Day 7- Yasmin and Shayan had a really, really bad day

So our fully planned and prepared day did not go at all to plan. In fact it was overall a terrifying and awful day. 10/10 if repeated would stay in bed.

We had our whole day planned out days in advance: Fairtrade festival, explore Sol, KFC, park, boat ride then home and not a single part of it went to plan.

For starters the bus was over 40mins late just to get into sol and then line 3 from Moncloa on the Metro had been moved as one side was closed which led to much confusion on our part as we didn't understand the Spanish sign.

Moving on from there we arrived at Sol just a bit late for the Spanish dancing performance but with still enough time to see it only to be harassed. This part might sounds slightly ridiculous and stupid of us but bear in mind that to us this was genuinely terrifying and you can't really  know how you'll react to something until you experience it for yourself.
 But moving onto the trauma, Shiane was grabbed from behind by two costumed men (Freddy Krueger and Chucky to make things worse) and had (what we didn't know at the time) their plastic knifes held to her throat whilst they ignored us saying no and demanded us to take a picture, so I seeing how they weren't taking no for an answer and realising how easily a fake knife at Shi:s neck could turn to a hand on her throat took the picture immediately only for myself to also be grabbed rather firmly. Even after the pictures were taken with the two of us seperated and a man beside each of us they began to demand money and wouldn't leave us until we threw all the change we had at them.

Afterwards we sat at a fountain trying calm ourselves down as we had started to panic, this was the first time the two of us had felt unsafe our entire trip and we realised quite how vulnerable we both were. After looking for Eva and not finding her we quickly left Sol as we were incredibly nervous around the costumed people after this. We proceeded to somehow find Callao in our panicked state and hid out in Penney's (thank god for familiar safe places) until we had calmed down enough to head to Retirio Park.

Continuing onto the Park we were going in through a different entrance than we knew and ended up finding an Irish pub! Which honestly some alcohol and little taste of home? Exactly what we needed after our  day

So it looked like things were back on track, yes? No. We got lost. Very lost. We took one wrong turn in the park and somehow ended up in a dog park?? No clue how. Everything that could've gone wrong that day went wrong. After eventually finding our way to KFC (where they spelt our names wrong hence Yasmin and Shayan, and also got Shiane's order completely wrong, yay bad luck continued) we realised it was after 5 and mostly likely a) boat riding would be closed and b) we did not want to risk trying to find it again after getting lost in the park so recently and c) after our bad day we just wanted to go home and drink.

So we left the area and waking through Atochi to get back to Callao (we bravely, in my opinion ,crossed Sol square again) where we broke some cash in Penney's (funnily enough the same one from our mental breakdowns five hours beforehand) and got the metro to Moncloa.

After getting to Moncloa and going right to our bus stop ( because again we had everything figured out) we waited for the 682 instead of the 681 because it was in half an hour rather than an hour anyways right? Wrong. By the time we boarded the bus it was 8:00, by the time we got off it was 9:00 and we were in Guadarama. The bus never stopped in Alpedrete despite it saying so on several different timetables and maps that we had checked before even boarding and whilst panicking on the bus. Luckily we were able to communicate with the driver via Google translate passed back and forth on my phone about what to do. For another €2 each she took up back to Villalba where we could get the 681 home. It was 9:27 when we got there, the 681 was meant to show at 9:30 but of course knowing our luck that day it showed at 10 instead. We eventually made it home after our awful day at 10:30 where we proceeded to have copious amounts of whiskey and popcorn in an attempt to comfort ourselves. Here's hoping tomorrow will be a better day

Day 6 - We did many, many things

So we survived our awful food from the night before!
We woke up feeling much better from the last night, so we were both very grateful that we weren't losing a day to feeling unwell.
We were in the school for nine this morning, with our first class with year nines, we couldn't sit in with them the last day due to them having a test. When we arrived at the class, we talked to Felicity for a few moments, before she sat down and told us to go ahead and start teaching. Both Jass and I stood there with horrified faces. We told Felicity that we weren't supposed to start teaching until next week, and while we had a basic idea of what we were going to start with, we hadn't fully talked through what to do. We told her that we could teach, but we probably wouldn't be able to do it as well, Felicity said it was all fine and she continued on with teaching as she would have. She told everyone to open up their play "An Inspector Calls" which is a play that they are going to be performing at the end of May. Felicity got everyone to move classes to go to the hall instead as there was a stage there, and then Jass jokingly told her that there was an actual actor in the room and everything (me), Jass said it as a joke, but Felicity instantly got excited and asked if I'd be willing to help with the performance and if I would make notes about what needed to be improved on during the rehearsal. I didn't mind doing this at all, so I made a small list of notes (Jass helped also) about what should be improved on. The whole performance was overall really good, but the main things they needed to work on was using the stage more, moving around more, using more facial expressions, talk slower and don't talk in a monotone voice. I was asked to tell everyone what they should improve on, and I felt really awkward doing this as my first tie properly talking to them and I was just criticizing them. None of them took my suggestions personally though, they all just nodded and laughed at my awkwardness. Myself and Jass really enjoyed watching their rehearsal and we knew it would turn out to be a great performance.

After this, we had an hours break so we returned to the cafe down the road, where we tried to order a meal deal, only to discover (since we can barely read Spanish) that there was only a certain period of time that we could order it. So, instead, I ordered us both coffees and chocolate croissants (I was told my Spanish while ordering it was perfect, so whoo) we had our food (and once again, forgot to take photographs, whoops) and then we headed back to the school for a class with year eights. Once again, we just sat in the back of the class and observed them. During this time, we took out a book of prompts that Jass has and we started taking notes of which ones would be good idea's to give the students. Our basic idea so far is:
1.) Talk to them about characters- what makes a good character, how to write a good one, etc. Then together they can come up with one or two characters that they can use in a story.
2.) Give them different prompts to chose from and they can write a scene/ paragraph/ story from the characters life, which me and Jass will put together afterward.
3.) Take their story (or part of it) and bring them to the stage and have them decide how they would stage it, what costumes characters would wear, how the stage would look, etc.

After we finished up with school, we went back to our apartment to have some lunch, chill out and get cleaned up, and after a few hours, decided to go on an adventure.

We went on a hike to an abandoned quarry/park which we found in a brochure. We got confused when we got there as the gates were shut with a sign on them, we assumed it was locked, but we figured out that the sign in fact just said: "close the gate after you". The place was absolutely gorgeous, it was close to the nearby mountains around us so the views were amazing, and there were bodies of water everywhere and so much beautiful open space.

After our hike, we decided to go to a spa/swimming pool that was nearby, and honestly, it was the best decision of our lives. We spent the majority of our time in the hot tub, but we also spent a short period of time in these water jets in the pool and in the sauna, but neither of us found these to be that relaxing (mostly because we kept getting water in our eyes in the jets and we couldn't breathe in the sauna) but the hot tub was so relaxing, we both came out feeling like lumps of jelly, (and honestly, we really didn't want to leave.)

Day 5- A night of many regrets

This title sounds super dramatic and makes it sound like we went on a wild one but in reality we had a  Chinese meal that I will get to eventually!

Our day unlike any other actually started off late, 10:30am in fact, what a difference that makes. We were in the school from 12-2 looking at year 7's books (wow where they advanced- also they had a doctor who section which we geeked out over) and then sitting in on a year 8 class, that was hectic to say the least. The kids appeared to already be on vacation mode and did not want to do any learning at all.

After school we went back home for lunch (which damn we are practically chefs now, scrambled eggs and cheese toasties? Gordon Ramsay better watch out).

With the weather being a bit dull again we chilled inside watching Brooklyn Nine Nine until we wandered out. We went on a walk all the way to the other end of Alpedrete, past the school and to a lovely park where we went down many slides and posed on many a rock (as seen below).

After leaving the playground we did a little shop, went back home, worked on the blog and the school project and then went in search of food. Sadly the food place we were planning to go to was closed, so we went back home after realising we could use just eat, which let me tell you was an ordeal. Google translating every option on the menu was the worst. We eventually figured out what we wanted and ordered our Chinese and whilst waiting for it to arrive watched more Brooklyn Nine Nine (honestly what were you expecting?). We were so hungry we just devoured the Chinese food, and are now super nauseous so that's great. Regrets have been had and learned from but here's come super cute adventure pics?

Day 4 - Day for getting our bearings

Our day once again started quite early (ugh) we were scheduled into the school for 9:55, and we actually arrived on time and everything, however, we got very lost once we got to the school, but, thankfully a wild Clive appeared and showed us the way. But, when we got to the class, we were told that they were actually having a test, so it wouldn't be worth our while sitting in, since our next class was in just an hour, we decided to just go to a cafe down the road to get a croissant and some coffee.
The croissant was so good that we didn't even get a chance to get a photo of it, instead, all we got was a photo of an empty, crumby plate, and two half drank coffees.


After school, seeing as it was quite a bad day, it was cold and rainy, we went back to the apartment and chilled out and watched Brooklyn Nine-Nine for a few hours, before eventually, leaving and getting the bus to Villalba for a little wander and some lunch. We decided to just get off the bus early at a random McDonalds so we could explore a new place which had a large shopping centre. We went to McDonald's and were totally awestruck by all the options they had. There were things on the menu we never heard of and could never even dream of. Sorry Ireland, but Spanish Mcdonalds beats you by miles.

We went on a stroll around the shopping center, but there was nothing insanely interesting, so as were very tired and full, we went back home for a siesta. After we woke up, Ava came over and we paid the rest of our rent and she gave brochures and leaflets on different things to do around Alpedrete and Madrid.
We went back to doing nothing once again, and we spent the rest of our evening watching Brooklyn Nine Nine and drinking wine and whiskey, so overall, the perfect lazy day.

Day 3- We Madrid it all

So, starting our day off early (again, really who thought 8am was a good time to awaken??) we headed to the school to join the year 9's on a coach trip to Madrid to see the Toulouse art exhibit. Well this was the plan anyways, and we would even have been early if all had gone to plan! But instead somehow (not that surprising knowing how clumsy we both are) Shiane got suncream in her eyes. Yes, eyes plural. This of course lead to frantic panicking, eye washing and immense pain for poor Shi. So tears streaming we made it to the school, locked ourselves in a toilet and googled solutions (amazingly no-one questioned why we were both in there). Nothing immediately worked and with our eyes on the prize (pun fully intended) we got on the bus anyways.

Of course on the bus we both fell asleep withing minutes only to wake up for Pink's "Walk me Home" which we have been singing constantly.

Arriving in Madrid the group went to Parque del Retiro for a snack and some painting. Shiane and I unfortunately had not brought anything to paint so after chilling for a few hours (we were unaware the break would be three hours long) we left to go get eye drops for Shiane and also to pee (adulting). We returned in time for the group to leave to go to the Caixa Forum museum at about 1:30ish

The Caixa forum was a stunning building, inside and out. The outside had a huge huge wall that was full of plants and bushes and life.

Even just the stairs inside of the building were amazing, one could almost say it was an art museum

The exhibit itself was very interesting but the highlight for us (and most importantly Shi, did you know she love loves Van Gogh? Dude's got a t-shirt and all) was seeing a Van Gogh painting with our own eyes (even if Shiane's eyes were uber protected from the sun she could somehow still see).

Post-Museum we split up from the group and went off on our own to a market near the park (that was all uphill, a hill we went up many times. Many, many times.) We continued to wander around Madrid taking in the sights, before getting a late lunch and heading off to meet Colin in Plaza del Sol. We walked taking longer than Google maps estimated 18mins because of course we got lost. The square was gorgeous and so were our Daquiri's! We even made our own way home via Metro (Moncloa) and bus that night! Go us, what successful adults we are (yes Colin basically took us to Moncloa but the rest was all us!).

                                                                   Paella

Our Sunrise and Sunset
Smoothies

 

Day 2 - Wandering Alpedrete

Our second day started bright and early (unfortunately) we were supposed to be at the school for ten, but it changed to eleven instead (we could have gotten more sleep apparently) we decided to go shopping again for the hour before school, because apparently shampoo, wine, and ice cream are not enough to survive on, who knew? Thankfully, we had Colin to help us this time with translations and carrying large bottles of water. We treated ourselves to chocolate croissants and tea (we could finally have tea because we got some sugar (azucra))  which may have made us slightly late, but all well.
We were brought on a tour around the school by Clive and we were amazed by how cool the school is.
We went to Villalba after the school and had a walk around before stopping for some ice cream. We went back to our apartment and after a lot of difficulties, figured out how to work our oven, "we really had to grill it." says Jass over my shoulder as I write this. We had our lunch and a bit of a siesta, before going out on an adventure.
We wandered around Madrid, up random streets to get a better view of the mountain, to miscellaneous shops, down different streets with every intention of getting lost so we could truly appreciate Alpedrete. During this adventure of trying to get lost, we came upon a playground, and because we are very mature (actual children I mean) we, of course, played in the playground. We were also sure to get a good exercise in using the equipment in the park, cause it's important to stay healthy (let's use that as an excuse, yeah).
We made our way back to our apartment after this where we met Ava the landlady and we enjoyed a nice meal, drink, and conversation as the day came to its end.
Our first full day in Madrid was without a doubt exhausting and long, but it was definitely something we'll remember.

Day 1 aka How to Fall Asleep at Lunch

5th May 2019

Waking up at 3:30am after going to bed at 12 makes you really sleepy as it turns out. Our first day honestly felt quite endless. By 4pm that day it felt like we'd been in Spain about two days. But despite being severely sleep deprived (and falling asleep over lunch at a busy restaurant - siesta over fiesta) we still explored Alpedrete, albeit after a nap or two. Wandering around, getting our bearings before going to the Supermercardo to buy the essentials: shampoo, wine and ice-cream. All in all a great first day, just one we weren't fully conscious for.