Hola desde España!

It's still weird for me to think that I am here and all of you are way across that little pond I like to call the Atlantic Ocean! :) I'm still in a little disbelief of where I actually am every morning I walk outside my apartment. Each day is a brand new one and I have no idea what will happen or who I will encounter...it's quite a rush if you ask me. Most days I keep this at the forefront of my mind, but with school and the pressure to fit in here I tend to lose sight of that very quickly.

My adjustment to living in Spain has been a tough one. I knew before I even came that I would be the only one from my school going to this particular city, but it doesn't really sink in until you step off the plane. Granted I have grown and changed a lot since high school, but whenever I go off to a new place I do what I usually do--become very quiet and reserved and extremely independent. Even though back at school I am more outgoing, I think that that is just how I adjust to new places. I don't mind spending time by myself, but I don't like to be alone 24/7....and that's how my first few days here in Spain were like--minus time spent with my homestay parents. :)

If I did anything or went anywhere outside of the house I went by myself. And to be honest, it was pretty depressing. Yes, the city is gorgeous and it's fun to look at all the stylish Spanish people, but to see the sights all by yourself? It's just not that fun.

Thank goodness after 4 days of being in Sevilla by myself my roommates from Texas Christian University moved in and we have been getting along well. As for doing things with them or going out, I still feel like an outsider because they all know each other from their program but they don't know me and I don't know them. I am getting sick of having to ask if I can do things with them cause they don't invite me and I don't have anyone who lives near me. But, I tell myself every day that they don't know what I'm like or what I used to be like so the possibilities are endless. It's challenging but I'm doing the best I can. Some days have been tougher than others like yesterday but I'm trying to stay positive. It's still early in the semester and I don't want my time to fly so quickly.

Yesterday was almost a really bad day for me--my knee hurt, it rained all morning, became super windy in the afternoon, I wasn't prepared to give a presentation in my literature class and overall I just felt like I was doing everything wrong. After my literature class, though, I talked with a girl from my program about our crazy night on Saturday and ate lunch with her. We went to Carnaval en Cadiz and it didn't turn out as we had thought it would--if you don't want to drink yourself into a drunken stupor, I would suggest not going to it. Yeah, it was fun to see all the costumes and meet some new Spanish people but all they really wanted was our phone numbers and kisses.

Anyway, she was telling me how the past two weeks have gone for her and I could relate on all levels practically. We both feel like we're swamped all the time, always do things alone, can't do anything right, etc. That was very encouraging for me to hear cause it just reminds me that I'm not alone. She does have it a little better than I do cause she and her family have been talking a lot and I have barely talked to mine (due to the time change and our schedules it's difficult to get ahold of each other). I think the lack of communication with back home is what's affecting me and every other part of my life here in Spain. I can handle being apart from my family for awhile now but I mean I went from seeing them every day over my break to not talking to them hardly at all...that's bound to affect anyone no matter which way you look at it. But that will all change soon as we are working out schedules and calling times cause we have to stay in touch.

Despite all the challenging and frustrating things that have been happening, I don't want to say that I hate Spain (although my hair does) because it has been my dream for so long to come and live here. I don't want to wish my time away either cause it's already starting to fly. I'm just taking it one day at a time and keeping an open mind. I have a really nice intercambio (a Sevillano who is helping me practice my Spanish and I'm helping him with his English) named Santiago and I met more Spanish people (guys and girls) at an intercambio meet and greet yesterday at my school. I even met an older guy who has his own plane and offered to take me and some other girls flying some time!!!!! I'm pretty excited about that! :)

I will try to post more often and catch you guys up on all that I've been experiencing so far. I'm keeping a list of interesting things that happen to me daily so I might post a few of those every now and then...but I will leave you short list of some new things about me:

1. I'm eating sliced tomatoes!!! The tomatoes grown in Spain are very sweet and flavorful...and I like them! My senora told me that the girls in her house must always try something first and see if they like it and they usually do. The key thing I've learned in Spain is to keep an open mind. :)
2. After almost a month of being here, I am reaching fluidity in my spoken Spanish! If I told you before that I was fluent in Spanish I meant I was fluent in understanding not speaking. I speak Spanish with my senora, my roommates, professors, hear it on TV, on the streets, on the metro, etc. so it's becoming second nature to me. I can probably tell you how many hours of English I hear and speak per week. :) But at this rate, who knows where I'll be come May!
3. I'm afraid of bikers, bike paths and European drivers....they all drive really crazy here but bikers are the worst! And every time I cross one of the bike paths I practically get hit.
4. I have a crush on my British Economics teacher and every other Spanish guy that I see.
5. I want to have just as much, if not more, fun as Lola had when she was in Sevilla! :)