¡Reunión con mi familia!

Once we finally began our day, a little behind scheduled, we walked, walked, and did a little shopping. Some people bought a minute phone for domestic calls. I did not purchase one because I'm waiting to find the best deal. Eventually, I will want to dial domestically. Pero no sé ahora.

We walked some more, had lunch, and then returned to the hotel. It was here we had about 3 hours of an orientation presentation by Antonia and Susan. It was very informative and interesting, but I had to fight to stay awake. I won, sort of. After speaking about safety in Palma, practical matters, independent travel, and our planned activities for the semester, we were given info about our homes and families. Listening to all the do(s) and don't(s), I was starting to get so nervous. They showed us a map of the area and where our homes were located in relation to each other. It seemed so far and impossible to find each other. The suspense was killing me. Where was I living? Are these people patient? Strict? I really didn't consider these things all summer.

Finally, after all the worrying, I was introduced to my Señora, Marisa. Susan introduced us in the lobby, then my mind went blank. I didn't know what to say to her at first due to my choppy spanish. She eased my nervousness and asked me questions about my trip and home. I was finally able to ask her what she did for a living. To my surprise and delight, she is a professional chef and teaches cooking out of her kitchen! She didn't need to say anything else. For me, it was love at first sight! As recommended, I brought a gift for my family. However, I waited until the last minute to buy it. I was so mad at myself for not getting something from the GW bookstore. I didn't know what I was going to buy in Detroit. I was desperate and just happened to find a Williams-Sonoma Kitchen store. So, I bought some basic utensils and a special American sauce. It was totally worth it of course. She was ecstatic and used the pot holder that night for dinner. She's really sweet like that. We were paired together by the Susan because she is an amazing cook, especially vegetarian cuisine.

From the hotel we took a taxi to her apartment. She stays on a higher floor, so we had to carry my luggage up the stairs one at a time. My bags weigh a ton, but we made it just fine and drank some water when we were done. It was kind-of embarrassing but funny, typical me. Her apartment is beautiful with three balconies, two bedrooms, and one bathroom. I love it, and I love my room too. Its the perfect size, and yes, all my crap does fit in the room. She has wireless, so I am all set. ¡Estoy contenta, Sí!

Pictures of my room:





This is the view from my bedroom window. Having no screen on the window is so liberating!



This moth blended in with my bed! No worries. It was one of very few insects.