Jan 26th - Feb 1st

I knew I was forgetting to do something today, right, posting my latest adventures and stories. I am finally done with exams, I have a new apartment, and life is GOOD!

Last week was a semi-stressful week. I had to study for my Management exam and also look for a new place to live. The apartment hunt went on for way too long, but it is finally over. My aunt in Portugal, Tia Nicha, has a neighbor (Suzanna), who has a daughter (Filipa), who had two friends who were looking for a roommate, so it ended up working out really nicely. Did you catch all that? It was quite the explanation. Needless to say having a house locked down by Wednesday was nice because it gave me time to really get my head in the books, well at least try to.

Most of the days, I stayed at Marc's house, slept in and tried to study little by little, I did not have too much success. For some reason walking the dog, or talking to people back home always seemed to win out over hitting the books. On Wednesday it snowed again. I did not get to see the snow in the morning because I was sleeping, but I caught the snow in the afternoon. On Thursday night, Marc, Joaquin, Alvaro and I went to the Indian restaurant, it was good as always. Friday was a slow day. In the evening I was supposed to meet Marc in Madrid to buy a present for Joaquin who celebrated a birthday on Saturday. About half way to the city, on the bus, I realized that I had forgotten my cell hone at home. Of course the metro stop we were meeting at had 4 different exists so I waited around trying to bump into him at some point but was not able to. I remembered that Marc had sent me his cell phone number before I came over in August, so I decided to try to find an internet cafe to look up the email and call him. With my luck I was in the absolute wrong part of town to find an internet cafe. I walked around for about 45 minutes, asking people all over before I finally found one. About an hour and a half after we were supposed to meet, I finally found Marc, and by this time the shop we were going to buy Joaquin his present at was closed, so it was a wasted evening.

Saturday was test day, my last one. I woke up at some absurd hour, I think it was about 8a.m. and began the Trek to get to campus; as always it took me about an hour and forty-five minutes from Marc's, but I made it early and was able to study a little before the exam began. I arrived about ten minutes early to the exam room, just to find it over flowing, so the professor split us up into two classrooms. When the teacher came into the class I was put in and said, "Ok, I switched you guys into this classroom because I trust you guys. Please don't cheat, I think this test will be very easy for you. If you have questions please come into the other classroom." I was shocked. Right when the professor walked out, kids starting pulling out their notes, and talking to each other...Never in a million years would that have happened in the states, one teacher to proctor over 130 students! After the exam it was off to Joaquin's Birthday. I arrived a bit late, but was lucky enough to still get some of his mom's homemade Argentinian Empanadas. We ended up hanging out and talking there for a few hours, and then went back to Marc's house for the rest of the night. We had high ambitions of going out Saturday night, but the day had been long enough, and we called it an early one.

On Sunday, we went on a family excursion. Marc's family took me to this little Pueblo called Sepulveda...yes, like the street in Los Angeles.  In this quaint town about an hour and a half outside of Madrid they are famous for their food. For lunch we had the traditional baby lamb that was roasted in a wood fired oven, and man was it good. It just melted in your mouth. I have never had anything quite like it. the waiter would bring a clay serving dish to the table, about 8"x15" oval shape, with a quarter of the lamb in there, ask if it looked good, then cut it up. the lamb was accompanied with a basic salad, and fresh bread. This was by far one of the best meals that I have ever had. After, we got back, Marc and I watched a movie, and then it was off to move in. I got all of my bags up to my room, but have yet to unpack them. the roommates are really nice do far, their names are Catarina, and Rosario, they are both form Portugal, Lisbon actually. I think that it is going to be a good semester.

Today was the first day of classes. I had an international finance class that seems llike it is going to be very interesting, and then spent the rest of the day re-arranging my schedule for the semester so I would not have class too early in the morning, or too late at night. Well, that is all from Madrid. Hope as awlays that this finds everyone doing well.

Love from Moncloa (my new neighborhood),

Phil