At eight o’clock in the morning the sun starts filtering through the thin drapes over the window across from my bed. The familiar sound of the ‘radar’ alarm on my phone goes off. I roll over and hit snooze without opening my eyes. A half an hour later, my phone rings again and I groan as I turn it off and open my eyes. Another half an hour later, I am dressed and heading out the door of my host family’s fifth floor apartment. I head down the stairs and out into the chilly morning. The streets and sidewalks around la Plaza de Inmaculada are empty except for a few other early birds (yes, 9:00 a.m. is considered early here). Seven minutes later I am walking along Calle Ancha, the oldest and most touristy part of town. Once I get a block down the street, I turn to the right. I head up the hill and go into el Palacio del Conde Luna, a museum of an ancient palace, where UW has contracted space for a satellite school. I head up the stairs (that kill me every morning) and settle in for two hours of class. When class ends, I head back down the stairs and make my way toward el Centro de Idiomas, the language school for the University of León. On my way there, I pass by multiple bakeries and head into the one directly across León’s last convent. I grab a chocolate croissant and go back into the cold, walking a few minutes more to el Centro. Before heading to Spanish class, I buy a small café con leche descaffenado from a coffee vending machine in the back of the building. I take my croissant and coffee and find a seat in the small classroom where I have Spanish for two hours every weekday. When my brain feels like it’s going to explode from the past four hours of information, I rush out of school and head back to my apartment for lunch. When I open the door to my apartment, I call out, “hola” but get no response since Ana is still at work. I put my backpack in my room and head to the kitchen at the back of the apartment. On the table, Ana has left two pots, a plate with a fork and knife, and a dinner roll. I open the pots and see what if for lunch today (it’s always a surprise) and as always, it’s amazing. When I finish eating, I head back to my room for a nap (practicing the common siesta). When I wake up, Ana is back from work (and is also practicing the common siesta). I grab some chocolate and settle in for a few hours of homework. Later that night, when I feel like I need another nap in order to do any more homework productively, I make my way back to the kitchen and talk with Ana while she makes dinner. We continue to talk while we eat and afterwards too. When I can’t remember a word in Spanish, or can’t describe it, I reach for my phone to translate but for the most part we talk effectively. Two hours pass by and I decide to meet up with some friends from the program. It’s 11:00 p.m. now and I am heading back to Palacio where we often meet before choosing where to go for drinks. The cold night air is refreshing after being in the house doing homework for the last several hours. Once everyone arrives, we head toward the Green Corner, our favorite place in town. The streets are packed with people of all ages and the bars are even more packed. We order Tinto de Verano and grab a table outside while the bartender plates our tapas. The best tapas at this bar are "patatas con ali oli." We stay here for an hour or so talking and enjoying each other’s company. The bartenders talk with us every once in a while, always with a warm smile. Eventually I head back home, the streets less crowded but safe as ever.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Author:
|