Chapter 3: Mi Familia y Mi Casa

On Friday afternoon we meet our Senoras for the first time.  She is a very nice, middle aged women who lives alone.  She does have a son that is a cheif in Ibeza and a daughter that still lives in Argentina.  Her name is Doris and she is very nice and personable.  As an owner of two beauty salons, she works six days a week and doesn't come home from lunch or siesta like most people do.  She cooks three meals a day for us, but never eats with us.  She does stand in the kitchen with us and talk to us and joke around with us.  She has a great sense of humor.  She can't pernounce my name so often times I am referred to as Carlos.  She also makes fun of our southern accents.  We have tried to teach her southern slang and it is funny to see a Spanish woman say y'all.  Every night for dinner she goes to get tapas with her friends.  My room mate and I are going to get tapas with her on Wednesday night.  We also have a french girl living here who is studying Spanish at another university.  She has already been here for a long time and is very nice.  All four of us share one bathroom - it is very interesting.  The apartment is small but sufficient. The apartment has a small gallery kitchen, three bedrooms, a living room, one bathroom and nice balcony that overlooks the courtyard of the complex.  There is no such thing as a bad location here.  Every apartment is near a grocery store, meat shop, resturant, and tapas bar. It is further from school than most other student's homes but that is okay.  It is about a 25 to 30 minutes walk to school.  To them, it is a short walk. It goes by fast since you always find new things and new experiences on your way to where ever you are walking.  It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't so hot.  Yesterday it was about 104F so it makes for walking during the day uncomfortable.  They have siestas because it is so hot outside.  It is dry heat though, not like the humidity in North Carolina.  There is a nice breeze at times, and the temperature isn't too bad in the shade. It is shocking how much energy is conserved here yet how confortable everyone lives.  Our apartment is not air conditioned, and while it is hot, it is not uncomfortably hot.  They use metal retractable shades to cover the windows during siesta, and turn off all lights and appliances.  Our senora only plugs in the hot water heater when we are taking showers.  Otherwise, it stays off.  It really is a testament to how easy living within our means can be.  It was a big lesson for me. I will be posting pictures soon!