What were you grateful for this week?I was grateful for my host parents’ support when it comes to me traveling on the weekends. They are giving me tips and suggestions about places and I find that very helpful.

What was the most challenging part of this week?This week was challenging because I found myself feeling very tired from the weekend in Madrid. So, I had to do my best to fight through my sleepiness and still be engaged in the family and the activities we did.

Tell us about a “wow” moment you had this week.A wow moment I had this week was when my host mom was very stressed out about cooking and cleaning, I offered to take the kids to the park so that she could clean and cook in peace.

Tell us about your week! This week was a short one because we got back from Madrid on Wednesday. Before we left Madrid, we had churros and chocolate and it was so good! We saw the Palace Real, the cathedral, Plaza Mayor, and the crystal palace. We also got Five Guys and Starbucks so that was really funny! The girls had school Thursday and Friday and then it was the weekend!

On Saturday my host dad said we were going to have “brunch” with friends. I was super excited because breakfast isn’t big here so I thought we were going to have a big breakfast for once! When we got there, it was actually just a barbecue in the street! It was very cool to experience because I’m not sure if that happens anywhere else. Everyone had their own table and chairs and they grilled meat on the ground. It was like a huge cookout!

Then on Sunday, my host dad’s parents and brother came over and we had paella. It was so good! It was probably my favorite thing I have had to eat since I’ve been here (besides the churros). Starting today, I don’t have to pick up the older daughter until 2pm instead of 1pm so I will have more time to explore the town and sightsee.