ShaneNow: Live from Here

I left for Spain on September 15th. The day before leaving was filled with last minute moving of big items from my place, so that all my stuff wouldn't be costing me $800, but instead $90. I tried to downgrade my phone. Now my iPhone is just an expensive clock. Data plans in Europe are insanely expensive for us Americans. I want to keep my reserve high before the class I am teaching in the Fall starts.

The good news about teaching online is that I only need the Internet to survive. My goal is to get 1-2 more classes, then I can work from anywhere. As a nomad professor, I should be set through the middle of 2010. This seems like a great way to bring new ideas to students. Since I can meet so many different people doing work in sustainability, I can truly help them learn and see a global perspective.

One thing on my mind this morning is how expensive it was for my first day in Madrid. When I tallied everything, I spent almost 80EUR. That's nearly $95 for food & a glass of wine, 2 nights of lodging, a headset to Skype with friends and family,

As I watched people while sitting at the Spanish sandwich shop, I realized I was in a new place. Each little smorgas costs 1,50EUR which is about US$1.90A. This is a city where people walk, drink beer and eat tapas. I noticed the way people dressed with a touch of style. Maybe it's the shoes or perhaps the hair. It is certainly the serious tone during daylight hours that could make a person see Spain, or at least Madrid as uptight. As soon as the sun goes down though people lighten up. They have gotten themselves ready for night time by a quick nap during their long lunch.

Madrid is perhaps one of the safest places to drink water in Spain, although you honestly can't go wrong in any of the major cities. Taste varies, with some praising the clear, cool waters, and others preferring the option of mineral waters instead. But whatever water you choose to drink - bottled or tap - you can be assured that you'll need it to quench your thirst when you go exploring this wonderful country, day and night. I'd prefer to drink tap and save the $ in the long-term.