Mission Accomplished: Spanish Etiquette

It has been a very uneventful Sunday here in Salamanca.  I woke up a little later than normal, ate my typical Spanish breakfast (two pieces of toast with jam, two galletas, and coffee), read some of the paper that I bought yesterday (I'm on page 13 of 63...yes, a 63 page weekend paper), started and finished my Translation homework, started and finished my Academic Writing homework, ate lunch with the family, and I just woke up from a little siesta.  Now I have this whole afternoon without much to do.  Oh well.  It's actually nice to have some down time since this past week was busy.  But I have a feeling that I will have much more free time on my hands this semester as opposed to last semester.  I love Salamanca so much but the novelty of this place is starting to fade away.  I don't think that is necessarily a bad thing.  It's normal.  I've done all of the things you're supposed to do in Salamanca as a tourist or a foreign student.  But since I'm lucky enough to have more time here than most students, I've reached the point where my life here is comfortable and not as exciting as before.  Don't get me wrong...sometimes when I'm out for a walk, I look around and say to myself, "I can't believe I get to live and study here.  It's so beautiful."  And I do realize that to many of my friends and family back home this experience is extraordinary.  I know that when I'm home this summer, it will hit me just how special this experience is and I will have a new appreciation for it.  Anyway...moving on.  Last semester I wrote about Spanish table manners and how I did not posses them.  Well, that has been rectified as of today.  I decapitated the shrimp in my paella with ease and never once set my unused left hand in my lap.  Angelita complimented me and I left the kitchen with a smile on my face.  I think I might be getting a bit of a cold.  But don't worry.  It's nothing that Tylenol and an orange can't fix.  Os quiero.  Un beso a todos.  Os echo de menos.