10.23.12

Sunday. It's been a while. I will get better at updating this, I will. The weeks are cruising by and I don't really know why they have to be in such a dang hurry. 

here's a photo of the beach for you. I know it's been cold at home. Just...savor your hot chocolate and imagine the sand in between your toes.

I spent my rainy Friday afternoon in a comfy red armchair at Starbucks (yes, we have those here too, Spanish people like their cliche and overpriced coffee as well, I guess). I have a new friend, Andrew. I think Starbucks is a good place to get to know someone. Maybe it's just the calm vibe of a coffee shop. Andrew is a Canadian college kid, just got shipped over here a few weeks ago, to help teach English for a year at Corazonistas (my school). We got Apple Crumble Lattes, to replace all the apple-picking and apple pies and general apple-heavy feeling of fall back home, and shared a yummy slice of berry cheesecake while talking about what it's been like. This. The whole I'm-a-million-miles-away, don't-understand-much, big-changes kinda thing. It's cool to find someone going through the same things. We had a good time walking down Diagonal in the drizzle, and"preview" shopping at L'Illa, where we surmised that Europeans dress much better than Americans, style-wise. And why are there so many sweaters when it's not even cold? The tissue-soft cardigans are cool, we decided, but the 360 scarves and spiky shirts cross the line. Andrew's a cool guy. We found we really have a lot in common, besides being two blond English-speakers in a sea of dark Spanish and Catalan talkers. Good day.

Last weekend we went go-carting at a track near Pals. We got there just in time to watch a  very intense race of 5 dads, and I realized this wasn't the mediocre can't-surpass-20-mph kind of carting that I'd done at amusement parks, next to the bumper-boats and frog-hop. This was the real deal: smells like diesel, engines roaring, pedal to the metal. It was really a lot of fun. It's a shame that can't really be a career choice. 

Which brings me to the exciting fact that I got my first college acceptance letter! I didn't get to experience the tense letter-ripping moment, did I make it did I make it.... I got it second hand, through my mom, but a momentous thing nonetheless. The University of St. Thomas sent me a purple T-shirt that says "I'm in!" I thought that was a cool way to do it.

I went shopping. European fashion is a lot more... Sophisticated, I think. I kind of like it. Well, they're big into the skinny jeans or "slim fit", and I always told myself, skinny jeans are not for everyone, and if you can't rock it, don't try it... But, what the hey. I even bought a cardigan. We'll see where this takes me. 

Happy birthday to my dad, who helped me over Skype assure Blanca that there was no "monstro" out the window when she couldn't see. I babysat on Saturday night. Spongebob Squarepants has the same annoying laugh in Spanish- gee, who woulda guessed? I want to thank both my sets of grandparents for sending me letters. I love you guys. Those really brighten my day.

It just lightening and thundered out, very briefly. It doesn't storm much here. I think it's a sign for me to go to bed, as tomorrow's Monday. And you know, the dreaded Monday why-do-you-exist feeling exists in different countries too. I know you all know what I'm talking about. Wishing you all a cheery Lunes' (that's Monday) ~