PART TWO

Hola a todos! I've made it to my second year abroad destination: Santiago de Compostela, Spain! And I'm now sat in a cafe called Dalia with a hot chocolate (which I'm pretty sure is actually chocolate custard...) and scrounging for wifi so I can tell you about my first few days. 

Monday

After spending all of Sunday trying to fit everything in my suitcase, I took myself to the airport on Monday - I met a lovely American man whose friend had got on the metro before him and not realised he wasn't on it, we had a nice chat on the metro and found his friend at the airport! Once I was at the airport, I got myself through security - having my hand luggage search was the most embarrassing situation because this 20 year old travelling alone had a teddy in her backpack, didn't she! Anyway, I then got on my first plane to Madrid, which was pretty empty. I hate flying and apparently so was the woman next to me because she gasped and grabbed my hand when we started to land! Two hours later I was on my second plane to Santiago which thankfully only took an hour. 
As soon as my feet touched the floor I felt comfortable. Everyone I've met so far has been so kind and welcoming - the woman running the hostel was amazing, the man driving the bus from the airport was lovely and when I asked a man for directions, he walked me round the corner to the right road rather than just telling me where to go. If I had spoken to any of those people in Paris I would have received a grunt and a dirty look in response.

Tuesday 

Tuesday was an exciting day! I woke up and ate my breakfast, and then went to the bus stop to collect my future flatmate, Virginia, who is from Italy. I was SO nervous while I waited, all sorts of thoughts going through my head at this point as I'd found her in a Facebook group! But she arrived and we went to my hostel to put her suitcase there and get her a room, and somehow ended up having to share a bed until we found a flat on Thursday! We spent the day looking at flats, had an early dinner and then went to sleep as Virginia had only slept for a couple hours because she had travelled overnight. 

Wednesday 

More flat hunting! Bit of doubt as to whether our other flatmate was going to come the following day to choose a flat and sign the contract... So we posted in a private Facebook group for Erasmus students and asked if anyone wanted to live with us. All I can say is thank god we did! 

Thursday 

This was the day our other flatmate was meant to arrive so we could sign the contract for the flat we decided on. She didn't come. So we met a girl called Júlia who is from Brasil and had commented on our Facebook post on Wednesday night. She came to look at the flat with us and brought a friend with her, we looked around the flat and made our final decision, then went for lunch the four of us. Thursday night, Virginia and I stayed in the flat with only a little blanket each that we had bought earlier on because the owners were going to bring us bedding and pots and pans on Friday morning! Virginia and I did a food shop and had to stop every few steps to have a break because we bought so much food, not our best plan! 

Friday 

On Friday, we signed the contract for our flat and payed the deposit and Ana, one of the owners of the flat, brought us towels, bedding, pans and more. Júlia stayed in her hostel Thursday and Friday night as she'd already paid for it and has moved in today (Saturday). Virginia and I spent most of the day walking around the town, buying bits and pieces for the flat and so on. We spent a couple of hours in a cafe trying to work out how to make our timetables - it was a very similar level of impossible to Paris, but all online so +1 point for Santiago! We cooked dinner and instead of going out to celebrate having a flat, we stayed in like a pair of old women and chatted in Spanglish in fits of giggles. 

Despite the (pretty much constant) rain, I am already loving Santiago. I've barely spoken any English, met some really lovely people and feel pretty comfortable. But let's not jinx it, classes start on Monday and I have a feeling that is not going to be a walk in the park...! 

Bean xx