Update

I picked up a job tutoring this guy who works for NATO to try to help him pass his English proficiency exams. This is seriously the sweetest job I’ve ever had: all I have to do is talk to him, listen to him and correct him when he speaks (and occasionally fake a British accent so he can have practice listening to that as well… don’t ask) and I get about $15 an hour (thank you, horrific exchange rate). Anyway, mistakenly, the other day I brought up this class I had been reading about that the socialist government was making mandatory in all classrooms—the Good Citizenship Class, or something. Anyway, it basically tries to break all the traditional hatred passed down to children in Spain about how people of another race, religion or sexuality are inferior. Anyway, he went on to discuss how he thinks American culture glorifies homosexuality, and that while it’s not “demonic” like everyone used to think, it’s not “normal.” After all “normal” is based on the “norm” and “society is not full of gays and a few other people” but is the other way around. Then he went into homosexual marriage and their right to adopt:

“No, that is not family (one with two gay parents). Look, for example, this table right here. I could say it is a car, but that does not change the fact that it is a table. It is a very nice table, but it’s no car.”

He said something else even more offensive on another subject that I promised myself I would remember but I’m afraid I’ve forgotten it.

The television in my house broke and my host mom and I were forced to have our first conversation over dinner in I don’t know how long. All the people in the program here complain how Spaniards are glued to their TVs during dinner and never talk. Oh, they talk plenty, but usually during the morning when I hate the world, the day when I should be going to class, or at night when I should be asleep. Anyway, it was awesome and we had a two-hour conversation about politics, Spain, the U.S., family and our relationship histories. Pretty hilarious. I feel like both my listening and writing are close to fluency but I need to spend more time talking to Spaniards at length because my speaking (while a lot better) isn’t up to snuff.

Speaking of which, I’m sure the general Spanish public is absolutely convinced that I’m crazy, senile or schizophrenic because I’ve recently decided that I WILL learn how to pronounce the double-r letter before I leave Spain. So my effort basically consists of me wandering around whenever I’m waiting for someone or have nothing to do on the street muttering the Spanish equivalents of “Dog… Dooooog… Up… War… Up… Dooog,” completely incoherently. I just really need practice, alright? I just hope I don’t ever see anyone I know or get picked up by the police…

In Spanish news, Hugo Chavez was recently calling a bunch of former Spanish (conservative) prime ministers fascists and things like that and interrupting the current prime minister (Socialist) while he was talking at some Hispanic trade conference or something. Chavez was being his little obnoxious self and speaking over everyone during their speeches even though they had cut his mic. Well, the Spanish king was standing by the prime minister and leaned over and yelled at Chavez, “Why don’t you just shut up?” Funniest thing for Spain since Sancho Panza… I’ve never seen Spaniards so proud: “It’s about damn time SOMEONE said something.” The king's "shut-up" quote is now the top cell phone ringtone in Spain and all over t-shirt and coffee mugs in the markets. I want one so badly… way to go, Spain.

I found out a lot about next semester in Chile the other day: I’m living in a big house with a mom, dad, two dogs, and three brothers—14, 12 and 2 years old. I’m so excited!

Well, it’s time to go. I’m going to go watch a movie with my host mom. I’ve felt kind of sick so she suggested I stay in and eat popcorn with her. She really wanted to learn how to say “popcorn” in English but Spaniards are positively terrible at any combination sounds like “or” so it took me like 30 minutes to get her anywhere close…

Rome

I hardly even know where to begin. This was the best city I’ve ever traveled to… ever. We visited as much of ancient Rome as we could the first day—the Colosseum, forum, Palatine Hill, the Pantheon. The interior of the Colosseum was nothing like I expected and the hollowing out of the ruins actually let you see down into all the chambers in the former basement. Fallen columns and capitals are all over the pathways… it was completely amazing. What really surprised me, though, were all the unimportant ruins scattered all over the place. As you walk up Palatine Hill, there are foundations to buildings everywhere, and the area around the forum has all been preserved. I’m not sure why, but I always imagined Rome as only having the big landmarks preserved and everything else paved over. It was absolutely incredible still be able to see so much of the ancient city. We got started a little late we arrived five minutes too late to see Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum ruins (the entrance, unbeknownst to us, closed at 3, even though it stayed open for another 90 minutes or so) and it was the only day we had really allotted for it … so, while I felt kind of bad, we decided to hop over a relatively unguarded hill in the entrance and enjoy the hour an a half, up-close with some of the coolest ruins in the city! So worth it…
We spend the second day in the Vatican, wandering around the best museum I’ve ever been in. Seriously, everything was in here (much of it in the Sistine Chapel): the ceiling (of course), Raphael’s School of Athens, The Handing Over of the Keys, like 2 or 3 Madonnas I think, The Temptation of Christ, The Last Judgment, Portrait of Saint Jerome… a ridiculously good portion of all the top art in the world, ever. I don’t even have words to describe St. Peter’s Basilica… I’ll leave it to the 5000 picture here. It was absolutely incredible. And climbing to the top of the cupola for the best view of Rome that I ever saw was a nice ending.
On the third day, I convinced everyone to come out to the Roman countryside to see Tivoli. There’re some amazing ruins and Roman/Italian villas out there. It was a nice break from the bustle of Rome and Villa d’ Este was incredible.

Oh yeah, and I was thinking about how Romans/Italians had plazas before the Spanish but they're very small and not open or used enough... they just don't measure up.

random ruins



Colosseum!


Pre-fight gladiator POV



Ruins around the forum.

Went up this wrong street and almost didn't get into Palatine Hill/Ancient Roman Forum...



Views were nice from the hill.



Not all ruins can stand up by themselves

Not that impressed with Rome really...



Government center

Piazza Capitoline

Pantheon

Trevi Fountain

St. Peter's!









On the way to the top of St. Peter's!
to the best view of Rome ...



This is the way cool map room (also featured: tapestry room) on the way to the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Museum... sorry, no pictures are ever allowed of the coolest things in Europe.

Escaping to the countryside!









freakishly well preserved ancient pagan temple!

Villa d'Este
View over Italian countryside.