Hi everyone! So I realize I havent written since last year and I am sorry. Things got kinda crazy.
So I got out of school the 20th of Dec. The first few days of vacation were slow and fairly boring. Everyone was passing time with the family. On the 24th it was christmas eve and we went to Sergios (my host dad) parents house with the cousins and extended host family. We had lots of fun and a huge meal. And that was basically it . On christmas day we went to Carolinas (my host mom) parents house and it was just us and them for lunch. We passed the afternoon there, then went to a movie. Then home and sleep. Thursday I met up with a friend or two and then made the random decision to goto Burgos.
So the next day i caught an early bus to Burgos. While in Burgos I stayed with Nuria and I had a great time there. It was really nice to hang out with Nuria again. Also the city of Burgos has way more history then Santander. I saw one of the most important cathedrals in spain and it was truly breath taking. Photos of all this will be added later. There were a few times when Nuria had to study, so her family took me out and showed me the city. They took me to a small church that was completely amazing. It also housed the tombs of the parents of the catholic kings. I saw the building where Columbus asked the catholic kings for help with his trip. Overall it was just awesome. Everything was great. Also a huge thank you to Nurias family. They really took me in and were great to me.
Now on the bus ride home on Monday my counselor called me and told me I changed family that afternoon, so a surprise to say the least. When I got home my host family had already heard too. So I packed everything up as fast as I could. Around 6 we got in the car and went to the meeting place. Now this family lives in a small village in the peaks of europe. It's called Potes, and its 125km from Santander. Monday through Friday my host mom and sibilings live in a tiny apartment on the edge of Santander. During the weekend and vacations they live in potes. So I came up here to potes with them for vacations. It all was a lot of change really fast. I believe A huge thank you is in order to my first host family for everything they have done for me. Anyways, the whole living in a new area was a bit much. I need to be in the city where I created my life here. But I sat down with the family and I guess I'm only going to be with them for a month, or so rotary says. During this month they would stay down in the apartment in santander so a huge thank you to them too. However vacations would be passed in Potes. So my second night with them was new years eve, we met up with their whole extended family and had a huge dinner. Everyone was very welcoming and nice. In Spain at 12 they ring a gong 12 times on TV and you are supposed to eat one grape for each ring. I didn't manage to eat them fast enough but nobody ever does. Afterwards me and my two host sisters went out to a bit of a new years party. Speaking of which, here I have a brother who is 8 years old named David, a sister Angela who is 14, and a sister Lucia who is 16. However Lucia was only here for the holidays, she is on exchange in Boston. So now its just me David and Angela. After that we had several days in Potes. Potes is very pretty, but there isn't really much for me to do here. Later the night of the 5th is another Spanish holiday called 3 Reyes magos. It's a bit more for the little kids, and this is when most families do presents. So that night there is a parade as the Reyes go through town and then they stop at a tower sort of place and kids are called up and the Reyes give them a present. Also when you go home you find more presents that those sneaky Reyes left in your house. I received a nice sweatshirt. It was a really cool holiday season.
Now I am positive I am forgetting tons of things so more might appear in other posts. All in all, a giant thank you to Nurias family, another to my first family, and one to my new family. I hope all of you had an amazing holiday season, and happy 2014 everyone! Until next time (I promise it will be within a month)!
Abrazos a todos
Jonah
