Intercambio!!!

Running practice again last night until about 10:30.  When I got home I showered, stuffed down some nutella y pan, and began to debate what I wanted to do with my night.  Not having to work on Fridays will be my greatest joy.  I had been wanting to go to an intercambio since after orientation.  Intercambios are language exchanges, social gatherings, with Spaniards and foreigners.  They are organized by different groups throughout various bars in the city.  I called my friend, who I knew wanted to tag along, and off we went.  As usual, we had no clue where we were to go upon exiting the metro, but we knew we were in the right area.  As we walked around the unfamiliar neighborhood, we saw numerous groups of spanish kids participating in the great activity that is the botellón (I will speak on this later).  We finally found the meeting spot for the intercambio, a bar called Beer Station, International Cerveceria.  To our surprise, there was a large group of people standing outside the bar, with drinks in hand.  We walked up and immediately sparked conversation with some Spaniards.  They informed us as the bar's electricity and air had gone out, so they moved the party outside. Perfecto.  We met so many new people at one time, conversations were flowing rapidly in both English and Spanish.  Again, I got the question, "Are you Dominican? Cuban? Well, you can't just be American."  I laugh as always,and explain to them that my dad is from the islands, but I am just simply good at Spanish.

When some of the guys find out that I am from Chicago/Atlanta, they get super excited and start telling me, in English, where they have been in the states and where they want to go.  My new friend, Israel, is going to Atlanta to do his doctorate at Georgia Tech! What a small world.  Another new friend had just returned from Chicago.  This whole conversation between my friend and I, and our new Spanish, Brazilian, and German friends carried on for about 2 hours outside of the random bar, drinks in hand.  One of the Spanish guys told me he was an astrologer, and proceeded to "read my sign."  He told me that he could also see my future.  Oooook sir, lol.  A spanish girl, Eva, was clearly a little bit wasted; but hilarious and very entertaining.  She kept talking and talking about God knows what, and walk with me arm and arm all night.  The organizer of the intercambio program, David, came outside and talked to us for a while.  He told us how well we spoke spanish, and how we must come to the discoteca afterwards.  David was probably about 40, but looked and acted like he was 23; typical Spanish demeanor.  I was fooled all night by the madrileños who tried to tell me they were from the States.  This was quite funny.  And I guess I was Cuban for the night. 

My friend and I realized we hadn't ate a real dinner, and as the crowd died down around 1:15am (to go to the club of course, not home), we decided we should find food.  I was craving churros y chocolate (a great spanish treat late night/early morning), but our new friends insisted that we could ONLY eat churros y chocolate after 5am.  So Fernando tells us about all these cool places that we must try, and he leads the way.  Three places were closed, so we ended up and this Cuban bar close by.   We ate and conversed some more about things that we must do in Madrid.  As we were being kicked out at 2am, Fernando pays for all of us (gotta love Spaniards), and we are led on another random adventure.

We are led to a very random/sketch bar called the "Crazy Cat," which Fernando says is really cool.  That trip did not last long.  We wonder around the street some more, and Eva tells me I must stay out with her.  I am cold, and so is Chulo, who had been in my purse the whole time.  So we try to get directions back to our house, because the metro had already closed; but our confused faces promted Fernando to drive us home in his cool red drop top.  I'm sure that there will be many more random/fun intercambio nights!