Campo.

Yesterday, my family invited me to go with them to the campo. My senor is an olive farmer, so they have a house and a farm in a pueblo outside the city. They own a large amount of land and quite a few horses, so I got a chance to ride one of their horses. Considering I had only done it maybe once before in my life, it was kinda scary, but really cool. It is a really cool place. It was a festival in the pueblo yesterday, so the entire family was there pretty much. Jaime has 12 brothers and sisters, so I was pretty overwhelmed with all of the people. Also, my senora Maria and my senor Jaime are pretty awkward to begin with. I felt like I was just standing around in the way for the first hour because Maria didn't tell me what we were doing. I got a lot more comfortable as the day went on and talked a little more. The only problem is, all they talk about is farming, horses, and inside jokes, so it's kind of hard for me to participate. I enjoy just listening sometimes, though, because it is good practice for me. During the day, I ate better food and more food than I have the entire time I have been here. I should have gone to the campo more often! I feel like they were all trying to get me drunk with the bottomless glass of sangria they were feeding me all day haha. (Maria told me I had to drink up so that I could dance later haha) I got to see their festival where they have a live band and the people of the pueblo go to dance and socialize. A lot of them were dressed in gypsy clothing (traditional flamenco dresses). It was really cool. I feel like Maria talked to me more yesterday than ever before and I actually saw she has a personality haha. Seeing the way the family acts in the campo makes me feel like I was wrong about them, but then the second they are alone with us, they are immediately quiet and awkward. It is the weirdest thing ever. I wish we would have tried to go to the campo more times than we did because we would have probably gotten closer to them and felt more comfortable, but who knows. The day in the campo was really fun for me even though Maria is convinced I didn't have fun because I didn't talk much. I just don't have the vocabulary to talk about farming techniques is all lol I am really glad they took me. I got to have one last experience of the true spanish culture!

PORTUGAL!

My FINAL trip of the semester has already come and gone!! It was quite the adventure. Five of us decided to rent a car and drive to Portimao, Portugal for the weekend. Driving was quite the experience, but we made it all in one piece and nobody got any tickets (unlike others who tried before us). We rented out an apartment that was VERY close to the beach and we had a kitchen so we could cook!! It was a much needed, relaxing weekend. The only stressful part of the trip was the birds on our terrace. There were these crazy sea gulls that had a nest on our terrace. Every time we went out on it, they would start squawking and try to attack us. So much for eating dinner and watching the sunset lol. It was kind of yucky out the first day, so we didn't get to go to the beach for long, and we tried the pool, but it was still too cold. So, we just ate ourselves silly and watched movies. (There was an english channel YES!) The next day was even worse than the second, :( so we did what any 20 year old adults would do....we built a fort in the living room. hahahaha We waited out the storm eating french toast and hanging out in our fort. On Sunday, it was actually sunny, so we got to go to the beach! None of us forgot our mothers on mother's day, so I think God threw us a bone. ha It was SO beautiful! The water was more clear on the first day (before the storm ruined it), but it was still amazing. We spent the day laying out and wandering the beach. When it finally got warm enough, we swam in the waves. I think this was the first time I have actually swam in the ocean without being scared out of my mind. I got owned by the waves on the way in, but it was a blast! Also, I got sunburned AGIAIN! I just can't wait to hear what my senora has to say about it this time haha We got to lay on the beach in portugal, play like little kids again, and eat like kings. I say it was a very successful weekend! BUT now this means only 10 days until I have to come home :( I am not ready yet! I am going to soak in every moment I have left here!