Ola!

No creative title today, sorry. hehe.
Not this week, but next week, I have exams in school. ugh. Don't really know what I'm going to do about that. I think I'm getting an edited open book one for history, which is good. Then after exams i have to do a project on American agriculture in geography (in portuguese, of course!) yikes!
Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well. I love the climate here, but I'm missing New England autumn. Missing pep band, but not the cold weather that came with it. Yesterday I played my clarinet for a long time I think (for the first time in a while....oy) and it was so great--I didn't realize how much I missed clarinet! I want to find a band, but Xuxu wants me to wait until I've found a gym first--good advice.
Let's see....tuesday-school. Went to the grandfather's house for lunch and had croquettes, which are now up there on my list of favorite foods. like meatballs but even better. Fried of course. hehe. After school I don't remember what I did. Wednesday--my longest day of school. yay. Nadia had to do something, so we didn't have our "extra help," so anne-lise and I went and bought pastries (mmm...) then looked at the gym near my school. I went to see a class on friday, too--step type stuff. (no gymnastics) I don't know if I'll join...Thursday anne-lise came over for lunch and then we went to the torre de belém--it was so beautiful and awesome! anne-lise met some norwegian tourists and spoke norwegian with them. I'll try to post pictures soon--it was great! At night went to host cousin marina's house for a birthday dinner for her. I'm speaking more and more portuguese with people, which is great, but it's still hard adjusting to having cousins my age.
Friday Debóra (hungary), anne-lise and I went to a mall for lunch, then saw Uma Verdade Inconveniente (An Inconvenient Truth) there with our class. I enjoyed it a lot! I had been told it was boring! no...really scary but good. And it told me to tell you to go see it. so go see it! hehe. Then a bit of looking around in stores (I had no money), back to see the gym class, then home. Friday night I went to a restaurant with catarina where marina was having her birthday dinner with friends (family the night before). We already ate, so we just sat there and talked. I didn't talk much; it was kind of awkward and boring. Oh well. After the dinner we walked to a disco, but I got picked up before we got there by Xuxu and Miguel--I had decided I should get a bit more settled in here before trying a disco again. I don't know if I'm ready to experience full on Portuguese night life. I was glad to go home and sleep. yay.
Saturday I woke up and took a walk! yay! I found a little forest, too, which was great. I miss trees while living in a city! Not as nice as the forests we have, but good to not see buildings. there are so many tall ugly buildings. ugh.
Then Xuxu, Joana and I went to an indoor market. LOTS of fish! hehe! and fruits and vegetables, too. Then we bought some sugar to make marmalade, which I'm told we'll be doing soon (but who knows--in portuguese time, soon is a bit later). Picked up Catarina and Miguelinho at the house and dropped off the food, then went to the Palácio Nacional de Ajuda
for a spanish design exhibition, which was cool. 100 posters, lamps, and chairs from 1900 until now. The palace was great, too; we might go see it today.
Then I spent the afternoon at home. Lunch of fresh fish. Played clarinet and wrote in my journal, which is almost full already. Talked with Graça. although I felt a bit unsocial, I think I needed the rest. At night, Catarina and Joana went to "moda lisboa"--fashion, but Xuxu told me it wasn't my style....i think I agree. I stayed home and watched smirkus 2004 with my host parents. yay! such a good show.
Well, maybe i can make pancakes this morning. I'll go ask. the whole family is never together at the same time, though, so I think I'll just have to make them for those who are there and haven't eaten yet. I really want to! oy.
Abraços e beijinhos!