Technical Difficulties

Merry Christmas!!! and Happy New Year!!! ...both a little late. My excuse: I am having technical difficulties. Haha. 2008 went out with a crash...literally. My computer crashed on December 26th, so I have been without it for the last three weeks. And yes, it is torture. While I am not one of those nerds addicted to my computer, I do use it daily and my life has changed dramatically without it. I cant listen to music while getting ready in the morning, nor can I look up the forecast. I cant upload and save photos. I cant hop on the internet to look up a word or a phrase, or study for the DELE (Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera) in the Instituto de Cervantes interactive classroom. And most importantly, I cannot update my blog or keep in touch with all of you with the ease I once could. I am currently sitting in the town library using the internet, but the connection times out about every 8 minutes. It is not ideal, but it works for now. Anyway, while I continue to attempt to find someone who can fix my computer (and I am being optimistic...I was told it cannot be fixed), I have to warn you that I may be slightly out of contact for a while! But, now you know.

Now for a super speedy review:

December 24, 2008: Celebrated Christmas Eve with a fellow teacher and her family. Then hit the bar for a little. And please do not be shocked - Christmas Eve here could be equated to New Years Eve in the US. While the dinner is very family oriented, the rest of the evening is to be celebrated and spent with friends. After a few drinks with friends, I came home and had a delightful Christmas Eve with my parents via Skype. Despite the fact we are on two different continents...we opened presents...TOGETHER! :-)

December 31, 2008: Celebrated New Years Eve with another fellow teacher and her family. We had a plethora of shrimp, fish, crab, and prawns. Absolutely delicious. Then we celebrated and welcomed the new year with a very traditional Spanish of eating 12 grapes (one every second leading up to midnight). It is quite fun (and a little difficult!) Afterwards, I went out with my friends to a Cotillón (a party), and spent the evening (until 5:30 am) dancing and enjoying the early hours of 2009 to their fullest.

January 5, 2009: Dia de Los Reyes (Three Kings Day) is the equivalent to Christmas day in the US. Here, the three wisemen bring gifts (not Santa Clause). To celebrate, on the eve of Three Kings Day (Jan 5), there is a parade and everyone lines the streets in hopes of collecting candy and toys from the three kings as they throw small gifts from the floats. It is actually very neat! After the parade, everyone gathers in the main plaza...and again, waits to collect candy thrown out by the kings and their helpers from the balconies of the Ayuntamiento (town hall). When all is finished, families return home for dinner, go to sleep early, and wake up to presents brought by the wisemen. Feliz Dia de Los Reyes!

January 8, 2009: My roommate and I got the urge to spice up out hair a little. I went in with the intention of getting a small trim and maybe adding a few long layers. After repeatedly mentioning I was trying to grow my hair out and I only wanted a trim, I ended up about 3 inches shorter in general...and with layers as short as my chin. After moping around for a few days, my roommate and I decided hair grows back...eventually. Needless to say, I will likely not be going to a salon in Spain ever again.

Well, that wraps up the important points over the last few weeks! Hopefully I will be writing again soon, keep your fingers crossed.