present perfect vs. preterite

Question

In the beginning of the story, using present perfect was clear because she is saying that her best friend has come to visit.  Afterwards, when she is narrating what they did each day, we have specific time (the day mentioned) and what they did which to me seems to be how we use preterite for a specific time (day) in the past, so it is confusing to see present perfect for specific time events in the past.  Can you please explain why you continued to use pr. perfect and did not switch to another tense. To me (the "has come" in the beginning) would have been more appropriate with what they are going to do in the future since she mentions that "they have made tons on plans."

Answer

Hola DennisI understand why you want to see the preterite used instead of the present perfect when she explains what she did every day as it's seen as an activity that was done that day of the week and is seen as "completed", "gone now". That is generally the way. In this specific dictation we have to assume, when keeping the same tense and sticking with with present perfect, that despite those activities being done in a specific day, the narrator is still seeing herself "inside that frame: the week where she is still in and not yet finished" (it may be still Saturday or Sunday when she is narrating it) - when that happens we sometimes use the perfect to convey that still unfinished period of time. I hope this showed some clarity.SaludosInma