The Past Week: Tanning, Tapas, Talking, and Torta-making

Sorry for no update in a long time! The weather has been so nice that I have been going to the park almost every day to get some sun! I have gotten burned once but we are all getting pretty tan :) We go to Park Rodeo and lay in the grass next to a fountain and if you close your eyes, the fountain sounds like the ocean. Also, there is usually a bit of a breeze and that sprinkles us with little drops of water. Just like being at the beach. I could seriously live at Park Rodeo in the sun for the rest of the time here and be content!

Last Wednesday, we went to Salamanca on an excursion with all of the Americans. We saw the University which has been there for like 700 or more years. It is the oldest university in Spain and is where my host sister Maria studies. We found the frog on one of the faces of the main building, which is supposed to make you lucky. We also visited the cathedral which was beautiful as always. Saw the Plaza Mayor and a park and that was about it. I really liked Salamanca and I wish the semester in Spain program was there instead!!

On Thursday, we had class, I taught the ninos, went to Parque Principe, and then we went out at night. We started at a bar in the Plaza Mayor which is finally open (it was under construction before) and then went to Corral and Divina Comedia and eventually got in to the Cameron (the best discoteca in Caceres) for free by saying that we were Erasmus students. Normally we would have to pay 6 euro, so that was a good deal! Casey and I were going to try to stay out all night and get churros at 8am but we got too tired and went home around 4:15am.

On Friday, Casey and I got churros and then went around Caceres to visit different medical buildings to try to get info about the medical system in Spain. We went to the Red Cross, a hospital, and a clinic. We didn't get too much info but it was lots of fun looking around. We had to make a presentation for my phonetics class and decided to do it on medicine since we both want to work in the medical field. We worked on our presentation some and then I went to Parque Rodeo with Shea. At night, we went shopping at the mall but it was mainly a looking trip. We bought a cake mix and salad and Casey, Courtney, Lizzy, and I had supper at my house since my host family was gone. We had fried eggs (courtesy of Lizzy), sauteed mushrooms (courtesy of Courtney), delicious salad (courtesy of Casey), and a goat cheese and spinach pizza (courtesy of my host family-what I was supposed to eat for supper). We also made a chocolate cake (called torta in Spanish) and put Hershey's kisses in it. That's what made it good! Between the four of us, we ate the whole thing :)

On Saturday, we went to the Feria de Extregusta, which was a tapas fair in the central part of Caceres. There were TONS of people there and like 70 different tapas we could try. Tapas are like appetizers. I had a chicken empanada with some sort of fruit sauce on top, a hamburger (best European burger yet...almost like a hamburger from the US!), and this AMAZING chocolate dessert in a cup! It was all really good! After the tapas fair, I went to the park with Shea for an hour and then went home to work more on my presentation I gave on Monday in my phonetics class.

On Sunday, I went to Mass at Fatima with Lizzy. In the afternoon, I went to Parque Rodeo with Shea for 2.5 hours. This was the day I got a sunburn. When I got back home, my host family had returned and they were so concerned that I was sunburned. I really don't think it is that bad and not as big of a deal as they make it. Oh well. I'll be wearing long clothes around home for the next couple days. I finished my presentation and practiced with Casey.

On Monday, we gave our presentation, which went pretty well! We didn't get a grade yet but I don't think our professor will be too hard on us. I Skyped mom and dad for the final times yesterday. Then, I went to the park with Shea and Claire. Last night, Casey and I had an intercambio and practiced our Spanish with 3 adults from Caceres who are trying to learn English. It was a very good experience! We were a bit surprised that the people were adults but it was really fun talking to them and one of the ladies is going to introduce us to her son and his friends from Caceres who are our age when we get back from Semana Santa so that should be fun! They all wanted to learn English so that when they travel, they can understand things. I had never thought about that before-there is always a sign in English but not always other languages. After our intercambio, we went home for supper and then went out to celebrate Courtney's 21st birthday!!

Today, I went to my classes and am getting ready to go teach the ninos one more time. We are learning about animals today and I am going to teach them the Old MacDonald and I'm Going on a Bear Hunt songs. I will probably go to the park for a bit. I also need to go to the mall and pack for Italy/Barcelona! WE LEAVE TOMORROW!!!! SOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!! Visiting Rome is on the list of things I want to do before I die and I am so excited to have this opportunity!!!

We will be in Italy from Wednesday night-Monday morning. We plan to see the Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica, Tomb of St. Peter, Colliseum, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, and the Trevi Fountain. We are planning on going to Psalm Sunday Mass at St. Peter's and will hopefully meet up with Jeff Dole who is a seminarian studying in Rome right now (he used to go to ISU). I am also hoping to see my friend Abby who is studying abroad in Ireland but will be in Italy during the weekend. I'm also hoping to have lots of pasta, pizza, and gelato!

In Barcelona, we are planning on visiting the Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell, the beach :), and Las Ramblas. We will be in Barcelona during the last FC Barcelona v. Real Madrid soccer game so we will definitely be going to a bar or somewhere to watch the game! Those two teams are the biggest rivals in Spain, and I hope Real Madrid wins!!!

We will return to Caceres next Friday so there definitely won't be any blog updates until at least then! I am SO excited! This next week is going to be something I will NEVER forget!!

Goodbye!!!