Bits and Pieces

I know I'm guilty of not writing for quite a long time but...here it is!

Since I last checked in a lot has happened- classes (finally) started, I started volunteering, I got a job, and tomorrow I leave for Amsterdam! In terms of school, I only have class from 8am-4pm twice a week...so I am basically in high school again and playing hooky every other day. The days are long and tedious, but I can't really complain. The only problem is that all my classes are in Spanish, so it's like I'm playing the star role of Lost in Translation half the time. The strange thing is that I literally have no done an ounce of homework, which is both awesome and worrisome...

A friend of mine who studied abroad in Madrid last semester put me in contact with an organization called T-Oigo. This organization works to bring equal opportunities and awareness to the deaf community. My Tuesday nights are thus spent with the sweetest little girl named Marina. Although the goal is to teach her english (which she already knows extremely well), we mainly play Disney Princesses and draw together. Last Sunday I went to see a play with her at a kid's theater about half an hour from my apartment. It's actually so refreshing to escape the party scene and hectic school day and spend some time with an innocent child. Monday and Wednesday nights I tutor another girl named Lucia, teaching her english through games and play. Although I get paid for this, there is nothing too laborious about playing Hello Kitty for an hour.

In terms of daily life here, things are busy and going way too fast. Today marks my 1 month anniversary of arriving in Spain. Every time I start to be nostalgic for BC and home, I realize that very soon I will be back home and wishing I had more time here. I go running every day in Parque de Retiro and it really makes me appreciate the beauty of the city and the people who live here. Last weekend we took a day trip to Toledo to study what we were learning in class about the reconquest of Spain. The city is so beautiful and rich in history. Tomorrow I am off to meet up with one of my best friends in Amsterdam. I am quite honestly praying I come back alive.

Getting wild in Toledo. 

Our knight in shining armor. 

Toledo. 

My homestay is going quite well, and I appreciate every day the fact that I am no longer in the residencia...Our lunches with our host mom are always entertaining. Last week she told us she had a novio (ow owwww) and actually invited him over for drinks that night. I awkwardly had not let to go out yet and felt like I was hurting her game. She also lectured us on not eating so much fruit because it is not healthy. She said we should have chocolate milk and bread for breakfast instead. She knows how to live.

Anyways, I'm off to pack and make paper dolls for Lucia. Look forward to plenty of pictures and stories about Amsterdam next week! Until next time, keep me in mind.

                                          The Town, Macklemore 

Manisfestaciones y Huelgas

Ever since my move to an apartment in the heart of Madrid, I have become ever more aware of the political turmoil in Spain. Each day as I walk back to my homestay, I pass several demonstrations in Puerta del Sol. Police vans line the streets and often the policeman themselves stand in a blockade. The demonstrations vary from very small and centralized to a mass of people flocking the streets. It is also a mixture of young students and older working people.


My host mother and I watch the news together during lunch and she fills me in on all the current political problems that are arising. When I asked about whether the protests and demonstrations are getting any better, she said that they are just as bad as they have been for the past year or so. I later saw in her office a big collection of different signs and posters from past strikes. She sure is a feisty one!

On my way to my university this week, I received a text from a friend alerting me that everyone was locked out of the school. At first I chuckled to myself a bit but then realized that a strike was actually taking place. After finally being let in, several professors decided to just cancel class. My Cervantes professor explained to us that many teachers at the university are being paid enough by the government and therefore often engage in protests. We'll have to see how much class I actually end up having this semester...

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This past weekend my friends and I took a day trip to Salamanca to explore a bit and see the beautiful city! We spent hours walking through the little streets and visiting the cathedral and university. Below are some pictures from my trip!

Until next time, keep me in mind.

Yo Te Esperaré, Cali y El Dandee