during my first week here!

these are some of the skaters! Almudena, my mom, is in the pink shirt
and my two maria friends are, the little girl inbewteen the adults
(the maria with lots of personality) and the girl to the right of the
adult in gray, another teacher. 

Hay all! well, where do i begin, this first week here has been absolutely amazing for me. there have already been some challenges, but nothing i couldn't handle. my host sister 'ale' is really awesome and we are already really close. my family continues to be amazing and helping me all the time with my new life here. yesterday i went to my first skating lesson, my real mom and i thought my host mom was an iceskating teacher, but as it turns out, rollar skating is the thing to do here. so when i went to the store to buy my skates, you can imagine my surprise at skates with wheels. also my host mom told me i would be in the beginners and there wouldn't be many people my age, when i showed up, i was a good head taller then everyone there (which is saying something!) and different in age by about ten years with everyone! haha i made two new friends, both named maria, who are eight years old and call me iron girl, cause of my knee brace i have to wear. Maria bossed me around the whole time and i laughed and laughed because she was so cute and determined to help me get better. the whole time i felt like i was playing leap frog over all of the little kids! it was so scary cause i didn't want to smoosh anyone! It was a good learning experience but really scary for me haha

in the lobby of our apartment complex
on my way out the door!

and smiling for the camera and asking the pictures
to stop so i could get to school and calm my nerves already!

and today i had my first day of school! i only went for an hour for orientation but i still went to school haha. this morning i woke up at 1030 and started freaking out because i thought i had missed the first day! and that was NOT the way i wanted to start off my school year! but it ends up we only went from 1130 to 1230 today. i was really nervous when we first pulled up to my school, cause the first people i saw were all the students who smoke, standing outside the gates smoking. they all looked so foreign and were all giving me the stare down, one cause im a blonde american, two cause i was with my mom! Almundena and i got to school, went to my main teacher, Alfredo (like the pasta!) and she talked to him and told him i'm from the US and to be nice to me and talk slow haha. Almundena left and i sat in a chair and waited ten or so more minutes for more students besides myself to enter the class room! five girls ended up sitting next to me, i think it was because their other friends were sitting behind me but i dont know haha, and they were really nice to me. they told me if i had any questions just ask, and after we left they interduced me to more people, and we did the typical double kiss on both cheek goodbye, and i was on my way to walk home! i got a little lost on my way home, but it wasn't a big deal cause i just asked for directions and was off! i have my first rugby practice tonight and im really excited! and my adventures for this year are beginning!
Sarah ☮ツ