My first (worst) day

    So I did not have an easy first day. My connection from Boston to Madrid went smoothly even though I couldn't get in touch with anyone because the airports didn't have wifi (for some archaic reason) and the kiosk I was going to buy a spanish cell phone at was broken! I found my gate and got off the plane in sunny Murcia without any problems, yet. I went outside and had to get a cab. Thank goodness I had exchanged money before I left because there was nowhere to exchange money at the airport in Murcia! Ok, "No worries," I reassured myself, "just get to your flat and you can relax". That was not the case.
   
    I arrived at what I thought was my flat and my 'taxista' dumped my bags on the sidewalk and drove away. I tried calling my landlord on a pay phone nearby with no success. I stood aimlessly for a little while on the sidewalk then decided to buck up and ask someone for help. Although I can manage fairly well in spanish, I was so nervous and frustrated I could barely form even the most rudimentary of sentences. Thank goodness the woman I asked for help was very sympathetic. She used her phone to call my landlord, who as it turns out, had given away my room in the flat! I'm not much of a crier unless I'm watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, but I felt like I was going to slump to the sidewalk and cry my eyes out.

    After I regrouped, I got a cab to the University in order to sort out the situation with the international relations office. Another stroke of luck for me, my cab driver was again, both patient and helpful. He locked all my bags in the taxi, went inside with me, got me an appointment with the international relations office, and waited with me over an hour until they called me. Maybe it was the sheer look of desperation on my face that kept him there, but in any case I'm glad the people of Murcia were so nice to me!

  Finally, I had a temporary flat to move into that night. All I wanted to do was drop my stuff and facetime my parents to tell them what a horrible day I had. But a combination of having to pay for so many cab rides and the fact that every bank is closed after 2pm, left me with no way of buying a cell phone or finding some place with wifi.

LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES:

1.  Even though it all worked out in the end, it was hard not being able to check in with anyone at home to tell them I was ok. Bring your cell phone even if it's just for emergencies. 

2. Bring more than you think you need in the currency of your host country. I brought 100 euros and that wasn't enough! Bring enough to last you a few days. I would have needed about 300 euros not including my first months rent.

3. Have a contact sheet with the names, phone numbers, and addresses in the host language on you at all times in case of emergency as well.

4. Many domestic bank cards in your home country won;t be accepted or will charge you outrageous fees to use abroad. Buy an international credit, or a pre-paid card (AAA has a card that you can load with any amount of money and it is accepted MOST places).