And Then the Skies Opened Up

¡Buenas!


As promised, here is a promptly delivered continuation of the last post! I believe I left off with the anxious anticipation of Sevilla's Semana Santa (Holy Week). This week is particularly special to all Spaniards and is an intense celebration of the week leading up to Easter. I was prepped and ready for the streets to be packed with people ooh-ing and ahh-ing at the large, ornate floats that would be carried through the city. One can imagine my excitement for such a culturally significant moment which only occurs once a year and evokes incomparable emotion out of the Sevillano society. That was before the clouds rolled in an showered the city in a rain that just wouldn't quit. It was actually the most tragic, failure of a Semana Santa in 80+ years, as the majority of the processions weren't carried out since the floats are centuries old and are at risk of being destroyed by water. All of the news programs were filled with men and women crying out of disappointment, and I was left feeling sufficiently slighted. The silver lining to all of these clouds was that a couple of visitors washed up as well...

One of the pasos (floats) that would have been carried through the streets

Another paso that was sadly confined to it's church

Two of my good friends from school decided to take a little vacation to visit me in my new home overseas. I know they were initially frustrated with the precipitation they were greeted with, but I'm confident that they had a unique and memorable experience. Despite the three consecutive days of dashing from cafe to cafe and avoiding the massive puddles, we managed to squeeze out some sun, some laughs, and some great cuisine! My friends got to have a relaxing visit as they know approximately 4 words in Spanish and were fortunate to have me around to interpret/translate. I was really glad to have more familiar faces from home, especially because I had the opportunity to experience four Sevilla activities with them that I hadn't gotten around to doing before.

Me and friends after attending Easter Mass in the Catedral

1) Tour of the Plaza de Toros. This is the historic bullring in which all of Sevilla's bullfights have, and still do, take place. We got to see the inside of the ring, as well as learn a little more about the history of a somewhat brutal, controversial Spanish art form. I still feel torn about such a sport that results in the drawn-out slaying of an animal for means of entertainment, but admire its sense of tradition and pride.

Entrance to the bullring

Inside!

2) Plaza de España. Basically a massive, gorgeous, romantic plaza. This location is particularly conducive to casual strolls, first dates, people watching, or any kind of basking.

3) Futbol game! I am fortunate enough to live just a couple blocks from the impressive stadium home to the Sevilla Futbol Club. I often walk by the exuberant mass of red and white scarf-wearing fans congregating outside before a match. From my apartment I can also hear the roar of the crowd after a goal is scored. FINALLY I got to see the action from the inside of the stadium as my friends and I witnessed and eventful match between Sevilla and Villareal. It was definitely a great atmosphere to be a part of, as it was fun to see such passionate sports fans!

Beautiful night for a futbol game!

3) Flamenco Show. I had recently been lamenting that I had yet to see a flamenco show in Sevilla, considering all of the souvenir shops are filled with related paraphernalia. I was beginning to feel like a fraud until we viewed an authentic show in an intimate venue. SO COOL! The singing, guitar, and dancing were all captivating and we watched with awe at the talent shown by all of the performers. All of us left feeling slightly more Spanish and adequately entertained.

Flamenco dancers in motion. Feel the flavor!

Sadly, my chicas had to return to their real lives back home and I saw them off after a delicious lunch and a scoop of ice cream. The weather could have been more cooperative, but with good company and good food, things really aren't so bad.

Sometimes You Just Need a Beach

Málaga!

It appears that I will always be chronically tardy with these blog installations, but I guess better late than never! The semester is quickly winding down and it is hard to believe that it is almost time for me to return to the motherland. But that is just too depressing to talk about. So instead, I write of my latest experiences!

I feel a little silly referring to the ten days off from classes as a “vacation” because it seems as though I have been on vacation the minute I stepped off the plane onto Spanish turf. So no worries, I will not spend any time whining about the return to my normal schedule because I completely acknowledge the necessity of sympathy, haha!

But with the beginning of my free time, I spent four marvelous days on the Costa del Sol  in Málaga, Spain. I have a friend studying abroad there (not sure how much studying one can do when your house is a block away from the Mediterranean, but I’ll just go with it) so it was nice to have someone who knew their way around! I made this trip solo, and of course the universe felt it necessary to make things a little interesting for me. I had a slight disconcerting moment as I was attempting to extract a little cash from the ATM, when it suddenly decided that it was NOT going to give me back my bank card. I asked it nicely, caressed the screen, whispered sweet nothings into the card slot, and waited patiently....but nothing. Apparently there was nothing that the bank could do(???) and I found other means of acquiring money before the journey.

After the pleasant train ride (this has become my favorite mode of transportation) I was quite excited to get a view of the sun setting over the beach. I thought I was lucky to have a hostel directly across the street from the shore, but that was before I knew what the living conditions might be like....

I THOUGHT that I had booked a four person suite of females, and you can imagine my surprise when I awoke the first morning to discover an Italian male in my room. He soon moved out and I was welcomed by Olga, a nice woman who, although seemed a little old to be staying in youth hostel was friendly. Our new roommates moved in the next day: two middle aged Irish-men, what a party! I brought the median age down by about 15 years, but it was quite the experience. As much as I loved having slumber parties with strange (also friendly) men, I was also thankful that it would be my last hostel experience of this trip. On top of that, the room was in the basement of the hostel, which  brought clammy humidity and four-legged, antennae-wielding crawlers that resembled cockroaches. Luckily I spent most of my time on the beach and less time in my cozy little dungeon.

Enough about the sleeping arrangements and more of the fun! After all of the trips that I have taken that have been stuffed to the brim with cultural enlightenment, I was adamant about having this vacation be purely for relaxation and less work for my brain. Therefore, I have nothing historical or educational to offer to this post, but rather obnoxious images of me lounging in the sand with an ocean breeze keeping me cool. I thoroughly enjoyed people watching and the melodious calls of the men selling cold beverages (“cocaaaCOLA-cerVEza-Fanta-agua!”).

Málaga was definitely one of favorite cities I have visited thus far in Spain, as it has a relaxed, beachy, fun vibe. We also took a day trip to a little town called Nerja, which also makes my list of most beautiful, heavenly, picturesque locations. This quaint little town is also situated on the coast, and boasts unique beaches situated in between huge rocks. The wind, waves and sun made for a fun-filled, memorable afternoon. I didn’t actually swim during this trip, and was glad I chose not too because the waves were so big, and the current was too powerful. Our cute afternoon was almost tainted when one of our friends almost lost a battle with an ocean swell and a rock face; no worries, she evaded any injuries! Overall, however, great food, great weather, great company, GREAT DAY!

I finished the remainder of my long beach weekend by soaking up as much sun as I could get a hold of, and exploring the fun, casual nightlife Málaga had to offer. Eventually it was time to shake the sand out of my belongings and return to Sevilla with high anticipation of Semana Santa (More to come on that topic tomorrow!). 

 

The "giraffes" in the port

View of Nerja!

Just thought it was cute!

Life's a beach

Me and a former king of Spain, hangin' on the Balcony of Europe

City Street of Málaga

Used to be a fortress

Town Hall? All fancy and lit up

Welcome to My Humble Abode

Wow, Father Time needs to pump the breaks a little bit! The days and weeks are just FLYING by here and it's tough to keep up. This installment pertains to the week of March 27th, so bear with me here! No worries, this past week was filled with nothing but sunshine, light exploration and classes, so it feels as though I'll be back on track with this week! 

That last week of March was really great because I got to spend it with my parents, my brother and my aunt! It was nice to get a little taste of home and to be able to show where I've been living for two months. They shook off the jet-lag like pros and spent the first night strolling through the lit-up Centro of Sevilla. They called it an early night and we reunited the next day after my class and toured around some more. I unfortunately couldn't join them on the bull ring tour, but from what I've heard it was a nice educational and cultural experience. One of the fantastic features of having my aunt here, besides the fact that it's always nice to see her, is that she speaks FLAWLESS Spanish. My family was lucky to have this crucial resource when I wasn't around to interpret.

Our first main family activity was to take a tour of the Lustau sherry bodega in a little pueblo called Jerez. Our friendly (bilingual thank goodness) guide, Isabel gave us a private tour as well as explained the process of sherry making. Jerez pumps out this stuff all day, every day, and we got to do some tasting! Don't worry, although most of this fine wine has a much higher alcohol content, we kept it classy with no slurring or stumbling. The rest of the afternoon was very leisurely as we went cafe hopping and just kicked back, Spanish style.

Thursday evening was VERY amusing, as all five of us squeezed into my little apartment to have a nice little dinner. Even Manolo showed too, and made sure to pump us all full of wine throughout the meal. The entire evening was essentially a whirlwind of translation (mostly on my aunt's end) as my family just sat back and smiled. The hilarious part was that Lola would look directly at my parents and speak to them as if they had lived in Spain their entire lives, as Manolo kept chiming in, "Speak slower, Lola, they can't understand you!" It was a fabulous time and such an interesting experience for everybody. Lola was thoroughly enchanted by everyone, particularly Cathy with whom she primarily communicated with (it was tough for my mom, dad and brother to get to know her by just smiling and saying "Gracias").

Friday brought MORE beautiful weather, as well as day trip to another little pueblo, Ronda, which is situated on a vast gorge in the rolling Spanish countryside. Although the combination of hot bus, winding roads and a night out on the town with my older bro wasn't my favorite, the fantastical views brought me back to a blissful state. Our exploration of this cute tourist magnet included the ancient Arabic bath houses and a delightful lunch overlooking the gorge. Complete with more wine (see a theme here?) and fine dining, the day was simply refreshing.

Saturday was just spent relaxing, as my fam prepared for the journey back to the homeland. We spent the night reminiscing and drinking more sherry as we recapped our favorite moments. I'd say the award for "Best Effort" would have to go to my Dad, as despite the fact that at times it seemed as though he was speaking jibberish, he always tried to use some Spanish (love you Dad!). I will say that he DID master the phrase "Una cerveza por favor" and can successfully add "ito" to the end of any word to make it smaller/cuter. Over all, it was a wonderful week, with lots of smiles, laughs and general family fun. I'm sure they're still dreaming of tortilla españolas, Spanish ham, and Cruzcampos (Sevillano beer). I'll be sure to add some more pics of me WITH the family as soon as I get my hands on some!

Old barrels full o' sherry!

Glug glug

Lustau Bodega, representin'

Luke, mocking the Tio Pepe man

Posing with weird, naked, headless, statue

Inside the Catedral of Sevilla

View from the top!

Me in Ronda, psyched to be off that bus!

Puente Nuevo- Ronda

Do people really live here?

Inside the Arab bath house

Hanging outside the bath house

About to eat some Salmorejo (like a gazpacho)- delicious

Deja Vu? Barcelona Round Two

¡AY! Apologies for my insane tardiness! No doubt you all have been waiting anxiously, staring at your computer screens waiting for an update! Here you go, part 1 of 2 because it appears as though I have two weeks worth to tell.

First, the weather has become obnoxiously beautiful and the streets have become full of  fanny packs and cameras (I’m talking about tourists). I’ve never felt more Spanish than when I quietly growl as I weave through the maze of unfolded maps in the middle of the sidewalks. Everybody is wantin’ a piece of sunny Sevilla! However I don’t blend in too well as I’d like to, as I strut down the streets in shorts and a t-shirt in, what I find to be, delightful 75 degree weather. Apparently eggs must be frying on the sidewalks before Sevillanos change from leggings/tights/jackets/scarves into skimpier clothing. Oh well, for now I will tolerate the puzzled looks as passersby with a tolerable internal temperature.

I found at least one other person who shares my wardrobe philosophy during my second trip to Barcelona. While enjoying some nice Mediterranean sun on a considerably chillier beach, my friends and I were baffled by the appearance of a completely NUDE man strolling down the shore. I wasn’t sure whether to be more surprised that he was naked or to be impressed that he didn’t seem phased by the brisk breeze and left all other beach goers with their jackets fully zipped. Ultimately, I decided to admire the confidence this middle-aged man had with his body and accepted the experience as an example of my new motto, “No Shame Spain.” Not to say that anyone will see me lounging by the Guadalquivir river in my birthday suit anytime soon, but that I have adopted a less inhibited attitude while being here.

The rest of the Barcelona trip didn’t contain any other blush-worthy moments, but I did make sure to catch some other sights that I didn’t see the first time. We accompanied our fellow Muhlenbergers (who were visiting from Italy) on their first churro experience; I didn’t mind having to indulge again in these soul-soothing treats. We also explore the Chocolate Museum and saw some impressive chocolatey displays. Later that evening we hiked all the way out to Montjuic to view the special fountain light show. The 15 minute show was super cool and was complemented with the most random selection of music.

We intended to take another visit to Parc Güell on Sunday morning, but awoke to a dreary, drizzly day. We instead got a quick jolt from café con leche in a local cafe and took to wandering some streets. We stumbled upon a little shop that sells all types of olive oil, and were treated to a quick tasting. I hadn’t known how many different varieties of this precious little oil there were, but I definitely left with a better appreciation of the Spanish staple. The skies eventually cleared up to reveal a GORGEOUS day, but alas, we didn’t have time to make the trek to the park. We finished off the morning sitting by the charming harbor, people watching and enjoying the tunes blasting out of a little waffle stand.

Overall, this trip sucked a large quantity of money out of my bank account, but it was still fun to explore some of the aspects of the city that I missed the first time. I also just love passing the time sipping on a beverage, and munching on a tapa, just soaking in everything around me!



Coming up soon is the recap of this past week that I spent with my family here in Sevilla! Stick around!

Baby Steps, a Beautiful City, and a Big Decision

Hello All!

It's been far too long! I'll start with the small things first. I've taken a large step in my Spanish life: a telephone call. This may seem entirely insignificant, but for a girl who breaks into a cold sweat when ordering a pizza in the United States, this is a milestone. There's something about the high probability of misunderstanding,especially when speaking a non-native tongue, that get's my adrenaline going and leaves me feeling extremely anxious. Having said this, you can imagine my terror when I was sitting in my bedroom reading a book when Manolo (Lola's man-friend) entered holding the telephone. "It's for you," he said (in Spanish of course). I had no idea WHO could be calling, as I have given nobody the number to the house. I timidly answered the phone and was promptly greeted in Spanish by a woman who began to say something about "Alison" and the internet contract that I had with their company in September. Given that I arrived in February, and have purchased no such contract, I quickly put the pieces together that this woman was LOOKING for an Alison who had been studying the semester prior to me. I politely explained that I was not Alison, and did not know any Alison's here in Spain. After I hung up, I silently patted myself on the back for having a relatively comfortable conversation in Spanish. Basking in my small success I explained the situation to Lola, thinking she had been confused as well. My feeling of accomplishment was immediately extinguished when Lola responded to me saying, "OHHH, I thought YOUR name was Alison." So as it turns out I can talk my way out of an internet contract, but can't effectively communicate my name to the woman with whom I have been living with for 7 weeks....

I'm not sure if Lola knows my name now or not, but I do know that I had a BEAUUUUTIFUL weekend in Granada to lift my spirits! Granada is a city that is about a three hour bus ride from Sevilla. All the rain and clouds were no where in sight, which made for a marvelous view of the snow-covered Sierra Nevada mountain range that shined brilliantly against the bright blue sky. I started my trip with an embarrassing, YouTube-worthy run in with a small pillar in the sidewalk that is SUPPOSED to offer protection from cars. All I was offered was the comfort in knowing that I will never again see any of the people who saw me run directly into the waist-high pole (Let your imaginations run wild with this image). My minor injuries did not prevent me from taking an extensive tour of Granada's main attraction, La Alhambra, which served as the primary fortress during the eight-century Arab rein in Spain. the views were picturesque and the pictures I have included do not do it justice. Upon returning to the hotel, we took a luxurious shower, (normally the showers we take have time/hot water limitations) and practically collapsed from exhaustion. Saturday morning brought about more cultural visits to the crypt in which the first Catholic queen and king, Isabel and Fernando, were buried. Unfortunately no photos were allowed on this tour, but trust me when I tell you that it was fairly cool to see the coffins of two of the most influential figures in Spanish history. We then visited the Catedral of Granada and relished the sunshine after exiting it's frigid, marble-covered interior! Overall it was a fun overnight to take in a gorgeous little city, on a day that was no less than perfect. Rough life, huh?

Cute little houses on the Granada hillside

Gardens in La Alhambra

The Sierra Nevadas!

Reflecting on the word "Granada," which interestingly enough translates to "pomegranate."

Sitting precariously on the edge of the tower. Please note the really cool headphone in which we all wore to listen to the tour guide (named Nacho)

Top o' the tower

Apparently this incredible effect of the reflection was designed purposefully so that anyone coming to visit the king wouldbe sufficiently intimidated *GULP*

Inside of the Catedral. They could have paid a little more attention to detail....

Sunday afternoon was spent basking in the sunshine by the Guadalquivir river, but I won't rub it in too much. Yesterday I finally made the decision that I had been considering for over a week now: roller blades. I have become bored with the 35 minute walk and I wanted to spice up my travels to school a little bit. I haven't thrown on a pair of in-line skates in about 10 years, but I was raring to go! I have successfully made two round-trips to and from school WITHOUT falling on my face, although I've come close. So far the only shameful moments I've had was an 8-year-old passing me, and a near-disastrous encounter with a couple of fallen twigs. I'm determined to practice, however, despite the rebellion of all the muscles in my lower half!

Ok, I'll rub it in a LOT. Nice to let the feet breath a little.

In conclusion, I've had an interesting 10 days, including the extremely unfortunate discovery that I had booked a flight for the completely wrong day and was required to pay 200 euros (approx. $250) to make the necessary changes. Yikes. My second weekend trip to Barcelona this weekend better be EPIC.

Five Aspects of My American Life I Didn't Realize I Would Miss

Hola todos!

I decided I was probably due for another post, considering that all of my followers are gobbling up every crumb of my Spanish experiences! At first I was at a loss of what to write about, as these past few days have been relatively uneventful; no crazy excursions, no near breakdown over being lost, and no embarrassing communication errors! So what to write about? I have been here for over 6 weeks and continue to gush over my adoration of the culture, but with every great love, comes the list of qualities we could do with out. We all have that favorite pair of shoes that, on some days, rub in such a way that a small blister forms. It's time to get a little satirical, Spanish style. Listed below are five aspects of American life that nobody warned me I would miss.

1. Personal space

I choose this quality first because I am currently sitting in a bustling Spanish cafe filled with exuberant, overly expressive patrons, constantly moving the extra  chairs around my tiny little table to clear a path for their mammoth baby carriages. Ironically enough, the toddler sitting directly behind me has just reached over from the perch on her (unknowing) mother's lap and grabbed my shoulder, as I awkwardly try and scoot a couple inches forward, so as not to seem like a creep. Between the busy eating establishments, the slight touching of thigh on thigh with a stranger on the metro, and the fact that I practically stub my toe on the foot of my bed immediately upon opening the door to my room, I longingly reminisce on the days in which all my extremities moved freely.

2. Not living next to an elementary school


Anyone who knows me understands my occasional lack of patience with younger children. As I have explained before, all the children here are very precious as they stroll down the street in their little khaki pants, spouting out delightfully miniature phrases in Spanish accents. I don't know much about the Spanish schooling system but I DO know that school two doors down from me does not enroll cute little kids, but WILD ANIMALS. Recess apparently lasts between 10am and 1 pm and I am also convinced that during this period of time, they are rallying an army of tiny little monsters in preparation for some sort of coup. It really puts a kink in my siesta schedule when (through a closed window) I am inundated with actual chanting of about 100 Spanish 6-year-olds.

3. Dairy products that belong in the refrigerator 

This is not such a big deal, just a little disconcerting for a girl that was always taught that milk that has been left out for too long is sufficiently questionable. These days I am instructed to replenish the milk that was in the fridge with the back up stock....kept underneath the kitchen counter. I'm not familiar with how pasteurization processes work, and I have experienced any negative side effects, so I guess I'll just get over this one. Oh- by the way, if you're looking for eggs, just check the aisle with the dry spaghetti....

4. Knowing how to accurately express emotion

 At home I do not often put thought into the reflex reactions I have to a surprising piece of information, or bad news. I found myself laughing to myself in class the other day as we learned the colloquial phrases used to respond to such conversation matter. We all were instructed to formulate a hypothetical sentence that was either unbelievable, surprising, upsetting, or impressive. Upon hearing a sentence we were supposed choose from the list of reactions that were appropriate. Something about the way I silently, without expression racked my brain after hearing a classmate say "I JUST WON THE LOTTERY!" made realize how foreign I truly was. I was not aware that I would have to relearn emotions as well as every other vocabulary word and sentence structure!

5. World wide web as I know it
 This one is pretty obvious. I once learned about an ancient Incan society in the mountains of Peru in which the primary method of delivering messages from town to town was a member of the tribe who, in the span of an entire day would run from the base of the mountain to the top, wearing thin cloth sandals. I used to think that this was an unbelievable example of how far technology has come...until I tried to send an email. Emotionally I AM that Incan messenger, often finding the task of cyber communication to be a daunting one, that I must plan my entire schedule around. After a successful delivery, it is common that I do some sort of celebratory dance, and collapse in exhaustion.

In conclusion, these changes that I have encountered are sufficiently irritating, but are also interesting to reflect upon! Going back to my shoe metaphor, despite the aggravation, I in no way feel any sort of shopper's remorse. I simply get to appreciate more the times in which I am comfortable : )

Gastronomical Thoughts and a Crazy Carnival

Happy Monday everyone (I know it is Tuesday, but this was written yesterday and once again the internet connection fizzled out)!

Entering the week was a little bit difficult for myself given the two wonderful days off I have had from my 9 am schedule! My Sunday was filled with absolutely no plans as I was sleeping off my Cádiz Carnaval experience from the night/morning before! But more on that later...

First, I would like it to be known that this past week I had my first (of hopefully many) encounter with churros con chocolate. This is a big deal because it is probably Spain's go to breakfast sweet treat and I had been here for a month without so much as a whiff! But finally I treated myself to a post-class plate of these DELICIOUS fried dough-esque concoctions, accompanied by a bowl of cinnamon sugar and a cup of thick hot chocolate for dipping. Now quickly wipe the drool off of your computer screens before anyone around you notices. Since I have also procrastinated this post so long that dinner has rolled around, I'll have you know that I have JUST polished off a buenísimo saffron chicken burger. Needless to say, I'm not coming home.

Me, sufficiently enjoying my churro

What I am most tickled by here is the adoration of olive oil. Not only are there vats of this liquid gold stored in the kitchens of all the Sevillanos, but curiously enough, it is pretty much considered a vegetable in and of itself. My señora constantly boasts about how healthy the food she makes is, and always with "NINGUNA GRASA (NO FAT)" as I furiously nod my head in agreement while simultaneously mopping up the excess oil on my plate with a hunk of fresh bread. Anyone here will tell you that olive oil is NOT fat. My professor literally refused to discuss it with me, so for my stint in Spain, I'm sticking to that philosophy.

Ok, so back to the Carnaval de Cádiz! Basically this carnival is Halloween's drunk, crazy cousin. There is an unwritten requirement that you wear a costume as EVERYBODY is wearing one. I personally detest Halloween, but since everything is cooler in Spain, I played along and (lamely) dressed as a cheetah. Our bus arrived in Cádiz at about 11 pm and when I stepped out into the plaza I was immediately stunned by the masses of people all parading around in their various costumes. Bottles and trash had already filled the streets and we were all eager to get out and explore. We had no idea where anything was, but it wasn't really a trip for sight seeing, but rather for gawking at the thousands of crazy people running around the streets.

We spent the next few hours walking around and meeting different groups of people from various parts of Spain. The downside was that despite the abundance of (drinking) people, there very few public bathrooms available. The imagination doesn't have to run too wild to put together what the only logical solution was for many. All was fun and exciting until about the 3 am mark when the sun's warmth had completely vanished and the temperature dropped to a less-than desirable 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Unfortunately there still remained 2 1/2 hours before the bus home was scheduled to arrive so we stuck it out, huddled together, and of course purchased a very necessary 5 am hamburger with the works (I swear it was only for insulation). We FINALLY departed the littered city of Cádiz at 6 am, and I thanked every star in the solar system that I was not one of the hundreds of people passed out next to the fountain in the middle of the square! I dreamed of my warm bed during the 1 1/2 hour bus ride back to Sevilla and we arrived at about 7:30 am and luckily it was SO early, we got to take the metro instead of a pricier taxi! From the metro station, I walked the 10 minute home stretch back to my apartment with my eyes practically closed. There is a distinct type of shame when you pass a man who is fetching the morning paper while you are wearing a tail and have whiskers painted on your face. I was simply too exhausted to mind, and gave a weak smile/"hola" and kept walking. I hit the bed at 8 am (after washing off the whiskers) and didn't open my eyes until 3:30 pm. What an experience! The pictures provided show a little sampling of the types of people we ran into that night!

My best cheetah pose

My hippie friends found some ninja turtles

Best photo of the night

We found "police man¨ and a boy in a beautiful dress!

Now I'm back to the real-person lifestyle, but sufficiently enjoying my classes here! Not sure what adventures are coming next, but you'll all be the first to know!

¡Adios!