One week left of school

This past weekend was the usual, lunch at one grandma's house Saturday with loads of people. One interesting thing I learned while talking to one of my cousins is that she is living in Ireland (just visiting us now) but for the winter he will go to Dubai. Her job in Ireland is to take care of a family's horses (like a vet). The mother goes to Dubai to rise in the winter because she is something like the horse trainer for the princess of Dubai? Its all very complicated, but very cool.

              Then at my other grandparents' house on Sunday. We always have the same thing- which is fine by me- first regular soup, but instead of noodles, we have rice and garbonzo beans. After that we have a HUGE platter of chicken, ham, and other meat. Sometimes we also have green beans, potatoes, and sausage. I can barely move afterwards. This weekend they had the fireplace lent and I was soooo happy just sitting by it, getting warm.

        This week we have lots of fun things to do at school- today I had a fútbol game, we won, I sucked. Wednesday we have a run down to the area where we have the market area of our town then back up to the school- I want to win a medal! That day the teachers are also going to play in a soccer game. Thursday we receive our grades for the first trimester, wish me luck. And Friday is a half day, then Christmas break!

I go to this church once a month to watch my grandma sing, they only dress up once a month. This was an extra special 'concert' after the mass in honor of the Christmas season. I will try to put some of the videos up tomorrow.

(My grandma is the gorgeous one in baby blue!)

Christmas time in Spain

This last Saturday in Madrid with two other exchange students! First pic-Taste of America, thank God for this store, but really I do. Second pic- Me in my favorite bakery with my hard working bakers! Third pic- Plaza Mayor Christmas Market, mostly just fresh foliage (moss, holly, mistletoe) and nativity scenes for sale, but each piece was separate :/ Fourth pic- Just mountains of potato chips and sunflower seeds :) Pic below- Gettin frisky with Batman in the comic's section!

Had lunch at my tutor's house on Sunday, we had gnoccis! They were amazing. I asked him what he knew about my host family stuff, and he said really nothing but he would ask the main exchange student guy this coming week. I told him I didn't have a present for my Dad to put in my package I would be sending home so he gave me something! Can't say what it is of course, but it was very kind! Gonna go to a Christmas market at my local church this Saturday, then I plan on sending the package. I will post a picture of the contents after I know my family has received it:)  I received a Christmas package from my grandparents in Arizona, I am not supposed to open it 'till Christmas, but it says what it is on the box, LOL. Love you Nanny and Pom Pom! 

Trouble, Finals, Shopping, Family

So sorry I haven't written in a while, but life's been crazy!


GOT IN TROUBLE!
Well went to Madrid with my friend one Friday, and shopped, took pictures, people-watched, the usual. Remember when I went to Madrid and forgot my phone? Well this time I took it but left it in my backpack the whole time. When I checked it at 10:30 I had missed calls and texts from my host parents. When i called them back, they said we would 'talk' when I got home.....YIKES. I know they were just worried, but really that was the first time they'd really been angry with me. I cried harder than I ever have before, and I know it was my fault :/ Gonna be more careful next time!

FINALS
Had final tests last Thursday and Friday and also this Monday and Tuesday. Did better on some than others.....but oh well. Nailed the French one! You could practically touch the stress in the air from all of the studying students, I quit worrying after the first day, because those were our hardest tests. Haven't got my grades yet, we'll see!

SHOPPING
Yesterday, December 6, I went shopping in a nearby town with another exchange student who is also moving families. Her move is a 'bit' more extreme than mine, she is moving from the south coast, to the north, 2 hours from France! We shopped till we were barely standing. I bought some scarves and lots of things to send home in a Christmas package. Going to Madrid today at 4 with this exchange student and one more for more shopping! It's the first time since the incident, so wish me luck. (Little piggy for only 90 euros, maybe merry Christmas to me?)

FAMILY
On my shopping adventure I also talked with the head Rotary guy. He said I would live in Majadahonda (that town) and take the bus everyday to my same school. I am so happy! This town has 10X as much shopping as the one I live in now.

¡Acción de Gracias!

(Thanksgiving!)

       So after SCHOOL, yes I had school this whole week, I did some homework then got ready to Skype my family. First I skyped my family in Denver- Mom, Grandpa, great- aunts, uncles, and cousins. Then when my brother got on Skype from Oregon I tried to add him to the group call. It worked for about 2 minutes, but then I had to say goodbye to the Colorado family to be able to Skype my family in Oregon. That consisted of Dad, Josh, Reilly, Elly, and some Alaskan (Elly's roommate). They had to get off pretty quick because they were leaving for their Thanksgiving lunch at my Uncle Dominick and Aunt Jenni's. I then got ready for my own Thanksgiving dinner with the Rotarians and other exchange students. Silvia and I arrived at the restaurant a little before 9, we all listened to some Rotary meeting business stuff, then we got to the eatin'! First course was a zucchini soup and the next was duck and scalloped potatoes. For dessert we had an croissant-type thing topped with pudding, apples, and a cherry. We also toasted with champagne (my first drink in Spain)! We listened to more Rotary business then visited and took pictures with each other. I got home about 12:15, and to bed around 1, and I had to be up this morning at 8 for school :( All in all a great time!

Solo en Madrid y un Excursión

Alone in Madrid and a field trip!

     Yesterday, I called my friend during lunch to tell her I could go to Madrid after school. She didn't answer (in school) so I left a message. When I got home from school again I called her and she said she was on the bus to where we were going to meet. Great! So I changed my clothes and went to the bus stop. I decided to wait with some schoolmates of mine who were sitting across the street. They told me during the week the bus I needed, 627, didn't do the big loop where our school is and the nearest bus stop. So they walked me down to another one and left me there with a woman who.....was talkative. I waited from 5 to 6. And that bus is supposed to come every 15 minutes? Mmmmhhmmm, sure. I hopped on that and then a metro and I was in SOL, where we usually meet, at around 6:45. It's a huge square filled with hundreds of people so I knew I wouldn't find her. Oh yeah did I mention I forgot my phone? Looked for a while, then decided to just go shopping! Bout some postcards and other souvenir-y things. Everyone is so nice here! I asked for directions once (in Spanish) then gave directions (in English) to a man from Bangladesh. Decided to call it quits around 8 and was home by 9. My family was a little worried because Emily, my friend, had called the house and my family had called my cell....which was in my room. YIKES. All in all it was a fun trip.

Had a little boy take my pic in a great bakery!

 Can't wait till this is a full tree and lit up around Christmas!

      Today, I woke up super pumped because my class had a field trip! And to top it off it was in street clothes! On the bus everyone was eating, taking pictures, and one person even brought an iPod dock to play music! We drove into Madrid and arrived at a university. We waited in the lobby of the philosophy building for about 20 minutes, and when the teachers were trying to check our school in, the woman with the list said no one had called from our school to confirm us. Because there was a lot of time until the next show, our teachers let us loose on the campus. I went with some friends into 3 different buildings, took some pics in the leaves, and then we were back in the lobby at 11:30. We actually entered the theatre around 12. I didn't understand much, slept a little, and then we were out of there. What I did understand of it was that it took place in Ancient Greece or Rome, and there were different legends portrayed including one about a cyclops. We got back to the school at about 2:15, when our lunch break usually started at 1:30. I ran home and ate some pasta and now I am going to study for my religion test I have after lunch:(

In the theatre!

There were signs everywhere on the campus about the huelga and a bunch more about being against fascism and nazis.

When you leave Manu and I home alone for too long...

I'm finding the days when nothing goes as planned are some of the best days. 
       Today school was fine, as usual. Planned on going to Madrid to go shopping with some other exchange students after school. Ran home and changed my clothes, packed my backpack, and made Guzman call Rafa to ask if I could go because he wasn't home then or during lunch. He said yes so I ran for the bus stop to be there almost exactly at 5. I waited for THIRTY-FIVE MINUTES before I decided to call it quits. The boys were super surprised when I walked through the door. I told them I didn't know what time the bus was supposed to come and Rafa told me I should look on the internet. I did, and guess what? The bus I was waiting for was supposed to come every 15 minutes! Whateva! I did some homework then mixed up a bizcocho (A european cake thing). This time I added some crushed hazelnuts that Grandma sent me with.

I put that in the oven and ran to La Mocha (our little place with the bars, one super market, a bakery, and other miscellaneous store) to buy some bread. The stores only bake baguettes in the morning so I bought one unbaked for 0.70 centimos and ran home. Manu and I waited for the cake to be done then started cooking the bread. While that was happening, Manu decided we needed to start the pasta now instead of waiting 'till 8 (Rafa and Guzman would be home at 8:30 from fútbol). We boiled the pasta and decided to do a cheese sauce with it. That consisted of cream cheese, butter, flour, salt, pepper, milk, and various spices. It was delicious and even better when we added tomato! Everything in Spain is better with tomato.

Don't worry, it's supposed to be ugly. 

I had to keep stirring the pasta to keep it hot 'till Guzman and Rafa got home at 9:10, so the pasta was a little mushy, but still fantastic! I cut the freshly baked bread and we ate in happiness.

I then had this to deal with....dishes and cheese everywhere!

HUELGA!

          Last night while at Abuela Pilar's I heard one of my cousins say he wasn't going to school "tomorrow" (today) because of the huelga (strike). My little brothers tried to convince Rafa (host dad) to let us stay home from school, that didn't fly.
         So today I got up and went to school as normal. We were 9 students short in my class so we sat wherever we wanted and during our first class of history we "studied" for other classes. During the next hour we didn't even have a teacher. You'd think if one of our teachers was on strike we would at least have someone to babysit us for the hour....NOPE. The class spent the hour taking pics of each other and I spent the hour translating a paper I had written. We had a regular math class because our math teacher....let's just say she's a bit rough around the edges....and she gave us homework. Both our P.E. teachers were at school so we had a regular class for that, then a regular class of Physics and Chemistry- with lots of whining on our part. Went home for lunch and received a package from my sweet Mommy! It contained silly dollar store items like washcloths and a coloring book, but it also contained 3 packs of fake dollar bills that were written on and together said, "SPEND SOME MONEY!" Oh goodness Momma. Went to school in a great mood. During English class Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I go into a separate class with a teacher named Cynthia who helps me with translating my homework. Today instead of doing homework we spent the hour talking about the strike, the reasons behind it, the reasons to participate, the media coverage (objective channels vs. those essentially controlled by the government), and the effect it has. SO INTERESTING! Actually getting to hear someone's opinion who is a Spanish citizen who works in public service (teaching). She told me at 6:30 there would be the actual march in Madrid. After that I had Ethics, then went home.

        Started my homework then decided to ask Rafa if I could go to the strike march in Madrid. He asked how I would get there and back. Only after I said the bus did I realize the bus drivers were part of the strike and the bus schedule was messed up and there were few busses today :( Did more homework then went to spinning class with my aunt and uncle. Whew that was hard core! Walked home and showered then immediately left for Abuela Pilar's. We will most likely go there everyday this week because Rafa's youngest brother is here from Switzerland with his 2 year old. I gave her some of the things that were in the package from my mom. He brought a surplus of French cheeses so he tried all of them with bread.