98 Days

So in January I tried to motivate myself into writing a half-way post. I'm glad that I didn't. It would have been a bunch of dark outlooks expressed as fears and the sad recognition that my time was running out and I hadn't accomplished anything of what I wanted to. Then in February (you do NOT want to know how many attempts it took for me to spell that right) I almost sat down for long enough to write a six month post. (Think fabulous sixty after mid-life-crisis meets desperate it's not over yet! type mentality.) Two days ago I tried to write something to salvage the land mark of my 100 days left point, and yesterday I tried to pull off a 99 days type thing, and then finally today I was left home alone with lots of free time, so, here it is! 98 days left in Spain!

On day 100 I went with five other students to the Mumford and Sons concert in Madrid. If you don't know who M&S are, they're a sort of indy folk religious band that is all the rage right now. The concert was absolutely amazing. I sang and danced. I laughed at the English men trying to speak in Spanish. I bought a T-Shirt. I think that the group really enjoyed my city, which makes me possessively proud. It will probably make the list as one of my best memories here in Spain.

Other than that, I think that my Spanish has improved tremendously. I think that my companions think so, too.

They also tell me that me accent is pretty impressive. Just saying.

I can use all of the verb tenses. I understand everything. I'm thinking and dreaming in Spanish and I can listen to songs, follow movies, and read books without effort now. I'm trying to get my Spanish teacher in the US to let me skip directly to AP Spanish Five next year. I honestly think that I could ace the class with my eyes closed hanging upside down sleeping all the time with out ever showing up once, but we'll see how it goes.


I don't think that I could pass off as a local yet, mostly due to the blonde hair and blue eyes, but I think that I do throw people for a spin when they ask me a question in their broken English and I respond in a fluid and fast Spanish.

Random Point: Strangers always talk to me in English. I may be in a store buying gum and they'll be like 'the price is three euros' like I can't even understand 'tres' or something. Or people will approach me and ask me to 'do a photo' for them and I just stare back rudely like "WHAT COULD POSSIBLY MAKE YOU THINK THAT I AUTOMATICALLY SPEAK ENGLISH?" One time this American tourist on the metro looked at me for one second and preceded to ask me what train he was on IN ENGLISH. How would you even know that I'm American????? What would a young girl be doing alone on the metro looking completely comfortable with the locales if she didn't speak at least a bit of Spanish? Stupid blonde hair. It gives me away as a Norwegian every time.

I'm reading Harry Potter in Spanish. It's at a pretty basic level, and I have it practically memorized from the time spent reading during my friendless childhood, so I understand everything. I'm also reading a Tale of Two Cities for school. And Sherlock Holmes. And Life of Pi. And Great Expectations. Yeahhhhh, this whole reading and watching TV in Spanish thing is really helping me out.

Now to hit on some half way point, 4 months, 100 days, 99 days, 98 days themes:

I have spent the majority of my time here in cold weather. Sure, it's not unbearable or anything, but the winter was cold and long and I haven't worn anything but pants for about six months. 'Sunny Spain' isn't really happening, and it probably won't.

Unfortunately all of my 'what I have learned' and 'how I have changed' type subjects were in the half way point blog post that didn't happen, so I'll just summurize all of that by saying that yes, I have changed as a person. Yes, I do feel more mature and a little tougher. Yes, you will be surprised by me when I return home. Yes, I will be surprised as well. Yes, I am completely cojonada.
If you are hoping for those deep and emotional things like 'I have learned that the world is a beautiful place and I am blahahah' you'll just have to wait three months until I get back to the States and I'm sad enough to do some self reflecting.

I leave Spain on the 29th of June. I'm scared and nervous and I start having a panic attack when I think of how limited my time is. I have changed and learned in the time before these last 98 days, and I am certain that this short yet complete exposure to another culture has greatly aided in the growth of my personage. And yes, I am ready to spend the last three months of my stay in Spain in the hottest weather possible.

Looooooove,

Vivian