Monday: Well Monday, I pretty much did nothing. I was completely focused on planning out the trip for when everyone comes to Europe. “Everyone” is my beautiful sister, my charming little brother, Chandler Eley, Grant Robinson, Adam Bell, Chad Phares, and Jamie Olson. They are all coming on May 28th, and basically…IM THRILLED! I can’t wait for them to see this place.
Also, on Monday Natalie and I bought a plane ticket from Venice to Rome for March 13th. My Uncle Kris and Aunt Krista are going to Italy to visit their daughter (my cousin) that is also studying abroad this semester, so Natalie and I are going to visit them and help celebrate Megan’s 21st birthday! I can’t wait, it’s going to be an absolute blast!!!
Tuesday: After class on Tuesday, Natalie and I went to the lake and studied for our final exam in our Deutsch class. The weather was gorgeous. We sat on the dock and I rolled up my jeans (to try and minimize the pasty white shade my legs have become) and just enjoyed the lake. Afterwards we went home, made some dinner, and then showered and went over to Marcos’s dorm. We met up with two of his friends and then walked to a pub. There were about four soccer games on, so we watched those and then headed home around 12. I studied for about ten more minutes for my final, and then went to bed.
Wednesday: Wednesday was my final. It definitely wasn’t easy, but I felt I did okay on it. After class I got home and saw that I had a package! I went to the post office right away to see what it was. My jaw dropped when I opened it. It was a pillow made from Brad’s old jeans and flannel. Brad’s mom and sister made it for me. It is so perfect. Being here—thousands of miles away from home—makes me miss Brad all the more. Having this, something of his that I can hold onto every night, just makes me feel closer to him, or like I can feel him with me. There is an angel pin on it too—so now I really am sleeping with angels every night. I love it. It’s absolutely perfect.
After lunch, Natalie and I went into town. We went to H&M and then to the mall. I finally bought a pair of cowboy boots. For like 2 years now I’ve been looking for the most perfect pair, and I finally found them! I CANNOT WAIT to wear them. After shopping, Natalie and I went out to eat at a Mexican restaurant called Salud. We’d been craving Mexican—or anything that tasted somewhat normal—since we’d been here. We devoured a plate of nachos, and then took home about half of our meal for some leftovers. It was amazing. I tried to savor every single bite.
When we got home, Nat and I played dress up and took turns doing runway walks with all of our new clothes on. Clemmons happened to come in while we were all dressed up. It was quite embarrassing. We’re such girls.
After dress up I watched even more soccer. Clemmons, Hammes (a guy that lives diagonal from me), and I watched the Arsenal vs. Milan soccer game, and then half of another one. I love how everyone here is so obsessed with soccer. At home it’s all about football...but here soccer is what they live for—gosh it’s amazing.
Thursday: I got my final back in class. 97 out of 107. …so 91 percent. I’m okay with that. After class I went and got my student ID. My picture looks absolutely ridiculous. I got home and Lance (the other kid from UNI that’s here) and he said that he had mail for me. It got put in his box by mistake (for the second time now). I knew exactly what it was and ran downstairs to get it. I ran to the post office and got another package. This one was from my Mom and Dad. They sent me salad dressing (because it doesn’t exist here), grape jelly (because it doesn’t exist here), TWIX, a giant peanut butter cup, and a few other things that I feel like I can’t live without. It was amazing. I’ve already eaten half of the twix bars—and there were like 50.
Thursday night Marcos came over and we took a bus to the other side of town. We went to some Indian peoples' house and they cooked for us there. They made about four or five different things, and it was all SOOOO SPICY! My mouth was on fire. They said that they made some of the least spicy things they could just for us—but it was still the spiciest thing I have ever tasted in my entire life. I was sweating the entire time I ate it. I don’t know how they think that is enjoyable. We even ate with our fingers. They tried to teach us how to do it correctly, but I was absolutely horrible at it. I ended up with basically all my rice on my lap by the time I was done.
After eating all of us went to an Irish pub for an hour or so, came home and went to bed.
Friday: Today I went to class and got my certificate for finishing! That’s basically all we did in class. One of the other students, June (who is actually like 45 years old and from England) brought us a treat—flapjack. It’s pretty much like a no-bake cookie, but without the chocolate and peanut butter. Natalie was obsessed with it. An Indian kid also brought us a treat. But, after last nights experience, I couldn’t fully appreciate it. I didn’t feel like sweating again. It was alright, but I couldn’t finish it.
After class, Nat and I went grocery shopping and stocked our cupboards again. It seems like I got so much, but it was only 13 euro. I’ve definitely learned how to pinch my pennies.
We went to the bank and paid a couple bills, and then went to the rec center just to see what was there. Al (the guy that took us to Venice) works there, and he showed us around. He also talked to me for about 20 minutes about everything I have to do when everyone comes to visit me—where to go, how to do it, etc. He’s incredibly helpful.
Afterwards, we came home and bought another plane ticket for March 18th (for less than 20 euro!). We’ve decided that after we are done in Rome and Florence with my Aunt and Uncle, we are going to fly from Rome to London and stay for a few days traveling around London, Liverpool, and Manchester. From there we will fly/take a ferry over to Ireland and stay for a few days. I have two friends from UNI that are studying there, so we can stay with them. Also, Natalie has a friend over there, so we’ll pry end up staying there too. I’m pretty much thrilled beyond belief.
Around 4, Natalie and I took a nap, and didn’t wake up until 9:45. Since then we’ve just been sitting around and eating. Haha. Anyway, that was my week! We have all of next week off, so we are planning a trip to Budapest and Prague—we’ll see how that goes.
I hope all is well with everyone!
Love, Love, Love.
So Marcos does this all the time--just breaks out in song. I wanted to make sure I got at least one of his many songs on video.
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