Monday, June 25, 2012

Could this be a dream

FYI• Somehow, the Spanish keyboard is significantly different than the English keyboard, so even though I've finally found a keyboard to use...this'll be interesting haha

Onto the fun!

Because I haven't quite explained what exactly I'm doing here yet, let me give some quick info. I am in Palma de Mallorca, Spain ( Paradise), staying with a family of four. I watch the girls and teach them English in the mornings until early afternoon, and in exchange, I have free housing, a darling adopted family, food, a few extra spending euros each week, and the TIME OF MY LIFE.
People you'll hear about-

Mother- Martita
Father- Juanjo
9-year-old, Alicia
6-year-old, Martita

The family is the sweetest and insists that I am part of the family and welcome to everything. It's only been six days and I am already wondering how I am ever going to leave here...

So, the family goes to their beach house in Las Rapitas every weekend and then two full weeks within the summer. It's been interesting because the people on this island have the funniest concept of distance, like their beach house for example, it's no more than 20 minutes away yet it's their vacation get away. Las Rapitas is known as the Mallorcan's vacation spot because it's not known by the tourists which makes it such a well-kept, quaint, and relaxing little town. This weekend was an adventure! Alicia was in Barcelona for the weekend with her uncle, so there was only me, Martita, Marta, and Juanjo. We left Friday afternoon, unpacked our stuff and headed to the beach (about a 45 second walk) asap. I'm still amazed every time I see this water, I've honestly never in my life seen such beautiful, clear blue water in my life. It's like more clear than most swimming pools. We swam around, walked along the rocks and pier, and made sand castles in the sand that's extra soft.

Do I love this a place a lil bit ?

Then, we went back to the house and swam in the backyard pool while Marta prepared dinner.
I LOVE THE FOOD HERE.
I'm still trying to decide if my family is the norm or if they're an exception just for Britt's liking but either way, I love it! Basically, the simplicity of the food is perfect. Examples,

A salad with tomatoes, celery, peppers, beans, and tuna. with olive oil, salt, and pepper for dressing if you want any.
Salad made of potatoes, some new vege comparable to an eggplant, and celery. They pretty much just boiled it and threw some peppers and olive oil.
Fruit and nuts after EVERY meal. love love love love
Yogurt with no sugar added- love love love love love x a million because we just mix our fruit in with it.
Delicious desserts that aren't over the top crazy sweet, like an apricot cake she made last week didn't have any sugar except for sprinkled on top of the apricots.
Something I'll have to get used to is to chillax on this bread that I love, the bread is outstanding. They eat it so simply also, cheese, tomatoes, meat. Easy. OR the delicious nutella spread. Yum

okay okay enough about the food, I guess you get the idea that I love it a little.

Continuing with the weekend in Las Rapitas...
Saturday I did my morning routine with Martita, breakfast, room, English lessons, and a little play time. When Marta and Juanjo got back from their run, us three girls hopped on our cute little bikes and rode to a beach she prefers on busy Saturdays. This beach was not exactly a beach but really pretty rocks that we snorkeled around for hours. Within the span of about five minutes, the three of us had caught a bucket full of shrimp, crabs, fish, and a sea porcupine. But wait, it gets better. Marta is swimming around in there and goes "Brittnee, Brittnee, an Octopus!". Of course, I do the natural thing and jump out of the water screaming, but Marta says "No no, we are going to catch it!" and jumps on the thing! I'm serious, I was so thrown off. We were all screaming and laughing and freaking out about all of the ink streaming down her arm. I was so impressed, I felt like such a baby around them. When we went to put the octopus back,  Martita started crying and said she wanted to eat it, so Marta shrugs and says, "fine, lets take it home then". Paiya for dinner!
hahaha I was dying throughout this entire experience, what an adventure.


That afternoon I was free to do my own thing so after a nice skype chat with the fam fam I went on a run along the beach. The run was amazing, I just went until the pavement turned to dirt and then the dirt ended. I looked like such a goon having the time of my life- if you've ran with me then you know that I dance and just book it when I'm on my A game. So, flying through these quiet little streets filled with relaxed walkers and vacationers plus my dance moves and hopping off all the little obstacles rather than running around them plus this outrageously huge smile on my face. I was in absolute heaven.
On my way back, it dawned on me, I'm in Spain and I am having the run of my life along the beach.
I reached the beach with the diving board off the rocks and decided to go for it. Ran to the board, stripped down to my athletic undies and plunged on in.

HEAVENNNNNN

Once again, this hysterical feeling that seems to be occurring at least a billion times a day was back and with full force. I was swimming in the Mediterranean!

That night, we went to the party on the beach to celebrate the birth (or death or something...) of one of the Catholic Saints. The beach was full of candles set in the sand, music, a live drum line band thing, and happy people all over. The stars were amazing and this beach was hopping. Marta bought me some ice cream and the four of us walked along the beach dodging firecrackers.

Oh how I look forward to more of these weekends in Las Rapitas.

* I'll post pics asap!


3 comments:

  1. I had that "wait, I live in Taiwan" feeling everyday. I'm so happy for you!

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  2. I'm def (a "Danielleism") living vicariously through your experience in paradise! Love your blog and the photographs!

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  3. I loved hearing about your first weekend in La Rapita! And i was laughing so hard reading the octopus story because that EXACT thing happened while I was there (although we were near these rocks in Colonia de San Jordi where kacey's families beach house is) but there we were just walking along when Marta screams to me about an octopus and next thing I know she is grabbing the crazy thing and yelling for me to get a bag to put it in so we can take it home and cook it for dinner. I was amazed too and felt like a total baby cause I would have NEVER done that. haha Keep up the blog posts girl... loving them :) and lets skype asap!

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