Day 29

A week and a half since I wrote last. I went to Toledo this past Saturday with Tandem. It was awesome but I think Segovia is going to be my favorite. It seemed as if I walked uphill the whole time. Figure that out. I saw some painting by El Greco (famous artist) but his most famous one was in a different church. I was in the same city but didn't get to see it on that trip. We also walked by his house in Toledo. We also saw the Tajo River, the river that borders three sides of the city. I saw the remains of one of the bridges. Double date on Friday night with Erica was fun. Then Sunday was Noche en Blanco (translation: Night in White). It is a Spanish holiday where everyone stays up all night and the metro and buses run late. My senora told me that last year was better than this year because no one has money to spend this year. We walked around. Ate at a Mexican restaraunt, then hung out for a while. Somebody told us that the Royal Palace was going to be lit with all different colors, but we were disappointed. My education class started on Monday. 3 hours is a long time to sit relearning stuff that I already know. I have different teachers each time (2x a week) so it shouldn't be that boring. The syllabus looks really interesting. I am hoping to learn a lot. Art should have started this week, but the teacher's father was in a car accident so we will start this next week. That class in only for an hour and a half. Monday through Thursday I have class from 9:30 to 5 and Friday is only 9:30 to 1. Long days. I have the same thing to eat for lunch everyday: a sandwich with ham and butter, a sandwich with cheese and butter, and pineapple grape juice. I was so excited when I got lunch meat ham. Before I had been eating "Spanish ham" which isn't exactly cooked. Smoked would probably be the best part, but it looks and has the texture of raw meat. I couldn't eat it. I have been shopping way too much, but there are so many cute things here that are so cheap. For example, I bought a shirt yesterday for 3 euros, which is about 4 1/2 dollars. And the great thing about Spain is that I don't have to match what I wear. I can wear a navy shirt, black shoes with a brown purse if I want to. It's great! Emel left this past Saturday, and Alvise is leaving this Saturday, so I will be the only one here. Pablo (my 5 year-old "nephew") can keep me company when he isn't annoying the mess out of me. But his cuteness makes up for it. Sometimes. We play tickle monster and the other day I did my homework with him laying on top of me watching tv. He had a blast listening to my heart beat. I am starting to understand him. He mumbles a little when he talks and he has the little-kid vocabulary and mistakes, but I am starting to learn. His favorite show is Ben Ten. Figure that. Actually there are a lot of American shows in Spanish. I have seen The Simpons, Me Myself and Irene, the Hangover, and I can't remember what else I have watched in Spanish. But I like watching them if I am familiar with the movie I am watching; then I can understand it.