#nofilter

Let's start this post out with a laugh: I didn't know that Picasso was a recent artist. I thought he lived in the same era as van Gogh. I thought that almost the entire time I walked around the Picasso museum today until I saw a collection of photos taken of him from his later life and they were somewhat modern. This is what's wrong with our education system, America.

So as many of you who have been reading my blog know, I live in a homstay with an old woman named Mercedes, her annoying cat, and my roommate Natalie. Mercedes doesn't speak any English, but with my minimal Spanish skills, things have been going along swimmingly.

In Spain, dinners are usually bigger and very focused on the family catching up with each other's days. Usually, Mercedes puts out a dinner for Natalie and me and we eat and sometimes talk with her. Last night, I was telling Mercedes about how our classes start on Monday and how on Monday and Wednesday my classes start at 9 but on Tuesday and Thursday they start at 10:45. This was all in very broken Spanish mind you but (in my opinion) I was getting my message across. Mercedes doesn't respond to my statement but instead looks at Natalie and asks (in Spanish), "Are you in a higher Spanish class than her? Because your Spanish is definitely better than hers." 

"WHAT. Excuse me?? Are you serious?" Are some thoughts than ran through my head immediately after she said this but unfortunately, since my Spanish is subpar, I was not able to convey any of these thoughts. Mercedes then continued to talk about my Spanish abilities (or lack thereof) to Natalie RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FACE as if I didn't understand what she was saying. If this isn't awkward, I don't know what is. I laughed it off and then later cried in my room because I was so upset with her. Who does that? I've been trying so hard for the past two weeks to be a good house guest and try to be nice and have conversations with her but apparently those efforts are going unappreciated. 

This happening on top of all of these Spaniards constantly thinking I speak Spanish and then getting disappointed when I don't really just makes me want to make an American flag cape and wear that around all the time just to clear up any confusion. Also, if Mercedes asks me something again, I'm just going to say, "Lo siento no hablo el spanish" and hope that gets the point across. 

Maybe it's just cultural differences, but I'm pretty sure that in America we would appreciate the effort instead of bashing someone right in front of them and in turn making them cry. Because that is probably one of the ruder things you can do. Instead, we'll just talk about them amongst ourselves later behind their backs, which is obviously much nicer. At least I didn't let Mercedes see me cry. I will not show weakness against her. I'm never speaking Spanish again.

Also, a quick side note: I thought I was done wearing skin tight dresses and 5 inch heels out to bars (S/O to freshman year) but that's how everyone dresses here. Last night, I looked like an actual congress woman compared to these girls (I was going for a slutty Hillary Clinton look). Looks like I need to go shopping.

Sorry this was a very salty/ranty post. Just kidding no I'm not.

Angela