1. Gracia (my host mom, 74 years old) is precious. She loves to have us here. Her husband died a few years ago, and her kids wanted her to move in with them. But instead, she hosts students...that way she has the freedom of living on her own while having us here to keep her company :) She has 4 kids ranging from 38 to 50-something. So far I've met 2 of them, and also 2 of her grandkids. I'm bad at playing/being social with little kids, but Tally does a good job. They're realllllly cute. Pictures to come I'm sure.
2. I've been out a few times so far mainly with "the elite 8" (ie Tally and her 7 new best friends). They're all very unique and funny and nice! Thursday all the americanos* go to this club called Buddah. Ladies got free sangria until 2 :) It was NUTS! Literally 85% of the people there were American and they played all of "our" music. It was fun for 1 night a week or so, but all the dancing and the long walk there took it out of me, i was dead the next day!
3. *--When I'm speaking english to my american friends it is all of a sudden very common for me to pop in a random spanish word. See * above. haha
4. This place makes me feel like I'm in Sarasota, FL (to a point). There are palm trees everywhere and many cute, local stores and plazas to wander around in. I'm also (as planned) obsessed with the orange trees. So so so pretty. I want to take one home with me.
5. I start classes Monday. I'll be taking corrective phonetics and conversation, semantics, latin american novel and modern history of Spain. All taught in español of course!
6. Food has been good so far! Breakfast hardly exists here. Gracia will usually sleep until about 9 or so. So if we're up before her, we just take something that's out on the counter (ie- this bread-muffin thing, or a piece of fruit). Lunch is typically their biggest meal of the day, served at 2 or 3. "Bocadillos" (sandwiches) are common if you're on the go. Yesterday for lunch we had lentil soup, which was very good! We also always have bread, salad and some kind of fruit with lunch and dinner. Gracia doesn't eat what we eat for dinner, she'll have a piece of fruit or 2. She doesn't like eating too heavily so late. Dinner is served around 9:00-9:30 or so. So far for dinner I've had tortilla española (eggs, potatoes and onions cooked in a pancake type thing. Has the consistency of an omelet), this pizza bread type thing and chicken patties with french fries.
7. I LOVE the book I'm reading, Hector and the Search for Happiness. This will be one that goes in the "Never get rid of" pile.
I'm going to get that book from the library. If you think it is so good, I've got to read it also. That picture of a narrow street - it is beautiful - - is it a special street - or they all like that? Tonight we had more snow ! ! Another 3 or 4 inches. Aren't you glad you are in Spain just for the weather? Love, Gram.
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