My First Blog

Hey,
So, today marks day 29, been in Spain since August 31st.
I'm going to be here until next summer, so it's right around a full year.
Crazzzy stuff, it is!
School is interesting...The kids here are crazy about American school. Maybe they've seen a few too many episodes of Simpsons and watched Mean Girls a couple too many times. ;) Eh, school here is pretty good. Instead of using bells, my school uses Green Day playing over the speakers during the breaks. I'm going to have all of their new album memorized by the end of the school year, I'm sure of it.
Here in Spain, they listen to mostly American music. I don't understand how they can love America so much, and be hit so hard by the western effect and not think much of me. If they ask me, and I say I'm from America, they just say, "Oh, okay." And that's the extent of it.
There's a boy in my class, Gus, (Augustine,) and he's the only one that really socializes with me. I have friends from church, but they're not in my course at school. (I'm in the Art Course.) They're nice though. They let me eat lunch with them...Since I'm not too keen on being with Gus's smoking friends.
Maybe it's just because I've come from Utah, but....I really am not used to this whole smoking thing! People here smoke like crazy!!! I haven't really seen many great looking teeth here.
Just a note, isn't European style supposed to be so "ahead"? I feel like their fashion is stuck way back in time...Maybe the 70's? It's awesome, because I love retro/vintage, but I'm not sure it's what I expected. Actually, I had no idea what to expect, so I guess I can't say it wasn't.
Apparently, all the working citizens in Spain are going on strike tomorrow about retirement benefits. I don't really understand, but the other exchange students keep saying they won't have school, because the teachers probably won't show up!!! Oh, Spain. :S
I am about to cry at the moment over the whole thing, actually... My tears aren't for those poor people who will not be rolling in dinero and age 95, it's because I think I have ulcers in my eyes! I'm having serious sight problems, and I'm supposedly going to the eye doctor tomorrow to see what's going on...BUT, if all the working citizens are going on strike, I won't have an optometrist to figure out what's wrong! I literally cried myself to sleep before over the irritation in my eyes.
The insurance issue I've been having has had me pulling my hair out! And now this! I love Spain, but I feel like the timing...Eh, not so good.
I keep getting bit by bugs, spiders, little crawly things, and I'm not too great on it. I'm trying not to think that there might literally be bed bugs in my bed...Eek...
Instead of saying "Mama mia" here as an expression of, "Oh brother", they say "Madre mia", and it cracks me up. Little stupid things make me break into laughter, and I think people find me crazy because of it.
Today I bought a locket, an actual locket, and my goal is to figure out what to put in the locket from Spain before I leave. This way, I can literally always keep Spain in my heart.
I don't think I often get truly homesick. I never really got along well with my brothers at home, and I'm kind of a strange person when it comes to getting attached to people.
When I go to other exchange students Facebook Walls, I see they have posts from their friends back home saying how much they love and miss them, and asking how Spain is for them. I go back to my wall, and I say to myself, "Well, at least I'm not missing anything, right?" Then, I sigh a bit to myself and watch The Simpson's in Spanish.
When I tell Spaniards that I am from Springville, UT, they always say, "Like The Simpson's!" They get a huge smile on their face...I'm beyond the point of explaining the difference between VILLE and FIELD. It's pretty hilarious when my host mom, Natalie, tries to say my city. She has the hardest time with English... I find it sort of crazy though, for she speaks fluent French! Of course, I had no idea until she met a girl from france and went: "ALFJALIDJFOAIDJFLAKJFLKADJFLJ" will all her French skills. I about had a heart attack and spent a few minutes thinking in my head with my little Spanish how to tell her I had absolutely no idea she spoke French. She told me in school she was required to take English or French...Great choice madre...Hahaha!
I am surprisingly happy today, despite everything that's going on. Maybe I'm still on a peanut butter high. They don't really eat peanut butter here, at least not the sort of peanut butter we eat in the states. I ate American peanut butter for the meal between lunch and dinner and almost cried. It cheered me up SO MUCH! Today was a chaotic run around of trying to find a place to get help with my eyes. So much frustration, I didn't know it was possible.
It poured rain for a little while today, and I guess it caused mudslides somewhere in Spain. Today is the first day I've actually even sort of payed attention to the news.
A note on Spanish fashion again, (I love European shopping, if you didn't know.) The teenagers all wear skinny jeans and tops printed with writing in English. It feels like America, but at the same time, it doesn't feel like UT. In UT, they don't permit short shorts in school, or immodest tops. In my school, unless you are wearing those kind of things, or skinny jeans, you'd be a bit strange...I don't really care, I sort of love my Victoria Secret sweat pants and Volcom jackets. The guys actually do wear Volcom and DC here. I've even made a list of cute certain items I want to buy while I'm here! Thank goodness they have so much American make-up here. I'm going to get Clinique base and concealer soon!!! This is my happy face. ^_^
My family is great, my house can be a nut house sometimes. The food isn't too bad either, and I used to be a really picky eater. I can usually eat everything except the fish, and a fruit. Their favorite fruit is probably really tasty to them and all, but my tongue just isn't trained for it. Ah, and their gum! You know in American cough medicine, that NASTY kind that clears your throat and nose so much it might as well burn? That's their gum! I thank my mom for the packs and packs and packs of gum she sent me with.
The only member of my family who is hard to understand is my thirteen year old brother Fran, (Francisco.) He sort of mumbles when he talks, and he and my host mom, Natalie, often fight, so he's either mumbling or yelling. My other younger brother Marc, he's the best! He's eleven years old, and he likes to play Uno! I taught him how to shuffle cards and bridge them. We liked to play with the cat Podge. Podge can be such a booger sometimes. If he wants you to open the door for him or feed him, or something of the sort, he will wait for you to walk by him and then ATTACK your leg! Claws, teeth and all! Not so bad when you're wearing skinny jeans, but so not my favorite when headed out to the pool. I also got bit by the dog, Thalia, who is always eager to play, play, PLAY! All 60 lbs of her. Just kidding, I don't know her weight, but she IS a large dog. No blood was drawn, but my arm was stinging, sore, and under bandage for a good while. Never been bit by a dog before. I don't really think it should be considered a necessary experience at any point in life. Apparently, my mother was also bit by the family dog on her Rotary Youth Exchange.
Wish me and my poor eyes luck with all this crazy strike stuff.
Adios....