Another week has flown by here. Sometimes I can’t believe I’ve been here for more than two months. Sometimes I can’t believe I’ve only been here for two months. Either way, I’m more than halfway through classes, and gracias a dios for that.

This past weekend I had a pretty enjoyable time. I went to Retiro Park on Friday during the day by myself, laid in the sun, did some reading, did some reflecting, listened to a little bob, haha. It was 630 when I left and the sun was still pretty strong. I went again the next day with some friends, and we found a good patch of sun. The park was full of things to do. Boating in the lake, clowns blowing up balloons for the kids, ice cream, puppet shows, artists, Flamenco dancers, magicians, etc. Everyone finds a spot in the grass to lay out in, and there was a group of spaniards close to ours that were playing guitar, singing. Haha, there was also this little blonde boy, probably about three years old, that reminded me of the little boy in Stewart Little. He had round glasses and was tying himself up with a jumprope. He was just off in his own little world, knotting his legs together and trying to hop around. Figuratively, he’s sort of like me in this country. Hahaha, but it was so cute.

That night I went out with a group of spaniards which was really incredible. The cousin of the family that I live with invited me to come out with him and his friends. I do have a group American friends here that go to ICADE, the business school here, and, yeah, I like hanging out with them. But it’s so worth it when I spend a whole night with just spaniards, talking the language, getting into the culture–it really makes me feel good about myself when I know they enjoy my company. There were about 8 of us or so that met up in Plaza Santa Ana and just had a few drinks there, then went to a bar down the street and I didn’t hear any english laaadeedahh When they started to close we went outside and they had a few smokes. There was a guy selling a whole bouquet of roses for like 3 euros, so the guys bought them and everyone was just dancing around with roses flying in the air, hahaha ..After that headed to Black Jack, an after bar or so. Needless to say I was the only American around… And I don’t know why I love the idea of that so much. I’m not trying to deflect my identity or anything, but when you’re here, I think it’s just the idea of breaking out of old habits and knowing you can start over with people who are different than you.. that is more important than anything else. And I don’t understand people who come here and don’t want that to happen. I just don’t get it. How can they say they lived here for 5 or 6 months then? What would they recount of their experiences here? The time they got drunk with other Americans in the tourist center of Sol? I don’t loathe those people because if anyone knows it’s hard to do it, i think about all this mess I’ve been through. But that would be so disappointing More so than my last week! Haha, and that’s hard to beat.

The best part about it was that within an hour, my spanish was just rolling. It’s always kind of weak at the beginning for some reason, but after a while it just comes with ease. If it’s all you hear it’s all you think in. Like I said before, you don’t really know your progress because you always feel a little inferior to how they speak which is natural. But last night I felt like I had reached a higher level personally.. I just didn’t even think about it until now.

I just hung around the house today, did some reading, did a little freelance work for a company in the states, chatted with daniela over the phone in barcelona. Did I tell you? I think it was a mistake but my phone was charged with 88 euros of minutes the other day. They must have typed in the wrong number at a convenient store when someone else was recharging! So now i am set for like, 2 more months, hahaha incredible. That’s a dream come true because recargar is so expensive and money drains like water on prepaid phones here! Every now and then I get a little lucky, no?

Monday is tomorrow, and I’m tutoring diego. Today I have to think of a list of adjectives for him to change from like, “large” “larger” “largest”