A Toast to Tres Pilares!

So March has begun, the windiest month of the year in Spain. It's so powerful I literally sway from side to side on my walks to class now. Naturally, the month of April follows, which is the rainiest. I've been told that May is then the most beautiful...good thing we leave May first!

It's been a pretty laid back week since we returned to Salamanca from our weekend in Barcelona. Among the more exciting aspects of this week have been my yoga sessions in the bathroom, "swamp soup" (cabbage, onion, and spinach slop) and carne picado (new fav!! much like meatballs) for siesta, and a return to Atahualpa. Atahualpa is the bar we congregated at our first night in Sal and it was an extremely bittersweet experience. Memories of spending that semi-awkward first night at this bar (to which we arrived around 11pm...majorly lame) with people I didn't know, came flooding back to me, making me realize how long I've been in Spain and how quickly my time here is slipping away. This having been said, it was much more fun this time. I know, and love, everyone in the group, and we arrived at a much more acceptable Spanish time, about 12:30. We all enjoyed dancing to old rap music from the 7th grade...they're a little behind in this area. Also noteworthy is that Allison met a Spanish man named Carlos. Her story is that she was just doing the robot (totally normal, right?) and he came up and asked for her number. She's got game for sure. Carlos called her today and wants to meet up. Spanish men are so persistent! I think just about every girl in our group has some doting Spaniard after her. HA! 

After we enjoyed the Barre Libre for 3.80 euros, Alex, Colleen, and I met up with our Carnavales amigos (Cesar, Edu, and Natalio) at Imprenta. Next, we headed to one of the biggest bars I've been to yet in Sal. As soon as we walked in and I saw the stage I thought to myself, "Uh oh, I love stages." Yep, within 30 minutes, Alex and I were up there dancing away. One of the things I will miss most about Spain is definitely the dancing...probably one of the only reasons I haven't become completely obese here. Got home around 5am...I'm half expecting to get strep again. Thankfully, I only have one class at 1pm on Fridays. It was pretty funny seeing my entire class with seemingly-permanent CERVEZA stamps on our hands. 

Yesterday, I met Natalio in La Plaza Mayor at 12:30 (12:45 Spanish time) for coffee. It only took a wallpost, facebook message, instant message, and a text for me to agree to go. I really wasn't kidding when I said Spanish men were persistent. Originally Alex and Colleen had promised they would come along, but Alex got sick and Colleen had class. Oh well. He took me to a really cute cafe near the University, where we sipped cafe con leches and talked for over an hour. Of course he doesn't speak more than four words of English so this proved an excellent chance for me to practice my Spanish. He asked me all about my Barcelona trip and I made sure to mention all the fun I had with my boyfriend there. Although I'm making him out to be a little creepy, he's really not. He's SO nice and I'm always grateful for a chance to ask questions and practice speaking with real Spaniards. It's so cool to finally be at the point where I can have full fledged conversations in Spanish that aren't limited to talking about the weather, how old I am, and little else. It's so neat to be able to talk about Politics, Religion, aspirations, experiences, and most importantly, to be able to joke with one another. 

Today, we had siesta lunch with Yolanda (2) and Lucia (4), our madre's adorable granddaughters. They are so funny especially because they really stress out cranky old Luis. I think they're finally starting to warm up to me too. I like talking to little kids because I feel like we're on a similar Spanish language level. We had rice soup, Bacaloa (fish) with tomato sauce, fruit, bread, and HAGEN DAZ dulce de leche ice cream!! WOW painfully delicious. Love you madre.

After a beautiful 2 hour siesta nap, I'm now at Cafe del Arte with Alex and Allison (RUSH OF ADRENALINE wooo!) enjoying cafes con leche and churros con chocolate mmm. Tonight, I'm meeting some girls at Birdland, a nearby jazz bar, for a relaxed evening. I've never been, but have heard it's really GUAY.

Tomorrow and Sunday we have several scheduled group activities touring monuments and such around Salamanca...should be fun. Mas tarde!