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…