Hello again!

Hello again!

Tomorrow (Friday) I leave for Morocco! I will be back sometime on Tuesday so I will blog all about it when I get back.

Meanwhile, in Granada, interesting things seem to happen every day. They may be little, but the little things are what make up that big picture, right? For instance on my walk to school one day I was crossing the street at a busy intersection. The cross walk counts down from 65 seconds, I believe. This particular day there was a man with a little clown makeup, just the rosy cheeks and eye makeup, carrying some sort of entertainment trick thingy. He went out in the middle of the crosswalk, bowed to the cars, and started doing his tricks and being elaborate like clowns are. He would smile and make his trick seem amazing, like “how did he do that?” when it really isn’t that clever. Anyways I stopped and started filming him; later to find out I had never pressed the record button. Ain’t that a pain in the rear end? It’s amazing how many beggars there are, which is what the clown was. He walked down the aisle of cars asking for money for his performance. There are the everyday beggars who sit on a corner with a cup and a sign asking for money, and there are the creative ones. Just down the road a little further on the same day, there was a human statue. The man stood on a pedestal with his face painted silver to match his painted clothing. At first glance I didn’t realize he was a man, but after a double take I decided to take a picture. This time I got it and took two for safe measures.

On our walk back home from school, Roseanna and I were talking in American, yes American, when we stopped at a crosswalk. A lady turned around and asked us where we were from because she recognized our language. We said Iowa/America just as she had suspected. She grabbed the man she was with and turned him around saying that he was from Chicago. This lady had a thick Spanish accent though she could speak English very well. They guessed that we were students studying Spanish here at the CLM. Turns out this man did the same 15 years ago, when he was about 30 or so. He said he came to study and fell in love with a woman. The woman he was with grew a big blushing smile and giggled. It was like a love story in the movies. As we waved goodbye and parted ways, all their story needed was “and they lived happily ever after”.

Last night (Wednesday) was a night that shall remain a night that I look back on and laugh about my youth. Roseanna and I met up with Shannon to find a decent bar that wasn’t overcrowded to go watch El Classico, or the Barcelona futbol game against Real Madrid. Apparently everytime they play each other it’s called the classic. I believe this is only the second time they’ve met this season. The first time Barcelona won, last night they tied. We found a bar full of Real Madrid fans and it was a lot of fun watching their reactions at close goals, actual goals, the overreaction of soccer players. Have you actually seen a soccer game? Good Lord, it’s as if the players have to take acting lessons as part of their practices. During half time, we sang Happy Birthday to a man celebrating his 30^th birthday. The party gave everyone in the bar a free slice of chocolate mousse cake. The man next to me at the bar didn’t want his for some reason that I couldn’t comprehend. He insisted that I have it so I had 2 free slices! We met a lot of fun people at the bar, got a lot of free shots, and basically got asked to come back. But you guys probably didn’t need to know that part. Hey, I’m legal here ;)

Fun tid bit: I’m almost done with my book, The Kite Runner. Highly recommend the book, it is fantabulous.

Friday (tomorrow) I take my final placement test to see where I am at. I’ve decided to be in intensive regardless of how I place. I don’t need to be in a higher level for credits or college purposes, so I’m going to enjoy my easier classes and my time in Spain. Therefore, drum roll please, I will be back sooner than expected. I believe classes end the 17^th and I have to vacate housing the 18th of May. Though this means I have to change my flight plans and what not, but I’ll be in the States to celebrate my 20^th, which is too bad considering that I could have went to a bar here. Oh well, I think the States will treat me pretty well, too.

The same day I will also be leaving for Morocco! They said from the time we get there we will be doing stuff nonstop so it should be very interesting. 

If you guys have any questions or things you want me to address in my blog I would love to know. Sometimes I don’t realize that I haven’t covered something about the culture that you guys may be wondering about. Just let me know! Uhla1@central.edu or auhl14@gmail.com but I don’t really check my gmail one too often.

See you when I come back to Europe!