What? You mean there really is a tomorrow in Spain?

Written earlier, but posted now while I am on Campus Milan:

Today was a bit crazy, I managed to find my way to the international relations office and straightened out the translation class business. Turns out the TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS lady was actually incorrect as well... good thing I didn't trust her or I would have been showing up to Spanish-German translation class. Whoops. The woman I talked to said that I didn’t need to pay right now and that I could go to class tonight and next week to see how I like it and then we’d worry about paying. I will say that is one really nice thing about the “manana” mentality, they are really relaxed about getting payments in on time.

After that I ran around trying to find a kiosk to buy a bus pass so I can get back and forth to Milan. I finally found it after stopping at a tourist information kiosk and was on my way. It turns out the one in that area was actually tucked inside of a McDonalds, of all things. Oh yeah Paloma was totally right about the university ID card... they totally didn't care that I didn’t have it and just took my word for it so I got a sweet discount. 7 euros for 10 trips, not too bad I guess compared to the 12 euros or so it usually costs.

I got lost on the way back and I found myself with just 15 minutes to get to class which was at least a 30-40 minute walk from where I was even if I knew exactly how to get there, which I didn't. The streets don't have much in the way of signs on them so unfortunately a map can only help so much. I decided to just use my new bus pass to catch a bus to the hospital and then it is just a 10 min walk from there, and I would know where I was. It was one of those crazy accordion buses too, about 60ft long with nice plush seats and even a digital sign displaying what the next stop is. I must say, it was a comfy ride, and the maps are really easy to read. You don’t even scan the card in, you just wave it past this weird sensor thingy and away you go.

I got off the bus and it was 12:29, class starting at 12:30. I walked as fast as humanly possible up that tremendous hill, I was sweating like crazy and breathing so hard I thought I would have a heart attack. Since this is one of those classes that counts attendance, I did NOT want to miss it. I finally arrived at 12:35, out of breath and with my bladder about to explode because I had been putting off that bathroom break as I made my way around the city. I and I opened the door to the classroom... nobody is there.

I decided that now would be a good time to take that bathroom break and eat a couple of the pears that Merce left out for me as a mid day snack. They are so juicy that I actually had to eat them over the sink in the bathroom because juice just spills out all over the place and there is no way to avoid it. They really are delicious. Merce had caught wind that I really liked them so she has been leaving a few out for me every morning for me to take to campus. She is so sweet.

I recognized a girl standing outside as being in that class so I asked her what was up and she said that people only needed to come today if they were studying certain topics for their final paper or whatever. No matter I thought, I haven't selected a topic anyway, so it is just as well that I show up. The professor comes along THIRTY MINUTES LATER. I was a little angry that I had used my bus pass when I probably could have walked there, found my way, and still been on time. Oh well, such is life, and I got some backpack hill repeats in there too, as Jay and Cammarata would call it.

After that I decided to make a pass by the departmental secretary’s office again to see about getting those syllabi… miraculously the older woman that had spoken with me yesterday actually was true to her word and had a stack of syllabi waiting for me with the post-it note that I had written for her stuck on top. Manana finally came!

I went to the facultad bookstore which is actually owned by Corte Ingles (like the wal-mart of Spain apparently, but instead of having all the departments in the same building, they are broken up into separate stores) and looked for a few of my books. From what I can tell they don’t actually expect you to buy most of the ones that they list, and in fact, I didn’t see most of mine there. I went ahead and purchased a copy of the “codigo civil” (Civil Code) that the Civil Law professor keeps referring to in class so that I could follow along a little more easily. Apparently I can reclaim the IVA on that too (impuesto de valor anadido, or Value Added Tax in English) if I take it back home with me. I imagine I will, because apparently they don’t do the whole selling books back thing here.

While I was over in that area I dropped by Paloma’s office again and said I had my classes all figured out, but I didn’t know the codes for them offhand. She said it was a bit of a pain to do it without the codes and asked if I could just come back tomorrow. No worries, I figured I’d give it a shot while I was over there. I have to go back over there for film class tomorrow anyway and I can take a little time tonight to look up the codes. Paloma is a busy lady, so I would have felt bad taking up her time so she could look up the codes herself anyway.

I feel a lot better today in general. I am still getting really fatigued and such and I still feel a bit homesick, but it seems that things are finally starting to come together a little bit. I need to choose a topic for Servicios en red class (I suppose Networked Services would be the best way to translate that).

We decided to make the trip to MediaMarkt tomorrow instead, and perhaps I will invest in a new thumb drive there. Even in the university bookstore I noticed that a 2gig was only 19 euros, and everything is overpriced there of course. I toured a little bit of El Fontan, an open market of sorts, while I was lost in town today. There are some really neat little stands set up with clothing, arts and crafts, jewelry, etc that I would like to shop around for gifts for people… maybe next week when things are all figured out. Apparently Thursday is “the day” to shop El Fontan.

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Now I am in the campus Milan, awaiting my translation class. I went to the same building where Tuesday/Thursday lady was since I remembered it having a sign for the Language Lab, where the class actually is held despite what Tuesday/Thursday lady said, but as I combed through the building following numerous signs pointing to the lab, the lab just didn't seem to exist. Eventually I found out that this phantom lab is in fact, not even in the same building. I have to wonder, why was the sign there? I couldn't help but take a picture of it. I had asked a student for help but she was just as confused as I was.

I took some more great photos today since I had to pass through San Francisco Park earlier and there are some wonderful fountains and a few regal turkeys, uh I mean peacocks, were out and about.

I am going to go locate the phantom language lab now, I am told I am on the correct floor in the correct building so it shouldn't be too hard.

Coming soon: Things I have learned thus far in Spain. Stay tuned.