Bienvenidos a Espana...and enjoy the Reese's

I am finally here!

I flew to Philly, no problem, fine.  My bag was 54.5 lbs in Raleigh, so I frantically pulled some random things out and brought it down to 49.5 lbs.

 

I had a 3 1/2 hour layover which I used to finish reading my SPAIN travel guide and take notes on all the places and festivals I want to see this year.  Once we had boarded the plane to Madrid however, we sat on the tarmak for 2 hours because they were having trouble with the computer screens.  After they fixed our plane's computers, the whole airport was put on lockdown because Obama was flying out....really, Obama? really? I sat next to a girl who was talking on her phone in this weird (weird to me because it wasn't Central American) Spanish accent, and turns out she's an auxiliar norteamericano too!  We talked on the plane and did the whole customs, bathrooms, luggage, currency exchange, and exit process together.  I got on the subway and it was, oddly enough, really easy to figure out (easier than New York and Seoul).  At one point, an older man helped me get my suitcase up the stairs because it was SOOOO heavy.

 

The street signs in the area of my hostel are so miniscule that the directions I had weren't exactly helpful.  I came up from the subway and recognized the fountain (from google maps) and made a left.  After I had been walking for a while and thought I was lost, I asked a security guard standing outside a Ministerio del Interior building where my street was.  He didnt know what Calle Beneficiencia was, but he knew Mejia Lequerica....so now I'm here!!!!

 

When I got to the albergue, I was so smelly, and gross, and tired, but I couldn't go into the room until 1:30pm because they were cleaning.  I found a random empty room on the second floor of the albergue with nothing but two benches, so I tried to sleep on a bench, and I could hear the cleaning lady tell her co-workers "Esta nina dormia!"

 

I finally checked in and realized I don't have the batteries for my alarm clock...

Now that I've finally showered, made my bed, organized myself and my papers, I want to take a nap but I know it'll throw off my sleep.  I know I should head out in an hour or two to look for a place where I can make copies / print my NIE application, buy batteries, and get some food for dinner, but....I'm just. so. tired.

 

During my layover I got myself an everything bagel with coffee, then had the dinner and breakfast on the plane.....but nothing else...until I opened my suitcase at 1:30 in my room and found the Reese's PB cups from my sister which I had totally forgot about!!!! They saved my life.