2 Months!

I've now been here 2 full months. I've had the time of my life so far, but I really don't want to think about how fast the time has flown! I really try to avoid thinking about May cause the thought of leaving makes me want to cry. I've already started looking up jobs abroad and talking to other friends who have connections and are also applying! haha. I miss everyone important to me at home and I will ultimately end up in the United States, but I mean I wouldn't complain if I got the opportunity to come back to my lovely España for another year or two!

On that note, I had an interview the other day for a job teaching a 4 year old English. Her mom speaks English and wants her to learn at an early age. The job was offered to all of us in AHA, so I know that 3 or 4 of my other friends also applied and have interviews this week. Honestly, if I don't get it I won't be upset, because every girl that applied would be wonderful at it and I love them all! Even just interviewing in Spanish was a great opportunity, and if I want to have a job teaching in a dual language program in the future, I am going to have to get used to it. Everything went great and I understood everything she said. We talked about family and life for about half an hour, and then I left. I was the first interview so she said she'd call later, but I told her I was interested in returning to Spain and teaching and she said she would tell her friends about me! So either way it was a win!

On the way home from her house, I had a moment where I realized just how much I love it here. I know I talk about this a lot, so sorry to repeat myself, but I was literally overwhelmed! I took a new way to the area her house is in and it is absolutely gorgeous. She lives close to Calatrava, the "spaceship mall", and my friend Victoria, and I usually take the main road up there. However, on my way home last time I noticed that there is an overpass that connects to the road my house is on, so I tried going this way. The overpass has grass and statues and fountains all over, and playgrounds for the kids. It is a gorgeous street, and I will always take it from now on! You can also see the city below, and El Cristo on the mountain to the north. I should have taken pictures, but I will next time! Also, there is a huge Chino shop on the corner. The Asian markets here are called Chinos and they are really inexpensive. Chino is not used as a racist term, but when we all first got here we didn't know if that was politically correct or not. Turns out it is, because China in Spanish is pronounced Chee-na, and so the term Chino (Chee-no) is simply a reflection of this. I went in and looked around and found a cute coffee set for 7 euros. The coffee cups here are tiny, and this one includes 6 plates, 6 cups, and a tray. I wanted to get one before I leave for my apartment next year, so I will definitely be going back! I love looking around the Chinos because they are all different, but generally have the same type of stuff and it is amazing the assortment of things you will find in there!

I didn't get to work in the school today because the English teachers all had a conference in Salamanca and weren't there, so I spent my break with Em and Mac. I can't wait to return next week though! I am also meeting my conversation partner, Estefania, for the first time tomorrow and I am super excited! This weekend I think I am going to hike up to El Cristo if it is nice out on Saturday, and then Sunday I might go to the futbol game for Real Oviedo. There is also a museum right up the street from my house which is an exhibit on the ancient Iberians. It is similar to an OMSI type exhibit, and it will only be here until April. I asked Carmen and she said it is free, so I might go look around on Sunday as well! I have learned about the history of the Iberian Peninsula in most of my Spanish classes since last year and have done multiple presentations and reports on the Celtic populations in Spain, so it may be very interesting! Tonight I'm going out to dinner to celebrate the birthday of my girl Emily, and then we are going to go out for a bit! We will probably hang out with some of our Spanish friends, Nacho and Roberto, sometime this weekend, and hopefully meet more!

El Cristo. Formally known as El Monumento al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús on Mount Naranco. It overlooks all of Oviedo and is a common hike! 

Calatrava. Also known as the "Spaceship Mall" by all of us Americans haha. Believe it or not, it just looks like a regular mall inside.

Calatrava from above. It is awesome-you are literally walking around the city and all of sudden it looks like there is a spaceship coming out of nowhere!

The plaza at the top of my street that begins the new route I took! The bridge thing is part of the train station, and if you go the other way you go towards the lady's house. I'll take pictures another day, this is just one I found on google!

That's all I've got for now, hasta luego!