...SOY GUAPA!...

Guapo(a): pretty; handsome; good-looking;

Various times after leaving a store or parting from a stranger, male or female, they will reply “adios, guapa”, “hasta luego, guapa”, or “gracias, guapa”—you get the idea. So after hearing this so often, I thought, wow, I must be pretty hot stuff in Spain!!!!!! [KIDDING!]. I didn’t really know how to respond to this at first…after my  first encounter with it I muttered “…gracias?” under my breath as I rushed out the door, bewildered. Now I am finally well aware that “guapa” is a colloquial way to say “muchacha” or "young woman", SOMETIMES "cute girl". So I have gotten off my high horse and ceded to the fact that all these people weren't necessarily complimenting me at all, ha!!

Items I’m starting to miss:

• Peanut butter
• Cookies
• Funfetti
• Baked Ziti
• Cilantro

Oh whoops, that’s all food, isn’t it? Luckily a) My Señora said she really wants to learn to bake “American” cookies so we’ll probably be doing that this weekend and b) she also has a special recipe with lots of cilantro that she promised she’ll make me!! Yes, I like her more and more every day! I have even forgiven her for saying “Awww you pulled your hair back today! It makes you look more infantile!”

Exciting Things:

• Played soccer today, I think I found a team to consistently play with! (WOO!)
• Goal set for Saturday: stay up til 7am
• I signed up to volunteer at a nearby Oxfam store
• My Señora has a friend at a nearby residencia who I'm going to read to once a week
• I have come in contact with my intercambio and we're going to meet up sometime soon!
• Goin' to the beach in Nerja next weekend!
• Despite all the food I miss at home, I have at least found the Spanish version of Nutella!:

Crema al Cacao con avellanas

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO acclimation!