Emily in Spain: Another Day with Gabriela

I don't know if you have noticed, but since the first week I tutored/ played with Gabriela in English, I have not mentioned her again since.

Well that is because I had not met with her again until this week!
Alan was here for Semana Santa, then Gabriela was sick, then my family was here, then it was the Feria! I was about to not even text Jaime and let him message me if he still even wanted me to come by, but I decided to text him and he said yes, I should come over.

So after class I met with Gabriela and we went to the park. It was part fun/ part me feeling guilty. I really tried to speak English to her most of the time, but sometimes I had to bust out the Spanish to show her I meant business!

Example: She wanted to go on the swings. There were only two. She literally got so close to the children swinging, she was about to get hit! I tried telling her to stand back and wait patiently but she was not having it. When she finally got a turn on the swings she wanted it to last all evening. There were parents and little kids waiting in line, so I was trying to get her off but she kept saying "No, it's better that I stay on!" Hmm.

Example 2: Children going down the slide. Gabriela decides she should go down on her belly. I just pictured her chin scraping the pavement and me having to take her home and explain I did not do a good job watching her. So she goes down on her belly, and then every child behind her wants to do that too! I was like, I gotta get outta here! Every parent in there must have been cursing me in their minds after their 2-year-olds were trying to slide down face first.

Other parents looked happy still, or somewhat, but I was embarassed that they all heard me speaking English to a child obviously speaking Spanish, and when I spoke Spanish to her I obviously could not speak it as well as the rest of the mothers. So, needless to say, it was a little awkward at times.

The rest of the time she was cute and it was kind of fun just jumping rope and playing outside to enjoy the weather!

As for the beginning of today...
I sweated my butt off walking to El Centro after class. I am really hating El Centro lately. The walk is out of control. I was able to get lots of cool pottery though, and for really cheap! Lots of those stores are so over-priced. I found a place I liked way back in February when I was finding Alan a hostel for Semana Santa and then never could find it again-- until today! So I got some nice pieces for family and friends and I can safely say, almost, that I am done souvenier shopping!

Watch I probably forgot to buy for like, my best friend or someone really important.. but I think I have all my bases covered. Hallelujah!

Time for reading and bed time.
Hasta luego!
Emily