Classes... Day 3!

Another relaxing day... I probably shouldn't get used to having classes so late in the day...  I didn't have class until 6:20pm.  So I got up around 12pm and got dressed leisurely.  I watched a little TV, ate breakfast, then went to my "grandparents'" house.  When we got there, my "mom", "grandma" and I sat outside and talked for awhile.  At some point, we came inside to prepare lunch (which was delicious, by the way!).  While lunch was cooking, we went and sat back down outside and talked some more.  That was heaven to me... for those of you who have realized I LOVE to talk. 0:-)

The conversations we have, that's where I learn a lot about the culture around here.  They are always fascinating.  Not only do I learn about their culture, but also about the individual people.  In one of our conversations, I learned that my "mom" is also afraid of spiders (and bees!).  I guess we have more in common than we realized!  This time we talked a lot about education related things, what kind of credit I get in Denver for taking classes here, how kids gain all of their rights here at the age of 18, while we (in the U.S.) have multiple ages for various rights...  Funny how that part of the conversation started actually.  My "mom" asked me if I had a big/expensive party when I turned 16 because apparently they should a show similar to Sweet 16 here (also an American one, but dubbed in Spanish, of course).  I just laughed (and said, no!).  We started wondering why 16 is such a "big" age in the U.S.  I said that for me, it was when I turned 13, but only because I'm Jewish (my Bat Mitzvah).

After I finished eating lunch, we all headed into the living room to watch some (more) TV.  I would just like to clarify something:  when I say we watch TV, we really do, but we also talk at the same time.  So it's not like we are just sitting there starting at the TV.  Just so you know. :)

At 5:45, we left my "grandparents'" house and they dropped me off near the Fundación.  It was really nice of them, because they really don't have to do that.  So I had my next class.  It was my Service Learning class.  It's going to be a lot of fun.  The kids are really nice and the professor is really funny.  Plus I'll be involved in the community in a few weeks.  I'm really excited for that... to feel a real connection to the city.  After class I had a quick meeting with a group for my Monday/Wednesday class that lasted 30 minutes.  Then I headed home for dinner.  No one was home when I got here, but right as I was about to hop (ok, STEP) in the shower, they got home.  I chatted with my "mom" for a second and she told me to go get in the shower while she made me dinner.  I sat down to eat and my "parents" went to go find my "sister" (apparently she'd left the house and forgotten her phone, so they couldn't reach her).  They came back quickly, though, and we all sat down to watch a movie (a Spanish movie this time, called ¿Estás Aquí?).

I'm sitting there watching the movie and I realized that it's odd how a week ago, I knew very little about them, but now we are all sitting down watching a movie together like we've known each other for years.  It's amazing how quickly you bond with people when you live together.  While I was talking with my "mom" and "grandma" and they told me that when I come back to visit in the future, I know where I'm staying :)  It was right around then that I truly began to feel my connection with them.  They actually want me to come back and visit and stay with them.  It was a huge (perhaps unintentional?) compliment.  It's only September, but I'm already feeling sad about when I'll have to leave in December.