El tiempo

Oy vey I apologize for the spans of time without posts recently- the weather has suddenly turned and spring is here! All week we've had weather in the upper teens (in celsius, so think 50s-60s), so everyone's been out and about doing everything they can out of the casa. Mostly that means walking the dog more often and watching the kids scooter in the streets (causing me a heart attack but no biggie for anyone else, no comprendo). Today I was able to sit outside of the Guggenheim on some benches and do some tarea before my next classes, it was the quintessential study-abroad-in-Bilbao moment, too bad I didn't have my camera!
HOWEVER, this doesn't mean Bilbao has lost it's bipolar-tiempo ways, as most mornings it will either be sunny and gorgeous or rainy and dreary (but still warm) and by 2pm the weather is the exact opposite! It's very strange, maybe it's the crazy winds that just push all weather through the city much more quickly, or else it's the Basque peeps trying to reinforce what a powerful autonomy they are so they are constantly keeping you on your toes with weather patterns. That's the most likely explanation.

School is still great, not much homework and I've only had one test (they focus more on midterms and finals than periodic testing, I think), so I really can't complain about anything there. The fam is doing well, it's Marta's b-day tomorrow so the kiddos, Esti and I are making her a surprise "desayuno en la cama" (b-fast in bed). That should be pretty fun because I haven't been able to cook anything yet so maybe I will learn some Spanish tricks to bring home (besides frying everything in egg to make it taste better, I have definitely gotten used to that treat). Then I'm going out to wander the streets of the city until I find Coffee Break, the godsend coffee shop that is my new weekend activity. That way I can soak up some sun, drink some cafe americano, enjoy some people watching- another great weekend!

Oh I almost forgot to mention before, but my Basque Language and Culture class is apparently exactly that- not so much the history of culture/language or the economic/political views on Basque country, but we are literally celebrating the cultural events of the Basques and then learning to speak a little Euskera. HOLY COW! I've only learned some numbers, colors, and phrases right now but the goal by the end of the semester is to present a small paragraph/conversation about myself, IN EUSKERA. Yikesssss I'm excited in the sense that I get to learn part of a language that is virtually unique in its existence, but I'm also worried that I'm using some of my class credits on a language that is virtually unique in its existence. How would I ever use Euskera to make a business transaction on Fordham Road? Or in the Southside?? Most Americans, sadly, probably couldn't even point out Spain on a map let alone discuss the incredibly ancient and independent autonomous community that is Vizcaya. I sound angry about it, I'm not, it's just comical that I signed up for such a.....unique? narrow? useless? class. Ah well, when in Rome. Or Bilbao. Same country, right? (american intelligence joke)