First (full) day in Salamanca!

So. There is no peanut butter in Spain.
Hay es una problema.

Everyone keeps on patting under my chin, like we do with babies.

People keep on telling me ‘tranquila!’ again and again. I’m assuming this essentially means ‘chill out, yo’ due to context and the definition of the word ‘tranquil’ in English. I suppose they think I’m freaked out (I am). My mother and my area advisor say it all the time. They also say it like, ‘ah, this is so peaceful and nice.’ And my mother used it to describe her house.

My parents smoke in the house. People smoke in restaurants. Everything smells like cigarettes.

There is a separate fruit market. Which has bread as well. I know some people do that in America too, but I think it is odd.

We don’t have internet. (update now that I’m posting this…the library and this coffee place really nearby both have internet so I’m good)

They peel pears. They peel all fruit, instead of washing it.

They say ‘Vale!’ all the time. About every other sentence.

The mullet is an extremely popular haircut.

My mother’s name is Manoli (sounds like canoli), which is a nickname for Manuela.

My father’s name is Imad. He is from Kuwait.

Yesterday I read the majority of The Sirens of Titans.

My parents cook everything with a TON of oil.

The word for piercing is piercing.

Speaking of which in my (private) school we aren’t allowed piercings, so I’m currently wearing a piercing retainer.

I started making artist’s trading cards. Enjoying it very much.

I can understand most things, and if not then they can explain and I understand. However, I often doubt that my instincts are correct, and feel unsure if I am correctly understanding, although I am right 99% of the time.

My mother turns on the hot water by lighting a match in this odd box thing on the wall that I believe is an old fashioned water heater. Mi casa esta antigua, pero nosotros cambiamos pronto, en dos meses.

I brought way too many clothes, especially considering that I am going to be wearing a uniform to school. I’m getting my uniform at 4 pronto hoy.

My family is incredibly nice, but I am going to have to make some serious adjustments, I can tell already. And also perhaps buy some of my own food just for me. And also probably get my mommy to send me peanut butter.