Today I went to the City and got some things for my room! I got some new sheets and a bigger pillow because I miss my luxorious Temporpedic pillow I jacked from my moms room years ago. I also got some baskets I can put my stuff in and matching curtains! I really love when my room looks nice. I got to see the city and walk around the park, which is really neat because alot of people just go there to sit and enjoy, which you don't see much nowadays, especially with teenagers, and I am guilty of it too. No one just goes with friends to a park and enjoys each others company, but text other people or have to go buy something, so its refreshing seeing that. The culture here is so neat, and its very different from at home. Almost everything is homemade or natural, even the juices. I love passing by the fruit stands with all the different colors and you get the tropical feel. It might just be me. I am starting to settle into a pattern and I think with school starting it will help alot. The language is becoming easier to understand every day and I can talk about more than surface subjects. Tonight my parents here and I sat down in the living room and watched a Mexican Soap Opera I believe and we ended up talking about the school I am going to, which classes I enjoy most and the different activities I can do here. There is a cheerleading team thats not very built up but I am going to try and make it bigger and teach them all I know. I dont think it is a very popular sport here and if it is competitive. It was nice finally being able to understand them and get something across to them other than giving them the thumbs and smiling or saying Si! because my understanding was limited. One of the AFS volunteers told me that It would be difficult at first to pick up but once you start hearing certain words over and over it becomes like muscle memory. I compare the beginning of this trip to muscle memory. For example when I first picked up the guitar a few years ago, it was really hard for me. I was used to playing piano but I knew that I wanted to learn how to play and that once I did learn, I would love it. I picked it up, practiced it, got into a pattern of learning, and once I knew how to play, you become obsessed with it, because its a new skill.  When I first got here I knew it was going to be difficult, and I knew that there would be language barriers and most of the time I would feel alone and not even know to express that. I did, I felt alone, because all day people are trying to get to know you and make you feel at home but in Spanish and you want so bad to understand and get to know these people and learn more about them but it is a challenge. Now that I have been hearing the language, after I review certain words and phrases in my head at night, after I have made efforts to speak back in Spanish and not just say "no entiendo" or " no se" things are becoming easier and looking brighter. I want to learn more and become fluent, I want to know more people and be able to speak spanish with them, I want to visit different places here and try new things. It becomes muscle memory and you adjust to it and find yourself in a pattern where your mind is elsewhere other than " oh poor me, I cant understand a darn thing".  Tommorow I think we are going to see a baseball game ! My dad also told me today that he is bringing a piano from work to the house on friday or saturday for me to have to play here, which I am so happy about. My family is really the greatest and always does everything to make me happy, beyond what I expect. My sisters are so cute and are always making sure I am okay and if I need anything. I think I knew this would be a good experience when Mr. Pedro ( neighbor who we go visit almost every day and speaks english, and is a very big help ) promised me that my family and his family would take good care of me. I am so excited for these next few days and for school to start too. I am finally adjusting and finding myself in a great place, in a great family, with great experiences ahead of me ! I miss so many people back home and I hope you all are enjoying Fall ! Here it's winter and its about 90 degrees hahaa. All My Love - Madison

Also the pictures I will be posting is of the room I re-designed, some of the park, and around the house and such! :)