Best Day Ever.

Today was the best day ever. No question. I got up for breakfast at around 11 and I had pan with something that was either cheese or butter. I think it was butter. No sé. Also, for my gift to Miguel and Anglela I brought them preserves from America including blueberries, pumpkins, and oranges. Today they tried the blueberry preserve and it was so cute to see them eat it because they never had it before. They seemed to like it. Who knows though? They could have been lying like I was about the grilled octopus last night hahaa.

After breakfast, Miguel made me start to read a book in Spanish, so I could practice my accent, intonation, and pronunciation. Then, he helped me understand it. I only read about 2 pages and it was very difficult to understand, but Miguel helps me a lot. He is pretty much a Godsend, teaching me random vocab and correcting my grammar. He speaks very little English but enough to help me understand.

Then, at around 12, we drove 15 mins to the beach in Benissa. We went to the weekend home of Angela's sister and brother in law. Their house was right by the water. I met Angelas sister, her husband, his mother, and also saw Anglea's mother again. Everyone is so nice and understanding.

Angela and I went down to la playa (the beach), and it was way different than in the U.S.A. First off, it was the Mediterranean Sea, not Atlantic Ocean. Second, there were rocks on the bottom, not sand. Third, some women had no tops on. I suppose it's common in Spain, but it was still strange to me.

Anyway, the water was so beautiful and clear, but actually quite wavy. Usually, it's calm but today it was rough. Also, the water is deep so you actually have to swim instead of just stand there like usually at the beach.

I can try to explain how it feels to be swimming in the Mediteranean, surrounded by large mountains and feeling the sun on your face, but honestly it's indescribable. There's really only one word I can use to describe how I was feeling. Happy. I was so, so happy in that moment.

Angela went back up to her sister's house after swimming but I decided to stay for a little while and read my Kindle. I'm reading Eat, Pray, Love, and I totally sympathize with Elizabeth Gilbert. I'm having my own Eat, Pray, Love moment here in Spain. It's pretty incredible.

When i came back to the house, Miguel and Antonio( Angelas sister's husband) made paella. Next to siestas, paella is the best thing ever created. It has a certain type of rice, and depending on the region, either fish or meat or both. Ours had chicken in it, and it was so delicious! The best meal I've had here by far. Also, we had melon, but it's not like in the U.S.A , it's very sweet and delicious.

Next, comes my favorite part of the day. Siesta. Seriously, how great is it that you can eat then go to sleep right after? Anyone who knows me knows this is my idea of perfection. I slept for 2 hrs. Granted, siestas aren't normally that long but I'm still recovering from jet lag.

After that, they fed me( they never stop feeding me!) ice cream. It was different than American ice cream. It came in a square and you cut a slice off and eat it. I think it was almendra (almond) flavored. We eat a lot of almonds here because they grow many almonds in Spain. It was different, but good.

Then we drove home and i showered quickly and got ready because I was going to meet up with some girls in my town that I had talked to before I came to Spain. They are some of Laura's( the daughter of my host family who is an exchange student in New York) friends.

First, i showed Miguel and Angela my yearbook and pictures I brought with me. They were very entertained with my yearbook and impressed by how many activities my school does. It was very cute.

Then, Miguel drove me to la plaza purisima in Benissa, where I met some new friends. Miguel then drove all of us to Calpe, a beach town, 15 mins away. Calpe was so beautiful and had many shops restaurants, and dischotechas. My new friends (Nerea, Mireia, Paula, Thais, and Reuben)and I ate at a pizza place. Then, we shopped a little and sat down for a drink at a discotecha.

We went inside the dischotecha but it was completely empty and it was 11:30 at night. Why? Because the Spaniards go out to dischotechas at 1 or 2 in the morning. Es loco.

We danced a little and talked and I tried to keep up with their conversation, or at least understand some of it. I find that I get tired very easily from listening intently all day and at night, sometimes I just give up because I can't constantly pay attention that long.

Miguel picked me up at 12ish and he drove me to a spot where you can see Calpe, and Merienda, another beach town, from afar. Both towns were lit up and it was so beautiful. This whole day was filled with moments like swimming in the Mediterranean, and seeing these towns lit up at night from a mountaintop, that made me feel so alive and happy to be here. Honestly, could this day have gotten any better? The answer, if you don't already know, is a big, fat NO.