Tea Party with Aurora!

This week has been my favorite in Alicante so far. For the first time since I have been here, I feel comfortable and at home. This is also the last week of class for my intensive Spanish class. We have our final on Friday. I am happy that I do not have to wake up so early but I will miss Jose! He was the best teacher I think I have ever had for Spain, besides Señora Oliver in 7th grade, the lady who made me fall in love with Spanish in the first place! This week some of our classes overlapped. Medieval Literature was at the same time as my Spanish class so I went on Monday but had to skip on Wednesday in order to go to my Spanish class because we were reviewing for the final. Yesterday, we went to a private school nearby, K-12, because they want some volunteers to help teach English to their students. There were about 10 people from our group that went to the meeting at the school. I am looking at my schedule now to see if I am going to tutor. I think I am going to do Tuesdays 3:00-5:00. I am more nervous about tutoring English to students than I was this semester tutoring Spanish at MU. I don’t know why! I think it is because I have learned Spanish in a classroom. But, with English, I don’t know if I can explain all of the tenses and reasons why certain words are used. It will be an experience to say the least!

This week I have been so tired. I still do not feel caught up from my weekend in Valencia. So, today I took a long nap before lunch. For lunch today and yesterday we had this really good vegetable soup. It had potatoes, garbanzo beans, other vegetables, it was delicious! Usually before I go to bed, Aurora makes me a little something for dinner. This week she has made me some hot chocolate with these mini loafs of sweet bread, they are called madalenas and are awesome! Plus, on Monday I received my computer in the mail! Yay! Thank you Mom and Dad! My mom put an early Valentine’s Day gift in the package which was much appreciated. She also packed a little gift for Aurora, a box of Russell Stover chocolates. She has loved them and likes trying all of the different types. This evening, Tracy came over for tea with Aurora. I felt like I was at a little tea party, we had our little spoons and sugar for the tea! It was fun though and I think Aurora enjoyed meeting one of my friends. Then, we walked around for a little bit.

I also have a little funny story about a miscommunication between Aurora and I this week. All week she has been saying, "Estoy constipada." I am sure you can guess what I thought she was telling me. I was very confused as to why she was sharing this personal information with me and why she felt the need to tell me everyday that it was slowly getting better. So, I finally looked up the word in the dictionary. Turns out, she was telling me she had a cold. Oopsie! Haha, I laughed to myself and once again realized my lack of vocabulary! Time to start reading the dictionary!

This week has also been good because I think I have found my plans for Spring Break! A couple girls in my group went to a travel agent and found a cruise. The flights are included from Madrid to Athens and from Venice back to Madrid. It is 8 nights and 7 days. Our trip starts in Athens, then to Kusadasi, Turkey, Rhodes, Greece, Santorini, Dubrovnik, Croatia and then to Venice, Italy and back to Madrid. Plus, it includes all food and drink… Always a good thing! I just hopes it all works out!

I also talked to Caroline Sweeney, we played basketball together in high school and she is studying abroad in Italy this semester. She is going to Barcelona with her older brother, not this weekend, but the next. So, I think I am going to go meet up with them in Barcelona and spend a few days there! Can’t wait to see a familiar face and to do some more traveling.

I also talked with Granny and Pop this week about their visit to Spain! I have so much to look forward to!

This weekend I don’t have much planned except the Super Bowl are Sunday! There is a bar that will have it on TV, Dos Gringos. This is the same place that has beer pong, so it is very “American.” They have American food too so it will feel just like home! Oh, and I am cheering for the Saints! I like Reggie Bush, and he is dating Kim Kardashian. Totally legitimate reasons!

That is all for now! As always, I miss each and every one of you! Love you!

Love, Me.