Open Mic Night!

September 8

            I had quite the Tuesday night yesterday. I agreed to meet Jon and some of his friends from his nivel (level) for drinks and tapas after my 8 o’clock class. I’m getting much better at pushing through the initial awkwardness of ham-handed introductions and in 10 minutes we were chatting and regaling one another with our new experiences and exchanging stories about our respective homes. We picked up some bocadillos for dinner and the conversation and drinks started flowing naturally. After dinner, I informed the group that we could watch the Spain Argentina match at a cozy pub I had discovered over the weekend. Unfortunately, when we arrived at Hanegan’s, Argentina was up 2-0 in the 25^th minute. It was a terrible game and the Spaniards completely rolled over. But that didn’t kill the mood, for it was open mic night! I was shooting the breeze with an English ex-pat named Adrian, who was running the whole ordeal, when I made the mistake of mentioning how I longed to get my hands on a guitar. “Tonight’s the night you’ve been waiting for mate,” he informed me, and after another pint or so I took the stage. I played “Lie in our Graves” by the Dave Matthews Band and I’m happy to report I was not booed off stage. Surely, the beer influenced my decision, but I was still as nervous as I always am before I play in front of anyone besides a mirror. I think that song was a manifestation of my willingness to put myself out there and try new things while abroad. That’s the thing I’d most like to take back to the states with me. Afterwards, John congratulated me and bought me a pint; my new friends were also very supportive. The whole production really made me feel at home, something I haven’t necessarily missed, but a quality that has been absent since my arrival. All in all, it was a great night and it even numbed the pangs I’ve been feeling for Maren (girlfriend). I’ll have to come up with a set list for open mic night next Tuesday!

Until next time,

Erik