Finals and Flurries

When I procrastinate you get a blog. So, I of course should be studying for my history exam. But I have decided that it is much more pressing that I tell about what I did yesterday. Namely: exams. Fair warning, this blog will not be very exciting but it includes a wintery surprise at the end so stay tuned :)

Yesterday I made it to school despite the chilly cold. I printed papers, studied and visited Isabel all before my 10:00 exam. (Isabel loved her gift. "It's like Cañelaland!" She said ... cañela means cinnamon ... Thanks to Mom for bringing all the cinnamon candy when she came to visit me. Isabel is just elated!). I then took my lit exam, turned in my paper and by 11:30 was done with one class! I hate studying for finals. But I love the light, happy feeling I get after finishing an exam - the stresses for that class lift off and fly away!

After that it was my sack lunch and my language notes for my hour between exams to study. I was not looking forward to this exam. There was just so much to remember. But I studied and was feeling at least prepared when I went up the the 3rd floor to take it. And then I looked out the window and felt 100 times better ... I smiled and took it as a good omen as I watched the light fluffy snowflakes float down outside the window. Snow in Spain! It was so pretty and it put me in a much needed good mood for my exam. Fatima, my langua professor told us that snow is actually very rare in the city. It normally only snows a few times a year in Madrid and usually not until the colder months in January and February. So, I decided that the falling flakes were a lucky Christmas surprise from Spain. Thanks Spain!

After the test I went outside and was slightly dissappointed at the bare ground. I had been hoping for a white dusting but this snow was the kind that turns to rain about 2 inches before hitting the ground. Sad, but it was at least pretty to see it floating through the air.

After this I returned home. I took off my cold, wet clothes, changed int PJs and curled up under my blanket to listen to an episode of This American Life. If you have never lived somewhere where it snows ... you will not understand the wonderful feeling of going from cold wet snowy clothes to dry comfy warm ones ... it was heavenly. I spent the rest of the evening relaxing and allowed myself a study-free night. (With over a day before my next exam).

Tuesday (today) I slept in until 11 which I haven't done for about 2 weeks. I have been on and off studying for my Spanish History exam tomorrow. It's a lot of review but the test itself will be easy as long as I study ... which I am. Today it is cold and wet outside but I have so far spent the entire day inside Elena's warm house and often under her delightfully cosy leopard print blanket. And this is how I plan to spend the rest of the day. Cosily studying and relaxing. Tomorrow I have some plans that included a Solemn Changing of the Gaurd and nun-made cookies but those will come in another blog. Until then ... I leave you with a photo of Elena's first Christmas decoration. We are going to decorate next Monday (my last day here) but she put this out the other day. "Para la Navidad" she said as she flipped the switch to turn it on. I love that she put up a lava lamp for Christmas. She is such an awesome señora!!