Technically this might not be so accurate...

So this first bit is actually from the 15th, but up til now I haven't had internet en mi portatil, entonces:

It’s always so humbling that just when you think you really have a handle on another language, you go to the country where it’s native to, and you realize just how little you really understand. Maybe it’s because of the slow pace that it’s always spoken in during classes or maybe it’s the lisp that comes with the native accent, but, regardless, it’s just that much harder. But, then again, so long as you try to understand what people are saying and you attempt to speak back to them, they seem to give you a little bit more credit for at least trying. All I can say right now is that I hope over the course of three and a half months, the practice comes to something.

Living by myself with mi mama ought to do wonders too, as there’s no real way of dodging the Spanish-speaking bullet in this situation. Another thing I guess I have to be thankful for is the fact that, even though the streets are so twisty and baffling in Toledo, there’s no real way to get lost because you eventually find yourself anyway. And apparently I live fairly close to el Casco, so the commute to la Fund can either be made on foot within 20 minutes (the downside and upside being all the ups and downs of the hilly cobblestone roads) or by bus either 20 or 10 minutes. The only downside is that buses stop running around 11 o’clock at night, so, despite the limited buhó buses that are available until 4 in the morning, so the nightlife of a homestay student can’t be too extensive until we Americans manage to get a hold of this transportation-without-getting-too-lost-dealy/getting picked out as the obvious blonde non-Spaniard that I am. It’s times like these where I almost wish I had taken German instead of Spanish, as I obviously have no problem pulling the German card simply based on the number of Germans who kept on asking me questions only a German would know over the course of the Lufthansa journey on the way over, only to have me look at them hopelessly and tell them that I don’t speak a word of German (minus your most basic phrases).

But, for now, I guess we’ll see how the whole traipsing through Toledo at night goes tonight and just how hopelessly lost I might manage to get myself on the buhó buses. But moral of the story for today/this week: if you ever get the chance to even come to Toledo for one day to see the sites and meander through the streets of el Casco, take it. With its heritage coming down from the Visigoths, Moors, Romans, and just about every other faction that took over this city, it’s a gem. I can’t even begin to do it justice through any sort of description or pictures. In a way, I’m almost glad that I’ve been forgetting my camera so far it helps to get at least a minor grasp on everything that is Toledo. I doubt any pictures will be uploaded/taken for another week or so, at least until I can start to appreciate everything for myself. Pues, por esta noche, creo que es todo que puedo poner en palabras para vosotros. Y ahora, nos despedimos hasta mañana o el día próximo mis chiquitos.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________ So apparently Adolfo, my younger (but still older than me) host brother is engaged to Monica, which would explain why he doesn't live in the house anymore. But I actually got the chance to kind of hang out with them the other day. After 2 nights of going out (not hardcore, mind you), it was kind of nice to get to sleep until 11.30ish while mi mama was en la misa. Knowing that they were coming over after she got home from church for lunch kind of had me thinking it might be awkward, but surprisingly, Monica is an absolute sweetheart and probably one of the most extroverted people I've met so far. It's kind of comforting to know that the rest of the family is anything but awkward, so I don't have to be worrying about any future encounters with the other two brothers (who're both married with children, I guess).

I also think I tried one of my new favorite desserts yesterday: mixing lemon sorbet with some sort of wine or champagne (it was called caba - but, unfortunately, I have no idea what that translates to). Moral of the story: absolutely delicious, especially with a slice of homemade orange poundcake. I'm dying just thinking about it.

For anyone wondering, I am putting up some pictures onto facebook, so if you want they should be on there at some point. A lot of them are just from meandering around el Casco and walking from el barrio de Santa Barbara, where I live, to la Fund. Even though it's quite a hike and I've done it a couple times already, all the vistas and sitios never cease to amaze me. It's crazy to just take a walk down the street and see all sorts of old palacios and churches. The history of this place is like nothing I've ever seen before. Granted, I've seen various places that have their fair share of history in Europe and in Mexico, but something about the particular appeal of Toledan history is very distinct. The pictures are pretty cool, but it still doesn't do it any justice.