Mission Half Way Accomplished!

Wow... today has been very hectic!  First of all, Cereal again this morning was AMAZING but what I find odd is that not only is oil a part of the main food groups unlike the US, they put it on everything...seriously.  Instead of butter and jelly on toast it is oil.  On rice..oil, salad..oil, chicken..oil, pizza..oil etc.  I will attach pictures of my oily pizza from a hole in the wall place downtown Barcelona- we got lost and it was what we call a "ghetto" in America haha.  On the way to school Guillermo pointed to this very slim tall man holding his little sons hand and guess what?! HE WAS FAMOUS!  The man plays for the Barcelona hand ball team and is very good.  He walks his son to school every day to Saint Isabel and I am guessing he lives by us since it was close to the house!
     At school I found Natalie again and we had different classes today, english and french but with a different group.  The group of 4th grade boys were very interested if I had an Instagram, Facebook, if I liked Obama, if I had a gun and what I thought of guns (they knew about ALL of the shootings that have happened in the US recently which surprised me), I told them KY is the bluegrass state (they thought there was blue grass literally hah), everything to know about KY, I sang the national anthem which was awful as well as the pledge of allegiance etc.  The group of boys made me laugh until I cried because they were asking me so many questions that I would never think of at their age.  Since the school is a very conservative catholic school they were taught that you could not kiss someone unless you are married to the other person which brought up discussion about Modern Family.  I have never seen Modern Family but the boys did not understand why the actor and actress kissed if they were not married on the show or in real life- I told them it was a part of their job but they still did not think that was right.  I thought this was interesting since in the US we see SO much of this stuff and even worse on TV and do not think twice about it.
     Natalie and I got to know each other VERY well on a personal basis that I would never think someone would ask me or me to her.  It was a hoot because she is british and says their weirdest things like flat (meaning room) or other "british things".  I got to learn about how she was brought up catholic, her husband, her daughter who was born in July, her first boy friend, and the boyfriend she fancied most!  Natalie is such an amazing woman even as a teacher!  The kids love her because she is down-to-earth and can relate to them on any given topic.  After french class Kenzie and I went to the coffee shop at the square and sat in the tents with Jessie while we waited for our long break to be over.
I was done with school early again so Guillermo and I walked to school (Iñaki was sick today) and we ate white rice (with oil, go figure) and what I think was sausage links.  After lunch I went back to school even though I was done for teh day at 1 again but I watched Kenzie's class of boys and let me tell you they are wild!  The boys got to listen to the Saint George story since on April 23 is a holiday for him.  Typically at school we do not teach, the kids will play and the males will give a female flowers (preferably roses because it is symbolic of the Saint) and the females will give the males a book.  There will be parades in the street and everyone celebrates.  I cannot wait to take pictures.
     After school I went to soccer practice where Abby and Kenzie's brothers were playing.  The boys were insane and soccer practice too!  They were singing on the nets like Tarzan and the coaches did not even see them goofing off by us!  Their coaches were very young probably my age so I can only imagine how much they have to put up with with the little boys!  At 7 we met at the school and took the metro downtown which was very pretty.  A lot of buildings and shops.  For whoever comes to Barcelona the Apple store has free wifi FYI- we used it a lot tonight since we got lost...again!  Oh and I saw a pretty fountain that lit up and I wanted to go take a picture of it and it disappeared..seriously!!   Any who, we only got to eat and go to the Apple store because everything closes at 9 or 10 even the metro!! We did not find that out until 10:30 haha... we asked 3 people for help and still managed to not find our way, we kept walking in circles.  When we FINALLY found the metro it was gated and dark.  The only thing we could do was to get a taxi and guess what!? The taxi guy got lost, even with a GPS!! - but I did find the fountain again that disappeared which was a plus.  At least now we know to get on the metro before 10 PM and to take pictures of our surroundings when we get off the metro!
     I have already decided this is where I want to live and my kids can go to the Catholic school and be very smart since they learn a lot of languages, play soccer, watch soccer, live soccer, walk everywhere, and be in a beautiful city all day every day!  I already broke the news to Mom and she is fine with it as long as I get to talk to Messi (famous soccer player for Barcelona).  I just can't get over how much I love it and I am already starting to sound like them speaking English.  So maybe I can fit right in?!!
     Tomorrow I will be with Natalie again at school and will probably watch Kenzie's class too since I will get done early and no one else does!  We will go out to Tomasz's (a bar and grill) after.  They have a potato specialty in Barcelona and somewhere by it has a famous bar that a lot of locals go to.  the pictures attached are from the restaurant my white wine and pizza.  Oh and if someone could tell me what (vallae??) means it would be GREAT! Everyone says it here.
   Just to clarify, the reason why I named this blog "Mission Half Way Accomplished" is because I have marked off some of my things I wanted to do while here.  I.E. see a celebrity.  I added to the list tonight because a boy was on a motorcyle that we asked for directions and I really, really, really want to ride on one!  Mom I know you are going to freak out when you see this but I will make sure the person speaks English, I will wear a helmet, they are nice, and I won't go far. :)

Buenos Noches,
Kelsey

Greasy pizza

Greasy pizza and wine

Down the street from my house

Fountain downtown

Saint Isabel- Day 2

Hola!  Today was my first day at Saint Isabel and I got lost countless times.  But to start I ate cereal for breakfast with their boxed milk and a HUGE spoon; the cereal was delish (I told them it does not take much to please me haha).  It is a bog private catholic school.  There are 3 sections that I know of: the little kids which Iñaki goes to.  Guillermo and I walked Iñaki  to his class and he showed me where the computer labs were.  I was supposed to meet a substitute teacher there because both of my teachers were gone to Madrid for a futbol championship with some of the students- they will not be back until next week.  Thankfully, I found Natalie and I was with her all day because I did not find the substitutes!  The first class was very small and all girls.  Today they learned about 4th of July in America and I told them the traditions that we do i.e fireworks, barbecue etc.  They were shy at first but finally they asked me questions.  If they talked in spanish or did not say the sentence properly in English they had to keep re saying what they were asking until it was right. The second class was also English and it was all boys, probably 12 of them which was big for Natalie.  They were VERY talkative and asked a lot of questions about Kentucky and about school.  The last classes that I went to were French but thankfully we talked in English!!  The boys kept asking if I had a boyfriend and when I said yes one students comment was, "what a lucky boy".  Needless to say I told Ben that at least someone thinks he is lucky ;) . 
     I was done with school around 2PM because I took lunch early with Guillermo and Iñak.  We walked back home and ate potatoes and green beans which are very good with chicken.  After we ate lunch I was done with school because Natalie does not have anymore classes after that.  So what do I do?! Explore Barcelona!  I walked and walked until my heels bled (literally) and got lost!  I had to use my spanish speaking skills and ask for directions back to school so I could pick up the kids and walk back home with them since I still do not know my way back.
     Tonight I got to meet Patricia's father and he knows slim to none English.  It was rough to communicate but he is hilarious!  He thinks I drink whiskey all the time since I am from Kentucky and even if I said no he thought I was lying haha- he even made me eat whiskey chocolate!!  For dinner we all had wine, an omlette which is a delicacy here it is egg with potatoes and onions VERY GOOD!, chicken nuggets, bread with oil, some type of meat they sliced off a huge leg of an animal right in front of me, and a salami type of meat.  I was full but we had to scarf everything down so we could watch the Barca game-which came out to be a tie 1-1.  Messi did not play until Paris scored and as soon as he went in we scored!!!!! Everyone went insane and then they apologized.  They were screaming with their hands up running in circles it was funny.  Nacho was telling me that when they play the whole city is deserted, no one on the streets or any place because they are either watching it live or at their homes watching then everyone cheers in the streets if they win.  This makes me even more excited to go to a game!! I need to figure out the best way to get tickets ASAP. 
     It is midnight here so I am going to bed for another great day in Barcelona! 
Buenos Noches,
Kelsey

PS Alejandra is obsessed with the Kentucky Derby so maybe when she is older she can come visit and go!! :)  and Pablo is finally warming up to me, mom got to talk with him on Skype even though he just stared at her haha

Still Day 1

I finally got to meet the whole family! Nacho's English was very good as well as the children's.. Very impressive. I have them their gifts which they LOVED since it was candy, side walk chalk, and bubbles. At dinner I had pinchos which I loved in Puerto Rico so I was happy to have that (chicken on a stick). I showed the family my family back at home and of course my doggie! Alexandria loves horses and horse back rides (which ill get to see her do Thursday), I showed her pictures of the KY Derby and she was ecstatic! Horses are her favorite thing in the world she says. Also, the weekend after I get back from Rome I am planning on going to their house in the mountains which looks amazing. Nacho said everything is green in the spring and wild horses are running free as well as cows and sheep! I cannot wait to see.
Tomorrow starts my first day at saint Isabel and I am extremely nervous! Both of my teachers will be in Madrid for an athletic event so I am flying solo the whole week; maybe with a sub think goodness! I will update more tomorrow because it is 11PM here and I need my beauty sleep :)

Buenos Noches,
Kelsey

Home sweet home

I have officially met my new Madre Patricia as well as the twin boys Pablo and Jorge who are two years old. The boys do not like me they said in Spanish,"I don't like the nice girl." Haha they are VERY shy around me because they don't know what to expect! Patricia is extremely nice and is trying to learn English. We had to pull the Spanish/English dictionary out several times to communicate. There are 3 helpers that clean, cook, do laundry, iron clothes etc and one is leaving tomorrow :( she is very nice and her English is good! My Madre told me that the eldest son is ashamed of her English and he made her promise not to talk a lot of English because its awful haha Patricia really isn't bad at communicating at all!
I have unpacked what I could, I have a small closet, a bed and small desk area. It's definitely a change but doable. She is doing work business right now and the.n she's taking me around town. Oh and I asked her about "siesta" and she made it clear that there is no siesta at home which means no naps for me!! Haha I will update more as the day continues.
Ciao!
Kelsey

Viva la Barci!

I just arrived in Barcelona and while getting my luggage there were Michigan fans on the plane and they told me that the Cards won!!!! Wahoo ohhhhh C-A-R-D-S CARDS! I barely got any sleep on the plane it was so hot and babies were crying.
I am on the bus that will take me to the school for a meeting and then I'll meet my family that I will be staying with! Oh an of course I made my first purchase... A Barcelona soccer shirt DUH! I couldn't resist! Now I just need to get tickets to a game. The pictures posted are from the hill side on the ride from the airport to the school and the front of the school!
Ciao!
Kelsey

Tomorrow is the BIG day

Not only am I leaving to travel across the world tomorrow BUT Louisville is playing for the national championship WAHOO!  Words cannot describe how exciting this experience is going to be, but I am hoping that the plane will have coverage of the game because I will be in panic mode until I watch it. 
Throughout the week I have been trying to get ahead on my school work for my night class and trying to get everything ready.  I just know I am going to forget something not matter how many lists I make!!  The family that I will be staying with has 5 kids so I am excited to have a big family to be a part of for a short while; it will definitely be different than having only one big brother.
I will post more tomorrow at the airports and when I finally land in BARCI!!!!

Peace,
Kelsey

So Close!

I am very excited as the clock ticks down to when I leave!  April 8th will be here before I know it!!  I have loved my experience this semester at Auburn Elementary School but I am ready for a change.  The only thing that I am worried about is what to pack and can I fit everything into a suitcase haha