Let the Games Begin...

The fun continues in Solsona. After our Barcelona/Tarragona weekend, we spent Sunday and Monday just chilling out in our piso. Well, most of Sunday anyway. First, I had to run 8 miles. I'm training for the Madrid Marathon on April 25th, so wish me luck! I found a road that leads out of Solsona, but all roads lead up from here, so it makes for a challenging first half. But the view is incredible on the way back. The pre-pyrenees rise up, snow-capped and majestic in the distant past Solsona. Word is that the Madrid Marathon is an extremely hilly course, so hopefully all this hill running I am doing here will prepare. If it weren't for the way back, I might decided this whole running thing is for the birds - hills and I are not friends.

Tuesday was a fantastic day. I'm continuing to work in small groups with my 6th graders on their English essay. It is giving me more of an opportunity to connect with them on a more one on one basis, which is really nice. I may or may not be slipping in a few Spanish or Catalan words to help our communication and I think some of them may be on to me! My adult class in the evening went very well and I get the impression that they think I am a good teacher. After class I walked out with the school director and we both made an effort to converse, her in English and I in Catalan. We're at about the same level, which is very low, so it was fun to try to communicate that way.

On Thursday, Carnaval began in Solsona. It is a BIG DEAL here. Everyone forms groups, called Comparsas, and they have different names for them. Each group has their own robe or bata that they all wear. They are like big funny pijamas or clown costumes. On the first day the various comparsas were assigned different stretches of the city to decorate and when they were finished there was a big dinner for them in the middle of the plaza mayor. The saying goes around here, "En Carnaval, tot s'val" which means anything goes in Carnaval. They mean it. After the meal, a stage had been set up in the plaza with a serious sound system. They began blasting music, people were dancing and then a pirate ship came up the road carrying "caps gros" as they call them. They began dancing in the crowd with the people too. This went on until about 1am. Did I mention our apartment is right in the plaza mayor? The speakers might as well have been set up in our living room. No sleep til sunrise shall be our motto for the next four or five days. ¡Carnaval!