Semana Una!

Besitos to all! (little kisses on each cheek are the proper Spanish greeting!)

I will begin by saying that I will try to update once a week... which doesn't seem that hard... pero soy perezoso! (but I'm lazy) This is a long post because there is so much to tell... a lot has happened in the last week since it was our first one here. I suppose I will begin with my señora! She is really short! Now I know you all are thinking that I am short... yes, that is very true, however, Carmen (my señora) is shorter (it is possible!)... I am literally at least six inches taller than her, which I think is fabulous. Anyway she is really cute, she has two grown daughters and she lives alone with the exception of the constant stream of students living with her which is her job. There is also another student living with us from Germany, her name is Melanie and she is really nice... she speaks English which has been helpful! Carmen speaks sooo fast! The first few days I understood practically nothing, but lately I have been comprehending more. About the only things I really know how to say include the following: No, Sí (yes), Vale (Ok), Creo que sí (I think so) and Estoy llena (I'm full)... in reality, the last phrase is probably the most useful since Carmen would feed us everything but the kitchen sink if we didn't say that! Other than that, I mostly just say yes because, much like my own mother, she is always talking! Really though she is very sweet! She never lets us leave the house without a jacket and scarf and we have soup just about everyday! Today it was like 60 degrees outside and I was so hot, but everyone was walking around in their winter coats and scarfs like it was freezing. That being said, today and yesterday have been the only very nice days. It has actually been cold and rainy the past week and I really think it is actually colder inside than outside. We have little heaters in our rooms, but my poor roommate Rachel didn't bring any sweats for inside and she has been freezing! She bought some today though! I say my roommate, but we actually have our own rooms. Mine is adorable and I really like it except for the fact that it has been cold, but hopefully it will stay warm like it is now.

We started classes on Monday, for the most part they are not too bad. They start at 9:30 Mon Tues and Wed and later Thurs and Fri. I am only taking four because I want to take the least amount possible while I am here. The only class I really don’t like is literature (which I think is hard in English!)! I am really only taking it though because it is only a month and a half long and therefore I will only have three classes as of Feb 25… so my rationale is that I should work harder right now while it is colder so the prettier days I have less to do (maybe?)! Anyways it is terrible though because it has a lot of work and I have to go back to school (a 20 min walk) after lunch at 5. For those of you unaware, here in Spain, everybody goes home for lunch from 2-5 (pretty much everything is closed!). So yes, I dread my walk back to school Mon-Thurs for that class and I already have a 2.5 page paper due on Monday, but it will payoff I am sure. I like my other classes much better. All my teachers are extremely nice and though 2 out of 3 don’t speak any English… they are pretty easy to understand I really like them. I also like that my classes range from 7 people to 25… a huge change from all my lecture classes! Anyways, I have one on class on art and culture and we actually took a field trip to Reales Alcázar yesterday (our teacher Fernando was our guide). The palace was gorgeous! (I will put up pics soon, but I forgot my camera cord at home and mom just sent it) I love all the Islamic architecture and the gardens. Tomorrow we are going to Córdoba, hence why I can’t go out tonight, since I have to wake up at 7 and I really want to enjoy the city!

I think about all I have left to talk about is going out! We have been out a few times, but we are still getting used to leaving later and coming back super later. They don’t really go out until at least 11:30 and come back at like 6 or 7! Nearly 5 is the latest I have gotten back so far, I am going to have to work on that! haha We watched the Sevilla fútbol game against Barcelona from a bar the other night which I really enjoyed... we actually talked to a very friendly guy from Argentina who invited us to a party! Afterwards it was a really beautiful night so we didn’t care so much that we were a little lost! We walked home past the old University and Cathedral and everything… there was even a man playing the violin it was wonderful… I hope to have many more nights like it!

Buenos noches!

BTW... that is a picture of the Reales Alcázar Jardines (not mine though)

Dia Uno!

We were the first group of people to arrive in Sevilla from our program. And by we, I mean myself and the five other girls I met at the airport in Raleigh with the same flights and in the same program. This flying experience was somewhat traumatic with security at every stop a significant amount of turbulence on the flight from Boston to Madrid and nearly missing both connections! There was also a poor little boy that cried quite a bit, not that I really blame him. I didn’t enjoy it either, but still it would have been nice to get a little more sleep. Anyway we arrived at about noon and we were the only people not to get our luggage so hopefully it will arrive very soon (like tonight!)!

After arriving and the mandatory parental check in, the six of us American girls went to get something to eat and ended up on a cute cobblestone street about a 5 min walk from the hotel. We got some tapas recommended by the waiter. One was really good, and the other one I didn’t enjoy so much. We did, however, learn that our Spanish is terrible (not that I didn’t know that) and we have a ways to go! We then came back and took a siesta before our meeting and group dinner. They tried to ease us into Spanish food so we ate chicken and french fries. Not quite American but pretty close. I had ice cream for dessert, but some people got fruit (ie a pear to be eaten with a fork and knife).

I absolutely love the little cobblestone streets and the pretty buildings and I am excited to explore in the next few days and go shopping while they are having sales! Tomorrow we meet our senora who is supposed to be great so we shall see!

Buenas noches!