International hissy fit.

I knew there would be that day that I said: I officially want to go home and cry. Home home. Like if you like a boy, or you like like him. I want to go home, home.

Just for today, I hope.

The beauty of study abroad is that you literally have no control over the circumstances in which you will be placed. For example, in May, I was told in a fluster of cluttered emails, that I had to begin my visa process immediatly because I was sooooo late and was going to maybe not get to go. The process went like this:

Print check list, complete check list, send in 15 requirements, get told I am missing four that aren't on the list, request finger prints from FBI, lose wallet containing credit card which was used to pay FBI, get new card, try to contact FBI, get told that I have to repay, get fingerprints and repay, resend it all, recieve it all back to get it notarized, send it, get it sent back, also need to get it legalized by the state, send to state, who send it back, need a letter explaining why I need it legalized, send that back to them, recieve it and send it to LA Consulate. You'd think that after all of that, they would stamp it, set me up to go for a year, end of story.

You'd THINK that after I did my part, they'd do theirs. But as Gloria said "It just depends who is sitting at the desk and what they feel like giving you. Sometimes it is for 180 days, sometimes 75. Regardless of what you ask for or apply for."

CUTE.

Then I go through the whole residency card process, I've blabbed about that far too much already, but another nightmare situation. Turns out, it won't be here till December 23. So I can't go to Sweden the 18th. Which makes no sense, but my 90 day visa which was supposed to be 180, and actually goes from September 30 till November 29 won't work. Turns out math isn't the Spanish Consulate's strong point.

Anyway, I had a crying baby melt down in the computer lab, and am planning on suing the entire Spanish government if I am forced to spend Christmas alone. They will NOT mess up my favorite time of year. I refuse to allow them too. I might start a war. Perhaps I will take lessons from North Korea, become a communist leader and threaten to take over the government. Bet they wouldn't tell me I couldn't leave THEN.

Speaking of being stuck places, I got stuck in an ATM. Well, first I couldn't figure out how to get IN. The BancoSantander ATMs are in glass cages. With sliding doors. I could tell they were supposed to slide open, so spent five minutes pushing, pulling, groping, begging and stroking the doors, trying to figure out why they would put an atm behind glass doors that don't open. Then I noticed this little black cardy looking thing... turns out you stick your card in and then it opens for you. So I get in, try to figure out how to get out money (BancoSantander doesn't believe in English) and following getting out double what I planned too, I realized I had no idea how to get out. I looked for another card slot. I looked around by the ATM, trying to figure out where the button must be. Turns out it was on the back wall in a corner. I think the girl waiting for the ATM thought I was special needs.

I supposed that, despite being stuck in Spain and stuck in an ATM, I should stop complaining cause it could be worse: I could be stuck in Iraq, North Korea, Greeley, etc.

Today in class my teacher, the one who learned about MILFs and who told everyone Gema is how you say cheers, asked if we were going to eat butter jelly peanuts when we got home. I supposed if you mix up peanut butter and jelly it is just about equivalent to that.

Another problem I have encountered is that unlike in the US, when I am stressed, I can't eat here. Because I want cheddar cheese, in large cheesy orange quantities. Nachos, cheese and crackers, cheese on apples, chunks of cheese, anything. This poses a huge problem because it means my mom gets very worried and tries to feed me even more, and then I have to try to explain I am stressed and she thinks you fix stress with cold medicine.

If you get sick in Spain, there's a pill for that. Just wait till they discover the iPhone. They will go nuts over the "app for that."

I will keep you posted on my suing of the Spanish government. I'll take you all out for dinner on the money I make from them possibly ruining my Christmas. They WILL pay. Baby Jesus is on my side with this one, I am sure.