Settled

Two 50 pound suitcases, one carry on suitcase, one backpack, and one purse thrown into one small elevator, ascend two floors, drag everything through the door and I am home. Finally. I looked around at the place that would be my home for the next nine months. Some aspects of the piso were the same as many apartments I had in the United States like having a bed to sleep in, closet space, various couches and other muebles (furniture).

And then there were some aspects of the apartment that were...well...not so similar. Yes, there is a washer. But as my roommate found out last night, it likes to tell you that the cycle is over, but when you go to open it, it dumps a pond of water all over the floor. (Still trying to figure that one out. Thank God for mops)! And there is no clothes dryer. So yes, I have to hang out the window and real in a clothesline that stretches from one side of the outside courtyard to the other. While my neighbors get to see my underwear displayed. But they do it too so I guess it is considered normal here. Anyways, hanging clothes outside = saving energy = my mother would be proud. The piso is on the second floor so I guess I will spend the next nine months praying that my clothes don't accidentally fall and plunge to their doom onto the floor of the courtyard that we do not have access to. If anyone is wondering, there are clothes down there and some clothes in the trees that have fallen from floors above us. Definitely different from the U.S.

Then there is the gas...oh yes...wonderful old gas. Do you want a hot shower? Ok, light the gas. Do you want to turn on the stove? Ok, light the gas. Do you want just a dab of warm water to wash your face for two quick seconds? Doesn't matter, LIGHT THE GAS! Now I know my Señora had to do all of this when I lived with her. But I never had to do it myself. The whole "living on my own in Spain" is definitely a learning experience.

Then there are the bed sizes. I wish there was a crowd of my friends in Sevilla Centro yesterday to watch as my roommates and I wandered to a bunch of different stores trying to find sheets and towels for our apartment. First, we found a set of sheets in El Corte Ingles for 99 euros...yeah we weren't about to do that. And then we found some for 30 euro...ok a little less...but no. Then we found a store called Trama. Sheets = 10 euro. Blankets = 12-14 euro. Making progress. Then it was time to look for pillows, and surprisingly, Zara home turned out to be our savior. There were pillows, discounted sheets, etc. for pretty cheap.

As anyone can tell from this blog, living in a foreign city is difficult. But words cannot describe the triumph you feel after accomplishing something over here. Some days it might be something as small as having a full conversation with a Sevillano without making too many mistakes (like I did in a cafe called Rodilla yesterday). While other days it might be something as significant as finding a place to live for nine months while only having about 5 full days to do it (like my roommates and I did last weekend). I think it is these triumphs that make me want to keep living here. I want to see what is going to come next. There have been some very difficult days already, but it is the successful moments that keep me wanting to face new challenges.