Mi Primer Dia en Espanya!

Hola a todos!
Sorry I haven’t gotten a chance to write a real letter to you all! I pray that you won’t get bored because this is going to be a long one starting from ground zero—the airlines. I nervously waited to board the plane to this International Dutch airlines called KLM. Once I squeezed all of my luggage and took my seat in this gigantanormous monstrosity of a vehicle, I knew I’d have to suck it up and endure the pain of sitting in a cramped area for half a day’s travel. Thank GOD for “How I met your mother” and “Madmen” because I couldn’t have made it through the long hours and DISGUSTING airline food. (A blogworthy description in itself). Ironically, this distaste for the food would continue beyond the travel and carry on through my entire trip thus far in Barcelona.
Once I got off, I endured 2 more hours of complete confusion, being lost, and not knowing what to do. Finally I found the CIEE meeting point where not a living CIEE soul had arrived. Soon afterwards, 4 girls approach the statue as well. All had more luggage that I did for only a semester’s time of living. Little did I know they would turn out to be the closest friends that I’ll have here. After discussing the excitement to come, two Spanish people from the CIEE program arrive—our “Angeles de la guardia” (Guardian Angels). A girl named Belen—who is a very petite, sweet girl with a hard indie edge and Borja—an adorably cute young man who doesn’t have a mean bone in his body.
We ironically step up to a HUGE bus and fill in the first 7 seats. Driving along the street s from Barcelona to Sitges, I resisted the urge to take pictures because the vehicle was moving so fast. About 30 minutes later, we arrive to San Sebastian hotel right off of the shores of Sitges Beach. It is here where I meet the program director, a sweet Spanish woman named Elena that is very warm and welcoming. Finally I unload my things after a long, exhausting flight and head downstairs for Orientation. The orientation is long but seems to fly by because of the novelty of being in a new country. During orientation, I meet all of the people that I will be spending the next four months with. Everybody seemed to be fun and laidback—my type of people!
We’re given a short break to explore all of the things that sitges has to offer and are told to meet back at the hotel for dinner. First, I’ll just have to say that Sitges is an AMAZING place. It’s a very old told with indescribable beauty. Sitges is primarily known as the upcoming spot for gay men,but there seems to be so much love among the people. I can imagine growing old there and raising families. Finally after exploring Sitges, everybody meets up for dinner and enters this elegant room in this beautiful hotel. Although I've heard both positive and negative things about the food in my “future” country, It’s sad to say that I HATED it all. This trip will end in hunger and I’ll have to survive on bread. :-O. Little did I know how little I’d be eating these next couple of days in Spain.
Any person would assume when you are put at a table full of strangers that you’ve met and known for only about 2 hours, it would be awkward as hell. Any person in their right mind would try to avoid this situation at all costs. However, the kids in my program remind me a lot of the people I hang out with on a daily basis in Texas. There was a dynamic at dinner that made me feel at home and comfortable with the people I was with. Conversation and wine was a-flowing and dinner ended with enthusiasm for the semester to come. After “dinner” (if I can call mine that), we all went to the sitges beach to just walk around and talk. It was an exciting night as our first night was about to come to a close. I can honestly say that my first night in Sitges, Spain ended in success!
Continuation of my days in Barcelona will soon come!