This weekend was fantastic, because i got to see the beauty of Madrid. Madrid is a wonderful city, but it is not particularly beautiful, that is, unless you go to the Sierra Mountains just to the north of the city and hike eight kilometers up to Peñalara Peak.

About 30 other Rotary exchange students and I spent Saturday hiking in the Peñalara Park, where we found snowy peaks and beautiful views of the city below. Nothing compares to eating jamón york on the highest point in all of the Madrid area.

Then today, I stayed with my exchange student friend, Eliza, who lives in Madrid, and went to the Rastro, which is the biggest (and best, or so they say) flea marked in all of Spain. It was huge and wonderful. I bought pins, old photographs or Holland and France, used stamps of Spain and bag-fulls of gummy-candy. I was tempted to buy a golden buddha that said SPAIN on it, just because it was ridiculous and would look great on my bed stand, but I ran out of funds and had to resist.

Madrid has a lot to offer, so if you are planning a trip to the city, don't forget that there's more to this wonderful capital than just "tapas" and the Prado (:

Assimilation is what its called. I'm beginning to think a little bit more like a Spaniard. I've found that for the most part, the values are different here. Sports, friends, tidiness, food and school are important. Whenever I asked what people did after school, they would tell me "we study." I figured this to mean that they go out with friends, go for a walk, play sports, go on the computer, and hang out with their families. After a month of school I finally have figured out what they mean: they mean that they study-- real, legitimate studying. I was surprised too.

I went to another family lunch this weekend and played with lighters with my four year old "cousin", which was probably a very bad idea, but it was fun, because there were about 20 different types and brands. Also we looked at photographs of weddings and trips and its interesting to think that while I was living my life, somewhere far away, this family was living their life, only I had no idea. So Saturday is family day.

And friday is hanging out with friends day. There are three options:

1. You go to the "forest" (Its okay, I don't understand this either)

2. You go into Madrid and shop at the "English Court".

3. You walk around Tres Cantos in a small group and go in and out of supermarkets and buy pringles and sunflower seeds.

I usually opt for option three, but they are all pretty fun.

And on Sundays you study and watch soccer and car-racing: Formula 1, on TV, then you eat a big lunch and sleep and rest for the long week ahead. And for me it now includes going to church, because I found a tiny, little community church that has an American pastor as well as "crazy-cake" and cookies after the service (Grandpa, you can breathe now)

And that is the typical weekend in Spain. I've experienced six weekends, and I'm beginning to catch the flow: school --> friends --> family --> rest.

It makes sense, right?

I turned 17 this week. And birthdays are pretty big in Spain. I was walking out of my apartment building on Wednesday morning to go to school and I heard some friends across the street singing Happy Birthday to me. And we had American brownies with milk. It was a good day.

Things I learned this week:

-Good restaurants are not open on Sunday nights. So don't expect to go to an exotic Indian restaurant because you'll end up eating lo mein at the chinese restaurant next door.

-There are a lot of missionary kids in Tres Cantos. Well, 6.

- Everyone has a personal Saint, and today is Saint Pilar's day. Which is my host mother's saint, and the Saint that watches over the Military.

-"International Music Concert" really means 30 people making animal noises and mimicking sirens, all at the same time.

-A three day weekend is called "a bridge" in translation.

- Age doesn't seem to matter that much in Spain. A 13 year old can be friends with a 19 year old, no problem.

And today is a national holiday in both Spain and the U.S. I like that.

Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes and thoughts!