Las zapatillas

              Hoy, we had our prueba de nivel (placement test) for our Spanish classes. It was a really long test and there were a lot of different types of sections. I’m glad it is over though because now I can look forward to my actually classes. After the test, Claudine and I visited some stores to look for a backpack, but we didn’t have any luck. We also stopped by Vodaphone for what seems like the 100^th time to ask about our saldo (the money on our cell phones that enables us to make calls).  When we walked in the girls behind the counter practically yelled “AGAIN!?”  It was a short visit, but we will be back tomorrow with our profesor (oy).

Then when we got to our apartment for la comida, something funny happened. There was a sock on the outside door, so Claudine and I sat outside, thinking that our señora must have just mopped the floors and didn’t want us to walk on it, or that she dried her socks on door handles (bizarre, I know, but we couldn’t figure out why it was there!) Then Kazuna came home and SHE didn’t know why there was a sock on the door…So the three of us stood outside the door for another 10 minutes until Encarnación came back from picking up her nieta, Cristina from school.  Encarnación was surprised to find us all out there…but not as surprised as us when we found out that she had just dropped the sock while doing laundry and she put in on the door before leaving! We explained that in the US, a sock on the door means don’t come in, but it was just one of the funniest instances of a cultural clash I’ve ever seen. 

We sat down for lunch, but before we ate, little Cristina gave me a present for my birthday from her and her family! It was such a sweet gesture and totally unexpected.  They also gave me a deep pink/ magenta scarf like Encarnación, but it is a little longer and warmer. It was really funny when they explained that they didn’t know that the other had gotten a pink pañuela for me, I guess great minds think alike! La comida today was delicious, as per usual. We had pasta with red sauce that had chicken and vegetables like eggplant and mushrooms.  There were also eggs sunny side up, but since I don’t eat eggs, I just had the pasta.  Of course, after we had our mandarinas (tangerines). [Seriously, greatest tradition ever]

After Claudine and I digested a bit, we went for a walk towards the center of town to see if we could find a few things.  We stopped by a bunch a show stores, but Claudine didn’t find any that she liked.  At La Puerta Real, we passed little stands in the plaza that were selling various things.. There were bags, jewelry, wine, bread and cheese, scarves, hats, etc…It is like a little bazaar in the plaza. There I found these great sunglasses, a small turquoise change purse, and….perhaps my greatest purchase of ALL TIME…zapatillas (slippers!)  There are warm and fuzzy and perfect for my cold pies.  I put them on as soon as we got home and have never been happier.  For dinner, we had croquetas again and chicken cutlet with a lemon breading. There was also a salad with lettuce, apples, pears, walnuts and raisins in a creamy dressing.  We watched Arrayán (a Spanish soap opera for a while) with nuestra señora, and now we are just relaxing and getting ready for our meeting tomorrow.

P.S. I went to Dunkin Coffee today to have a hot chocolate, only to find that un chocolate is the same kind in churros con chocolate, so it was very thick and strong and not like American hot chocolate at all.  It was good, but I think next time, I’ll be choosing a coffee!