It's not OK in Spain

Friday, September 19

Don't worry; everything really is OK here - except for the word okay. Long, long ago (18 years! could I be that old?) when I was an exchange student in Costa Rica I remember it being OK to use the word okay. Please someone correct me if I'm wrong. Maybe I just used it and thought everyone understood what I was saying. So here in Spain when I'm trying to comprehend someone who is telling me something, I find myself saying OK, and then I have to correct myself and say Vale (pronounced vall-ay). I just wish I could say OK, that oh so reassuring word. At least I finally figured out what vale meant as I was hearing and overhearing everyone use it in every conversation. Vale, vale.

The only thing that's not OK here is that the girls and I already got our first cold of the season. Why did I think it would be different here? I thought maybe the dryer sunny weather would slow down those germs. So they only went to school three days and we were all home sick yesterday. We watched more Smurfs and the girls trashed the living room after finding the cereal box recycling. They proceeded to cut up about a dozen cereal boxes and used a whole roll a masking tape to make everything from tiger masks to cardboard armor to decorated fans. Not to worry though everyone is already back to school today - hope they are doing OK. I wish I had a thermometer for the girls, I just have to use the kiss on the forehead trick. Let's hope it was just a mild cold, although I think I'm a day behind them and have quite a sinus headache today. So glad it's the weekend soon. Have a good one!