Servicio

Today we had our first day of work for a Aprendizaje-Servicio class (Service Learning.) I, along with another girl named Maggie from the first semester, was assigned a new location, the Hospital Virgen de la Salud, a hospital just outside the city walls where we will be working with children. Well, I guess when I say working I mean playing. Seriously, it's like a foreign babysitting course. These kids, who range from diagnoses of brain cancer to appendicitis, are so sweet and gracious. There is a little girl named Jennifer, who has some kind of respiratory condition, who fussed and frowned when I tried to leave after reading spanish Robin Hood to her. Our supervisor, Berna, told us that we are kind of a breath of fresh air, a light from outside, because a lot of these kids have to stay in the hospital for days and days on end. It made me, for the first time in months, feel somewhat useful. I have felt like I have been this useless loaf whose sole purpose is to galavant and travel and try to speak the language. I felt, today, like all I had learned is good for something besides my own benefit. I guess that is what service is all about.

I hate shopping. More than anything in the world. More than that, I hate trying stuff on. I would rather have one of my fashion-savvy sister pick out stuff on the internet for me to have shipped directly to Summerlake. And I realize this will definitely be the case come May. I am so incredibly sick of looking at all of my nasty grungy clothes I would not care if they all got stolen overnight. I feel like I must be the frumpiest looking little college student, and I am sure my overgrown mane only adds to that effect. I just feel like haircuts are definitely something unnecessary, which is why I purchased a pair of just-fine stainless steel scissors from the local alimentación to fix those split ends. I know this was random. I just need one heck of a do-over when I get home. But hey, that is what European travel is all about, right?? Grungy, uncomfortable, yet happy and worldly.