The best way to cheer up when classes, school, and host families suck

A menú del día.

While a healthy (read: not healthy) serving of red wine. Arroz a la cubana (this time with a banana!) and huevos with tomato sauce and chorizo (not so good chorizo though). Sitting back and relaxing, the itis sinking in. Icing on cake, The Simpsons on T.V. How fun. That's how those extremely dull literature classes that convinced me that I really do have ADD were wiped from my mind and I was in a state of bliss (which apparently the closest Spanish word is éxtasis). 

But then I had to teach those kids. No bigs, just had to play a board game I made up with them for an hour, then back to the good life. Headed out to a new favorite café, Café Continental, which is where I'm at still, three hours later. They have WiFi, how cool? Oh, and cheap mojitos--though I see why they're cheap, they taste less than good. Ungood if you will. They use spiced rum instead of the traditional (and in this case, better tasting) white rum. The juice, I am told, is not good here as well, and the margarita is more like a martini than a margarita, which really isn't a problem but it's just false advertising. 

Been spending the afternoon flying through homework so I don't have to do it tomorrow or Thursday (no more homework for the rest of the week and it's only Tuesday)...so tomorrow, no tutoring, no homework--going to hopefully spend the day attempting to write something cool. Perhaps a short story, perhaps the beginning (or middle! or end!) of a book. 

Was spending the rest of the afternoon looking at my possible classes for next semester then for this summer and next year back in Madison. I only have 40 more credits to graduate. Sure, I could just graduate with a Spanish major, but I want to do LACIS too so I don't feel like a complete bum. And I want to take some French but that would just prolong my stay in Madison (not that that would be a bad thing, it's just I don't know when Obama's $4,000 tuition credit is going to be cutting in). If that does happen to happen though, perhaps I'll just ride out a few more years in school just learning stuff I want to. Already planning on taking more creative writing classes when I get back. Every time I look at my schedule and plans I think I know what the heck is going on and get a huge headache then look at it the next day and I feel completely lost again.

But hey. 

Wifi (pronounced WEE-FEE) troubles

Only got 12 minutes on my battery before it dies. Fast. Okay.

Met family today. Larger piso than I imagined. Very close to town center. Good lunch and dinner, if small. Has grandchildren whom I met today. Her son in Madrid visits every weekend. Her daughter in Alcalá visits much more. Just met her a few minutes ago.

Went to McDonalds in search of Wifi, Starbucks was closed. Bought a very shitty beer, Mahou, and the internet wouldn't even work on a Mac. Didn't even finish the beer. So now I'm at a internet café on Calle Mayor drinking another very bad beer (not as bad as Mahou though). At least this Wifi works.

So much to talk about, not much time.

Slept way too much today. Before lunch, after, before dinner. Very tired here. Had café with Samuel, fun times. Enjoying everything so far. Music in the Plaza Cervantes tonight. Haven't listened to my own music since the plane ride. Starting to miss the States a bit, or at least some people in it. The atmosphere here is wonderful, especially at night. More or less I feel very safe. I love strolling down the narrow corridors. Wonderful times. It can get a bit hot during the day, then again I'm a weakling when it comes to heat. Looking forward to winter, though I'm told it's very mild. Next to no snow.

First field trip is to Asturias. Exciting, up north. Oh wow, this is a horrible beer. I've had maybe a few ounces of my half liter. Want to meet more people. Have a feeling most Spaniards don't like us. Host mother said different, that plenty actually like Americans, at least more so than the French. Got to go, juice is running out. Once I have time I'll get back and type more.

Hasta luego (no one says adios here...)