HABIBI!!

I've been to Africa! This past weekend Lindsay and I went to Morocco with the program We Love Spain. I had such an amazing time and it was definitely the coolest place I've traveled to while I've been here. It's just so different from anything I've ever experienced. I've never been anywhere where the people are so poor but the land is so beautiful.
We drove 2 hours in a bus to the coast. When we arrived at the ferry station we found that many ferry trips were canceled because of bad weather. But after a slight delay we got on the Fast Ferry. We sat OUTSIDE in the BACK of the boat. BIG MISTAKE! The trip was supposed to take 35 minutes but it took over an hour because of bad weather. Let me tell you, that was the worse boat ride I have ever been on. There were numerous times I seriously thought we were going to capsize. I felt very seasick. And we were on a HUGE boat - big enough for cars to go on and the fact that the wind could toss around that big of a boat was scary!
But we did survive. Our guide Mohammad met us in the ferry station in Ceuta, which is still in Spain even though it's on the continent of Africa. So then we had to drive through the border to Morocco. That took a while because they had to stamp all 32 of our passports. It was pretty late and dark by the time we were driving again. What's weird about Morocco is that besides in the cities, there are no street lights. We arrived in Tetuan and went straight to our hotel. It was pretty nice. We checked in and then the hotel prepared our dinner. We had lots of bread and then some tasteless soup and roasted chicken. Right after dinner we went to bed because it was late. (Morocco is 2 hours behind Spain time so it wasn't late for them)
The next morning we had breakfast in the hotel and then we checked out of the hotel and boarded the bus. We drove to the Spanish section of Tetuan and walked through the streets. We went to this Pharmacy-type spice store where this guy gave a presentation explaining different spices and such. Lindsay and I bought this perfume cube-type thing that smells SO GOOD. Then we went to see handmade Moroccan rugs. They were beautiful.
After we went to this very nice restaurant for lunch. We had cous-cous and Moroccan salad, bread and cookies. Then we had this hot mint tea that was cery sweet.
After lunch we boarded the bus again to head for our next city, Tangier. This is where we got to ride camels! This was definitely my favorite part of teh trip. I love camels. After we went to see where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea. I was very excited because I was scared that I wouldn't be able to see the Mediterranean but I did! Next we went to the caves of Hercules. These were pretty cool. After that we went to the center of Tangier for some free time for shopping. In Morocco you get to use the art of bartering. The vendors set the price really high so you pretend you're not interested and walk away. But they really want your sale so they chase after you and say, "What price?" and you can usually get the price down a significant amount. There are also the street vendors who carry their merchandise on them and follow you and won't stop bothering you until you buy something. Most are kind of annoying but we had some favorites.
After we took the bus to our hotel in Tetuan. This hotel was much nicer. We had a delicious dinner of breaded white fish, potatoes, and vegetables. And, of course, more bread. After we just went to bed.
The next morning we boarded the bus early and headed to Chefchaouen. It was about a 3 hour bus ride through the beautiful mountainous African countryside. It was absolutely gorgeous. Chefchaouen is located between 2 mountains.
Our guide in Chefchaouen, Ahmed, was the funniest little man I think I've ever met. He was hilarious. He had this deep, scratchy voice and kept yelling "HELLOOOO" if any of us fell behind. He said the funniest things too like that there's no crime in the city, no hustling in Chefchaouen. Also, one time Lindsay and I weren't paying attention so he called to us, "Hello! Sweets!" haha. I laughed every time he spoke.
Chefchaouen is a beautiful city and is known for all of their blue walls and doors. Everything was blue and it was so pretty! We saw another store where they sell rugs and blankets. And then we had free time to shope. Then we had lunch in this nice hotel. After we boarded the bus to head back to Ceuta to take the ferry back to Spain.
I absolutely loved Morocco but I would never go without going with a group. You would think that the men in Morocco have never seen an American girl. They stare. All of the stare and most make comments. I heard many cat calls and compliments. Some know a little English and can tell you are American so they will just shout out the words they know. My favorite was when one guy yelled "Flower power!" haha I loved my trip to Morocco and learned so much about a new culture and can now say I've been to Africa!!

Semana Santa

Happy Easter! So Semana Santa is over. They don't really celebrate Easter here which is strange in my opinion. Actually, most Spaniards are sad on Easter because Semana Santa is over. I, on the other hand, am very grateful that it is over. Don't get me wrong, it was a great experience and I am very glad that I got to take part in it, but there are some things about Semana Santa that I just do not like. For one, all the people. Let me tell you, it is pure madness. EVERYONE comes to Sevilla for Semana Santa which means the streets are incredibly crowded and tourists are everywhere. Well, I guess that's the only thing I don't really like about Semana Santa, but it's enough to keep me away. It's the kind of thing you only really need to experience once. For example, we wanted to find a place to eat one night and everywhere was full and we couldn't cross certain streets because of the processions. It was very overwhelming. I really did like all the processions this week, though. They were very interesting and I loved seeing all the different pasos and I really loved the music they played in the processions. There were lots of processions every day and the best ones to see are the ones you just stumble across while walking through the street.
What was very cool about this week was that I got to experience Semana Santa in both Sevilla and Madrid. Lindsay and I went to Madrid for less than 24 hours to meet Lindsay's friend Kimmie for some sight-seeing before she came to Sevilla for a few days. After dinner Wednesday night we walked outside of the restaurant and there was a procession going by. It was a lot like the ones in Sevilla. There were Nazarenos (the people in the KKK-like uniforms) a band and a paso of Jesus carrying the cross. We were right in the front row because 1) they don't really make such a big deal out of Semana Santa in Madrid as they do in Sevilla and 2) there is more space in the streets. Also, it was FREEZING in Madrid. I don't blame people for not going out for the processions, it felt like winter again!
While in Madrid I went to el Prado!!!! I was sooooo excited because I studied a lot of Spanish artists back in Spanish IV in high school and it was so cool to see the paintings I had studied in real life! I saw Las Meninas by Velazquez, some paintings by El Greco and La boda and El quitasol by Goya. There is just so much great art in el Prado and I'm very excited that I get to go back as part of my trip to Madrid with my interest group in 2 weeks!
I really don't want to have to go back to class tomorrow. I have really enjoyed just relaxing and reading in the sun. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous here and it really feels like summer :) I love it! But the crazy thing is that I only have 6 weeks left here! It is just flying by! Part of me is getting ready to go home and part of me just wants to stay here forever! Rosa (my senora) keeps telling me she doesn't want me to leave. She wants me to come back after I'm done studying at Gordon and work here in Sevilla and live with her! She's so sweet and I'm really going to miss her. Sometimes I seriously think I could live here for the rest of my life. But the more rational side of me realizes I couldn't ever be that far away from my family and friends. So for those of you who are concerned that I will never come back, no worries. I will definitely return to the U.S. :)

VACATION!!!

That's right, I don't have class for the next 10 days. The reason we have a break is because next week is Semana Santa (Holy Week) and pretty much the whole city shuts down for the whole week. Semana Santa is a BIG DEAL here. People flock to this city to celebrate here. There are going to be so many people in the streets for the processions. The streets are PACKED. I'm really excited to be a part of this, though. It's such an experience. I don't even know where to begin to describe it. You should probably google it. Google Semana Santa in Seville, Spain. Oh, one thing I am not looking forward to are the Hermandades (Brotherhoods) who walk through the streets. They are all dressed in costumes that look like the KKK. And even though they are not scary and are a normal sight for people here, I still get scared every time I see a picture or image of one. They are scary. But other than that, and all the people, I am really excited for this week. They have processions everyday with these things called pasos which are these huge float-type things that men carry. These pasos are so heavy that they take about 40-50 men to carry them. And the men kind of hunch over and carry them on their necks. And these processions last a loooooong time. Some can be 12 hours. And on these pasos are images of the passion and death of Christ. Also, they have images of the Virgen Mary. Those pasos are called palios. So all of the churches in Sevilla march from their church to la Catedral in the center of the city. Another interesting fact about Semana Santa, they don't really celebrate Easter. They celebrate the passion and death and suffering of Christ, but not his resurrection. I find this so fascinating because in the U.S., Easter is a big deal. I mean Jesus conquered death. But for the people of Sevilla, they find Easter a sad day because it is the end of Semana Santa. Also, it's not so much of a religious ceremony as it is traditional nowadays. It's been really neat though, learning all about it in my classes and trying the traditional food. Also, the city is being transformed, streets blocked off and risers being brought in. It's crazy. I really can't wait and am very excited that I'll be able to experience this part of their culture. :)

89.6

No this is not the grade I got on my first mid-term (although that would be really nice if it was) And no this is not the number of pages I have read in my book for my Women's Lit class. No, people, this is the temperature in the sun today!! That's right, we are .4 degrees away from 90 degrees. On March 16th. This is the weather I've been waiting for!! I just can't get enough of the sun. The study center where I take classes has wireless and benches on the roof so I sat up there in the sun today for a good 2 hours and was loving it :) Also, this past weekend I kept going to the park to just sit on a bench and read in the sun and my senora decided that instead of me having to go all the way to the park, she would clean off our little patio/balcony area so that I could sit out there in a nice orange beach lounge chair and take in as much sun as I want to :) She keeps telling me, "You'll be tan in no time!" haha Little does she know I only burn. But I am convinced that this time will be different. That this time I will indeed tan rather than burn. Hey, it could happen.

Here comes the sun, doo doo doo doo... :) :) :)

Tiempo libre

Yes, this has been the theme of the past few days: free time. I have had a lot of free time recently. Which hasn't been the best thing seeing as I've had a lot of time to think about being depressed. They warned us about this, though, before we left. They said we would be in "Honeymoon Mode" when we first got here where everything is so new and fun and great. But then we would get into "Hostility Mode" where you are used to everything and it's not so new so you start despising everything about the country you are living in and just want everything to be like America. I never thought I would get into this "mode" because I really do love life here in Spain. But they were right. I've been kind of homesick and very lonely. I don't necessarily want life here to be like it is in America, because I really do love Sevilla. But I just wish I could go home or back to Gordon for like a weekend so I could see everyone I miss but then come back here. But, alas, I do not have enough money to do that, and it's a little irrational. But then when I think about it, I only have 2 months left here so I better live it up! It really doesn't help that it rains here all the time. But yesterday and today have been really good days. Yesterday was gorgeous!! The sun was out and it was in the 70s. I also had a really good conversation with my senora about home and my classes here. I also had fun just relaxing and hanging out with her and her son. Also, we ordered pizza! Let me just warn all of you: the old Ellen who used to just eat boring cheese pizza is gone. The new Ellen eats pizza with, are you ready for this?, ham, peppers, tuna, onions, and tomatoes. Soooo yummmmmy!!! :) And today I only had one class from 11-12:35 and now I have the rest of the day to do whatever I want. I will probably just study because I have my first mid-term tomorrow. It shouldn't be too hard. I'm not too worried about it. Before lunch I went for a run through the park. Oh how I've missed running! It felt great!! I hope that now the weather is getting better, I will keep up with it. I ran for about 3 km which I think is about a mile, maybe a little more.

Some more about the culture. The city shuts down from 3-5 for siesta. I love this. I think America should incorporate this into their culture. What's better than having a nice break in the middle of the day to take a little nap and refresh yourself for the rest of the day? Also, nudity is not that big of a deal here. The news, the movies, just show naked people like it's not a big deal. And usually, it's the women who are naked, typical here where the media is slightly sexist, remnant of the lovely dictatorship of Franco who was very machista (sexist). The thing about the news here, though, is that they are very aware of the news not only in their country, but also in all of Europe and the United States. Also, they tell the stories like they are. They don't gloss over the controversial details like they do in the U.S. I kind of like it. I'm much more aware about the world just by watching the news here in Spain. I do feel very ignorant though when they ask me about famous Spanish people and I don't have a clue who they are yet they can tell me everything about the pop culture in the U.S. If I've learned anything during my time here is that I want to be more aware about life in the rest of the world, and even in the United States.

Just relax

This weekend is the first weekend when I have had nothing planned. No day trips or weekend trips, nothing. And it's wonderful. I have enjoyed relaxing. Lindsay's friends from Gordon are here for a week for their spring break so I've been hanging out with them which has been so fun. Yesterday we went to the top of Giralda at La Catedral, my third time. This shouldn't surprise anyone seeing as it's my favorite building. Then we went to La Carboneria, the free flamenco bar. We got there around 9:30 thinking it went on all night, but it really starts at 11. So we just sat around and talked and had some drinks. Also, Lindsay's host sister, Marta and her boyfriend Lolo came to the bar to hang out with us. I had so much fun talking to her in Spanish and helping translate seeing as Lindsay's friends don't really speak much Spanish. The flamenco was amazing. It's just so crazy how they are able to move their feet so fast. After we walked around trying to find food but just ended up going to get churros. On my taxi ride home it started to downpour and a thunderstorm rolled in. That thunderstorm lasted so long and it was scary because the lightning seemed so close!

The rain won't stop. Everyone is in shock here about how much rain we are getting. The rivers are getting so high and there is flooding everywhere. It's insane and I hate it. I want the sun. Thursday it was sunny in the morning and early afternoon so I just sat outside soaking up as much as I could between my classes. Since then, though, I have not seen the sun. I'm very sad. I miss it.

I've been learning a lot about the culture here in Spain in my Seminar on Living in Seville class and now I will share some of what I have learned. Pretty much, the most important values here in Spain are opposite of the values in the United States. Here family is VERY important. Especially extended family. It is normal for the children in the family to live at home until they are about 30. Also, they live for the here and now. Why worry about tomorrow when today isn't even over? I feel like in the U.S. it's all about planning for the future but here they don't worry about that so much. Also, they don't like change here. For example, they will go to the same place for vacation every year and not try anywhere new. Also, they will buy products that they have been buying for years, no matter if there is a better or cheaper product, they will continue to buy the same thing. Life is also much more laid back here. They take their time and they value relationships over anything else. I like this even though it's taking some getting used to. I always walk so much faster than the people here but am trying to take my time and slow down. There is a lot more that I'm learning but I just can't remember right now. I really do like learning about culture and their traditions and values. It's so fascinating and I feel that the most of my learning is occurring outside of the classroom, by just living in this culture. It's such a great experience.

I feel like I'm in the world of Harry Potter...

Yes, I am a Harry Potter geek and that was the first thing I thought when I heard all of the British accents when I got to London. :) I had so much fun this weekend traveling to London!!! Lindsay and I left Thursday night and took a bus from Sevilla to Madrid. We arrived Friday morning and after a 2 hour delay, finally arrived in London around 3 pm. While at the airport, the fire alarm went off. That was fun...not. All we wanted to do was go to our hostel, but no, we had to wait outside in the cold, windy London weather. But finally we got on a bus and got to our hostel. How do I describe the lovely hostel we stayed in?? Let me just say, I never want to stay in one ever again. haha It wasn't thaaaat bad and I got used to it the longer we were there. But our beds were like cubbies with linens that were like stiff tissue paper. Our "private bath" was really just a sink with a mirror over it and six tiles. We had to use a community bathroom that was for both girls and guys. Yuck! Luckily our showers were separated! But I think in hostel language 24 hour hot water showers is something different because I would not call my shower hot. After we settled into our room, Lindsay's friend Kimmie who is studying in London this semester took us to this fish and chips place. It was so delicious!! Then we went to bed really early because we were exhausted!! Saturday we woke up early and went to Borough Market. This place was HUGE and so good!! They have every type of food you could ever think of to sell and everyone has free samples! I tried everything from Turkish Delight, jam, ham, olive oil, to hot mulled wine (not my fave!) apple and pear juices. Everything was so yummy!! After that we went to the National Portrait Gallery which has free admission for everyone. I saw some famous portraits of people like Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. Next, we went to Trafalgar Square and took some fun pics. After we went to the National Gallery, also free, and I got to see some paintings by VanGogh, Monet, and Picasso. Very cool. After that we went to the Hummingbird Bakery and had delicious Rocky Road cupcakes. Then we went to Covent Gardens which is kind of like Phaniel Hall in Boston. Then Lindsay and I went to dinner at Pizza Express and had very good pizza and after we went to a show. I guess you can't go to London and not see a show. We saw Chicago and it was AMAZING!!! The actors were great and I loved all the music and dancing. It was great. After that we just went to bed. On Sunday we got up and headed to King's Cross to, yes, you guessed it, get our pictures taken at Platform 9 3/4. For those of you who don't know, it's a famous place in the Harry Potter books. It was so cool. Next we tried to make it to see the changing of the guard but missed it because some of the lines were down on the tube. But because of that we got to ride a double-decker bus for free which was very cool. Then we went to Buckingham Palace. Next we walked to see Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. After that we went to Harrod's. I love Harrod's. It's just so big and there's so much to do even if you aren't there to shop amongst designer clothes. After that we were very tired so Kimmie, Lindsay, and I went back to our hostel and just hung out. Then we went out to eat at this restaurant called Giraffe. They have food from all around the world. We had had dinner and drinks and just had a great time hanging out and relaxing after a long weekend sight-seeing. Monday, Lindsay and I woke up super early and headed back to Sevilla. We ended up traveling ALL DAY and didn't make it home until 1:30 in the morning. But it was so worth it!! I had such a great time and did so much in just 3 days!! I realized how much I love British accents and the fact that they say lift for elevator, and that their metro is called the tube, and that they say "Mind the gap please" and this train terminates at_____ instead of ends at_____. So yes, I loved London and think that everyone should go there if they can! :)

Living la vida loca

I know I haven't written in a while (over a week!) but I have just been so busy. As you all know, Liz came to visit me!!!! I had a blast last weekend. It was so nice to have my roommate again, even for only a few days. So she arrived on Wednesday night (well technically very early Thursday morning) The Sevilla Airport website said that Liz's plane was early so I decided to go down to the lobby of my apartment building to wait for her. I went down around midnight but she didn't actually get there until almost 1 am. I was so nervous because she had no way to contact me and I had no idea when her flight came in (it was delayed, thanks for lying to me, Sevilla Airport website!!) But she finally made it and I was just soooo excited!! My senora was so cute the whole time Liz was here. Even though it was 1 am, she wanted to make sure I asked Liz if she wanted anything to eat because she would cook something if she was hungry. Thursday was kind of a yucky day. It rained. All day. (Have I mentioned that I HATE THE RAIN? Well, I do.) Also, I had class all day. I hope Liz wasn't too bored!! But Thursday night we went out for tapas with some girls and had a blast despite the pouring rain and that we were soaked. Friday morning we slept in and woke up to A SUNNY DAY!! I was confused at first seeing as the sun has been non-existent here in southern Spain even though it's supposed to always be sunny here. But anywayyy...we decided to go shopping on Friday because well, I love shopping and because Liz wanted to take advantage of the lovely rebajas (sales) here. We also met up with Lindsay and had some yummy frozen yogurt. Friday night we went out for drinks at my favorite place, La Plaza del Salvador, where a glass of tinto de verano is only 1 euro. Lindsay met up with us then too and then we got churros!! I don't think I have laughed as much as we did that night. So much fun! On Saturday it was another gorgeous day so I brought Liz to La Plaza de Espana, one of my favorite places here in Sevilla. And we also climbed to the top of Giralda in La Catedral, my favorite building here in Sevilla. I absolutely love the view from the top. That night we met up with one of Liz's friends who's actually studying in France this semester and was visiting Sevilla at the same time. I brought them to the bar where they have free flamenco, but I guess it's only Friday nights or we were too late, because there was no flamenco dancer :( But we just ended up getting coffee and tea at a cafe which was fun. Sunday was kind of rainy but we still met up with Lindsay in La Plaza Nueva. We sat on benches and people watched all afternoon. It was actually very entertaining. And then we got the most delicious hot chocolate I've ever tasted. That night we just relaxed because we had to get up very early Monday morning to go to the bus station. It was such a great weekend full of laughter, good food, funny jokes, and just good times. I just wish she could've stayed longer, like for the rest of the semester. But no, she had to go back to France, I guess she likes the language or something?? :)

Tomorrow we leave for London!!! Well, tomorrow we are taking a bus at 1 am to Madrid and then flying out to London on Friday. I am so excited!! This is my first big trip while I'm here and I just can't wait to explore London. I realize it's going to be quite a bit colder there (the temperatures are still like winter there whereas today here in Sevilla, it feels like summer), but Lindsay and I have so much planned, I don't think we'll have enough time to feel the cold. I can't wait!!! We don't have class on Monday so a bunch of people are traveling this weekend. It's such a great opportunity. It's going to be so much fun!! I love being in Europe where it's so easy to travel to other countries. What a life! :)

Rain, rain, go away!!

I didn't sign up for this. When I decided to study abroad in southern Spain, I thought, "Wow, this is going to be great! It's going to be warm and sunny all the time and I'll be wearing such cute spring/summery clothes because it's just going to be so nice out all the time." Well I thought wrong. It hasn't stopped raining here. I can't even remember the last time I saw the sun. Not only that, it's cold. Very cold. And I know all you New Englanders are shaking your heads and saying that at least it's not below zero here. But the thing is, yes it doesn't get any colder than 40 degrees, but it's not meant to be 40 degrees here. The houses aren't made for 40 degree weather. So even though you guys are dealing with temps much colder than here, at least you get to go home to a heated house or dorm. I go home and it's still 40 degrees inside the house. I didn't pack enough warm clothing and I really wish I had my rain boots now. I guess it could be worse. It could be snowing. But I just want to see some of the sun I was promised would be here. Another thing about this weather, is that the people here are so depressed and grumpy. They thrive in the sun and warmth. Also, it's never supposed to rain here so seeing as all we've had is rain for like a week straight, people aren't in the best of moods.

Well, with all of the complaining out of the way, I am still having a blast here! :) On Saturday I went on a trip to Aracena which is a town north of Sevilla (so yes it was even colder there!) The town wasn't one of my favorites but we got to go into these caves and they were AMAZING. I couldn't believe how beautiful it was. And the caves were so huge!! I'm so sad I couldn't take any pictures :( But take my word for it, they were spectacular.

Yesterday I went for a 3 kilometer walk with my senora in the morning through the park that's right near our apartment building. It was nice to get some exercise even though I walk about 6-12 miles every day anyway. But then we had churros for breakfast. They were so delicious. We dipped them in hot chocolate and sugar. Seeing as it's usually just toast and coffee for breakfast, the churros were such a treat!

Liz comes the day after tomorrow. I can't even explain how excited I am. There are no words. I have some fun things planned and it will just be so great to have her here. I have a feeling these next two days are going to go by sooooo slowly because I'm just so excited. I just can't wait. :) :) :)

I have to go now. I have class in an hour :( But after class Lindsay and I are going shopping and booking our trip to Morocco. Should be fun. I just hope it stops raining!!

Besos!!

Classes, what? Oh yeah, I came here to STUDY abroad...

Today was my second day of classes but because of block scheduling, I have now had the first class for all of my classes. I realize that Monday/Wednesdays are going to be my laid-back days. I only have 2 classes. My first class isn't until 11 and it's my writing class. I really like the professor, he seems really chill and laid back. And he told us he doesn't like to read, so we don't even have to write that much! He's more concerned that we're talking and able to converse better in Spanish. After that class, I have a little break until my next class at 3. Lindsay and I have that class together so we just hang out and eat our bocadillos (sandwiches) and then we have our Seminar class about living and the culture in Sevilla. This class is pretty much all discussion and you either get an A, C, or F so I think if I participate and do all my work, I should get an A. I'm done with class at 4:35 on M/W so I just go home and relax for the night. Tuesday/Thursdays on the other hand, are going to be rough. I have class at 9 so I get up around 7. My first class is Contemporary Cinema of Spain and it's at the University of Sevilla rather than at the CIEE study center like my other classes. I know I'm really going to like this class. I really like the professor and all we do is watch and analyze Spanish films. I then have a 2 hour break and then I go to my Women's Literature class. Again, I love the professor. She is just great and we hardly have any work for the class. And, one of the authors of one of the books we are reading is coming to our class at the end of the semester so we'll get to meet her! I'm so excited! After this class, I walk the 35 minutes back home to have lunch around 3:15 and then I leave at 4:15 for class again at 5. This class is called Art and Fiesta of Andalucia. This is probably going to be my hardest class, and I don't even think it's going to be that hard. We get to visit places around Sevilla and discuss the culture of them. It should be very interesting. After class, I will probably just go home for dinner and stay in for the night. So I walk and have to listen to a lot of Spanish so I know I will be exhausted. But it will be nice to not have class on Fridays :)

So we'll see how this semester will go academically. It's very interesting that we have just started classes and we have 2 week-long breaks and I'm done May 14th. It will go by very fast but I'm looking forward to learning a lot and really improving my Spanish.

London, baby!!

That's right, Lindsay and I are going to London in 3 weeks!! We booked our plane tickets and everything. I am so excited to go! Lindsay has a friend studying in London so she'll be able to take us around and show us all the hot spots. Planning trips is so much fun, but I am suddenly realizing how much everything costs and that I will probably have no money to my name when I return in May. I mean it will be worth it, but I just can't afford to go everywhere. There are possibly 3 other trips I will be going on. Two are through programs called We Love Spain and they give you a flat rate which covers hotel, transportation, and most meals. So I think I'm going to go to Morocco and Portugal. And also, we are thinking of going to Italy for a few days during Semana Santa (Holy Week) which would be really awesome. Like I said, though, everything is adding up quickly. So I pretty much am going to try to pack as many snacks as I can so I don't have to pay for food at a nice restaurant. There are these Chinese markets here in Sevilla which remind me of the Dollar Store back in the States, where you can buy food and other things for really cheap. So we'll probably stock up and just try to snack for the 3 days we're in London. I'd rather pay to see sights than for food. I have plenty of food when I return to my homestay, what's 3 days without eating much? It'll be so worth it.

So last night a bunch of us went out to a flamenco bar. It was really cool and you got to see a live flamenco dancer for free! Usually you have to pay, but at this bar you didn't have to pay anything (well, unless you bought drinks of course). The only thing is that we realized you have to get there early to get a good seat. It was super crowded! When Liz comes, I think I'm going to take her there because you can't come to Sevilla without seeing some flamenco.

I have my final exam for my 2-week intensive grammar class today at 3. For some reason I'm not as nervous about this test even though it's worth 40% of my grade. I'm just excited for this class to be over and to start my real classes on Monday. To celebrate finishing our first class here in Spain, my friends and I are going out for tapas y tinto de verano (tapas=small dishes of food, kind of like appetizers which you share with everyone at the table and tinto de verano=half red wine, half lemonade, it tastes very fruity and not much like alcohol at all which is probably why I like it so much!) I can't wait!

I'm not going to have tastebuds by the time I go back home...

I don't know if Spaniards have a higher tolerance for hot temperatures of foods or what but I burn my mouth about 5 times every day. The food just looks so good so I go to take a bite and it's like putting molten lava into my mouth. My tongue is always sore and burnt. The coffee, the hot chocolate, all of the soups are seriously 4327894237 degrees. I don't know how they do it here. Despite the food being incredibly hot, I am enjoying it all. Most of the time I don't have a clue as to what I'm eating, all I know is that I like it. My senora likes to feed me. A LOT. I think I'm going to gain back all the weight I lost since I've been here! Last night we had cookies. She has a tin with every single kind of cookie you could ever imagine. And she kept giving me ones to try. They were so good! And she has this Belgian chocolate that is to die for. I really have to be careful as to how many sweets I eat! But I figure I walk about 1 hour to and from class every day, so I guess I can afford it. Oh, also, there is a frozen yogurt place right next to the study center called Yogurtlandia. Best frozen yogurt I've ever had. I put nutella and strawberries on it. So good!! So to sum it all up, most of the food is hot but I'm loving it all. :)

SOUI!!!

So Liz and I have made up a new language called Franish, a mixture of French and Spanish, and the only word in the new language is soui, which means yes. And since I am one of the creators of the words, I say that it has much more meaning than just si or oui or yes. It is a very excited "yes!!!" And my blog is titled "SOUI!!!" because LIZ IS COMING TO VISIT ME IN 2 WEEKS!!! Gahhhh!! I am just so excited because I have been kind of lonely and homesick and I just miss her so so so much!! I am also excited because she might be the only person from home who will be visiting me here in Spain and I am just so excited to show her everything!

Since the last time I blogged, I have visited Córdoba which is a beautiful, kind of touristy, city about 2 hours northeast of Sevilla. We visited a mosque which was huge and just gorgeous. And we just walked among the narrow streets (even narrower than here in Sevilla if you can imagine!) I also walked around and shopped and overall it was a very nice trip. I still can't fully fathom that I am really here and get to see all these new and beautiful places. I'm sorry I haven't put pictures up yet. For some reason every time I try, the internet crashes. Hopefully they will be up soon, though.

I am still in my Intensive Spanish Grammar class. It isn't the greatest class seeing as it's 3 hours long, and like it says in the title, it's intense. But the final exam is on Saturday so it'll be over soon. But then I start real classes! I'm a little nervous about those, but also excited to learn so much and to really improve my Spanish.

I have also found that I am so much more tired here than I usually am. I'm not sure if my body is still adjusting to being in a different time zone or if it's from the fact that I'm walking about 1 1/2 - 2 hours everyday. All I know is that I wake up feeling like I could still sleep for hours. But I'm hoping that will pass soon enough. I mean, I am adjusting to a lot of differences.

Well, that's about it for now. I'm going to meet with someone to work on an oral presentation we have tomorrow about whether the media here in Spain is sexist or not. It's actually pretty interesting but I'm a little nervous to give a 5-10 minute presentation all in Spanish. Wish me luck!!

I'm pretty sure I have the best host family ever....

So as you all know, yesterday was my birthday. And it was just all kind of weird because I wasn't at Gordon celebrating with my friends or at home with my family and I was feeling very homesick. I did go exploring La Plaza de Espana with Lindsay and Jenn which was really fun but then I had class and was just sitting around so I was feeling kind of sad. But then my senora's son came home from work and had me go into the living room and he had brought me a cake! So I walked into the living room to this beautiful cake covered with strawberries and chocolate shavings with "21", the number candles, on the cake :) Also, there were three presents by the cake. They got me a beautiful scarf, some really pretty earrings and a bracelet. I was so surprised and it was just so great. And the cake was delicious!! And then I went out to a party last night which was fun. So overall it was a good birthday :) Oh and Liz Skyped with me and I got lots of birthday messages and videos from my friends and family on Facebook which I am so thankful for!

Other reasons I'm pretty sure I have the best host family ever:

--My senora is a great cook and there have only been 1 meal that she's made that I didn't like (salmon that was cold. I do not recommend you try that)
--Whenever I come home from class, my senora makes me hot chocolate and has a pastry snack waiting for me. And if she isn't home when I get home, all the stuff is set out for me to make myself.
--Dani (my senora's son) has a car and is willing to drive me places so I don't have to walk.
--When I drive in his car, he is listening to American music, so I can sing along.
--My senora cleans my room, cleans my bathroom, does my laundry. I seriously feel like a princess being waited on hand and foot.
--My senora loves to watch TV which means I get to watch fun (and sometimes very strange) Spanish game shows, my favorite is Password. It really helps with my vocabulary, and I watch American movies in Spanish.

So even though I miss home sometimes, I know I am in good hands here and am so happy with my homestay. :)

What a day!!

Today has been a long, but very fun day. I woke up feeling very tired because I got in late after going to the movies last night with my friends. We saw Up in the Air and we thought we were going to see it in English but it ended up being in Spanish with no subtitles. It's probably better that we saw it in Spanish seeing as we felt a little guilty watching a movie in English when we're here to improve our Spanish. I actually could follow what was going on in the movie and even though I didn't always understand the dialogue, I understood the movie. It was a good movie.

I left my apartment at 9:30 this morning and got to the CIEE study center to register for my classes. I was done earlier than I thought and Lindsay wasn't coming to the center for another 45 minutes so I walked around and took some pictures. Then, once Lindsay was done registering for her classes, we went shopping! I LOVE shopping here! Here in Sevilla, they have rebajas, or sales, that last 2 months after Christmas and it's like 50 - 70% off which is great! I could honestly spend all of my money just shopping here! It's going to take a lot of self-control not to buy everything in sight!

After we had spent enough money, Lindsay and I decided to look around inside La Catedral (cathedral) which is this amazing, beautiful, huge church in Sevilla. We thought we were going to have to pay to go inside (only 2 euros) but it ended up being free because we showed our CIEE ID cards! It was absolutely breathtaking inside! You can see my pictures on facebook and they do not even come close to showing how beautiful it was inside. I just couldn't get over how big it was! It was just so peaceful and I loved it. Also, we climbed up 34 floors to the top of one of the towers and the view took my breath away. It was so worth the climb that my legs are still recovering from.

Then, I had to sit through 3 hours of my Intensive Grammar class, all in Spanish. It was rough. I was so tired and it was hard to pay attention. I really like the professor I have, though, and the class seems pretty laid back. We talked a lot in Spanish about our homestays and our families in the United States. I did not really mind the class, it's just the fact that it's 3 hours long, right during siesta time. But it's only for 2 weeks so I know I'll survive.

Well that's all for now. I'm taking it easy tonight and just hanging out and watching Spanish TV with my senora. :) Miss you all so much!

La comida

"Comida" means food and boy do they love it here! They do not just throw things together for a meal, it's thoroughly prepared and there's a lot of it! For breakfast I just have toast and coffee and juice. That's served whenever you wake up. El almuerzo, or lunch, is their biggest meal of the day and is usually served between 2 and 3 in the afternoon. They usually have 2 dishes of food, but my senora asked if I preferred 1 or 2 and I said 1 just because I am not nearly able to eat everything she serves me. I like it a lot and tell her that, but I just don't eat as much as they do. She can't believe how little I eat, but it feels like I'm eating so much! For lunch I've had beef lentil soup with rice, chicken lentil soup, and this seafood dish with rice. I tried shrimp for the first time and liked it! El cena, or dinner, is served wayyy later than I've ever eaten a meal before. I eat dinner around 9 at night. Last night I had a turkey sandwich with chips and yogurt. It was delicious and it was the first meal where I finished everything! I'm surprised how much I enjoy the food here. Oh, also, I had frozen yogurt here at this place right near the study center where I have class (very dangerous seeing as I will probably stop there every day!) I had it with nutella, strawberries and sprinkles. It was so delicious and tasted very fresh and more like yogurt than ice cream like it tastes in the U.S. My senora also loves snacks which is great because as everyone knows, I love to snack! She has so much popcorn, it's so awesome. I know I'm not going to go hungry while I'm here!

Friday, January 22

Hi guys!!

Sorry that it has taken me so long to write my first blog, but I've just been soooo busy! So yes, I have made it to Sevilla, Spain and I love it so so so much!! Sure, it has taken me the 5 days that I've been here to be able to say that, but I am finally settled and adjusting well.

I got to Sevilla on Monday, after traveling for almost 24 hours and not sleeping for more than 30 hours. I was exhausted! And the second we got to the hotel, everyone from the CIEE program was speaking Spanish. I was so overwhelmed because I had been traveling for so long, I was absolutely exhausted and I could not comprehend anything. But I met my Orientation Group and found that they were all very nice and my guide was super nice, too. Her name is Carmen and she is 20 and lives here in Sevilla. She speaks no English so we could only speak to her in Spanish and she only wanted us to speak to each other in Spanish. That was very hard.

So we spent 2 nights in the hotel and during the day we had lots of activities planned, like a scavenger hunt through the city and informational sessions about the program. I was very homesick and didn't like how I could only speak Spanish. But as the days went on, I found that my Spanish was already improving and for the most part I could understand what people were saying.

On Wednesday, my senora picked me up from the hotel. Her name is Rosa and she is probably one of the nicest people I have ever met. She brought her son, Dani, who is a little older than me, because he has his own car. I am living in a very nice apartment in the neighborhood, or zone, called Los Remedios. I really like it here but the only thing is that it is very far from where I am taking classes. But I am figuring out the bus system and walking a lot which is good. I have my own room with a desk and I have 2 twin beds and a closet and lots of drawers. It is so nice and I really love it. Rosa is a very good cook and I have pretty much liked everything she has served me. The only thing is that she feeds me so much and I have to keep telling her that I like the food, it's just that I don't eat that much.

Today CIEE set up a trip to Italica which is a place where there are ruins from a Roman city that used to be there. It was so cool to walk in and around such a historic place. There was a stadium where gladiators used to fight and we walked through the ruins of a neighborhood. Hopefully I will put up some pictures later on Facebook so you can see what I saw.

Wow, I have written a lot but hopefully once I start my classes and have a schedule I can update this more often.

Besos!