Cristobal Colon

We are currently in the middle of a holiday celebrating when Spain owned America because our buddy Crystal Ball stumbled upon the Americas. 

I never know when people are talking about Chris Columbus because here his name is like Cristobal Colon. Something crazy like that. 

We had the day off school yesterday and started off by attending mass that which all the important people were at. There were like 50 veterans from the Spanish Civil wars and their families and the mayor and whatnot. Even some Portuguese soldiers came to represent. 

They all wear very strange hats. 

And the service was in Galego. 

I felt very American. 

That is all. 

Afterwards, we checked out the cemetery where Iria's grandfather is buried. It is small but very old and beautiful. Here, as Iria's uncle explained to me, they don't have as much land space as America so instead of burying everyone in the ground, it's like walking through an open Mausoleum. Yes, kinda creepy. 

There were four or five rows of, well, dead people and each coffin-space had a pretty little glass picture window. There were lots of people cleaning the glass and stowing new flowers inside. 

The rows of lost souls wrapped around and around the cemetery like a maze and there was a pretty roof at the top. Iría said that when someone has just died, there will be flowers just spewing all around wherever his/her pretty little window box is. 

Afterwards, we met up with Iria's tio, tia, abuela, and tia of her abuela. We went to a restaurant in Porriño that apparently they go to every time they are together. It was like the best meal of my life and they are all so nice and fun. 

One of the biggest reasons I chose Spain was because they value family so much. I am so lucky for a family so willing to let me into their life. Manoli tells me daily that I am her daughter and Iria and I toss the word "sister" around like it's nothing. 

After dessert, Iria and I headed to El Patio, our usual place of gathering, along with our friend Pedro. 

We talked for hours and Skyped with my tia and prima and Tigre. I could not hear them but they could hear me and our Spanish. Tonight or tomorrow, I want to introduce my padre to everyone. 

I can't believe I didn't Skype with everyone until now, it's been over a month, but it makes me homesick. 

I miss America so much sometimes, but then I feel awful when I think of coming home because I have established so many friends here and I wish I could see them through the end of the year. I feel like I'll be throwing myself back into a world where I don't know where I fit in.