8-11-11

This weekend was a great one, and this week is off to a great start. On Saturday night and Sunday, I played in a volleyball tournament with teams from all around. The mens dean found out I played, and asked me to play on his team, the Viejas Glorias (The Old Glories). As the name suggests, I was one of three under the age of 50; the rest were over. Even though these guys are all really old (excuse me, older), they still play really well despite an injury about every 5 points. In some ways, it was like playing with a bunch of five year olds; every time someone made a mistake, the others yelled at him to [gently remind them that it was just a game and that we were all out there to have fun]. Also, when a knee, or a back was hurt during play, they acted like teenagers saying they were just fine as they limped to their spot for the next play. I can see why the dean recruited younger players; if he hadn't they would have ended up with not enough to play because everyone kept getting hurt. One guy pulled a hammy- limped back to his spot like nothing happened, one of the setters hurt one of their hands- went right back to their spot, and lost the next few points for the team single handedly (hahaha). Despite all of the injuries, and the simple truth that they are not as young as they used to be, we still did very well. I made a few contributions as well, and they were very good at not getting mad at me, and that also helped me do better. We finished third in the tournament, and last night as my dean came by to check us in, he gave me a medal. Apparently we get medals for winning, so now I have a medal that says something to the effect of "Voleibol Rally Mediterraneo" on it.

Yesterday, we had to recite Spanish poetry in class. It was really boring for me, and not just because I don't like most poetry, Spanish poetry no less. Not only did we hear the exact same poems from everyone, but no one put any expression into it at all. What was worse is that everyone else either looked at their shoes, the ceiling, out the back window, or at a wall, and it was never fluid. It sounded like ,"Hoy...um...la tierra y los cielos...um...[long pause]...um...mi sonrien...hoy llega... [pause, glance at paper]...al fondo de me alma el sol...". Now, I am not downing on anyone in my class; I don't even like reciting English poetry, but since my public speaking class with Mrs. Pflaumer my senior year of high school, I haven't realized the importance of looking into the eyes of your audience, and speaking clearly, and well though out. I am sure it helped that I knew my poems better than some, but even when one of my classmates even recited a poem three times longer than mine, I wasn't very impressed because he stopped every 5 seconds and "um"ed while looking at the ceiling the whole time. After watching a few, and realizing how boring it was, I got up there, and made sure I looked into peoples' eyes, and spoke fluidly, and calmly. When it was over, not only did I get a nice strong applause, but I got some "woot"s from the back row as well. It felt good to do it well, and it gave me that same sense of accomplishment I got when I gave my speech in high school on the poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling. I am very grateful to Mrs. Pflaumer for what she taught us in that class, and now I have a love poem in Spanish memorized for the next time I need one. Who knows when that could be?

Yesterday, I went running with 3 friends to the town of Petres, about 2 miles away from the school. We ran there, and on the way back, I noticed cactus plants with beautiful fruit on them. I stopped and picked one, and carried it back with me to the school. About 33 pricks, and much tweezer use, I had one prickly pair fruit. Today, I went prepared. I rode my bike there with some big water bottles and a knife. Today I got about 10 of them, and only got 1 prick that I know of. By next week, I will have this thing down to an art. I thought I wouldn't be able to get cactus fruit, dates, peanut butter, jam, or any other things I love to eat at home. Turns out all I am missing now food wise is a date shake from Hadleys and Chipotle. Anyways, it is nice to know I can get those fruits off of a plentiful cactus plant by the side of the road on the way to Petres now. I am sure I will be taking advantage of that quite often.

Well, time to get to work,

Hasta la proxima vez...