"They're just so European!"

Today was a great day. I started out with getting up a lot later than normal because I knew I did not need to shower before classes (you will know why later). We were a little rushed for class but made it in perfect time. Our Madre is so cute. In the morning she always walks out her door to the elevator with us (which is maybe 4 feet away), presses the button and opens the door for us, wishing us well and telling us that she will make lunch whenever we come back. It's precious. Anyways, grammar class was fun today. First we read our stories from yesterday, and then we each wrote a sentence using past tense. Then we passed our papers around and each person wrote a sentence (making a story!) We then read them and corrected them together. I really like Rosa a lot. She is a short, spunky thing and always has the CUTEST shoes on. Almost always heels, except the first day when she had a wedding that weekend and she said her feet were tired. Culture class was very enlightening today... we discussed our regions, and one region, País Vasco, has their own unique language, Euskera. In this small region of Spain there is a terrorist group called ETA ( which, stands for what in English means "Basque Homeland and Liberty." This group wants the region to be independent from Spain. The group has bombed Madrid several times, and tried once to bomb the car of a government official. However, the car was so well built and special that nothing happened to it. Still, they have killed many people. Another story of their cruelty that she told us was that they captured someone and put them in some sort of cell underground for TWO YEARS. I believe she said two years. Two years. With enough food only to survive. The family thought they were dead. Finally they did release the person. Apparently it was around fifteen years ago. I had no idea... I cannot even imagine. She also said that the police in this region get paid double because no one wants to work there and they always have their bodies protected in case of bombings. However, the people there are nice to tourists and they are safe, because apparently it is beautiful. How awful that it is ruined by such a violent reputation. It was a great class, learning about different cultures of the regions. However, we were assigned (for tomorrow mind you) to know ALL FIFTY PROVINCES! they are these small little shapes that all look the same. FIFTY for tomorrow! True, it is not for a grade, pero es loco! Anyways... I did my best. After class my friends Molly, Ashley and I RAN in Retiro park! It was fabulous! Apparently though, the air quality is really poor here, so it would not be the best to run outside if you lived here all the time. I have actually seen several people in bikes with masks on. Random fact but I have also seen more blind people here than I have ever seen...maybe because it's just a bigger population so more people would be blind. Still I think I have seen six with canes. Anyways, the run was beautiful. We discovered the rose garden! Start saving now everyone because I'm getting married in Spain! It was gorgeous. I will definitely be going back there. After the run I came back to shower and eat lunch. I also took a small snooze and did a little homework (muy pequito). Then I tried to catch up with some girls who were shopping again, but on the way to the store they were in I found exactly what I was looking for! At first glance this store seemed to be a Spanish Abercrombie. The smell was the same and Kesha and Lady Ga Ga were blasting. However, the clothes were very reasonably priced! I finally found my skinny jeans (and two other goodies). Still all together, everything cost 34 euros! Muy barrato! I'm so excited "They're just SO European!" is what I kept saying when I wanted to find them. By the time I got done trying on things the other girls had to leave. I had to be somewhere in the next 45 minutes so I took the Metro to Sol, walked around and checked out some souvenir options, ran into some girls and hopped back on the metro to go to, of all things a concert of the dean of our music school, Dr. Hopkins, sing with a classical guitarist (yeah, he's in Spain, who knew!). Now, when I first heard this, I got VERY excited, thinking it was going to be this grand event with a native Spanish classical guitarist. However, when we arrived I was a little disappointed as it was at a very small church and he was singing with a teacher from Mississippi State, and half of the songs were in English. Still, it was a beautiful little concert and I'm glad I went. His wife and he sang a duet of "How Deep the Father's Love for Us" while people were still getting there... it was so wonderful and made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Bonita! Afterwards, I came back for dinner at my apartment. We had tortillas tonight! I am in love with tortillas (Dad... we are making them at home... get ready). This tortilla had potatoes and ham in it. I also had something else but I'm not sure what it was. I think it had some sort of fish in it and peppers, and it was folded over with bread almost like a calzone. It was pretty good! My roommate was going out tonight and I really wanted to because I feel like I have been a cooped up party pooper, but I did not feel very well after the concert and I have homework so I decided to stay and rest up for the weekend. I did not sleep very well at all last night. Why you ask? Well all of my thoughts/prayers/probably dreams were in SPANISH! This is GREAT, except for the fact that even though I was translating very smoothly in my head, it was not so automatic that my brain could shut off. Therefore, I could not fall asleep. I spoke a lot yesterday so hopefully tonight will be better. Still I told my Madre this and she was so excited because that meant I was really learning the language. Anyways, now I'm heading to bed and it is a beautiful thing. Although, I do have to say that my friendly touch level is very low (Apparently you are supposed to have 7 friendly touches a day--like a hug, "how ya doin" back rub, head scratch, something along those lines. I don't remember who told me that or where they got it from, but I think it was Brittany and I find it to be very true for me). Those who know me well know that I am a very huggy, cuddly, leany person. I don't care if I'm leaning or being leaned on, I'm just a friendly touch person, haha. So that is the only not bad, but concerned thing I could say at this point. I know, very odd. And my question for the day (thank you for those who responded to my last one) is what is what did you eat today? How was it? Pasa bien!