The past few weeks have flown by and I can't believe I can count the number of showers I will take in Granada on one hand!
I'm done with classes (except for a picnic in my conversations class), tests and presentations (which I think went well!) and we have our goodbye dinner tonight with my entire program. As excited as I am to see friends and family at home, I'm so sad to leave Granada and end this incredible experience.
When I haven't been in class or doing work during the past few weeks, I've been spending time with my friends and senora, trying to do as much as possible in the little time I have left!
A few weeks ago Dana, Carly, and I went to a tapas bar we'd never been to where we talked to the owner, Marisol, the whole time. She loved us and invited us back to cook tortilla espanola with her! So a few days later we went back to the bar and made tortilla espanola from scratch! We skinned and cut potatoes (not my strong point), cooked them in a huge pan, mixed them with eggs, added a little salt and onion, and then cooked it until it was time to flip. Marisol let us do everything and was so excited to have us in her kitchen. We took notes throughout the whole process so now I have a wonderful tortilla recipe that I can't wait to make!
My senora goes to dance classes a few nights a week and a few weeks ago she invited me to go with her-- I was so excited! I was expecting something similar to my 5 year old ballet class- a big room, well-lit room with a mirror and an instructor, so when we arrived at the class, I was shocked-- it was at a bar that had a neon "Merengue" sign on the outside, and when we climbed down the stairs we entered a small, dark, smoky bar that was actually cool and trendy! I couldn't believe that she had been going there the entire semester. A few minutes after we got there, this spanish guy starts gathering everyone up in front of him and starts teaching us salsa steps-- it was easy to follow and catch on. He took breaks every few songs where couples would just dance to whatever type of music they put on- salsa, merangue, or bachacha (don't know how to spell that) - so after Maria danced with her novio, he danced with me and taught me how to mark my steps and spin the right way and everything...he's actually a great dancer and it was so fun learning from him. Since that first day, I've gone back a lot and brought my friends each time, who also love it. It was also a really great bonding experience for me and Maria because she enjoyed meeting my friends and I got to see a piece of her life outside of the apartment.
Last friday my friends and I made a last minute decision to go to Motril, a city about an hour away, to see a bullfight!! Considering I get grossed out by the fake blood on Grey's Anatomy, I didn't think I was going to enjoy the killing but really wanted to experience it anyway. Turns out, I loved it! There were 3 toreros (one from Granada!) who took turns fighting different bulls-- they each got two. There's a whole process of fighting where they first have the bull run around the ring a little, then they have to put 4 banderas (stick things) in the bull, and finally kill it with a sphere-like weapon. It's really cool! Each time the bulls get bigger and bigger (and angrier) and after the torero kills the bull, the judges decide how well he did. He can win an ear, 2 ears, or the best- 2 ears and a tail! Once the judges make a decision, they actually cut these body parts off of the bull and hand them to the torero, who proceeds to walk around the ring while we applaud and throws the animal parts to people in the audience! This little boy near me dressed in a torero outfit caught a tail-- he was so excited to get it but then so confused once he looked at it and realized he did not really know what to do with it. It was really cute. I'm so happy I went to a bullfight-- it was definitely a cultural experience I will not forget!
Ok-- time for my picnic! This might be my last post, so thank you for reading and keeping in touch all semester. I've loved all of the emails and updates from home-- it definitely kept me from being homesick. I can't wait to see all of you soon!
con amor,
lisa
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