Obama y La Casa Blanca

Woke up this morning, around 7:45 to get ready for class!! Because it's a 45 minute walk, we had to leave here around 8:30 to be punctual on our first day. We had breakfast (coffee and muffins, again) and then headed out.

We arrived at school around 9:20 and shortly after, class started. Today was Cultura y Civilización with Maria Dolores Pitarch, from 9:30-11:15, a 30 minute break, then Introducción a la Literature Española with Verónica Arenas. Verónica let us out a little early, so Lindsey and I stopped by a variety shop on the way back to buy locks for our bikes (and brushes, and slippers, and bobby pins, and flowers for our room). We got home and had lunch with our Señora, Papa, Marta and Miguel. We had bean soup with chorizo that we put in the bread to make little bocadillos (sandwiches). We had fresh pineapple, cut right on the table :), and DELICIOUS french toast.

After lunch, Miguel helped me solve my internet problem - turns out I wasn't putting on the capslock key to enter the password... who knew?! Nevertheless I felt like an idiot. Lindsey and I had a little siesta this afternoon and rested for a bit. At around 5:00 we headed downstairs to check out our new bikes. Unfortunately, they're mostly broken. One works well, but the other three are flat or otherwise incapacitated. But again, Miguel to the rescue - tomorrow he is going to fix another for us, so Lindsey and I will never have to walk 45 minutes again! Unless we want to, of course.

We then headed downtown to Portland Ale House, an American owned restaurant, to watch the inauguration! A lot of members of our ISA group were there, so it was good. After that, Lindsey and I checked out the shopping opportunities in the area :) And to much avail, we found just the stores we were looking for. Neither of us spent any money, though. So wise.

When we returned, we hung out in our room for awhile, and then had dinner with our parents and Miguel. Tonight we had vegetable soup with bread (of course) and ham and cheese. And Lindsey and I each had 1 1/2 french toasts. They were just so good. After dinner, we all moved into the living room to watch TV so the americans could practice their Spanish. Funny story - Obama is all over the news, of course, and in my efforts to improve my ear for the language, I'm really making an effort to watch the tele, read the newspapers, etc. So, I was really confused when everyone was talking about Casablanca. I couldn't understand why they were talking about Morocco, and finally it dawned on me. When I explained to my señora that I thought they were saying Casablanca as in Marruecos as opposed to LA Casa Blanca (The White House), she completely lost it, laughing so hard! I was a little embarrassed, but mostly pleased to have reached out. It's always so deeply gratifying to connect despite language difficulties, so I take all that I can get!

Since the hour or so in the sala, I've been skyping and watching the newest episode of Gossip Girl that I bought from iTunes. How incredible the internet is!

Hasta mañana,

Leigh