They had a cabinet party while I was gone. You can see the pics here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/sgkeim/CondoIKEAUpdate?authkey=L7W0Bok8Q_0
Thursday, July 17, 2008
¡Soy en España!
If my typing sucks it´s because I´m using a keyboard at an internet café in Spain, and it´s special. I´m special too, so maybe we´re made for each other.
My friend Amy and I have been travelling in Europe for nine days now, and I have ten more until I´m headed back to the States. I didn´t think I´d have the change to do this now, but... this morning we went to check out of our hotel and found the reception empty. It was 9:15, our train left at 10... no biggie. No one was there by 9.30, so we found a number on the hotel door and called it "aviso" it said. I called. I had a conversation. It went like this... this is translated, of course. Me is me. Them is, of course, the unknown male on the other end of the phone.
Them: ¿Hola?
Me: ¡Hola! I am the hotel. Want to leave. (this is not, of course what I was trying to say, or what I would have said in English, but my Spanish sucks, and when in Rome...)
Them: rapid fire Spanish
Me: What? (at least I know que)
Them: You want to leave? Rapid question in spanish
Me: Sì. I go. Bus at ten hours. Go please. Leave.
Them: Will twenty minutes be okay?
Me: (after looking to confirm it is 25 til 10) Bus at ten hours.
Them: okay.
Amy congratulated me on my Spanish (oh, the books I could write), and I sent her to the bus stop to see if she could get the bus to wait (she couldn´t but did manage to say "My friend is the check at these hotel", and the bus driver, although sweet, couldn´t wait.) I waited impatiently, and the lady showed up about 9:58, whistling. I paid. The bells tolled 10:00. I ran down the cobblestone hills in flats and a giant backpack. The bus was gone. I ate chocolate, and the world was okay. As the GPS says... "route recalculation".
Seriously though, (although all of that was serious) this has been an excellent trip. We have had beautiful weather and exquisite scenery, amazing hikes and luxurious times relaxing in ocean and pool. It´s been a break for my mind, which is good since I have to be back at school three days after I get home. The food has been terribly unimpressive and not at all satisfying, but the wine delicious and cheap. And the Spanish must be terribly forgiving, as patient as they are with amy and I butchering their language at every turn ("Excuse me, how is it what you say the coffee with...? What is that? *this involves pointing at other people´s food, etc.). And also they have been patient with me mixing three languages (Et madame, si nous utilisons les... je ne sais pas le mot... les lockers par aya... I mean juste là... quanto... no combien ca coute? ** which is a very interesting mix of French, Spanish, and English. I couldn´t keep them straight this morning.) I´ve learned I speak more Spanish than I thought I did, although it is pidgeon spanish, and I don´t conjugate anything and instead just use the infinitive, except for the verbs quiero, tengo, and well, that´s it, where I only use the first person present tense. It´s fun. An adventure. I´m ready for Paris where I can feel smart again.
The condo has been coming along in my absence, cause I have amazing friends who love me and work for me while I´m gallavanting around the world, and an incredibly talented and loving father. Picture of everything will be up when I get home. Until then, much love. ¡later!
My friend Amy and I have been travelling in Europe for nine days now, and I have ten more until I´m headed back to the States. I didn´t think I´d have the change to do this now, but... this morning we went to check out of our hotel and found the reception empty. It was 9:15, our train left at 10... no biggie. No one was there by 9.30, so we found a number on the hotel door and called it "aviso" it said. I called. I had a conversation. It went like this... this is translated, of course. Me is me. Them is, of course, the unknown male on the other end of the phone.
Them: ¿Hola?
Me: ¡Hola! I am the hotel. Want to leave. (this is not, of course what I was trying to say, or what I would have said in English, but my Spanish sucks, and when in Rome...)
Them: rapid fire Spanish
Me: What? (at least I know que)
Them: You want to leave? Rapid question in spanish
Me: Sì. I go. Bus at ten hours. Go please. Leave.
Them: Will twenty minutes be okay?
Me: (after looking to confirm it is 25 til 10) Bus at ten hours.
Them: okay.
Amy congratulated me on my Spanish (oh, the books I could write), and I sent her to the bus stop to see if she could get the bus to wait (she couldn´t but did manage to say "My friend is the check at these hotel", and the bus driver, although sweet, couldn´t wait.) I waited impatiently, and the lady showed up about 9:58, whistling. I paid. The bells tolled 10:00. I ran down the cobblestone hills in flats and a giant backpack. The bus was gone. I ate chocolate, and the world was okay. As the GPS says... "route recalculation".
Seriously though, (although all of that was serious) this has been an excellent trip. We have had beautiful weather and exquisite scenery, amazing hikes and luxurious times relaxing in ocean and pool. It´s been a break for my mind, which is good since I have to be back at school three days after I get home. The food has been terribly unimpressive and not at all satisfying, but the wine delicious and cheap. And the Spanish must be terribly forgiving, as patient as they are with amy and I butchering their language at every turn ("Excuse me, how is it what you say the coffee with...? What is that? *this involves pointing at other people´s food, etc.). And also they have been patient with me mixing three languages (Et madame, si nous utilisons les... je ne sais pas le mot... les lockers par aya... I mean juste là... quanto... no combien ca coute? ** which is a very interesting mix of French, Spanish, and English. I couldn´t keep them straight this morning.) I´ve learned I speak more Spanish than I thought I did, although it is pidgeon spanish, and I don´t conjugate anything and instead just use the infinitive, except for the verbs quiero, tengo, and well, that´s it, where I only use the first person present tense. It´s fun. An adventure. I´m ready for Paris where I can feel smart again.
The condo has been coming along in my absence, cause I have amazing friends who love me and work for me while I´m gallavanting around the world, and an incredibly talented and loving father. Picture of everything will be up when I get home. Until then, much love. ¡later!
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