"entiendes?" not really...

that was the catch phrase of the day at carlos tercero as i went about my classes. i had teatro and periodismo, though i'm still trying to finalize my schedule. i could take a ton of lit classes that i know will transfer back to ookla, orrr i could take a variety of ones that interest me and work a little harder to get the credit for them... oh decisions decisions. also going to sign up for una clase de fotografía digital, once a week on thursdays. good way to force conversation with spaniards/ no lack of subjects in this city/country/continent, if you will.

i think the biggest breakthrough that i had today was that i am here and i should BE here. i still want all the updates from the states, but i am making the decision to catapult myself head first into this experience. i've already been laughed at. i've already began to accept that pride is a luxury and thus the first thing to go. i've already realized that i'm not the bottom of the barrel and even if i were, the only way to go is--here comes the cliche--up. 

so here's to dinner at 9:30pm. here's to 3-sip coffees and heels and beginning to think in castilian. most importantly, here's to what is the beginning of.. well i'm not really sure. but whatever it is, i think i'm going to like it.

[not to make a break with profundity, but i did think it was worth mentioning that last night i saw a guy get his ass beat by the metro police. they were arguing outside of the metro, something about 'your mom', but anyway the guy spit on the police man and got beat to the ground for it. sorta shakes you up to see that. but, carry on!]