a beautiful day in the neighborhood

Classes all day yesterday and this morning:

1. Espanol Colloquial- with my favorite, Fatima...she was our culture course professor during the first week of orientation. Basically we are just learning the local terms and expressions used here...including how to curse and all that good stuff. Speaking of which, I still have to do my homework for tomorrow morning....

2. Espana: Historia del Presente- pretty much reading the newspaper in Spanish. The classroom was really crowded yesterday so I couldn't really understand her too well...it seemed pretty interesting though.

3. Medio Ambiente y Sociedad en Espana- this one seemed really interesting. It's kind of like a social science and we get to go on field trips. From what I got of it yesterday, we are going to discuss how people have impacted the environment and how the environment has impacted people. I'm a dork, but I think it's pretty interesting.

4. Cuento- my professor looks like a combination of Antonio Banderas and Jeff Goldblum...which surprisingly is a very attractive combination. Basically we read and write short stories. He's very easy to understand and actually interesting.

5. Lengua- I got into an Advance class, I'm very excited about that. I know the professor, she is really cute but I haven't gone to the class yet. I'll find out Thursday.

I know, I know, it's about time I finally started classes...I mean, I am here to learn after all, but it's so much fun just wandering around the city everyday! I've been out of school for so long, it's kind of hard to switch back into school mode.


Anyway, after class today Sara and I met up with Matt to do some chores. We had to go to the bank, but we didn't make it there in time. They had to buy some school supplies, so we went back to the coolest place ever- AlCampo. I bought Chupa Chups. They are even better in Spain...maybe more so because I just found out that chupar means to suck...or maybe it's just because all the food here is better. They even do the American food better- like Coke and Skittles...so much better. They fail with the Oreos though...at least the name brand ones...the generic ones are amazing. And coincidentally they are called O2's, seeing my favorite snack at home is Oh's. It's O's to the second degree.

Oh yea, we also bought tickets to Cadiz for Carnaval this weekend. We are leaving Friday night, getting there at like five in the morning Saturday, wandering around all day, partying all night and leaving Sunday morning. We have no place to sleep, so that won't be happening. All the rooms have been booked weeks in advanced. According my little book here- Cadiz is thought to be the oldest inhabited city in Europe and it's Carnaval celebrations are legendary for their insanity. It makes "New Orleans's Mardi Gras look like a Thursday night BINGO at the old folks' home." I'm so excited- I think I may start napping now to prepare myself.


So I figured out why my debit card didn't work in Lisboa. Apparently I confused my PIN with the last four digits of my phone number and definitely did not realize I was doing this until yesterday afternoon. (HEY, they both start with the same number!!! Ok, ok, I'm a ditz) So at this point, I had absolutely no idea what my PIN was except the number that it started with. I also remembered that I had a special formula of numbers to remember it with...except I forgot the formula. So yesterday afternoon I started writing out formulas and combinations and I even started to try doing permutations. haha. And yes, I finally figured it out. I just hope that the ATM's here don't contact my bank telling them that someone has been trying to break into my account.

We walked around the park by our house for a little bit after we were done with our chores. It was a bit chilly here today though. When I came back to my house, my senora's mother was here and she insisted on feeding me. After dinner was over I couldn't stand up straight. She sat me down and brought me out course after course...I felt bad not eating it because she was cooking only for me! She brought out the fry-daddy and made me fresh french fries (they were honestly the best fries I've ever eaten!) she made me pork and pasta and fresh bread and these little fried balls with ham and eggs on the inside. Then she tried passing some liver...which I have to say I have never tried before considering my father would stab you with his fork if you ever tried to take any of his and my mother never makes it. I think it can stay like that though because it was pretty disgusting. I seriously don't think I need to eat for the next three days.

Bed time for me- goodnight!