Week 3

This past weekend I was able to go with a church, Amistad Cristiana, on a retreat to Guadarrama, a region about an hour NW of Madrid. I guess Guadarrama is supposed to be beautiful but I wouldn't know because we spent the whole time inside the retreat center (the walls are really high). We spent most of the time listening to this pastor from Holland, singing, eating, playing futbol, and staying up late. The events didn't end until past 12 every night (morning) and I didn't go to bed until 2'ish. I met a lot of people and forgot a lot of names. I spent most of the time with about 10 other teenagers who are really nice and who enjoyed laughing at one of guys I was trying to teach how to breakdance.

This past week has gone by so fast. School is getting better. I'm understanding more of what the teachers are saying and people are starting to ask me hang out with them on the weekends. Tomorrow I'll hopefully be able to go on a trip with the "mountain club" from school. I also bought some pool passes so I'll be able to work off all of the olive oil.

Wednesday I hung out with another exchange student from Holland in a nearby town. We drank Coca Cola and ate tapas (little snacks: olives, little sandwiches, pieces of meat, etc.) outside of this little bar/restaurant. A drunk lady came by and started asking us for money so she could get food. We had no idea what to do, we offered her a little sandwich thing we had, but she wanted a real meal. Fortunately the owner of the restaurant came out and told her to leave or he'd call the cops.

We then walked around the town and did a little shopping. The Holland exchange student wanted to get a scarf so (in choppy Spanish) she asked a lady in one of the shops if they sold scarves; the lady didn't know.....she didn't work there! I thought it was hilarious, the lady did to and said "foreigners", I was like, "yep, those foreigners" and then she asked me if I was one to.....I guess my Spanish still needs practice : )