5 Good Things

Here’s a quick update on five good things about the week!

1. Last night I saw Harry Potter!!

I went with Emma, a girl in the grade below me who’s from Ohio but has lived in Spain for four years due to her parents’ jobs. I met Emma my first day here, but since she’s not in my grade we don’t have any classes together. However, I happened to see on her Facebook that she liked Harry Potter, so I asked if we could go together. It was so great to speak English for the night and hang out with her!! Plus, Harry Potter was completely amazing, even in Spanish.

2. They turned the heat on in my house and my school!!!

I feel like such a wimp, but I have definitely gotten used to the weather. It is 12 degrees Celsius (52 Fahrenheit), but it feels like it’s freezing! Everyone in school was bundled up in scarves and coats until they finally turned the heat on this week. Luckily, I sit right by the radiator. Plus, my host dad finally decided to turn the heat on in the house as well. The rest of the family had been begging him to do it for weeks, and he finally gave in. Before my host mom mentioned it, I wasn’t even sure if we had heat in the house. But it turns out we do, and the radiator in my room is keeping it nice and toasty.

3. I actually contributed at a Rotaract meeting!

I enjoy going to my Rotaract club on Fridays, but I never feel like I really do anything. Mostly I sit and listen as they make plans for food drives, charity benefits, and other such things. But on Friday I actually contributed. I volunteered to make the poster for a food drive that we're organizing for a local school, and I also suggested we make the food collection a competition between the classes. Everyone loved that idea, and it felt nice to finally be participating in the club. I've yet to meet my actual Rotary club that's sponsoring me, but hopefully that will happen soon.

4. Mika is coming on Friday!

My host parents offered to have Mika stay for a weekend in Valencia, so of course I took them up on it. Mika is coming Friday afternoon and staying through Sunday, and we’re going to try to make a “Thanksgiving” meal for my host family. More on that to come!

5. My Spanish is definitely coming along.

I can pretty much say what I want to say in Spanish now, and can understand everything as long as I pay attention. This is very good news. After Mika leaves, I’m planning on going on a no-Skype no-Facebook no-email purge until Christmas with the hope that the complete lack of English will help my Spanish really start to click.

Hasta luego!

Besitos,
Paige