The grass IS greener...

I know, I know. I have been a blog-posting slacker! But the past few days have passed so quickly. Does life continue to move exponentially faster every day? Because I need it to slow down.

Biggest news: WE MOVED HOUSES!.... AND WE LOVE OUR NEW CASERA. Change is a very good thing. We took a risk in moving homes, and God worked everything out for a better situation than we could have imagined. I am very thankful.
I never wrote really of my experience at the former home. I just told you that her name was Tania and we lived with 13 other people. So before I give details of just how wonderful our new home is, allow me to cast a picture of what we´ve come from...
I, trying to be an optimist, never admitted that it was uncomfortable (also in part because I did not know what was normal for students studying abroad). Yet, this case is perfect evidence of when it´s okay to admit you got the shaft. Nine girls shared a bathroom. My roommate and I could not stand between our beds at the same time, and our twin beds were against the wall. There was no living room, dining room, or den. We were not allowed to visit with the other students in their rooms. Girls could never use the boys´bathroom, even in an emergency. (One time Tori was using the restroom and Tania burst open the door screaming for her to get out... she couldn´t exactly just leave in that moment.) Also, did you notice I never mentioned the food at Tania´s? I ALWAYS talk about food! It was awful. Jordan did not eat dinner for 5 days, ha. Furthermore, Tania lied to us on several occasions. She said it was not her job to provide us towels (those things are expensive when you do not know where to shop on your first night in Madrid but have been on a plane for 10 hours and long for a shower) and also told us the school policy said we had to pay her 20€ ($30/month) for internet...LIE. It smelled terrible in the home and she was very pushy. VERY pushy. None of us were comfortable.

Dr. Sanchez (program coordinator, Southern Miss faculty) asked us how we were enjoying our home. We mentioned a few details and he was quite angered. He is such a kind-hearted man (from Spain) who truly wants every student to enjoy her experience. And within 30 minutes he had found us a new home! We had to rush home, pack our bags and leave. The school told Tania that she was not allowed to host students anymore and that our driver would be at her door within a few hours. She was furious and those last few minutes packing were quite uncomfortable. Thrilled when the van finally arrive, we felt like DHS came to pick us up!

And the grass is MUCH greener on the other side of Madrid! Our new home: a 67 year old lady (who looks 50!) named Teresa. She lives alone in a gorgeous home on the 9th floor of this beautiful building. We have an incredible view of Madrid and plenty of space! Her mother lived with her but was recently moved to a nursing home. She has one son and two grandchildren. Teresa is classy, kind, and a fantastic cook! She takes pride in hosting and that makes such a difference. The three of us are all in one room and I have more space to place my belongings than I know what to do with. It really is wonderful. She serves us a great dinner each night. First, we always have delicious soup. Secondly, homeade deliciousness. And third, dessert! Oh, and the best part is, she makes American coffee in the morning! She too finds the coffee here too strong. We are pretty much best friends! Tuesday morning I had a cup of coffee when I woke up and it was the first day I stayed awake the entire time in my four hour class. If you know me, you know how amazing that is! We are very, very happy.

If there were a drawback, it would be that the house is significantly farther away from our school. But Í´ll make the sacrifice because... gues what! There is an even BIGGER and BETTER park next to me! I pretty much lived in the previous one and I will spend every moment possible in this one, El Parque de Retiro. I am not sure how large it is, but larger than our Southern Miss campus. It has a lake with row boats within the park! There are multiple playgrounds for children and fitness equipment for adults. Bird sanctuaries, a massive rose garden, temples, festivals, etc. I ran today in it for half an hour and did not even see a third of the space. I am looking forward to exploring the rest.
School continues to be challenging... but of course I enjoy that. Our first test is Tuesday, we´ll review on Monday. I think I will do well. Four of my classmates and I are headed to Alicante (a city near Valencia) for Thursday thru Sunday. We are stoked! We will ride a train and found a great hotel only meters from the shoreline. I am looking forward to sleeping in and laying around for a few days. I think I´ll learn Spanish much easier in the sand, right?

We will be safe and wise. Actually, that is the reason I am not going to Morocco. I had my heart set on visiting Africa, since Tangier and Spain are only 9 miles apart. However, after asking the locals for their advice on visiting Morocca their response quickly changed my mind. They pointed to my hair and said, ´´you will be changed for camel.´´ Point taken. Plans cancelled.

Also, things have been much better with our teacher, Lorena. I truly enjoy class. Poor Lorena has both Jordan Hahn and me in class. We are such clowns and I know she wants to tape our mouths shut. How is it that I still talk so much when I do not even know how to speak the language?
Oh, I almost forgot! I went to a bullfight Monday night! Yes, the ultimate expression of Spain´s heritage (and the equivalent to American football, or maybe WWF, ha). The ´´stadium´´ was built in the early part of the twentieth century and the ´´pregame´´ atmosphere was incredible. Felt just like a professional sporting event. We were so excited and everyone´s energy was high... and then the bull came out, was brutally stabbed multiples times, vomitted blood, guts hanging out as the audience applauded and I cried my eyes out. I HATED IT. I knew going into it that I would feel that way, but I wanted to give the experience a chance. It was disgusting. I get sick thinking of it. I do, however, enjoy the sociological analysis of why this is entertainment, but it is not enough to take away the naseau. I would not ever wish for a human to be harmed, but there is not doubt about it... I was cheering for that bull. Humans: 6, Bulls: 0.  Renee said, ´´ya know, you would think one day those bulls would realize what´s going on. I mean, do they not think, ´Hey, Bernardo never came back. ´´´ We laughed in agreement. I kept wondering what my Papa would think. Probably that it is a waste of money and that bulls were meant for eating, not killing for entertainment. I would agree.

My laptop decided it did not want to connect to the internet anymore (so frustrating!) so I am using Teresa`s computer. Therefore, I can not post pictures until later. Know that I am perfectly safe, happy, and very, VERY thankful for this experience. My mind is constantly processing life in Madrid and I will have stories to tell for years. Thank you for taking the time to listen to some of them tonight.

God´s grace and be with you.

and much love from Madrid...