HUGE WAKE UP CALL!

HUGE WAKE UP CALL!
Okay, so I forgot what my priorities were for a second. A week before midterms, I went into panic mode. This meant no make-up, messy hair and no sense of fashion everyday. It was hard for me, I’ve been traveling a lot and I thought that was the only reason why I was here.

Trust me, I got a reality check. The only thing that saved me was the strong study team that I had. We were up until 4 AM every single day and drinking coffee nonstop. It was not easy but I made it, and I think I did pretty good. The classes are not hard but you need to be on top of your things. Or else you’re going to go crazy like me!

The best advice I could give you is to PAY ATTENTION. Most of the classes rely on your exams so don’t miss a class because you might not have your usual slide to make up for it.]

 

THIS IS A SAD PICTURE OF ME AFTER EXAMS! Enjoy!

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Hope This Helps!

I’ve been in Spain for 21 days and to be honest, I got super comfortable the first week. The people here are so amazing and they definitely know how to fiesta! I’m still getting used to it because leaving your house at 1:20 a.m. is apparently way too early.

Another hard adjustment was dinner time. You know how you normally eat around 5pm? That doesn’t exist here. That’s siesta (nap)time and dinner time is around 9-10pm. It sounds crazy but, now I’ve become so accustomed to it and I’d probably cry if I don’t get my siesta time!

An adjustment that I’ve struggled so hard with since I have arrived in Spain is the fact that tipping is not a thing here. Since I am the type of person who tips a LOT and even over-tips (Does that even exist?) all the time, it has not been easy. I was speaking with my friend from Spain and she said that the maximum that people give is around 10-20¢. Who does that? If you were in New York, people would definitely spit in your food the next time you went. Right? I am constantly tempted to leave at least 1 euro and it is just unheard of. I tried to do this at a bar while it was really busy and the bartender gave me the most confused look EVER. So yeah, don’t tip while you’re in Spain.

Below I am going to put my personal tips on cultural norms in Spain and adjusting to studying abroad:

  1. Don’t tip.
  2. Do not skip siesta.
  3. Do not walk in the biking lane, they will hit you.
  4. It’s okay to talk to a stranger, you might make a friend.
  5. Don’t get freaked out if you see people openly partying in the streets.
  6. It’s okay, you can wear the same outfit… no one cares.
  7. Walk slow, you’re not in the concrete jungle anymore.
  8. I hope you have someone like Alyssa as your partner in crime.
  9. Give your body some time to adjust to the food, I am still trying to.
  10. All you have to say is “I’m from New York.”
  11. Don’t book three trips in one week. You’ll want to die. I almost did.
  12. Ask questions, remember, just like your first-grade teacher told you, “there is no such thing as a stupid question.”
  13. Speak with other internationals, they’re having similar experiences too!
  14. DO NOT EAT OUT EVERYDAY.
  15. Don’t leave your friends and family at home completely out of the loop, they miss you.
  16. When it comes to ordering food at a restaurant, I am bilingual and I don’t understand half of the food options.
  17. Get Sprint, the international service is beyond amazing. Seriously, I had to ask three times to make sure that there will be no international fees.
  18. Well, this is all I have so far and considering it’s only my third week abroad, I’m sure things will change. However, I will keep you guys updated.

P.S. shout out to Alyssa for helping make this list!

 Ta Luego 

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Okay. Breath in. Breath out.

So, I did an amazing yet emotional thing recently. I went to New Paltz a few days before going to Spain. Trust me, it wasn’t easy. I let go of my comfort zone. So, there was a lot of crying. But, I will not forget what my friend told me that weekend. Which was to prepare myself for the best experience of my life and not to worry because things will be exactly the same when I get back. That’s when it hit me. He was right, I’m going to Spain. I’m going to Spain. I’m going to Spain. Spain. Spain. Spain.

Me? Spain? I was born in Honduras, I have 30 cousins and 100 tias and tios and I’ve only seen one person go to Europe and now me. AND now me. I’m 22 years old so I know what this experience means to my family. I’m Latina and proud, and everyone in my family is now completely involved. It’s crazy, I have my godmother buying me a purse because I have to represent Honduras, my other aunt bought me some films to take pictures, my cousin is showing me Spain bloggers, my uncle— well you get the point! Do you see what I mean? This is not only my experience anymore, it belongs to my family too.

Also, I can’t even begin to explain how lucky I feel and I owe this to my parents, myself and SUNY New Paltz for making this dream possible. On another note, I feel nervous too. Who’s going to be my roommate? Will she be nice? AND THE CLOTHES, am I packing correctly? How do I know when to stop packing? I’m a huge fashionista and I’m trying to fit my closet inside my luggage. It’s sad, I’ve watched so many tutorials on how to pack but it’s still hard because I want to take my top 100 shoes. haha. But, I’m serious. So many people are telling me that there are stores over there, mhm nope I don’t believe it.

 

Alright, I’m joking but still. I can’t help it.

 

 

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New Paltz


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One Week to Go!

It’s snowing in New York City today and somehow I’m going to have to adjust to 64 degree weather in one week! I don’t think that adjustment will be an issue though.

So I’ve begun the packing process. I just bought a gigantic suitcase that could probably pack a person. There are still a few things to be done like laundry, which is the only part of packing that I can’t stand. This week is going to be filled with preparation so hopefully I won’t be too stressed out by Saturday.

All of the New Paltz students are heading back to New Paltz this weekend and it is so sad to say goodbye! I didn’t think I would be sentimental at all but it is a bittersweet farewell for now. At least I won’t be waking up for class on Monday! However, I will be waking up early. The time difference in Spain is 6 hours ahead of New York. So waking up here at 9am is like waking up for Spain’s 3pm. So for almost the entire winter break I’ve been trying not to sleep late. Yesterday I woke up at 6:30am accidentally and decided to stay awake. Hopefully by the time I arrive in Spain my body will be adjusted to waking up around 6am EST, or 12pm in Spanish time. I really don’t want to be jet-lagged when classes begin.

Also, I have a little book of inspirational quotes that I think I’ll share here on this blog. Each quote is a little daily affirmation for us all to remind ourselves of. There’s one for each day of the 2012 year. So, to leave you guys with a little food for thought: “I have many dreams, and I know that I deserve to have these dreams come true.” – Louise L. Hay