Like this:

Just hangin around in Madrid & Getafe.. going to class (ONLY MON TUES WED), tapas bars, drinking vino, calimocho (sp? it is red wine and coca-cola, takes like cherry coke, very good. also try red wine and fanta), going to Orange Cafe, seeing new hostels (Scott stayed at one over in Sol and his room was a closet) and making new friends. Maybe I should consider going to school, doing homework, and registering for classes? I guess Ill consider that tomorrow.

SRR in Madrid!

I recently went to a class to learn how to be an ESL teacher, which was useful and I think I want to try tutoring Spanish speakers about the English language and its use. It would be hard, and I don’t know many technical terms,  but I can help someone improve and possibly make some money while I’m at it, which is always a plus.

Heres where it gets interesting.

I went to Orange Cafe last night. Although its very Americanized and is for Erasmus students, we have a good time. Lisey and I arrived at 11pm (we went straight from the ESL class) and the place wasnt letting people in, so we started the line, which was a great decision because within 10 minutes there was a line around the corner. People were smoking on all sides of us and although outside, I felt like I was directly smoking the cigarettes myself. We eventually were let in around 11:30 and paid 5 euro for free beer, sangria, vino, or calimocho for an hour (aka a good deal). This is the only money I spent there that night because I am BFF with one of the managers, Sam Lee, who consistently gives me and my friends free drinks, champagne bottles, etc. He also introduced me to the Joy/Orange Cafe bouncer, sahweet!

Because Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, it was a “lock and key” party, meaning the girls got locks (on a ribbon to wear as a necklace) and the boys got keys (not suggestive at all). A good ice breaker,  but a slight scam: the rumor was if you found your match (only one lock to one key) you get a “prize.” Well what do ya know! Allie and Juan’s matched, and they proudly went up the stairs to announce the triumph and to collect said prize. Unfortunately, the locks and keys were only a way to increase flirting and 75% of the keys opened the locks. Juan was soon able to open Lauren’s lock as well, and all got a kick out of deciding to hide this fact from Allie. She probably knew anyway… but what if she thought it was fate?

I actually spoke a lot of Spanish to a nearly bilingual new Mexican friend (too bad I forget his name, aye) and he taught me Spanish and I taught him English (I think I only taught him “at the bottom of the totem poll” but hey, these things matter in English!). I started speaking with him because there was a handsome young man in a blazer (who I obvi pointed out to the girls) and we started a discussion with him (blazer-boy) and his friend (my bilingual-bud). Blazer-boy told me and Lauren that we are in extremely hard Econ classes at Carlos… wonderful!

At the end of the night I realized I never got a coat ticket and Lisey and I grabbed ours (which were both on the same hanger, thank goodness and I should have made a mental note that she said IM NOT GIVING YOU A TICKET, yeah). The four same odonnell chicas jumped in a cab and sadly left Juan and Mara to get home. I never like leaving anybody behind.. especially because I’m already worried about my travels tomorrow evening when Lisey, Lauren, Allie, and Meg will be in Ireland! [Dear Ireland travelers: happy bday to the BrandonBoyfriend, drink some Guinness, and think of my freckles.]

ANYWAY today was slightly painful because I woke up at 8:30am with a drill going through my scull and a hammer knocking on my forehead… or so I thought for the first 30 seconds between sleep and wake, because right outside my window construction was going on. It still FELT that way for a while which greatly inhibited my ability to sleep in until 1pm (the time Lisey set our alarm for… when you get home at 5am, you gotta sleep sometime!) Luckily we had nowhere to be until 3:30pm: COOKING LESSON!

The woman was a goddess. She cut those peppers. She threw in that salt. She cooked that chicken. She fried those potatoes. Throw in some talent and you have yourself the most delicious Tortilla Espanola in all of Spain, Paella to die for, and Sangria good enough for royalty (ok maybe I’m exaggerating, but what if I’m not?) She asked us to return whenever, especially if our parents visit… I hope she realizes I’ll be a-callin’ her this Saturday night? I hope that’s okay?

As Juan pointed out, we obviously were full because we stopped in a candy store (note to others, in Spain they need separate bags for all candy you buy. don’t combine!) and a Burger King. In burger king it got a little exciting. They had two options: A SANDY (what kind of name is this for a sundae???), or A BK-FUSION. After deciding to get the BKFUSION, Juan tasted his first and exclaimed, “The things inside.. it looks like chocolate but it takes like nothing! It isnt very good.” At this moment the woman is delivering us ours.. so thanks, Juan, for the notice. Next, We discover the spoons are square? “It brings a whole new meaning to shoveling food into your mouth!” Juan said next. After a couple pictures and some criticism about how they come nowhere close to McFlurries, we made our way home.

MmMmMm Tastes Good...Not.

Tomorrow I have a busy day of hw, finalizing classes, running/walking through the park, movies, pictures, and then out! The last night before the rents & siblings arrive.

Lastly: I was ashamed&embaressed to write this before but… Boo died (RIP), and I think Winnie is on his way out. WTF I AM A GOOD MOMMA. I change their (the) water every day! I feed them the right amount! I CARE! Que triste, as they say. Wish Winnie luck in his recovery.. either he is a whimsical fish who is lazy, lopsided, and who likes to “play dead,” OR he is suffering and floats on his stomach for a couple seconds to tease me, only to decide that he does, in fact, want to live another day. Keep fightin’, my last fishy <3