I wish someone could have captured a before and after photo of me today. So much like my first day of school decades ago, I left well-pressed and anxious and returned well-worn and exhausted.
Not a bad thing, though. I come ‘home’ this evening much like a kindergartner - enchanted by this new place and all the experiences that lie ahead. I didn’t get to work until probably 9:30am, but in Spain “No pasa nada”.
We spent the first couple of hours chatting about the weekend and what else I might need for my apartment. Miguel, a wonderfully helpful man, was out the door with a list before I could say no. Just after 11:00 it was ‘Pincho'-time, which is not lunch - it’s a cafecito and something small to eat. But it’s out of the office and into the characteristicly narrow streets of Oviedo to reconvene in one of the many bars very close.
After a brief introduction into the virtual world about which I’m supposed to consult, Jose Carlos, the brilliant lead to the 3D team, looks at his watch, “Ay Katie! No tienes hambre? Es casi las cuatro!” Apparently we were supposed to have lunch around 2:30 and lost track of time. We head to an outdoor cafe surrounded by the Spanish sun and the beautifully ancient European architecture.
We work until just past 6, and before leaving I receive a call from Ana Maria - best described as my boss, as well as the woman who hired me. I have not met her yet, she travels the world selling this project. We will meet tomorrow for dinner (which last time I checked was between 9 and 11pm). Maybe she means lunch?
As I make my way back to my flat, with my hair askew and my laptop bag slipping from my shoulder like an oversized backpack, I am reminded of a picture my mom took on my return from Seneca St. School. This is such a fascinating new world to me and I have so much to learn.