mis pensamientos

Maru y sus gatos - Hilda y Berta

So before coming to Madrid, I knew I was getting a host family, and I was super super excited. When I had gone to Mexico, I was worried about staying with a host family, and that was when I thought I would be with Shayne and Ann. Turned out, we all had our own host homes, and it turned out to be fantastic - and I'm absolutely sure that that experience prepared me for Spain. I didn't worry too much about this particular thing because I knew I would get someone perfect for me...and I did, thanks to God.

Here are some of the many things I love about Maru, my host mom, and mi casa aquí en España:

• She has 2 cats.
• She actually lets me into the kitchen, and I help her cook and clean.
• She gives me independence - she's not on my back all the time.
• She follows a Mediterranean diet, which means she likes fish, fruits, vegetables, and other healthy food.
• She actually uses a real coffeemaker, while everyone else I know is forced to drink instant coffee = gross.
• She gave me a converter. The one I brought was wrong and is useless.
• She's crazy and likes to joke around.
• She wants to correct my homework and my essays.
• She corrects my mistakes when I speak Spanish incorrectly. This is my favorite.
• She lets me go food shopping with her so that she gets what I like.
• Her house is COOL, and she has her own balcony overlooking all of Madrid.
• We live 10 minutes away (walking) from Sol. That's the equivalent of living next to Times Square in New York. AWESOME.
• She lets me take as many showers as I want - she said she doesn't care, as long as I'm clean...and don't stink.
• She washes my clothes at least once or twice a week.
• She's always smiling.

 Some of my meals at home:
 

Looks good, huh? She gives me at least some type of vegetable with every dinner, and she wants me to eat fruit at least twice a day. I'm totally okay with that. I've found that right now I'm in love with oranges - they're so sweet here. Also, she bought me a huge mango, and it was probably one of the sweetest mangoes I've ever eaten. Love.

I think the only things I don't like about Madrid  are that my family and friends aren't here to enjoy it with me, and that everyone smokes. Seriously, don't Europeans know they're all going to get lung cancer and die? They're slowly killing their children. Also right now I don't like my Cine class. Apart from that, the pros outweigh the cons by a lot. California is still my home, but I LOVE Madrid. LOVE ♥