Thursday Kelly & I went shopping and out to lunch before class. I bought a black turtleneck & a white scarf for pretty cheap. It seems pretty easy to find cheap stores here - especially in El Centro - the main shopping district. But I really really need to buy a coat that is warmer than my peacoat or Columbia and will withstand all the stinkin rain! But we had class and then I just came back home and did some homework before Elizabeth was going to come. I ended up eating dinner with my host mom's granddaughter - Paula. She was pretty cute, I would guess around Amanda's age - so of course I was a little kid again - I couldn't understand anything she said but we played some game with placemats and our empty yogurt containers, haha. I think my host mom was really happy we were bonding. This girl just had a great time & laughed & laughed - I guess something about my "ojos azules" (blue eyes) but I don't really know. But then Elizabeth arrived around 10pm, we hung out at Kelly & Maria's apartment since she couldn't stay with me & she got to meet some of my friends.
We've started having morning class on Friday - our teacher requested it so we can travel. It's alot better but it was kind of hard to get up for 9am class that would last until 1245pm! I'm glad we got it out of the way though. Anyways, Elizabeth tried to come meet us but it was raining super hard & she only got halfway walking - which it was a dumb idea to walk anyways cause its a really long walk. I ended up having to meet her on the way back to my apartment on the bus & we found a cute little taberna to eat at. Then we just hung out for the afternoon catching up. That night we went to dinner at this place my teacher had good mexican. Most of the food here is pretty bland & they don't like spicy (i'm definitely not opposed). But Elizabeth was excited to have a burrito & I had a chicken burger - yum! Then we just hung out for the night at my friends' apartment. I ended up trying to go home around 1 since we were going to Bilbao for the day Saturday but my host mom had locked my out since I thought I was staying at my friends' so I had to come back & sleep at their apartment.
Saturday we were planning on leaving around 9 to go to Bilbao for the day (an hour & 1/2 bus ride away) so I woke up at 7 to go back to my apartment to get ready. We had received an e-mail from USAC saying not to go outside between 6pm & 6am because of 90mph winds! So I tried going home & I really think the winds were just about that strong. So we all ended up going back to sleep - after I had to pound on the door, ring the doorbell & call my host mom to finally let me in - and we didn't get up until like 11. But I had to trek back over to their apartment with the awful wind & rain! Elizabeth & I went out to get lunch & ended up buying a baguette & lunch meat so we made our own sandwiches! I felt bad that we weren't doing anything so we took a bus around town & I tried to show her some sights but the weather was just awful. Then we tried to walk around later & couldn't. But finally we went out around 5pm & made it to the shopping area - we had to fight the wind, it was kinda humorous. We stood on the bridge & everyone was watching the waves & we all ran away when they splashed up. But we shopped - I bought 2 more cheap turtlenecks at one of her favorite stores - Bershka! And then we met up with Maria Kelly & Heather. We went out for pintxos (tx = ch) and that was fun! They're just little portions - we had some little salad things, some bread with like meat and cheese on them and even some seafood. Then we got ice cream which was delicious! Then Elizabeth & I just hung out - watched some of the office that Kelly had. Pretty American but it was fun.
Elizabeth & I in the midst of the storm!
Today we just got up and showered & I showed Elizabeth my apartment. Surprisingly (i thought i couldn't bring anyone home) my host mom loved meeting her & made us coffee & gave us some cookies. It was pretty fun the three of us talking spanish. Then we had quite the adventure. My umbrella broke because the wind & rain was soo bad and she didn't bring an umbrella and i didn't have time to buy another. We had to walk to this certain bus stop today to get on a bus to go to the airport - it was still raining so we got DRENCHED but we had to - and we had to get on a bus at 1, so we basically ran there & got there right at 1 and it wasn't there so she kinda started freaking out cause the next bus didn't come until 2 & it was a 30min. drive & her plane left at 2:55 & a taxi to the airport costs like 30 euros. SO we stood there drenched & cold & tried to communicate to the old ladies to try and figure it out & the bus was just 15mins late & then we didn't know what stop to get off on & she kept asking people cause she was so paranoid but we finally got there & she made it on time. Then I missed the next bus back to San Sebastian & ended up sitting in the airport doing homework for an hour or so and finally got on the bus & got back to my apartment (wet & freezing) around 5pm!
One of the pinxtos we tried - bread with meat, cheese & a red pepper - yum!
So NOW i'm sitting on my computer in a cafe close to my apartment. I've been skyping alot of friends & just catching up on things. It was good talking to my parents on skype today and a few Tulsa friends! Tomorrow morning hopefully I'll finally get my gym membership since it hasn't been opened when I've had free time and I start my basque folkdance class tomorrow night!
Oh, and my friends & I got really into planning out our travels, so here are my tentative weekend plans:
Jan. 30 - South France (Biarritz & Bordeaux) with USAC people
Feb. 6 - Portugal with USAC people
Feb. 20 - Germany or South Spain with USAC people cause we have a 4-5 day weekend!
Feb. 27 - Barcelona with Jessica & Elizabeth
March 13 - Ireland with Jessica
March 19 - Vienna & Prague - with Jessica, Elizabeth & maybe USAC people since we have a 4 day weekend (a few of my Tulsa friends are studying there)
March 27 - Elizabeth wants to go to Portugal but if I go in February I won't go
April 3 - 19 is my spring break - Italy to see my friend in Florence and hang out with Jessica in Rome then go over to Greece for a few days
April 24 - USAC excursion to Burgos
May 1 - possibly south Spain with USAC people if I don't go in February
May 8 - last day of class
May 11, 12 & 13 - final exams
May 15 - back to the US!
My oh my...I am jealous of all the travels.. You are soooooooooooo lucky!
ReplyDeletehaha seeing our weather adventure all written out makes it seem all the more ridiculous! I had such a great time- thanks for having me!
ReplyDeleteOh and I looked at your travel itinerary, and I'm wanting to go to Ireland March 13 as well, so see you in Dublin baby! Oh and see you in Barcelona before that! Life is good.