ME GUSTA MALASANA, ME GUSTAS TUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!- Manu Chao.

i live in the best barrio in madridddd :) It's called Malasaña.

Its like the alternative, hippie, greenwich village type barrio and ahhh its just amazing. and my host mom... is a badass. She came and picked me up at the hotel where we had this big sort of ceremony type thing and we all got to introduce our hosts and it was really nice but when we were all done Cristina was like "all right lets bag this joint" basically this attitude, but said in spanish hahhaha, so we rolled out of there with her and her equally as badass friend. She is just this like awesome, loud, funny, not really hippie but just like.. alternative?; lets just say I came home earlier than she did tonight. She is a bit older (late 30s), but tons of funnnnn :) Not at all what I was expecting.. but much better!!!!! We only speak in Spanish, actually that is all I speak anywhere- with people on the program, the program directors, Cristina. TODOS. I am finding my personality in Spanish- very curious predicament really- to find your sense of humor in Spanish. Already I can see my accent getting much better. Anyways, after we dropped off my bags we went straight to a little bar right down the street from me where the people spill out into the streets with their drinks.. un mini botellón?? anyways all the people looked so cool and just ahh like not typical dressed to the T Europeans, more relaxed, more into like music and art. Ahhhh mis vecinos :) (neighbors). Then after a drink we went to a restaurant and drank and ate and chatted more and then took a little stroll around this lovely little part of Madrid. Right down the street is A SQUAT!!! so basically when a bunch of young vagabonds leave their house and take over an abandoned building.. its hilarious and painted with graffiti and yea ahhh..

anyways, I met up with a friend from high school tonight!!! The girl I went to Peru with hahahah- Camila!!! She lives literally like 5 minutes walking away from me. Really random.

Last night some Spanish students that kind of like help CIEE- my program, took four of us out last night for Sangriaaaaa.. so it was like 4 spaniards and 4 americans and yesss it was cool we went to a nice little pub and ahhh perfectooo. we have 15 kids on our program so its pretty close knit- we have gotten to know all of them and everyone is greatt!! very smart kids from princeton and yale.. and im like the random crazy in the group.. pero no pasa nada.

i dont think i have honestly slept for reals in the 4 days... so I'm going to sleep now.. I've been quite delusional these last few days!!!

MADRIDDDD