Four Weeks Later

Alyssa and I are falling off the edge -- it's dangerous

La Sagrada Familia -- about 1/8th of it


The Olympic torch in Barcelona




Eating Gelato!! We're the three girls whose moms are sisters





View from my window -- Hello Aquaduct!!!

Four weeks ago, from today, I was freaking out about leaving my family and friends behind to board a plane to Segovia, Spain for the next four months of my life. Today, I sit here at school amazed at how an entire month has already gone by. Seeing that we are now in February, the shortest month of them all!, I can only assume that it will be March before I know it. I wanted to make this post about my reflections on my life here in Spain, but it will be a bit of "what's coming up" too.

-- Sarcasm is something that is definitely used here, especially by my dad, Jorge. It's funny though because I usually don't understand that he's being sarcastic and then he instead lives up to the 'judgy-parent' role where they like to criticize

-- Eating here goes against all of my instincts. We've always learned for years to not put our elbows on the table. Here, at every meal, my dad, who always sits to my life, pull up my left arm to set it on the table so that both arms are resting on the table. I'm finally starting to get adjusted to that.

-- My father was extremely shocked when I picked up my fork AND my spoon to eat my spaghetti. I was the first American that he's ever met who already knew how to do this without further instruction.

-- When I told him that I really liked the taste of mushrooms (for example a cream of mushroom soup) but couldn't eat real mushrooms because they felt funny in my mouth he called me a crazy American.

-- ALSO about eating, I've found that I almost have no limits here (let's be honest, like I'd ever be able to eat everything). I've eaten more pig than I've known -- my mom sat me down one day and told me that I'd already eaten it twice without even knowing it! The other week I hate pea soup. It was NOT good but the fact that I could actually eat the whole bowl was pretty impressive to me.

-- The Rubik's cube has not lost its luster being out of the states. When I picked it up after supper and solved it, my family gave me a round-of-applause.

-- I still have the ability to be really dense even in another country. I've looked out of my window many, many times since I've been here, and just today, four weeks after my arrival, I find out that I can clearly see the Aquaduct from my window. See pictures above...

-- I knew my family was rich when I compared my house to others', but now I'm aware that we're pretty much royalty. Not only do they own the hotel and many other popular business around town, but 'our' great-grandfather was famous. His statue is in the Aquaduct plaza, and there's a thick book on him where he's got many pictures with famous people, the King of Spain (who loved to come and dine at his restaurant and have g-pa cook for him at his place), Carter, and even Kennedy!! I only hear this from gossip or the other girls who are living with families related to mine -- mine never talks about it. (Even my mom and her sisters have a picture with the King).

-- This weekend is a big celebration in Zamarramala (say that five times fast....heck try to say it even once) celebrating women because they beat the Romans in a war when all the men were off fighting the Moors. They burn a doll of a man during the festivities...we're excited for it!

-- I'm beginning to miss everyone at home more and more...but I'm still loving it here in Segovia!!