Buenos Dias! It’s currently 12:00 PM here in Madrid, where I have just arrived at my classroom near Puerta del Sol. I took the metro here, the gray line to the yellow to arrive at sol station. From sol station it’s about a 10-minute walk through Gran Via, a famous street in Madrid. Along the walk, you can find beautiful architecture will mini terraces along the streets, its much different than the United States. After about 10 days of being here in Madrid, I have experienced quite the culture shock in a variety of forms. For one, the eating schedule has taken me by surprise. Spaniards normally eat a small breakfast, such as a croissant and a café con leche, and then have another small meal or snack around 12:00 noon. Their main large meal is around 3:00 pm, which holds off their appetite until later in the night. Anywhere from 9-12:00 AM is when the final meal of the day is consumed, normally consisting of some tapas if you are out to eat with company. The idea of tapas is to order 4-5 small plates, like some jamon y queso con pan (ham and cheese with bread), or patatas fritas (fried potatoes). Coming from the United States, I expected to go out to eat and order something for myself, but as I have become accustomed to this style of dining, it has grown on me a bit, and creates more of an inclusive environment amongst all persons dining. The cuisine in Madrid, and Spain in general, revolves heavily around Jamon Iberico, which is acorn fed Ham that creates a marbling effect that is then cured in salt for months at a time. Getting this opportunity to experience another culture in a first-hand situation has been incredible.