Red Tape and Tantita Pena

This is my last entry, for awhile. Most of you know that I have accepted a position as an Auxiliar de Conversaciones in the region of Galicia beginning this fall, and with this position comes some responsibility; i.e. a legal working status in the country of Spain. Enter the aforementioned "Red Tape". I have been informed, though not consistently, that it is necessary to return to the United States and wait while my visa is processed. With the same lack of consistency I have been informed that the process can take 4-12 weeks. With this information I have booked a ticket back to the USA and return home Wednesday, June 13 and will be in Boise until further notice. I am thrilled that I will have the chance to work with the Ministry of Education and live in the city of Santiago de Compostela and for this reason I am willing to leave San Lorenzo de El Escorial, to avoid giving up 9 months of excellent experiences I am giving up the next 3 months (more or less). This brings us to the second portion of my title, the answer to every Spaniards question in relation to me leaving their country, "Que sí, me da tanta pena" when I think about leaving. I feel that I have just begun to fully understand life here and going home was not in my plans, though I can easily name a million reasons why it is OK that I am not here this summer:
1-The heat
2-Allergies
3-My own mattress is comfier
4-I won't be living where I work (though this is contradicted by the fact that I may not be working...spread the word)
5-I will see my family and friends
Overall I understand that it is the best decision for the long run, if not the desired outcome for my short term future.
I have been able to fill my past couple of weeks with so many great experiences, and even made friends from the town. I feel so confident in my Spanish now, though I will loose some during my time home I know I will get it back quickly when September comes. I hiked to the top of Monte Abantos with Dario where I had a view of the valley that was almost the same as the view of Boise from Table Rock (there is even a cross at the top of this mountain, but Abantos is actually a mountain, as opposed to Table Rock). I have been back to Madrid a couple of times, once with friends of the family to spend the day at a book fair and the market, and once with Dario to visit the Prado Museum, Retiro Park and the Palacio Nacional (once again, no photos allowed inside). During my time at the market I was asked if I was Chilean (to which I replied "No, American") the man took this to mean I must be Italian (once again "No, I'm American") finally he said "Ahhh, espanola" to which I once again replied American. Then he asked if I was from New York, as all Americans are according to the Spanish.
I have since said goodbye to my intercambios, Ana and Jara (who made me a lot of gifts, and Susana made me a picnic to take on my journey back home) and Narcisa. Tonight will be my farewell to the family (until September when I will return for my winter clothes) and tomorrow morning begins the long journey home. A bus, two metros, three planes and some odd 26 hours later I will arrive in Boise. Thursday begins the appointments to get all the necessary documents for my visa. Friday I will mail everything and begin waiting for my visa to come back to me so I can come back to Spain.
I have learned so much in my short time here and would not have changed my decision to come for anything. I now understand even more what I am capable of and will feel that much more confident when the time comes in September for me to move back. With a visa my traveling will much more frequent, and without kids my photos and blog updates will be too. Now to finish packing...

A change of scenery

The past two weeks have passed so quickly I can hardly believe it. Life in San Lorenzo has become pretty routine for me. I fill my days with work, intercambios, work outs and more work. The family is still great, though Ana and David made this past week the least fun since I have come, however Blanca and I are continue to be BFF's. Ana (the other one) and Jara have been cracking me up. I look forward to going to their house everyday. Jara has informed me that at my ripe old age of 21 I am close to death. She also heard me speaking to Susana in Spanish the other day and gestured widely with her chubby little arms and screamed "Pero, como hablas!!" (the way you speak!) and I am still not sure if she was commenting on my accent or the fact that I was speaking Spanish.
My intercambios are a huge help to me. Every time I meet with someone I feel my ability to speak fluidly growing, I no longer feel embarrassed by my accent or if I make a mistake. Javier has started to lend me movies to watch in my free time, though I am not a huge fan of Spanish cinema I feel that it is my obligation while living in Spain to make an attempt to appreciate all aspects of its culture. Mari Fe and I have spent a couple of sessions going over the vocabulary and cultural differences of education, eating out and going out. These sessions are such a great help to me as I have the chance to expand my vocabulary in a way I wouldn't otherwise be able to do. I have met with Luis twice now, (I don't remember if he was in my last blog...) a yogi that enjoys long walks in the garden/forest surrounding the Montessori. I also met with Dario last Sunday and will meet with him again tomorrow. He is my age and a student getting his second degree. I enjoyed having the opportunity to speak with a Spaniard that is my age, it was the first time I have ever really joked around in Spanish in the same way I would in English with my friends. Needless to say this was a big confidence boost.


Today I went on a hike up one of the mountains behind my house (I still have no idea which one I was at the top of). The hike was beautiful and reminded me of Idaho. The trees and plants are the same as the mountains in Idaho and the smell of forest was spot on, so much so that all I can think about right now is S'mores. All long hikes should be rewarded with S'mores, but Spain lacks the supplies. I had a fantastic view of the Montessori from half way up, this was also a make-out spot for teenagers so I sadly did not spend much time enjoying the view. I continued up to the top where I enjoyed my snack the view of the mountains that surround my town.

 In other news I have finally heard from the program I applied for last November and am now in the process of waiting for my exact placement. Starting in October I will be living in the region of Galicia and helping to teach English. From the basic information that has been given I assume that I will be doing conversations with students so they can practice their English. The program is through the Spanish Ministry of Education and will allow me a lot more flexibility with my time. I am so excited to move to another region and get to know more of Spain. Esther and Jose will help me find possible roommates (Spanish roommates!) when I get exact assignment.This opportunity will be such a great addition to my resume and open so many doors, it even comes with a visa (though the actual attaining of the visa may be a difficult process for me as I am already in Spain with what we can label a questionable legal status...). No worries though, I will get the visa and will be living in Spain until at least May of 2013!

Two month mark!

This weekend I hit the two month marker in my time in Spain. It is surreal to think that I have been living here for that amount of time already, up until now two months was the longest amount of time I had been away from home. I finally feel like I really have gotten into the groove of life in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, which is no small feat. This past week I began to use the gym, an act that benefits me in every possible way. My time at the gym allows me to de-stress, something that I have to do a little extra of while living with the family, it is also something normal, I would spend time to go to the gym back home, going to the gym also allows me to eat Narcisa's cooking and not have to go up a size in my pants. Finally it serves as comic relief. On Saturday I saw someone fall off her treadmill (because she was too into the Nick Jr show that was on TV, she's older than me and there was no sound either...). The radio plays music from the USA, but the station is local and the DJs like to sing the lyrics, something that never fails to make me laugh. It is obvious that no one apart from me understands the lyrics as these are songs that are heavily edited in the USA before being played on the radio. This week I have also been out to eat at the Mexican restaurant, TWICE! Two months of no enchiladas (another mile marker, I had never gone that long before without enchiladas, and hope to never go that long again) and I broke the streak by going twice. I got to teach my friends how to take tequila shots, something that the bartender was clearly impressed by as I am assuming the Spanish are not savvy to the method either. The waiters also seem to be from Latin America as they understand the terminology from Mexico when I talk (this is something that is the biggest relief of all, Mexico and Spain have very distinct terms, think USA vs England, but augmented). Looking back now I realize that maybe the gym hasn't been my stress relief this past week and perhaps my money would be better spent at the Mexican restaurant...
I began intercambios with Mari Fe this week, the Spanish/English teacher, and absolutely loved spending time with her. We met twice this week and she corrects every little mistake I make, which is exactly what I want people to do; at the same time if I say something that is just odd sounding (i.e. a phrase) she asks if it is said that way in Mexico and will also teach me how it is said in Spain, though she insists that there is no reason that I should change the way I speak if I don't want to. This is fantastic, I have nothing against learning Spanish Spanish, but I was offended when I traveled in January and was told I had to change my Mexican Spanish to Spanish Spanish. I can tell that I will learn a lot from Mari Fe, both about Spanish as well as about how to teach. She is patient and encouraging and really down to earth. I also met with Javier again and we went on a hike to la silla de Felipe II, a long hike I was not prepared for, but valio la pena (it was worth the effort/hard work/exertion), the view is incredible from the top. He also lent me some films by a Pedro Almodóvar, a director I had mentioned I adore. I also received two more phone calls from my flier and will be meeting Luis and Dario this next weekend. I am so excited to have the chance to meet with more people and practice more Spanish. I am starting to feel like it is getting very well polished and that by the end of the summer (when I finish being an Au Pair with this family) I will be all the way polished, with my grammar that is.
Jara and Ana (not the girls I live with, the house I go to once a day) continue to be the two cutest girls in Spain, this week they began using English when they talk as much as possible and I realized I mislead them. Jara asked me "que cierres los ojos pleeease, no te voy a dar teeckle teeckle" (close your eyes please, I'm not going to tickle you). I had tickled her a week ago and said "TICKLE TICKLE. TICKLE TICKLE" when I did it, without thinking about it, and that is a word she has picked up on. Because of the way I said it she hear 'teeckle' and she also believes that 'to tickle' is 'teeckle teeckle', it is so cute I have no reason to fix that pronunciation. The girls also clipped roses from their garden for me to keep in my room so it would be pretty. I enjoy my time with them so much and it is amazing to see that in such a short amount of time they have gone from no English to being able to understand what I am asking to using the words they know in their sentences. All of this just from playing games with me for an hour a day.
Friday night I sucked it up and went out in Madrid. It is not that I was against going out and having fun, it was the daunting idea of the lack of sleep it would entail. Indigo and I left San Lorenzo on the 10pm bus and arrived to Madrid and then to a restaurant at 11pm, for dinner. Normal. Following dinner was the bar. We met up with Emily and her friends at a bar where we hung out until 2am, closing time, not bed time. 2am means club time. At this point we went and found a dance club. We danced until 5am (though the  club was open until 6am) and left for pizza and to catch the bus home at 5:30am. After the bus ride came the hike up my hill. When it was all said and done I went to bed at 7am. I had so much fun going out, but was so grateful that Saturday I had nothing to do because all I could do was sleep and watch movies.
Today a friend from Boise came to visit me in San Lorenzo. We took a class together my last semester at BSU and she has been studying in Madrid for the semester and we just found out a month ago we were both here. It was so much fun to be able to talk to someone from home, we could talk about restaurants we liked and use STREET NAMES! When I first said "The one on Apple St?" we both freaked out, irrationally to those around us, but I still hold that our reactions were warranted. We took a tour of the Monasterio de El Escorial, and I was thrilled to finally be doing that. I hadn't done the tour because when she asked a month ago if she could come visit I decided to wait and do it with her. The inside was beautiful, breathtaking really, with paintings, tapestries, church, crypts and a library.
The monasterio houses almost all of the kings and queens of Spain in the Pateon de los Reyes, a beautiful, circular room with marble caskets floor to ceiling (no photos were allowed anywhere inside, sorry, here is the Wiki link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Escorial). The library was my favorite part with the ceiling split to represent the seven 'liberal studies', including language, medicine and math. At the end of the tour we had limon granizados, a lemon slush that is unreal, lunch at a bar with NASCAR on TV, and housing the Spanish version of typical NASCAR fans (a treat in itself...) and finally we went for a walk around the town. It was so fun to show the town to a friend and I hadn't realized until we were walking around how much I actually know about San Lorenzo and that I have really begun to make it my (temporary) home.

The photos we took are of the monasterio, the gardens that surround it and of Marilyn and me. I also snapped some shots of a typical street in the downtown area of San Lorenzo (the area with apartments) and the 'gym' that is at the park. These work out spots are set up in all the parks in town, and most of the cities in Spain actually, and are typically used by the elderly or children who don't know they are working out. I look forward to a week full of intercambios and new experiences. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Progress, Beaches and Tangier

Let me begin this entry by saying OOPS, I had not realized that it had been an entire month since my last entry. I will try to make this entry concise, though it is common knowledge I am not good at telling short nor concise stories. I apologize in advance.
This past month I have had a lot of experiences, both good and bad. The bad experiences can be summed up into work related stress and a lack of self motivation. I am having a hard time feeling fully adjusted to the dynamics of the family I live with. The two older kids, David and Ana, are quiet the handful. On the other hand Blanca and I are BFF's and she will do anything that is asked of her without hesitation. Jose and Esther are so great to me still, they go out of their way to make me feel welcome and part of the family, for which I am incredibly grateful. Esther has helped me find a gig during the day with two neighbor girls so I can earn some extra euros to fund my travels. This was so helpful, I had previously fallen into the habit of catching up on the TV shows I always thought looked good, but never actually had time to watch during college. This habit is one I have been more than happy to break.
The girls I have been working with during the day are the two cutest Spanish girls that have existed. Hands down. Susana (the mom) and her husband (a name I should remember as I see him five times a week...) are Spanish hippies, an elementary teacher and a doctor, respectively, that want their girls to be exposed to English more. The girls are Ana, 6, and Jara, 3. For the first week Jara said nothing to me. Ana said "yeeees" to everything, question or not. Ana explained to Jara in Spanish "Just say 'yes' to her, that's all they want to hear anyways." I about died. Jara was still pretty hesitant to talk to me, even after the wise words of her sister, I found out why last week. Ana told me she had a secret (in Spanish, they have a very low level of English, but they are learning so fast!), and that it was about me. I said she didn't have to tell me, but Jara told Ana to tell me. Jara thinks my name sounds funny and has decided that it is easiest to just not talk to me so she doesn't have to say 'Tiffany'. The logic of a 3 year old is astounding. I laughed so hard and told Jara she can call me whatever she would like, she has settled on 'Teefa'.
While on the subject of my name, it turns out Jara is not the only Spaniard to find it odd. Indigo told the girl she Au Pairs that my name is Tiffany, to which she received the response "Why would her parents name her after a jewelry store? That's kind of silly right?" As it turns out not only is my name impossible for Spanish speakers to say, it also conjures images of Tiffany & Co. and Audrey Hepburn, the two most common responses when people finally understand my name.
Another thing Esther and Jose have helped me get set up with is intercambios, these are meetings of two people where both get to practice the other's language. That is to say that I meet with people and we speak Spanish for half the time and English the other half. I was nervous to start this because 1-it involves me taping up fliers around the town asking people to do intercambios with me and 2-it means I have to talk with strangers for a couple hours, every week. Esther insisted that I would like it and that it would vale la pena (be worth the trouble), I sucked it up, made fliers with tear off tabs with my number, grabbed the scotch tape and hit the town. I have now done a couple of intercambios with Javier and will be meeting with Mari Fe starting next week. I plan on hanging more signs to find more people tomorrow. The experience is invaluable, I have already learned so much more about the culture and history of Spain from meeting with Javier than I could ever have found out on my own. Mari Fe teaches Spanish to foreigners in town and I can only imagine how beneficial having her as an intercambio will be for my grammar.
I also mustered up the courage to join a gym. I was not worried about the exercise, as would be the logical thing to dread, but rather the process of figuring out how a gym works in Spain. The gym has a million rooms, courts and pools. A membership pertains to only one of the activities, and each additional activity is extra. Classes are not included. I am not a Spanish citizen, there my price was raised. I am not paying an annual fee to the local poli (a YMCA on steroids), my price was raised. In the end I found that I can pay cash at the beginning of each month (the regular fee plus my monthly fee for not being a citizen plus my monthly fee for not paying a yearly fee) and I am in turn given a receipt. I take this receipt with me the first day of every month that I go to the gym and give it to the monitor, the rooms guard. Then I can use it. The gym has cardio equipment and machines. No group classes or pool or court access or anything else in the building. The process was so complex that I felt my anxiety in going through the process was warranted in every way. Tomorrow will be my first trip to use the gym. My final hurdle.   

 Finally this past week I took another trip. Indigo and I decided that the weather in San Lorenzo was just not cutting it for us, the rain that never came this winter has been hanging out for a month now (a huge factor in my lack of motivation), so we booked a trip to Southern Spain. Some beach time was vital to our health and my sanity.Indigo's friend Emily joined us on the trip and three of us rented a car and set out Saturday morning for Cadiz. The drive from Madrid to Cadiz is close to 8 hrs, for this reason we decided it would be best to stop for the day in Sevilla. Saturday in Sevilla was the Feria de abril, a celebration of the flamenco culture that originated in Sevilla. The streets were full of women wearing flamenco dresses and children dressed as bull fighters and dancers.

 The actual feria was held in a reserved part of town filled with casetas. We passed the day in one caseta watching people dance flamenco and listening to flamenco music while enjoying some manzanilla (normally an herb used for tea, but at the feria it was fermented and served with Sprite). Late Saturday night we continued on to Cadiz and arrived at 1:30 in the morning to our hostel. Sunday morning was a late start and relatively lazy because we were so tired. We decided to rent bikes from the hostel and rode around the island along the boardwalk. The views were beautiful, though the actual going was incredibly windy. We took a lunch break at an Argentine restaurant and then sat on the beach until the wall of rain started to head our way. At this point we headed back to the hostel and made plans for Monday.

The weather forecast showed rain for the whole day, so I suggested a day trip from Cadiz. To Tangier, Morocco! We drove to Tarifa from Cadiz and hopped a ferry, to Africa. I was enamored with the people and culture that we encountered in Tangier. The markets were bustling, I even saw sheep and goats stealing vegetables. The three of us stood out and it was like living in a fish bowl for the day, one man even commented as we walked by that he has never seen people that look like us before. I believe that I was equally fascinated with the people we encountered as they were with us. I took a picture in the market, and right as I clicked, I noticed that a woman had turned around to avoid being photographed. For this reason I did not continue taking pictures of public spaces, I had forgotten that this was an aspect of their culture and felt terrible for having put her in that position, though I am certain I am not the first tourist to click a picture.
Lunch in Tangier was a feast, we were told what to order and assumed that it would be a reasonable size. In truth we could have split one meal three ways and still not finished. We were brought two baskets of bread, two plates of fries, a bowl of tomato sauce/dip, salads, cous cous, bowls of vegetables and a plate of meat. Needless to say, we all walked away from that meal with food babies.
We went to the Kasbah, an old fortress with a mosque and museum. We went to the markets for pastries and breads and sat in the park for awhile to take in the town before heading back to the ferry. I have decided that I would like to spend a vacation in Morocco while living in Spain and hope to return for a week to be able to take in more of the culture.

Tuesday was beach day, finally. The entire trip had been centered around going to the beach, but the rain had prevented us from enjoying it up to this point. We woke up early, packed snacks and books and heading to the beach. Shockingly, I got burned. Despite my best efforts with sunscreen I have been nursing my cooked and swollen legs back to health since Tuesday.

 Tuesday night we went out with a group from the hostel to celebrate someone's birthday. The group was so much fun, two Germans, an Australian, a Brit, a Spaniard and four Americans walk into a bar...It was a late night. Wednesday morning we attempted to get some more beach time in, but the wind got the best of us so we passed the morning on terrace at the hostel instead. Late afternoon we got in the car and headed back to Madrid. I arrived home late Wednesday and Thursday got back on track with work. I met with Javier for an intercambio and aloe vera-ed my burns. Friday I had the opportunity to dress up as a princess/ballerina/Mexican with Ana and Jara and put on a play. Today I wrote this blog. I have aspirations of celebrating Cinco de Mayo, just because I'm in Spain doesn't mean I shouldn't partake in the American ritual of celebrating an obscure Mexican battle with cervezas and enchiladas.

Italia

This past week I had the opportunity to fulfill a dream of mine. I ate my way through Italy. To fill the gap between meals I visited some famous sites. 

My journey began in Pisa. I arrived and met up with Indigo at our hostel, then we continued on to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. This architectural error is the main attraction of the town, and it does not disappoint. The tower was poorly constructed, and all attempts to make it straight while building it only added to the problem. Since it was already falling, I pushed it a little further (all the other tourists held it up though, so I don't really believe I did too much damage).

My efforts at the Tower left me with quite the appetite, and it was in Pisa that I enjoyed the best meal of my life.

 After Pisa, Indigo and I went to Florence. Florence is a beautiful city, and home the statue of David. (It is forbidden to take pictures so here is one from the internet) It is obvious Italy had not yet perfected the art of pasta making at the time Michelangelo carved David; it's impossible to look that good and live in Italy. The statue stands an amazing 17 feet tall and even after 500 years it remains virtually flawless. My time with Indigo in Florence was spent walking through the streets and taking in the views of the city, while consuming copious slices of pizza and cones of gelato. From the Piazzale de Michelangelo the entire city of Florence can be seen. While taking in the view we were able to listen to battle of the bands, German edition. There were three German bands playing in the square, and the music was perfect for the location. The final picture from Florence is the sunset over the Fiume Arno.

After Florence I headed on to Rome solo. After a two and a half hour train ride through the Italian countryside I arrived in Rome. I checked into my hostel and left to explore. While wandering without purpose I stumbled upon the Colosseum. Nothing beats turning the corner and seeing a monument like the Colosseum when it's unexpected. I spent my first night in Rome walking around the Colosseum, and then was informed that the Pope would be arriving soon. I attended the Mass service led by the Pope at the Colosseum for Good Friday. This was one of the most unique experiences of my life. Saturday I woke early and went to the Vatican, Colosseum, Roman Forum, Pantheon and many other famous sites of Rome. After having seen all of these sites, I ate the biggest meal of my life before returning to the hostel. Words cannot explain how it felt to be in the middle of these historical sites, and pictures hardly seem to do it justice either. I was inside the Colosseum and saw the Sistine Chapel. I spent so much of my time in awe of my surroundings, the only way to truly appreciate my experience was to sit and take it all in.

 When I returned to my hostel I was invited by some of the other guests to attend Easter Mass, at the Vatican, led by the Pope. In case my trip was not already full of once in a lifetime experiences, this took the cake. We got there early enough to get seats with a view of the Pope during the entire service. The entire square was full of people, and the crowd spilled out onto the street. On the holiest of days for the Catholic Church I had the opportunity to be in the presence of the Pope. It was unreal. The crowd was silent for the entire service, and when the Pope appeared above the square afterwards to bless each nation and wish everyone a Happy Easter in their language, cheers filled the Vatican's center.

The rest of my time in Rome was spent hopping from site to site with some of the other guests in the hostel. The group was so amazing, and incredibly unique. I feel lucky to have had the chance to make new friends and share such incredible experiences with them. My final day in Rome was spent on the hunt for the perfect gelato, a successful mission. I arrived back in San Lorenzo late last night and am looking forward to the next chance I get to travel.

Madrid, friends and a trip

Hola! This past week has been a tumultuous one. I spent much of the week aimlessly wandering around my town during the day, and then staying home with the kids in the evening. Up until Friday, the greatest accomplishment I could lay claim to in my new life abroad was a new found love and appreciation for Ernest Hemingway. While reading The Sun Also Rises, a novel set between Paris and Spain, I realized I needed to go to Madrid. Now this may seem like common sense, after all the city is only 60km from my own, but I had not found the desire to do so during my first 11 days here. However, I awoke on Friday the 23rd and hopped on the bus with Narcisa, the housekeeper who lives in Madrid. After getting off the bus I was hastily rushed onto the Metro, told to get off at Sol, and then left on my own with only one piece of advice. Que no te pierdas (Hope you don't get lost). Helpful, I am well aware. Equipped with my map and an excess of nerves I embarked on a four hour journey around the city of Madrid, the third largest city in the European Union. Contrary to my expectations, I fell in love. I am not sure whether this is the fault of Hemingway's charming novel, or a power that the city itself holds I will never know. I also do not particularly care. I spent my time just walking up and down and around the centro, and finally wound up in Plaza Mayor, a sunny plaza filled with cafes, people and some of the most creative beggars. (I will snap some shots of them next time!)
The streets of Madrid are all similar to this shot, with the facades of the buildings all intricately and uniquely designed. I managed somehow to not get lost in the city, the streets all seem to lead to plazas and Metro stops that make it surprisingly easy to navigate. To congratulate myself for a job well done, I bought a little premio (reward). My efforts earned me an Argentinian empenada filled with dulce de leche, a treat I consumed with gusto on the bus ride home, completely ignoring cultural protocol that seems to prohibit eating outside of the home or restaurant. I pled ignorance to the nasty looks shot my way, and there were plenty as I had picked one the messiest postres possible.
Saturday I spent the morning with the kids, we made the daily trip to the panderia to buy the baguette that is consumed each day by the family. In the evening I was invited to Madrid to make dinner. This was my first outing since the coffee date with friends (it was the same two girls). I met Indigo on the bus and we continued on to Emily's apartment in Madrid where we made mushroom tacos. I had not realized how much I missed being able to cook a meal for myself until we made this meal. It was a relief to get out of the house and interact with people my age. Not to jinx it, but I believe I now have two friends outside of the house. Indigo even invited me on a trip with her during La Semana Santa.  To explain how easy traveling is within Europe (an act I believe the European Union has put great effort in to try and maintain a strong economy), the invite was given in the same tone and intonation as an invite to dinner would be in the US. Indigo said "I'm going to Italy for Semana Santa, if you're free you should join." I said I would check my schedule and get back to her. Really, no big deal, it's just a week in Italy. Esther approved the time off (which is wonderful because I most certainly did not supply her with a written request at least two weeks in advance). Although this is a completely normal thing to do, it's actually expected that I do this, I am still not accustomed to this change of lifestyle. That being said...
I AM GOING TO ITALY! Es normal, no? I will be in Pisa, Florence and Rome (hoping for a day trip to Naples, a town of 1,600 pizzerias, a side trip I would consider sinful to not attempt). In case you are not green yet, I will be in Rome for Easter. Perhaps the Pope will accept an invite to hunt for eggs with me?
<3

Watch your step!

Just a quick note on some of the cultural differences I have experienced so far:

1-It is appropriate to eat copious amounts of sugar for breakfast, as long as there is a piece of bread underneath. As a matter of fact this habit is encouraged.
2-All the curse words of Latin America are common terms here. That means that instead of letting someone know where they can stick it, you would instead merely be asking them to help you in the kitchen or pick up their plate. To answer your question, yes, this has led to much confusion on my part.
3-The rearing of children is quite different, not bad, just different. In an effort to promote individualization and responsibility, rules are flexible.
4-While eating, for goodness sake, KEEP BOTH HANDS ON THE TABLE. Failure to do so reflects on one's lack of culture.
5-Coffee breaks are imperative. Passing on an invitation or failure to partake in the ritual million breaks of a day can be perceived as rude.
6-A word of caution: Most people live in apartments, but many have dogs. This means that you can always pass someone on the sidewalk walking their dog. Watch your step, because the only place you're safe from the droppings of man's best friend is in your own home.