Bienviajes in Spain

Since the first days in Spain, overwhelmed and homesick, Spain has found a special place in my heart.

Walking through the streets of Oviedo Viejo

I arrived in Oviedo exactly one month ago and I have come leaps and bounds since then.

    After talking with other travelers, I learned it is a right of passage to lose your luggage in the Madrid airport, and sure enough, I did. So I spent my first five days in Spain with only the clothes on my back and my carry on. Word to the wise: pack a change of clothes in your carry on, because you never know.

     After I received my luggage and settled into my new Spanish home, things became better with each passing day. Spanish people are very friendly, which I learned on my first day walking around the city of Oviedo. On my first day on my own, I was standing on a street corner, looking completely dumbfounded, when an adorable old man came up to me asked me what I was looking for. Without me even asking, he gave me directions back to my house and also pointed me in the direction of a quaint little café where I could rest my tired feet. From that day, I knew I would get along just fine in Oviedo.

     Daily life in Oviedo is like being on vacation. No one is ever in a rush and everything is very relaxed. Since classes are in the late afternoon, I have all the morning to enjoy café con leche with my new friends, go running in the beautiful parks around the city, and shop at the local markets for fresh bread and beautiful scarves. Nightlife begins after 11pm, and includes bars, discothèques, wine, and the famous Asturian sidra. 

     The Spanish home life has been an enormous change as well. I am living here with a single Spanish woman. From day one, she welcomed me into her home with open arms. She cooks me enough Spanish food to feed a small army and never lets me leave the house without a scarf on the cold days. Family is a very important part of the Spanish lifestyle and it is apparent with every day I spend with my host mom.

     Adjusting to a new lifestyle here in Spain has been one of the most difficult things I have had to do, but it has also been one of the most rewarding. Already, I have experienced so many new things and I know my 5 months here is going to fly by.