January 31, 2009

Eh-heh-hem *clears throat* Welcome back. You’d think after being gone for three days (three days was it? Something like that?) I would have good stories to tell you or something like that. Well…two of the days that are conveniently missing detail not particularly happy days so I’ll spare you from those. In part that might have been due to some unnecessary thinking on my part (surprise, surprise) but all the same. I should really give yesterday it’s own post, and for my own sake I might try and write that up as I do have write ups on my two other days (one of them is actually in Spanish though ‘cause I was doing it during class so that one wouldn’t even do you any good).

So today then. Today I woke up throughout the morning and promptly went back to sleep as one should do on a Saturday morning, though I could only sleep until 9:45 which is early in my book. When I realized, however, that I had gone to bed an hour before midnight I was able to forgive myself a little as it’s not like I’m entirely losing my ability to sleep in on the weekends, so much as the hours that I am choosing to sleep are changing. Hopefully when I get back to the States this whole getting up in the morning won’t be such a problem (the problem being that I am in fact getting up while it’s still AM hours, just in case that part wasn’t clear).

So I got up, and got dressed, and generally just loafed around in my room on my computer. Learned the word rastrear which was rather helpful in my internet searching but otherwise nothing really note-able. Then there was a knock on my door, the lady who cleans up in my room wanted to know if I was awake and if she could clean, so I went outside and let her do her thing (give me new sheets and such). Biko tried to eat me, effectively. She wasn’t going to have anything to do with my being on the computer.

Chelsea and I went for a walk, just walking around her neighborhood up and down the streets. We talked about studying abroad. She has much more noble reasons for being here than I do. She didn’t really come to improve Spanish; she came because she felt like God was telling her to be here. Which is pretty excellent of her, I think. On the other hand the reason why I’m here which involves the higher than me power known as Susquehanna University saying they won’t give me my degree if I don’t dulls just a little bit in comparison. And we talked about how we might be different than most people who study abroad (since, you know, we’re not out partying every night). Somehow I think I’m still failing a little at this whole study abroad thing. Like you’re supposed to go have the time of your life while you’re abroad, and it’s supposed to be so excellent and I’m managing to wish my Friday night involved bothering my college buddies into doing something so I’m not bored. Huh, well at least I’m not missing your freezing cold weather. Oh and did I mention I’m also speaking mostly English (like 90% English, 10% Spanish) so it’s not like my Spanish is making leaps and bounds or anything either. So much for that goal.

Ehm, so about the day though. So we walked around which was good and then I went back to my casa and had lunch with my family. Then I popped into the shower and realized that my RISK withdrawal could actually be relatively easily solved with the cooperation of my dear friends from school and Facebook. Which was a wonderful revelation. Not much here in the way of board games which tends to occupy a decent amount of time while I’m up at school.

Then I spent some time chatting on the phone with my family. Actually created a budget for being here (definitely a good idea and I would highly recommend this to anyone planning on studying abroad haha). No but for real that was pretty sweet.

Theeeeeen I went with Chelsea, her mom and her host sister to this other mall. We thought we might see a movie but decided it’d be better if we went on Monday to a matinee instead. 50 pesos instead of 80. Definitely more agreeable. But that meant that we had to take a bus back to the casas…which was confusing ‘cause we actually needed to take two and we weren’t super clear on the directions. So we went to el centro on the first bus and then took the reliable old 52 Norte back to the casas.

On the first bus, however, I stood up and thought “Oh maybe I dropped something?” But upon looking down and seeing nothing, I decided my mind was just messing with me. I had been reading about this book earlier this morning that I’ve already read but it messes with your head a little bit. That being said, and thinking I was seeing shadows, we exited the bus. Then we went to board the 52 Norte and I went to show my ID and … my wallet…? That would be the shadow I managed to drop on the first bus.

So I ran back to the first bus and the bus driver went back and looked to see if my wallet was there. Which it was. Thankfully. And this story ends with a happy ending as I got my wallet back no problem and was able to board the 52 Norte with my student discount and no mishaps. Phew.

Then Chelsea and I went to Little Caesars which is conveniently close to her house and watched The Prince and Me which was really cute. I actually really liked the speech he gave near the end of the movie when he assumes the crown…I don’t know, that was kinda cool.

Aaaaand now I’m home. And tired. Even though it’s only 11:30 and I was yawning at 10:30. Seriously concerned about that whole time frame thing. I’m not going to be able to stay up late ever again. I even had soda with my pizza. Hopefully that won’t be a problem with the actual falling asleep of tonight.

So that’s all I have for today. Cheers! <3 Kate

PS: As of tomorrow I’m 1/5 done, haha…that’s…a decent chunk, right?

PPS: Diary of Anne Frank…I was thinking about that…I’m not so sure this should rank as that kind of quality…and … doesn’t she die in the end…?