The party don't stop til' 6 in the morning (literally)

I've always thought that as a college student living in the fun-filled city of Los Angeles, I knew the definition of what it meant to go out at night. Madrid has proved me wrong. The nightlife here is incredible and, I hate to say it, puts LA (and even Cabo over spring break) to shame. When Spaniards say they are "saliendo para la noche" (going out for the night), they really reeeaaallly mean it. The night usually starts around 10 with a leisurely dinner and maybe a pitcher or two of sangria. Around midnight, it's off to a bar to drink and socialize. Leave the bar by 1:15 am to catch the last metro of the night, and then it's off to the club...until 6 am...when the metro re-opens. I have been doing my best to keep up with these crazy Madrillenos so as not to miss out on all the good times to be had, and am starting to really love the early-morning ride home on the metro in the company of people leaving the clubs and others on their way to work...Here's a brief overview of some great nighttime hotspots:

DUBLINERS/O'CONNELLS

Two Irish bars right next to each other on the same street. Kind of a sportsbar atmosphere... lots of Americans.. fun, causual place to hang out with friends and meet people.

MANUELA'S
The board game bar! Really laid-back, with a WALL of board games. We played bilingual Scrabble and Taboo in Spanish...so much fun!

EL CHAPANDAZ

Really cool bar designed like a cave. Specializes in very big, very yummy drinks! Kinda dark (it is a cave so that makes sense), with a dartboard and good music.

PALACIO GAVIRIA

Great club designed like a palace! Different rooms play different music, and the design in beauuutiful. They do an international student night on Thursdays- you get a sticker saying what country you're from and get to meet students from all over the place! I decided to switch things up for the night and be from Switzerland, but I think it kind of confused people so I might stick to representing the U.S. from now on...

JOY

Right next to Palacio, another fun dance club. The first night we went, they were having some sponsored party for students so it was packed and so much fun...great music! But it hasn't been super interesting since so we'll see...

Go-Go dancer in the making?

KAPTIAL

The mother of all discos, this place is INCREDIBLE. The club has 7 floors, and plays different music on each one so you can switch it up depending on your mood. There is a movie room (no, I'm not kidding) if you need a break from all the dancing and lots of different bars. The top floor is a gorgeous lounge with couches, hookah, and lighting that makes everyone glow =) When the weather gets warmer, the roof is retractable...can't wait!

Vera and I with our Swedish friends we met in the bathroom of Kapital!

So that's the gist of Madrid's unbeatable nightlife...it's pretty much a dream-come-true for someone who loves to dance as much as I do! Oh speaking of dancing...here are my takes on how it's done in Europe:

-European men actually LIKE to dance yay! But...

-They dance very differently than in the U.S. They're used to dancing to more techno-y music and I love hip-hop, so some compromise is definitely necessary to avoid some very awkward lack of coordination.

-The infamous Dane Cook line "I just wanna dance" doesn't translate as well in Spanish. Guys really just don't get it when you say "Solo quiero bailar"...they think it means you DO want to dance with them, which 87.92457% of the time is not the case.

I forgot to mention earlier that the night actually doesn't end when you leave the club at 6am, because after all that dancing, food sounds amazing. And by food I mean churros con chocolate. La Chocolateria is right around the corner from Joy...

In a cafe after leaving Kapital with our new friends Jesus and Angel

The moral of the story is that if I'm talking to you on Skype/AIM at 11pm U.S. time, it's 7am here and I just got home and should really be going to bed soon so I can wake up in time to have lunch with my Senora...I may have to move to Madrid b/c it's just too much fun, so I hope everyone's ready to come visit and pull a few all-nighters!! Hasta luego, un beso...

Me Encanta Mi Familia!!

Everyone I've talked to who's studied in Spain has said that the home stay can make or break the experience...I DEFINITELY have it made =) My Senora Maria Rosa is the nicest woman you will ever meet. She loves entertaining and doesn't mind at all if I have friends over which is great. She basically lives to ensure that everyone around her is happy, and I adore her =) But that's not all...

She has a son...his name is Miguel, he's 32, and he's awesome. I've never had an older brother so it's really fun (he totally acts like a legit big brother...really protective about me going out or meeting guys). Sometimes he makes me Jello (which I call "hello" to sound more Spanish) because he knows I love it, so that has won him some major points. His girlfriend Maggie lives in the house too. She's from LA and is hilarious. I don't think she has a censor in her brain, so she says exactly what she's thinking when it pops into her head..it get's a little inappropriate sometimes, good thing no once else in the house can understand English lol. Still not finished...

Abuelita lives here too! She is 94, doesn't speak, and i'm pretty sure she can't really hear or see either. She just makes crazy noises and coughs all the time...as bad as it sounds, it's actually kind of entertaining, and she is totally a trooper for still being alive! Our dog Blackie (a cocker spaniel, or cocker spainiard if you think like i do) guards Abuelita like it's his job. She's a very well-protected lil ol lady =) And last but absolutely not least...

I have two American hermanas!! Amanda is from my program and Jess is from another and they are both amaaaaazing. It's so nice to eat meals together, exchange glances when Abuelita sounds like she's dying, and laugh constantly about all of the hilarious things that are inevitably occurring in the house. I am soooo lucky to live with them, they've made being here so much fun Watchin a Real Madrid soccer game with las hermanas...we're hardcore fans

My neighborhood is awesome. I'm on a great family-oriented street. I live right above a Zara (a great clothing store) and down the street from other shops, movie theaters, cafes, etc. I'm a short metro ride away from all of the best areas, and can walk to school in 15 minutes...so convenient! That's the basic overview of my casa, I promise there will be many fun tales to come!

Beginnings

Hola everyone! I've almost been here three weeks, but I was a little slow with the whole blog-making thing so I'll just do a little re-cap....Vera and I met in NY and stayed with my grandparents the night before leaving for Madrid. It was great to see them, and we arrived (4 hours early) to JFK well-fed and even more well-rested =) The flight was easy and actually felt pretty short, everything at the airport went smoothly, and before I knew it I was there! I fell in love with Madrid on the bus ride from the airport to our hotel. I was sleepy and jetlagged, leaning against the window checking out all the surroundings. The song "I will always love you" by Whitney Houston came on my Ipod right as we drove past one of the many gorgeous fountains in the city...totally cheesy but I loved it =) I somehow managed to drag my ridiculous amount of luggage into the hotel and thus began my four-month stay in Espana! We stayed in a hotel right near Plaza del Sol for the first 3 days, going to orientation sessions and meeting lots of great new people. We learned how to take the metro (so easy even I, who can hardly read a map, can do it without problema!), and started to get to know the city. Living in another country definitely takes some adjustment, but I'm used to living away from home, and having Vera there helped me feel much more comfortable with everything. Staying at the hotel was muyyyy divertido, but those stories will have to wait until a different post...I will try to keep my blog updated and fun, and I hope you all enjoy readin about my Madrid adventures. I miss you all like craaaaazy, and look forward to updates on your lives too, so no slackin on me. Muchas Smoochas!