24/6 - I wanted to be immersed in Spanish. I got it! Even though I speak English to the kids, they speak some form of Spanish to me. And the rest of the time, Rosa and Felix only speak Spanish to me. As long as they don't speak too fast, I can generally understand them. And sometimes I find myself wanting to speak Spanish to the kids, but I remember I need to speak English to them, so I need to switch my mind back to that language.

I thought I was from a small town. Woodland has about 70,000 people and is located in the middle of agriculture. It's boring. There's nothing there. Nope. That's a city. La Almunia is a small town, or a "puebla." There are about 7,000 people here. It's silent at night, besides the people sitting outside their apartments, or the children riding their bicycles and running around with each other. There is no traffic either.

Nuria and Alex are typical young children. They're sweet and lovable one moment, but the next moment they become fussy, pouty, whiny, he/she-took-my-chair-so-now-I'll-cry/scream-about-it rage monsters. I strongly dislike how young children are unable to use their words to work something out or just accept an unfavorable situation. But really, it's a minor pet-peeve (pet-hate in the UK) of mine. They're exactly like the typical children we all know and love. The only difference? They speak Spanish!

We spent a very long time at the city pool today. For a reference, it's just like what you see in the movie Sandlot. The whole town turns up to swim, lay on the grass and just hang out. It's perfect! The pool is outside, open to the sunshine and warmth, and it's amazing to sunbathe again, something I've done in the UK just a few times. Today it was another one of those moments when I'm amazed at what I'm doing. Here I am in Spain, staying with a family that speaks broken English and swimming at the community pool like I'm from here. I have a new idea for a tattoo, and it's been something that has been in the back of my mind for a while. It's meaningful:

Live life on your own terms.

26/6 - During the day, La Almunia is quiet. Windows are shut, and that includes the steel curtains that cover them to keep in what little cool air there is. So the buildings look like they are closed down. But in the evening when it gets cooler, the village really opens up. The windows open, people walk around, there are many people sitting outside, talking, and it just feels much more alive.

Alex is a great kid. He wants to speak English and he tries hard. Nuria, on the other hand, is very moody. I can tell when she's bored because she gives me the death stare and resorts to hitting me with a tennis ball or not speaking at all. She's rude! But I have to remember she's only 7 years old, so it really doesn't matter. It's kind of typical of young children. Rosa, Felix and I just laugh it off. You have to. I can take it personally, or I can have fun and troll around with her, like acting stupid.

27/6 - Walking back from the pool today, I realized how much I'm really enjoying this experience. I love being immersed in Spanish. I'm learning a lot of new words and getting very comfortable speaking. Plus, I love the fact I'm staying with such a kind family made of people who are just trying to survive. Rosa and Felix live humbly, yet they've taken in a (almost complete) stranger, thus creating another mouth to feed. They're both great people, and I'm so glad I've met them. Rosa has welcomed me, and I love talking to her though she doesn't know very much English; we understand each other most of the time.

Alex and Nuria's cousins, Marta and Anna, have come to stay for the weekend. They are twins, though Marta has a freckle by her nose. That makes a 7-year-old, two 9-year-olds and a 10-year-old bunked in one room at night, which is next to mine. It sounds chaotic (it is) but it's really great. This is a very normal family (again, what is normal?) and it doesn't feel any different to what I came from. Having said that, maybe I'll take a trip to Zaragoza this weekend...