my SAFE arrival in Spain!

So i'm sure you're all very concerned as to whether my travels across the world were safe, fun, uplifting, whatever. and to answer all of those questions: yes. definitely, i am about to pass out because i've basically been awake for 24 hours now (with only a few half hour naps scattered about in between because i apparently cannot sleep on airplanes) and i am not allowed to go to sleep until 8 o'clock tonight because i'll be jet lagged if i do and then i won't be any fun tomorrow. so instead, i'm going to post a detailed description of my trip on this blog, eat something, and go explore ALCALA DE HENARES!

so my mom dropped me off at LAX yesterday morning. i check my bags, go through security, buy a gigantic baguette that's supposed to feed 4 people and eat the entire thing, fly to philadelphia, have a two hour layover, and get on board my first transatlantic flight. my roommate here, sarah jane, coincidentally happened to be on the same flight, although about 13 rows ahead of me. man, it was the quickest night EVER (literally), and i didn't sleep at all. i finished off a tale of two cities again (and almost cried at the end.. i've decided i want to name one of my children sydney because i love sydney carton so much at the end of that book) and talked IN SPANISH to the lady next to me. having a conversation with her totally soothed the main fear that i had coming to spain. my 2 main fears were:
1. that when i tried to communicate with anyone in spanish, i would be unable to remember anything i have learned in my 6 years of studying the subject and would look like an idiot.
2. that everything i own would be stolen or pickpocketed from me.
but i now at least know that i can communicate with people in spanish, even if they are fluent! i feel SO much better about being here and i'm so excited to better my espanol and use it a lot.
after we landed, i got BOTH of my bags (nothing got lost rique!) and then sarah jane and i proceeded to wait for 7 (SEVEN) hours in the waiting area of the airport for the rest of our people to arrive. and then we had to wait for the bus to come and get us. and i couldn't sleep during that time at all. however, it doesn't matter, because the bus eventually came and we rode on it and can i just say that spain is BEAUTIFUL and i LOVE LOVE LOVE where i'm staying and everything about everything here. it's gorgeous weather and an adorable little town (alcala de henares) and my familia here seems very nice. i just can't wait to go exploring! tomorrow we don't have anything planned, so we're all going to meet up and go into madrid (about 1/2 hour metro ride) and go do stuff. i don't think any of us know exactly what yet, but it will be fun, whatever it is.

so don't worry mom! i'm here and i'm alive and i'm happy as a clam! (ps. that's such a weird saying. clams aren't happy, they don't even have brains, do they?)