Fries, Cheese, oh and dont forget the Slingshot.

So its Saturday morning as Im writing this. Me and Hannes ( or is it Hannes and I ) are waiting for one of his friends so we can go to this coffee place that actually just sounds awesome. Well since I have this time I figure it would be fun to write a blog about last night, here it is.

it started around 6 with me and Hannes having an inpromtu race down our 6 flights of stairs ( surprisingly fun) we were both laughing pretty hard by the bottom were a we came upon a family there eye size went up 2 increments. After that race we waited for a Irene and her boy friend on the street, that took awhile but luckly there was a pile of fries on the ground that made it kinda fun. After waiting 10 minutes they finally should up I guess they had to ask another friend of mine where I lived witch contributed to the delay. We then went to her house pretty sure we did like 4 figure eights on the way. We then went down into her awesome play room ( I think thats what you would call it). Then after awhile more friends started showing up with food ( awe.. man the pastries ), after chowing down I got a not so sudden erge for helado.  So we made our way to this small whole in the wall helado place witch gives the impression that its out of helado but I guess they actually have it but now they have less. Man I love Jerez, Im sure Ive mentioned this in the past but my favorite thing here has got to be how when your walking around your just constantly running into people you know. Even I was running into people I know that the others didn't and Ive only been here like 3 weeks. As we walked the group of friends grew as more people joined kinda like glob devouring every thing in its path. Then some guys should up and after talking for awhile they affored to take me to meat some of their friends. I of course said hell ya ( translated in spanish si ) so I split off from my other friends and Hannes and went off with my new friends. After along walk ( it would have been so much faster if they had had a scooter but its in my contract I cant ride the darn things) we arrived at a park I had never been to before. They then introduced me to the kids from there school, hahaha fun times. After hanging out there for awhile we made our way over the biggest park were alot of my friends hang out. While we were there we hooked back up with my friends I had started out the evening with. We then grabbed a bench a little bit aways from the huge concloberant of people. Girls will be girls though and they soon went back home around 12, so after hanging out and shooting off my new slingshot  a bit we ( the boys) made our way over to a burger place pretty close by El Mandral ( where me and Hannes live). I hadn't known about this place and judging by there cheesy fries I think Im gona make my way back a few times. After devouring a much needed burger we decided to call it quits for the night and head back home.
 I can proudly say the property damage caused by my slingshot stands at a solid $0 ill see if I can leave it that way. Did you know that people go fishing with slingshots? I sure didn't but my slingshot was advertised as a fishing device, fishing wasn't just one little thing in a list of stuff on the back it was actually like the main thing. I guess Im gona have to go fishing with it some time, wonder how that will turn out.

El palabra de la dia es- Intenado = Tried.
oh and thanks for the comments it makes it that much more fun for me and check out the poll.

Of Old Friends and New Friends

  Well the change has come and you know what, I think I might just be a lucky fella. I spent most of the afternoon hanging out with Franci. We started out by going for a walk looking for her old family to possible prank but after 30 minutes we decided to rain check considering she didn't really know where thier house was. After that I spent a large part of my afternoon on my bed while Franci looked up random youtube videos. Then Poli grouped by for a bit and as he was going out in came Hannes ( pronounced something like Juan) my new german brother I guess. After he got started to get settled I said goodbye to Poli for what had to be the 5th or 6th time and started to get to know my new room mate ( were not sharing a room but its an appartment so I think room mate applies). Onestly I think I lucked out on this one cause he seems like a really cool guy.
  The highlight of my day though had to be talking to Noah since hes and Arivona and not at school. This worked out perfectly cause at that moment Hannes and Franci were talking in German and so I was a little out of the loop. Germans a funny language Im just gona leave it at that but I felt like that had to be said. On the topic of Languages my spanish is getting much better and Im really happy about that. Im not any where close to fluent but I deffinently see a huge difference from the when I first arrived to now. I cant wait till Im fluent and can really pull of a nice big juicy full fledged conversation.
 Tomorrow brings the weekend and Im pretty interested in how its gona turn out. I only have plans for friday so far, after school me and some girls ;) are going down town and I know theres a concert happening that night so that might be fit in to. Any way its the weekend so Ill have fun no matter what hell Im in Spain.
 I do miss my pals though and Ive been thinking about my friends alot all happy memories. Ive also been thinking of how many people played a part in getting me here where I am and for that, man I am eternaly grateful and I just wana say your all awesome and thank you.
 Not much to write today but hey a kids got to get some shut eye some time.

El Palabra de la dia es- Genial = Great

Change is a Brewing

    Change is a brewing Ive been told or something to that conclusion. It looks like a german guy is moving in with me and Esperanza. Cheers to  being told 24 hours before some 16 year old guy moves in with you. This is what I know about his situation he is 16 ( Im 17 ;) he has been here in Jerez for 6 months but just got kicked out by his family. Something about them not liking him after 6 months, that onestly just doesn't tickle me in the write place, I mean he has to have done something pretty big to be kicked out after 6 months. Before him moving in it was going to be girl moving in Franci (thats her name I didn't just mispell Fance) I believe shes 14 and I happen to actually like her we met in Barcelona and flew into Jerez together. Anyway when Marie called me asking if I would mind if Franci moved in with Me and Esperanza I was all for it I mean im all for having a little sister. My reasoning is simple shes a girl and 3 years younger then me so old enough to hang out with but not fallowing me around all the time also the girl part means were gona probly have mutual friends but were not going to have the same circles. I figured we could pretty much do our own thing and do random stuff together every once and awhile. Now with a boy who is at most 1 year younger then me things get a bit different. Hes going to pretty much certainly be in my circles and with the information Ive been given well me no likey. As I see it we got a 75% chance hes a combination of douchebaggery (not huge fan of the douchebags) , lazzyness ( cant really judge people there) and stoner (only have a problem if its in large quantitys) and he just came to spain to get drunk. Of course that leaves 25% left of which 15% says actual nice guy and well get along quite well and the other 10% screams really quite guy whose just kinda a loner.
     Okay now thats out there lets do a little status check on the quests. There status is as fallows:
-Books for school- Check ( arriving on friday or saturday)
-Glasses- Sorta kinda Check but not really ( got some cheap ones at the beach that will hold me over Im waiting for Cristi to get back to buy some nice ones cause word about town says shes got a friend who can snag me a disscount when it comes to glasses.)
-Gym- eh didn't really get any were there yet.
-Toothpicks- Check but not completely ( Esperanza has a nice stach but I find they fall apart to easily)
-Junior Project - oh ya that... I guess I gave it some thought now that I think about it.
-Ice Cream- :( no icecream has been consumed since we last talked.
- Also something I mentioned brefly in one of my earlier blogs was the map I have of Jerez in my bed room ( if you dont know what Im talking about I mention it toward the bottum of blog 2) Any way I got a back board for that map and Im actually thinking about upgrading to a better map ( like not printed of the internet.)
Wells schools going well I think Least favorite class is French Its taking a complete back seat to latin and greek, and for that matter spanish. Anyway Im thinking ill give a complete run down of classes in another blog. The big thing on my mind right now of course being my new room mate and I hope that goes well cause it could be pretty cool. Or just plain suck theres always that. Well Im gona try to get back to posting more often, maybe not everyday but more then just once a week. Comments are always cool cause it tells me you guys are interested which makes me wana write more.
  Oh ya and before I go the weather heres crazy its been poaring here for the past 2 days and the wind is like when ms.Croft was freaking out about no one noticing the tornado coming towards whidbey island ( a few of you guys will get that, and for the rest of you it was really windy but there was no tornado coming towards whidbey island.) Its a little less intence because im in the middle of a city not a forest of tall trees snapping.

El palabra de la dia es - Translate = Traducir ( Ive been doing alot of that recently with all the languages im learning).

Of Beaches and Sneeches

  First off let me open with a brief appology on not posting for the past few days. Ok now to the good stuff the bread and butter of this post. I am going to Rome! ok I guess I can stop writing there isn't anything that can top that. Oh wait I won a game of pictionary this weekend. Right about now your proboly wondering how that is at all important but before you pass judgement let me put in this won last detail. It was in spanish, and yes I did have a bit of help but so what Im progressing. Back to Rome I am going with my class on april 8 and returning on the 13 kinda short but hey this kid is not complaining. Im most looking forward to Seeing the Pantheon and Im hoping I might be able to sneak out super early so I can get there when theres berly anyone else. This whole experiance (Traveling In Europe) is mind boggling for me, this is what I have wanted to do since I was just a wee little lad going on my first car trip.
  Quests as any player of RPGs knows are incredible important they help level up your character and can provide a wonderful background the the main plot ( damn I can be a nerd). Well I have several underlying quest going at this moment and they are as fallows in terms of importance :

 -Books for school ( This is just a complete mess of little hold ups Im almost there though)
 -Get glasses ( this is crucial because of the sun thing is I dont want to drop 200 euros on them so I can just sit on them)
 -Gym ( I think theres one close by to where Im staying so I wana go check that out)
 - Tooth Picks ( I need tooth picks and Im pretty sure that the brand grandpal got was from spain so I need to get on that Im running dangerously low with 5 tooth picks remaining)
-Junior Project ( I really need to get that panned out.)
-Ice Cream ( The gelado here is amazing and is also the reason I need to get a gym here)
  Now for a brief over view of my weekend
 Friday after school Poli (Esperanza son the cook) gave me a awesome tour of a bunch of the Churches here in Jerez. Hes a big history buff which is something we have im common so it was cool talking to him about the history of these churches cause there ancient. The whole time I was snapping off pictures but in true just my luck fashion right when We had the perfect picture lined up im talking like a 9/10 picture, The battery died. Good news I still got 5 more months to take that picture. After that We hooked up with Cristi ( Polis girlfriend and the lady who taught prisoners how to bake cakes) and here friend at Cool little bar. After that around 10 I hooked up with some off my new friends and we went to go see a local concert and thats a story for another time.
 Saturday was what happens when a small hang over and a cold colide ( I find that instead of just adding together they mulytply each other) just plain draggyness plus I didn't get much sleep that night. Me and Cristi went over to here friends house and pretty much ate chips.
 Sunday completely made up for any way saturday might have been lacking. Me and Cristi hooked up with a bunch of friends ( most of whome I had actually met on my first day here) and headed to the beach. Now theres supposed to be a beach just 10 minutes away from where I leave where Im going this saturday but the one that we went to on sunday was a good hour away. The drive was worth it though and the beach gets a solid 7 on my rating scale. We had a picknick lunch and played some friendly pictionary and around 7 went to concert (if you can call it that) being held in a near by bar. The sunset on the ocean was an easy 8 but alas I did not bring my camera.
 I should really work on rapping this up soon, but first Ill give a talk a bit about me now. Im still sick and the past few nights I have been suffering a feaver which debates enough in the day for me to go to school. Beyond that though Im having alot of fun at school the classes though still dont make a whole lot of sence though some of them are starting to make more. Surprisingly my best class is English I wasn't really excpecting that. Well I got to go hit the sack but first Im going to make a new poll so check that out.
El palarbra de la dia es- Deseo- Wish

Rome? sure why not.

  Ok so last blog I mentioned the possibility of me going to Rome as you know just a small little field trip. I emailed Carson who is part of Interhispania about going to Rome and for all intents are purpose I was expecting to get shut down. This was not the case though and I must thank Interhispania for their kindness in letting me pursue this venture. The battle is not won though, I must still actually talk to the school about letting me go. Im pretty sure Ill be able to swing something so ya I hope all that works out.
  Now to school, Well I presented my presentation in Latin class which actually went remarakable well ( no I did not speak in Latin, I spoke in Spanish). Im really liking the kids and we already have our own jokes so thats always a good sign. French is still annoying and I think might actually end up being harder then latin and greco just because the class is larger and the teacher doesn't have time to really help me out. I did manage to talk her out of giving me exams for awhile so thats tight. some more good news is I just found out I have a hidden weapon to add to my arsenal, I have the first level of Rosetta stone for Latin loaded on my computer so hip hip hurray to completing forgetting about that.
 I found out more about Cristi ( the lady who will be staying with me over the weekend) today in a little shopping spry me, her and Esperanza had. While we were at the I guess Payless of Spain I was admiring the pastries and Esperanza mentioned something about Cristi and Pastries. When I asked Cristi about it she crossed her rists and started talking about prison. Yup prison and her time there, at this point I was getting a little, I dont know how to put it, Ansy about spending the weekend with an excon who I guess got out 2 months ago. Well in further conversation I realized the truth she had taught prisoners how to bake while they were in prison, How bad ass is that! The two months ago thing was that she had lost her job two months ago because of the economy. The unemployment rate here is pretty staggering, something like 20% ya so 1 in 5 people.
 While we were shopping I figured out why every one here is just snazzed out with fancy clothes, clothes here are super cheap. I got an awesome jacket for like 16 euros and then I got myself one of those scarves that every one around here seems to be wearing. When I say everyone I mean everyone I wouldn't be surprised to see a nudist walking around with one of those things.
  Im sure theres something Important I forgot to mention but I think thats all for now. Im gona change the  poll gadget I have going in the top right. So go ahead and vote on the new topic ( I dont know what it is yet).
La Palabra de la Dia es - Presos = Prisoners
this came up in my conversation with Cristi.
 

The One thing all Schools have in common

Well I can officaly say after a long fight my cold has won out. I am sick, It seems that even in Spain if you go to school you are bound to get sick ( yes mom and dad I did use the air born). Lets not dwell on that much though cause it really isn't super important in the grand scheme of things.
 Ok so now to the important stuff, Today I went with the Latin/Greco class and I must say you know whats harder then learning french in spanish??....... Now that you've had your second to guess Ill tell you, Learning Greek in spanish. Yup you heard me right Greek and you might call me crazy ( actually you probably should) I liked it. Oh and Latin isn't half easy either. Now that I have laid my case before you I will tell you my verdict but first ORDER IN THE COURT! Ok after much deliberation and back and forth the jurry has decided that Gabriel H Frishman is going to learn to speek 5 languages. I think the main reason I decided to go with Latin/Greco is the simple fact its not the norm its not the safe bet and I certainly didn't come all the way to Jerez to play the safe game. I must say though the teacher ( the same teacher teaches both Greco and Latin) is pretty awesome he was the only teacher to offer to make a separate course for me.
  Even though I've only been to school two days it feels like Ive been going for much longer. The kids are all pretty awesome and Im become fast friends with every one in my class. Me and some of the guys ( dont really know which ones) are going out on friday which should be fun I promise not to get myself killed. One thing thats kinda important that I forgot to add to yesterdays blog is my class is going to rome for something like a week, I need to get in touch with interhispania and see if I can some how swing that ( something tells me its not gona work out though.)
 In more interesting news Esperanza is heading out with a friend this weakend to somewhere she describes as cold. Very specific I know but I dont mind at all cause I plan on hanging out with my new friends this weekend. I will not be alone though ah really nice lady will be staying here over the weakend shes fun to talk to and patient so that will be nice. Im still trying to figure out her relationship to Esperanza Im pretty sure it has something to do with Esperanzas son who lives in Cadiz, Im not sure if their dating or if she's the partner to her sons female business partner. If that makes sence at all,  nah I just read what I just wrote, it doesn't even make sense to me.
 Beyond school I haven't really dont much today I actually just woke up from a good 4 hour siesta so I didn't get a chance to test out my ATM card today. Well I got to go wikipedia the history of washington state for a 5 minute presentation I guess Im doing for Latin Tomorrow. Honestly between all the stumbling over words I think it will be pretty easy.

La Palabra de la Dia es: preferencia = preference
Ive been needing that word alot and I swear Ive said it but they dont seem to catch on when I say I dont have a preference. Proboly just some American thing not having a preference.

Primera Dia de Clases

   Well today was the big day; if you can say that since the past week has been full of big days. Any way today was my first day of class and let me just say learning french in spanish is quite confusing. Let me explain my understanding of how my school works. Each grade is split up into 4 groups, each group is then split up into 2 groups Matematicas/Economia and Latin/Greco. Both groups share classes together but for certain class specific to their subject  M/E or L/G they go their sperate ways.  As of now Im in Matematicas/Economia, Tomorrow morning though Im going to see if I can try out Latin/Greco (greco is something like greek studies) for a day then decide which one I like more. 

    My biggest problem with all of this is lack of communication between the school, the teachers and interhispania ( the organization through which Im in spain) . For the most part I was just thrown into this school and left to my own devices to figure this stuff out which is freeing in a way but is quite annoying when YOU DONT SPEAK THE LANGUAGE!! 

   With that out of the way my experiance was actually quite positive I liked most of the teachers and the students were very outgoing and fun to hang out with. At the end of the day I find myself quite excited for school tomorrow. My M/E class numbered about 22 people and the L/G class being much smaller at 10 so when it was all combined around 30 people. Needless to say the classroom was quite loud sometimes ( Philosophy) that class was more like a madmans experiment: put 30 crazy teenagers in a class room with a teacher who cant maintain any control. Well let me sum that experiment up for you BOOOOOOOM!!!!!

 After School I took a nice little nap, school is quite draining when taught in another language. Around 7 Esperanza gave me a quick tour of the bus system, this took us to the center of the city which I talked about a bit in my last post. We paid a visit to a restuarant that only served churros where we had guess what churros, We diped our churros in what has to be some of the best hot chocolate Ive ever had. Pretty sure Im gona have to run a marathon to burn that off. I then decided to try and get some more euros using my atm card which ended in me having to call my parents so they could get my card back online because I failed so many times. I think that is all figured out so tomorrow I will try again. So that brings to where I am now sitting infront my laptop summing up my day for you awesome folks who are cool enough to read this blog. 

   Side note- Im starting to experiment with this blog in making it more fun for you guys. As you may have noticed to that goal I have put a little poll in the top right which I will hopefully change every few days. I will try and keep the poll relevent to my adventures, maybe even asking what you think I should do. Also I decided to add El Palabra de la Dia ( the word of the day) the idea being each day I will have a different word in spanish and english so we can all improve our language skills. 

El Palabra de la Dia es- Decide = Decidir. 

I kept on wanting to say this word alot in school so here it is for all you guys so you wont get stuck in the same situation as me.