Feelin' like Harry Potter

Happy 4th, to those of you who are reading this from the US! It's a gorgeous day here, hope you're enjoying the same up there :)

My weekend was productive. I picked up the last Harry Potter book (Order of the Phoenix) yesterday for a quick re-read before the new one comes out next week. This was the best part of my weekend. Because I realized that, this whole weekend, I'd been feeling like Harry Potter on summer vacation. For those of you who've never read the Potter series (and if you haven't, give it a try. They're inventive, funny and new), that's not really a good thing. Harry's favorite time of year is when he leaves his dreary life at number four privet drive in Surrey (where he lives with an aunt, uncle, and cousin who treat him pretty much like moldy wallpaper--unsightly, unmannered and stinky) to join the friends, montors and teachers he loves at Hogwarts School for Wizardry. The summer, for Harry, is a tortuous time where he sufferes the insults of his family, regular beatings from his bully of a cousin, and occasionally encounters life-threatening situations on the streets near his front door. Luckily, in the Ciudad, my family is wonderful (I can't help but feel like wallpaper--although perhaps not moldy--on my bad Spanish days). Why was I feeling so Harry-like? I really feel most like Harry in these five weeks I have left before I go back to the world (and people) I love the most. Besides, Hogwarts / Harvard...they sound awfully alike. How was my weekend?

1. Friday night I was fending off a cold (picked up either from the airplane last week or my host brothers who were sick while I was gone). I went to bed early(7:30 pm), and was woken up at 10pm by...an earthquake. A 6.7 (this one located on the cost of Nicaragua, thus causing great concern about Tsunamis...) In case you're interested, the one during the day last thursday was a 6.0 located on the CR/Panama border.

2. Saturday I stayed in all day reading and watching TV. I got through to my parents on the phone, but couldn't reach anyone else. In the morning, my host parents were very upset with the kids, and host Dad gave teenage host siter a talking to about using the phone so much. I felt a little guilty because I use the phone for long stretches at a time too (although not all afternoon every day...) In the afternoon, my host mom heard from her niece that the police in the Ciudad have noticed some people watching our property. Presumably to rob it. She cautioned me to be careful coming into the house when no one is home. Great. The Ciudad police are on the case. I feel better already....

3. Had to get out of the house. Went to the multiplaza and bought books. Host Mom cautioned me to watch out "for the thieves". Great. Got coffee and pastries and read HP for a few hours. Went home early and read HP some more. Family left to take teenage host daughter (THD) to a party. Which means I was left all alone. In the house that thieves are casing. Great. At least I had Harry Potter and The OC to keep me occupied. The Fam got home from THD's party at 11pm. I was exhausted, but didn't want to go to sleep until they got home. y'know...thieves...So, today I'm exhausted.

4. This morning I woke up late, the power went out briefly at the end of my shower, and in the cab on the way to work the cabbie was listening to a station called "new classics" which was playing lenny kravitz and wang chung. Great. When did lenny kravitz become "classic"?

Despite all of this, I am in an excellent mood today. My host Mom wished me a happy 4th of July during breakfast! I won't even let the cafeteria food get me down :) Afterall, today's Independence Day.