Que Hola!

Hi hi hi.
I am soo sorry.  It's been a long time since I've written.  I feel bad if you keep checking back everyday to see if I posted.  How long has it been?  About 20 days!  I have not felt completely content without writing you guys.


Well,  I haven't written much because I have been waiting for something to write about!  And I have a few stories.

Well school is going better.  I feel kinda normal walking through the hallways.  IDK it was just weird before.  Now I feel a part of the school.  Not like I am just there.

I HATE GYM.  There is even a group on Tuenti (the Spanish Facebook)  that is all about how we hate our teacher.    It's quite comical.  I had to run for 12 minutes straight without stopping on Friday.  Gosh, man, I've never had to do that.  At least, I wasn't the slowest.  There were about 7 or 8 kids behind me.  So I felt kinda good.

Um yea, I think I failed both my Lengua tests.  Here, your tests are more like essays.  The Teacher will ask you like 5-8ish questions, and then you have to pour your guts out, writing everything on that topic.  Ugh, you have no idea how stressful that is.  It's getting better.  I'm learning more everyday.
- It's important to study your language too.  Not just live it.  BUT READ IT, WRITE IT, STUDY VERBS, HEAR IT.  Everyday.  You don't have to go freaking crazy, but I usually read a few rules and conjugate a few verbs and study flash cards everynight.
THANK GOD FOR IPOD APPS :) Literally, there's an APP for that.
I celebrated Thanksgiving with my family!  My wonderful host-mother Maite, made turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy.  It was a hard day at school and I even cried a little when one of our English teachers from the USA was presenting a power point.  I was like, ummm yea.  That's not very nice.  
But I am glad that my Spanish friends know a little more about Thanksgiving.  Although, I'm sure not everyone was paying attention.

Make sure you talk to all types of people.  Make Friends with everyone!  In gym class (god curse it)  everyone was giving me hugs and saying that they are my Spanish family.  So I feel really lucky to have great friends here.  It's hard making friends and in the beginning you feel like a complete outsider, but once you begin to learn the language more.......IT GETS BETTER :)  


We also had a power point presentation on American government.  I was in AP GOV (Advanced Placement American Government)  last year....  It really was something to see a whole year's worth of material squeezed into one class period.  (well not everything, but the important topics)  AND at the end of the class, the teachers made us all write whether we were democratic or republican.  I'm like DUDE, that's the first rule of etiquette.   Don't talk about politics, religion, or race issues in school. Then we get off track and start arguing in Spanish about the differences.  And how kids want to be both, and how other kids think that you can only chose one side.

OHHH and this weekend at my friend's birthday party,  SAME THING.  (I am pleased to say, that I was involved in the conversation.  YELLING also.  I felt so Spanish)  We didn't reach a conclusion.  BUT,boy, it sure was something to see.

I am so happy that I've made so many friends.  There is one girl who also lives in Sevilla from the USA (Tuscon, AZ) and we always love to meet up and just hang out.  It's our English time.  Also, I guess there is another teacher in here school from MADISON, WI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SOO I had her tell him that I was from Appleton or something.  I didn't want him thinking I'm a MARQUETTE BASKETBALL fan just yet.  I'm going to meet, I think.  And then I will drop that bomb.   Gosh, that's one thing I really miss.  MY SPORTS.  Now I am wishing that I watched every football game and basketball game with my father before I left.  I really took going to College Basketball games for granted.  I miss that part of my life so much.  But, I like that I know so much about American Sports.  It's a great conversational topic with all the SPANISH BOYS :)  

Well, I'll leave you with that for now.  I'm very happy here.  I feel so blessed to have such great family and friends all over the world.  My family and friends in America, my family and friends in Spain.  From Turkey, from Japan, Italy, AND Switzerland.

“Love is like an earthquake-unpredictable, a little scary, but when the hard part is over you realize how lucky you truly are.”

-adios