"Wow, has it been a crazy week! Last Saturday - February 5th - I found out that Spain had accepted me as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student! Talk about a good birthday present!! Monday was my birthday - Sweet 16! ...On Friday I applied for my passport! It should come in the mail in about six weeks . . ."
That actually doesn't seem so long ago. I can remember this time last year pretty well: I was addicted to reading blogs like this, hoping to find something new about foreign exchange. I was checking my email daily, multiple times, in hopes of finding out my city or my host family or SOMETHING! Spain was always on my mind -- I mean ALWAYS on my mind. I couldn't believe that I was actually going to do this; everything seemed so unreal. In many ways, I didn't know what to expect! Now, I've been in Spain for almost four and a half months! I look back on older posts and see that I've changed, but probably for the better. Now I wonder what things will be like, one year from this time.
Back to life in Spain though. Tuesday was my 17th birthday, and it was lovely. I was hugged and kissed and sang to all day long, and I don't think I could've asked for a better day! Here in Spain, you're basically attacked with love on your birthday and it's pretty amazing. My class sang Happy Birthday to me in Spanish, and then proceeded to sing to me in English, which was actually quite humerous. I love those guys. My host family gave me a new camera since my other one broke, and it's awesome! I got to choose what we had for dinner, so we went out for Chinese. Let me tell you, it was delicious.
Four other of my friends had birthdays last week as well, so for two weeks or so we had a big party planned for Friday. Buuuut it didn't work out and I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty disappointed. Overall though, my birthday was an amazing day. I received mountains of cards and letters from home, as well as a mini Pillow Pet from my mom! It means so much to me when I receive stuff from home!! I feel so incredibly blessed.
I've kind of been on what you could call an exchange "high" for a while, until Saturday. I don't know why exactly, but I was sort of depressed this weekend, as well today. I'm a bit sick, I miss home, and Spanish is... well Spanish. I Skyped with my family last night, and it was so so so so nice talking to them. I'm missing out on a year with them, and that part of exchange really makes me sad. When I get back home, I know I'll have a new appreciation for being able to live with my family.
I started the running club last week, and I think it's going to work out pretty nice. I'm not in shape yet, but I look forward to being able to do races when I am! Also last week, I started Spanish lessons (two times a week for an hour) outside of school. I really like my tutor; she's fun and enjoys learning languages with music. So, right now we're translating/studying one of my favorite Spanish songs, "La Niña Que Llora En Tus Fiestas" by La Oreja De Van Gogh.
Other than that, not too much is going on. I'm going to Ireland in a week and a half!! I can't wait! Also, Carnaval is soon! Valentine's Day is tomorrow. Here in Spain, if you wear a red article of clothing on Valentine's Day, that means you're in love with someone. However, I haven't found my "Fransisco" here, so I don't think I'll have any red tomorrow.
I think that's all for now.
Talk to you soon!
Josie
xoxo
P.S. I successfully got my haircut last week (only a trim) and I'm really proud of myself for doing so because hairdressers plus miscommunication due to language barriers could be deadly. But I lived.
"La Niña Que Llora En Tus Fiestas" by La Oreja De Van Gogh
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