anj around the world: One week in. Location: Madrid

This week has gone by so quickly it's crazy. But at the same time I feel like I've known my host family forever. They really have been the best part of this so far (not that I've really seen other important parts like extracurriculars, classes, etc.). I feel so lucky. Rebeca is so sweet and interesting to talk to. It's great having her around because just like her mom, she does everything she can to make me feel welcome. I'm become a lot more integrated into the family and it's obvious to me when I do things like help Carlota straighten her hair or when their abuelita forces dessert on me and the girls at dinner (not so far from what my own grandfather does...). Carlota is totally insane. She's such a crazy teenager and wont stop talking ever. She goes on and on and on and by the end of her tonterías (the silly things she says), you can't even understand what she's saying because she's so excited and giggling so much. For example, tonight she went on a rant of all these jokes she heard, telling one after another after another until her abuelita and mother could barely stand it. Their abuelita is also super cute. She clearly cares so much about how I'm doing and was really excited the other night to teach me how to make tortilla española.

The other night we had a big family dinner when their cousins came over. My familia is very into making fun of each other and so my host mom and sisters decided to play a trick on one of the cousins. She gets really nervous when she has to speak English so they had me pretend to not speak any Spanish for a very uncomfortable 15 minutes... she struggled quite a bit with me in answering me questions in English while her family watched with joy and amusement. It was great to meet her (she's 18) and her older brother (around 23). The universities are all in exams right now, but both of them were excited to take me out with them and their friends when school calms down. It's so great to meet young people and make these connections.

Last night I went with Rebeca and some people from my program to watch the Barca vs. Real Madrid futbol game in a bar. It was fun to see it all together and experience how the city becomes when there's a game. The streets were silent except for every few minutes the screams coming from all of the totally packed bars where people were watching the game. My host family is super into Real. (They lost). After the game Rebeca and I talked about more real things for the first time, like her parents' separation. It sounds extra hard for them as they spend one month in each house and then 5 days in the middle of each month with the other person. They're always moving and there isn't even really room for them at their father's place. I'll miss them a lot when they're not here this semester, although I do enjoying talking to just Eva too.

My orientation continues to be fairly useless...but at least now I have classes! At the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid I'm taking psychopathology (eek) and the sociology of new technologies. I might be the only person on the program taking 2 classes at Autonoma and it kinda sucks because I have to be there Monday-Thursday and at like 9 AM on Tuesdays and Wednesdays :( Oh well. At the program I'm planning on taking the Advanced Spanish Grammar Class since it's been like 5 years since I've reviewed grammar and Sketchbook, a class similar to Paris Collage in which I'll go around the city drawing various things. This class is much more based in studio art than in history, though, so it should be kinda fun and hopefully relaxing. In addition, I'm hoping to dance a ton (get back into Hip-hop, maybe some Flamenco if I'm feeling inspired), take some yoga classes and volunteer somewhere. I'm still working with the program to find a good volunteer opportunity... something in criminal justice or domestic violence or reproductive rights. But either way I might teach an English conversation class at the University so I can meet more people there. We'll see! I'm excited to get back in shape and be busy with lots of fun things.

I've been trying to take more pictures than last semester, as one of my new semester resolutions. So here they are...