La vida española

Well we've been in Spain for a couple of weeks now, and it's such a cool feeling knowing that you can see and do new and exciting things every single day. I can't count the number of times I've said to Ann, "Do we actually LIVE here?" It's like I still need to pinch myself sometimes to remember that I'm living in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

We survived our first week of classes--and I made it out with only ONE homework assignment, which, don't get me wrong, was a giant pain in the you-know-where, but I was still thrilled not to have homework in any other of my three classes. Ann didn't have any homework at all---I think we might actually like this whole school thing after all ;)

So, what has been happening for the last few days.....

We went to Salir con Españoles last week but it turned out there were about a thousand students and just a few españoles (I'm exaggerating, but the ratio was definitely not ideal.) So, we didn't really get a whole lot of talk time with our Spanish leader. We did, however, discover a new bar with some delicious tapas and sangria--what a surprise. We're going to go again this week--hopefully the numbers are a little better, but, if not, I'm sure the sangria will make it worthwhile!

On Friday our group took a trip to Ronda, an old city situated beautifully in the mountains. Of course the scenery was breathtaking, as it is in all the cities here. We also took a tour of a plaza de toros (a bull fighting ring) and learned all about the bull fighting traditions. I am definitely putting "watch a bull fight" on my to-do list now. They sound really fun!

After the worst bus ride of my life (the winding roads and swaying bus made just about everyone nauseous), we got back to Sevilla and did some shopping, got our noses pierced (sorry mom!) and searched for a Mexican restaurant because we were all craving a margarita. As it turns out, no one can make 'em here like they can back home. So if any of my friends/family can figure out how to FedEx a margarita on the rocks with no salt, I'll owe ya big time. I think that's my biggest craving at the moment.

We spent the day Saturday shopping (again). We will be lucky when all these rebajas (sales) end because they've been an excuse for us to go shopping about every other day. I did find some great steals on Saturday, though. But I think this weekend I'm gonna try to lay off the sauce and stay away from the mall! We'll see about that one!

We went out with some friends Saturday night. And it's safe to say we still love the night life here. Our host mom asked us on Sunday what time we came home and when we told her 4:30 she said "Why so early?!?" I know I've said it before but la gente está muy loca. (The people are crazy). So so fun though!

I spent all day Sunday in my room sleeping mostly (I've got a serious cold/sinus thing at the moment) and working on my one homework assignment. It was nice to have a lazy Sunday, but now we're looking forward to doing some more fun things this week and weekend. This Saturday we will be heading to Cádiz for Carnival...which is basically like Spain's version of Halloween. Only more fun. With more alcohol. I think. Our host parents told us it was just crazy--drunk people and costumes everywhere!  I've made it my mission this week to come up with a great costume. We'll see how that goes when I don't have my mom here to sew it for me!

Tomorrow, we're going out to dinner and to the bar with some friends to celebrate being alone on Valentine's day. We all have someone special at home so we decided to opt out of being alone, crying through a box of kleenex and slamming a box of heart-shaped chocolates by going to the club together. I'm sure it'll be great, but I wish I could celebrate with Blake. So honey, if you're reading this, Happy Valentine's day and I love you =]

Other than that, just going to class every day and living la vida española.
Needless to say, life is good!!

More pictures to see:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2646188354530.2117199.1250280194&type=1&l=766b1d28b2

 

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2646275236702.2117201.1250280194&type=1&l=3aea6f1eff

 

Until next time,

Natalie

La escuela

Well, I guess all good things must come to an end. We finished last semester about the 15th of December and ever since, we've been traveling, partying, exploring, and doing the most fun things. I know that I was luckier than everyone in the world to have such a long break between semesters, but I have got to tell you, waking up for school Monday morning was no fun at all. Throughout my almost two month hiatus from school I've discovered that I'm not at all a morning person like I used to be and that I prefer to sleep in as late as possible. I guess it's a good thing that I only have 9am class on Mondays and Wednesdays (and I don't start til 1pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays). Classes here in Sevilla are pretty laid back...oh, and did I mention that we don't have ANY classes on Fridays? Yeah, so I guess I'm still pretty lucky. Classes are okay so far, mainly introduction stuff this week. They're not hard which is nice, just a little boring! Hopefully that gets better as the semester goes on....

Last night we went out for a friend's birthday to a place called Santuario. Before we went, our friends told us that Santuario had free shots and free sangria, but I thought it was too good to be true. I'll only say this once in my life, but thank GOD I was wrong! We had to pay a 1 euro cover charge to get in, but as soon as we walked through the door there was a free shot waiting for us and....BOTTOMLESS sangria. We basically drank it like they weren't gonna make it tomorrow. Even though that miracle only lasted for an hour, we hung out to dance and celebrate our friend's 21st birthday. As usual, we ended up having way too much fun and didn't get home 'til about 2....which made that 9am class even tougher this morning! But I have a feeling that Santuario may become a Tuesday night ritual...and that I'll be suffering through translation class every Wednesday. As they say here in Spain "Es lo que hay"..."It is what it is!"

Thank goodness I've been able to embrace a little Spanish tradition they call siesta. I have never in my life taken naps but since I've started classes I've been taking full advantage of my free hours in the afternoon. We come home and eat lunch and then I curl up in bed for about an hour and snooze. I honestly don't know how I ever lived without these...I feel like a  million bucks when I wake up. So, when I come back home I may have to find a way to work a siesta into my daily schedule. Vamos a ver (We'll see).

Tonight, we are going to "Salir con Españoles," which is organized by our program. We get to meet Spaniards and talk with them and they are going to take us around town and show us some of their hangouts. I'm so excited too see how the locals live...and hopefully we'll find some good tapas and good drinks while we're at it!

But for now, I think I'm gonna get an early start on today's siesta!

Until next time,
Natalie

La Gente Esta Muy Loca

Well, our first days in Sevilla  did not disappoint! We arrived here Thursday evening and were greeted by our wonderful 'mom' Rebeca. The first thing she said was (rough translation) "You girls are crazy." Our luggage really was outrageous. The three of us crammed into her brother's tiny car which was packed to the brim with suitcases and backpacks and first made our way to her mother's clothing store where our 'dad' Francisco was working. We met him and then headed home to unpack. It felt so nice to finally have someplace to call home instead of living out of a suitcase. Our apartment is very small and adorable, but even though our room is small it has a ton of closet and storage space. Thank goodness! We managed to stuff our closet with our clothes (but still have some room left over for new ones!) Our first night we had a delicious Spanish dinner and chatted with our parents. Francisco is actually from Nicaragua so he speaks even differently than Rebeca, but we understand both of them pretty well (most of the time!) They are both so helpful and we are learning so much. They have told us that we speak very good Spanish, which is such a relief!

So, Sevilla...... Friday we went to orientation at school, which was a bore but seeing our new school was very exciting. It is very old and beautiful, as are most of the buildings here in Sevilla. And it's across the street from a great little bar and restaurante, Cien Montaditos, so I think we're really going to enjoy our long breaks in the afternoons. After orientation, we went on a tour of the world's third largest cathedral, where Christopher Columbus is buried. It was absolutely massive and beautiful of course and we were lucky enough to walk to the top (36 stories) and get a bird's eye view of Sevilla. I have never seen anything like it in my life. Friday night we went out for tapas, (which are like small appetizers) with our entire ISA group. Of course we went for Sangria afterward cause it's just so good here.

Yesterday Ann and I spent some time exploring el centro comercial (the mall). For about a month in the winter, Spain has rebajas, or discounts at every store. Yes, I said EVERY. Things are so cheap and we were absolutely amazed at how cheap some of the clothes are. So, we went to the mall twice yesterday and ended up with some pretty great stuff. Last night, our host parents were going to see a friend in concert and invited us to go along. Of course we said yes and we ended up seeing some very good (and different) music and a bar called FunClub. After, we went to another bar with them and met some more of their friends, all who told us we were very great Spanish speakers. After that, we went to our first discoteca and danced...yes, with our parents. They are so much fun and so funny and adventurous and we absolutely love them! Next thing we knew, it was 5am and we were walking home, with all of the bars still full. The night life here is LOCO. That's the only way to put it.

So, after sleeping in wayyyy too late today, we are gonna get dressed and do some more exploring to see what this city has to offer!

If you want to see what I've seen so far, use these links to see my pictures on facebook:

 

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2582757968810.2116159.1250280194&type=1&l=81f2f0d312

 

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2599553108678.2116410.1250280194&type=1&l=f5474df50a

 

Until next time,
Natalie

Los primeros días...

Well the last few days have been nothing short of loco. It feels like we’ve been in Spain for weeks when actually we’ve only been here since Monday. So far, we’ve been acting like typical American tourists---visiting museums, taking pictures of everything and everyone we see, and seeking out Wifi hotspots. I have to admit, I’m not big on museums or art, but the things we have seen so far have been nothing but amazing…

Yesterday we went to El Museo del Prado and saw a whole bunch of Spain’s most famous paintings. It felt like we were back in grade school on a field trip because we actually learned the entire time. After that, we went to El Palacio Real (the royal palace) which turned my new life goal into becoming a Spanish princess so I can live there. It is absolutely massive and has about 2,600 rooms (of which we only saw about twenty).  They all were decorated in gold and silk…Needless to say, the Spanish monarchs have been livin’ it up for hundreds of years.

We finally went out last night in Madrid…We had dinner and sangria with some new amigas and then went to a bar afterward. All of the fun dance clubs are closed on Tuesday nights so we went to a pretty low-key little place and had some chupitos (shots) but took a taxi home because we had to be up early this morning.

We came to Toledo today— a city built on a mountain surrounded by giant stone fortresses. There is so much history here, but more than that it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. I took a million pictures, but none of them seem to do it justice. We took a bus tour around the city and then walked through downtown with our guide Quique (short for Enrique) through an old cathedral and a synagogue.  After our tour, they gave us some free time for lunch (today was the first time we didn’t drink sangria with a meal) and then we had some time to explore. And by explore I mean shop. All of Spain has “rebajas” right now…Which basically means that everything in every store is on sale. But unfortunately, Ann and I had to restrain ourselves because all of our bags are packed to the brim. So we just ended up with a couple of scarves and some jewelry. Toledo is also famous for its swords so every single store sold them…Yes, like actual, authentic swords. We thought about buying one but didn’t think we could get it past security when we came home.  
Anyway, I’ve rambled for long enough, but I’m just so excited about everything I’ve seen so far. Of course I’m already missing my family and my novio (boyfriend) but I’m very thankful for Skype!  I will try and upload some pictures eventually so you all can see all the amazing things that I have.

On a different note, I’d like to wish a very happy 28^th birthday to my beautiful hermana (sister) Audra!

Until next time,

Natalie

We're here!!!

¡Hola a todos!
Well after a long, looooong day of travel we have finally arrived in Madrid! We got here about 10:00 this morning (4am in Michigan) after a very long and uncomfortable plane ride. Ann and I were both thrilled to get our feet back on the ground after sitting for about 10 hours. It took a while for us to navigate around the airport, especially because every student packed about nine zillion pounds of luggage. They weren't kidding when they told us to pack lightly, and I wish I would have listened. My hands have giant blisters from dragging my suitcases around the airport and to the hotel.

We are staying at a hotel in the center of Madrid. It's really nice actually and it only took us about 10 minutes to figure out how to learn the lights on! (Apparently they like to save energy so you have to plug in your room key for the lights to work.) I spent the first half hour a little upset because both my foundation and a bottle of nail polish broke in my carry-on (of all places) so I had to wash off all of my bottles of shampoo, mouthwash, and everything else I packed. And let me tell you, neither foundation nor nail polish are easy to wash off of anything!

Despite the jet-lag, we are so excited to be here and to start exploring. We're heading out for a bus tour of the city this evening and then have a meeting with our directors to find out what's in store for us this week.

Can't wait to tell you all about it!

Until next time,
Natalie

T-Minus 2 Weeks...

It always seems like time flies when you have a million things to do. It feels like every time I blink another day passes and I'm that much closer to leaving. Don't get me wrong, I'm getting so excited (especially that I finally get to have my bff as a roommate!) but I'm also starting to panic about leaving my family and my American life behind. Anxiety and I seem to go hand-in-hand these days.

I have had a few setbacks with my classes so far. As always, I freaked out and was worried about working everything out so I could still graduate next year as planned. Thanks to the help of a very generous professor at Grand Valley (and a bottle of wine with Ann to calm my nerves), things are all starting to come together. My professor offered to do an independent study while I'm abroad so I can get enough credits to finish school next year. She and I will be skyping and emailing all of my lectures. It will be interesting, but I am so so soooo thankful she's doing it for me. Everyone kept telling me things would work out...Guess I just have to believe that more often. So with the independent study, I'll be taking five classes this coming semester. Not sure exactly what they'll be, but mostly likely some literature, grammar, and hopefully a flamenco (Spanish dance) class. Needless to say, it'll be an interesting semester!!

So tonight I'm sitting down with a pen and several pieces of paper and beginning to make a million lists to get ready for departure. So far I've got "To-Do," "To-Buy," and  "To-Pack." And of course, I've sub-categorized the "To-Pack" list into "Clothes" and "Stuff." How on earth I'm supposed to fit four months of clothes and stuff into two suitcases is beyond me. But I'm determined----But unfortunately "a bigger suitcase" is on my "To-Buy" list!

Thankfully, Ann and I have a few wonderful friends who have studied abroad and are so helpful with all of our questions. Katelyn, if you're reading this, thank you! It is such a relief to have someone who's been there and done that to answer all of our questions. Don't know what we'd do without you!

Surely the next two weeks will be filled with more lists, errands, packing, hugs, tears, and (unfortunately) farewells. Prayers to help me deal with my anxiety are greatly appreciated. I know that I am so lucky to be able to do this so I am very excited for the anxiety to pass and the excitement to begin!

T-minus 2 weeks until the adventure of a lifetime!

Until next time,
Natalie

The Countdown......

Well, it's official. I leave for Spain in just 25 days. I wish there was a Spanish equivalent for OMG. I still find it hard to believe that I'm moving to a different country. I got my housing assignment yesterday and found out that Ann and I will be living with a woman named Rebecca and her cousin (I think) Francisco. Besides the fact that they're "good with foreigners," we didn't get much more information on them. But I guess that "good with foreigners" is a good sign! I'm excited to learn a little more about them, though.  Now it's time to start all the last minute stuff, some paperwork, a few to-do's, and (the part I dread the most) packing. I still have a few wrinkles to iron out with my classes abroad, but besides that, everything seems to be going smoothly. Knock on wood for me, please.

I'm starting to get a little nervous as the departure date is drawing nearer--To be honest, I'm one step below terrified. I'm still having a hard time with the fact that I won't see my family for so long. I am seriously debating packing my sweet niece in my carry-on because I'm not sure how to last so long without her.  But I know that no matter how this next semester plays out, it's gonna be one crazy adventure. Can't wait to share it with all of you!

Until next time,
Natalie