so I think I'm getting to the point of this trip where I'm homesick and tired and annoyed. Fun! I think its due to stressful midterms, not seeing my friends here, missing my family and friends at home, rain....

I think my trip to Italy and Greece is just what I need, a change of scenery. I'm leaving on April 7th for Florence, where i'll be for a few days with my friend Josh, then to Perugia, a small town 2 hours away from Florence where my friend Kiki lives, then to Greece! I think I will also try to do Rome in a day trip.

I think another reason why I'm annoyed is my host brother. He is really starting to bother me. The hardest thing is the morning routine, let me paint you a little picture.

5am José gets up to get ready for work.

5:05 The coughing, hawking of loogies, and grunting begins.

I don't understand this hombre! He is perpetually ill. He has this loud, rattling cough that has persisted since day 1 of my trip to Spain. And this isn't just your usually little *cough cough* into your elbow. NO. José will tramp around the house, coughing as loud as possible, not covering his mouth, spreading his nasty germs into every room. Normally this wouldn't be a huge deal because I'm gone during the day and if i'm in my room I can put music on.

but 5am?? come on. He also will hawk loogies for 5 minutes straight without stopping. Its so disgusting that sometimes I feel nauseous while I'm lying in bed with the pillow over my head. He does this awful little routine in the bathroom, with the door open, which is directly next to my room. But the coughing and grunting he does all around the house.

So I wake up at 5am these days. The good thing is i'm going on vacation soon so I won't have to deal with it anymore. Also, after this month he will go back to working from 2pm-10pm so the morning cacophony won't last for the rest of my trip. Thank god!

i apologize for neglecting the blog! i have midterms now and the Spanish professors feel it necessary to make the tests as long and hard as possible...

i have been staying in alicante the past 2 weekends and its very nice. despite being a busy city there are some places to find peace and quiet if you look for it. last night i "botelloned" which is basically an outdoor party in a hidden place where young spaniards go. it was fun and i felt like i had discovered an underground...something. i dont know. whenever i spoke to spaniards it was in spanish, but they responded in english so we both could practice. we were actually at the castle, which is really big, and even though it seemed like we were making a ton of noise (there must have been more than a hundred people) from the street you never would have known anyone was there. it was a clear night and i found the big dipper. it feels good to know even though i am far from home we are all looking at the same stars.

i have just reached the half way mark of my time here. im not really sure how i feel about it. im trying not to think any further than tomorrow because time is going by so quickly and i dont want to miss out because im worrying about leaving! i am feeling pretty homesick at times though... nothing too bad i just miss my mom and dad and sister. also im tired of the food here... what i would give for a nice salad! the spaniards idea of salad is weird and often includes corn... i cant wait for food that isnt drenched in oil! although im sure when i go back to oberlin i will be missing wine with every meal and huge pastries and the strong coffee.

i hope you all are well and i send you un abrazo fuerte (a strong hug) and un beso (kiss)

amor, raquel

adventures

Mis chicas and I rented a car (against the advisement of our program, of course) and drove the 3 plus hour drive to Granada, a city south of Alicante. To make an incredibly long and hilarious story short:

-we got a flat tire.
-vanessa, my five foot 100 pound friend changed the tire all by herself.
-we then had to buy a new tire.
-the streets in spain are EXTREMELY thin.
-the last time our driver, hilary, drove a car.....she got in an accident.
-tapas (little bar snacks) in granada are free with the purchase of a drink!
-tapas are great, but when you are drunk.....pizza hut is the best.
-flamenco dancing is awesome.
-there are no words to describe the Alhambra.
-there are almost no words to describe how beautiful Granada is.
-the people in Granada are (in my experience so far) the nicest in all of Spain.
-my friends are hilarious and awesome
-i now know how to play flip cup and beat two Penn staters
-there are Golden Grahams in Spain!!!

the end.