A Little of This and a Little of That

Conspicuous?

• I did walk into a tree the other day.
• Sometimes I might look lost, which is because I am lost. My extreme directional problems + this ridiculously twisted, confusing city = frequent confusion.
• Our group is around 100 Americans, which makes for a loud mess of English in the street. That’s when I want to hide in a bush.

But actually, I’m NOT conspicuous when I’m alone and with my mouth shut :)
• It’s not uncommon for people to ask me for directions (I can’t help them unless they were asking where the best ice cream stores are). For example, a British man asked me for directions in Spanish. It made me too happy. Finishing our conversation in English, I walked away thinking, I can’t help you sir, but I just simply love your British awk-cent.
• I’ve had 6+ Spaniards tell me that I look Spanish.


Favorite?

• Food:
1. croquetas- delicious fried rolls stuffed with mashed potatoes and minced meat.
2.The ice cream- (surprised at all?) considering it still gets to 95 here, it's so refreshing and creamy and the flavors are awesome: Cream cheese and blackberry, stracticella, mint, NUTELLA, sweet milk, sweet cookie, banana, brownie, caramel, double chocolate, rum and raisin, strawberry, chocolate, vanilla...
• Compliment:
While running, a little old lady said to me “You are very strong!”
• Song:
The first time I heard We speak no Americano, I flipped out. Yes, I know it’s from Europe but anything that reminds me of Mexico makes me happy. I miss my Mexican friends :’(
• Conversation:
(In consideration to what I just said, the following would make me happy)-- Have you studied in Mexico? You have a Mexican accent. Aaaand you say “mande?”, “ahorita” and “placticar”.--- (Ha, ha!)
• Day(s):
Trip to Matalascaña and Cadiz.
• Place:
The park next to my house. I love “nature” in the middle of a big city. I love the trees and I even love the morning doves who try to poop on my head. I love seeing that kids are so similar all around the world. For example, two little sisters in a stroller made a face at me. So of course, I made one back. With them straining to turn around in the stroller, we continued making faces at each other until they were out of sight-- I love kids.
• Spanish blunder:
After the third time seeing a group of guys “rockclimbing” the side of the bridge, I stopped and asked them if there were any real places to climb. I meant to say, “Are there guides? Because I don’t have rope” and ending up saying “Hay guías? Porque no tengo ropa” (Are there guides? Because I don’t have clothes).
• Word I’ve learned:
Well, actually it’s the story that I like. I was waiting for my friends at the beach and decided to go talk to a group of elderly people (60s-70s?). They were telling me about their suave life as retired, regular beach-goers. When a lady said a word that I didn’t know, I asked her what it meant. They all started laughing and continued laughing as they described what carajo means. Don’t look it up-- it’s a swear word. Yeaaah, I just got schooled...
• Daily view:
On my way class every day, I walk by the Cathedral and the beautiful horse-pulled carriages that are lined up along the side of it :) The Cathedral is definitely my favorite church that I have ever seen. If you could only see it lit up at night... I bet if I was feeling sappy enough, it’d make me cry.
• Phone conversation:
Calling my Mom in the U.S. (I love you toooo, Tessa). I loved hearing the surprise in her voice and that my family does miss me :). Besides that, I asked my Spanish mom to talk to my real mom and it was really fun to hear them interacting. Also, hearing my Spanish mom talk in English for the first time was strange. It was Marta’s voice, the voice that I know, but it just was weird. Language is so interesting to me!



What I have learned?

• Europeans are probably so thin because they are always walking/riding bike!
• Bedits are real.
• If you have a chocolate craving, never, ever, ever, EVER buy yourself a container of Nutella, Grace Catherine Robia!
• The word for “cool”... three times for three different Spanish worlds: “tuanis” (Costa Rica), “padre” (Mexico), “guay” (Spain). Sometimes it’s funny/interesting, but often it’s frustrating to have to learn things all over again or else sound ridiculous. Pero x, mae, pq ya plactico español peor q una gillipolla. Soy giri, guey. Entonces, Pura vida, Gringa!
• Give your 3 in the morning epiphany about the why the world turns ‘till the next day. Sometimes it just mind garbage.
• Running seems pretty universal. Furthermore, people seem to like seeing me run. In the 4 countries that I’ve run in this year, I’ve always at least of few people cheer me as I run past them. “¡Buen trabajo!” “¡Corrale!” :)