Random Thoughts/ updates

Holy cow! I've been here a month and 1/2 and February is quickly ending. After traveling this past weekend, I realized I missed Sevilla. It has honestly become my home. This experience has been so up and down with me. My emotions are all over the place. Don't worry, the thrill of studying abroad is still in me but this past week I got extremely homesick for the comforts of home and the company of my good friends.

People (other Americans) automatically ask if I'm from the South when I ask, " Where are y'all from?" I forget that other people don't use y'all. 'Y'all' is my favorite word, y'all :) Speaking of the South, I miss Texas. Barbecue food is nearly impossible to find. I don't even think they know what it is. I also want crawfish and corn and potatoes. Ok, I'm salivating at just the thought.ugh
I even crave Tex-mex and I don't even like Mexican food. But I've been craving everything from back home. Chuy's stuffed bell peppers ahhh! I even had a dream about Chipotle. haha don't ask.

On the topic on where I'm "from". Conversations usually go two ways:
1) "De donde eres?
me: "Soy de Estados unidos or Soy Americana."
"Si, pero, de donde eres?"
me: "oh, si, soy de tejas"
"no de donde eres? japon o donde?"
me: "*confusion* oh... mi familia? Vietnam..........*awkward silence*"

Sometimes after I say I'm from the U.S. they don't believe me. Once this lady asked my friend where we were from; my friend responded United States, but she didn't believe I was. She said, "la chinita tambien?"

2) mostly guys do this but come up and are like "eres de Japon?"
I have received that like 6 times. no exaggeration. It bugs the hell outta me. I swear if one more person asks me if I'm from Japan I'm just going to say yes. I've been told I look like I'm from Japan. Quite honestly, I think all Asians look the same to y'all!!!!! And if this is your pick-up line you need a new one because telling me I look like I'm from Japan ain't working, bud. Insulting me won't get you in my pants. I know where I'm from and I'm proud of being VIETNAMESE and not Japanese.

Convenient stores in Spain are called el chinos (yes they are referring to Chinese people) because they are all owned by Chinese people. They don't own nail salons like in the States. Dollar/ weird trinket stores are their game here. I'm not really offended by this. Just when assholes like to yell "chinita" (sorry still not over it)

The 500 euro bill is called Bin Laden by the locals because apparently it's the most commonly owned bill but rarely seen. haha I learned this in my international finance class. Also, people were forced by law to have the Spanish flag hanging or on display during the civil war or during some significant period. Admittedly, I kind of dozed off in class, so I don't have exact details. That is why it's rare to see people hang the Spanish flag out on their balconies and such. It usually brings back bad memories rather than demonstrate patriotism and nationalism. The only time the Spanish flag was outwardly on display all over Espana was during the World Cup.

My hermana, though I love her to death, has been driving me up a wall. I think she's in the beginning stages of puberty because she has her bi-polar moments. I swear I sometimes see a glimpse of teenage angst. She's always barging in my room while I'm trying to study or relax. She's extremely loud and likes to take my laptop and talk to everyone. You know how you have a couple friends on facebook you aren't really friends with and have never facebook chatted with? Well, she doesn't know who my real friends are and will chat everyone up. It's terrible and embarrassing. We do have our bonding time though. Today she wrote stories in English and I edited them and I wrote stories in Spanish and she edited them for me.

Here's one of her stories:
"Hi!!! Sandra I'm Grisel Pham and I live in Getman, is a very crazy place. The last week I went to Angelicosini and I discover a rare girl, in Angelicosini are a lot of girls rare but I discover a girl similar to Lady Gaga. She has got glasses of spoon an a dress of rats...She told me she is very popular in the city and we know why...I discover a boy...He is so cute. This is rare because all the people are rare ok he has got blue eyes, brown hair and a six pack. oh my goth. He is perfect but he say he don't like me... oh my triste. xao xao I <3 you."

** She chose the name Grisel because that is one of my best friends that Isa likes to talk to on Fb chat. **

My story:
"Erase una vez una chica que se llamaba Waka. Ella quiso un novio pero ella muy fea y no tenia muchos amigos. Ella siempre estaba triste. Ella tuvo un hermano, se llamaba Paquito. Un dia Waka jugo a fuera con Paquito cuando un perro aparecio. Ella tenia miedo. A ella no le gustaban los animales. El perro se comio Paquito! Waka corrio a su casa pero ella corrio a muy lento. El perro comio a ella tambien. Que triste! y fin."

Random side note to my random post:
If we're friends I expect you to act like one. I promise you I will drop you.

Anyways, that's all I can remember to update y'all about. I will write my post about Granada soon! I actually have to study now. What the hell is this?? I'm in Spain to learn about the culture and junk not do school work. I'm a spoiled brat in Spain, I know. haha.

Hasta Luego mis amigos <3