Day 7

Made it a week! 7 more and I’m on my way home.

Got up early not feeling well and helped get the kids out the door. Of course, Hugo is a gem in the morning. Elena asked me if my brothers and sisters were like that. I can’t say that any were anywhere close to being that bad.

After they left, I watched the CES broadcast with Elder Jensen, it was marvelous except I fell asleep half way through. I felt a little better after I woke up, still just a headache and sore throat. I told Dana I was fine, which was the truth, but she studied my face, and said that I wasn’t, and tried to force pain meds down my throat. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I’m an adult and I can stand up for myself despite my elementary Spanish. I like Dana a lot, but sometimes it’s hard to maintain dignity with this woman. True story, I pretended to take the pills to satisfy her and then ran like heck out the door to finally get out to Madrid.

Today wandering and being lost in Madrid per usual, I saw Arco de la Victoria (there’s a beautiful look out area that seems to be a popular make-out spot), Plaza Cristo Rey, Hospital Clinico, and Ciudad Universitaria, which is beautiful, but mostly blocked off. I kept staring at this big building, and decided to walk to it just to find out what it is. Museo de America, and it’s closed on Mondays, but at least my curiosity is satisfied.

Elena told me that the community in Pozuelo has unusually large families for Europe, since the average is less than two children per family. I noticed walking around that the women seem kind of old to have children so young. Then I realized that these women all wear very little if any makeup, so maybe they just look a little older? Interesting, that the norm is no makeup, but heels and hose are a part of every outfit.

Hugo is still a pill, but I got to spend an hour with him in the urba playing ‘tennis,’ we have a lot of fun when he forgets that he doesn’t like me. I also connected more with the girls, especially Sophia since she understands more English. They asked to see pictures of my family and then my boyfriend, which I was more than happy to share. Then they showed me a photo album from when they lived in Brusellas.