Journey to Leon

Hola todos desde España!

After a long long long journey, I have finally arrived safely to my new home in Leon. When I got to Madrid I didn´t realize until I was just about to get on the metro that the wheel on my larger bag broke somewhere between New York and Spain. I tried not to let it get me down, because i had not choice but to figure out a way to carry it to the bus depot (which i swear couldn´t have been fruther from the airport of it tried). I had to take two trains to get to the bus depot and the transfer was brutal. I had to literally drag that heavy bag up and down corridors and escalators along with my three other bags as well. It really wouldn´t have been that bad had my wheel not broken, i had a pretty good set up for carrying them. So by the time i arrived at the bus depot i was hungry, fatigued, and probably offensively smelly from the work out i´d just endured on top of nervous sweat being in a new country and speaking Spanish.

Up until I got to the bus station i was the brownest person around. I finally started seeing dark skinned people who I assumed were from parts of northern and western African countries. I overheard one man, about my skin color, ask another man where he was from (in Spanish). The man replied Senegal and the proceeded to have a short ¨get to know you¨kind of conversation. I thought it was so cool. the other guy was from New Orleans and he introduced himself to me later after mistaking me first for a french woman. He is a teaching assistant and student at the university of Salamanca and was in Madrid for some good herb :)

The bus was like no other coach bus i´d been on. It was like a ground plane. All the seats were products of Mercedes Benz and there was an attendent who served food and drinks (unfortunately i slept through that part) throughout the ride. At the end we even got a free DVD on how to make quick traditional Spanish dishes!

At the bus station in Leon I began to get a little worried because the station inside was completely empty...except one man. I asked him where the cabs were and he told me outside, but when I looked, there were no cars in sight. I went outside anyway to use the phone to call my host mom to ask her what I should do, but then the man came out because he remembred the number to a cab company I could use. I thanked him, called a cab, and was picked up within minutes.

The cab driver was really nice and asked me some questions about my travels and I asked him a little about Leon. I was ready to fall out of the cab with happiness as we arrived at the apartment building where my host mom, Julia, greeted me upstairs. She is so kind and warm and has already made me feel comfotable and right at home in only 20 mins. I think I´m definitely in good, safe hands :)

I had an apple and a glass a water and now i´m ready to take a shower and crash crash crash on my bed. I thought I´d never lay down again! Well I´m gong to go for now, but you all should continue to check out my blog for further updates and pictures because thats where I´ll be doing most of my keeping in touch, it´s easier for me that way to stay connected with as many people as possible.

Thank you all for your love and support, it has really sustained me on my journey so far and i´m sure it will continue.

-Michele