Familia Espanola

For anyone who has asked me, it's no secret I'm obsessed with my host mom.  I've never met someone so caring, kind, yet also hilarious and loves to have fun.  She's my grandma, and the thought of leaving her breaks my heart.  It's more than just having someone do your laundry and pack you a lunch... our little family has laughed, cried, cried from laughing (too many times to count.) and the evenings spent with them will no doubt be my favorite evenings in Madrid. (just bear with me, I know this is sappy stuff.)
Some of my favorite memories:

The welcome dinner!  Isabel made paella and even though I was missing my family and missing BC, I was able to relax and enjoy conversation with new people.  It's hard to believe that we had just met because she already felt like someone I had known for so long! (she has the affect on people.)

"Teaching" Isabel English.  She does not speak a single word and has a super hard time learning new words so trying to get her to remember Hi, Thank you, I love you, etc. was quite a challenge.  (she never did really learn)  Also, trying to get her to remember that I was from the city "Ann Arbor" is hilarious.  Hearing her trying to pronounce Ann Arbor is even funnier.

Having one of my "Tourist Tuesdays" with Isabel!  We went into the center of the city and went up on the roof of El Circulo de Belles Artes, a terrace where you can see all of Madrid. It was so special that I got to go with her instead of by myself!

Churros for dinner.  One night we decided to make churros in her kitchen instead of making dinner so the three of us made them and melted chocolate and got to have dessert for dinner!  After, we turned the kitchen into a dance floor and danced around for so long to a mix between Isabel's Spanish music and popular American club music.

Isabel's birthday. She asked us what we wanted to eat for her special birthday dinner and when we told her to make whatever she wanted because it was HER birthday and we wanted her to be happy, she told us that she would be happy if she knew she was making out favorite foods. (testament to the kind of person she is!) So she basically made a feast and absolutely loved having all the attention on herself.  Kourtney and I got her a present together and watching her open it was legit like watching a kid open presents on Christmas morning.

The goodbye dinner...Kourtney and I surprised Isabel by taking her to a really nice restaurant in Madrid!  We spent the whole time talking and laughing, and then she started imitating a Portuguese guy at the next table over and it was legit one of the funniest things I have ever seen. Can't remember the last time I laughed that hard.

The last night spent in Madrid, we just crawled into bed with Isabel and hung out with her, laughing like always and just spending the last few hours with her that we could.

The numerous times the three of us have cried from laughing so hard. It's the little moments that I can't specifically remember and are not big enough to write down that has made our little family the best out there! Leaving that will no doubt be the hardest part of study abroad. 

Okay, sappy post is over. Just had to get it out there. :)