The walk to school this morning kicked my butt. At the end of the driveway, I looked at the road ahead of me and all I could see was uphill. I was panting within 5 minutes, sweating within 10. I literally had to stop and take a breather halfway up the freaking hill. I am a sorry, sorry excuse for a human being. It took me 30 minutes to get to campus, and another half hour to regulate my breathing and to stop sweating. Writing this for all to read really makes me feel sad about my life.
Oh another thing that made me feel sad about my life was my discovery that I can't make a bed. I thought it would be nice for me to have my bed all made up, but it just looked a hot mess. I guess that's what happens when your mother never makes you make your bed.
On a less pathetic note, I did not get lost. Woo woo!
Classes went well today. I got back my first paper in Environmental Sociology (A-) and my first composition in Spanish (100%). Go me.
I had English lessons with Jennifer and Susan today. I wrote up my very first lesson plan for it. We went over food, so I had a whole set-up with play food that Sarah 2 randomly had in her office and with stuff Geovanny stole for me from the kitchen. Jennifer brought in a recipe for watermelon rice pudding. It sounds delicious. It also sounds like it may get you drunk. Susan's recipe was for pizza with tomatoes, ham, and cheese. I was starving by the end of the hour, and the comedor was out of snacks! What? Don't they know that we estudiantes depend on those snacks to get us through our day? You can't just take something like that away. you just can't.
Well technically they had snacks today. We just ate all of the zucchini bread before lunch was over. But whatever. They should replenish.
After lessons, Tess and I walked back to mi casa because I am on the way to Tess's house (um, yes, Tess's walk is longer than mine. By about 15 minutes. And no she did not complain. It should come as no surprise that I tend to be a tad dramatic.). Tess wanted to come meet my awesome madre, but no one was at mi casa. I let myself in with the hidden key and Tess was like why don't you come over to my house and meet my mom? I wasn't too keen on walking more in the rain and then walking back home in the dark and in the rain, but food was promised to me so of course I caved. So 20 minutes down the road with more hills, we finally arrived at Tess's house. When we got there, her madre was fixing dinner, so I excused myself 10 minutes later when she went to serve dinner so that I could get back to mi familia. I made the trek back in the anticipated dark and rain only to find that my house was still empty. I could have sworn that my momma told me this morning that she had a doctor's appointment on Thursday morning so no one would be home on Wednesday night, but maybe I had misunderstood?? I called Tess's house to explain what was going on and to get the number to the campus. The campus number was busy, so I called Tess back and she said her madre said I could stay there. So I packed my bag and made my way back over to their house in the pitch black and stupid rain. Tess's mom fed me like I was pregnant with twins, and I ate what I could. Then came cookies and helado. Delicious coffee helado with nuts. Oh baby.
Tess's madre called up Lindsay to explain what was going on, and Lindsay was just as confused as I was because she had spoken with Marielos earlier that day about the doctor's appointment that she also thought was on Thursday. That made me feel less dumb. Then Marielos called. She and Olivier were at the casa. They had run to town to buy a few things and forgot to leave me a note. So Olivier came and picked me up in his car and I told him my lengthy story about my afternoon. I was pumped that I could articulate everything that had happened. Then when we got back to the house Marielos had me close my eyes and she led me inside saying she had a surprise for me. When I opened my eyes, I saw that mis bebes had arrived! One hundred baby chicks. I love all of them. I only had like 15 minutes with them before Olivier took them out to their little heat lamp casa. But they are freaking precious and I want to steal one. Or three. I'm going to get up at 6:30 tomorrow morning with Marielos so I can go feed them. Then I will just hang out before classes.
Tonight it was just me and mis padres because the boys are already at their grandparents house for the doctor's appointment. It was so great. We just had this wonderful conversation about all sorts of random things. We talked about drinking and soccer and what makes their marriage work as well as it does. I wish I could speak Spanish as well as I can understand it, but I manage. I told them I think that I have the best homestay family. I totally do.
I'm really looking forward to coffee in the morning. Mi familia has the best coffee ever. No lie. It's grown right around here and is totally organic and natural and amazing. I told Marielos about how I drank like 5 cups a day last week and so I'm trying to cut back and now it's a running joke. I have a running joke. In Spanish. How cool is that? So cool.
Oh and also today Marielos called me su hija. Ah!
I do have one problem with my homestay: flying bugs on steroids. I stay up later than the rest of the fam so my light is the last one on. There are no tops on the walls so every bug in the house gravitates to my beacon. I killed three of satan's spawns with my poetry book last night, and then just went to bed with my covers pulled up over my head. Not before I searched my bed, mind you. No cigarette burns on my lips, so my efforts were not in vain. I have yet to kill any sizable ones tonight, but I am not opposed to using force if given reason to. Obviously.
Missy has pretty much stayed away from me, but she did push open my door a minute ago, which freaked me out. The door is locked now. I really just do not understand the appeal with cats. Ew.
Oh and also my biological mother is out of the doghouse in case anyone was wondering.
ciao.
peace love and mis bebes.
