Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Culture Shock...or just Broken Down

I hope its hit because I would love to put a word to the way I felt these past few days. Its seems so small and innocent the ways I've been feeling lately. Its nothing over powering, and nothing that i can't handle, but they keep adding up. And yesterday I cracked.

The day began with morning practice, as usual. My body is crazy broken down right now, I leave the pool shaking! So I've been just floundering my way though the practices lately, trying my best, but right now the best I can do is not drown.
School began with an exam in CMC, whatever that is. It was on early human life forms. Today in class the students graded them, which to tell you the truth I think is a bit lazy on the teachers part, but whatever. Luckily my test was given to a nice quite girl, and she was super nice when it came to grading. I'm not sure if it was because I'm the foreign exchange student or just because. Anyway, when it came time to reading the grades aloud, I was super nervous that I was going to be utterly embarrassed. But when the teacher said Heather, and my grader said 7.15, I thought she was joking! And then just to make sure I was embarrassed the class gave me a round of applause. Yea...I passed. For all of you who are wondering how in the world I passed with a 7, here you go. Here in Spain the grading is from 0-10.
Now to swim practice. UGH! We did some annoyingly boring set, 30x100's. And I was dying hard, and then of course when a few of the girls encouraged me I just burst into tears. That was the last straw for me, my body being broken down has evoked numerous emotions, and diminished the barriers that were to hold them back in public places. I was done after that, I talked to the coach for a bit, he's a therapist (just like my daddy!) so I got many Spanish words of wisdom. Maybe not exactly what I needed at the moment, but what could I do. I then proceeded to take my first long hot shower...and it was only 20min. And then to wrap up the day perfectly, I had tutoring, lifting and then a team meeting that I didn't understand and didn't end until 9:30! Then home, eating and to bed as fast as I could possibly manage.
Today was a bit better, although morning practice hurt like hell and I wanted to shoot myself...so maybe it wasn't a little better. School was boring, however I'm beginning to use my math book from my school, which I'm super pumped about, and now during Physics and Chemistry I get a free period to chill in the library and try and learn what the teacher's talked about in today's class. Specifically Biology. It was great to have an hour just for me, that was really the first time I've gotten to be alone with myself since I've gotten here.
Practice was better...I was going to ask the coach if I could not swim because my body is like a pile of mush and if he wants me to be able to move this weekend at our first swim meet, that I need a day off. However just as I was about to tell him, he pulled the "well you were kicking for about a week with your ears, so your just getting back into it, and it's totally normal the way you are feeling" card. Just my luck! I made it through the practice though save and sound, and in the end that's all that really counts.

This past weekend we visited the Virgen del Rocio and the beach.
 Me and the family plus the two grandmothers. The pics aren't that good because the sun :(



                                         Keep going and you will reach my house!!!

And finally the long awaited picture of....the pool.




This is the afternoon and Tuesday morning pool, 33.5 meters.