I have to admit I feel a little guilty for being in Spain without CBQ, frequenting his favorite places, calling him from his old dorm, but then the guilt fades away once I realize, “I�m in Spain!” It took a lot to get here too. In the nature of France the train system was on strike, and somehow they coaxed Spain into striking too. So our train was no longer running to Barcelona, however we talked our teachers to getting us on a train going to Toulouse (the closest city to Barcelona we could get to). From there I almost got to drive a van through the Pyrenees into Barcelona, but I was the only one excited about this plan, since everyone who would have been riding with me has seen me drive before. So we took a bus, lost half a day of the field trip, but we finally made it in one piece. We had a blast with the class, even handed out two awards - Catie got the one for best person alive and somehow Wes got an award for being a loud obnoxious flirt (it had a title relating to being an “international” socialite, but I don�t remember it). I am proud of them both and a little surprised that Wes can get an award for being himself

Even though the Spanish government support the war, the people don�t, and they are more aggressive about showing it than the French. “No a la guerre!” is on the street, in the subway, and on an average of every building in sight. But we are safe; people don�t protest violence by causing it.

Becky and I hopped on a ship to Mallorca and we just returned yesterday. It was absolutely gorgeous, and we managed to get a bit of a tan. We rented bicycles and rode around the coast and through C�n Pastillo (the town outside of Palma where we stayed) one day until it got too cold, so we sought shelter in a tattoo parlor where Becky got her eyebrow pierced. Unfortunately our resort area had many old Germans in it, none taking advantage of the nude beaches, so we didn�t get the chance either. But it was fun, even German bingo night at the hotel (because it was too cold to leave the building and we couldn�t let those senior citizens out-party us).

We are back in Barcelona now, about to go shopping, eating plenty of arroz negro and patatas bravas con ai�li. If I must reiterate once again, we have a really rough life!