Airing out the windows in Spain

Living with a señora in Seville, Spain, is proving to be very interesting and surprisingly humbling. I came to Spain for the semester to fulfill my Spanish minor, but I'm getting a lot more than I expected with this crazy old lady. \nA couple of days ago, I left early and didn't make my bed, thinking Maria wouldn't see it if my door was closed. I thought wrong. When I came home, not only was my bed made but my window was wide open, letting in the freezing air. \nRegretfully, I thanked her for making my bed, and she responded with some remark about how it was "my" job. She then came into my room to tell me why she had opened my window. Apparently, my shoes and dirty clothes smell enough to require her to open my window everyday when I leave. I've gone my whole life without ever being yelled at for being "stinky." Don't feel too sorry for me, though: She says she has to do the same thing in her room.\nNeedless to say, she is very set in her ways. And by her "ways," I mean her addiction to television, forcing me to eat more food and poking fun at my Spanish. \nShe doesn't clean that often, probably because it would interfere with her television viewing, so when I first arrived my room was a bit dusty. It's not important for her to dust, but it is important for me to always make my bed. Must be a Spanish thing. So I decided I would buy some cleaning supplies at the grocery store and just sneak them back into my room so as not to offend her. While I was there, I also planned on buying some snacks and some bottled water because, unlike the rest of the Spanish people I've met, my señora drinks only tap water. \nThis trip to the store should be no big deal right? \nWell, I was next in line to pay when I hear, "Hola, Jona-tin." It was Maria, my señora. She of course asked me about some of my purchases, in particular the large blue bottle of water. I assumed she thought it was alcohol by the devilish smile on her face. When I told her it was water, her tone instantly changed, and she asked why I needed water. \n"You don't like my water?" she said.\nI told her that it was for beside my bed, but that didn't help matters. I think she would have preferred it if I had been buying booze. \nShe then proceeded to make fun of my Spanish to the cashier and the other people in line, just as she had done with everyone she spoke to on the phone in our apartment, but this time it did seem more caring. Moral of the story: When studying in Spain, go outside of your neighborhood if you need to buy something that you want to keep secret from your all-knowing señora.\nMy living situation is definitely an experience, one that is getting better as time goes by. As my Spanish improves and my señora and I get to know each other's habits better, our relationship will hopefully become more comfortable. I'm sure I'll get so much out of this aspect of my semester. I just don't know what that is yet!