Yesterday and today I really missed home. It has been raining—a rarity for Salamanca—haven’t had time to run, and have been slammed with Spanish readings, 3 midterms next week, and I am trying to get my Spring classes all figured out so that I actually graduate on time. Bah. I’m stressing about graduate schools probably way before I should be, trying to get senior living situations figured out via AIM across the Atlantic, and essentially just worrying over the things that are completely out of my control at the moment.
This morning my 9am was cancelled so I woke up late and had tea and a banana for breakfast with Danielle in the studio. .. but was rainy, grey and cold outside. I wanted so badly to turn on the television to some American morning show, curl up in my madre’s chair with a blanket and sit their all morning with my tea… but instead I went back to bed for another hour. I am starting to miss little things, like the comfort of my own house on rainy days and weekend mornings, and lying on the couch with mama at night.
Clearly rain depresses me. Or releases recently suppressed emotions.. or something. My other excuse is the obvious one... the week long ritual of womanhood. But sheesh, it’s hitting me hard this time around. Ease up a little bit, Mother Nature, please?
On a brighter note, the Fall as finally come to Salamanca….. my favorite season and all that that entails. The smells, the cold (but not overly so..cause I despise being cold), the leaves changing, falling, people walking around all bundled up, and couples too.. pretty much an excuse for them to be even closer to one another. I love it and for a while I was worried that there wasn’t going to be one which also added to the nostalgia, but it’s here (more or less, not as pretty as VA’s autumn, but it’ll do.)! This past weekend our padre taught Danielle and I how to make his tarta manzana (essentially apple pie without the crust covered with apricot marmelade) on Saturday morning. It was a family affair in the little cocinca, and a fun one at that. I took a video and a few pics of it, as well as wrote down his recipe step-by-step with intentioned to attempt to make it when I get home. My madre has all these really good vegetable/lentil soup recipes that I want to learn before I get home as well. Hmmm what else from the weekend.. oh we went and saw El Niño Con El Pijama De Rayas which is “The Boy with the Striped Pijamas.” It was an excellent (sad) film and we saw it in Spanish, but it is filmed in English, so I recommend seeing it if you have any interest because it’s probably even better it’s original form. On Sunday, we went to an outdoor market on the outskirts of Salamanca and I purchased a red pea coat with black buttons for only 28euro. Steal of a deal I thought. Yes, I’ll admit, there’s a slight assimilation occurring here. Yesterday I walked about a mile (to and from class) in the rain wearing my brown stiletto boots on cobble stone roads. Ha…
I just started reading the Twilight book series, by Stephanie Meyer, last Wednesday and I’m about 300 pages into the first one… already obsessed with it (as my friend who recommended it promised). Kind of crazy for me cause I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no avid reader. Anyhow, currently mad at myself for rushing through because after this first one I’ll start New Moon, and then will be out of reading by Dec 6th for the 8 hour flight home.
mmmmmmmmmmmmm k well I’m currently at the bib.. (short for biblioteca)… sort of like lib.. (which is short for library)… but slighty cooler. :-P Lunch is in an hour back at the apt, and I still have some fonéticas homework to finish up…there's currently a student protest going on in the bottom floor of the political science building (which is where I am) and I have my head phones on and can STILL hear them. I swear there's one here atleast every week.. they are big on voiced expression at USAL. The floor is shaking. oh dear. ... oh security!
--btw, didn't quite make it to Morroco, too expensive in the end and I'd rather save the money.
Mom--I added a few more pictures to my Salamanca album for you.. and my books take place in Forks, WA, right out side of Seattle. Coincidence, no?
