Stage 2?

So one of the things that everybody supposedly experiences while moving abroad is culture shock.  The worst stage (as told to us by our program coordinators)? Stage 2, where everyone starts to miss home and/or get irritated at Spain/people in Spain/food in Spain etc.  For the past month (I can't believe it has already been a month) we have all "hit" stage 2.  Eat McDonalds everyday? Stage 2. Listen to songs that remind you of home? Stage 2. Personally, I have started stage two-ing when I hear songs that remind me of my friends or just of home. So basically I don't listen to any song longer than a minute-- but actually that is pretty normal for me! Short attention span! BUT, I can maybe see where I would leave the honeymoon phase soon! Hopefully not though!!!!!!!! But here are some of the major things that happened this week:

1. This week we started our Complutense classes, the ones with Spanish students! For some reason I thought it would be okay? But then on the first day one of my professors stood in front of me and started making jokes to the class that I didn't understand.. so that was great. Luckily, there are a couple of other people from my program in my class! The other class was a disaster, too. I switched it already but then the class I switched into had a professor I couldn't understand.  He is really nice and came up to us Americans after class and made sure we could understand him. Nope, but here's to hoping next Thursday is better!

2. FINALLY MOVED INTO MY PISO!!!! It is SO great.  It is adorable, it it close to everything (hey, 12 minute bus ride to class), and a bunch of people live nearby! My roommates are all super nice and it seems like things are coming together! It only took me three attempts to figure out the washer and I haven't broken anything yet so I would say I'm doing well. Oh, and I overlook a convent. What?

3. Started my intercambio! I met with a Spanish girl last week to do a language exchange. We walked around a mall at a metro station then went to get something to eat!!! She was really nice and it is good to practice my Spanish! Side note: while I was waiting, some random guy came up to me and said, you're really attractive, can I talk to you? (in spanish).. good job for being forward, but it's just a little weird?

This weekend starts Carnaval, a huge festival around fat tuesday etc- like mardi gras.  A bunch of people went south, to Cadiz, Spain, to celebrate it! I didn't....that's a lot of money to spend to party the entire weekend. But there are plenty of crazies walking around Madrid in costumes and celebrating anyway.