One Piece of Advice...

...Never tell your host mom that you like something when you don't! 

On about the second day here, she asked me if I liked tomatoes, and because I wanted to be polite, I smiled, nodded, and said "sì," hoping that I didn't just make a big mistake. Ever since I can remember, I have never liked tomatoes! I was forewarned not to tell my host mom that I liked something if I didn't because she'll give it to me all of the time. But she is just so nice and I was afraid to offend her. Now knowing her better, that would hardly have been the case. Anyhow, I still haven't mustered up the courage to tell her that I don't care for them, and now I see them making an appearance on my plate at least once a day. Lesson learned, always tell the truth!                                      

~Justine <3

The Rain in Spain Falls Mainly on...Salamanca

Sigh, it's just one of those lazy, rainy days here in Salamanca. My midterms have finally come to an end, which is one of the reasons as to why I've not been updating as frequently. I wasn't sure what to expect when it came to each of the tests, but overall I am glad that they are over :) I had three this week: one for Spanish Art, Spanish Culture, and Grammar. I really do enjoy these classes, but I'm still working on my Spanish, so sometimes the level of difficulty can vary from each. I just have to focus 100% of my attention and efforts on the finals happening next month and try my best! ^_^

By the way, I think that the approaching holidays (Thanksgiving and even Christmas) are making me miss the states just a tad. But my awesome sister has been sending me cards and packages which have helped to lessen the desire to be home. It's really nice to have some familiar things here when I'm so far away, so I really do appreciate all that she has done <3 

Halloween Across the Pond

I had no idea what to expect when it came to Halloween here in Spain, and have come to learn that it is celebrated here, but very minimally. Every few stores had spooky displays in the windows and some shops even sold costumes, but Halloween is still a relatively new concept here. There is no grand parade, houses decorated with witches, skulls, and lights, or loads of Jack o' lanterns adorning windows, nonetheless, the spirit of Halloween could still be felt. Sometimes very young children would walk by dressed in an adorable costume, and even if they were trying to be spooky or scary, it was difficult to hold back the “awww.” It seems as though the younger generations of Spaniards are catching onto the concept, but not everyone was very enthusiastic about it. It was kind of funny to see only handfuls of people dressed up, while many others went about their nights as though nothing were going on. It was also interesting to see the differences in how some girls dress up here for Halloween and what some girls back in the states choose to wear. Here, the girls seem to have no problem smearing fake blood all over themselves or going into full zombie mode, but back in the U.S. many girls use Halloween as the opportunity to wear a minimal amount of clothing. Not every girl of course! But it is a very noticeable thing.

Many of the bars here had Halloween-themed parties, aimed primarily at the many American students studying abroad, and it was very enjoyable to see the costumes people donned. There were the usual cats, witches, devils, and pirates out there, but one of the most memorable costumes I saw was a person covered head to toe in foil. I couldn't tell you exactly what he or she was, but it was very interesting and amusing to bear witness to. I dressed like one of my favorite people, Michael Jackson! I was so excited and I think I was able to pull it off the way that I had wanted to.

For the majority of the Spaniards, the day that they choose to celebrate is actually on November 1^st, Dia de Todos Los Santos (All Saints Day). On this day families get together and attend Mass and visit cemeteries to pay respects to those who have passed on. It’s not my host mother’s favorite day due to its somber nature, but it is a day held with much respect. It also may have nothing to do with Halloween, but the idea of spirits and ghosts seem to go hand in hand.  

All in all, Halloween in Spain has been a very enjoyable time. I can definitely see its popularity increasing with each year and it was comforting to have a piece of home so far away.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!