On Saturday Katie and I took the
bus down to Almuñécar, because Javi invited us to stay at his house over the
weekend. It was perfect weather at the beach and we spent most of the time
relaxing by his pool, chatting, and eating. Sound surprising? Also a large
chunk of time was spent listening to Javi make fun of our Spanish accents,
which could honestly be its own stand-up comedy act.
Does Spain have some sort of secret capital
punishment for its citizens if a family does not treat their guests like royalty?
I’m starting to think this must be the case, because I’ve now stayed with four
families and each one is absolutely the most friendly, warm and welcoming group
of people I could have ever hoped to encounter. My sister and I were treated
like queens in this beachside haven, as we were fed plate after plate of some
of the best homemade food I’ve eaten in this country (paella and prawns and
mussels and fried fish and baby octopus and meatballs and more, and glass after
glass of wine with every meal). I had a great time talking to his brother, mom,
dad and grandma (if you thought you were fluent, talking to a 95-year-old
Spaniard will make you second-guess yourself). And if before I considered life
in a Spanish city to be relaxing, life in a Spanish beach town is like infancy:
no responsibilities, just napping and eating and chilling. I think I could make
a life for myself just hopping from one Spanish family to the next, because my
weekends spent in the houses of friends here have definitely been some of the most
memorable and rewarding experiences in my time abroad. Also, watching my sister
try to spit out sentences in Spanish after studying Russian for 6 years is priceless.
Katie getting her first taste of Spanish hospitality
GAMBAS
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