Jan 7 - Host Family Time!

This morning we all got up and went to breakfast. For our last day in Avila we visited different churches and Catedrals. That was the most walking I've done thus far. And I now realize I will be doing a lot more. We walked from about 10:30 to 1:30. Just walked up and down hills and through churches. At 1:30 we had yet another delicious meal. I had Crujiente de Langostinos (Fried Shrimp), but it was nothing like fried shrimp in America, it was prettier. The shrimp was rolled in the middle of this long thin fired "paper". The only thing I can compare it too is a potato chip, except it's a batter. Then I had Albondigas (Meatballs). Yummm. After lunch we, of course, walked back to our hotel got our luggage and then with our luggage walked back to our bus. A lot of walking. We had a 4.5 hour bus ride to Oviedo until we met our family.

On the bus ride I slept a good portion of the trip, then we took a 30 minute break at a gas station/coffee shop. Then from there to Oviedo we watched Mission Impossible 4. Which is way less intense in Spanish. Partly because you don't catch half of it and then partly because when you do it sounds too passionate and over dramatic.

Then Dwight, my professor spoke into the microphone telling us we needed to get our things quickly we were going to meet our families - a remember lean to the left for the kiss on the cheek. Up until that moment this was all just traveling through Spain. Now it was real. Too real. I looked around at the university and thought there is a reason that I did not go to a university - TOO BIG. It was huge. And you know what else? Nothing can prepare you for greeting someone in another language. The kiss on each cheek, no matter how many times Lauren Clark and I practiced over the semester, it was still odd. My host mom said something to me. WOOOSHH. That was the noise it made when it went in one ear and out the other before stopping in my brain to translate. What? I'm sure I said I'm Sorry, Repeat, and Huh? like twenty time each. Then she told me she would speak slower and use simpler translations - until my brain caught up with things is should already know! ( That last part was just me). It was just sooo fast and the words were so different and I am upset with whichever prof said we wouldn't use vosotros. Well, I'm in Spain and guess what?! They use vosotros! For those who don't know what that is it's a spanish form of conjugation that refers to "you all" and almost every teacher has said you wont use it... -_- She introduced me to her son and husband and showed me to my room to unpack. I think i was in there for an hour, unnecessarily.

I unpacked everything one by one. I was not ready. I mean I thought I wasn't ready before and then I got here and was thought Nope. Not ready. But I couldn't go back home. As I unpacked I realized Yea. I didn't bring enough clothes. Not even close. Then as I unpacked my backpack, all of my photos of my family and the letter all of my floormates wrote to me fell out of one of my Spanish books. Then I wanted to cry. I letter a tear fall... or two... or three, but then reigned it in. I really didn't want to leave that room. Then I realized I need a WiFi. I looked for WiFi and nothing showed up. For a second I was scared that they didn't have WiFi, which would have been the end of my life in Spain. Then different networks popped up and I relaxed, but I still didn't want to ask for a code. Finally I left my room, thinking it would be rude to stay there the rest of the night just because I was scared. She found me and ask if I wanted to shower. So I did. It was nice and refreshing. I didn't want to leave there either. Finally I came out of hiding. She gave me a sandwich. It was the most interesting, filling sandwich. It was a tuna sandwich; Bread, tuna, lettuce, tomato, another slice of bread, then cheese, an egg, and mayo and then another slice of bread. It was very good. Just different. We talked and got to know each other and I relaxed a little. Her husband came out with the WiFi code. Thank Goodness! After that sandwich I FaceTimed my family. My parents met my Spain mom. Translating was better than I thought it would be.

Oh my goodness! Today was eventful, as I'm sure the next 4.5 months will be. And it can only get better. Tomorrow I have a language test. Ay!

Que Será, Será.