First I must explain that the title of this blog is definitely a quote from my new anthem, Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA." I don't give a crap that Miley is a little ho, I love that song, and I listen and dance to it whenever possible. Also, that little lyric kind of applies to how I'm feeling at the moment...
Things are crazy here in the life of MacKenzie. You see, I have recently made the formal decision to not live with my host family next semester, and to live in an apartment with Spaniards. Now, this choice basically requires that I arrive in Spain in early February (classes start on the 9th) not knowing where I'm going to live. I'll have a hostel booked and after my week in Switzerland with Heinx and Brigitte, I will be stuck in Granada frantically searching for a room to live in. This, to me, is both exciting and terrifying. It is crazy to me that my first experience with bills, rent, and completely random roommates will be in Spain. But I also think that it will be better to do this in my second semester, because right now I'm completely comfortable in my homestay and oftentimes bored. Which is why I made this decision. My family is kind of alarmed, because of safety, (Mom couldn't help mentioning Amanda Knox from UW who has been in Italian jail for nearly three years because of allegedly murdering her British roommate, in their apartment in Italy), with which I explained that is an exception, a freak thing and I can't live my life being scared of things like that. At the same time I think they know I am sensible and wouldn't be involved with the wrong people, so they're all being supportive and I think this is going to work out. But my emotions have definitely been frazzled lately, I am anxious to get back to Washington for a bit. Also, I'm having the general college student crisis of, "I have no clue what I want to do with my life." I thought that coming to Spain would solidify all of the questions that I've had my entire life surrounding this question, but ironically, this experience has instead opened my eyes to so many other options and lifestyles and paths that I could take. I don't know.
Anyways....this past week I have been trying to commit to spending less money...such a daunting task. Paris is coming up Thanksgiving weekend, and I want to be able to spend more money there (our only two paid things are a bus tour and the Louvre, what a freaking rip off API! take me to the Eiffel Tower!). So naturally I've been doing less. I'm starting to get frustrated with the fact that my house doesn't have internet (because when you don't want to spend money the alternative in Granada is pretty much staying in your house and not doing anything, unfortunately). I discovered that we get internet in the lobby of my apartment building, so sometimes I sit down there with my sweats and jacket (it's usually pretty cold) and stream episodes from this season of Grey's onto my computer using Megavideo. PS, Grey's is amazing this season, they're over their slump of the past two seasons I've decided. Yesterday I watched Coyote Ugly and Princess Diaries on my iPod, and I've been reading like crazy. Right now I'm reading Dreams from My Father by Barack, and it is so good! I recommend that everyone read it. It seriously has nothing to do with him as president, so all you bitter Repulicans that like to read should still read it, it is a great book. I know it probably sounds like I'm being kind of a homebody, which is probably true. But isn't it also true that sometimes you just need a break? I mean, at home, I am never going going going all the time (well, I guess I am, but at least the things I do are either free most of the time or I EARN money from doing them), and here sometimes the culture becomes overwhelming and I just have to take a step back.
Sorry, this isn't the most exciting blog, but things have been pretty low key lately. We went to a movie with API last week called Celda 211 (a Spanish movie), and it was really good but extremely violent and graphic, go figure. And then Allison, Courtney, and I saw 2012 on Friday (in Spanish of course) and were thoroughly entertained. One area where I'm noticing extreme improvement is my listening in Spanish, I can understand these movies so well! (Probs because they're not in Granada's Andalusian accent, but still). And the thing I'm looking forward to this week....LUNA NUEVA!!! (New Moon, Twilight #2, aka where I get to see Jacob Black lookin' fine). Again, it'll be in Spanish but hey, the Twilight movies are so silly I'll probably get more out of it by seeing it in Spanish anyways.
Christmas is coming! Granada is beautiful with all of it's Christmas decorations, hanging in all of the main streets are lights in the shapes of poinsettas, angels, bells, and I cannot wait for when they are all lit up at night! Sadly, I have discovered that the only Christmas music on my computer is Celine Dion Christmas, which of course is my favorite Christmas album, but that is going to have to be sufficient until 5 days before Christmas when I come home! Crazy! I've also done some Christmas shopping and as always, am so excited to give my gifts to people (especially since they're from Spain!)
I'm going to finish up with a somewhat funny story that happened on Saturday. Allison, Cory, Shannon and I were walking around Granada yesterday evening, doing some Christmas shopping and people watching. We were wandering around the shops near the cathedral that have a lot of cheaper authentic Spanish gifts, and also touristy type gifts. There was one store that had a pond in the ground, a little pool type thing, with three or four fish swimming around it. Now, understand, this pool was in the middle of the floor, with a ledge that lifted 6-8 inches above the ground. I had seen the pool, but somehow, in the midst of my deep conversation with Allison about Christmas gifts or something, I stumbled over this ledge, and my right foot plunged right into the pool! I just covered my face in embarrassment, laughing, as Allison, Shannon & Cory are all cracking up, and the storekeeper says, "ah, ha bañando" (ah, she has taken a bath), and people are seriously walking by the store looking and pointing and laughing! I couldn't move until Allison assured me that I had not stomped on and killed a fish, and after that I had a wet foot for the rest of the day. It was so embarrassing! Ahhh! The silly American girl that stepped right into the pond! Haha.
Alright, I'm done, hope I didn't bore you to death. Miss you all back in the US, I'm not gonna lie, I can't wait to come home. Love, MacKenzie
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