One Step at a Time

Sorry for keeping everyone waiting! It's been a busy couple of weeks since school has started, and technical difficulties have been delaying my posts. For the record: I'm not dead!

Life in Malaga has been great. Although there are times when nostalgia and lingering sensations of culture-shock still hit me, I feel as if I'm finally beginning to aclimatize to the Spanish way of life.

As of yesterday, my best-good friend from Slovakia, Jana and I are officially flatmates! I've moved from my flat on Calle de Gordón into Jana's [cheaper and larger] flat near Plaza de la Merced in the city center. The move has cut my commute to school in half. On top of that, I LOVE the apartment, and my new roomie!

I'm beginning a workout regiment! Everyday for the past week, Jana and I have been running along the beach and working out at an outdoor gym between Malagueta and El Palo. The run is about 4 kilometers in total, and the view is the best part. I've never been one for physical activity, but I'm certain that when all is said and done, and I return to Atlanta after a year, my daily jog along the beach [accompanied by the sun rising over the Mediterranean] will be something that I will miss greatly.

[Expect pictures soon!]

Fiesta Nacional 2010

The first week of classes at UMA were tough. It took me a while to figure out which classes to take, and filter through conflicting time slots. The Spanish don't really understand the Major and minor system that we have in the States, so I'm having to go between two faculties between 11:00 and 21.30 Monday through Friday. The best thing about my first week of classes, however, was the fact that I had a school holiday in the middle of the week, and a five-day weekend that followed. I didn't realize what the occasion was until my German friend Alex invited to the festival in Nerja.




12 October marks the Spanish Fiesta Nacional. It was on this day that Jana (my best bud in Málaga) and I took a bus to Nerja, one of my now favorite beach cities in Southern Spain. The photo above is from the bus ride over. It appeared as if the driver had fallen asleep! After an adventure in transit, we met Alex at a house on the outskirts and joined a group of Spaniards in celebrating the national holiday. The people that we met were very inviting and welcoming, and served us paella, tortilla española, and a variety of other dishes that they cooked over an open fire on their back porch. [Comedic side note: THEY HAD A ROOSTER!!!] We ate our fill and spent the day laughing, toasting, and conversing in Spanish.



After the house party, we all loaded up in our host's cars and rode to Nerja's city centre where people were dancing in the streets! Between the music, the dancing, the drinks, the traditional garments that the people were wearing, and the good company that I was in, the Fiesta Nacional proved to be the best time that I've had in Spain thus far.



As the night came to a close, we stepped into a more familiar scene: Fair rides! We rode this big tilting orbital called "La Olla" that tossed us around like popcorn in a kettle [bringing us closer to our new friends than we thought we would ever be]. The only downside was that it tore my new Zara jeans!




After trading contact information, we all went our separate ways. Although I'm still struggling to acclimate to University life at UMA, one thing about that first week is certain: the Fiesta Nacional of 2010 will forever live in my memory as one of the best nights in my life.

Rainy Day Meals with Eveline Boissonneault

Wednesday was my first rainy day in Málaga.

For those of you that know me, it goes without saying that I HATE rainy days [especially with having lived in a month of seemingly endless sunshine on the Costa del Sol. It's said that rainy days help you better appreciate the sunny ones. I never truly bought into that BS until I have a friend whose rainy-day tradition made me truly appreciate staying in doors.

Eveline Boissonneault is another student in the North American group that I've had the pleasure of meeting in Málaga. She's from Québec, so her native language is French, and she learned English in school. Above all, Eveline's Spanish speaking abilities intrigue me, and unlike the other international students that see "American" as "an opportunity to practice English," Eveline is one of the only international students that refuses to speak with me in any language other than Spanish. Spending a day speaking solely Spanish was a definite plus to hanging out with Eveline.



To top it all off, Eveline can cook [ESPECIALLY on rainy days]! With my belly-fat serving as Exhibit A, it's now lie that I manage to feed myself, but cooking the way that she cooked that day is something that I've yet to master. We began the day at Eroski (a Spanish supermarket), where Eveline bought all of the materials that she needed for the task ahead. The way that her face lit up as the came up with ideas browsing the aisles gave the experience five gold stars in my book.

After three meals, listening to great music, and learning how to sow, it's safe to say that I'll never turn down a rainy day at her place again! Below are the meals with descriptions of each.


Breakfast: Nectarine pancakes with Nutella and yogurt for toppings accompanied with fresh pears, Mango juice, and the best banana-nut muffins I've had in my life!


Lunch: A cream-based soup with fresh mussels and white wine.

Dinner: Fresh fish, grilled to perfection, with a mixed veggie salsa on a bed of rice. [Also served with white wine].

A World Away From Where I Started.

To whomever is reading this, I'm sorry that I've taken so long to make my first post. I've had a bit of trouble getting adjusted to my new life in Málaga, Spain.

I've never felt as American as I have over the past month! The slow-pace, the long (slow-moving) lines,  and the business days that end at 14:00 (that push my plans to the next day) have been driving me crazy! It isn't until I come home and look out my window that I am reminded of the opportunity that I've been granted. They say that the first few months abroad are the hardest. I agree, considering that after a month, I still don't think that my geographic location has fully hit me. Although home-sickness and culture shock have definitely taken their tole. I'm sure I'll eventually be able to sit back, relax, and take the Spanish approach on life: ¡Hombre! ¿Porque estás pesado? No pasa nada!

If you know me, you know that I prefer my feet to any motor vehicle. My roommates find it odd that if it weren't for the fact that all of my classes are in Teatinos (a 20 minute bus ride from the center), I wouldn't even bother with buying a bus pass.

I don't regret choosing a flat in the center over one in Teatinos. It's more of my environment here. Like in Atlanta, the sounds of the city at all hours of the night help me sleep. Málaga is always alive and vibrant. Unlike Atlanta, however, I sometimes don't feel the need to bring my iPod with me. The sounds of the city are enough.

Above are some of my favorite sights in Málaga's center. Even after seeing them for a month, I still catch myself stopping like a tourist and staring at them as I walk through the city.

I love you, Victor! Goodnight!