Chloe en España

Roma

We're in Rome right now. I left Spain for good. Not forever though, because I'm seriously planning on coming back next year for San Fermin. It was very hard leaving my friends there, but I was happy to have friends to leave. They gave me some earrings and a goodbye card, and we said goodbye at the fireworks. San Fermin was incredible. It was so much fun, I recommend coming sometime. Lots of people, lots of white and red, and lots of fun. On the first day everyone goes out into the Plaza and sprays each other with ketchup, mustard, flour, eggs and champagne. That was probably the most fun part of it all, we all ended up filthy. We had a little trouble getting the the airport to catch the plane to Rome, seeing as how we went to the wrong airport, but we got here okay, and it's been pretty amazing so far. We saw the Pope today and toured Saint Peter's Basilica, and walked all the way to the top of the dome, because my mom made me. It was worth it though. Tomorrow we'll probably see the Colosseum, and send some post cards from the Vatican post office. Then we're leaving for Paris on Wednesday, then to Germany, then Denmark, then home. It's hard to believe that this is finally ending.

Viene ya!!

Today la mamá comes! I'm taking a plane down to Madrid to meet her, then we'll be there until July 3rd. So I won't be writing until at least then. It hasn't really hit me yet that my mother from America is coming to Spain. I'm so excited to see her, but this also means that my year here independantly is over. It wil be really fun to show her everything and show off my Spanish skills. It would be nice if she spoke Spanish, but you can't have everything.

Me and Laura Lacalle, the daughter of my first host family.

Teresa, Amaya, Bea, Amaya and Virginia

Me and my friends the night of the last day of school.

A nice day

Today was a fun day. I thought it was going to be a complete bore, but I ended up enjoying myself. It was the first communion of one of my host cousins, so everyone went to their town and went to the mass, then ate lunch and passed the day together. I was laughing so hard most of the time. From the crazy grandma who has Alzheimer's but acts like a 7-year-old girl listening to my host uncle's MP3 player and singing along to Rammenstein, to listening to how the same host uncle (married) ended up in a gay bar, to all the girls trying on each other's shoes, to seeing my computer teacher's house (he all of a sudden came walking by with his wife - I had no idea he lived in that town). We ate a ton of really good food; I'm still extremely full. The only bad part of the day was that it was over 105 degrees, and there were so many flies you had to smack them off of you every 10 seconds. But I guess that's what you get for living in the country.

School

Bea, Dani, Tania, Bea and me after school today. Me and Dani had more tests today so we are in our uniform with the signed t-shirts.

Laura

Me and my friends and Laura Lacalle in the middle.

The end

Well I did it. I have successfully (well, we'll see how successful I was after they send grades home) completed a year of school in San Cernin private Catholic school, in Spain. We had our last test today, and then afterwards everyone signed everyone's uniform t-shirts, because they no longer need them for next year. They get to wear normal clothes to school next year (their last year). My friend was complaining that she'll have to wake herself up 30 minutes earlier to decide what to wear to school. My host family's daughter came home on Monday, and Laura Lacalle, the daughter of my first host family, came home on Tuesday night. It was really nice getting to meet them after hearing so much about them. They all say that they had an amazing time in America, but it's nice to be home. Everyone keeps asking me when I'm leaving (July 9th from Spain, then we're traveling around Europe, then I'll be at home on July 22nd). They also ask me if I want to go home, and I never know how to answer them. I really do and I really don't all at the same time. It will be so nice to see everyone, but I don't want to leave the people I've met and made friends with here and restart my life at home. I'm sure that by the time July 22nd comes I'll be ready to go though.

Tonight pretty much my whole school is going out to celebrate the end of the year. I'm so excited to not have to study anymore, and not having to wear the uniform every day will be nice too.

Anna y yo

Me and Anna in the park on Friday.

Amigas

Me and some of my friends on Friday.

Las chicas con pantalones

And the girls with the boys' pants.

Los chicos con faldas

Some of the boys in the skirts.

Things are ending

This week has been a bit strange. On Monday we finished the final exams, then Tuesday through Friday we went to school, but did nothing. Next week we have the global exams, which cover everything we've done all year, so I'll have to study a lot. On Friday I did a presentation in literature class about my school in America. It was so funny to see all the kids' faces when I told them about how my school works. It's just so much more relaxed and fun. My teacher didn't quite understand why we have jewelry-making classes, or why our teachers sometimes let us lie on the floor or in the grass to do our homework. Most of the questions went like this: "Do you guys have           like in the movies??" I was really nervous to talk in the beginning, but at the end it was really fun. Also on Friday, since it was the last day of actual class, a lot of kids in my grade switched uniforms. The girls wore the pants and the boys wore the skirts. It was probably one of the funniest things I have ever seen.

On Saturday Anna left. It was really sad and I miss her lots already. We had lots of good times together, but like her philosophical second host dad said, everything begins and everything ends. (TKM wapa!!!)

I really should be studying. Economy is just way too boring though.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DADDY!!!!! TE QUIERO MUUUUUUUCHO!!!