Thank you Everyone!!

Thank you all for the Birthday Wishes. Thank you mom for hacking into my blog and saying happy birthday!

My birthday went well! My grandma came out here on Friday and I have been so grateful that she has been here because birthdays and holidays aren't as fun alone. On Sunday morning we were going to get up and go to church at the Cathedral which is HUGE and beautiful. But since it was the last day of the liturgical year everything was totally different (figures, nothing is ever EASY).
So what was meant to be a morning 30 minute activity at 8:30aM ended up being a much longer activity in the center of Sevilla. First, after trying to figure out the mass times we walked around... then we went back to the cathedral for the mass that we thought was the right one... but that was a "special" mass... a.k.a we weren't allowed to attend. So we went to a café called Café de Indias (which has pretty much the same sign as STARBUCKS) and we had Chocolate (thick pudding like chocolate that you drink. It is warm and delicious. THEN, we walked across the street and had Coffee. Don't judge me it was my birthday and THAT is how I decided to spend the morning! Then we walked around and there was a HUGE parade which completely fascinated my grandma because you could walk with the parade and there was no barrier. It was like a party in the street. Then I finally went to church at 11:30am. Then we went to have lunch at my Señora's house which was really interesting because my Señora does not speak English and my grandma does NOT speak Spanish. Thus, it was an afternoon of translating for me!! My grandma brought flowers and my señora made us Shrimp and fish and some other interesting things. The shrimp was fun considering they still had their heads! She did this because I told her my grandma was a vegetarian. Shrimp with heads and legs was her solution to meat!! When we were getting ready to leave she gave my grandma a gardening book in Spanish (she was trying to pawn it off on someone) her reasoning was that she can't read. NOT that my grandma can read spanish... my señora has interesting logic. Then we came home and I opened my present from my family and from my grandma. Since the oven DOES NOT WORK HERE we couldn't make a cake so at about 10pm we went out looking for a place to enjoy a piece of cake. The only place open was STARBUCKS. We bought a cheescake and a chocolate cake and brought them home and then skyped my parents andwe talked to them as they watched us eat it. And that is how I managed to have STARBUCKS twice on my Birthday!!

I have another interesting STARBUCKS related story.
On monday after my class I thought I would buy a small coffee from STARBUCKS in order to steal a hunk of big napkins (napkins here are small and thin). When I went in I went to say hi to some of my friends who frequent this STARBUCKS and one of my friends said she wanted to buy me a coffee since yesterday was my birthday. So, after a polite refusal she went to order it for me and asked for extra whipped cream, since it was my birthday she told them. I was sooo embarrassed, I felt like a little girl. But they were really funny and excited and the cashier drew a picture and ¡ Feliz Cumpleaños ! on my cup and they really did put A LOT of EXTRA whipped cream and then she went to pay and they said of "no, no, no, it's free for her birthday". It made me really happy!! And so I walked home with the warm Toffee Nut Latte in my hands with the chilly breeze and dark night around me. I was content with a warm cup of coffee and my iPOD playing Christmas music. It actually felt like fall for a moment.

Just a note: CHRISTMAS MUSIC should be allowed to be played BEFORE THANKSGIVING!! and the only thing better than STARBUCKS is STARBUCKS decorated for CHRISTMAS playing CHRISTMAS MUSIC!!! just so you know ; )

So, Thanksgiving has been very interesting but I think it is going to take anther post on another day so I'll let you all know how that went. It was an ADVENTURE (even though I hate that word). I am very proud of myself I think I have gotten through culture shock and homesickness and have really been able to appreciate obstacles. SO...I'll let you know how that all went tomorrow or something!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!

I'll see some of you in 20 days! others not but you are all in my hearts and I hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving and Advent and CHRISTMAS!

This is a video of the Parade

~ By my grandma

~ Bye ~