Monday, September 27, 2010

The Bloody Truth

Everything here has its pros and cons in my eyes because it is very difficult not to compare to home.


On Friday night the swim team that I am swimming on had their annual distinctions gala. Yes gala! It was a big deal, we had to get super dressed up and Ana even went and got her hair cut just for the occasion. It was fun in the beginning, being with all the kids that I'm swimming with, but out of the pool. Everyone is really nice and I feel very comfortable around them. The speaking and award giving seemed to go on forever...the boring part considering I didn't understand 90% of what they were saying. However I had to go up and received a "welcome award." Walking up there in front of a hundred plus people, being the "strange foreign girl" with all eyes on me, my heart felt like it was going to leap out of my chest. I was able to make it on and off the stage without embarrassing myself too much, despite the loud cheering sounds that came from the sections where all my fellow swimmers were sitting, when my name was called. The diploma that I received made me laugh because it said, basically, we hope you have a long stay on this team. And considering I'm only going to be here for less than 10months, that put a smile upon my face.
                                               Ana is to the right of me in this photo

 me and Andrea, the first day we met she was sooo excited and was practically bursting with excitement.

This past weekend we went to my host family's country house and that was really hard for me, because I was extremely home sick and just needed to talk to my family. Eventually I was able to get Madeline to call me, through Facebook (handy at times) and I talked to everyone in my family. Taking up just about 2hours of my afternoon, and I could have talked many more. Just hearing their voices made me feel better. Yet that only lasted a couple of hours before I wanted to talk to them again. I love you M2H2O!!!
On Sunday a ton of family came over. Brothers and sisters of my host parents, as well as both grandmothers and cousins...many kisses. One of the grandmothers made me feel so comfortable and seems like someone I could talk to. Reminds me of both of my amazing grandmothers. The cousins and everyone else was really nice and open to me being there.

Okay a few last points:

  • I feel as though I have totally lost all of my privacy, because here the house is the moms house, so she comes into our room and organizes my things, or smelled where my clothes are kept and decided that it smelled bad and went and got an aroma stick which is now an overwhelmingly powerful smell...makes me want to mass out everytime. But I can't say anything because it's her house.
  • Spain's version of extreme makeover home edition is way cheesy compared to Ty and America's version, FYI. 
  • While all the cousins were at the country house they were trying to explain to me youtube, and they were spelling it (verbally) and I was like "there is no such word in English." Finally I figured it out...how embarrassing. 
  • I talked at swim practice today...to the coach because he was asking how it compared to Seals, and I told him. He says he loves distance, just my luck. For example we did 8x400's today.
  •  Had my first test today...chemistry, naming and writing formulas...we didn't get to use the periodic table so I'm pretty sure I failed, although some kids got 1's (scale to 1-10) so maybe I won't be the lowest score, unless I get a 0!!
  • U2 is coming to Seville!!!! The concert is on Thursday in the Olympic stadium in Seville, and I just might be able to get tickets, send me your good musical vibes. It seems meant to be.
  • To be continued for days to come...

    p.s. bloody because I have to get blood drawn sometime this week for the team so that they can see if I'm healthy or not...help me!!