Oct 13th - Oct 19th

Another week gone by and more memories made. Another relatively slow week for me, there was only class on Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday and then a fun weekend. On Thursday night after class I met up Marc, Ismael, and Javier for dinner; we also invited a couple of Domingo's friends from Portugal that are here working. We ate at a great tapas bar called La Llama and then went out for a few drinks before once again going to the discotecha and dancing the night away! It is definitely starting to get cold here, walking home at 6:00 a.m. in a long sleeve shirt was VERY COLD. We have been having overnight lows around 39 F. Friday was a relatively lazy day, went to buy groceries, read my book a lot of the day and just hung out (I feel like I did something else but I am guessing that was really it!)

Saturday I woke up late, read for a few more hours and then met up with Javier and a bunch of his friends to go play soccer. Apparently one of the kids dad's is the Mayor of a town outside of Madrid so we all drove out to the little town and there turf soccer fields were opened for us to use privately! It was real nice there were 14 of us and we played for about 2 hours. Saturday also marked the first time that I have been to a Spanish Hospital! Take a deep breathe Mom, It wasn't cause I hurt myself, one of our friends blew out his knee while playing and we had to take him for some medical attention. It was a bummer for the game to end that way, and then we weren't able to go out because we were with him in the Urgecias until about 12:30 and I was exhausted by the time I got home.

Sunday was more of the same, relaxing. I finished the book I was reading, (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larson) and would recommend it, although a bit graphic at parts it was a great read. Later I studied a bit for a presentation I had today in my Marketing class. In the Evening Marc and I went to another Bull Fight, just like the rest of the old men there we are regulars now!

Well as I mentioned earlier, I had a Marketing Presentation to give today in front of my class. I was a bit nervous because it was all in Spanish and although I speak relatively well, I had never given a 7 minute presentation in Spanish. Ok so I was not alone there was one other guy from my marketing group presenting with me, but I must tell you having a classroom full of Spaniards staring at you while you are up there speaking in your best semi ok Spanish was brutal! I am glad to say that I made it through without any huge issues, overall it went pretty well. We were the second group of 13 to go and I think that our presentation was one of the better ones.

Well that's all for now...one more mellow weekend here in Madrid coming up and then I am off to Alicante to visit some family! Get ready for longer posts to come (Lizzy!)

Much Love always, and I hope this finds everyone doing very well.

Phil