Outra semana...

Hi all!
I don't really have much to report this week...it's just been another week here (outra semana=other week). I'm getting used to school again--so much school right now. 3 tests this week and 3 the next, plus lots of fun assignments. I don't mind school, but sometimes I wish I didn't have to do it so I could go out and explore the country more.
Last week I had a cold, so I didn't do much. On friday I went to a classmate's house to do an assignment. Stayed really late and got home at 9:30 for dinner.
Saturday I didn't do much either. I went to scouts and didn't do anything, then went to buy some stuff. Saturday night was fun, though. Went to Anne-Lise's birthday dinner at her house with AFSers (representing Chile, Bolivia, Norway, Germany, Hungary, the US (me), and Denmark) and some portuguese friends. It was a fun dinner, with dashes in between bites of food to go look at the lunar eclipse that was happening--really cool! I'll put the pictures up but they don't look like much--just little moon slivers.
Afterwards we took the train to a part of Lisbon with a lot of bars and discos and went to a couple bars. I'm proud to say I think I'm finally used to going out--it's definitely taken some getting used to! Although I don't like it when people smoke, I'm not "scared" of it anymore, and I actually had a drink on saturday, which is a definitive change! Don't worry, I'm still responsible. But the drinking age here is either 16 or nothing (I don't remember), so it's legal.
I went home before the rest of the group that had gone out (which was at 3--wow).
Sunday I went with Liz to make up a field trip of Lisbon that I had missed while I was in Italy. We went to two of the sites I needed to visit, but it was raining so we decided to just get lunch and I'd do the walk some other day. Liz and I always have good talks...it's always nice to talk about what we've been going through this year.
Afterwards finished choosing my courses for next year (senior year yikes!), studied some, then we had dinner at the host uncle and aunt's house. It was my host cousin's birthday, so naturally there were lots of sweets. yum.
Today was a normal school day. i have a feel these next few weeks won't be very exciting, but that's ok. I think I'm coming to the easier, more fun part of exchange. When I'm finally making friends, speaking the language well, feeling more comfortable in general. it's still challenging, and I'm still learning a lot, but not as challenging. Also it's starting to feel like spring here, which definitely helps with moods!
Welll hope everything is going well back at home. Muitos abraços (lots of hugs!)