Happy Valentine's Day!

I will probably get into the habit of updating my blog on Sundays since it helps me in putting off all the homework I have to do that has accumulated over the week. Procrastination lives on...but this week(end) was pretty exciting due to Carnaval! But let me go chronologically:

I'm settling into the routine of things here in Toledo when it comes to classes and my schedule and stuff. Monday through Thursday pass by pretty normally with all my classes and homework and late nights writing papers. This past Tuesday at my service-learning job at the school I work at, I talked with the kids in English and gave each one a "grade" on how well they understood me and responded to me. I either gave mal, con dificultidad, bien, muy bien, and excelente grades lol. Some of the kids were actually very good, but most of them were probably really shy and nervous, even though I spoke very simply and slowly and tried to make them feel comfortable. It was pretty cool. Apparently I don't have to go this week because the kids don't have school Mon-Weds...so free time for me!

On Thursday I did something that I've wanted to do for a long time and I finally got up the balls to do it: get my nose pierced. My roommate Sara went with me, and she could tell you by how hard I was squeezing her hand that I was nervous for the pain lol. The piercing place was very close and the guy who did it for me was very nice and professional...I'm really glad I did it. I like the way it looks but it is still healing, so I have to clean it and deal with the swelling. But yeah for more new experiences!

Friday there was a program trip to El Escorial, which is about 20 minutes or so outside of Madrid. It is a giant monument/museum where all the Spanish royalty is buried and there is a church, school, lots of art, library, courtyards, etc inside it. We went on a guided tour through it which was cool to see, but we weren't allowed to take pictures inside so that's a bummer. After that we went to lunch at a restaurant by the museum where we had less than mediocre food and service, but maybe we were just hungry and demanding since it was 2pm and we hadn't really eaten anything all day. After we got home from Escorial, we napped and got ready to go out on the town.

So this weekend all over Spain, there was a festival called Carnaval. It is pretty much the exact same thing as Halloween in the United States, but it lasts the whole weekend. I bought a cheap 3€ disfraz (costume) as el diablo for Friday night, and then I switched with Sara for her cat costume for Saturday. Friday we went out to a few clubs and danced and saw some costumes, and it was a pretty normal night out. Last night though was the big party! In the Plaza de Zocodover, they set up a huge stage for an all night concert, where a band played a good mix of Spanish and American music. That was really fun to go right up to the stage amidst a hoard of people in all sorts of costumes and just dance and have a good time. McDonalds was open so we all gave in and got some food, and just hung out and danced until around 4 in the morning (although lots of people stayed out much later than that haha). It was one of the coolest experiences of my life, and I'm glad I can say that I have been to Carnaval in Spain!

Well this coming week will be a pretty relaxed one; we have midterms not this week, but the next one, so there will be a lot of studying to do. I will write more about my classes in the days to come!

Time to get stuff done! Until next time!

Angie