11.06.08

Hey,

I am currently blogging from a shaded terrace overlooking the mountainous suburbs of Malaga. I think it is used for special events by the school, but currently, I am the only one down here and it is very serene. Below me is actual school building and above me is the pool/cafe area. I normally eat lunch and read for classes here. It has quite the view! Anyways, here is an general update on Spain life:

Tests
The midterms are over. I guess that is the good news. It took me 4.5 hours to complete the 17-page economics test. The average completion time was about 3.5 hours for this behemoth. I am not sure if I did as well as I originally planned, but I think I did fairly well on both. Thank goodness those are over. Oh, wait, our finals are one week from today! The negative aspect of studying abroad is having to take classes in such a consolidated time period.

Weather Update
The weather has been excellent. It is around 84F in the sun and 70F in the shade. Unlike my native state of Ohio, there is no humidity here, making every day pleasant and comfortable! Reports of flooding in Ohio and Indiana made the news over here.

Food Update
Carmen has still not prepared a meal that I have not enjoyed! Generally, all meals start with bread and some type of vegetable or salad, then the main course with a vegetable (normally potatoes), and then a coffee and fruit for dessert. One of the most unique meals over the past few days was a sunny-side up egg over a plate of rice and vegetables. I loved it!

For lunch, I normally travel to the local superSol for a deli sandwich (chicken and cheese), chips, yogurt, and water. As reported earlier, the value is unprecedented (under 4 Euro) and it keeps me full until dinner.

Carmen
Bryan, Dave, and I are so lucky to have Carmen as a host mom. She is great. Last night, she told me that if I ever return to Spain that I am welcome to stay with her again! It will be sad to leave Carmen for Barcelona this weekend.

Stratego Update
Last night, I obliterated Bryan in a match. I tried to move all of my pieces to completely surround his flag, but then I started to feel bad, so I just captured his flag to end the game. Bryan was super salty afterwards and told me he was not going to play me again. Dave and I then played mini-games of Stratego (only 8 pieces instead of 40), hoping that we would not spend as much time as a normal game would; however, we played a total of 10 mini-games, which probably consumed more time than one normal game would. It was still fun.
Travel Updates
My time in Malaga is rapidly coming to an end. My group is leaving for Barcelona on Saturday morning (4:00). I am not anticipating the 12 hour bus ride! We will have Saturday evening and Sunday to explore Barcelona before having our final classes on Monday-Thursday. There is so much to see and do in Barcelona and so little time. Time management, as always, is the key here.

Now, it is possible for me to visit one, or two, amusement parks while in Barcelona. One park, Port Adventura, is located an hour south, and it has a solid collection of coasters, shows, and attractions. Since it was formally operated by Universal Studios, the park is very clean, well landscaped, and features great theming. The other park, Tibidabo, is just a short train ride from Barcelona, in the mountains overlooking the city. Tibidabo only has two small roller coasters, but it has a collection of novel and old rides that cannot be found anywhere else. I recognize that you really do not care which park I go to, but if you have been reading my blog for this long, you understand my obsession.

On Thursday after completing my exam, Bryan, Ryan, and I will be traveling to Paris via airplane. I need to ensure all of our transportation logistics are in order before departing. I am really excited for the final leg of this adventure: Barcelona, Paris, and Rome! Travel, travel, travel, and before you know in, in just over two weeks, I will be back home!

Hasta pronto.