Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Mailing Address

This is my mailing address while here in Sevilla for the next 3 and a half weeks!

Jessica Rose
CLIC
c/ Albareda, 19
41001 SEVILLA
ESPAÑA

May 30, 2011

May 30, 2011

Today was a very full day! It's actually a holiday here today so we didn't have school. It was the day of San Fernando. I don't even know exactly what he did, but he was alive sometime around the 1300s (I think) and they still have his body perfectly preserved. Unfortunately, they only display the body once a year, on this day, from 8-11. Liliana thought it would be on display all day, so we went at one, so we missed it. So that was unfortunate. Earlier, though, we had to take a placement test at the school. I was actually really surprised because I got put in a class with a girl in our group that is basically fluent in Spanish, so I'm a little nervous that I won't have a clue what's going on, but I will give it my best effort and move down if absolutely necessary.  I was also surprised because Adelay and Briana, who were both placed in the class above me in Salamanca, are now in the class below me. I guess that means I am improving! 

So after our test, as I mentioned, we went to the cathedral to see San Fernando's body. But they were having a mass inside and said we would be able to come back at one and see the body. But when we came back, we were actually informed that they no longer had it on display. So we just wandering around and we ran into this girl that said she heard us speaking English so she asked us where we were from. We talked with her for a while and she told us where all the good restaurants and bakeries and heladerias (ice cream places) are! She also told us that she is a certified Zumba instructor in the states, so when she got here, she starred teaching at a gym here. Because the gym is closed for the holiday, she told us that she are her friends were going to do Zumba in the Plaza de España at eight. I have been missing Zumba, so I told her that I would try my hardest to come, at least for a little while. After she left, we all just meandered back to our apartments for lunch. 

When we returned to our apartment, the girl from London that is also living in our apartment was here. I forgot her name, but she is really nice! She goes to our same school and has already been here for a month. She also speaks Spanish really well, so that's nice because she can help us to understand words we don't know. 

So we had lunch, which was alfredo pasta with chicken and a yummy tomato and green pepper salad. It tasted similar to bruschetta and was really yummy. Mercedes had her sister over and he sister is quite hard to understand! But we did our best!

After lunch, I read for a while and then took a thirty minute nap. At 4, we met up with our group at Real Alcazar, which is a very old palace that the sultans lived in! It was massive and absolutely gorgeous! It had a lot of Arabic influence so it was really colorful and very ornate. The gardens were perhaps the biggest gardens I have ever seen. It was honestly like central park! They also had this labyrinth thing of hedged that you can go through, so Alan and I found a stick and ran through yelling quotes from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It was hilarous and so fun! 

We left the palace around 7 and walked over to Plaza de España. The plaza is huge!!! There is a little river thing where you can rent row boats and they had bike rentals and... surry rentals! I don't know if they are really called surries, but when I went to Montana/Canada with Kenz a few years ago, we rented one in Waterton, so I was so excited to see them here! So we walked around the plaza and took pictures, and then we ran into the girl we had met earlier. She said her friends were on their way with the speakers so we had to stay for a little while! So they showed up and set up the sleakers in the middle of the plaza and started doing Zumba! We danced a couple of songs with them, but everyone was staring at us and taking pictures, so we didn't stay long. It was way fun though! And I can now say that I have done Zumba in the biggest plaza in Sevilla! 

After Zumba, we walked home for dinner. On the way, I found myself just thinking of random memories from home and it made me miss my family and my friends so much! But I am still so grateful for this opportunity that I have to be here in Spain. For dinner, Mercedes made us tortilla Española, which I love, and we had a little salad to go with it. It was yummy. She is really easy to talk to and so nice, so I'm very relieved! 

At 10:30, we met up with our group again. It's Megan's birthday today so we went and got ice cream and sang happy birthday to her! So now it's almost 12:30 and we start school tomorrow so I must get to bed! Good night! 

May 29, 2011

May 29, 2011

I made it to Sevilla and wow is it hot! The weather says it will be high eighties all week and it's pretty humid! Woo hoo! 

This morning, we woke up early and got all of our stuff in our suitcases and got ready. We ate breakfast and then took pictures with Ana. Ana has been the most wonderful mom while I have been here in Spain. She took just wonderful care of us and wanted us to have the best time possible in Salamanca. We were definitely spoiled. So after we took a few pictures and gave us our keys, we put our luggage in the elevator and we were off to the bus stop!

We loaded all of our things and got on the bus. We drove for a few hours and then stopped in Merida, which is a town that used to be occupied by the Romans in the first century. They had a ton of cool ruins that we got to look at and we went through a museum of things they have found and preserved like statues and tools and stuff. Way cool! 

Then we drove for another three hours and arrived in Sevilla around 5:30. This time, we just had to find our place by ourselves. Liliana also warned us that Sevilla is a lot more dangerous than Salamanca and there is a lot more theft here so I will have to be really careful with my things. Anyways, Adelay and I started walking towards our apartment and a woman came up to us and told us that she was Mercedes and that we were staying in her house. The apartment complex that we live in now doesn't have an elevator so we had to lug our huge bags up two flights of stairs. I don't mind taking the stairs, but my bags were soooo heavy!

So anyways, she brought us in and showed us to our room. It has two little twin beds, a small armoire and a desk. That's all. So it's s little small, but I don't mind. Fitting all my stuff into the armoire was an adventure, but I like the room. The apartment itself is very large. Unfortunately, however, we do not have Internet here. I actually found myself getting really homesick. It's hard because at the beginning, the craziness of being in a new country masked the homesickness. But now, that has kinda of worn off and I still have 4 weeks to go! It's just when I'm not doing anything, though, that I get homesick, so I just need to keep myself busy. 

At 7, we left to go find the school and walk around Sevilla. The school is only about a 5 minute walk from our house so that's nice. We walked around the plaza and down to the river. Sevilla looks a lot more like what I imagined Spain would be like. It has a lot of Arabic influence, so that is interesting. They also have orange trees growing everywhere! Too bad it's illegal to pick the oranges. While we were across the river, we heard these loud drums playing a pretty steady beat so we went to go see what was going on. There was this procession going on with all of these people playing instruments and then at the front there was a few people holding up this huge decorated thing. I don't even know how to describe it, but it was strange. 

We returned home and had dinner of French fries and some breaded chicken. We were able to sit and talk about Mercedes and we found out that her niece lives in Utah! She didn't know where in Utah, but then she said that her niece was a Mormon so she asked if we were Mormon, too! So that was cool! She also complemented us on our Spanish, so that was comforting!

Now, we are exhausted, so we are calling it an early night! Good night! 

Saturday, May 28, 2011

May 28, 2011

May 28, 2011

Today was a very busy day! I forgot to set my alarm last night because I was so tired, but because I have been waking up pretty close to the same time everyday for the past 4 weeks, I just woke up at 8:30! So I got up and got ready and met Alan to do some shopping at 10. We went to a few stores and I got a few things that I needed. 

At 11, we met up with the group and went to this rock thing. The were cutting stone and sculpting it and stuff. It was cool, but I burned out pretty quick. 

We got back and walked back home for lunch. We had my favorite salad so I was very happy! Then we had to pack. All I can say is it's a good thing my family is coming out and can put some of my stuff in their bags to fly home. I think it's safe to say that I overpacked. I have been here for 30 days and I have only worn one outfit twice and I think I probably have another 10 outfits I could wear for the first time. Maybe a few too many clothes :) 

At 3, we met up and just wandered around Salamanca. We went and saw a few things that we hadn't seen yet and went to a couple of shops. Then we went to get ice cream at our favorite place for the last time. The place is called Don Mavr and I wish I could explain how wonderful their ice cream is. It is honestly the best ice cream I have ever had. I got different flsvors every time I went and they were all delicious! 

Then, we wandered around for a little bit longer. At 7:30, we went to get dinner at a Chinese restaurant. It was really yummy! After we finished eating, we went over to Briana and Kelsey's to watch the FC Barcelona vs. Manchester United soccer game. It was way good! I love watching soccer! This game determined the European champion so it was a big deal! We also played scum, which was also way fun. Then we had to say goodbye to Kelsey, Devin, and Andrew, who fly back to Utah tomorrow. 

While I was walking home, there were still a ton of cars driving around just laying on their horns and yelling and screaming and holding FC Barcelona flags and scarves out the window! It was crazy! It's fun that I got to be in Spain for it though! 

Now, I need to go to bed! It's late and I have to get up at 5:15 tomorrow because we leave for Sevilla at 7 AM! So it may be a while before I post again depending on if my home has Internet. Good night! 

May 27, 2011

May 27, 2011

Today was great! I got my grade for my exam and I did alright. I got Notable, which is above average, so I'm satisfied. I took a picture of my class and I got a picture of me with 2 people from my class. I love the custom here of kissing on the cheek! At the end of my classes today, my professors both said "Buen viaje! Un beso!" Which means, "Have a good trip. A kiss!" So then you do the 1 kiss on each cheek! It's wonderful! Ha ha I'm adopting it when I get home, so watch out! 

After class, we went home and had lunch and siesta. I read and texted my mom during siesta. I'm missing out on going to the cabin this weekend with the whole family, but I just keep reminding myself that I'm in Spain :) 

At 5, we met up and had a YouTube party at the school ha ha we watched some of our favorite YouTube videos, so that was fun. Then we went and got chocolate con churros at Valor, which is the most amazing place! So yummy! 

Then I went and got a few more gifts, then came home for dinner. 

At 9:45, we left again to go to El Cielo de Salamanca at the Plaza de Torros. It was a bunch of people reading random poems in Spanish as some artists painted. Kinda strange. 

Afterwards, we went to the plaza and got some ice cream and just sat in the middle of the plaza just talking for a while. We talked about some really cool stuff and time flew by! When I looked up at the clock tower, it was 1 AM!! So we came home and now I need to sleep! 

Oh but I wanted to mention really quick that here, instead of boys whistling at you, they make kissing sounds! Ha ha so when we walk down the street, random men, young and old, roll down their windows and make kissing sounds as they drive by! It makes me laugh every time! 

Thursday, May 26, 2011

May 26, 2011

May 26, 2011

Today was another average day. We got up and went to school, which went well. In my grammar class, our teacher asked if we were ready for our exam. I said that I had studied, but I still didn't feel ready. Then she started saying that in the last four weeks, I have improved the most in the class!! That doesn't mean that I speak the best, because there are people in my class that still speak better than me, but they also started off speaking much better than me. So that was music to my ears! But then, at one, we had our exam, and it didn't go as well as I would have hoped. It's okay though, because Liliana determines our grade for the class and the exam is only part of it. Our teachers give us a grade, she looks at the exam, we have been turning in homework to her that she has assigned, the homework in our classes, and our comments that our teachers give us. So hopefully I will be able to pull a grade this month. 

Then I came home and we had lentil soup with lasagna for lunch. I have decided that I actually really like lentils! Then, I wrote another letter and uploaded pictures to Facebook! 

At five, I went shopping. We wandered in and out of a few shops in our way the El Corte Ingles. We had heard that is was a department store, so I was expecting something like a Dillards or a Macy's. But oh no. The area of one floor is probably the same, however, El Corte has 8 LEVELS! It was absolutely crazy!  

Then we met up with our group and played soccer for a little while and then PIG. It was fun. 

Then we came home and had a dinner of a ham, egg, and lettuce sandwich and rice. 

Now, I am exhausted. My feet have been doing pretty well up to this point. I actually haven't worn heels in a little over two weeks I think! Crazy, right? But today, I did so much walking that my feet just hurt! My whole body is tired! Well I want to go to bed, so good night! 

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

May 25, 2011

May 25, 2011

Today was another fun day! School went well, but I'm super nervous because we have our exam tomorrow that helps determine our grade for the class. So that's kinda stressful. My grammar teacher was making me laugh so hard today because she, like every other Spanish woman, is obsessed with Brad Pitt. So we randomly started talking about how we say different names in America. She asked how we say Penélope and I said it and then she asked how we say Belén, which is her name, and I told her that we don't have a different name for it. So then she said that the only reason we know Penelope is because Penélope Cruz is famous. Then she started saying that once she marries Brad Pitt, Belén will become a popular name. Then she said she would be the favorite teacher at the university because she would bring Brad to class with her! Ha ha we were all laughing so hard! She always says that she will marry him, but Angelina gets to keep all the kids. 

We came home for lunch and had bean and potato soup, pork, and salad. Then, I started to study for my exam tomorrow. Our teach says it won't be very hard, but of course that's easy for her to say. Then I took a little nap. When I woke up, I studied a little more and then walked to the post office to buy some more stamps. I'm always stressed when I have to go to places and just speak Spanish when it's important stuff that's being said, but I was just fine :)

Then I met up with the group and we went and saw Pirates of the Caribbean (Piratas del Caribe)!! It was quite an adventure! It's all just voiced over and translated into Spanish. I've been surprised at how many American movies they have here! I would be so frustrated if I lived here though because it's all just voiced over so the lips don't match with what's being said. But whatever. I didn't understand the movie very well, but it was fun anyways!  Afterwards, we all went out to eat at a Mexican restaurant! It was soooo good! It had been so long since I had eaten Mexican food so I was in heaven! Then I went to a book store and bought... Harry Potter y el Prisionero de Azkaban!! I'm excited! 

Then we walked down to the plaza and hung out there for a while. But now I'm back home and I need to get studying! Buenas noches! 

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

May 24, 2011

May 24, 2011

Today was such a fun day! The first half eas pretty average. Breakfast and school were just normal. Then we came home and had rice and tortilla for lunch. Then we had siesta. I wrote another letter, did some homework, and took a little nap. Then, at 5, I met up with Kelsey and we went shopping. I got a few things that I have been wanting to get like these darling earrings that are the symbol of Salamanca. And then i got some souvenirs! It was a wonderfully successful shopping day! 

After shopping, I came back home and did some more homework. At 9:15, we had a dinner of pizza, fries, and salad. When our English boys were here, they always sprinkled vinegar on their fries, so I decided to try it tonight. It is so good! Much better than I expected it to be!! 

At 9:30, we left to go meet up with Devin and Andrew. Because they weren't there on time, I ran to Kelsey and Briana's apartment to see if they wanted to come with us. So they came with me back to meet up with the boys. Then we walked over to this huge plaza. I don't know if it's a holiday or something, but it was like a carnival in this plaza! They had a merry-go-round, food, big blow up slides, a big stage with live music, and a roped off section with lots of fireworks. So we listened to the music, and then they said the fireworks were going to start. So we sat down abou 15 feet from where all of the fireworks were, not thinking anything of it. The fireworks started and easily lasted 20 minutes without stopping, if not 25. The fireworks were directly over our heads and we had ash raining down on us the whole time! They were so loud, so bright, and so close! I took lots of videos! I didn't realize, but they had this rope strung along the railing of the blocked off fireworks section. Well at the very end, the lit it on fire and it was like a million firecrackers!! And we were so close to them! I was so terrified!! It was so much fun though! Definitely one of the best fireworks shows I have ever seen, if not the best! 

Then Andrew and Devin walked us home! Now I need to go to bed because it's after 1 AM!

May 23, 2011

May 23, 2011

Today has been a pretty chill day as well. I told Adelay this last weekend that we should make it a goal to not be late once this week, however, we were 5 minutes late today. Luckily my class hadn't started, but we are living together next month too, so we really need to break her habit of being late. We also live the closest to the school in Sevilla, so if she is going to be late, it won't be as bad for me to just leave without her. I will be careful, though. Don't worry, Mom :)

Anyways, school went well. In my conversation, we were talking about characteristics of good parents. I have the best parents in the world and I miss them both very much. 

For lunch, we had spaghetti, salad, and chicken. It was delicious! 

For siesta, I wrote another letter, did some homework, and took a nap. 

At 7, we had family night at the school at seven and we talked about how we can learn from Laman and Lemuel's example. we decided that they are a good bad example :) then we played the game where you all sit in a really tight circle with your knees bent and you pass an object underneath your legs and the person in the middle is trying to find and grab the object. It was fun. 

Then we had Ruta de Tapas. We went to 4 different bars and got 4 different drinks and 4 different tapas. Don't worry, everything was non-alcoholic for me :) the tapas were okay, but not the greatest. It was included in our budget so we didn't have to pay extra, but I'm sure they try and keep it super cheap. But it was still fun. 

Then, we hit up Camelot again! The music wasn't as good this week as it was last week, but that's alright. There is this one song that they played that it just techno and then every once in a while, it will just randomly say Barbara Streisand! Super crazy! Ha ha we were laughing so hard! Then Erik invited me to go to a bar, but I didn't go with him. After we left, we just walked around for a little while and then Andrew, Devin, and Kristen walked me home. Now I need to go to bed because it's almost 2 AM! Good night! 

May 22, 2011

May 22, 2011

Today was a really relaxed day, which was wonderful! We went to church in the morning, which went well. They all talk so fast, so it's hard to understand everything, but I'm able to pick out bits and pieces and mostly make sense of it. We sang Oh My Father, God Our Father Hear Us Pray, There is Sunshine in My Soul Today, and Glory, Laud, and Honor. It was wonderful. I hadn't sung Oh, My Father since Jared's grave dedication, so it brought back some memories. It is just as beautiful in Spanish. 

After church, we came home for lunch. We had the AMAZING salad again! I will definitely be making it when I get home. It's so simple, but so good! 

Then we collected our things and headed off to the park! Adelay, Jill, Briana, Kristen, Kelsey and I just laid out in the sun and did homework! It was so wonderful! I love the sun! There were also a big group of Dutch. Oys playing soccer with their shirts off, so that was pleasant, too ha ha just kidding. They weren't even attractive. 

We stayed at the park for about three hours, and then Adelay and I walked to the school to get Internet. The Internet at our house randomly stopped working, so she wanted to email her family. As we were leaving, it started to get cloudy and by the time we got to the school, it was sprinkling! I felt like I was back in Utah's ever-changing weather! 

When we got home, our new students had arrived. The English boys left yesterday, and now we have two thirteen year old French girls. They don't speak. I think the only things I have heard them say are Si, No, and Gracias ha ha 

We stayed home for the rest of the night. I wrote a letter and did some homework and then we had dinner, which was ham and cheese sandwiches. When we finished, there was tons of lightening and thunder outside so we just opened our window and watched and listened. Then we watched Fever Pitch. As I said, it was a really relaxing day. 

Sunday, May 22, 2011

May 21, 2011

May 21, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FAVORITE BROTHER-IN-LAW! I miss you, Spence! 

Today has been a really tiring day! We had to get up at 6 to be to the bus stop by 7:30! So needless to say, I'm a little sleepy right now. 

After a three hour bus ride, our first stop was León. In León, we went through this museum that was interesting, but not my favorite. Then we went to one of the most beautiful cathedrals I have ever been to! It had so many stained glass windows and they were all so beautiful! I wasn't totally sure if I was allowed to take pictures, but a ton of people were, so I started to take pictures too! Anyway, this old man came up to me and started saying something in Spanish fast and all I picked out was photos and eyes so I was thinking shoot! He's totally telling me only to look, not take pictures! Then he told me to follow him and so Kristen and I walked over to the wall and he was telling me to take a picture of this face carved into the wall that had three eyes. It was hilarious! Ha ha 

After we got out of the cathedral, Liliana told us that we had 2 hours until we had to be back to the bus, so we could do whatever we wanted. So Kelsey and I wandered through a couple of shops and then we decided to go find a bench and get some sun! So we were both laying there for a while and then I opened my eyes because I could hear birds and I totally had this feeling that I was going to get pooped on so I started to sit up and then right then, I got pooped on! It was DISGUSTING! Luckily, it was only on my arm and we were right by a fountain so I went over to the fountain and rinsed off my arm and then put on some hand sanitizer. Then, we decided to go lay on an open patch of grass, which was much safer :) It felt so good to just soak in some sun and now I finally have some color in my cheeks! 

For lunch, Ana packed us each an apple and a chicken and pepper sandwich that was delicious! 

So then we drove to Astorga. First, we went to a building that was designed and built by Gaudi, who also did the Sagrada Familia and sweet apartment building in Barcelona. It was cool, but not the best. Then, we went to yet another cathedral. Once again, it was cool, but not as awesome as the one in León. Afterwards, we went to the Museo del Chocolate. It wasn't exactly, but still cool. They let us sample chocolate at the end and it was delicious! Even though it was pricier than grocery store chocolate, I bought some because the cacao came from Ghana! But I'm saving it for you, Deej, and the rest of the family, because it's delicious! 

We then loaded the bus and came back to Salamanca. I ran to the school while everyone ran home to drop their stuff off before dinner. I got to talk to my mom for a little while and to Perry, who got his call to Sierra Leone, which is AWESOME! 

We then met at a place that I have been wanting to try since we arrived in Salamanca. It's a kebap place, and it has always looked so good to me. I had my first kebap in Segovia and I LOVED it, so I have been dying to try this place. It was so delicious! I don't know if it's the same thing that Ray mentions in his emails every once in a while, but if it is, I totally understand why he loves it! The kebap that I get is called durüm kebap and it's basically a big tortilla filled with shredded lettuce, thinly sliced hot beef, and a really yummy ranch dressing-like sauce. I love it! While we were eating, Alan just randomly said, "Jessica, I think you're black." ha ha ha SO RANDOM! I just busted up laughing! He says because I like rap and because I have to dance when music comes on that I'm black. I don't exactly understand his reasoning, but I thought it was kinda funny. 

After dinner, we walked over to the park and played a version of Never Have I Ever that was fun and then we played Mafia. I was the first one to be killed, though, so that was too bad. I totally knew I was going to die first, too! Before Alan told us who died, I leaned over to Kelsey and said, "It's probably me." And I was totally right! That's the second time I had premonition today! First the bird poop and then mafia! 

Then we came back home, where we are now. It's 1 AM and I need sleep. Oh really quick: My arms are bright red from laying in the sun for an hour and a half and I have the worst farmers tan because I forgot to roll me sleeves up! Anyway... Hasta mañana!  

Saturday, May 21, 2011

May 20, 2011

May 20, 2011

Today was a really fun day! I still have a sore throat, but it's okay. I had class in the morning, which went well. For lunch, we had the weird salad (olives, potatoes, corn, onion, and mayo) and some grilled chicken. For siesta, I took a nap because I was so tired! We had a tour of a cathedral here at 4, but I didn't wake up until five! At 5:30, we had planned to meet up to go play tennis. So Adelay and I walked down the the school and only Jill was there. She said that she didn't go on the tour either, and the group that went hadn't come back yet. Since it was a hot day, we decided to just sit outside in the sun and wait for them. Well after an hour, we decided that maybe we should just leave. So we left and walked over to the market. I bought a darling shirt and a couple things for my mom. We also ran into the missionaries, which is always fun. 

Then, we returned home for dinner. We had Cream of Vegetable soup and pizza. It was really good. At 10, we left to go meet up with our group. Irina, a German girl in my class, invited me to meet her at a bar because her friend was singing, so we were all going to go find her. However, we couldn't find the place, so we ended up just wandering around and going down to the river. It was fun, but I am so tired! We didn't get back until one and we have to get up at six! Good night!  

Friday, May 20, 2011

May 19, 2011

May 19, 2011

Today was another really busy day! I had class in the morning and Briana, a girl from my group transferred into my class, so I'm not alone anymore! So class went well. Once again, we got off on really random tangents, but that's just the way our conversation class goes. 

After class, while I waited for Adelay to get out of her medical class, Andrew and I watched lots of movie trailers of movies that are coming out this summer and there are sooooo many that I want to see! Oh and HP2 has a new trailer has a new trailer that looks unbelievable! I can't wait for that! 

For lunch, we had lentil soup with tortilla Española. After lunch, I tried to take a nap because I have had a terrible headache, but I couldn't fall asleep. 

So at 3:30, we met a few people at the school to go play basketball. I didn't end up playing because it was in a shaded area and it was a lot cooler in the shade. So Briana, Kelsey, and I just chatted in the park by the basketball court. Then we went wandering around some shops, but my head was killing me, so I came home. I tried to fall asleep again to see if it would help me headache, but I laid there for 45 minutes and never fell asleep! It was so frustrating! 

While I was sleeping, or at least trying to, Jens, the boy in our group that lives on the floor below us that isn't a member of the church, came up to our apartment and asked if he could borrow 5 Euro to go buy some allergy medicine. Adelay told him that she only has 5 Euro left, which is true, and that I was sleeping. So she told me when she came back into the bedroom and I thought it was a little strange. So around 6:45, we were leaving to go to our cooking class and we stopped by and knocked on the door and I gave him a couple allergy pills but no money because I know that he wasn't actually going to use it to buy medicine. I could tell that he was a little taken aback. So I asked some people in our group about it and apparently he has been asking everyone for money. He burned though all of his money in three weeks buying drugs and alcohol! It's so sad that it can just ruin people so quickly! 

Anyways, as mentioned, we had our cooking class at seven. It wasn't great, but whatever. After, we all kinda just wandered around the city and then we all went our separate ways for dinner. For dinner, we had ham and cheese sandwiches. 

At 9:50, we left to go meet our group to go play games in the park. We actually never really played a game,  but we all just talked and laughed together so it was fun. 

2 things that I realized today: I have been gone for three weeks, so this is now the longest I have ever been away from home! Secondly, my group was talking today and we found out that the movie Vantage Point takes place and was filmed here in Salamanca! I haven't seen it, but we watched the trailer, and it's totally where I am right now! So crazy! 

Well I gotta get to bed! My head is still hurting, I'm starting to get a sore throat, and it's almost 1:30 AM! I NEED SLEEP!! Good night! 

May 18, 2011

May 18, 2011

Today was a pretty busy day, it felt like. I had class today and I had my presentation. I just talked about Utah and I had put together a little PowerPoint that had some pictures and stuff. Anyway, she corrected a me a few times and then she would take notes and explain why something is the way it is. For example, in Spanish, they have different words for fish that are living and fish that you eat and I mixed those up so she made a note of it and then explained it after. I know the difference, I just wasn't really thinking about it when I was writing down what I was going to say. Anyway, I was talking about winter and I was saying that Utah is known for it's great powder/snow. But apparently, Spanish doesn't have a word for powder snow and what I said didn't exactly translate directly. So what I said actually translated to Utah is known for practicing sex... Yeah... Not exactly the point I was going for. But whatever. I didn't know any better. The rest of the presentation went well. 

When we got out of class, it was POURING rain! And I had accidentally left my jacket in my classroom and they had already locked it. So Adelay and I got to walk home in the pouring rain! Luckily it was still warm, so it was actually really fun. I love the rain. 

Four lunch, we had the potato and bean soup again with meatballs. 

At four, we met Andrew at the school to work on homework. We got half of our assignment done that's due on Monday so that was good! After, we went to a little arts conference at the school about Goya, who is an artist. His paintings kinda freak me out, but it was interesting. Afterwards, Adelay wanted to go to the market even though it was raining. So I got soaked all over again. I was freezing, but it's okay. 

For dinner we had a variation of paella. It was elbow macaroni instead of rice and chicken instead of seafood. It was delicious! Well, good night! 

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

May 17, 2011

May 17, 2011

Today was another good day. It was one of those days where I feel like I understood the majority of the my class and I was able to explain things better! In my grammar class, we played the game where we all wrote down a famous person and then we switched them all around. Then, using ser and estar, we had to ask questions to find out who we were. I got Shakira the first time and Selena Gomez the second time. It was a fun game to play. 

After class, I worked on my presentation that I have tomorrow. I am doing a presentation on Utah and it's a huge part of my grade, so I hope I do well! 

For lunch, we had the yummy rice with tomato sauce and chicken and salad. During siesta, I worked on my presentation some more. 

At four, we were supposed to have a salsa class, so Adelay and I walked down to the school. However, there were already about twenty people there for their first time, and because we had already had one class, we decided not to go. So I worked on my presentation at the school for an hour. 

Afterwards, a few of us walked around and went into a few shops. Then we all shared some churros con chocolate, which was absolutely wonderful! We walked around a little while longer and then came back. We had pizza and French fries for dinner. Now, Adelay and I are going to watch a movie! Ciao! 

May 16, 2011

May 16, 2011

Today was a really fun day! We went to school, which went well! I feel like I'm getting a lot better! After lunch, we had siesta. Normally, people sleep during siesta, but because I'm so obsessed with reading, I only sleep if I can't stay awake! So anyways, I read all through siesta and finished my third book in 2 weeks. So that's a good accomplishment right? 

At 7, we had FHE at the church. We were supposed to have a short discussion about testimonies and then have time to bear our testimonies. But things didn't quite go as planned. There is one boy in our group that was a member as a child, but when he was 14, he left the church and got into drugs and alcohol and stuff. So anyway, I showed up to Family Night and I'm thinking, "Good for him!" So then Liliana started the lesson, after a song (Redeemer of Israel) and a prayer, and asked what a testimony is. A few of us gave answers and then Jens, the boy, asked a simple question. After that, we went into a huge discussion about all of his problems with the church. It kind of reminded me of coming in contact with the people on Heritage Tours that would just try and try to prove you wrong! We ended up discussing for an hour and a half and we didn't even get to bear our testimonies :( Maybe next week. 

This whole time, we were in a classroom connected to the chapel with the door open. Some of the people in our group had left there bags and purses out in the chapel, but because we left the door open, we didn't think anything of it. Well when we got done, we came out and Andrew's backpack was gone! So now two people have gotten robbed! I refuse to be next! Luckily, Andrew didn't have anything too valuable in his backpack, so that's good. I lent home my backpack, because I have been using my shoulder bag, and some headphones because I had extra. Don't worry mom, I will get them both back when he leaves in a week and a half :)

We came back to the apartment and had eggs and bacon for dinner. It was fine. Every Monday, our school has a dance at a club here in Salamanca. Some of the people in our group went the first night we were in Salamanca, but because Adelay was too tired that night, I didn't go. But last night, we decided to go. I had promised Abby that I would hit up a European dance party, and it was nuts! Luckily, it was just our school, so there wasn't too many old people there. However, the drinking age in Europe is much younger, so people were drinking. Anyways, they were playing some Chris Brown and Enrique along with some other Spanish music, and I was just dancing my heart out. I'm not going to lie, people probably thought I was drunk, but who cares! Ha ha a boy in my class came over to talk to me and was just laughing! It was sweet! Ha ha so that was fun! I even whipped out the birthday dance just for Abby! 

Afterwards, Andrew and Devin walked us back to our apartment. Overall, it was a fun day, but I am very tired! Buenas noches! 

Sunday, May 15, 2011

May 15, 2011

May 15, 2011 

Today was a pretty slow day. We went to church this morning, which was nice. We had a combined first hour (relief society/priesthood) which was taught by one of the missionaries serving in the ward. Then we had Sunday school, then sacrament meeting. In sacrament meeting, we sang There is a Green Hill Far Away, A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief, Our Savior's Love, and Each Life That Touches Ours for Good. It's so fun to sing in Spanish, but it's hard sometimes because the words don't really flow with the music. I like it though! I don't know if I mentioned the missionaries last week, but there are two missionaries that serve in the branch here and they are both from Utah. They are super nice. 

After church, we came home and Ana made us lunch! It was WONDERFUL! One of my favorite lunches! It was salad with hard boiled eggs, roasted red peppers, corn, cheese, ham, and pineapple! It was so good! 

Then, we relaxed for a little bit and then we went over to Kelsey and Breana's for games and to do homework. We played Scum and then did some homework all together. 

Then, I came home, and because our Irish girls moved out yesterday, we had three new people move in. Three boys from England. I was looking forward to it, but now I'm thinking that it's going to be a looooong week. They are super loud all of the time, but Ana talked to them so hopefully it won't be too bad. 

For dinner, we had grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, and poor Ana has to cook for five of us now! 

Well I gotta get to bed! Buenas noches! 

Saturday, May 14, 2011

May 14, 2011

May 14, 2011

Today was quite a day! At 10 o clock, we left for our excursion. First, we stopped by a really cool convent/palace in Tordesillas.  It was sweet! The whole time we were there, I kept thinking of the Treaty of Tordesillas, which was the first ID I ever wrote in American Studies ha ha. Then we drove a short way to El Castillo de la Mota. I think it is the most authentic castle I have ever been in! We got to wander around in the walls of the castle where they would shoot cannons and stuff. It was super cool! 

Then, we drove a little ways to this random castle. I think it had the potential to be really cool because it was one of those things where all if the workers are dressed up and acting as they tell you about the place. However, it was siesta time, so they were having lunch and then they were closed for a bit. So that was kind of a waste of time. 

After that, we drove to Valladolid. Here, I witnessed my first bull fight. It was interesting to watch because it's part of Spanish culture and it has been for so long, but it's so sad, and it kinda made me feel sick after! The beginning of each fight wasn't bad because they are kinda just wearing the bull out before the matador comes out to fight it. And even when they first come out, it isn't too bad. But once they start trying to stab it through the heart, i can't watch anymore  Each of the matadors, surprisingly, were between the ages of 16 and 24! We watched 4 different bull fights and there wasn't one that killed the bull the first time the sword went in. So the bull is just bleeding like crazy. I think that's sufficient enough detail, but it was really gory and really sad. 

Then, we headed home. I forgot to mention that for our lunch, Ana packed us jamón sandwiches. Spain is famous for their jamón, and they have shops to buy it EVERYWHERE! The shops basically have legs of meat just hanging from everywhere and they smell DISGUSTING! You don't even have to go in! You can just smell it when you walk past! Anyways, I was totally fine to never have some, but that was our lunch. Needless to say, I wasn't a huge fan. It wasn't as bad as I expected, but I definitely wouldn't mind not having it again. Anyway, we came back to Salamanca and got ice cream, but it was super windy tonight so we didn't stay out long. 

Well I'm going to get to bed! Good night! 

May 13, 2011

May 13, 2011

Today was a really fun day. Class was long, which was unfortunate, but I'm still learning and that's all that matters! 

Our lunch was really yummy! She made rice with a really yummy marinara sauce that went on top! It was one of my favorite lunches thus far! 

At 4, we went on a tour of the two main cathedrals of Salamanca. The cathedrals were amazing, but the tour lasted 2 and a half hours! It was way cool though! She showed us a crack inside the cathedral that happened because of an earthquake in Portugal! Then, it reminded me that I never mentioned the earthquake that happened here in Spain! This week, in Lorca, there was an earthquake that killed 10 people. Lorca is in southern Spain and Liliana was really nervous that we wouldn't be able to go to Sevilla, which is also in southern Spain. But it's far enough away that we should be okay. 

After our dinner of soup and salad, we went to go meet up with our friends to play cards. We planned on playing at Kelsey and Breana's apartment, but when we got to their apartment, they said that their mom said we couldn't. So, we all just sat on the sidewalk and played the What If game. We played until around 12:30, and then Adelay and I walked home. On the way home, there were these boys that were sitting on the side of the street and they started talking to us in Spanish, so we just kept walking, even though we understood them. Then they started talking in English in high voices and said, "We don't speak Spanish!" and started giggling like they were mimicking us. It was pretty funny. 

Anyway, that's all! Ciao! 

Friday, May 13, 2011

May 12, 2011

May 12, 2011

Today was a very fun day! First, we had class, which went really well. Once again, we were talking about the difference in cultures from all of our countries. It started off as just differences in our own countries from older generations until now, but then we just switched to contrasting our countries. We started talking about the age that people get married in their country and most people were saying 30 or 35 and when it got to me I said that Utah is quite different than the rest of the country and most people get married around 21 and they were shocked! Its so funny because it's what I have grown up with, but to everyone else, it's crazy! 

After class, Adelay and I came home, ate our lunch of bean and potato soup, chicken, and salad, and then we slept. For a long time. On accident.

At 7, we had another cooking class at the school. This time, she made us a yummy chicken sauce thing that you out on top of sliced baguette and then she did bacon-wrapped dates that where fried in brown sugar in a frying pan. It sounds kinda weird, but they were surprisingly good! 

After, I came back to the apartment to read. We ate dinner around 9:25, and then at 9:40, we left to go meet our group at the market. Fom the market, we walked over to Liliana's apartment (beause she lives alone) to okay games! We played Set and then Scum for a really long time! It brought back memories of playing Scum at Ray's house ALL THE TIME last summer before he left! Anyways, I ended as king, so of course I really enjoyed it ha ha While we were there, Alan told us the funniest story from his mission and I want to remember it so I'm recording it here! Him and his companion were eating dinner at a member's house in Argentina and she served them some soup and then went back into the kitchen. Alan said that soup was so gross that he couldn't even bring himself to eat it. So, he and his companion decided that he would just toss the soup over his shoulder and out the window. So he grabbed the bowl and tossed it behind him, but the window was closed and it splattered all over the window! Just then the lady came back in and told him that if he didn't like it, he just should have said something! Ha ha funny guy! 

Now Adelay and I are just getting ready to go to bed! It's 1 AM so I've got to get to bed! Adios! 

May 11, 2011

May 11, 2011

Today has been a pretty normal day as well. We had class this morning, which went pretty well. My first teacher told me that I am doing great and getting a lot better, so that's good! But my second teacher freaks me out and I feel like  I understand what she is taking about until she asks me a question! We had a long discussion today about the age at which you can drive, when you can smoke, and when you can drink. I had my drivers license with me and showed them that on your drivers license in Utah it says "Under 19 until..." and "Under 21 until..." and they were all stunned! Everyone in my class said it's all at 16 or 18 in their country. In Holland, a boy said that they can drink at 16 and drive at 18! Freaky!! 

After class, Adelay and I came home for lunch, which was pasta with a yummy red sauce, tortilla Española and some salad. Once again, it was so delicious, but I couldn't finish all of it! 

During siesta, or I guess the 45 minute gap we had today, I read a book in my room. 

At 3:30, we left to go down to the school. We met our group there and walked over to a park. We stayed at the park for a little over two hours doing homework. I am proud to say that I wrote my first composition in Spanish! It was only three paragraphs and I did have a little bit of help from my dictionary and my group, but I still did it! Liliana was very pleased with my work, so I'm so happy! 

At 7, we had our Servillanas (Flamenco) class at the school. Learning the steps is way cool, but the teacher was a little strange and I was sooooo tired! But we learned all 4 movements and did them all together. Multiple times. 

We came home and had a little bit of time to relax before dinner. We had dinner at 9:30, which is actually quite typical. It was left over olive and potato salad from yesterday (luckily with less mayo and no tuna) and pizza! It was very good! 

I forgot to mention that yesterday, Ana did our laundry for us. Her washer is just in a cupboard in the kitchen, and there is no washer. So she just has clothes lines out the kitchen window that she hangs all of the clothes on to dry. It seems like that's how everyone dries their clothes here. The clothes are definitely not as soft, but they are clean! 

Well I gotta get to bed! Buenas noches! 

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

May 10, 2011

May 10, 2011

Today was another typical day. However, today I had to leave without Adelay because she wasn't ready to leave, so I walked by myself to school. School went well. We learned about direct and indirect objects and replacing them with pronouns. I remember learning this in ninth grade, but I never understood it. But now I finally do! So that's good! 

For lunch, Ana made us a salad that had olives, potatoes, eggs, and corn in it. That's all. Then she put two heaping spoons of mayonnaise on top and tuna. Then she gave us a side salad and pork. I wasn't too hungry, which was good, because none of it tasted too great... But that's alright! 

Then, around four, we went to the park and did homework with our group! It has been so warm here! It's so nice to just be out in the sun and study!

After studying, we walked around the little market that they have near the park. The market is a bunch of little street vendors that sell scarves and jewelry and toys and stuff like that. So I made a few purchases there. 

We returned home and had dinner. I think Ana doesn't want us to miss American food because for dinner, she served us French fries and FOUR grilled hot dogs. Needless to say, I barely ate half of my dinner! It was funny though because she kept saying that Americans LOVE salchichas (hot dogs) so we just laughed and at some of our food ha ha. 

I want to leave a quick disclaimer for anyone who is reading this. I want to remember what kind of food I eat here, which is why I always mention what we ate for meals. Anyways... CIAO! 

Monday, May 9, 2011

May 9, 2011

May 9, 2011

Today was pretty much a typical day here in Salamanca. We had breakfast and went to class. Class went really well today! We have a few new students from Holland and Switzerland, so now I'm not the newbie in the class! I feel like I am really beginning to understand the language and I am so glad! We talked in my conversation class about superstitions. It's interesting to hear the superstitions from all of the different countries. I forgot to mention that on Friday, we talked about hand gestures in different countries. We started talking about flipping someone off and our teacher asked if people use it in Los Estados Unidos. I told her that people do and she was like "It means F..., right?" And I told her she was right and then everyone just kept saying it for the next fifteen minutes. I felt a little out of my element ha ha 

Anyways, after class today, we came back to the house. Ana made us bean soup with chicken and a salad. I don't know if I have mentioned it, but here in Spain, they NEVER have a real dressing on a salad. They just have little bottles of olive oil and vinegar and you just drizzle it on your salad. I don't ,ind it at all, it's actually better than I expected, it's just a little different. 

After siesta, we met at the school to go on a tour of the University of Salamanca, which is the second oldest university in Spain. I think it was built some time in the fifteenth century! Sometimes its hard because whenever we go on tours or on excursions, they say EVERYTHING in Spanish, so I only understand some of what they say. 

At seven, we had family night at the church. The missionaries were there and yesterday, I had asked them if they had a Spanish Book of Mormon that I could have, so they gave me un Libro de Mormón! I've already read a chapter out of it and I love it! Anyway, Alan gave us a lesson (all in Spanish) and it was great! We also say For the Beauty of the Earth in Spanish and it was beautiful! Then, we played one round of the What If game for our activity, which was fun! 

We returned back home and Ana started making dinner for us. She made us sandwiches that had sliced up hard boiled eggs, cheese, ham, and lettuce! They were super yummy! 

Now, Adelay and I are going to do some studying and then go to bed early! Buenas noches! 

Sunday, May 8, 2011

May 8, 2011

May 8, 2011

Happy Dia de la Madre to the most wonderful mother in the world! I love you more than you know, Mom!

Today, we went to church here in Salamanca. The branch is super teeny, but it was still enjoyable. I couldn't tell you everything that was said, but it was church nonetheless. In relief society, there was the 7 of us girls from Utah, the teacher, and one other sister. Having lived in Alpine my whole life, I cannot imagine being in a ward that small! 

After church, we came back to the house for lunch and siesta. Ana made us spaghetti and pizza with some salad and it was super delicious! I also finally got up the courage to tell Ana that I don't like fish and she actually took it quite well so now I'm feeling very relieved! 

After siesta, we went and studied in the park. Every week, we have to read a legend out of our Leyendas de España book, answer the questions at the end of the chapter, and then respond to the prompt that Liliana gives us. So I worked on that today while Liliana was there to answer my questions. 

Around 8, I returned home and attempted to Skype my mom for about an hour, but I didn't have any success. The Internet here is super finicky and will just stop working at random so it's hard to do stuff with Internet in the house. 

For dinner, we had scrambled eggs and French fries. The scrambled eggs are a little different because they taste like scrambled eggs and they look like scrambled eggs, but they are all stuck together and it almost looks like its fried on both sides. Kinda interesting. 

Since dinner, we have just been doing homework and stuff. I tried uploading pictures from my camera to Facebook, but it wasn't working, so hopefully I can figure out how to do that sometime soon. 

Well. It's almost one o'clock in the morning and we have school tomorrow so I must get to bed! Buenas noches! 

Saturday, May 7, 2011

May 7, 2011

May 7, 2011

Today we had a day excursion to Toledo! We had to. Be to the bus stop by seven AM, and considering I didn't go to bed until 1:30, I was a little bit tired! Anyway, we got on the bus at 7 and made the 3 hour drive to Toledo. Unfortunately, we didn't have the best weather today :( it was raining off and on all day. But that didn't stop us! We mostly just walked all through Toledo. We saw a few churches, went into a synagogue, and we went the the Museo del Greco. It was very interesting! We left there around 5 to come back home. I got to watch some of Harry Potter 7 on my iPad which was WONDERFUL! We got home around 8:30 and everyone just went back to their houses because we are all so tired! So we came back, I finished watching HP, wrote some postcards, and now I think I might go to bed! We are going to church tomorrow so I am looking forward to that! Well, more tomorrow! 

May 6, 2011

May 6, 2011

Today was a pretty laid back day compared to yesterday! We got up and went to school like we always do and it was just a typical day. When we got home, Ana had prepared a pasta with penne pasta, calamata olives, eggs, mayonnaise, and tuna. It was a pretty large helping so I thought that was our whole lunch,but then she gave us meatballs and salad as well! Adelay and I are starting to think that maybe we should tell her that we don't need quite so much food! I also think that I might tell her that I don't like fish/seafood because I'm starting to think that it might become a problem! 

After lunch, we had a free afternoon! So I wrote a letter and then took a siesta! I don't know what I am going to do when I come home and I can't take a nap every day! 

Then, we had a yummy soup for dinner. I can't remember the name she had for it, but it was a cream of potato and bean soup. Then, we went to a Flamenco show! It was actually a lot different than I expected it to be. The started off with this little eleven year old playing the Spanish guitar and he was amazing! So he played a couple songs with a couple of different people playing different instruments. Then a man came out to sing and that was... Different. It sounded super Middle Eastern-y. He was great, it just was not what I expected. And then the flamenco dancer came out! I was slightly disappointed because she only danced two songs, but she was amazing! I don't know if it will pull up anything, but if anyone wants, you can search Belén Lopez on YouTube and see if it has any videos of her dancing. It was nuts! 

Afterwards, we went and got ice cream and came home. Tomorrow, we are going to Toledo and I have to wake up in 4 hours so... Ciao! 

Thursday, May 5, 2011

May 5, 2011 *Continued

May 5, 2011 - 11:50 PM

Well I had a wonderful birthday here in Spain! Ana made us a yummy lunch of lentil soup, salad, and jamon y pollo con queso! It was really good! Then I did some homework and wrote some postcards, and then we left at 3:45 to go to the museum. The museum was really cool, but I must say I'm kinda burned out on seeing statues and paintings of naked people! It gets a little old! 

After the museum, we just wandered the streets and went in and out of shops. Then, at 7, we had our cooking class. It wasn't exactly what I expected. She had bought some chorizo (sausage) and put it on a roll for us to eat and then she made tortilla de patatas, which we have already eaten, but it was still good. Just not exactly what I expected the class to be. 

Afterwards, we went shopping again. Then, we tried to find a place that was recommended for dinner, which was quite a walk away. But unfortunately, we couldn't find it, and we walked all the way back to where we started and got a sandwich and then some ice cream afterwards. But it still tasted good and we had a fun night. 

Now, my feet are so sore and I am exhausted! And I still have homework to do! So I must go! Hasta luego! 

May 5, 2011

May 5, 2011 - 1:30 PM

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!! And what a wonderful day it is today! It's nice and sunny and we have a lot to do! 

So far, today has been great! We had our usual breakfast of toast and then hurried to class. BOTH of my teachers told me today that I am getting better so I am so happy!! Ok let me give a little background for my next story. Hopefully it makes sense. On the first day, our teacher, Belèn, asked how old I was. I told her I was 18 and another boy in my class, Erik, said he was 18. Then, Belèn started saying we were the babies of the class and I told her that I turned 19 this week. So then she started calling Erik the baby. So today, Erik remembered that it was my birthday and shouted "Feliz Cumpleaños!" in the middle of class! So then, Belèn pulled up YouTube and had everyone sing happy birthday to me! Then, she said that it is tradition in Spain to kiss the birthday person on the cheek and pull their ear down the number of times they are turning, if that makes sense. She said it gives the birthday person good luck! So, my teacher kissed me on the cheek, which isn't that weird considering people greet like that here, and then pulled down on my ear 19 times. Then the girl kissed my other cheek and pulled on my ear 19 times. I thought it was quite hilarious! In my second class, they sang happy birthday to me again!

So now, I am just waiting for Adelay to get out of her medical Spanish class and then we will go home and eat. Then, later today, we are going to a museum and we are taking a cooking class! I'm so excited! 

May 4, 2011

May 4, 2011

Today was a wonderful day! It was super busy, but so fun! In the morning, we had our breakfast, which is always toast with jam and Nutella, and then we went to class. Class went well and I feel like I just keep getting better and better!  I'm so glad! After class, I went to the Correo (post office) and bought lots and lots of stamps! 

Then we went back to our house for lunch and I had my first exposure to paella! Paella is a traditional dish of Spain so I was very excited! However, it had shrimp and oysters in it! So... Once again, I ate as much as I could, but I definitely didn't finish. The rice was very good, but the seafood... not so much. 

Then Adelay and I took a siesta. However, we forgot to set an alarm, so we slept a little bit longer than planned. And by longer, I mean that we slept for two hours! So we woke up at 6:45, which is the time we were supposed to leave. So we jumped out of bed and grabbed our stuff and ran to the school! 

At 7, we started our Servillanas class! It was so fun! Servillanas is basically Flamenco dancing. It brought back memories of my 8th grade Dance Company days ha ha the teacher was 67, so that was kinda strange, but it was still fun! The class moved super fast, and because the class is only an hour long, we only learned 2 of the 4 movements and we didn't have too much time to practice, but it was still so fun! 

Afterwards, we went back to the house to eat. Ana made ham and cheese sandwiches again, and I don't know what it is, but I LOVE them! They are so yummy! Oh and for the first time since we have been here, we had an apple for dessert instead of strawberries. Ana asked, "Como se dice fresas en Ingles?" So we told her "strawberries" and she kept say "strawbellies!" But we felt bad to correct her ha ha 

After dinner, we met up with our group at 10 at the school. Everyone stays up late in Spain, so we figure we should too! So we just wandered around Salamanca. We took lots and lots of pictures! We went to a couple churches, found a sweet statue, and went down to the river. We were walking around for two hours and then at midnight, I got to celebrate my birthday in Plaza Mayor! So we took a picture and then we went home.

Today was one of my favorite days since I arrived in Spain!

May 3, 2011

May 3, 2011

Today was quite a day! I came to class and I felt better about it today than yesterday. I feel like I understood better and I am beginning to feel more confident with my speech. The first class we go to begins at 9:30 and it is a grammar class. Then we have a conversation class at 11:15. Oh and let me explain something, our university is VERY different than I expected it to be. I was expecting s decently-sized school with a little campus around it. But that's not what it is. Our school is very small. It is in between two shoe stores and the width of it, on the first floor, is just as wide as the front doors. But it has four levels, and the upper three levels have a little bit more space than the first floor. During our conversation class today, they brought in chocolate con churros, which is basically what we know as churros without the sugar and cinnamon, and hot chocolate. You just dip your churro in the chocolate and eat it! I really liked it! 

After class, we came home for lunch. As I mentioned before, I didn't tell Ana that I don't like seafood. Well, much to my dismay, she had made fish for lunch. Luckily, she had made lots of other stuff to go with it. But I didn't want to offend Ana, so I ate about half of my fish. It wasn't super disgusting, but I still dislike the taste. 

After lunch, we went back to the school for our first salsa dancing class! It was lots of fun, but the teacher went really slow. He started us off by just teaching a single step, then after a while, we would to it front to back instead of side to side. Then we added arms. And that was about it! So in an hour, we learned one step, which is kind of unfortunate. But we get to take the class ever Tuesday, so hopefully we will be able to learn more!

After salsa, we went shopping! But first, we went to Plaza Mayor and got some of the yummiest ice cream I have ever had! Then we went wandering in and out of shops! It was lots of fun! They have so many cute stores here! I've noticed, though, that they have tons and tons of shie stores and lots of baby/maternity stores. Kinda strange... Anyway, I bought a darling scarf, some Ray Ban sunglasses, a blowdryer (because my one from home fried), some yummy crackers that I had in Italy, and some postcards. I was quite proud of my purchases! 

We came back with just enough time to eat dinner, which was fried pork and French fries. It was yummy. Then, we went to a bar :) ha ha Real Madrid was playing Barcelona in futbol and we wanted to watch the game, so here in Spain, really the only place to watch a futbol game is in a bar. So we watched the game and talked and stuff. Barcelona one and everyone seemed pretty excited about it. 

Overall, it was a great day! Buenas noches!

Monday, May 2, 2011

May 2, 2011

May 2, 2011 - 12:15 AM (Technically it's May 3rd, but this is about May 2nd)

Today was a very VERY busy day! We woke up and got ready, bug I fried my blow dryer which I very unfortunate, so I will have to go buy one tomorrow ha ha then we had breakfast with Ana. Breakfast was toast with Nutella or jam. Then we went to our first day of school! It was kind of overwhelming! I can understand most of what my teachers were saying, but when it came time to answer questions, it didn't go so well. I understand fine, but forming sentences proves to be quite challenging for me. I am excited though because I am going to take a cooking class this Thursday! What a wonderful way to celebrate my birthday! I am also going to take a one week Salsa dancing class next week, and then I am thinking about taking a Spanish guitar class! So school will be fun, it will just be a challenge. But it's a good challenge. For my ElEd friends, I am working in my ZPD :) 

We got to take a tour around Salamanca today and I fell even more in love with this city! It is know as Spain's university city and a quarter of the population is college students. 

For lunch we had ensalada, pollo, supa con frijoles y patatas, y pan. It was very good! For dinner, we had tortilla espanola and spaghetti. I told Ana on yesterday that I like strawberries (fresas), so after every meal, she gives us some fresas with whipped cream on top. 

Well it's 12:20 and I have school in the morning so I must get to bed! Adios! 

May 1, 2011

May 1, 2011 - 7:45 PM

We made it! I am now in Salamanca! It is so wonderful here! Our host family is so nice! There are actually two other girls living here from Ireland! Their names are Sarah and Zara and they are sixteen! They seem super nice! They have been here for a week and will be here for four more weeks so we will be together the whole time we are here! 

Adelay and I share a room next to the Irish girls. It just has two small twin beds, a closet, and a nightstand, so it's quaint, but I LOVE it! Our host mothers name is Ana and she is wonderful!

10:00 PM

Well I am in love with Salamanca! It reminds me a lot of Florence! But I'm getting ahead of myself. 

Today, the bus came to pick us up at 10:00 AM. The bus/shuttle driver said we were going to wait ten minutes before we would leave so Adelay and I put our bags on the bus and ran down a side street to a place we knew had free wifi. So we were down the street for about ten minutes just emailing and such, and then we came back to the bus and had a sad surprise. Liliana had set her purse down on the front seat of the bus and someone had come by and snatched it! Her purse had her camera and her wallet in it! I was so glad that Adelay and I had put our bags further back on the bus! poor Liliana though! So we had to wait for a long time while Liliana called the bank and filed a police report so we were about two hours late leaving Madrid! But all was well. We drove for about an hour, and then we arrived in Segovia. It was muy muy bonita! We got to see an Aqueduct that was built over 2000 thousand years ago and it is still standing... WITHOUT ANY MORTAR! It was crazy! Then we toured el Castillo de Fernando y Isabella. It was beautiful! Honestly, it was one of the most gorgeous castles I have seen! 

Then, we drove another hour and a half to Salamanca! Our host family was waiting at the bus stop to pick us up and I was a little bit nervous to meet them! But they are so nice and so helpful! They speak zero English, but I am actually kind of glad that they don't because it forces us to speak Spanish. We spend most of our time with Ana, and she is so helpful when we are trying to figure out how to say something or if we don't understand what she is saying. I think my Spanish will start coming really fast now!

Their apartment is up on the fifth floor of an apartment building on la Avenida de Portugal. Ana showed us around, then gave us some time to unpack our things. When she finished, she brought us a map and showed us where we lived, where the school was, and a couple major sites. With that, she gave us a set of keys and we were off! Adelay and I went and found our school so that we don't have any problems in the morning. It's about a fifteen minute walk which is great! The weather here is lovely, so I don't mind the walk at all! 

When we came back, Ana told us that she just needed ten minutes and she would have dinner ready for us! We came back into the room for a minute and then she called us out for dinner. She made grilled ham and cheese sandwiches and although it sounds so normal, they were so good! Muy delicioso! She sat with us while we ate and asked us all kinds of questions! It was kinda intense because I'm so scared of screwing up, but it actually went quite well! I understood most of what she said and was at least able to formulate a half decent answer! Ha ha she said that she has been housing students for ten years! So I'm sure she is used to people trying to get used to the language! Quick side note, the lisp on the Cs and Zs is still so different! They also use the vosotros form all the time, which I am not used to! Anyway, she told us that she has given up trying to cook for the Irish girls because the don't like to eat anything! She said they told her they like pizza y papas fritas (French fries)! So she kept saying that she was so happy that we will eat anything! I didn't tell her that that I don't like fish because I figure it is all about the experience, so we will see how that goes! 

I love it here! I still miss home, of course, but I am really enjoying my time here! Well, I had better get ready for bed! Buenas noches! 

Sunday, May 1, 2011

May 1, 2011

May 1, 2011 - 1:30 AM

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY WONDERFUL BROTHER!! I know that it is still the thirtieth in the states, but it is the first here. By the time I post this it will probably be the first!! 

Today, as I mentioned before we went to the temple. After the temple, we went to the Museo del Prado. They had lots of cool paintings including a ton from Goya and Velasquez. After the museo, we came back to the hotel for siesta and just took it easy until we went to dinner. Here in Spain, they eat dinner very late, so we didn't go to dinner until 9:30 and we were the second group to arrive at the restaurant! We left the restaurant around 11 and just walked around Madrid. We went down a particularly sketchy street (only because Liliana was with us and she allowed us to) and I can now say that I have seen legit prostitutes. Freaky!! But we walked all around Madrid and saw lots of cool buildings and went into a little mercado. We got back around one but there are still lots of people outside. I'm on the sixth floor of my hotel, facing the street, and I hear sirens and horns honking all night long! Pero no me importa! 

Tomorrow, we leave for Salamanca. We are stopping in Segovia on the way, so I am excited for that! 

Well I must get ready for bed! Buenas noches!

April 30, 2011

April 30, 2011 - 12:30 PM

Day 2 in Spain! Today is a little bit more cloudy than yesterday which makes it kinda chilly. The hotel here has a continental breakfast, which was really nice. However, here they make you sit down and then they will bring you food  i had a little roll thing with some marmelade on it and then just put the little packaged breads in my bag to save for later. They also brought out a plate of ham and cheese, but the ham was a little different! It had small pieces of ham, peppers, and some other identifiable things all together in one deli slice of ham. I tried a little bit just to see what it was like and it wasn't bad, but not particularly good either. Afterwards, we took the Metro to the Madrid temple which was beautiful! We walked around for a little while and then took the Metro back to Sol, which is our stop. We looked around for a little while at the shops, but then we decided to come back to the hotel. But we are leaving now to go get some lunch then go to the Museo del Prado. Ciao!

April 29, 2011

April 29, 2011

So it's eleven o clock at night and truth be told, I'm a little lonely. I have no idea where my roommate is so that has me a little nervous because our hotel is like cardboard! I'm sure I will be safe, though. I just have to keep myself awake until she gets here because she doesn't have a key. Anyway, I ate dinner at a little restaurant tonight with Jille, Alan, Brad, Brianna, and Kristin. I ordered tortellini and it was very good! Then, Jille, Alan, and I went to the market to look around. Then we came back to the hotel. Adelaly, who will be roommate in Salamanca and Sevilla, had just gotten here, so it was good to see her. We chatted in her room for a little bit and then came back to my room, which was locked. So I went down to the front desk because at our hotel, every time you leave, you have to leave your key at the front desk. So now I'm just in my room hoping that Kelsey gets back soon. 

Today was a lot of fun though! I love European cities because they have the big feel of any major USA city, but they have such an old feeling to them! All of the buildings are so beautiful and the streets are clean. However, there are people EVERYWHERE that want to get money from you. In were in a huge plaza and i felt like I had just stepped into Disneyland! There were dressed up characters everywhere! They had Spongebob, Patrick (from Spongebob), Dora, Minnie, Mickey, and lots of other random dressed up people. However, they aren't exactly as friendly as the Disney people. If you take a picture of them, they come up and ask you for money! Luckily I didn't take any pictures. 

Tomorrow, we get to go to the Madrid temple! Adelay and I wanted to do baptisms, but Liliana, our leader, said that you probably have to make an appointment so I don't think we are going to be able go. Then, after the temple, we get to wander around for a little bit, and then we go to the Museo del Prado, which I am really excited for!

Well, there's not much more to say, so I think I am just going to read until Kelsey gets back. I'm sorry if this is terribly boring for anyone, but I'm kind of doing this for my own benefit, too :) Oh and I probably won't be able to post this until some time tomorrow, but oh well! Buenas Noches!!