Alright, alright, so you've begged and clamored for more (well, okay, it's only been the loving madre) and I'm way past overdue for an update. Sooo here I am at Cafe Amargo (because where else would I be?) and let's begin, shall we?? What's on the agenda? Tons of back posts that I need to create and add, which I detailed before and will do I promise. Let's discuss the now. Right now, I've been going through MAJOR identity and life crises, etc. so I would like to extend all of the hugs and kisses and infinite amounts of love to all my friends that I've cried/vented/raged/questioned/etc. to/on. I've said it multiple times and I could never say it enough times, Y'ALL ARE THE GREATEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's been quite difficult not knowing what you want in lit or anything and watching everyone around you who seems to have it figured out (and I know, I know, you shouldn't compare yourself to others, but let's face it: I'm human. SIDENOTE: Aren't you glad I'm not an alien?? Or am I?? #dontanswerthat). What's important is that I live my life for me. Trying to put unnecessary pressure on myself to figure things out is definitely not helping my situation in any way. So I'm just trying to focus on the positives and not worry about the negatives. Everything will be as it should, eventually.
Jump to today. Today is Thursday and it's after 2pm, so I've officially started my weekend. Monday, the 10th, is a holiday for something. I'm not quite sure for what, but me and a couple friends are taking advantage of the long weekend and traveling! We're headed up north to Bilbao in País Vasco (Basque country). It's right on the coast and right next to San Sebastian. I've been to País Vasco before when I went to San Sebastian. San Sebastian was a great beach town, but my friends and I didn't exactly plan things out the best. We ended up arriving in mid-March at 6am with nowhere to go. It was dark, cold, and we were miserable. Aside from that, we had a great time! País Vasco has some the absolute best food I've eaten in my life. This coming from a girl who doesn't eat seafood! If everything besides the seafood was phenomenal, imagine how some of the freshest mariscos (seafood) would taste! Definitely a must-see in my opinion is País Vasco. Technical note: I'm not quite sure how to re-add the categories I've made to all of my new posts. I may or may not be changing the layout in the future. Hang in there! Also, it's just coming to me that maybe I should post pics and reviews of my menú del días (menu of the day). They're my Friday treat to myself and I absolutely love them, but maybe making a conscious effort to document and record them will help me take pics! I always get super self-conscious and feel like I'm being super pretentious taking pictures of my food, but for you, my dear loves, I shall try. Let's try for tomorrow!
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Le sigh, where to start? As of now, I can officially stay in Spain until mid December, thanks to my temporary visa. My NIE card will allow me to stay in the country for 1 year, but it's a struggle to get. SIDENOTE: links to come because if I spend all my time figuring out which links I used etc. I will never actually get anything written because the internet will quite easily distract me "Why there's no better place to begin than the beginning of course!" --Someone. (I'm fairly certain this a quote I've heard before but I can't remember where or when. If this hasn't been so eloquently stated before, then I'm copywriting it to myself and claiming all the glory that is to come from it) Shall we commence? I'm staying in Spain for one year on a student visa. I'm taking a class online to obtain my Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate. The teaching that I am doing in schools is part of my practicas (internship/practical application). I'm receiving a stipend (aka my teeny tiny income) that should not be taxed because it is considered my scholarship, but vamos a ver.
The application for the visa was for the most part straight-forward, but there were definitely some things that confused me. For starters, you have to send the application to the embassy or consulate that serves your region/grouping of states. I spent the past year living and working at Disney World in Orlando, FL, but I retained my Maryland residency (best state flag, most state pride, general amazingness, also I'm so not a fan of Florida). Because I have legal MD residence, I had to go directly to the embassy. I also had to complete all of my other paperwork etc. at offices in Maryland, which is quite difficult to do from FL. From my knowledge of it, at some point during the application process, either in dropping off the forms or picking them, you have to go in person. I turned in my visa application during the first week or so of July upon my return and had more than enough time to pick it up before I left for Spain because it was ready exactly 4 weeks later. The general form you need to fill out is available on the website. Also, if you email every single address on the website you can find because no one answers you in a timely manner, someone is bound to send one to you (works from experience). The website should tell you all of the documents you need to have (things such as: acceptance letter to a student program, proof of financial means, health insurance, etc). If you're staying for longer than 6 months in Spain, you need a couple additional supporting documents. You need to have medical clearance from the doctor. I'm not sure why seeing as how no one here actually cares that I have a letter signed from the doctor. Also, I'm really unsure as to why you can be of poor health and travel for 6 months because you don't need clearance, but you have to be deemed "OK" for anything longer than that. Yo no sé (IDK). I digress. I went to the doctors and it was a horrifying experience (ask the padre to tell you tales if you really want to know). Secondly, you need a criminal background check. The background check has to be completed by the state in which you legally resided for the last year. While I am legally a resident of Maryland, I was also legally on a Florida lease, so I was quite confused as to where I should've registered. I went with Maryland because that was where my ID was from. For me in FL it meant that I had to go on the MD Criminal Justice Dept (I think I googled "how to get fingerprinted in Maryland". I just love google and I have no clue how I would survive without it...) and figure out who to contact to get a fingerprinting form. Apparently the forms differ from state to state (obnoxious and annoying because why aren't fingerprints the same?). So I had to call the MD office and have them send me fingerprint forms to my address in FL. Then in FL I had to go to the Corrections Dept/Sherrif's Office to get fingerprinted, but that was also an ordeal because they at first refused to give me fingerprints on a MD form because we were in FL. It honestly made no sense to me because all I needed was someone that was certified to roll my fingers in ink. Eventually after much pleading and telling the office that I was willing to pay even if the forms were returned and it was not considered valid, they let me. Hallaeluh. They forgot to add their unique office code of authorization on the form, so thanks to Google, I was able to find that out. I then had to mail my fingerprint forms (technically it only had to be one, but I took 3 sets of fingerprints in case they deemed one illegible or inaccurate) to the office in MD. The website said my fingerprints had to have some sort of seal on them, so on the fingerprint background request form, I checked the box for a Gold Seal. I mailed the forms, a check, and a desperately begging note to an unknown officer in MD and thankfully they took pity on me (or maybe my form was actually filled out correctly, ha!) and sent my background check to my house in MD. Having obtained all of the documents (or so I thought), it was now officially time to turn in my visa. I went down to the consulate office within the embassy with a hopeful smile only face. First of all, the consulate is only open/available Mon-Thurs from 9am or so until 1pm (or maybe 2pm). Second, there is a really nice Spanish boy who works there who is also incredibly hot. He's one of the few people I know (okay, so I don't actually know him) who can rock a polo well. Moving on. Turns out, I didn't have all of the documents I needed. The seal that the embassy required had to be administered by a separate state department that verified my identity. Not sure why all of the rest of my info on my background check plus the fact that it was consistent with every other piece of evidence I provided was not enough, but SPAIN. Luckily, the folks at the consulate were super nice about it and let me turn in my visa application with the copies of the documents without having my identity verification so that my visa could start processing. I was initially going to have my visa mailed back to me (and I purchased a $20 non-refundable stamp for that purpose, bitter: party of one), but I had to go pick it up in person (during their open hours) and present my identity verification document to them. To get my identity verified with the seal, I had to go to the Secretary of State office in Annapolis. It's basically a piece of paper that you pay $5 for that says you are who you claim to be. I had just gotten back from Chicago hours earlier and had subsequently spent all of money on that trip. $10 was the credit card minimum, but luckily I was able to scrounge together some change (I think I had two actual dollar bills and the rest was pennies, nickels, and dimes....) to pay for it. Document in hand, I went to pick up my visa 4 weeks later and show my identity verification. All was well and I had a visa! Cut to Spain. My visa is only valid for a few months. If you are staying in Spain for longer than 6 months, you have to apply for a NIE, as previously mentioned. So as of now, my visa is good until mid-December. Now begins the struggle to get my NIE. My NIE number was technically listed on my passport, so I have the number, but I need the official card. To get your NIE in Spain, you have to register for an appointment. At that appointment, you have to have:
The coordinator of my program sent my visa number to some other coordinator company that makes NIE appts for American students. After a couple emails, he (the director) said the coordinator would contact me with further details. So I was patient (~ish, for a change) and waited. After stressing that I needed to get this document within 30 days of my arrival to Spain, the coordinator final contacted me 23 days after I had been in the country. She sent this incredibly curt email (on a Wednesday) detailing that I had an appt the following Tuesday at 11am. She sent this email at 4:45pm (aka almost close of business). On Mondays and Wednesdays, I teach until 5:15pm (I would hate to be those poor children in school until that long...), so I didn't see the email until I was done with class. I sent an email immediately back detailing that I couldn't make the appointment because I had class and was teaching, I mentioned that I was free at a later time that day or on Friday (3 day weekends para siempre (forever)!!!) and had she contacted me beforehand, we could have worked something out. No response. Neither did I get responses to the subsequent 4 EMAILS I sent. #WHAAAAATTTT She told me to contact her if I had any questions or concerns, which I did!! Ayyyyyy. So, I did what I do best, and googled the company that was included in her email signature and emailed everyone I could find on the website. No response. So I decided to skip the appointment she made and try to figure things out on my own. Finally ONE WEEK LATER someone answered me... AT 10:45PM. Are you kidding me?? So you're going to ignore all of my emails during normal business hours and answer me well into the night?? UGH. Whatever. Someone sent me an email saying that they couldn't guarantee the days the Foreigner's Office has available but they "would see what they could do". Surprise, surprise, they were able to coordinate an appt on Friday (two days later) at 10am at some office in the middle of nowhere. Great. So I show up to this appointment with all the documents necessary in had, minus the empadronamiento. It took forever for me to actually sign the lease, which was frustrating, and it officially happened the night before my appt on Thursday. Unfortunately, but maybe fortunately should I have to break the lease, my name is written in ballpoint pen. It looks so sketch, especially considering my other 3 roommates have their names and ID numbers typed into the document and mine is just added with a pen. But whatever. I knew I was going to get denied for my NIE because I didn't have all of the proper forms, but I decided to check it out to see what the process was like anyways. First, though I had an appointment number, I had to wait in a general line. It's basically set up like MVA where you wait until the next person available can help you. If this is the case, why do I have to have an appt number?? I made an appt to wait in line??? But apparently this is the custom because you don't get helped unless you have an appt. STUPID. So I waited in line until it was finally my turn. My NIE app got denied (shocker), but luckily I was able to ask what I needed to do for next time. The lady told me that I had to have my empadronamiento and also bring a bank form that showed proof of payment (which the email lady neglected to tell me) that she gave me. 11am and I have no NIE. Sooooo I decided to try to get my empadronamiento. Empadronamiento is basically a form saying that you legally reside in Spain. To get your empadronamiento in Madrid, you just have to have to form filled out (which you can download online), a copy of your lease, and a copy of an official document (aka a passport). You can take it to any office in the city, regardless of where your empadron zone is. I took my passport and copy of my lease to an office in the center and was told that I could could not get empadroned. For one thing, I didn't make an appt (THOUGH I WAITED IN LINE). For another thing, my name was written in ballpoint pen and looked so sketch. Sooooo, the lady at the office made me an appointment for 2 weeks later and told me to return with all of the document I had, plus a photocopy of the passport of one of my roommates who was actually typed onto the document and their authorizing signature. So I left the building empty-handed. I went home and requested the passport of one of my roommates (they're all French and EU citizens so this entire process is WAAAAAAY easier for them) to make a photocopy of it. My date to empadron in the city center, which is my region of the city, was in two weeks. As you all know, I am not that patient. Luckily, it's incredibly easy to make appointments online. I made an appointment for a Tuesday at 2pm, directly following my classes for the day. I was able to make an appt an office that was in the same district as my school. so it only took 10 minutes to get there. I showed up early (by 20min) and was told to wait (SHOCKER). There were not many people in the office, so they allowed me to go early. When it was my turn, the lady that I talked to was incredibly nice. She was a little skeptical of the lease I provided (because, ballpoint...), but she appreciated that I had the photocopy of my roommate's passport. Normally, she said they wouldn't validate that because she wanted my roommate to be there in person, but she filled out all of the information in her computer online anyway and told me to wait a second. She quickly passed all of my documents I had presented to me and told me to put them away and then called her boss. She told her boss that she just needed a signature and that I was super nice and that she had already checked everything. Her boss was okay with it, so the lady printed my form and her boss signed it, and there you have it. I'm empadroned! Moral of the story: be nice and try to speak Spanish. Though I talked around myself in circles, she appreciated the effort I made. Also, the empadronamiento is super fácil (easy) to get. It's one of the smoothest processes I've been through here. And with that, I am done for now. Phew. I think this post stopped making sense at the end because I got tired of writing. Also because the owner of the bar overpoured my wine (which I'm not complaining about) and then gave me a free glass of wine because I've been here for forever... Oops. More later. As always, xoooxxxx
Next, I ventured to the city center. Festes de la Mercè is happening this month (September), which is Barcelona's festival horning their patron saint (sorry that I didn't find out who that was, but I'm feeling too lazy to Google completely), so there a ton of things going on. I had a quick tapas dinner (see photo and also become my friend on Instagram for more like it) and then went to go check out the carrefoc (fire run). The carefoc was madness! It's this huuuuuuge parade and there are all of these pyrotechnics and fireworks and people dressed like devils and drumming, among other things. I got hopelessly lost trying to find it, but when I eventually did, it was super cool! Because I got there so late I couldn't see a lot (being 5'3.75" doesn't elevate you that much), but I could definitely hear. It was fun experience, but after a little I called it quits and went back to the hostel because I couldn't see much (and that's what YouTube is for thanks to the people up front!) and because I wanted to lie down after attempts at sleeping in cramped seated positions.
So the next day (that day being today) I woke up refreshed for a change! Funny how lying down and being able to stretch out can actually allow you to sleep. For some strange reason, jet lag rarely affects me, so I woke up good to go. I took my time getting ready/physically out of bed because I didn't have too much that I really needed to accomplish. I made a to-do list and accomplished 2 of 3 things. My To-Do List: 1) Go to Barclays to withdraw money. Accomplished! Most countries are not like the US where you can use your card for most things (true life: I've used my card to purchase things that are under 50cents before). Cash is the preferred option. I bank with Bank of America and Schwab. Schwab is awesome and they don't take out ATM fees, but I'm still waiting on a check to clear so I don't currently have any money to take out. I have money in my BoA account, but if I use any ATM that I see, I may get charged additional fees. When I initially contacted BoA and told them I was going to Spain, they told me that they didn't have any Spanish sister banks. Buuuuuut luckily I also asked them what all of their sister banks around the world are. Turns out, they are aligned with Barclays. Barclays is a British bank, but there are a TON in Spain that I've found, so yay!!! Long story short: I got cash without paying additional bank fees! Also, my advice to you is to ask what all of your bank's sister banks are. 2) Get a SIM card/phone plan. Yep! As I wrote before, I was traveling overseas with an already unlocked smartphone. In this day and age, I don't think I can go back to using a "dumb" phone in such a technologically forward country. The phone was a gift from my dad (thanks, padre!!) and is an iPhone 3GS. It runs on the GSM network, which means that I can put any SIM card in that uses that network and have service. I was initially trying to find a Vodaphone, but didn't end up finding one, which was no big deal. Instead, I went to Orange. I have an official Spanish phone number with a data plan for €8,95/month. I get 1GB of data, which should be more than enough for me. I'm not quite sure what the phone call/text part of the deal was (ask someone more tech savvy how it works), but that's quite alright because I plan to use WhatsApp to "text" for free via data and not a whole lot else on my phone besides maybe Instagram/Snapchat. Also, I plan on taking advantage of WiFi (say it like the Spanish! Say "Wee Fee"!) when I can. 3) Map out directions/route to the university where my orientation will be. Nope, didn't do this. It was raining and I had had enough wandering for the day. Possibly if it wasn't raining/I didn't have all my stuff from my adventures earlier. Probably should do this tomorrow. Throughout the day I also had lunch (at this make-your-own noodle wok combo place), wandered for a little near Plaça de Sants, and bought some granola bars, wine, and a corkscrew. All of that and this is the conclusion I've come to: it's really lonely not having friends. I'm sure I will make them eventually, but so far I've just been spending time all by lonesome. Refreshing at times, but also difficult to do forever. The internet also rarely helps because you get online and you look at everyone else having the time of their lives, which is all I currently want to be doing. So with all that, I am signing off to read my book. I may not be making friends just yet (I mean, I've been here for slightly over 24hours...), but it will come. Instead of aimlessly searching and learning about every single thing every single person I've ever met in life is currently doing, I'm disengaging for a little and delving into a good book (full disclosure: the book I'm currently reading is actually not that good and hopefully gets better, but I always make it a point to finish every book I start with the only exception being 50 Shades of Grey because that was actually HORRENDOUS). I'm also having a glass or few of wine because this is wine country and who am I if I don't delve into local culture?? Adios and hasta pasta! TTYL Oh, and I might update with another post on what/how I packed sometime later! |