Tirita and Tirito Mean Band-aid and Handgun Respectively. Try Not To Confuse Them.

So, I'm sitting here on my bed, in my room, in an apartment in Spain, listening to distinctly non-Spanish music with little I want to do and lots I ought to (namely study) and it occured to me that I ought to post on my blog.

Unfortunately, I have found myself not wanting to blog lately. Not because I don't want to keep people updated. No, it's because as I have re-read my other posts, I have noticed that my grammar and writing skills are slowly sliding downhill. This would make sense were they being replaced by amazing Spanish skills, but, sadly, they are not. Communicating with Maria is still quite difficult (try explaining how wireless internet is different from pay-as-you-go cellphones in broken Spanish) as is communicating with strangers who catch me off guard on bus stops or at the flea market. I know things will improve and, in fact, I am not so discouraged, I only wish words and verb tenses would come to mind more readily more quickly than they are.

It's also hard to rid myself of certain American idiosyncracies, such as constantly saying, "please," and, "thank you." In truth, this matters very little, and would matter even less if constantly being polite were not a sign of formal distance here. Spaniards, in fact, very rarely say little polite sayings, taking them as words of discomfort or lack of familiarity. It is far more important to them that people act graciously than speak graciously. I mean it every time I say, "thank you," to Señora, and I'm sure she understands that Americans (and the English) just say these things often, but I would like to express my gratitude in a culturally-saavy way.

This reminds me that Ellen found a book in our little room that is for Spanish speakers learning English. The book advises that Spaniards planning to visit an English home learn to say, "please," and, "thank you," often as it is a cultural norm. It also gives several examples of how to politely refuse food-"I'm a vegetarian, but I eat fish."-how to request something-"Would it be alright if I brought my friends 'round for coffee tomorrow?"-and how to properly express gratitude in more complex social terms-"Thanks for looking after me."-and-"Can I help with the washing up?" Of course, these ideas are only hilarious if you say them in a British accent and are living in Spain.

As Ellen and I continue interacting with Maria, we are realizing that she may be pretending to understand us more than she does. We also believe her hearing might not be particularly spectacular, though she continues to be wonderful and entirely feisty. She gives me a love tap everytime we leave for school and last night, after dinner, she sat down with me and my computer and had me look up a fiesta in her town that was taking place honoring "La Virgen de la Regla" which among other things, can mean, "Virgen of Menstruation." I believe she is Señora's patron saint of sorts. She excitedly told us about her hometown and the festival and then suddenly turned her back to me and looked at me smiling and pointed at her shoulders. I thought to myself, "What is going on? Does she want a massage?" and so she did, because she took my hand and made it pinch her shoulders. So yes, I gave Maria a massage. Ellen was dying.

Señora's hand movements perfectly match her personality.

Since Mom asked about school:

Everyday I have four classes. The first is Teatro del Siglo XX (20th Century Spanish Theater). It's pretty much a high school or college literature class with a lot less reading at one time. It's hard, because there is a lot of simbolism in the plays that I miss owing to the language barrier. The next class I go to is Historia del Arte (which I will not translate). We read some and memorize pictures, periods, styles, etc. of art. We will be going on several trips around the city to be eyewitness to Muslim, Jewish, and Christian art. Next I go to Communicación Advanzada, which is an advanced grammar class. I enjoy it a lot, because my professor has a very elegant accent, and though she expects a lot, she teaches very well. We don't have a set schedule so much as we come to class and ask her about specific words and hang ups in the language, which she then explains. Last is Historia de España Medieval, which is only hard in that, by then, my blood sugar is really low, and I can only think of lunch and siesta.

Well, I have other things to say, but I think I will go to bed and end this long post as it is.

I love you all.