End of week one

Well... here I am. It's Friday afternoon. My research proposal is done and handed in. Whew.

This week was intense, very intense. But, everyone says that this course, research methods, is the hardest one of the first summer...and I'm done now. I have not gotten much sleep this week and my eyes are blood shot from staring at the computer, but, it's the weekend now and I'll get a chance to recuperate.

Update on the landlady situation... we had found another apartment, which I think I mentioned before. It was all set up for us to go there. Well, things got a little sticky today because when my landlady found out that we were leaving she didn't want to hand back any of the money that I had mistakenly given to her (instead of paying through the school). From what I understand the housing lady from school got into a huge fight with the landlady, and when she reported back to our Dean (which is just the go between/translator for us) he said that she used words he has never heard coming out of her mouth before. She was pissed! At first, they told me that the landlady refused any refund, and that I had a choice to either stay for the rest of the month, or leave and lose my money, and pay for a new place. Needless to say I was not happy about this.

So I had another conversation with the Dean, and he saw where I was coming from, and in the end, it's all worked out. We'll be moving out of the apartment tonight then. Unfortunately, I will probably have to sleep on a matress on the floor in someone else's room tonight, until my room is ready tomorrow. But as far as I'm concerned, it's better than staying at the Nazi's. Oh and did I mention that the new place is something like six bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kicthen with three refridgerators and a balcony off my room? There will be three of us women from the program living there, along with 4 men who are already there. I don't know who the men are, but, from what I understand they are all non-Spanish as well. And there is NO landlady! :)

There is one small downside to leaving this apartment. The other day when I was just outside the apartment, I looked across the road and thought I saw a health food store. I thought my eyes were deceiving me, so I went across the street to look. Lo and behold, a BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFULLY STOCKED, FULL OF YUMMY FOOD health food store right across the street. I went in last night and bought just a couple of things (including tempeh and seitan, neither of which you can get in Latvia). I was very excited. I even added it to the website happycow.org. So, it's too bad that I'm not going to live right across the street from it, but at the same time, at least now I know where it is, and I can stealthy (so as not to be seen by Crazy herself) go back any time I want. And, in my new place I'll actually be able to cook the yummy things that I can get there! :)

Tomorrow we're going on a field trip to Segovia. I'm not really sure where that is, or what is there... but from the pitch about the trip, I think I remember something about a castle, some of the best food in the world, and utterly delightful. So, it should be good. I'll try to take some pictures with my not so good camera...we'll see how it goes.

Also tomorrow, I just heard that the weather is supposed to turn into real Madrid summer weather. What does that mean? Between 35-45C/85-95F, and sun. Yeah... it'll be hot. But you know me... I love that shit. :) If it's going to be summer, it might as well be SUMMER. :) (Mental note to continue working on Joel about moving someplace warm...)

Sunday I'm just planning on relaxing... very possible that I will choose to sit at some outdoor sidewalk cafe drinking sangria all day. Very possible.

Next week we take on the technology course. I'm not sure how I feel about that yet, but I'll let you know sooner or later how it goes. :)

That's it for now. Just wish me luck that the landlady is not home when we go home to pack up.

Oh, and that landlady? She is blacklisted by our school now. Works for me. :)