First Night

1 September 2008 post 20:00-ish



I arrived in Madrid sometime after 8 pm & waited for pure eternity for my 'HEAVY' hockey bag and small green rolley to carrousel themselves around to my luggage cart. The entire time I had the pleasure of standing next to 2 little Spirish children who clearly had been deprived of a nap, and whose Irish father and Spanish mother took alternating turns scolding them in their respective languages. I eventually had the chance to walk away from the situation with all luggage accounted for and confirmation in the fact that it's always the brother's fault :)



Javi greeted me and my luggage cart, thankfully wearing an AIESEC t-shirt for easy identification haha. We headed oustide and I took my first steps into a parking lot I had stood in 3 years ago. But this time I wasn't headed for a tour bus with an English-speaking tour guide.



The car ride back to Javi's was a jet-lagged combination of blowing the dust off my Spanish and an ever-increasing feeling of deja vu. I had spent 3 years based off a 2 week high school experience set on returning to Spain... and finally I was back.



Javi's dad, brother, Antonio, and sister-in-law-to-be, Blanca greeted me at the Oliva apartment. A quick tour of the house and instruction on my metro transporation for the following morning later we were all seated street-side sharing shrimp, salad, croquetas, pan and beer. Post 10:00 dinner time officially initiated.



Needless to say, I slept quite well until the sunshine reminded me it was time to shower, dress, breakfast and catch the metro to the dorm I'd be staying in for the next 2 weeks.