Here, when you are some place, it is very difficult to take in the beauty around you and absorb it as it happens.
There is also something about learning a new language that does something to your brain-it doesn't stop functioning per se, but, it reevaluates the way you look at the world with words. Because words were created to describe what is happening around us. But, maybe, just maybe, we use too many... we make things more complicated, by dictating everything, than it needs to be.
On Saturday, BIM (Big Irish Mike), Mateó (Matt), and I took the bus to Plaza de Cuba to go to Bar Phoenix.
We were rushing as to not miss the game and got distracted in the process. As we boarded the bus, the door abruptly shut and I was using my bus card to pay for us. Not paying attention to the methodology behind the bus card, I stuck it in the first slot I saw. But, as I slid it in, the sliding factor I had expected to occur was absent... It got stuck. Standing helpless at the front of the bus in front of a bus full of patrons, the conductor proceeded to yell, "Que haces? No le toque. No le toque." The only response I could produce was one of sincere apology and shame "LO SIENTO! LO SIENTO!" Yes.. you would guess it. I caused a bus to stop in the middle of his route in order to fix la maquina that I had clearly sabotaged. Without the three hours of sleep underneath my belt, this behavior would be unjustifiable. The night proceeded the same at the bar and tapas...when experiencing cultural and language barriers your brain melts and oozes. Pues, that night was a great success--7 hours of sleep. Ready for the morning workout with Paqui, mi madre española. We went to the gym--she swam while I ran on the treadmill. And while pacing my stride and watching a local futbol game through the glass, I couldn't shake the smile off my face. I didn't get implants while here...No. The Euro conversion didn't work in my favor. Rather, the natural high is fabulous--new people, new things, new experiences, new ideas. Later that afternoon, during lunch I learned a few phrases and a bit more information about my family than I had consciously sought. In the process of learning how to peel an orange and how to say "peel an orange for me," I also learned that peeling an orange has a dual meaning...Think shake weight...and envision mi madre española making the shake weight motion...Yeah. That happened.
Every day is something different...today I started intensive Spanish classes in a local language school. I am one of 7 girls in the class, which makes it very easy to be heard and learn.
Ten un buen día. Make the best of it.
We were rushing as to not miss the game and got distracted in the process. As we boarded the bus, the door abruptly shut and I was using my bus card to pay for us. Not paying attention to the methodology behind the bus card, I stuck it in the first slot I saw. But, as I slid it in, the sliding factor I had expected to occur was absent... It got stuck. Standing helpless at the front of the bus in front of a bus full of patrons, the conductor proceeded to yell, "Que haces? No le toque. No le toque." The only response I could produce was one of sincere apology and shame "LO SIENTO! LO SIENTO!" Yes.. you would guess it. I caused a bus to stop in the middle of his route in order to fix la maquina that I had clearly sabotaged. Without the three hours of sleep underneath my belt, this behavior would be unjustifiable. The night proceeded the same at the bar and tapas...when experiencing cultural and language barriers your brain melts and oozes. Pues, that night was a great success--7 hours of sleep. Ready for the morning workout with Paqui, mi madre española. We went to the gym--she swam while I ran on the treadmill. And while pacing my stride and watching a local futbol game through the glass, I couldn't shake the smile off my face. I didn't get implants while here...No. The Euro conversion didn't work in my favor. Rather, the natural high is fabulous--new people, new things, new experiences, new ideas. Later that afternoon, during lunch I learned a few phrases and a bit more information about my family than I had consciously sought. In the process of learning how to peel an orange and how to say "peel an orange for me," I also learned that peeling an orange has a dual meaning...Think shake weight...and envision mi madre española making the shake weight motion...Yeah. That happened. 
Every day is something different...today I started intensive Spanish classes in a local language school. I am one of 7 girls in the class, which makes it very easy to be heard and learn.
Ten un buen día. Make the best of it.
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