Fun in the Sun? 7/113.

I hate being a tourist. I have always hated it, and always will. I also hate other tourists. They clog the streets, stop right in front of you to take pictures, etc. Madrid, like other cities in Europe have double decker tour buses that take you around the city. I absolutely hate them. Nothing screams, "I'm a tourist" more than a big, red bus. Last time I was in Madrid, I hated getting my camera out and taking pictures of various things throughout the city. I hated looking like a tourist. It was my goal and still is to pass for a citizen of Madrid. Spainiards are excellent at picking out who's "one of them" and who's not. Well, I have failed miserably. And it's not because I've been looking like a tourist. I play the role very well - I use my iPod and can stand up on the metro without holding onto anything. (It's all about the way you balance your weight.)

You all have been reading about my complaining about the heat and humidity and lack of AC over here. On the metros, especially in the middle of the day, you are in an oven. I'm not lying! I have never seen a Spaniard sweat on the metro. EVER. No matter how hot it is, they can wear three piece suits, jeans, sweaters, jackets, whatever. And never break a sweat. Me, on the other hand, I'm sure I leave a puddle of sweat in my seat. Pretty gross, but the honest to God truth.

I had my orientation yesterday for school and it took everything I had in me not to fall asleep. To me, the entire thing was boring and pointless. But maybe that's because I have already sat through a Saint Louis University orientation. The funniest person of the day was, no joke, the jesuit priest. He was hilarious. And what a sense of humor he had to be a priest! I wish I could remember everything he said, but my brain is fried. Literally. Remember that I have to ride an hour in the oven each way....

After orientation was over with, the school rented four of those big, red buses for us to tour Madrid in. Now, I told you earlier how much I hate being a tourist, but I had nothing else to do and the ticket costs almost twenty euros, so I joined in on the fun.

It was not fun. I baked in the sun for two hours. I'm a crispy fortune cookie now. Or, as my dear friend, Maurice from Alabama would say, I'm a burnt wonton. (Yes, I know this is totally politically incorrect, but I can't help it. Shout-out to all my fellow ninjas! ha! If my brother were reading this, he would totally understand....I'm almost positive that my mother is cringing right now as she is reading this. She doesn't like it when I make cultural remarks. But, I'm not insulting anybody. How can you insult someone when you're talking about yourself. Just saying....Speaking of asians, there is a large population of Chinese immigrants here. And they are the owners of one-stop-shops. And the Spaniards call them chinos. Literally meaning chinese. So if you need a cheap umbrella, you go to the chino store. Personally, I find this hilarious!) The only good thing was that I had a refresher on where everything in Madrid is located, in relation to one another. I have made a little map in my head, and I think I will be ok. Or, so I hope.

One thing I have decided that I am doing differently this time, is that I am going to walk more. I spent so much time underneath Madrid, that I missed out on a lot of things. As soon as the weather gets cooler, I am going to try and walk more places. The center of Madrid is not all that big, and everything is connected to everything. I can't wait to go out and discover new places. After all, what's the point in living here for two years if I don't know how to walk places?!

After the tour was over with, Kelsey, Katie, and I walked back towards Sol's apartment. The three of us felt like we were going to pass out from heat exhaustion at any minute. The walk from school to the flat is a nice thirty minute stroll. We stopped at a little bar and I ordered a granizado limon. It is a lemon slushie and was the perfect solution to the hot sun.

Let us pray that tomorrow I don't die from a heat stroke....

Quote of the Day: "Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away." (And trust me, my breath got taken away plenty times today by the heat of Madrid....)