stuff I forgot because I was tired.

I knew I forgot to add a whole bunch of stuff to my last post. That was because, as the title subjects, I was really tired. For those that don't already know, translating a history lecture from spanish to english for 2 straight hours is NOT easy and NOT fun. Just imagine everyday life, but in spanish. Doesn't seem too bad when you say it, but you have to dig deeper. Watching TV is no longer relaxing. Answering the phone is the scariest thing ever. Lunch break is stressful. I can't get or give directions. I could go on, but I don't want to stress you out. And that's why I forgot stuff. MOVING ON.

I'd like to comment on driving. No one is normal when it comes to operating a vehicle. Either they go really really really really really slow all the time while they talk and point various things out. Or they go really really really really fast which usually entail almost hitting things like parked cars or pedestrians. Both scare the crap out of me. My host dad drives really slow because he likes to talk and tell me random things that happened at random places that I'll never remember because names of things suck. My host neighbor also. Once he's stopped at a stop light, he starts talking about something and doesn't go until someone honks at him to go. SO basically the light could be green for a while before we start moving again. Those that know me know that that would bug me. On the other hand, my friends dad drives like a maniac. He cuts in front of cars and people and runs stop signs and all that good stuff. It's like a roller coaster because all the cars here are stick shift so theres a lot of movement. Usually I feel like I'm going to throw up every single time I get out of a car.

COOKING/FOOD. This is for the Griffin family. Food here is wonderful. But It's a lot. Way to much. Here, I eat "poco". But in reality I eat more here that ever in my whole life ever. My host mom was concerned that I didn't eat enough, but I'm sitting there eating like 4 large meals a day. I ate almost an entire roll of french bread today. And two fajitas. And after that when I'm about to barf, I get fruit and yogurt and ice cream thrown in front of me so of course going to nibble on that. If I could eat more, I would because it's amazing food. There are like..... 17 different kinds of ham (on of which is on my kitchen table.... in the form of a leg.... with a hoof. Pleasnt huh?) and 17 different kinds of cheese and bread and sandwich and coffee and salad and potatoes, all of which have different names, all of which I don't remember. So there. Food section done.

Teenage fashion is more or less the same. They wear a lot of baggy things, and jean shorts. Also it's a trend to show your underwear. Yes, girls sag their pants. For all of you that have ever met me, you know that this was not a hard trend for me to pick up on since my underwear is virtually always showing. They have that whole "I don't look like a care, but I really do" look going on. It's rather interesting. And you wear your shoes everywhere. Even in the house. It's rude to not wear shoes in the house. Don't know why, but I can tell you that I learned the hard way.

SERIOUSNESS. Dad, you wanted to know what I observed concerning female/male roles in the family. Well, I asked and observed, and found out this: a traditional family has the obvious male working female at home thing going on, but the more modern families have started to break away from the trend. Personally I think, since I've been here, that I still see a little bit of a distinction. At least in my house, my host mom does all the cooking and cleaning and laundry etc. etc. while my host dad works and helps out a bit, but not nearly as much at my host mom. That being said, theres a huge possibility that thats just the circumstances in this house. My host mom doesn't seem to mind AT ALL, and usually refuses any type of help that I offer. She secretly remakes my bed every single day while I'm at school, and mops my floor as well. I don't know. They told me they were very modern in the way they do things so I don't know what to think. I guess it doesn't really matter. I don't ever have to do laundry so I'm fine.

SCHOOL. Mother Teresa. I had 9 hours of school today. It was awful. On wednesdays after my normal classes I have to go to IB graduation requirements which is pretty much just working on an extended essay and doing community service I think. I'm not actually positive on that, but I guess I'll find out next week. School is actually getting easier, except today I had the challenge of trying to figure out which was the girls bathroom. The sign was in Valenciano, and I have no idea how to read that. Its was something like Xastais and Xais. I actually just made those up, but they both started with and 'X'. I ended up picking the right one by the way.

Other than that I have nothing.

Sowwwy!

Jane