La Clase de Cocina

Hola a todos,

so I haven't written in a while because things have been pretty ordinary. The last couple of days have just been class and homework and sleep and some of the usual tapas and such. I've gone through a bit of homesickness the last couple of days too, I think because it's been more routine than normal and I've actually had down time. I also seem to be getting a little frustrated with people here. In the very beginning of the trip we had orientation, and this therapist came in and spoke with us about culture shock and living abroad. She said that you go through a "honeymoon stage" and then usually when that is over you hit a little bit of a low/depression. Well I think this week the honeymoon stage finally ended and people started getting on my nerves or I felt like I didn't fit in or something. I know it takes more than a month to make friends really, but you always hear about stories how people meet in these situations and become "bestest friends forever" ya know. I have never been good at that. It took me like 4 years to make good friends in high school haha I don't think 4 months is gonna do the same. But I need to just relax and take it easy I think and just go with the flow, stop worrying about not fitting it and just do it! Anyway, so it's kinda been emotional and I think it made me tired cause last weekend I slept A LOT. Plus Carrie wasn't here (she went to Oktoberfest in Germany). I didn't realize how dependent I was on her. I got SO lonely in the apartment without her. And if my plans fell through, normally I could just go out with her and her friends, but she wasn't here so I didn't see her friends at all, and that made me kinda sad. It was weird. PLUS everyone was sick this weekend and still is from Morocco!I am soooo shocked I didn't get sick...knock on wood that people aren't just getting the stomach bug and that I am going to get it any second...ahh hope not

Ok for cooler stuff, last night I had my first film class and cooking class. First in film we watched this movie called Solas (Alone) we watch them with Spanish subtitles, but it was SOO good...really sad and sweet and I cried so much.
Cooking class was fun too....we got a little lost getting there and had to ask lots of random people on the street how to find it, but we got there... We made Tortilla Espanola, Gespacho and Bunueles. Bunueles are like little funnel cakes pretty much but with cinnamon and sugar. It was really fun...very chill and relaxing. I am looking forward to our next class. The class is mainly IES students but there are 3 non-IES people that are Spanish...that was kinda cool. Plus its like a "free" dinner since IES covers 40 euros of a class and this class only costs 40 euros...so we cook each time and then eat!
Tonight I went to a movie IN the actual spanish theaters, so that means NO subtitles...but since it was with my film class (just for fun) IES bought us tickets....so even though I barely understood it was ok, cause it was free. We saw "el patio de mi carcel"...the patio of my jail...it was really good even though I didn't understand most of it...we got the major plot and characters, but I couldn't really understand their conversations. It was about a female jail and lives they lived out in the patio/yard area. This one prison guard started a theater program in the jail and its the story of the women in this theater group. I really want to watch it now with English subtitles so I can really appreciate all the details in the characters stories. But it was cook watching it without subtitles too because we really got to appreciate the acting and the directing and such since we really depended on that instead of the dialog.

I am soooo tired right now, and I have had so much work to do recently that I just want to go to bed now.

My friend Ali got FREE VIP tickets to the Tennis Masters Cup in Madrid but I CAN"T go because the day she got tickets is Tuesday and I have an exam that day!!!!!! LAME....I would skip class...but I can't really skip a test....how sweet would that have been though. crazy.

The other day my senora had 3 of her 4 kids over for lunch. Her 2 daughters and spouses (one baby) and then her son that lives with us. It was interesting having them all here but also frustrating because I couldn't understand anything really. It was like I regressed to never have learned Spanish....but whatever...when families get together I guess they speak quickly and can like "read" each others minds right?! haha

BUT the funny part was that one of the kids brought over DUNKIN' COFFEE donuts and stuff for after lunch...yes thats right, DUNKIN COFFEE..not dunkin donuts... i don't know why they call it a different name here...cause everything is exactly the same otherwise haha. I got a kick out of it.

Ok I really gotta go to bed now. I will write before I got to France this weekend, promise
Miss you all
Love
Kate