Mi Casa Española

Welcome to my Spanish apartment! I live on the 4th floor of the building in apartment 3B (the first floor is 0 or ground because that's how they like it in Europe). I usually use the elevator, which is much smaller than most elevators in the U.S. and which makes things interesting when I have to share it with my neighbors. But they are all very friendly and generally smell fine so it's not too much of a problem. When I exit the elevator I am right next to the front door of my apartment which I need to use the key to open, even if it is unlocked.

the dooor to the elevator

the door to my apartment, which reminds me of the hobbit's' front doors in the Shire because it has the doorknob in the center of the door

Once I open the door, I am in the entryway to the apartment. The first thing I do is say "Hola" so my family knows who it was that came home. Then I head straight to my room to take off my "street" shoes and change into my "house" shoes. The Spanish keep there homes very clean and wearing shoes that have been all over the city streets touching who knows what like Americans do would seem very disgusting and dirty to them.

the entryway

The room straight ahead is the living room. My family and I eat at a small table right next to the couch and armchair and generally the television is on during meals. This is very different from family  mealtimes with my family in the United States, however my family still talks a lot during meal times, it's just sometimes in reference to the show that is playing. During lunch it's always The Simpsons which is funny because the first time I ever saw that show was here in Spain. There is also an adjacent dining room with a formal table but we only eat there for Sunday lunch when we eat delicious Paella.

The living room

the hallway

The kitchen is small but is often one of the busiest rooms in the apartment. When my host mom is cooking we (my host dad, host brother, host sister, and I) are working on setting the table or cutting the bread or when that's all done, everyone just hangs out in the kitchen and socializes while my host mom finishes cooking. On the porch behind the kitchen there is a jamonero with the jamon serrano in it (the cured pig's leg). When the family eats jamon my host mom goes back there and slices it from the leg using the jamonero. And it's a very common appliance to have. When I accompanied my host sister and host mom to El Corte Ingles (a ginourmous department store) there were jamoneros sitting right next to blenders and toasters.

the kitchen

I have a bathroom all to myself here which is really nice, other than the shower, which has a shower head you put up when you shower and take down when your done, I'd say it is pretty much a standard bathroom and not too different from one in the U.S.

 

my bathroom

My bedrrom I also have to myself which is very different from what I'm used to in my Ann Arbor apartment. I have a small table to study at, a nightstand, an open closet and some shelves. My favorite part of my room is the huge window with pretty potted flowers sitting on the window sill.

my bedroom

My apartment here in Spain definitely feels different from my apartment in Ann Arbor or my family's house in Holland, MI. Some physical elements are very different. The floors for instance are all marble and there are exactly 0 rugs or carpets in the apartment. My apartment in Ann Arbor is mostly carpeted and my house in Holland has wooden floors with too many rugs to count. There are also some cultural differences and personal differences in the atmosphere of the house. I would say in general it seems like my Spanish family is much more conscious of being considerate of their neighbors and of each other. No one plays music out loud for instance, and no one ever leaves any personal belongings in common spaces. I have no idea if that is cultural or if that is specific to my family but it is a big difference that I've noticed. Overall though I feel very at home here in my Spanish apartment and I am so grateful that I have the experience of living with a Spanish family.