1/13/2010

Current time: 4:30 PM
Today's high: 54 degrees Fahrenheit

Just came back from walking to and from the cathedral.  Not an easy trek, but definitely a short one.  Some of the way is uphill, but truly worth it.  I'm totally exhausted, and taking advantage of the siestas they have nearly every day.  Also adding some photos to the blog.

Tonight I'm going to meet up with Noemi, a friend of Carol, who was here last spring.  Joelle is definitely coming, and Abigail wants to, but she might not because she hasn't been feeling well today.  We're all going to meet at the cathedral I walked to earlier.  Then we'll go to the evangelical church Carol told me about (not the cathedral) for a kind of Bible study or coffee or something.  That reminds me... I love coffee with milk and sugar!  That's my breakfast drink, because it's the only way I'll get legitimate milk.

Also, it turns out I won't have to move.  The other girl really wants to stay with her madre, so I'm very thankful that it all worked out the way we wanted.  Thanks to all who've been praying!

So about what went on yesterday, since I didn't write much.

Yesterday was our first day of classes.  We were supposed to go to the building where our classes were held at 8:30 to see which level we were placed in.  I was placed into intermediate 3, which is the highest intermediate level.  There are three levels each of intermediate and advanced.

After finding out our levels, we were to report to the classes we wanted to take.  Joelle, myself, and a few other kids in the intermediate classes are taking the same classes, so we all have very similar schedules, and then everyone has at least one buddy in each class.  The schedules are really weird.  In the U.S. we have a set of classes that last an hour on M/W/F, and a set of classes that last an hour and a quarter on T/Th, but here we have five classes total, like at home, but they all meet three times a week for an hour, so I could have a class on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, for example.  And they are likely not to meet at the same time as the previous meeting.  Thankfully, it seems these classes should be easier for us to do well in than in the U.S.

After classes yesterday, a group of us met up by the hotel we stayed in to get mobile phones.  One of the girls' madres took us to a mall so we all got the same phone company.  I went so I could get everyone's numbers, and also to see if my phone worked, which it did, so no worries there.  However, I probably can't call to the U.S. without a specific phone plan, and I'm only on pay as you go. So far, I have about 240 minutes, but then I really don't know if that's right.

After the group got mobiles, we just wandered around the mall.  In one store, I found a Spanish version of Pride and Prejudice, which I bought.  My personal shopping is complete, now that I have P & P and a pair of boots.  Got the boots at a Chinatown - esque store earlier that day.  Might get one or two other things, but other than what I've got, I don't need anything else.  Will save money now for trips and gifts for U.S. family.

With mobiles going off and shopping done, some of the group went to a cafe/bar/pub kind of place.  A couple of people got beers, another got coffee with milk, and Abigail and I got churros and chocolate.  We shared our churros and chocolate with the others in our group.  Too late did we realize we should have split one churros and chocolate instead of each ordering her own.  Once beers were down, we went our separate ways, and Abigail and I walked back toward the university (currently our only well-known landmark) to go home while some others were planning to go out to the bars around 10:30.  It was tempting to go too, but Abigail and I made a pact that no matter what, we'd meet up and go the next time everyone went out.

All for now!  You readers should be caught up now!  Hasta la vista!