Put on your reading glasses....

Hola mis amores, it's going to be a long entry!!!!
Well last Thursday, my friend Jeff came to visit. First of all, I think it's about time that I gave him credit for this blog. I never would have thought of it without him. Jeff is a world traveler for those of you who don't know and he knows all the cool places to go....but luckily, on this trip he played tourist, and Liam and I showed him what we could of Madrid. I like to think that he got the best of it...the Prado, Gran Via, chocolate...tapas...paella...sangria (do you see what I like to eat here yet? Today my Senor asked me what I didn't like to eat...oh my goodness I was scared to answer and said I like it all- LIAR!). And of course, we took some CLASSIC pictures...let me tell you it's nice to go places with goofy people so that I'm not alone, haha. It was weird that he wasn't staying. Now, who else is going to come visit me?
I also had my finals on Friday....not too bad, better than I expected.
Then on Saturday we left for Avila and Salamanca. Avila is a beautiful (cough - BORING - cough) city that is surrounded by walls, which we were obliged to climb. It was really cold, and even though I was warned, I was still not properly dressed for the weather. We continued on to Salamanca, which is an absolutely gorgeous old city. It has a fantastic town square and a beautiful Cathedral which we got a tour of on Sunday (I was not permitted to go to mass during the tour, which slightly irked me...even though I went later that night with my Senora, I was peeved that my tour guide thought that listening to her was more important). We stayed in a four star hotel (oh la la!), which was really nice. We all went on a walking tour during the evening and then we were free. I found a place to eat with Molly, Vanessa, and Alec for 8,50 euros - 2 courses, a drink, and dessert - a GREAT deal in Europe! Of course...the food wasn't AMAZING, but I did think that it was worth it. And then, even though it was still freezing, we decided that we needed ice cream. So we walked around the plaza for a while...then met up with some of the rest of the group to go to some bars. As fun as it was, I was soooo tired, for some reason more tired than I should have been, and Molly and I went back around midnight (I think my parents would be proud).
On Sunday we had to get up more or less early to go on our tour of the cathedral and the university. I was pretty sick of walking around by the end...then we were on our own for lunch and I got some (really bad) Chinese. It made me feel so sick - I slept the entire way back to Madrid and then later when I got home and was eating with my family, I must have looked so out of it that my senora sent me to bed at 9:30...a little pathetic, but I needed it because regular classes started on Monday.
Let me tell you something...2 hour classes are LONG. LOOOOOOOOOOOONG. Endless. They never stop. And when youo think they should stop, they keep going. But I have to admit that my classes are good...I have a literature class with Carmela, which should be really enjoyable, and a Spanish class that will be fun as well. I also have a history class, but I'm switching into another one (about Spain instead of Western Europe) and a Political Science class. There are less than 8 people in all of my classes. It's incredible.
I still like all the people in my program...every day I kind of marvel at how lucky we are that we all get along. And I still feel so lucky to have my family here - yesterday they went to the Portuguese embassy to meet the King and Queen of Spain and the President of Portugal! They are obviously important people, but so modest and sweet. When I asked Emilio how it was last night, he said "Normal."
They still treat me as if I were their daughter...when I got back from Salamanca, I felt really sick. Babis made me go to bed early and made me tea and told me that if I needed anything I should come get her...and then the next day she kept telling me which things I should eat and which were too rich...She was so nice to me, but I have to admit that Sunday night was the first night that I cried in Spain. I ended up calling my mom. There's something about feeling sick in a foreign country...there's something about not being able to call your parents whenever you want to, and I just broke down. There wasn't even anything really WRONG. I just needed to cry I guess...
This weekend is Barcelona...and then we have a trip to Toledo next weekend. Then, I'm changing my plans. Forget Morocco...Molly and I are looking into tickets to Greece. We need to decide soon, because our trip would be October 12 - ack, I need to find tickets!!! The organization that runs the Morocco trip seems kind of sketch to me...so we're going to do some other grand place. Then in late October, my parents will be visiting!!! I'm already so excited...Now all I need is for some of the rest of you to come see me and I'll be all set, haha.
All right well I'm sure that I'm leaving something out...Babis will be going to Barcelona this Friday (but not with me) because her granddaughter is going to be born soon - I'm so excited for them! I hope that I will get to meet her whole family.
Next Friday I may be going on a burro ride...oh my gosh this is so exciting!!!
I need to upload my pictures so that you can see some, but we'll save that for another day.
By the way...Wednesday is my favorite day. The maid comes and changes my sheets so I don't have to make my bed!!! :-P
Muchos besos mis amores!!!