and gave me a silly cap. It was probably from the lost and found. Gross. Oh well. I returned to the hot tub and enjoyed the lukewarm water and the massive amount of bubbles. It was actually pleasant. I couldn’t stop laughing about my recent encounters. I couldn’t stop picturing the confused faces of everyone in that locker room. It was hilarious. I got out of the hot tub and was going to try the sauna but I decided I had had enough excitement for one morning. I showered and called it good.

Carnaval in Aviles: After the gym, Sean, Jon, and I walked to find a costume for Carnaval, which is a celebration in all of Spain and people dress up in costumes for it. We decided on some some Chinese hats and these white paper suits that we would draw on the characters to spell out PING PONG. We looked good. Carnaval was wild. Crazy costumes. AND there was foam in the streets! During the parade that have some kind of foam machine and just soak everything .Kids, adults, everyone puts on ponchos and just slide thru about 2ft of foam in the street. It is quite a sight. It was all in all a lot of fun!