Day 4

work begins

So today i took Ismael to school all by myself. Parents at the school like to whisper to each other and look in my direction. I'm like "NEWSFLASH HOBAG, i can see you! and that means the same thing in America! I know you're talking about me!" It really shouldn't surprise me though. I'm in a very small town where everyone pretty much knows everyone and everyone's family members and thus everyone's business. So i get it when i see people look at me like 'where'd that black girl (negrita perhaps?) come from?' its fine. take a picture, it'll last longer.

I love Cintruenigo because everything is so close I can walk everywhere, which is great because 1. I dont have an international driver's license and 2. i can't drive a stick (which is pretty much all they drive here.) Ismael is warming up to me quite nicely. I think it's because I'm cute... i'm kidding.. no but seriously haha..

But back to today, after I take him to school, i walk back and eat breakfast. Today I was extra tired because i was up late skyping with friends from home *NEWSFLASH*: it is a 6 hour difference from eastern standard time (georgia) to Spain so i am 6 hours ahead which means i'm getting ready for bed when most of you are just getting out of class or off of work. It's ok though because i have plenty of time to siesta (or nap in English). Today I took 2 siestas haha..It's normal for students and parents to come home for lunch! Crazy right?! they get like 2 hours to come home, eat and then siesta! like, its part of the schedule! Why don't we do that in America?! seriously, we're missing out.

After nap number 2, I went to collect Ismael, after packing him a snack (i'm domestic after all go figure) and walk him to music class but thank god one of his neighbors, who recognized me from my brown skin i suppose lol, gave us a ride because it's frickin freezing here and the wind is NO JOKE. We dropped the kids off at their lesson and we went for coffee, only, she doesn't speak English so it was very difficult to have a conversation but, thank God again, the people here are so patient and they all know the la chica Americana de Atlanta so they are helpful with me when i speak my spanish.

I start Spanish lessons this week. I asked my host mom, who speaks excellent English, to help me find an Spanish tutor and she did so. I'll be going to the school to help the Profesor de Ingles with teaching English to the students with my American accent. Spain spanish is very different from Latin American Spanish (which is what our schools teach... awesome, except not) so i'm extra strugglin but so far i'm loving it here.

In other news, the food is banging. I stay eating and drinking! they pump me with carbs and beer.. i'm hoping it all goes to my butt but i'm not holding my breath haha. they told me i should start walking around the neighborhood before i get fat hahaaa..

Yesterday I did something I haven't done in 3 years..... ate pork.. SPANISH HAM to be exact and it was wonderful! Now that doesn't mean i'll go back to pork once I return but for the time being, i must get the full Spanish experience, pork and all!

OH and the ham comes from the leg... which they keep in the kitchen.. just sitting.. like a bouquet of flowers.. i like "where they do that at?" in Spain apparently.

see?! just chillin in the house like 'wassup'

I met the neighbor's au pair. She is 20 from California. We're still getting to know each other but it's nice to know theres an American nearby who understands what I'm going through as far as the culture differences.. She seems fun to go out with. Some of the locals who are friends with the family I'm staying with want to take me out.. i'm like #lehgo! lol i want to get to it, spain-style.. haha.

ok enough words. i leave you now with mas fotos of the house and some random stuff people have been asking to see.

Corona is called Coronita here (cerveza=beer)

My room :)

What i thought was 2 toilets, the one to the left is a Bidet (which means...not a toilet, go figure)

My first Passport stamp!

My passport and some Euros (for those wondering what they look like)

**video content apparently takes up too much space.. (#kanyeshrug) so i uploaded the first one to facebook because it can host large files.. in the future, i'll make it smaller

till then.. adios,

peace, love and rockets.

.autumn.