el primer día (my first day)

Well, I moved in yesterday and ended up having a lot more space than I had anticipated, which is great. I have a closet! I wasn't excepting that one! But I didn't know to bring hangers, so my parents and I went to get some. The family gave us directions to target, but I like the hangers they sell at Ross (and they're cheaper!). So we used my dad's GPS that he got for Christmas. But it turns out that the Ross we were going to no longer existed, and that it used to be right near Santee Street. For those of you who don't know what that means, it's a street with a LOOOT of vendors and a LOOOT of foot traffic. Needless to say, my dad was very frustrated and angry that we led him that far away for nothing. So we went to the target that we knew existed.
A few hours later (like 2), we arrived back at the house and said our goodbyes. Then Lydia (my roommate), Juanita and I were off to her sister's house for a family birthday party! So I got my first taste of public transportation (the DASH) and met like 20 people, of whom I only remember about 5 names. I also ate delicious carne asada and tried cactus, and for dessert we eate tres leche birthday cake. It was SOO good! I can't remember the different kinds of milk, but I htink there was condensed milk and regular milk, bu I could be wrong. But so good nonetheless! Oh yea, and I was offered a beer by one of the guys, haha. As if I look mature enough to be 21. Well, maybe. But I didn't take one! For the birthday song, we sang Happy Birthday and then they continued on with the Mexican birthday song, followed by a chant of .. dangit. I can't remember. But it was something like "Se muerde," which means bite it. I guess it's tradition for the birthday person to bite the cake, but often the head of that person is pushed into the cake, so they get very wary about doing so! But she tried and got very close to biting it before she was pushed, but she avoided it pretty well- she only got frosting in her hair! After that we all just talked for a long time. They asked me where I learned Spanish, and I'm pretty sure they were surprised tht I learned it in school. Juanita keeps telling people that I can translate, so it must be a bigger deal than I thought! Juan Carlos, the youngest of Juanitas great nephews, is absolutely adorable. He's two and mumbles like no other, but he is just so dang cute! We played a little bit of soccer, also known as just kicking a tiny basketball back and forth. :)
Afer we left the party, Juanita made us lemon tea- from scratch! She used the leaves from their lemon tree! It ended up being realy sweet, because there was a lot of sugar, but it still tasted really good. Juanita, her two daughters, Lydia and I talked for a few hours while drinking tea. I'm getting used to understanding Juanita's accent, but I've realized that anytime I'm talking to a new person, I first freak out, because I'm not used to their voice and the inflection that it puts on words I'm used to hearing another way. But it'l get easier, I'm sure. We sat there until the tea was gone and I was too tired to try and figure out what was being said, which was like.. 11. But still. I had had a long day.
Now for the prayer request part: Public transportation. I keep hearing about how long it takes or how it can be dificult. Lydia might be getting a bike, so that would leave me walking and bussing alone, unless I buy one soon, which is a possibility! Prayer for better understanding would be great, too. Both of the language and of the people I'm with. Last night, while we were talking I meantioned how at age 16, everyone goes and gets their driver's lisence. But that's not the case here. I felt foolish when I said that. And pray that for my roommate, too. She struggles with Spanish. Sometimes she looks to me, but I don't think it helps her much to just finish her sentence, so I'll help her think of a different way to phrase it. I hope she appreciates that. I just want her to be able to learn, too. So I guess patience for me when I know how to say what she wants to say but can't.
I guess that's enough for one day!
Hasta luego,
TJ