Complete update on life!

Okay, so I just finished my last midterm...thank goodness! Only one big paper to go and the craziness is over! Yesterday I had my art and history midterm, which went alright, and today I had Spanish. I feel alright, especially for the lack of studying I have been doing here. Yesterday I met with my intercambio to help me study...oh yeah, I haven't mentioned her yet. The program sets us up with Spanish students to practice speaking Spanish and learn more about life from a peer's perspective. We can meet whenever we want and do whatever we want, nothing is required...it's just fun! My intercambio's name is Alba and she is from Valencia, Spain. She is also 20 years old and is studying translation...she knows Spanish, Catalan, English, and French!! We've only met three times, but we get along great!

So I have so much to talk about. Where do I start? I think I'm just going to upload some pictures from Madrid and briefly mention what we did...but I'll make that it's own post. I also need to talk about Montserrat and Tarragona...just organizing my thoughts. Oh, and because EVERYONE in my family now has Facebook...??? Weird! But also kind of fun! Mom, where's yours?? I'm not going to put up as many pictures on here because A) It takes FOREVER!! and B) You can just check them out on Facebook!

So last week was Carnival. It's basically their Halloween. Everyone gets dressed up and parties a lot! Last Tuesday my friends and I dressed up and went down to Sitges for the night. Sitges is beautiful, it's right on the water with lots of beaches. I dressed as a cave woman, Jody was an Indian (some guy in the metro said, "How" and placed his hand over his mouth...imitating an Indian? Who knows? It was funny.) , Erin was a rag doll, and Rachel was a hula girl! We looked cute, but I don't have any pictures because I didn't want to bring my camera and get it stolen...the program warned us. HOWEVER, the next day...
After a long night, not much sleep, and just a stressful week in general, I was standing under the Arc de Triumph with Jody, waiting for my intercambio, Alba. I usually carry my wristlet in my backpack, but I had it on my wrist because my phone was in it...in case Alba called. I was not being as careful as I should have been, I've kind of been slipping up. We've already been here for two months...crazy! Jody and I were laughing about something as usual...this girl can make me laugh for hours, it's great! Well, out of no where a little punk came speeding by on his bicicleta and snatched my wristlet off my wrist...it actually kind of hurt! He came right up to us, and practically ran us over. We were in such shock, we just looked at each other with no reaction. I don't think it completely hit me that he just stole my wallet. All of a sudden, Jody was like, "Let's get him!" I mean obviously there was no way we could catch him, but her aggresive attempt was thoughtful. She literally threw her backpack at me and started running, yelling, "Terminar el chico!" Got to love her! So this put a whole new twist to my day/week/life. Luckily, inside was only 20 euros, only one credit card (my debit card was thankfully at home), my cell phone, my keys (which Eli simply replaced that night at no cost to me, I think she felt bad), my metro pass (that was probably the most valuable, besides the actual wallet, because it still had two weeks of unlimited rides!), and few other silly things of no importance. Immediately I called my mom and had her cancel my credit card, the little punk didn't even have a chance to charge anything! I ended up finding Alba under the Arc, even though I was about twenty minutes late, but thank goodness I did, because she was such a help getting my life back together. She went with me to the police station, explained my situation, and even called the cell phone company to place a block on my cell phone. The police station was really busy at this time though, and they said it wasn't urgent so I decided I would go back on like Friday morning. I returned back to our school, I had to wait for my roommate Lisa to finish classes because I no longer had keys to get back into our building. We got home around nine, but Eli wasn't there, and we were starving. We ended up going to Fresco, a buffet, yes I said buffet, but I only go because it has an awesome salad bar (I like to think I'm not the stereotypically, "fat" American, which we are commonly referred to as in Europe)!! When we got home Eli was waiting. I explained my day and she told me not to worry. She gave me new keys and called her Mom, who told her that there was a police station very close to our apartment. Eli decided to take me that night at about eleven...kind of late, but it was nice to file the report and just get it over with. I still haven't gotten a new cell phone, but I'm planning on soon. My week continued to get worse, so it wasn't at the top of my list.

As I mentioned before, my Grandma's health was failing and she ended up passing away last Thursday, February 26. I'm sad, but I know she went peacefully, which I am very happy about. However, when I found out the news, I think I finally hit my breaking point. I'm one of those people who hold their emotions in, and when I finally let them out, they really come out...not always the best strategy, I don't suggest this. I knew she was failing, which had already made me sad, I had just gotten my wallet/part of my life stolen, and I was stressing over midterms and papers for the next week. So badly I wanted to be at home with my family, but I know that my Grandma and my family want me to be here and continue with my experience. I am so thankful for the friends I've made here. Without them, I could not have made it through this week. It is hard for me to think though that my Grandma will not be at the Care Center, five minutes from home in White Bear Lake, or sitting in the big chair next to the T.V. in our family room, where you can commonly find her at family events. She always sat so pleasantly, crossword puzzle in hand, just observing. Her alzheimers were really bad, and I know she didn't know who I was, or many others that she didn't see on a regular basis, and she talked very little unless you made conversation with her. I've never said anything, but I really admire my Dad. He would visit her almost every day, it may have only been for a short period, but at least he did, and I know my Grandma remembered him. And my Mom, who works at the Care Center, would also check on her regularly. Maybe it's because I am away from home and I miss them of course, but I don't say enough how much I appreciate my parents!

A complete change of subject...My best friends from the U are coming this weekend!!! I am SO EXCITED! Kristen gets in tomorrow night and Sara and Tara will be here on Friday! After the week I've had, nothing could be better!