Martes, 20 de Enero

Just got back from intensivo. I LOVE it! We learned a bunch of gestures, communicating things like, “come here” and “pay up,” “be careful,” etc. We also learned some curse words and words for “cute” and “cool” that students would use. It’s fascinating learning about the culture and what is considered good or bad mannered. There is so much room for misunderstanding between our two cultures!! In the states, we smile at one another to say hi, but here, if a woman smiles at a man it’s considered flirting and communicates that she likes him. Hope I don’t make this mistake! Last night was pretty low key. Allison and I ate dinner (my fav so far) in the kitchen. Asuncion made us ham and cheese omelets, chicken from lunch, and salad (this time with apple slices too), bread, and a weird tasting wedge of cheese. After dinner we watched Mira Que Baile! (Spanish equivalent to Dancing with the stars) with Asencion. This seems to be her favorite show. We’re getting to know each other better I think. She said she’s been housing students for 20 years because she’s old and gets sad without kids around…aww. We went to bed around 12:15 and I slept through the night since I didn’t have my siesta nap…thank goodness!
I had my first churros y chocolate today. AMAZING. Several of us went to a nearby café during our intensivo break. They’re fried dough sticks that you dip in a mug of melted chocolate. I shouldn’t have tried these so early in the trip. Today for siesta lunch we had paella with shrimp and chicken, so delicious. Then, Allison and I mailed postcards at the post office and headed to the university library to use the wireless internet there. The door to the library is so conspicuous. It’s very small and made of dark wood. You have to step up and inside to get into the modern library behind it. Cool. Now I’m at the JMU office watching the inauguration with several other students and pretending like I don’t hate Obama. Later we will go out to celebrate (?). I may just go buy a bottle of wine! Ha.