Megan Goes to Spain

So hence the title, I woke up this morning to my madre grabbing my arm and pulling me to the window (this was once I was in the living area).  She looked very excited and was pointing to the window.  Outside is a blizzard!  I could not believe it!  She said it is very very rare for it to snow, so she is in just as much shock as I was.  When we walked outside, I actually fit in because everyone was stopping and taking pictures (so no turist look for me today).  It was difficult walking, very slippery, and my boots were soked, oh, and for some reason I was a target for young men to throw snowballs at.  Seriously, I was with a group of people, and WHAM! Snowball hit my thigh and drenched my jeans, I was not very happy.  This happened three times – not fun.  Then there were little kids running around with not snowballs, but more like boulders of snow, and if you weren’t careful, they would throw one your way.  So it was pretty much a war zone out there today, but it was beautiful.

PROUD MOMENT:  Today I went to the bank and got euros.  I then went inside to see if I could get coins.  The bank looks very different from ours, it pretty much looks like an office.  I found a man at a semi long counter and asked him:  Me gustaria cambiar euros para monedos (in my mind this says: I would like to change euros for coins).  Obviously this is not correct grammar, but I just spoke what first came to mind.  He was at first confused, but then he grabbed my 20 euro and placed four 5 euro bills.  I said: Si, si pero monedos.  He nodded and took two 5 euro bills and gave me ten 1 cent euros.  I said: Si, pero menor  (this just kind of means less, fortunately he understood).  So in the end I had plenty of change and I was very proud of myself.

Language:  It is very difficult understanding them, they talk very quickly.  My first meal with my family I hardly spoke because I was afraid I would sound stupid and my grammar would be all wrong.  But after talking to Muska, the other girl living with my madre, I just began speaking and constructing sentences best to my ability.  My mother is very patient and will sometimes correct me.  At breakfast I talked about soccer and at dinner tonight I told her how I feel like I sound like a little child when I talk.  She laughed but assured me I do not (she lies).  I also talked about the difference in the importance of learning a language in the US versus europe.  We had a great conversation.  I think right now I am just having not only a hard time finding the right word, but remembering preterit (past tense) conjugations is difficult when trying to speak quickly.

Meals I have eaten so far: breakfast I was served a bowl of coco krispies, orange juice, and a slice of toast with jam.  Yesterday for lunch I had roasted chicken and salad.  Today for lunch I had a great pasta with tomatoe sauce and tiny bits of ham and sausage (they love love ham). Last night for dinner I had an egg omlete with ham and a vanilla custard in a yogurt contianer for dessert.  Tonight I had good fish with french fries! And for dessert I had flan in a yogurt container (store bought).  I have not had tappas, Iwas going to today, but the weather was miserable walking around.

School:  We haven’t started, but they told us about outside activites and there is choir, soccer, and flamenco dancing! Very excited.

Today I gave my mother her gifts and she was very happy.  I first gave her the honey and explained that my dad and gill have a bee hive and had made the honey.  She was very impressed and could not believe we could do this.  I then gave her the grits and she was very confused.  She immediately wanted to open the bag and see/smell them.  It took a while explaining to her how to eat them, because I think she viewed them more as rice, which you would not eat rice for breakfast.  I am determined to find a spainsh clip of My Cousin Vinny and she the grit part.  I believe this would clear up confusion and just be funny.

Muska, who can speak 5 languages, is wonderful to be around.  Today we disscused literature, because believe it or not, but she is studying american lit!  And she loves Jane Austen!  We had a great conversation.

I believe that is it.  I am going to attempt to post pictures of my house, my family (minus the son) and the snow.  Hope it works!