Food & Goodbyes

I finally get the whole gazpacho obsession here in Spain.  It's been pretty hot lately.  Since I live 40 minutes from the center of town, I have to walk everywhere- making the weather very important to me.  The other day, after a schlep home from class on an 85 degree day, we all sat down to lunch.  All of the windows were open, but it provided limited relief to the five hungry/sweaty people sitting around a small table.  Mati poured gazpacho into the cups we usually drink water out of.  I have had gazpacho before- in NYC one winter- at some fancy restaurant with my family.  I remember not being a fan- who drinks cold soup?  But now I know...people who are hot drink cold soup.  I had a sip from my cup- it was the most refreshing experience I have ever had.  The texture soothed my hunger and the temperature chilled me.  Mati always knows where it's at. 

The other day, we had a visitor from America- Allison, a 28 year old who had stayed with Mati and Luiqui during her Cornell-Penn-Michigan experience 8 years ago.  Her Spanish was dynamite.  I hope mine is like that when I leave.  She's super skinny and doesn't eat a lot, unlike Kirsten and I who always finish whatever Mati gives us.  We sat down to dinner together and Allison couldn't even finish her orange.  Kristen and I laughed hysterically.  We came to the conclusion that we eat and drink here like 40 year old men. Allison was great- she told us that we are the luckiest girls ever to have Mati and Luiqui as our host parents.  "I never felt like I was asking anything of Mati- she never saw me as an inconvenience." I took a picture of Allison with the dynamic duo, and couldn't help but think of the day this program ends and I go back home.  Mati told me never to tell her "adios" because 1) it has the word DIOS in it and she's not really into the whole religion thing and 2) it means goodbye.  "Hasta luego- no sabe el futuro!"