Buenos dias amigos, it’s half past ten in the city of brotherly love (that is Philly) and it’s Monday, which only means one thing: A new week is about to begin on all it’s glory.

It’s funny how things slide into this sort of comfortable routine. I get up, have coffee, muffin, try to catch up on my readings for class, check my e-mail, go to class, have lunch, etc. Once in a while I do stop and realize that this isn’t my routine at all, on the contrary, this is probably the most unusual thing I’ll ever do. It’s a strange and new place, in the F states, far from home, fancy school, great people, interesting lectures… It’s funny how these things work out, but I even got used to the terrible coffee.

I have been trying to change my eating habits though, I have realized that if I continue with the hoagies (yes, my dear friends, they named a sandwich after a little pig, quite so) and the cheesestakes (I haven’t tried the very famous one’s yet, but I got a pretty good idea of the concept), then the lovely city of Philadelphia will manage to do what the IDF failed to accomplish: make me gain weight.

And we don’t want that, now do we? We all like me in my slim version. All in favor say ay! Thank you. So anyways, I’m switching to salads and Chinese, it’s a bit further away from my dorm, but c’mon, let’s admit it, I could use the exercise. And I will not go jogging! They can’t make me! And I’m not getting an I-pod and it’s final.

So I have done some fun stuff this week: I went to a salsa class on Monday, it wasn’t that exciting since it was very basic but even the salsa here has a certain something extra cool. Maybe it’s my imagination. On Tuesday I have managed to embarrass myself in front of my peers in the first amendment class, it’s so strange, it’s just this class, and just this professor that somehow make me lose all my confidence. And he’s not even tough he is like a big teddy bear, just until the point where he asked me to make the strongest argument against the court’s decision. At which point I have decided that the most logical thing to do is stare at him for a few seconds and pray to all the possible Gods that this will go away. And seriously, don’t get me wrong, I knew the answer! I had the argument! It was just something like a bunny that freezes in front of the car lights. And then the terrible accident… well, no, it wasn’t that bad, he just thinks I’m stupid, and most likely he’s right. Ah crap.

New weeks’ resolution: always speak my mind in classes!! (I’ll let you all know how it went).

I have managed to survive Wednesday without incidents, on Thursday I went to a dinner with my Italian friend (pasta, mind you!) and after that we headed to a party. It’s a new concept to me but apparently it’s quite common that if there is a party in the evening, people tends to meet early and have dinner and then head to the party all together. It’s actually very nice. The party was so so, lots of first year-runny nose- law students that surprisingly all of them look the same! It was quite interesting to watch, there was a bunch on those kids, all fairly good looking, very healthy, all had light shirts and the same smug look on their faces. No wonder everybody hate lawyers.

Had a few drinks, mingled, went home. Actually I went to Michal’s to walk the stupid dog–Chip, see picture attached. But he was a good boy, except the times he decided to tease me by climbing on the bad and pretending that my attempts to get him off there are some kind of a new and cool game, in which I obviously lose.

Friday was more fun: I made Ernesto come with me to walk Chip and then we went downtown to all the cool places. We were so damn cool that we have actually managed to have drinks at the bar of one very fancy place, to have dinner in another fancy place and then to go to a salsa party in a very cool looking Cuban style club, Where we were joined by other people. Very cool.

On Sunday it was ice skating and sushi at the park day. Also very nice. The thing with all these entertainments is that I’m actually trying to study in between.

I’m a week away from my due day on my seminar paper, and guess how many pages do I have? That’s right, not so many!! And I plan to go to the theatre this week (“Waiting for Godot” masochism in its purest form, I love it) and do all kinds of other stuff.

And my lovely law review have decided that I was actually serious when I told then that I’ll do the editorial work via e-mail, and they gave me an article to work on. How rude is that?!

Ok, this actually starts to sound like I’m bitching again. I am truly sorry that this time I was more informative. Next time I promise to tell you all about the leaves that are changing color, because they are, really. Very nice.

Muchos besos, mis queridos.

P.S. hanging out with Ernesto really improves my Spanish. I can now say two words in a row, it present tense. Preferably “muy bien”.

The angel fled the country but promised to return.

And Noam had a birthday, but so did Vladik, so what do I know…

P.S.2 Adi, it’s now or never, I’m expecting a comment.