Beautiful Spain

I have been back home for a week now and I still miss Spain like crazy. Although it makes me feel better that everyone there is off on their trips, so I don’t feel like I’m missing anything. Plus, I love being back with my family. Being around them made me realize how much I truly did miss them.

I think about my host family ALL THE TIME and I continuously look at pictures of my time with them. Everyone bombards me with questions and asks to see pictures, but I don’t know how to convey the AWESOMENESS of my trip in words… so I just say, “Good.” Even though it was so much more than just good.

So far I have been keeping in contact with my host family and my friends send me messages telling me how much they miss me. The Spanish are big on details, so I try to expand on my responses as much as possible. We’re doing good so far, and when school starts and I have lots of new things to tell them, I will be BOMBARDING my Mama Josefina with emails and pictures. And I’m sure she will be doing the same for me.

I’m already planning when I will go back there. I also have friends planning on making their way out here. I’m not sure how that’s going to work out as of yet, but until then we have a big skype date planned.

Coming back was odd. Getting back into the habit of speaking English all the time was different. I kept saying, “Perdon” when I meant, “Excuse me” or “Sorry”. As I spoke it felt robotic and unnatural… like I had to THINK about what I was saying. Even when airline staff would speak directly TO me, I had to make myself listen to the words they were saying, when normally it just went in. I’m determined to keep up my Spanish, so my emails to my friends and family there will keep me fluent.

Eating the yummy, fat, greasy American food I was used to was like going to Heaven. I’ve been eating HORRIBLY. My host parents would probably faint if they saw the amount of sugar and calories I was consuming. However, starting today, my mommy and I are going to eat healthy.

It was depressing to see how far everything was from each other here. I can’t just get up and walk to the store, walk to school, walk to my friends house, or take a bus whenever I want. I have to drive. I really liked walking everywhere. The only place close enough to walk to here is the pool and the mailbox.

I swore that I was going to sink into some sort of depression when I came back, but I’m okay. I don’t cry, I get sad, but not TOO sad when I think back on Spain. I think having my family here to entertain me has helped a lot. Also, the fact that I keep in touch with everyone back there makes it a lot easier. And  then realizing that I had an amazing experience that helped shape my life makes everything all worthwhile.

I had the best host family in the world. I honestly couldn’t say thank you enough to them. They are the best people I have ever met in my life. Never would I have imagined that I could love anyone as much as my family, but I truly consider them my second family now. They took care of me, made me feel so at home, and made my nine months there the best nine months of my life.

I also can’t say how grateful I am to the amazing friends I made there in Spain. When I met up with other foreign exchange students in Barcelona  and we talked, I realized that I was so lucky not to have been placed in a town with other exchange students. It forced me to make friends with ONLY Spaniards, and I’m so glad I did. Because Spaniards are some of the best friends you can have. No one here in the United States would KIDNAP me for a surprise going away party. They did so much for me, and were so loving, and so giving, and so much fun. I love them so much, and they know that they ALWAYS have a home in the United States open to them, just like I know that their homes are always open to me.

I would like to thank AYUSA and InterHispania for everything they’ve done for me as well. I went to a wonderful school with THE most helpful, supportive teachers ever. I had an amazing local coordinator (who luckily was also a part of the family). I just had an all mind-blowing experience. One I will never, never, never forget and one I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world.

I want to thank my parents for supporting me and letting me embark on this experience. It means the world to me.

And last but not least, Ms. Emily for being the BEST editor in the world. She has kept up with the blogs, always giving me the best feedback, and has been so encouraging, and so sweet throughout this process.

I thank anyone who took the time to read this, and I hope you enjoyed it. This has basically been my diary every week for nine months. If it ever crosses your mind for even a second that you may want to do something like this, I STRONGLY encourage you to go for it. It’s an experience that will CHANGE your life completely. You will create the most unforgettable memories, meet amazing people that you would have otherwise never have gotten a chance to meet, and have a chance to truly define yourself as a person.

I love you guys!

Viva España!

Ingredients!

- You’re going to need 4 eggs, oil, salt, and potatoes.

Monday and Tuesday we were at the beach for my friend’s birthday. Wednesday I was exhausted after two days of the beach, so I spent it with the family and my neighbors and Thursday was a chill day too. In Alicante they were having these huge bonfires for San Juan and the week before my friends had mentioned going. I didn’t know if we were going or not, so I asked my friend, but never got a response. I figured we weren’t doing anything that day, so instead I hung out with my neighbors and tried to pack a little more. We made plans to go out to eat that night and maybe watch a movie later on.

At around 8 or so, Mama Josefina wanted to teach me how to make tortilla de patatas a very typical Spanish dish, which she KNOWS how much I love. Normally we don’t eat it in the house (since potatoes are contraband), but the Dad wasn’t there. It’s a pretty simple recipe.

I wasn’t planning on staying in the house for dinner, but Mama Josefina encouraged me to sit and eat, so I did. I tried to finish quickly since I had dinner plans with my neighbors. Once I was done, I started picking up. Mama Josefina sent Ana to the Tita Conchie’s house to get a permanent marker… or so I thought. 

As I was cleaning, Mama Josefina was looking through the camera and wanted me to see some pictures. She was going through the same pictures a couple of times, and all of a sudden someone blindfolds me. At first I thought it was Pablo. Then they started dragging me. They let me run into a wall, and when they started dragging me outside, I knew it had to be my friend. They pulled me, and pushed me into a car (where I fell on the floor). No one said a word, it was so quiet. I had no idea whose car we were getting in to, who was driving, or who was even with me. I knew someone was in the backseat with me and there were two people up front. I knew one was Diana, but the others were a mystery. I tried to feel the person next to me, but they kept slapping my hand away. I tried to talk, but no one replied. I asked about my cell phone (which of course they left in the house with my camera), but they were nice enough to bring me some clothes and makeup. Thank god because I looked terrible.

We drove a long way. I had no idea where we were going. When the car finally stopped, they pulled me out and removed the blindfold. We were in the orchard house of Maria (La China), the place where we had the costume party in February. Everyone was behind the bar and jumped out yelling, “Surprise!” Then they all came up to me, hugging me and crying. I of course started to cry to. It was the sweetest thing in the world. 

Almost everyone was there even my friends from Murcia. They had music blaring from the car and everyone danced and had a good time. They gave me this adorable little photo book that everyone made a page for with pictures of me and them. They decorated it, and as I read it I don’t think I had ever cried that hard – ever. Then they gave me the Spanish flag that everyone signed. They signed it backwards, so it’s all wrong, but still sweet. 

The next day, Friday, was my ACTUAL last day in Murcia. That morning I went to the school to get my grades (passed all my classes!), then my friends and I went to breakfast. Afterward I went to the house and got dressed. I went with Mama Josefina to go pick up Ana, and she took us to see La Fuensanta, the patron saint of Murcia. It was a big cathedral up on the mountain dedicated to her. It was closed, but the outside was gorgeous.

Later that night all the family came over. Everyone brought the food that they knew I loved. There was tortilla de patatas (the way the Grandma Krumi makes them), pizza, pastel de carne, sliced tomatoe, bread with sobrasada, sausage, pastel de carne, torta de chocolate, and my favorites: empanadillas. They gave me presents: a cute purple bag, a bracelet, and two adorable necklaces. 

After we finished eating we went inside to watch a video that Mama Josefina had made for me of my WHOLE time in Murcia. I cried as soon as it started and couldn’t stop. It was the sweetest thing in the world. It made me realize that I was actually going to leave my family. 

Later that night after my last goodbyes to the family my friend called me and told me to come outside. When I opened the gate, he and his group of friends (who call themselves Los5, because there are 5 of them, and they’re the BEST of best friends) were all lined up in front of the house. They had come to say bye to me. They hadn’t been able to go to my going away party because they went to the bonfires in Alicante, but they still went out of their way to come see me off. So I hung out with them a while, then finally it was time for them to leave. 

I was back at home by 2 in the morning, but I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t even want to. I stayed up all night working on a photo album I was going to give to my host family as a present to thank them. At around 9 o’clock Saturday morning I was already running around La Alberca looking for last minute things I needed. I still had to repack my suitcases, get dressed, and everything. I was so unprepared. My friends came by at around noon to say goodbye one last time. I had just finished packing everything, and looking around my empty room was the worst. It didn’t feel like I was actually leaving, but as my friends walked away from my house that last time, my heart just fell to my stomach.

I gave my family the album to look at (without me because I wasn’t ready and we were running late). As I finished up, my host Mommy walked in my room sobbing, followed by my host dad, and I just broke down. We all hugged, and I could tell how much they loved me. 

We then got my luggage and got into the car. On the way to the train station I was calm. I just looked at Murcia one last time. It really is a very beautiful city. Small, tranquil, but filled with so much life. 

At the train station we got a bite to eat as we waited for the train. When it was time for me to board, I cried more as I hugged my host family. I didn’t want to get on, but I finally did. And as I looked through the train window, I cried even more. 

After about 7 hours I finally made it to Barcelona and from there was the long road home.

The Mediterranean

This is my official last weekend in my home in Murcia. I still have until Saturday morning, but it feels like I’m leaving tomorrow. Thank god I’m not, because I don’t have ANYTHING ready. I still have to send my box of all the things that won’t fit in my suitcase (I ended up buying quite a few items), I have to get presents for my family, presents for my host family, and think of what to do for my friends. It’s so much and I feel like I have NO time whatsoever… not that this is new. I’m quite the procrastinator.

Friday all the family is going to come over to tell me goodbye. I am not ready for that at all. This weekend we went to the beach on the boat of Mama Josefina’s sister. It was really nice and really comfy. We sailed on the Mediterranean all afternoon. It was super relaxing, I don’t even know how many times I fell asleep. We stopped by an island and walked around for a bit until it was time to eat. Then we went near the shore and stopped the boat. We ate (sandwiches) and slept the siesta. Afterward, we all got out and waded through the water to go on land. From there we crossed a street and were on the Mar Menor. I didn’t want to, but ended up playing in the waves with Ana and Pablo. It was pretty cold, so once I got out I was frozen. 

We went back to the boat and headed home at around eight. I’m still exhausted. The day before I had went to the house of a friend of mine for a barbecue. The food was delicious and it was fun, but I was exhausted, and the night before, was the graduations of 2nd bachillerato (seniors) at my school, so everyone went to the discotecas…. So I hadn’t had a rest for a while. It’s been fun though. I like that go-go feeling when there’s so much to do. And with what little time I have left here, I don’t want a second to be wasted being bored. Hay que aprovechar! 

I could talk about how much I’m going to miss my host family and my friends, but I’m trying to think of all the positive things this week. Friday will be a tear-filled day, I can already tell. I’m dreading it, but… When it’s time to go, it’s time to go. I’m going to make the most out of my last week in Spain, so until next time!

The best empanadillas that you will ever eat

I am now counting down the days I have before I leave. It’s crazy how fast time has gone by. You know your time is coming up and that you’ll have to leave, but it doesn’t really hit you until it’s right around the corner. Lately when I think about leaving, I just get so sad because I think of all the things I’m going to miss. However, the same thing happened before I left America. I suppose anytime things change, you focus on the things that you’re NOT going to have, but there’s also a lot of things you gain. 

In my case, yes, I will be leaving Murcia. I will miss the super yummy Spanish food. I will miss my absolutely amazing classmates and teachers. I will miss the friendly strangers I pass everyday to get to school. I will miss the convenience of my small town. I will miss the independence of Spain. I will miss the unbelievable friends I’ve made here, but most of all I will miss the best host family I could have ever asked for.

Even though I will miss all these things, there are a lot of things I WON’T miss. I will not miss walking to school every morning. Especially those days when you wake up late… it’s the worst. I will not miss this heat. I will not miss the school system… especially philosophy. I’ve never hated a class more than math until now. I will not miss the pressure of exams. In America a test was a test. You studied, but HERE… Every exam is like they’re taking the SAT. I will not miss how small it is. Those days when you have to go pick up something from the supermarket really fast and want to leave the house with messy hair, sweat pants, and a tacky shirt… Don’t try it here. You WILL encounter someone you know and it’s ALWAYS one of the people that you would hope wouldn’t see you like that. And I definitely won’t miss the excessively healthy eating here. I won’t lie, though, I kind of like it… This is one of those things I will take back home with me. 

I’m really excited to go back home to see my family. I’m excited to catch up on movies, listen to non-house music, eat GREASY American food, get Starbucks (there’s no Starbucks here. I’m dying), sleep in as late as I want, be closer to my friends, have the convenience of my parents there to give me money whenever I want (it’s a pain here with the ATMs and all the waiting I have to do. You have to be super careful with money), to sleep in my bed, and to be back with all the things and people I love. 

I’m super grateful for the time I’ve spent here, and even though I’m going to miss it, I think it is time for me to go. Thanks to my time here, I’ve made new friends that I KNOW I will be keeping in touch with. It’ll be amazing to have friends all over the world, and I know for sure that one day I WILL be coming back here to visit. And my friends know that my home is always open to them. I really want to keep in contact with my host family too. I don’t think they know it, but I really am incredibly happy to have been put with them. I really do love them, and I will miss them TO PIECES. However, I’ve gone 9 months without my Mommy, and I think I want to see her.

They are known to keep within themselves. They normally live out of their caravans or in communities together. They have a reputation for pick-pocketing and cheating you out of your money. When we went to the gypsies, I had bought a little trinket. The man working the stall was very nice, though, very playful. His friend was there helping me pick the trinket I wanted, as indecisive as I am. When I handed him my money to pay, his friend said, “Be careful, he may try to trick you out of your money.” I laughed and shook my head. The man working the stall handed me back half of my money and slickly kept the other half. I took it and said thank you, and was about to turn away when I realized what he did. I stopped and went, “Ayyeeee…” and the man working the stall laughed and handed me the rest of the money. His friend said, “She’s a smart one.” I knew they were kidding, so I didn’t mind. So far I’ve had good experiences at the gypsies. Not that I’ve had many. They keep to themselves.

After my trip to the gypsies, I had to rush over to my friend’s house to work on our exposition for gym. The thing about Spain is you have A LOT of group projects where you have to get together outside of school. I really like it, though. It seems to unify the class more. I can’t imagine EVER getting together this much in America. Everyone lives so far away from each other. You’d have to get your parents to drop you off, to come pick you up at a certain hour. Plus you have school during the day, normally a sport or studying or a job in the afternoon, then at night, everyone is in their home. Today we got together at 8:00 PM to work and didn’t finish until 10:15. Tomorrow we have to finish, but with everyone’s schedule, we have to meet at 9:00 PM. But here, everything is done late… but when I say everything, I mean everything.
One of the bad habits I’ve picked up here is tardiness. I remember when I first got here, someone told me to be somewhere at 6:15, and I was there at 6:05. As time went by, I would be there at exactly 6:15. I would always have to wait for everyone else, so I started leaving later. Now, I cut it close with EVERYTHING. If you say we have to catch the bus at 4:20, you had better know the time for the next bus, because we’ll probably miss it. That’s one thing that I KNOW won’t fly when I come back home… which I am not ready for.

I already am beginning to send some of the things I’ve accumulated that won’t fit into my luggage. I have a huge box sitting in my room filled with jackets, coats, winter clothes, shoes, books, and things that are unnecessary. My room isn’t bare yet, but it’s beginning to look less homey and that makes me sad. I love Spain so much, and I hate to leave it, but I am ready to see my family. So, until next time!

Before I came to Spain I had talked with a lot of people who had already come here. The one piece of advice they never failed to give me was, “Be careful with the gypsies!”. Now, I had never seen gypsies or anything (except for on television), but they didn’t seem any different from anyone else I would see on the street, so I didn’t really know what they were talking about. When I got here, I saw more and more gitanos. And they weren’t anything like the gypsies I saw on television.

Here the gypsies don’t have the best reputation. They stand out because their skin is a dark brown and they have dark hair. Apparently they’re known for wearing large amounts of gold jewelry. But it seems like there is a strong negative social stigma associated with them. 

The gypsies are known for their markets. We had went to a rhythmic gymnastics competition for Ana and while we waited, we decided to take a walk around the pueblo we were in. There were a LOT of gypsies, and since I had never been to their market, we went. And it was cool. It was like a huge flea market outside. There were stalls and stands of EVERYTHING you could possibly imagine… for very cheap prices. I loved it. Apparently there is a HUGE gypsy market in the city center Thursday mornings and every pueblo has one once a week. Here in La Alberca they’re Monday mornings, so since I’m always in school I’ve never seen it. I do plan on seeing it the first opportunity I get, though. 

Saturday I wanted to buy a birthday present for a friend of mine. I asked my friends what to get, and they told me, “You should go to the hippies!”. I had NO idea what they were talking about. I figured there was some “hippie” store I had never seen. So my friend drew me a map and I went with my Ecuadorian friend in search of the mysterious hippies. 

It turned out to be SUPER easy to get to, but it definitely wasn’t a store. It was a little market just like the gypsy’s, but smaller and with… more hippie things. They had the cutest bags, hats, clothes, wallets, everything. Problem was, they were more expensive than the gypsies, but I ended up finding these really cute bracelets. it was located next to this really amazing bridge on the river with this really cool sculpture in it. I was in awe that all the time I had been here, I had never seen it. The bridge was suspended over the water, but it felt really finicky. You could honestly FEEL it moving as you walked over it. My friend was scared for her life, but I made her stay on it with me.

So, all in all, I’d say my weekend was a success. I found my amazing bridge, new places to buy things for cheap prices, my friend loved the bracelet, and I got to experience the hidden markets of Murcia. Next Monday we have a break, so I am DEFINITELY going to check out the gypsies of La Alberca. Until next time!

Apparently there are two major parties: PP, or the People’s Party and the PSOE, the socialists. PP are similar to Republicans in America and the PSOE are similar to the Democrats. You then have a number of smaller parties and apparently there’s always a communist party running. The way he described it, he made it seem like there was an even amount of people who go for each party. Like there was an equilibrium… but there is not.

I was never aware of my host family’s political stance. I knew that they didn’t like the current president of Spain, but I figured EVERYONE disliked him. Until my friend told me that he liked him. My friend complained about the new tranvia, a train that’s on the sidewalks that takes you all around the city, kind of like a trolley, being built here in Murcia saying that, “They don’t care about the towns and that they make this tranvia to transport people to the huge malls. They don’t think and all they care about is money.“ Yet, my host Mommy had said how the tranvia was good for the city, especially for the students at the universities who now had an easier way to get around. These conflicting statements had me thinking that maybe there was a difference in their political views.

I’ve always been more on the Democratic side, so when my friend asked me if I was more on the left or the right, I obviously said, “The left.“ He asked me what my host parents were, and I would have sworn up and down that they were more to the left as well. Everyone and everything in Spain is so… liberal it seems. I had read about how EVERYONE in Spain was Catholic and thought, “Oh, I’m going to go to the most reserved place in the world.“, but no. It’s not like that at all. Little things that bother Americans don’t bug them in the slightest. Television doesn’t censor ANY word, nudity isn’t a problem… you go to the beach and it’s normal for girls to be seen topless. There was a toy that had a baby, and a child was to attach a flower pad to her shirt on her chest, and when she held the baby doll up to it, it would suck, simulating breast feeding. The news reported how America had banned the toy, and when I saw it I thought, “Of course they did! What kind of toy is that?!“, but when my host Mommy saw it, she laughed and told me about how the people here see America and are confused as to how we can be so puritan. She saw no problem with the toy.

That being said, imagine my surprise to find out my host family and practically ALL of Spain are members of PP. I told them about my socialist friend and they were surprised. My host mom said that knowing a socialist was very odd. That she had one socialist friend, but EVERYONE she knew was with the People’s Party. Apparently Murcia is the community in Spain with the MOST voters for the People’s Party… which was evident in the results in the elections. This afternoon my host parents took me with them to go vote. We went to the school in front of the house and on a table there are tons of papers from each political party. On the sheets of paper you have the names of all the candidates from the party. You pick the paper of the party you are voting for, put it in an envelope, and take the envelope to your respective table where it is put into a box, and that’s your vote. My host parents decided to vote “en blanco” because they are not happy with the government. The results are counted and by nightfall you get to see the results.

Throughout dinner we kept the television on the news and saw the results as they came in. In the major cities the votes were pretty evenly distributed between the PSOE and PP. PP won practically every community, but there were some where PSOE won out. In Murcia you saw THE most drastic difference. The results came out to be 36 PP to 11 PSOE. The rest went to smaller parties. But the outstanding majority was to PP. In no other community was the difference that immense.

I’m not too surprised by the results of the elections. The current president of Spain is a member of the socialist party, and Spain being in the economic crisis it’s in, I’m sure they want a change. On the television they showed the headquarters of the People’s Party and that of the PSOE, and it was horrible. The People’s Party headquarters was FILLED with people outside waving flags, people cheering, just TONS of support. The PSOE has NO ONE. When I say NO ONE, I literally mean there was not one supporter outside.

Now that these elections are over, the BIG elections are coming up soon. And I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that the next president of Spain is a member of the People’s Party.

Albondigas!

This week was the typical school week. Lots of homework, lots of exams. Thursday was my host Mommy’s birthday, but we didn’t do anything. She went out to eat with my host dad. Today was Pablo’s 14^th birthday, so because Ana, Pablo, and my host Mommy’s birthdays are so close together, the family came by for lunch and we celebrated it that way. Speaking of which, the food today was AMAZING. We had albondigas, which are like meatballs with this flour batter on it. They’re kind of bready and they’re put in this huge pot with vegetables and soup. It’s amazing. I’ll have to ask grandma Fina to show me how she makes them. She offered to show me some recipes. I wanted to stay and watch today, but I had a lot of work to do, so by the time I got to the kitchen, it was too late.

Today was fun, but my time to go is getting closer and closer, which makes me sad. I really, really don’t want to leave, but at the same time you have those moments when all you want to do is go home. Saturday I had a horrible wave of homesickness. It began out of boredom. For some reason, lately when I’ve gotten bored here, I’ve gotten depressed. When there’s nothing going on, I just start thinking of all these things, and I just feel so lonely. I think it’s just because I’m starting to miss my family and then I go to school and I see how close everyone is here and how everyone has their best friends, and it sucks not having that. I just always feel like I don’t have ANYONE. Yesterday was the worst I’ve been, though. I was in my room after a really nice dinner in Murcia with the family and their friends, and when I got back home, I just started crying. I really missed my friends, my family, and my home. I sat here trying to find something to do to get my mind off of it, but all I wanted to do was watch Jersey Shore. So I tried, but the internet wouldn’t go. So that made me even sadder. I finally told myself, “Chrissy, you can’t be sad. You’re in Spain.” (which is what I tell myself anytime I have a bad day). So, I went to go wash my face, and made myself go watch TV in the living room with Pablo. We ended up watching some horrible movie, but being around him made me feel better. So, word of advice: When you are feeling lonely, homesick, or just have a terrible day (which you WILL. And there will be QUITE a few, I’m sure) just go hang out with someone. Staying by yourself just makes it worse. I’m positive that had I stayed in my room watching Jersey Shore like I wanted to, I would have cried myself to sleep.

Thinking back, I think there are a couple things I would have done differently to make my stay here better. Not that I haven’t had an AMAZING experience so far, because I have. I just think that my goal here was to come here and learn Spanish. I feel like my Spanish has improved by a million, but that it could be better. And now that it’s almost time to leave, I feel a little bit disappointed with myself. I think I understand it almost perfect (not PERFECT perfect, but INCREDIBLY well), but speaking it…. Is a different story. And I can pin-point the exact reasons for that.

1. Facebook

I honestly, honestly, honestly wish I had deleted or suspended my face book account before I came here. I mean, getting on once a week or so isn’t bad, but when you’re used to getting on everyday and internet is always there, old habits die hard. I feel like I got on way too much, and I do regret it. The son of the Aunt Conchie went to Ireland in October. He came back to visit in December, and his English was AMAZING. Better than my Spanish. And he told me that he didn’t communicate much with any of his friends from Spain and always made an effort to speak English with the people out in Ireland.

Which brings me to my next regret….

2. Being shy.

This one, I don’t understand. I’m not even really a shy person. I mean, I have my moments, but I’m not timid or anything in the least. But when it comes to speaking Spanish, I just get embarrassed and I try not to. And I wish I had. I wish I spoke more or tried to make more conversation in Spanish. For anyone going to Spain, I know you’re gonna feel dumb, but try to speak. The people here have NO problem trying to practice their English with you, so you shouldn’t be shy either.

3. Not keeping my goal in mind

I feel like coming here, I just wanted to learn Spanish. Then it turned into, “Oh, I’m living in Spain for 9 months.”, but I didn’t remember WHY. It just became… living. Which is fine and all, but when you don’t keep a goal in mind, you don’t achieve it.

     These are things that I’m glad I thought about, because with my few weeks left here, there is time to change them. So, until next time!

Preparing the set!

This week was the first week back at school and the weather’s getting hotter and hotter. So much has happened. Thursday was Ana’s 12th birthday, Friday was the first out of two days of the SOS 4.8 music festival which I’ve been waiting for, for months, Saturday was Ana’s rhythmic gymnastics competition, and today was the day of her actual birthday party.

Normally when Ana needs to get a birthday gift for a friend we go to this little shop called Yedra that’s right by the library. The shop has all these cute little trinkets, bags, things for the home, etc. Everytime we went in, she would point out this cute little fiber lamp and tell me how cute it was and how her friend had one just like it that she loved. Normally I freak out over what to get people for their birthdays, but I thank god that Ana ALWAYS says whatever is on her mind. She tells you EVERYTHING. So, as her birthday neared, I was very calm because I knew that I had to get her the lamp. Mama Josefina’s birthday is the 12th of May and Pablo’s is the 15th. I’m sure I can find SOMETHING for Pablo, but Mama Josefina is the real challenge. 

Friday I hardly got any sleep, I was so excited for SOS. I went downtown to go get my bracelet so that I didn’t have to wait in line when we went in the afternoon, and there were already a lot of people there. People from all over Spain came. I even found some English people! I didn’t speak to them, but I heard them. We finally went in the afternoon and I swear EVERYONE and their mom was there. It was incredibly packed. Our friends all got separated, but it was practically impossible to find each other again. But the music was good, the atmosphere was good, the food was scrumptious (but way too expensive. I stuck to bringing sandwiches), and the day was incredibly long. We got there at around 6 PM because that’s when the bands we wanted to hear began, and got back home at around 6 in the morning. The people who went first thing in the morning and stayed all day were crazy. By the time I got home I was practically dead. I had NO energy whatsoever to go back on Saturday, but I’m glad I did.

Before SOS Saturday morning, Ana had a rhythmic gymnastics competition. I was still sleeping from my long night when she performed, so I didn’t get to see, but her team ended up winning 1st place! That coupled with her birthday party today must have made for a wonderful weekend. 

The birthday party she had today was different from ANY American birthday party I’d ever seen. She decided to do a little play with her friends and perform it for all the parents tonight. All week Mama Josefina, Ana, and her friends had been preparing for the play. It was about 3 angels who steal the rainbow. It was a comedy, and was ACTUALLY pretty funny. We decorated the garden with clouds, stars, and red curtains to make a mock velvet curtain. All of her friends came over at around 4:30 PM, rehearsed, while Mama Josefina and everyone else prepared the house. Then Mama Josefina began with the food. The girls ate, then at around 8-8:15 the parents started arriving. I helped do all the girls makeup, then the play began! It was pretty short, but very, very cute. They did an amazing job.

Now I have a million things to finish. I’m still EXHAUSTED, but I can honestly say I had an amazing week. Everyone keeps reminding me how little time I have left here, and it’s so depressing. I really don’t want to leave. At all. They’ll say, “Tienes ganas de irte?” and I’ll reply, “No.” and they’ll tell me to go visit my parents, then come back for another year! Sometimes I actually WANT to do it, but then I think about my family and my friends and how much I miss them. That’s one of the things that sucks about going somewhere and being there as long as I’ve been here. You really do become attached. I don’t think I thought about how much it was going to suck to leave before I decided to come here. I’m thankful I’m an Army kid, so I’m used to moving, but this time it’s different because it’s a different country and I’m afraid that I really won’t see any of these amazing people again. 9 months definitely isn’t enough time, but I know that I have to leave. Oh well. I still have a couple of weeks left, and A LOT of work to do for school. Which is one thing I will NOT miss about Spain: the school system. It’s so hard and I’m ready to go back to what I’m used to. So for now, I must get back to work. Until next time!