Peter Am loving the blog entries Mariel... I can really get the feel of "you" having these experiences. (No one else could express themselves in such a Marielesque manner!) Love you.

Dar Oh my goodness I laughed as I read this one! Wish I could have been there to see you on stage - always a treat! I'm betting that your observation of people your age, Spanish or Canadian, has more to do with your super-mature view of how the world works. You've always been so very in tune with how people treat others Mariel. One of the reasons we love yoooooou!

Wendy Elliott Good for you Marie and wahoo for Horton drama! It is truly wonderful how being an exchange student frees you. Your observations on the Spanish personality are fascinating. Gotta love Latinos!l

Darlene Barr Sounds like a good start! Can't wait to hear the stories about your new sport :-) and little monkey brother! Is the lack of hot water a common thing in your area or is it temporary? I canNOT imagine that your first family doesn't miss you already!!!!!!

Carole Hi Mariel. I am so glad you are enjoying your year abroad. It's a good thing you are young. I'm with Jan - your schedule sounds like an endurance test - I think I need a nap now too :) Zach is really enjoying Korea but he felt a little strange being so far from home too. Have fun and keep writing your blog. It is great to hear about your experiences. Take care. Love, Carole

Jan makes me tired just reading about all those late nights/early mornings! Hope you can keep up...

Darlene Barr We think you rock Mariel! We love to hear about your adventures. Thanks for another great entry! Emma is jealous that you got to see Harry Potter :-) Love, The Barr girls xox

Jan Coates Good for you, Mariel, plunging into your experience with both feet (albeit sore ones by times...), as usual!

Heather Hennigar Hi Mariel Sounds like you are enjoying life in Spain! Please keep me posted . We are interested to hear about your experiences. Greetings from the New Minas Rotarians. Heather

Axel Nafthal Hi Mariel, Just read all of your blogs. You are a very good writer indeed! Sounds like you are having a great time so far. I'll bet by now your Spanish is starting to take shape! Please be sure to keep blogging. I know there are a lot of our club members who will follow every entry. We will have a committee meeting tomorrow morning. I'll be sure to say "hi" to everyone for you. Are you up & running with email yet? All the best Axel

Jan Coates Sounds like fun - how's the weather? Getting cold here...brrr...Thanks for keeping us up-to-date!

Dar OH MY!!! I drooled my way through your message! I am terribly jealous Mariel. About to make salsa soon and I can only imagine that the salsa there must be good. Any family recipes floating around with your host family? Be sure to get recipes for all the yummy things you eat while in Spain! See you on skype tomorrow. Hugs!

Nikita Wow mariel, so jealous, it sounds like you are having a great time!! miss you like crazy!!!

Ann R Lockhart Hi Mariel Axel sent us your blog today and I have been reading each blog with anticipation of the next one to come. I love them. You write just like I do - lots of detail. Yummy. I had to comment on this one because of the octopus -"there were tentacles and suction things.." Mariel, how totally disgusting that is. My head is just full of pictures of the "suction things" attacking the inside of your body and turning you into an alien or some such thing. And feeling them on the way down?? You are one very brave open-minded totally mad lady. Got to go. My dog Abby wants me to take her out to pee and it is 10:30pm, the wind is blowing and it is raining. However I still would rather do this than eat your most favorite "sticky" fish. (Did you catch that?? huh huh??) And after that I want to read more of your blog. Sending you lots of Rotary love. Ann - xoxo