Toledo, a completely different world, just about an hour away.

Sun or Shade- how you pick your
seat when going to a bull fight.

Que Fuerte

Don't get too excited,
it's not a real museum :(

The other day I went to Madrid to do some shopping :) I probably walked a few kilometers and sweated a few kilos. During the day I bought my ticket for the Lion King, a necklace for my beautiful Aspen and some candy for a sick Martín. I walked through rain, talked with a street artist, visited the visitor's center, saw the American Embassy and Consulate, went to one Taste of America, and took one Metro (trying to save money by walking).

Went to a yogurt shop,
the ONLY one where you serve yourself,
and also the ONLY one with this flavor!

Got a stranger to take my picture
 in front of this pretty fountain. 

A cool store where they sell "spells,"
you grab a pill bottle and stick a "spell"
on it, then you fill it with the secret ingredients (candy).
Some spells were for wedding jitters, people who
hate Mondays, etc. 

Embassy!

   





























     Last night I went to the city meeting with Marta. OOOOOOOOOoooooo que fuerte. Marta is 1 of 9 people on a board consisting of the "opposing political parties." Sitting across the room are 7 members of the party in power and in the center is the secretary (doesn't have a party, just there to take the notes), the speaker of the party in power, and the guy who basically tells people when they can talk.
     The meeting started with 12 points that needed to be approved (or not). That took about 3 hours and only a few arguments. After that there were questions from the opposing parties, then from the public (we were only about 17 people). The guy in charge of the meeting gave the public 30 minutes, ARE YOU KIDDING ME! We got through about 4 people before the guy in charge said the meeting was over. When he got up to leave I also stood up and asked the party in power (PP) if they would stay to talk with the public, and if that guy in charge wanted to leave, so be it. Of course I was so nervous so they couldn't understand me. One woman in the public spoke english so she helped me. Everyone actually sat down to listen to my question and although I didn't get an answer, I gave the woman in charge of environment my card. So what was my question? My town is quite dirty and I am asking if I can organize a community clean up. I am asking for trash bags, gloves, and money to make the flyers. I can't wait to hear what the woman's response will be!
   Well you could say the public was angry about the 30 minute rule, and I assume it will change in the near future.

Lots of stuff, pictures later

After studying like a crazy woman (barely doing anything else) I think I pulled out some good grades. Don't have them yet, get them after Holy Week.

For Holy Week my family was supposed to go to the beach but my host mom works Wednesday, which means no beach. So I plan on sleeping a bunch and going to Madrid a few times.

Today I woke up a little after 10, ate my breakfast, drank my tea, and got straight to cleaning my room. I didn't have any time during finals, and really it was about time. I found a few lost things :) I was in charge of the kids while I was cleaning because Mario was at the gym and Marta at a meeting. Every time I couldn't hear Martín I went to go check on him, one time he had taken Berta's lip gloss and painted his eyebrows. The kids ate lunch with Mario when he got home, then I ate with Marta when she got home. Now making some cookies and hoping to go to IKEA later.

Finals- a weekend in between

Monday I have 2 finals- physics and french. In physics there are like 40 formulas to memorize. Yeah, I'm wondering if I start crying during the test maybe the teacher will give me a good grade... French is going quite well, still lonely because everyone else in my class is in their 4th year and I am in my first. That means the teacher teaches 4th year french- nothing I can understand and I can't participate. Its a bummer but I have a good CD I am working with for pronunciation. But really it all come down to physics...Trying different ways of studying- reading, writing, with another person, with music, outside- but any way I do it I'd rather be sleeping. Yikes. Pray for me!
-Jo

FINALS- Round 2

Tomorrow are my first 2 finals- history and classic culture. Friday 3 more, a weekend of studying, Monday 3 more, and Tuesday the last 2. Please be wishing me all of the focus and luck you have! Missing you always,
Joslyn

P.s. I'm still trying to teach some friends, family, and teachers how to say my name. Who knows if I'll respond when I hear the American pronunciation once home.... (: