Today was my first full day in Sant Vicenç Dels Hors. After a crazy long day at orientation yesterday and going on 5 hours of sleep in two days, I was ready for some rest.
Thankfully I got just that. I slept in this morning and then my host mom, Sonia, took me with her to run some errands.... all on foot. I LOVE that you can walk to every possible destination around here. We stopped by La Immaculada, the school where I´ll be teaching, then visited the library (which was built over some preserved Roman Ruins about 6 years ago), farmer´s market, supermarket, butcher, and baker.
After we got back, my host dad (Roberto) cooked up some very fresh paella which consisted of rice, vegetables, chicken, and rabbit. It was my first time trying rabbit, and I must say that it was not bad. Kind of chickeny. I felt a little guilty though, seeing as rabbits are pretty common household pets in the USA. The paella as a whole was outstanding.
After a two hour lunch consisting of mouth watering food and conversations about the difference between the government/healthcare in the USA vs. Spain, some family members took a siesta. Roberto, Claudia (host sister), and I played Bananagrams, which was the gift I gave them upon arrival. If you haven´t heard of it, just imagine Scrabble.... but a little different. We played one game in English and one in Spanish!
Then it was time to eat again. We had another delicious meal, but what stood out most was the bread. Apparently this is an exclusively Catalonian tradition: they take a thick, fresh slice of bread and put it on a plate. Next, they slice an equally fresh and juicy tomato in half, then proceed to rub it all over the bread, making one side very moist. Finally, they pour a healthy amount of extra virgin olive oil on top of the tomato layer. Salt on top of that is optional. It was really good, and I intend to bring this tradition back with me to the USA (with an addition of cheese, perhaps).
All in all it was a wonderful day and I got to know my host family. They have been very welcoming. Tomorrow we are off to explore Barcelona, and on Monday I´ll be starting at my new school.
Wow, your host family sounds awesome, Meghan! I'm glad you like them so much. :) Also, that bread sounds a whole lot like the delicious bruschetta I make with my family every Thanksgiving (the only major difference is that we add mozzarella on top, but otherwise they sound really similar). I'd love to try your version of it when you return!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, Kristen! I'm glad to know someone is reading my blog. ;) Ooh your bruschetta sounds great; let's combine those recipes when I return. The addition of cheese is never a mistake.
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