October Orientation

October was great.

 We had an AFS orientation in Ponferrada a few weeks ago, which meant a while traveling on trains and buses but it was definitely worth it. So much fun and I love all the other kids here so much. We stayed in a campsite with cabins and stayed up late and had lots of activities with the volunteers about how our adjustments were going, and general AFS experience things. We discussed a lot about cultural differences, and some of the volunteers explained some of the reasons to Spain's quirks (for example, people can be pushy about eating lots at meals because most people have older relatives who went hungry during the Civil War, so food has become sort of extra important). It was just so nice to talk with people we'd missed since New York and Madrid. And there were patriotic moments, Megg and Paige and I gave a wonderful (loud) rendition of the Star Spangled Banner for everyone. The train ride back from Santiago to Pontevedra with Solveig, Julia, Milena, and Yinqui was so much fun, I'm so glad the Galicia kids are awesome and I love them.

On the way I stopped by the Cathedral in Santiago again

(the rest aren't my pictures but thanks to the other AFSers)

The southern Galicia kids, mis amores.

almost all the AFSers placed in Galicia, Castilla y Leon, and Asturias from all over the world

best friends

Hola de nuevo

Well, once again I have no time to write and more pictures than I could possibly deal with and the result will certainly not be a cohesive, interesting, and totally up to date blog post of the last month so I'm sorry. 

A brief summary:

Most interesting foods I've eaten: Octopus (several times, it's a classic dish here and quite tasty) and Morcilla (a sort of sausage made with blood), and the only thing I haven't liked: pig's ear.

Favorite quote from my non-english-speaking host mom: "Oh, Language es como Sandwich con L!" (somehow she makes those words sound very similar, it's great). 

Frequently Asked Questions about USA:
Do you know Justin Bieber?
What is the capitol of New Mexico?
Where does Woody Allen Live? (NY, I looked it up)
Do you have Sears?
Is milk or newspapers delivered on bikes?
Does your school have cheerleaders?
Do a lot of stores in the US sell shirts with the Spanish flag? (here a really popular fashion is things with british or american flags on it, can´t say the same for back home regarding spanish flag)
Are newspapers really big there?
Do pumas live near you? (....no idea why this one came up.)

Does your school have Prom?

Number of fish eaten: countless

Times I've looked out my window and thought, "I'M SO LUCKY": basically anytime I see my window. 

In the past weeks I've visited spectacular cathedrals, traveled to several Galician cities, seen my host mom interviewed on TV (for her novels), been interviewed myself (as a super quick thing at a street festival haha), made friends, failed a physics quiz, gotten a mobile phone, gone to the doctor, made wine from grapes I picked, eaten a tomato, gotten a haircut, walked on a 2000 year old Roman wall,  aaaand tons more.

This weekend marks one whole month here in Marin.  HOW CRAZY IS THAT?! (very crazy).  I promise I'm working on some posts with actual detail type news, maybe some things about how school is going, etc. 

 picture time!

Babi!

sunset with Julia, and my sister Antia

local band playing in the street outside my house

sunset from my window

local dance for on the day of the patron saint, this is the church across the street from my school (the yellow building to the left)

love the bagpipes, they're very traditional Galician

Ramón del Valle-Inclán, a Galician writer and myself

Jonah and Julia from the US, me, Solveig from Iceland, and Antia in Pontevedra. The other AFS kids live in towns reasonably nearby and we've gotten together a couple of times on weekends.

my host mom is kind of super awesome