Tuesday - 7:30

So our plane was supposed to leave at 11:55. However, I didn't board until 12:05. There was a family in my row ok, so I had to have a stewardess ask them to move over so they were in the correct seat. it worked out though, because I somehow ended up in an aisle seat when I was supposed to be in the middle of a row, which was nice. The plane didn't end up leaving until 12:55. The planes were all named though, which I thought was cool. I saw one named Dalí when I was in the waiting area, and mine was named Gaudí. I liked that. The only time they "caused problems" was when the youngest didn't want to eat the airplane food. I don't blame her though, I think I was like that at that age too. It was meatballs or lasagna, and the lasagna had a white sauce, so I went with the meatballs. White sauce is usually too creamy for me. The meatballs weren't bad, it was kind of like meatballs in a lasagna, without the noodles, because the sauce was tomato sauce and cheese... Then it was served with some carrot shavings and what I think was some sort of dip? The best part was the dessert. It was the best dessert I think I've had in a long time. It was a sort of vanilla cake with a berry sauce in the middle. The top had crunchy things, like either seeds or some type of crust broken up? Not sure which, but it was amazing. They offered coffee or tea afterward too, so I had me some tea. Two cups, actually because they didn't offer more water.

The flight wasn't too bad. I did some people watching. The man in front of me, but on the other side of the aisle, was cranking out sudoku puzzles the entire time. He alternated between paper puzzles and puzzles on his e-reader, which I thought was interesting. The two women to my left, also on the other side of the aisle, read or slept the entire time. The three kids on my right were really well behaved, and I actually like them. The older girl kept trying to calm her sister down and during the food debacle, she kept saying it's not bad, just try it, etc. It made me miss my brothers, actually. The man in front of me had his seat down nearly the entire flight, but I didn't mind because I could put my tray down and lean my head against his seat. There was a woman a few rows ahead of me who kept standing up and staring around the plane. There were two women (about my age I think) one row in front of me, in front of the parents of the three kids next to me. They're not US citizens (I saw their passports when we were boarding) and they looked like they were reading some sort of guide books, so I think they may be either traveling or studying abroad here in the US? Just a guess. 

They also played a movie. I didn't catch the name, but it was about a salmon fishing project in the Yemen, during the Afghanistan war. It was really interesting, I expected it to be boring, but it actually wasn't. It had the redhead actress from The Devil Wears Prada in it, I think her name is Emily Blume? Anyway it was good and it passed the time. Then I got up to walk to the bathroom, more so to stretch my legs than to actually use the bathroom. I ran into a gentleman I chatted with as we waited to board (which was total chaos and unorganized) and we talked for a few minutes since I think everyone else had the same idea I did and was walking about in the (tiny) aisles. He asked how my Spanish is and I said its "intermediate". Haha right. He said it was probably better than I thought it was, which seems to be a reoccurring theme with people here. I should probably stop doubting myself then...

After that I dozed off a bit, but not much. Then they came around with dinner, which is lunch for me now, back to my normal times! It was just a ham sandwich with some cheese. It was served with blueberry yogurt (yum!) and an absolutely delicious muffin. I only got one cup of water again though. Sad day. They didn't offer tea or coffee either because we found turbulence.

Then I read a magazine in the seat pocket. There was an interesting article about how dolphins have saved human lives by protecting them from sharks, or bringing them to shore after a shark attack. Interesting. It made me think of Ryan. There was also an article about the best beaches in Spain. The first spread photo was San Sebastian. I was there! The island is also apparently names Isla de Santa Clara. Fun fact I don't need to look up now, and the bay is La Concha. In the magazine there was also a photo of Pompeii victims... I saw them too! It's SO amazing seeing these things in magazines and knowing you've been there in person. I am truly blessed.

There were no problems getting into the airport when we landed either. Actually when we got off the plane I was behind the family I say next to. The boy (whose name is Rory) was carrying his little sisters backpack for her. It made me think of Ryan holding my backpack for me on my first trip to Europe. I miss my family. Anyway, I found my terminal and then got through security without a hitch. Still got my potato chips! Yay! Now my loved ones can taste a little piece of Spain. I walked to a bathroom first and then made my first purchase in the US. Can you guess what it was? Water and Reeses. Yes. Then I walked around a bit to get my legs some exercise. I also checked Facebook. What are the odds of one of my sisters being in the same airport on the same day at the same hour? Apparently high! Jessi was heading home from Paris with her mom! We walked around the airport for about forty five minutes to an hour talking about our journeys. AWESOME way to pass the time! After that I walked around until I could find a working outlet to plug in my phone and then texted some more. Just two more hours!

Martes - 10.16

Well, I got up this morning excited at the thought of coming home! I ate my breakfast, packed the last few things, pulled on my tennies, and rolled my suitcase to the door. Saying goodbye to Pilar wasn't as awkward as I thought it would be, she is really nice. SHE actually thanked ME for staying with them! Hmm. I left the dog (with a sticky note explanation) and the thank you note/drawing on the shelf above my bed do they'll see it later. All is wrapped up and taken care of! Pilar actually said I would have no problem on the metro because my bag was so small. She saw my suitcase and my gray carry on and asked if that was it... She expected me to have another suitcase! I was glad though, because "problem" is one word I DON'T want to hear today.

I managed to get through the metro system just fine, it wasn't wall to wall people because of the time I left this morning. The only hard part was carrying my luggage down the stairs. The escalator wasn't working. But it was only at one station because all the rest had elevators or escalators. There was a sign in the metro saying if we were going to Airport T1,2,3 or T4 there was an extra fee. I wasn't too happy about that. I met Hannah, who is another USAC student as we were getting off and she said it was stupid, but I said the airport is trying to make money anyway they can. I wanted to try my metro pass before I paid anything else, so I did. It worked! No extra fee for me! Then I had several moments of confusion as I made my way to check in. Everything went fine, my bag wasn't overweight or anything and I was on my way to security.

Not one problem and my chips are still with me as I sit in my gate! It took me a bit to find my gate, since it's not in T4, it's in T4 satellite, which I had to take a metro trolly thing to get to. Then my gate was literally the farthest you could go in the airport. But I got here and everything is all dandy. Now I just need to wait until my boarding call ad then get on the flight. I'm so excited to come home!

Lunes - 22.18

I was super tired when I got up this morning, because as Mom and Brandon know, it's so hard for me to fall asleep! But I managed, and I ate breakfast, got dressed, all the usual stuff. Then I got to campus at my usual time. I met Alicia to swap books back, so she now has her art book and I have my gaviota book back. Then I studied a bit for my art exam in the five minutes before class.

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Like last time, I didn't need to really study, but I was able to drop a few names this time, so maybe she'll know I read. It was much easier than the last exam too, and since the last one was so easy, that's saying something. I did have the first paper flipped over though, so I answered the wrong question for one painting, but I figured it out and switched the answers so it was all answered correctly. Poor Patricia, she was so confused when I explained it to her! I think we got it all worked out though. I wasn't the last one to finish today either! There were two people left in the class, writing when I left. I don't know why, but I was excited by that.

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Then I went to the USAC office to pick up my deposit! Since I didn't wreck the apartment (surprise, surprise), I got it all back! Then I headed to the library to use a computer. I was on for about an hour, I first went to blogger and reformatted my last two posts! Then I wrote two more, one about my experience, and an ongoing one about differences here in Spain or observations. Then I did some emails and Facebook. Since there wasn't anyone on or any updates, I got off quick. Then I headed to the departmental to wait for my second exam; the conversation one. Lynette was there, and she was freaking out when she saw me because we hadn't practiced. I was confused, because I didn't know what we had to practice. She apparently thought we were supposed to have a scripted conversation where she says something, then I say something, then she says something, etc. I told her that wasn't what Sara meant, and she started freaking out more because she "studied the wrong thing". I told her she'd still do fine and could use parts of the conversation for her part. When it was our time, we ended up doing more what we had planned instead of me talking for two minutes and then her. It turned out fine anyway, it was probably better for me because it showed Sara that I can carry on a conversation.

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Then I did the individual part first. I brought out the stuffed husky from my bag for my "important object" and explained that it was important because it represented my university. I also explained that mom and dad met there, and she asked if that was why i went there. I said no, but that Jay was a student, and when I went to visit him I fell in love with the campus. Then we talked about a few other things, and then she close her notebook and said my Spanish is very good and that I got an A. Okay, I'll take that! I don't think I was expecting an A, but but she said my Spanish is very strong, I just don't talk much... So it's probably just me underestimating myself again.

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I had a while before my next class, so I ate my last muffin (from a bag I bought [for 1 Euro!] a few days ago) outside on a bench. I don't want to study for my film class, so I started typing this blog post on my little ole iPhone. Then I went to the exam a bit early. It was just a 2-3 page essay, and I didnt know how much I would write, so I wrote real big. I ended up using three pages, writing a total of four and a half. Hopefully it's good enough. I think my final grades should be an A, an A, and maybe an A-. Not too bad I'd say.

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I went to the restaurante after that last exam, since I still had one meal left on my bono. I was saving it for today. Funny how quickly today actually came... Also when I was walking, the second strap on my bag broke off. I'm glad it was my last day that I needed the bag! Anyway, at the restaurant I got peas and ham for my starter, fish with an orange colored sauce for my main, and coconut yogurt for dessert. The orange colored sauce on the fish was also orange flavored. Who knew? It was delicious though, I'm glad I got it! I sat and enjoyed my lunch slowly. Then, I headed off to the apartment.

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On the way I stopped into a store and bought ham potato chips. Cross your fingers that I can get them past security!! I put them inside the dying black bag inside my "purse". It doesn't sound like the crinkle of potato chip bags, and if I'm careful with it, the guards may never know, because you can't see the actual bags, thanks to the dying black bag. I sure hope I can bring them back! After that I packed a bit more of my stuff, leaving only the essentials out. I really hope my bag weighs less than fifty pounds, but I don't have any way to check its weight... After that I finished up my special regalo and packed it. Then I checked my email. We have 8 new student employees at the bookstore!! I think that's a sign to start looking for another job... I won't get nearly as many hours as Iast year.

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After that I wanted to take a nap. So I grabbed my camera and headed out. I wanted to be extra tired for tonight so maybe I can fall asleep quickly. I headed to Sol and just walked around for about two hours. I actually walked to Gran Vía and back. In Sol, before Gran Vía, I bought myself I've cream. I figured I could reward myself for the last two months. I got one scoop of pistachio. It. Was. Amazing. It was perfect for the hot, sunny day. The place I went to also have it to me in a real bowl too, well, a plastic one instead of paper. It's in the shape of a flower, so it'll make a nice candle holder. I had to carry it all around Gran Vía after I was done eating it though. I headed home after that around six. I washed out my flower cup and then filled my water bottle, and headed back out.

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This time I didn't get on the metro. I walked to Retiro. I walked around the park for about an hour, and then sat down. It's so hot out today, I tried to stay in total shade. My legs are melting off... But I'm glad to enjoy the outdoors. It's really beautiful here in Spain, I'll be sad to go. I walked home after a bit when I was tired of melting. As I entered the apartment building, I heard a kid screaming and I kind of buckled to myself. There's a dentists office on the first floor; that kid is probably terrified of dentists. Then I got to my floor and uploaded my photos from today to my computer. After that, I took my last shower in Spain. No one was home either, so I snuck in a few extra minutes. After my shower, I finished packing my suitcase, so the only things left (toothbrush, Chapstick, sunglasses, will be in my carry on. I'm looking good!

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Then I had me some dinner. It was The pinana pasta salad, which I was kind of disappointed about since it was my last dinner here in Spain, but I still like it, so I can't really complain. I also figured out what one of the mysterious fruits are... Apple! It didn't have an apple flavor, that's why it took me so long to place it, but I figured it out from the texture. I still have no idea what the pinana fruit is though... I had my yogurt for dessert, with brown sugar again, yay! I also mentioned to Pilar that I was missing my blue tank top, so she looked in the laundry room, then in Monica's clothing (she has the same issue mom has with Jay and Ryan's clothes), then in the living room and wasn't able to find it. I said it wasn't a big deal. It was only about three euros, and by this point I just wanna be home! That's the only thing I'm missing too, so I figure that's pretty good.

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Then I brushed my teeth and headed to bed. I'm gonna play a few games first, and then go to sleep. Hopefully I'll be able to fall asleep in a decent amount of time! I will be back in America in about 28 hours!

I am American

You can never truly appreciate your country until you leave it for a significant amount of time. This is how I feel. There were things about the US that I didn´t even know I loved until I didn´t have them any more. So this post will be about the differences I have noticed between Spain and the US, or just observations about Spain in general. I´ll probably keep udating this throughout the next few days, as I return to the US and notice more things.

1. Spaniards are NEVER on time.

2. Spaniards have long days and even longer nights.

3. Spaniards do not know what customer service is.

4. It is acceptable to smoke nearly wherever you want here in Spain.

5. Spaniards are always smoking.

6. There is no free water in Spain.

7. Dinner is commonly served around nine or ten at night, and it´s not uncommon to see people eating at a bar at 11:00 at night.

8. "Breakfast" means coffee.

9. Mid day naps are acceptable.

10. Air conditioning is not common in a lot of buildings.

11. Beggars will come up to you and they will shadow you.

12. Trash is always all over the street and parks.

13. There is no concept of personal space here in Spain.

14. Spaniards are completely impatient when it comes to the metro.

15. Don´t expect to find many businesses open from 2pm to 5pm.

16. Don´t expect any business other than some bars and restaurants open on Sunday.

17. Spaniards drive like crazy people.

18. French fries are very common here in Spain.

19. There is a lot more art here in Madrid.

20. There are two sides to an escalator: the standing side, and the walking side.
21. Spaniards do not use mustard.
22. Restaurants don´t give free refills here in Spain.
23. English (especially American) music is popular here. Real popular.
24. There is much more PDA here, especially in the metro.
25. Bathrooms never have paper towels, and some never have toilet paper.
26. They only have roll-on deodorant here. Ew!
27. They don't like peanut butter!

Estoy Terminado (Casi)

So this is my second reflection, over the month of July and my study abroad as a whole. During the month of July, i got out and saw more things, such as buildings and museums. I counted yesterday, and I don´t remember the exact numbers that I wrote in my planner, but it was something like 3 museums in June, and then 14 in July? I´d say that´s a big difference. Then I also visited more parks this month, though the number is much less impressive. In short, I experienced Madrid more. I was able to cross things off my checklist like crazy, and it felt good! I feel confident in the amount of sight-seeing I did and the amount of cultural things I did.

Speaking of that, I feel kind of like I got a bit more traditional culture this time, where as last month was more modern culture, like the night life partying, seeing the band with Karina and Brendan, and visiting more of the bars and restaurants. This session, though, I went to an opera at the royal theater, which isn´t exactly modern in our society. I also went to see a Flamenco Ballet, and Flamenco is a big part of the culture here in Spain. I also went to more museums, some of them about Spain, such as the women´s rights museum that I stumbled upon. Overall, I´m happy with the culture that I have experienced.

This experience for me has been one of the hardest of my life. I have had to do things on my own, completely on my own. This made July one of the loneliest months of my life, since I haven´t gone to do things with people. Add that to the Internet not working properly, and I felt nearly completely cut off from the US. On the other hand, this was a good thing. It made me realize how independent I am and how independent I can be. Being able to navigate a foreign city (which is WAY more metropolitan than I have ever been in before) with a foreign language by myself is a pretty big accomplishment, especially for me, who´s directionally challenged.

I´ve also learned to stand on my own. This may not seem like it should be too hard for me, since I´m not altogether too social in the US, but being here I don´t have the option to start a real conversation with a stranger, since my Spanish is still so limited. Nor do I really get along with many of the other USAC students, since all I get invited to is the mass group outings to bar-hop or go to a club and get drunk. I also have a theory that many USAC students are still kind of immature. I wouldn´t have expected that, since I thought to go to a foreign country you would need to be mature. My maturity level is, and always has been, one of my greatest strengths, and one of my biggest weaknesses. It´s the reason I can´t relate to other students too well, and as a result I have less friends that are good. Again, this makes me appreciate the ones I have so much more.

The experiences I have had with the food, overall, have been amazing for me, because I remember when I went to Italy and France years ago, I was shy to try regular noodles that were green, or meat that I couldn´t identify. Here in Spain I have really opened up my mind to trying new things, which has shocked me a bit. Even more shocking, I have enjoyed it all! (Except the gazpacho). I take this to be a sign that if I branch out to other things, like going to a nightclub with American strangers I just met, or going to an opera that I´m not sure about, or traveling to a landmark or museum on my own, can turn out to be a really good experience for me. All I need to do is try. That sounds über cheesy, but hey, I guess people say it for a reason.

I have also realized, however insignificant it may seem, how oblivious I am. Maybe that´s not the right word, but it´s as close as I can seem to get with my words. Sometimes, they do fail me. Anyway, what I mean by this is that I don´t notice a lot of things. Like in the US, I don´t notice when people stare at me (which according to mom happens a lot). It happens a lot here on the subway, because staring is a part of their culture, but I still don´t seem to notice a lot of it. I only notice the obvious, blatant ones who stare straight at me, and when I look back at them, they don´t look away. Awkward. It´s the same with the people who hand out coupons or flyers in the streets. I either don´t notice them, or I walk by and pretend not to notice them. I don´t know, it´s just something I noticed.

I have also learned to appreciate my body. Not something Spain necessarily did, but the women here in Spain. There are a lot of women, especially my age, that are much, much smaller than I am. However, most of these women are either bony, or lanky. I have learned to appreciate my muscular arms and thighs, and love that they are a mark of my athleticism and my past. On the other end, there are also a lot of women that are overweight, and some severely overweight. I feel sad when I look at them, and I thank God I have the mentality and motivation to exercise to maintain my body. I don´t ever want to be that middle aged woman sitting alone on the metro in sweatpants with a large cup of ice cream in one hand and the spoon in the other. nor do I want to be the person that rushes to catch the elevator when the escalator is right next to it. Is it really that much more work to stand on moving stairs? All in all, I have developed body peace.

This was an experience of a lifetime, and I wouldn´t trade it for the world. It´s been one of the hardest experiences of my life mentally and physically, but it´s also been one of the best. The things I have learned here and the culture I´ve participated in will be with me forever, and they have changed me into a more culturally aware person, for which I am glad. I don´t want to live in the US bubble for my entire life, I never have. Getting out and experiencing a country, living in another country, has broadened my horizons more than I expected it to. I am glad to be coming home, but I am also sad to be leaving Spain, because it´s like leaving a part of me behind.

Domingo - 22.03

I slept in until 8:30 this morning, and then I got up and ate breakfast and such. I did my emails and checked my Facebook while eating. Then I made the bed and took a nap on top of it. I woke up to my alarm and then grabbed my camera and headed out. I also grabbed the rest of the paper (newspapers and stuff from last session) and an empty water bottle to take care of on the way. After dumping them in the giant recycling bins in the street, I got on the metro. My first stop is Fundación Canal, which is supposed to be a museum. It's on my metro line, but at the way other end! 17 stops, 3 away from the end of the line. It was a long ride. There was an accordion player in the metro car for about two stops. I got a photo. A few stops later there was a guitar player and singer, and the singer made up songs about the people on the train, and I was in it with my camera haha. These two looked only a few years older than me though, and the guys had a really nice guitar case, so I think they were just doing it for fun.

When I got to the stop I headed right there, taking photos of the buildings along the way. I think this must be the more industrial side, because there were two tall banks (well, same bank just two buildings). Then I found the park first. I walked around, but for the most part, it was pretty boring. I found the museum last, since it was in the front right corner, and I had entered in the back left. I walked in the door and the guard told me they were closed. I asked (automatically and in Spanish!) when they were open. He said not until December. Oh. So I headed back to the metro for my long ride back.

I stopped about halfway though, to a metro stop that's supposed to have the photography exhibit, Fundación Telefónica. Well, I got there no problem, but it's apparently a store an not a museum. I don't need to buy a phone, I have two. Then I walked to Sol metro. On the way I found two pairs of shoes that I absolutely fell in love with. They're boots, for one, which is my weakness. Second, they were a green color, like a pea green but a bit darker. Third, they were like a suade texture. I wanted them so bad! But alas, I am too poor to pay the 50-60 Euros price tag. I was hoping they were on sale. They weren't. So I trudged back onto the Sol metro with the intent of stopping somewhere in Atocha for lunch, since I had an hour to kill before my next stop (another museum) became free.

I ended up getting a bruschetta pizza square for lunch. It was pretty huge, and only two euros! For me, it was perfect. There were no tables inside, so I walked around while I ate it, and it was delicious. When I was done I went from store to store, browsing. I ended up spending all the money I have left. I figured it was ok since I only have tomorrow that I'll be here, and I'm gonna use my last coupon for the Restaurante, so I don't need to buy anything. I also didn't have much left, only about twenty Euro. I'm excited because I found an Infanta Margarita statue, which I've been wanting for a while now. It's a replica of Velázquez's "Las Meninas", and it's the smallest (and cheapest!) that I've been able to find. I figured why not, I should treat myself. I also bought a regalo for one of my favorite people! It's not a souvenir though ;)

I didn't want to take my bag to the museum, so I headed back to the apartment. I dropped off my bag, and then decided that I didn't want to see the museum, I would rather just relax a bit before going to meet Cora at six for our last meeting. So I wrapped the regalo in newspaper (for which I was glad I didn't throw it all away this morning), since the box it came in didn't offer anything. Then I cleaned up a bit more, collecting a bag of trash again. I have to say, I looked around at all I have left, and I miss mom's expert packing skills. I know I can get it all to fit, since I have a lot of room, I just don't know if it'll be the most effective use of space. Hopefully I don't exceed the weight limit either. If I do I'll put my books in my carry on.

I had a bit of time to kill, so I went over my notes for my art class. I'm not really worried about any exam at this point, but it's always better safe than sorry. Then I packed a bit more, so all I have left are a few clothes, one pair of sandals, and bathroom stuff or my suitcase. The rest is going in my carry on bag. Then I got my planner all filled out, and then packed it. I also went through school stuff and threw it all away, since I won't be needing it anymore.

After that whole organizing and studying bit, I took a nap for about forty five minutes before heading out. I left early this time, but when I got to the metro, the next train was in 7 minutes! I ended up being on time, thankfully. We walked to a cafe, which was closed, and then to another one. We talked a bit in Spanish, like usual. I feel like I talked a big more today since its been a good weekend. I also had her make sure my letter to my home stay family is correct, and I had her read through what I'm gonna memorize for my exam tomorrow. I used subjunctive correctly! Haha that's a first. Then we did the English part. I finished the story today! I have to say, I think I liked the ending the best, because it's "fresh" and shows a strong, independent woman.

After our meeting, I headed back to the apartment. When I got back, I wrote my thank you note on the back of my drawing for my family, and then studied a bit more for my conversation final. I can't wait until I'm finally done with my finals! It's just like in Houghton, by now I just wanna be done with them! Then I spent time playing games on my phone. Haha oh well.

Then it was dinner time! It was A chicken leg, lettuce salad, and French fries. Super delicious today! I had my standard yogurt for dessert, with brown sugar today. Mmm... Pilar didn´t have the recipe for me today, but I was my usual timid self, so I didn´t ask her for it. I might as tomorrow, and have paper with me when I do, so I can write it down as she tells me, or have her write it right there. After dinner I did the standard, showered, brushed my teeth, and then I studied a little but more. Hopefully tomorrow goes well!

Sábado - 22.07

I woke up this morning before my alarm again, around 8:30, I think. So I got up, ate breakfast, and got dressed, while looking at my plans today. All the places on today's agenda don't open until ten, so I had about 45 minutes to kill. So, I started packing. It was pretty easy too, most of my stuff will fit in my suitcase, my carry on will be real light this time. Of course, I couldn't pack everything, but I got most of it in there. The good news is I'm not bringing much bathroom stuff home, so nothing should explode this time!

After I cleaned up my packing, I headed out with my camera. The first place I went was Ermita San Antonio de Florida, which is a church. The ceiling was painted by Goya, and his remains are actually there too! We weren't allowed to take photos, but the guard stepped out while I was there, so it was like saying, "now's your time!" So I snuck one in hehe. Then I walked by the river front for a bit before finding the metro again. It smelt real bad, kinda like the lakes in Michigan, so it was a piece of home, however unpleasant.

My next stop was Museo Romantico. While walking from the metro stop to the museum, I passed a store that was playing Backstreet Boys! Not only a bit of home, but a blast from the past too! Unfortunately the museum is only free after two, so I left with the intent of going back later. Then I headed to the Caixa Forum, which is the same stop as "The Big Three" museums, and I've passed it before, so it was easy to find. It was also free, hence why it was on my list.

It had an entire floor devoted to William Blake, which was pretty cool. His art was interesting to look at, particularly his mix of mediums. There was one piece made with pencil, chalk, ink, pen, and watercolor! I don't even know how he thought to combine them all! The next floor was all architecture. One of my favorite things about this building was the stairs, odd as it sounds. When you first enter, it's all metal; the stairs and the walls, and it was a winding staircase too, not just straight up. The interior stairs form a square, so you go up three flights to  get to the  next floor. I got some cool photos.

Anyway, there was a photography exhibit with Gabriele Basilico on the next floor, but it was different than normal. It had a photo of a current day historical building, and next to it was a drawing of the same building in the past. I'm not sure if the drawings were real or "embellished", because the photos of the buildings had a lot less detail as far as sculptures and things on the outside of the buildings. There were even some buildings I've been to in Rome! It was really cool to see those in particular.

After the museum, I headed to... Burger King. But hey I had a coupon for a free whopper! So I got that and paid for a drink and fries. BK has free wifi too, so I checked my email and Facebook. However, at this time it was only 7am back home, so there wasn't much. Everyone I know here probably went out last night and was still sleeping, so nothing from them either. Then I headed back to the apartment. I uploaded my pictures to my computer and then sorted through them. After that, I studied a bit for my conversation exam by writing notecards of phrases that I need to remember to say.

I was going to take a nap then, but I fought the urge. I wound up back at BK, with my laptop. I was so excited to go through my blog posts and FINALLY format them! For someone OCD like me, it was driving me crazy. It's all good now, I added some photos to my posts too, so it's a bit more lively. I also uploaded photos to Facebook. Luckily I didn't have too many to add. After my BK adventure, I headed back to the apartment. I proceeded to plug in my laptop, and then take a nap. I did wake up to may alarm, and though I wanted to keep sleeping, I got up and grabbed my camera again.

I headed to the Museo Romantico, the one that wasn't free earlier. It was pretty awesome. I had to put my purse in a locker (it had a lock) and I was nervous about that, but it ended up being just fine. The museum was set up like a "house" would have been, with exceptions, of course. I was able to take pictures here (I asked!) so I did. I loved this museum! My favorite part was a machine they had set up. There was a model of the house (or a house) from the time period, which had two balconies "open" and two of the ground floor rooms open. Then, like a peeping Tom, you could look in the windows. What was cool about it was that they projected little images of people in the open rooms! So we could see a family eating at the table while the Mai serves them, and the interactions between the people. We could see into the ballroom, where one person was playing the piano and a couple was dancing. We could also see the maids working in the kitchen; one cooking, one cleaning. The main entrance was open too, and we could see the family getting out of a carriage. It was SO awesome!! I got photos, but yet didn't turn out very well.

At the museum, there was a small room in the entryway with photos on exhibit, so I went in. They were in lit boxes so the photos were illuminated. It was cool. There were two long ones of trees in the wintertime, which reminded me of Tech. There were also two of trees in the springtime, which also reminded me of Tech haha. After that room, I headed back to the metro. When I got back to the apartment, I relaxed. I got on email and then Facebook; my Internet addictions.

Since there wasn't much to keep me entertained, I started playing games on my phone. Then I decided to be productive and updated my planner with my adventures, and then studied for my conversation exam some more. After that, I wrote a super short thank you note to Pilar and Monica for letting me stay with them. I would write more, but as you can tell from my blog, I don't know them very well. But it's something at least. Then I had dinner.

Tonight it was my favorite... The bean soup! Yogurt with brown sugar was my dessert, like usual. Tonight I actually got up the courage to ask her for the recipe! She was surprised, no wonder why, but she told me anyway. She said its easy but long, because the beans need to soak overnight in water, and then simmer with the ingredients for about two hours when I cook it. She said a lot of ingredients too, like onion, pepper, milk, which I didn't expect, sometimes chicken, which she doesn't cook it with, though I may have to try it, and a few more. I asked her to write it down for me, since my memory isn't very good. She said she'd have it for me tomorrow, which is awesome! I'm a happy girl tonight. That soup will be perfect for one of the many cold nights at Tech, or for when I inevitably get sick. Yay!

After dinner I brushed my teeth and washed my face, and then studied a bit more. If only I had a photographic memory...

Viernes - 23.59

Last night was awesome. It stormed. I mean a real storm, with thunder and lightning, and rain! Not the little "sprinkle for a few minutes rain" either. It was awesome, and the temperature got down to 68! I had my balcony doors open. It stopped raining around midnight though, so I had to shut my balcony door because there were people (very loud people) in the courtyard. I still didn't sleep too well, but at least I was in a good mood. I have my art class at the Reina Sofia museum today, so I got to sleep in too. I still woke up before my alarm, but it wasn't too much before. I then ate breakfast, made my bed, and while I was waiting for the deodorant to dry, I updated my planner. Then I got dressed. Pilar wasn't home and Monica was sleeping, so I borrowed the broom to sweep my floor. It really needed it.

Then I drew, or started drawing, a picture for a thank you card for my home stay family. I headed out for my conversation class a bit early and got there a bit early. Today was a bit different though, because there were protesters! According to Alicia, who I later talked to, they've been there all week, but I only just saw them today. It was kind of sad, only about fifteen or twenty of them in the street with signs and noisemakers. When I was leaving the metro I honestly thought it was a car alarm. Imagine my surprise! I could read one sign too, "No a los recortos" (No to the cutbacks). It was pretty interesting. Class, though, was like normal. Nothing much to report. After class I headed home. On the metro ride, my long one, a woman at next to me and she was chewing and smacking her gum very loudly. That is my NUMBER ONE pet peeve. I wanted to smack her. I didn't, of course. I was glad when we it off. When I got back I stopped into the fruit market on the corner and bought two delicious looking apples. I then ate one as I sat on my bed in the apartment. I tried to get online through wi-fi, of course it's still not working. Instead I finished my thank you drawing and then I took a short nap. I got up in time to get the Reina Sofia museum early.

Class was decent, though I like this type of art (Picasso, Dalí, Miró) less than earlier painters. We had four presentations today, which finished up our session. Now I am official done with classes, all I have left is exams on Monday! After class I headed back to the apartment. I eventually ended up sleeping, again. When I woke up, I listened to some music on my phone, which I've only been doing this week, curiously. Then I was called to dinner. I ate alone, since Pilar had friends over and was planning on eating with them. It's the first time Ive seen them use the dining table in the living room. My dinner was the noodle soup again, and a piece of tortilla patata, which really didn't smell very good, but I ate it anyway. Then dessert was yogurt with brown sugar! Yumm! I will say though, I watched Pilar prepare for their meal, and she took lasagna from a box, which leads me to believe most of my meals have been from a box as well. But oh well, at least the majority of it tasted good.

After dinner I brushed my teeth and washed my face, like normal. However, I didn't want to just stayed home, since I wasn't too tired due to my nap. So I grabbed my camera and headed out. I heard Fuentes de Cibeles is nice at night with the lights, so I decided to get off at Atocha metro, not the closest one, but on my line. I got a lot of (I think) good photos, mostly of fountains. The Fuente de Cibeles was nice with the light. I walked from there all the way to Plaza de Independencia, which is right next to one of the entrances to Retiro. There, two girls came up to me and asked if I had a cigarette. Of course I didn't. Then the other girl asked where I was from, in English, which was kind of weird... She must know my accent or something. She then asked where I was going. Her friend (who I think was a bit drunk) said I was going home, so I just agreed. Then they said I could hang out with them, if I wanted. I told them thanks, but no thanks. Maybe in another life I would have said yes, but I was kinda tired by then.

(L: Fuente de Cibeles. R Random fountain)

It's nice to know the teens here in Spain are nice though, Cora actually mentioned something about that yesterday during our session, that here in Spain the teens will invite someone who's alone to hang out with them, regardless of they know them or not. I like that about Spain. The US is too narrow minded about that kind of stuff. I then found a metro station and headed back to my stop. I was listening to music the entire time I was out, and I had forgotten the power music has over people. I was in a surprisingly good mood. When I got home I changed into some pjs. I got another weekend suggestion sheet from USAC earlier, so I went through and decided where to go for tomorrow and Sunday. Hopefully this last weekend here in Spain is awesome. Well, then hit I the sheets haha.

Jueves - 21.47

This morning was awful, I wanted to hit snooze but I knew I couldn't. I tossed and turned forever last night, only to be woken up not much later. I'm not sure if it was a dream or not, but I heard carlitos scream. Why do I think it might have been a dream? One, because it only lasted a minute, two because it was more like a laugh scream? I don't know, either way I am exhausted now. Plus I somehow got mosquito bites all over my legs, and they are a pain to try and sleep with too! I got to campus a bit later than usual, but still had enough time to check email and such, using campus wifi! Art class was interesting today, we learned more about Picasso, and we started learning about Dalí today too. I'm trying to drink more to alleviate dehydration, so I drank a bottle on the way to campus, two more during the art class. For this, I had to run to the bathroom during our break, which was twenty minutes later than usual. She wanted to finish talking about Dalí before she let us go. After the break, we recapped everything that is going to be on the exam. I think I'm prepared, but I'll go over my notes again before Monday. Between classes I ran to the bathroom again, and then to the USAC office. I got an email saying to come pick up the time sheet when I can get my deposit back. I get it back on Monday anytime before three. So I can go before my exams, in between, or after, depending on how long they take and whether I want to review more or not.

My conversation class, as usual, started about ten minutes late. That is one thing I will not miss about Spain, is how everyone is so laid back and NOT punctual. If I'm a few minutes late I freak out and apologize profusely. If they're ten minutes late they act as if it's completely normal (which for them it is). It's frustrating to punctual people. We had a presentation today, over fútbol. Before the presentation, though, we did class evaluations. I got asked again to take the envelope to the office. Maybe I just seem more responsible than my peers? I don't know, but I said sure. We got out five minutes late again, I really don't think she knows what time class is supposed to start or end... But oh well, only one more day until I'm done!

After class I went to the bathroom, and then to the office. On my metro ride home, since I don't have internet, I figured I could write my blog posts bit by bit, so I started writing today's. When I got back to Pacífico, I headed to the supermarket to buy lunch. Today I bought Asian type rice, basically fried rice. The rice wasn't cooked very much though, so it wasn't too good. Oh well, better than another sandwich. After I ate that, I fell asleep. I snoozed my alarm too, thus missing the time I had to spend at the monastery. Oh well, I guess I needed the sleep.

A while later I headed out to meet with Cora. We went to a bar in Madrid, the first time we weren't on campus. It was nice. I didn't get to finish the story, but we're planning on meeting either Sunday or Monday after my exams. I should be able to finish it then. I was so tired though, I mostly just listened. It's still easier for me to understand, but I kind of felt like I was in a fog, like I didn't quite understand what was happening. After our meeting, I headed back to the apartment. On my way, I saw not one, but two Dalmatians! It totally made my day! I had enough time to shower before dinner, so I did so. Then I played games on my phone for the next half hour until dinner. It was lasagna today, absolutely delicious! Yogurt for dessert, the kind with brown sugar. A wonderful end to my day. Now I'm going to brush my teeth and hit the sack!

Miércoles - 22.38

So today was a very anti productive day. I woke up around eight, ate my breakfast, got dressed, and then lounged around. I didn't have class until 11:30, so I decided to take a nap because I was tired. I set my alarm for 10:30, but when it went off I decided I was going to use my free day today. I went back to sleep. I am just not doing so well with the heat. I have a constant headache and I'm always tired... I left at 3 and got a sandwich mixto from the supermarket for lunch. I only ate about a third of it before I threw it in the trash. I wasn't hungry for it, but I don't have many options. I headed to the Thyssen museum for class at 4, eating on the way. I went the wrong way off the metro, but I left early enough that it didn't matter. I was still the first one there, fifteen minutes early. 

Class was good today, though I have to say I don't like the Thyssen nearly as much as the other two of the "big three". That's what the Prado, Reina Sofia, and Thyssen are called. The Thyssen just doesn't have much, it's all really spread out too so it seems even more empty. But it was ok. We only had one peer presentation today. She did pretty good. Her artist was Dalí. We ended early, which I was really excited for.  Why? Because I had to meet a group of students at a metro stop near a theater.

We went to see a Flamenco Ballet. For me it was interesting because I've never seen Flamenco, and as far as I can remember I've never really seen ballet either. So seeing them together was fun. It was a good show. I missed Brandon a lot though, because it was a story about a couple and there were some romantic scenes. I'm really glad I went though. It was fifteen euros, but I think it was worth it. It got me out of the apartment for longer and have me something to do while I waited for dinner. After the play I went back to the apartment. I took the same metro ride as David, since he had to transfer lines at my stop. Somehow we got on the topic of flying out, and it turns out their flight (the group flight) leaves at 7am! I'm glad I'm not on that, because I would have to pay to get to the airport somehow. I'm too cheap for that.

Anyway, I had an hour to wait before dinner. The internet still isn't working either. It's a darn good thing I have a lot of data left on my phone! I asked Monica at dinner if there was a problem with the wi-fi and she said it hasn't been working since yesterday. I didn't tell her it actually stopped working Monday. I'm the only one here with a computer too, so I don't think it'll be fixed anytime soon. Yay. Dinner was good, it was hot dogs! Not real meat, but meat nonetheless. It was good. I had my yogurt for dessert and it was the kind with brown sugar today! Extra yum! After dinner I showered and brushed my teeth. Then I typed this on my phone, and am getting ready to go to bed. I'm just so tired!

Martes - 22.10

Well, this is no fun at all. The Internet in the apartment stopped working last night, and still isn't working. I'm typing this on my phone, which I really don't like doing. Anyway, I got up this morning and got to class okay, my usual time. I even drank an entire bottle of water on my way to school. That was a first. I was the first in the classroom, so I opened the windows. Its like an oven in there in the mornings! Class went well, not much to report except that I drank two full bottles of water, because I wanted to see if I feel sick because of dehydration or something else. We did our class and program evaluations today too, and she asked me if I would mind returning the evals to the USAC office, of course I said sure, no problem. So during our break I ran to the bathroom, and refilled my water bottle, and then to the office to hand in the evaluations.

After that class I headed to my conversation class. The entire departmental has plastic wrap hanging from the walls and everything is taped off, because I think they're painting. Anyway, the bench wasn't against the wall, it was in the middle of the hall, so I went to sit in the classroom. As usual, class started late, and the computer was insanely slow! It took twenty minutes for it to turn in and get PowerPoint open. It was ridiculous. I didn't have to talk today, which I liked. Lynette's presentation was today, and it was about bull fighting. I think she was the only one in the class who enjoys it. Sara kept saying it's cruel (not in a rude way to Lynette, just observations). David and Kristen were at the same fight I went to, and Kristen and I both left at "half-time", and David hasn't gone back.

After that, I headed to the supermarket. I have a picture of it that I was going to include, but since I don't have internet, it'll have to be later. EDIT - Photo is included! I got a thing of rice and veggies today. You're supposed to heat it up, but the package said ready to eat, so I didn't. It was pretty good, I ate it at the apartment. I then took a nap. It turned out to be long too, I didn't wake up until six! So I just hung around the apartment since the places I wanted to go to weren't open anymore. The lack of internet is so frustrating! I'm too American to be able to do without it. Even the internet on my phone doesn't work well here. I wonder if there's something blocking the signal?

Anyway, it was a lazy, boring day. I did drink a total of five bottles of water before my nap, and I'm at two now. I don't think dehydration is my problem, because I still have a headache. I think it might be this heat. It's so warm, my body is not use to it! Dinner today was delicious though! It was a spaghetti with chorizo chunks. I loved it. I had yogurt for dessert. I'm still out of internet and feeling blue, so this is it for this post.

Lunes - 21.11

It was hard to get out of bed again this morning, but I slept a bit better than usual. I got to campus early again, and went to the USAC office to pick up my deposit from the Escorial field trip. After picking up my ten euros, I headed to class a bit early. We talked about Gaudi some more again. It was pretty interesting. She recapped a lot for the people that were absent Friday, which I didn’t mind. I had to drink a lot of water to stay awake again though; I don’t like being so tired again. At least I’m not falling asleep in class, like I did last fall. That was not fun. We were given our twenty minute break again, and this time I went to the Reprografia to print off my final paper for my film class. I wanted to turn it in today so I have the option of not going to class on Wednesday. I also had enough time to head to the bathroom and fill up my water bottle.

After that we began learning about Picasso. We didn’t get too far into him yet, but so far it seems interesting. He’s one of the only painters I knew before coming to Spain and taking this class, but I don’t know too much about him still. I’m glad I chose Goya as my painter too, because I’m so glad I’m done! After that class I headed to the USAC office again, because I had gotten an email saying the housing deposit forms and surveys were ready. So I got that, and Gabriela apologized for not having it ready when I came down earlier. I told her it didn’t matter to me, and I even had most of it filled out before my conversation class started.

Talia wasn’t in class today, and she was the one that was supposed to present. We signed up for days so that each person would have their own day, in case they went longer. Well Sara was trying to figure out what to do, and I volunteered to give mine today. I’ve been practicing it all weekend anyway, and I had my flash drive with me, so there was no reason I couldn’t. She said “extra credit” for you, but I think she was joking. I got my draft of my presentation back today too, so some of my errors were unable to be fixed, so I think she gave me a bit of leeway on that too, which was good. I think it went well too, my peers asked their questions (they had to ask two each) and I was able to answer them all! That’s my accomplishment for the day right there. My presentation even took longer than normal; since we didn’t have time for the “small topics” we were all assigned. I haven’t looked into mine yet, which was good that I presented today because it gives me another day to prepare.

I’m really glad I got the presentation out of the way though. Now I’m completely done except finals! I asked Sara about the final too, and she said there were three parts. One is just a conversation between partners, and one group of three since I guess Rudy dropped out of the class or something. I think I’m going to be paired with Lynette, but I guess that’s ok because her tendency to over-talk may make up for my tendency to under-talk. The second part is talking (quickly) about an object that is important to us, why it’s important, and a bit of history about the object. I think I’m either going to bring my camera or my husky dog that I’m planning on leaving for Carlitos. I could talk about either. The last part is a small speech about an “easy” theme, such as traveling, food, etc. I think I should do pretty decent then, I’m less worried about it now than I was before.

After that class I headed to the film class. I handed in my paper to Mar and then sat through two of my peers’ presentations. Then I sat through two of Mar’s presentations, while alternatively playing games on my phone. How I’ve missed my iPhone. During this class I also managed to finish my housing sheets. At the end of class, another student asked about the exam. It turns out it’s only going to be an essay. Over what, I don’t know. She said the info from the presentations, all the directors, all the movie’s we’ve watched, etc. How that can possibly all fit into a cohesive essay I’m not sure. In any case, I’m going to look over the presentations she sent us.

After I was free from that class I headed to the USAC office to drop off my sheet. Then I headed to the supermarket to buy lunch. I also bought mixed nuts for a snack and cotton pads, since I ran out of cotton rounds for my face toner, and using toilet paper just doesn’t work. I asked for a bag at the checkout and she said a number. Apparently you have to pay for bags here in the supermarkets. I miss America at the oddest times… I said no, thanks, and put it all in my little black bag, except my tortilla, which I ate then. After eating, I headed back to the apartment. It was so hot and I’m pretty sure I’m getting dehydrated here, because I felt sick with a headache. I napped when I got back and didn’t set an alarm. It was nice. I woke up to Carlitos screaming about two hours later, but it was fine because I needed to get up anyway.

I headed out to go to the Museo de escultura al aire libre. It’s something like Museum of Free Air Sculptures. Well, I got off the metro and my phone told me there was a public art museum, so I went to check it out. Apparently the public art museum was the one I originally wanted to go to, because when I went to the place my phone told me the sculpture museum was, there was nothing there. I went back to the first place and saw the sign reading, ‘Museo de escultura al aire libre’. There were about ten sculptures. It was kind of sad, but they were cool and I got to cross another place off my ‘to-see’ list. There were two I liked.

One was a penguin. I think. From one angle it looked like a normal penguin, but from another angle it looked like a penguin that had a detached wing, abnormal body shape, and its eye popping out of its head. It’s hard to describe with words, so I included a photo of the normal angle and the not normal angle.

The second statue was like a block, but had three balls coming out of it, in a row, with less of the ball showing in succession. It looked like the balls were disappearing into the block, and then coming out the other side. I included a photo of this one too. Sometimes my words fail me. Or maybe I’m just too lazy to type them out. Either way, the photo works better for you.

When I got home after that, I was feeling really under the weather. This heat does not agree with me lately. I got back and made a cave for myself. I shut my door and closed the blinds all the way. Then I turned the fan on and the light off. It was nice, and eventually I cooled down. I also got to talk to Brandon on email! It’s become a sort of highlight of my day. I also sent some emails, and checked/updated my Facebook. It was an internet hour. Or, I guess technically couple of hours, since I didn't get off until dinner.

It was a hamburger and fries today, with yogurt for dessert. I kind of laughed, because while chatting with Brandon, I mentioned that I just wanted meat, like a big, juicy steak, or a thick piece of Dad’s salmon, or a nice, thick hamburger. So I got part of my wish. I got meat, woo! It’s never thick here because that’s not how they eat; they seem to eat very little meat. It was good anyway. I was content. After dinner I came back to my room and chatted with Brandon some more. Then I brushed my teeth, washed my face, and wrote this post.

Tomorrow I just need to sit through my classes, and then I'm planning on going to another museum, and then another palace. So much left to see! So until tomorrow, goodnight!

Domingo - 21.00

I woke up later than normal today after a very tiresome night. I couldn't get to sleep for the longest time! I moseyed around a bit, and ate breakfast by myself again, which was nice. Then I dilly dallied online until it was about 9:20, then I headed out. The museums I wanted to go to today don't open until 10 on Sundays, so I took my time. I stopped into Sol first, actually. I wanted to see the zero mile marker I've been searching for. Now that Susan told me where to go, I headed with purpose. The good news is that I found it right away. The bad news is I had to wait ten minutes for two tour groups to get out of the way so I could take a photo. Of course the rest of the plaza was pretty much empty. I also got some photos of the horse statue that we used to meet at for social functions. I think they still do meet there, actually. After I took a photo, I stepped onto the center point, so I can now say I've been dead-smack in the center of Madrid. Pretty cool if you're a nerd like me.

Then I headed back onto the metro. I went to the Retiro stop to head to "Museo nacional de artes decorativas". I found it on my to-do list in my purse this morning, and since I had forgotten about it, I decided to go today, since it's free admission on Sunday's. I got there and found it without a problem, thanks to my wonderful iPhone. It was okay, not my favorite museum. The first floor seemed to be mostly German papers, signs, etc. Not much to look at if you're not into German history. The second floor was a bit better, it had "artifacts" to look at. I say that loosely because it was technology, some of which I have actually seen being used, like the screen projector thing that Mary Ann (my art professor back at Tech) had used to show us art on the screen a couple years ago. It was cool to see though. The third floor was my favorite, because half the floor was decorated like the actual home had been (I don't know why though, it was overall a very disjointed museum).

It wasn't roped off either, so I could walk around the room, which was way cool. The whole time while I was on this floor though, the guard kept following me around, reading a newspaper. Or was she? She seemed to know exactly when I moved from room to room. Did she really think I was going to cause trouble and steal or break something? I guess you can never know with tourists... When I got to the other half, though, the side with everything in glass cases, she wasn't following me anymore. It was kind of funny, actually. The staircase I took back to the main floor was in a sort of side room, and it was BEAUTIFUL. I took a picture. Of course.

 (L: Second floor. R: Staircase)

After this museum, I headed back to Retiro. When I had gotten to the station, I noticed a small gallery inside the station, right where you get on and off the trains. I went in to look at it (it was free) before I headed back the direction I had come. It was pretty interesting. There were lots of awesome photos. The first was a study of water, which I thought was pretty neat. Then there were a lot of people and landscapes. They were good photos, or great photos, actually, but they were too perfect to really catch my attention. Like I could see them in a travel guide magazine or on TV or something. The other end caught my eye too. There were three in particular. One was a photo of gumdrops lined up on a tablecloth, zoomed way in so you could see the sugar particles. There was a red gumdrop, a yellow one, and then a green one. I thought of Alpha Gams. I also thought of Sonya when I saw the next one. It was the two robots from Wall-E. The last one made me sad though, because it was a picture of a track, near the starting lanes. I miss track a lot.

Then I caught the next train and headed to Moncloa, which is the neighborhood that the Museo de América is in. It was free today as well, so I walked in. It was pretty interesting. There were two floors full of artifacts and history about the Americas, mostly south and central America, since that's the lands that were more interesting to Spain when they were discovered. It was actually really cool, I got to see a lot of interesting things. I even got to see shrunken heads and another mummy! There was a lot of pottery, a lot of jewelry and feathered items, a couple life size replicas of a tee-pee and several homes of the time. My favorite thing in the entire museum was the map below. The photo doesn't do it justice, the lighting in the room was much darker, with light on the map so it almost looked like it was glowing. I thought it was cool because I've never seen anything in 3D of that size before. It really made me see how big our continent actually is, and appreciate it for it's magnitude, especially the mountain ranges. I even saw Michigan! It's one of the only states that's easy to define because of the lakes haha. It was really cool.

(L: Artwork leading into the museum. R: Map on the floor of the museum in one of the rooms)

After exiting that museum, I headed home. I did walk around a really tall tower that was in front of the museum though. I hoped it was an observation tower, but it was gated all the way around the base. It was cool to see though, and I got a nice picture of it. It's on Facebook. When I got back to my neighborhood, I walked to the supermarket to see if it was open. It wasn't. I had potato chips for lunch as I waited for my photos to upload. Then I sorted through them and put them on Facebook. Then, I took a nap. I was so tired after all the sightseeing! Plus this lack of decent sleep and heat doesn't help much.

When I woke up from my nap I was a bit productive. I read an article for my art class, getting myself caught up except two chapters in the book that I'm not quite sure if I'm going to read. If I got a 92 on the last exam without bringing in knowledge from the book (though I did read), I think I'll do fine for this one. Then I moseyed around a bit online and on my phone, and then I updated my planner with things I did today. I also crossed through today's date. It was very satisfying. I then got to Skype momma! I miss her a lot. It seems like I'm missing out on a busy week there in Freeland too, especially for Jay when he gets back! That's really exciting though. I caught her up on me and she caught me up on her and Freeland.

After we said our goodbyes, I went through my envelope of "memories". I decided what I wanted to keep and what I didn't, and the envelope was a lot thinner when I was done. It felt good to organize a bit of my life. I'll be excited when I can finally pack! Not necessarily because I'm going home, but because everything will be neatly in one place, all ready for me. I know, I'm weird. Oh well. After I did that I went through my conversation PowerPoint again to pass the time before dinner. I think I'm pretty well prepared for it.

Dinner was really good today, it was another double decker sandwich. I'm going to have to try and make them in the US. It was bread, ham, lettuce, cheese, bread, mayo, tuna, hard-boiled egg, lettuce, pepper, and then bread. It was huge, but sooo good! I had yogurt for dessert again, my usual. After dinner I showered, taking a longer one than usual. Then I finished up this post. Now I'm going to play some games on my phone for a bit, then try and fall asleep. Wish me luck, because with the way these past few nights have been going, it's not going to end well...

Sábado - 20.30

It was so hard to get up this morning again. It was a rough night. Carlitos woke me up screaming again early in the night. Then after I fell back asleep, I woke up again because it was so hot. It was about 4:30 so I figured it might have cooled off outside. It did, I opened my balcony door. Unfortunately, there's a bunch of men in the courtyard under my balcony yelling and laughing with each other. At 4:30 in the morning! I shut my balcony in frustration and managed to fall back asleep, only to be woken up by my alarm not long after. I got ready like normal and headed to the metro stop near the university. I was the first one this time by a good  ten minutes. We got on the bus and left ten minutes late, like usual. It was about an hour bus ride, a little less. Fun fact, while we were on the bus someone was talking about Greek life (they were in the back so I couldn't see who), and they said "Alpha Grab a Donut"! I thought that was kind of cool, since I thought that was only at Tech's campus. I guess not.

We went to the Palacio de El Escorial first. It's the palace that I've been hearing about in my art class so much. It was pretty interesting. I did the Spanish tour again this time, and I was really impressed with myself! I was able to understand nearly all of what she was saying, and it helped that we couldn't take pictures, so I just focused on listening to her mostly. We got to see several rooms, and I learned so much history about the place! There were some rooms where the doors were open to outside, and we were allowed to take pictures of the gardens, so we did. There's this one girl I met today, Ilana, she has a serious camera! It's a Nikon and it's body is at least twice the size of mine, and her lens could eat mine. I'm sure dad would have known more about what kind it was or what it's used for, but it was impressive to see. I sat at her table for lunch and found out she's interned for Vogue, and other big name companies in the UK, and has an internship lined up for Glamour magazine in London. Wow.

After the palace we had a bit of free time. There wasn't much to do. Jennifer and David bought ice cream, and I watched them buy it. I didn't get any because I knew we'd be having lunch soon. Then we walked down the streets. David, a guy named Darren who I met today, and I stopped into the courtyard of a building. We think it was a contemporary arts museum or something, because it had some cool statues in the yard. This one was my favorite, because it had a lot of detail and I love the idea of roots. It was much more original (to me at least) than the other statues. There was also a water fountain in the middle, and I was able to play with focus and shutter speed a bit. I got a cool picture with the water soft, and a couple with the water detailed, using a faster speed. The one below is interesting because of the timing, it was just before the water fell down, so it looks almost like smoke coming out of a smoke tower. I got some other ones too; they're on Facebook.

  

We headed to the meeting area to wait for lunch, and since David, Darren, and I stopped into the yard, the others we were walking around with were already there. There was also a dog on Talia's lap. It turns out that it belongs to the woman sitting on the bench not far from us. I guess when Talia sat down, it walked right up to her! Then David sat down and it crawled up onto his lap. It was so cute, a really little dog, the owner said it was a chihuahua mix. When David got up I took his place and the dog climbed onto my lap. It was so little! It didn't lick me as much as it licked the others, and I was glad. I'm still getting used to dogs. This was the point when the rest of the group showed up. One asked if I had bought a dog, one asked if I stole the dog, and then they asked where I got it from. Haha it was funny. Sima sat down and it climbed onto her, so I stood up and brushed myself off.

After that we headed to lunch. The restaurant was "Cuevo". It was really fancy, I liked it a lot. I sat at one of the bigger tables, at the head, ironically. We had a soup for an appetizer, and it was really good. There was a hard boiled egg in it! I loved it! Then the main course was some type of breaded meat. I think it was pork, but I'm not sure. It was good, in any case. Dessert was an ice cream trio, a vanilla, chocolate, and what we think was butterscotch. It was pretty good. 

After lunch we walked back to the bus to head to Valle de los caídos, or Valley of the Fallen. It's a monument and crypt built after the Spanish civil war to those who died fighting for Spain. It was incredible! The church (or monastery?) was built INSIDE the mountain! It was so cool walking in, we weren't allowed to take photos, but the ceiling was really tall and the arches were wide, and some of the alcoves had statues of the patron saints of Spain. It was so cool. Then we got twenty minutes of free time to look around and take pictures outside. David, Jennifer and I looked into the two side rooms before heading outside. In the second room, a lot of the USAC people were taking photos, and one was videotaping. I told Jennifer that I was going to respect the people buried there and not take photos. When we walked out, a guard walked in, yelling, "no fotos!" We got out at the right time I guess.

I took a lot outside though. The view was incredible! You could see for miles and the mountains in the distance as well. It was yet another thing I've seen or experienced here in Spain to make me realize how incredibly lucky and blessed I am to be here and to have an amazing family (and friends) that's supporting me every step of the way. It was incredible. After the free time, we got back on the bus and headed back to Madrid.

When we got back, I headed straight back to the apartment. I was so tired I wasn't feeling good. I only got to nap for about half an hour though. Apparently Carlitos is having a bad day, because I woke up to him screaming his head off again. I do not like this pattern that is developing... I ended up trying to ignore him for the good hour he was screaming and uploaded my pics, sorting through them and then putting them on Facebook. I also went through my conversation PowerPoint another time. I want to be prepared, since I'm not sure how I'll do on the final exam, which is just talking. I'm not sure if there will be a theme or not, I need to ask her in class on Monday.

Then I was called to dinner. Today it was a sort of soup. I think she said lentils with onion? It tasted kind of like mustard. I don't think I liked it. It was served with cheese and some meat slices (I think I'm going to call them pepperoni, though I'm pretty sure they're not), so I ate a bite of cheese with each bite of soup so I tasted the cheese. I was sneaky to my taste buds. I also had a small lettuce salad after that, and then my yogurt. After dinner I came in here to write this, and now I'm going to wash my face, brush my teeth, and pass out! Hopefully Carlitos wont wake me up again. I will not be a happy camper.