Finals Week and Christmas Vacation!

OOOOKKKK here we go! Last Friday, I had one more class, and still went home an hour early because the teacher wanted to give back and exam. Then I made lunch and ate it and went and had my Friday afternoon class. Something I realized was that I don´t really know the kid´s name. I´m not sure how that happened, but I just don´t know his name. I thought it was Alfonso like his dad´s, but then his mom called the younger brother Alfonso. So if anyone has any suggestions on how to get out of that pickle, you know how to reach me. Then I picked up some pictures I had processed, came home worked on presents and probably cleaned and Victor got to Granada and we ate dinner with the family. I spent quite a while taking pictures of Nachete so I could complete my Christmas gifts and then we left. Victor had said he was going to go out with his friends, so I made plans with Michelle and Samar who were going to go out with some other people. In the end, Victor fell asleep, and I went out. I met up with the group, which turned into a big group, which made for a bad time, and we wandered around Calle Elvira, from one place to the next, going in and out of bars, fighting the cold and all 12 people not agreeing. In the end, about 5 of us went to some different places, and finally a pub called Agora, which I really liked, and would like to go back to. When it closed at 4, I went home and went to bed.

The next morning, Victor went shopping for my Christmas present and I went for a run. It was really cold, and I ran into Nacho and Alicia in front of the house, and chatted with them for awhile before the run. Then I showered and went to drop off the pictures of Nachete and then to Victors house. That day Victor was eating lunch with the friends he was supposed to go out with on Firday, but I still ate with the family and helped crowd control with the babies. Raul and Patricia were there with Adriana, and Alicia and Nacho had dropped off Marina when I ran into them that morning. Then I went to my house and took a much needed nap, and later went on a walk with Victor. We picked up the pictures again, I was taking pictures of the beautiful Christmas lights all around the city and we visited the giant Nativity Scene in front of the Corte Inglés. Then we ate dinner and went to Santi´s house to hang out for a bit with him, José, Pepe, Antonio, Cristiana and Bea. We were there for a while, and later I went home and Victor went out with Pepe.

Sunday I went to church, which was borring, but not ridiculous for a change. Then I came home and had paella again. In case you haven´t noticed, its kinda a Spanish thing to eat paella on Sundays to which Victor´s mom holds to almost religiously. I like it a lot but, how many weeks have I been here for now? Then siesta relax time and all of a sudden, Alicia my old roommate calls me. She says, "Hey do you know where I am?" I said, "ummmm,,,,, Granada?" and she says, "nope, but I´m on a plane heading there to suprise you!" Well that was good, but I decided to clean the house. haha So I started to clean, and as I finished, Victor and José came over and visited for a bit, and we gave José his birthday present. His birthday was monday, and he loved the gift, a leather bracelet. (I am really good at picking out gifts!!) Then they left, and Victor went to have dinner with Nacho and Alicia. I finised up my Christmas gifts, and then Alicia got there. We chatted and went out to get schwarmas. Then we went to a teteria (tea house), and got a crepe, tea, and chocolate milk. Then we were walking around looking for this flamenco place Alicia had been too. It took us a while to find, and when we got there they were going to have a concert. That was cool, but it also meant we had to pay the cover. But also Alicia seemed to think that she had to treat me to everything since she was staying at my house, so that was good for me, although I felt bad after a while... So then a cool flamenco concert, except for they crammed as many people as possible into a tiny place filled with tables and chairs and we had people smoking right behind us and a couple making out and flipping their hair in my face right in front of us. Then at the end we took a taxi home because it was so freezing!! Then we chatted with Adri for a bit and went to bed.

Monday, I slept in till 12! which was amazing. I never sleep in anymore so I was loving it. Then we made chocolate chip cookies from a Betty Crocker mix Alicia had bought in the Dominican Republic. Baking American products in a gas oven that measures degrees in different sized dots is always an adventure. The first batch was black on the bottom, but the second turned out pretty good. Rosa got home and Adri woke up as we were finishing so we all ate cookies and chatted for a while. Then shower and Alicia and I went to eat at Il Gondoliere, a delicious Italian resturant and Alicia´s favorite. Then we went and watched The Golden Compass, stopped by the Corte Inglés and bought a few things, and went home. Then at 8 I left and went to a second interview, whic Veronica from Nachete´s English academy, had called me for, while we were in the movies. She wanted me to teach some classes on Mondays and Wednesdays, and one on Tuesdays. It was all kind of a shock, and rushed, but I´m officially hired for the Tuesday class and start right after Christmas break. Its a little difficult because pretty much all private English tutoring/classes are smashed into monday- thursday afternoons, let´s say 4-7. I´m pretty content with my current schedule, and while more classes mean more moolah, it may also be saying goodbye to low-stress. Anyway, we´ll see how it all goes. Then I went and had class with Nacho and Alicia, where I also eat dinner, and when I got back home, I went out for tapas with Alicia. So yes, since she arrived in Granada, we mostly just talked and ate. We stopped by a bar on the way home where she used to work and visited some of her old friends and then went home. We watched tv and visited with Adri and Rosa and then went to bed.

Tuesday morning we had to get up early so she could catch the bus to the airport, and then I got ready and went to guitar. I was late, but started the lesson by giving Antonio his Christmas present, which made up for being late and not practicing again. haha Thing is, he goes into another room and comes back with a present for me. Wrapped in the same paper I just gave to him. It was a silver brooch/pin thing of a pomegranate (granada) with red jewels on it. I´m not sure if it was his wife´s or if all granadians keep a stash of those on hand to hand out as gifts to return unexpected favors. Victor´s mom gave me a similar one when I left Spain the last time and gave her an unexpected present. Anyway, then guitar class, then some errands and a bit of chill and internet time at Pepa´s and Emilio´s. Then I went at 6 to watch a class at Nachete´s school, so I would be prepared for after Christmas, and then rushed to my regular Tuesday night classes, which I had asked to be pushed back. Thankfully, Mari Angeles had cancelled on me, but I was still there with Carlos and Marta till pretty late as I got there late and spent an extra 20 mins with Marta who was working on a giant English project she saved for the last minute. (A girl after my own heart) Then I came home, stopped by Pepa and Emilio´s per request and then talked on the phone to my mom, made dinner and ate it, visited with Rosa and her supposed ex-boyfriend José Manuel who was visiting again, watched Shrek on tv and the next thing I knew it was past 12! I then went to bed.

Wednesday morning, work. One of the first things I did was talk to Carmina who told me that the was going to be activities for the kids, instead of class, starting tommorow at 3rd period, right when I start work. Long story short, I didn´t have to come to work the next day. Yay! So it was like finals week ended early and christmas break was here at the end of the day! That was especially nice to hear, because I didn´t have any finals this week, just work! That´s probably the first time in 10 or so years. woot! Nonetheless, Christmas break being so near was delicious. Michelle and I were giddy crazy! I had 1 hour of class with teachers, and one of them, Fernando, told me that Michelle and I had to go see the princapal because we were in trouble. I didn´t belive him and was hoping he was going to give us a Christmas bonus. During recess we went there and he gave us a big envelop with a pottery platter in it from the Granadian ceramics place near our school. Its really cool and then there was a smaller envelope with it. I was so excited, because I knew it was a check or cash! It wasn´t, it was 2 ugly bookmarks. At least I really like the plate. So then, 1 more hour of class with teachers, which I love, and then 1 hour with students, which went pretty bad. It was the whole group, and they did not want to hear about Christmas in America. But then it was over and Michelle and I said goodbye to everybody and went to cash our checks. It was nice to finally have a pay period not end in frustration with the banks, although I was really nervous walking home with all the money I´m going to get in a month in my pocket. Then I came home, ate lunch with Pepa, Emilio and Raul, and completely swallowed Raul´s story about him being in a kite surfing video on the internet. I think the fact that he was messing with me like that was another step in the direction of closeness. So then I had class with Conchi and Valentina, went back to Inglés Divertido to pick up a book and to Antionio´s because he made a wall calendar with my picture on it for me. Then I hung out with Rosa and her friend Raquel as they got ready for their school´s Christmas dinner. Then I went out to take a few picture of the lights, came home, made dinner watched Los Serrano on tv and went to bed.

Today I woke up and went running, deposited the cash in the bank, showered, ate breakfast and then Emilio took me to the bus station. Right now I´m here in Malaga, spending some time with Victor, since I´m finally on break, and to go to his company´s Christmas luncheon tomorrow afternoon. So then I was on a bus for 2 hours, got to Malaga, Victor picked me up, and we went to eat at this delicious seafood place. I had grilled octopus and he had grilled squid. It was really good. Then we came back home, I met his roommates, and Victor had to go back to work. I´ve been internetting and listening to music since. And that´s the story morning glory!