nice day

Hi all,,,
I first have to write about some interesting things i've noticed about Spain that i do not want to forget: first, they don't have 'school-buses' here. Believe it or not, the kids are picked up on coach busses. No joke...i just HAD to write this b/c i've been meaning to b/c everymorning as i walk to school i see mom's and dad's waving goodbye to their kids as they are sitting all comfortably in these huge, posh, nice busses! But you know what:??...they are ALL sitting down. Maybe the bus drivers in the US wouldn't have to holler for kids to 'Siddddowwwnnn!!!" like they do now!--but kids actually WANT to sit down cuz it's a nice bus haha!
The other interesting thing that I LovE is that Cars STOP for you. Yes..i'm not kidding with this either. You walk across the street, and if they are driving towards you, they will come to a complete stop. At first, i didnt really believe this was true so i would wait and then when they'd stop and look at me as if to say "WALK...GO" then i'd hurriedly cross...but i just get a kick out of how everyday when i walk to and from the unniversity, they stop for ME and the rest of the ppl! Gotta love that...don't wory tho..i still look both ways b4 crossing the street!
Classes were good today besides the fact that I got LOADED with grammar homework..but i guess that is good b/c the more i practice the better. I also officially registered today! So now i have my official schedule set which is a wonderful feeling. I am taking 5 classes, and i believe i wrote them in a post just a few days ago :)
I got home early, and b/c the sun was out and it was pretty nice i went for a run in the park. This was my 3rd one and i'm happy to say my legs are carrying me ok..so i'm just gonna take it slow and easy. i dn't go far and i don't go long..but it's a start !
I showered, and Julia and I ate lunch together today which was nice. We had a really good Garbanzo bean soup again that has rice in it and is in the sausage broth..it sounds weired but you guys i'm telling you it's amazing...especially with bread in it..ahhh. And then i had again the same 'hija de la vaca' the daughter of the cow meat! which was better today :)!!!!
This afternoon, i had to write an essay for my literature class, so i did that and i am happy with it. Then i took a 45 min siesta which was nice. I have decided i LOVE my bed...i think its b/c im just so tired after how busy or how active (walking everywhere) i am each day. I just sleep so good now which is nice. It's hard to get up in the morning!..so anyway the siesta was nice...i didn't want to get up from that either.
At 6 i went to tutor/teach/play with the girls next door. This was wonderful! I officially met their mom..her name is Mercedes, and she is just beautiful and So nice. She told me that she wants their home to feel like mine, and i don't have to ask i can just go in the kitchen, etc, etc, (& im thinking,,well i'd still ask...) but she's so cute she was offering to cook for me, (American food if i want..she'd said..oh i can make you a hamburger sometime)..it was just cute..bless her heart. The little girls were so excited. I love them already. They are 9, 6, and 4 like I said, and their names are Leire, Iraiti, and Saioa...a bit hard for me to remember so i wrote them down b/4 i left to make sure i'll get them down. It's wonderful too b/c Mercedes said she wants to be flexible with my schedule. so that is nice b/c week by week we'll go..not every Friday night like originally so i was happy about that! She was offering for me to come over any other time too just to play with her girls, talk etc while she cooks etc. I think like babysitting sometime..which i would be fine with. and it is very nice of them b/c I believe they are going to pay me b/4 i leave. I didn't expect this since i'm doing this as a thankyou, but i think that is what she said. Either way, it is such good practice for me too b/c the girls are SO fluent in Spanish and they are so attentive to me and want to learn. It's cute b/c Mercedes closed the living room door (it's like this big sliding door that is just gorgeous in their piso), and then after one hour, she comes in and she says..ok girls, well how was class? Class is done now!! They treat it really like class, and i love that!!! I wish i could have a camera on me just so you could see how interesting this really is :)) The 4 yr old was very shy the entire night, but i new i'd gotten on her side when as i was leaving she RUNS up to me with a cute drawing that she wanted me to take. She plastered it with stickers, written on it, drew pics, and stamped things! :) so cute !
I was their from 6-7 and then i walked to Corte Ingles (which is like a Macy's here) and I bought some nice Jewelry for Inoa for the fiesta on Saturday night in the Pueblo. I believe she was 15 this week, not 14, but anyway i found some really awesome stuff, and i got some bracelets for mi tambien :))
When i got home one of Julia's sons Carlos came over while I was eating supper, so i met him, and he and his fam. will be in Salinas at the fiesta on SAt too, so that was good that i could meet one more person i'll know. His son is 17 and interested in going into medicine, so that is good to know too b/c i'll have someone that i can talk to about a similar interest to break the ice with things!I had tortillas de patatas, a salad, bread of course, and coconut yogurt for supper tonight. It was good.
Now i am just waiting till 11pm (4pm your time) for the possibility to have a skype date with my mama :)
I don't know if i will be able to update you 2morrow night, but you will for sure hear from me within the next 2 days.
xoxoxo
Lauren