My New City

So it is 10 pm, and while i wait for dinner, i figured it would be a good time to write to you all again. So much has happened in this last week, i feel as though i have been gone from home for at least a month.

Here goes nothin!

After we all went out on saturday night, we ha

d to be up very early Sunday morning to meet with Veronica, our program director, to get some instruction before she sent us away with our host families. So far, my host family has been one of the only things i have been nervous about. I knew coming into this that my spanish wasn’t great, and that the family isn’t allowed to speak english to us. it was going to be a challenge, but it was something i was looking forward too.

All of us students were waiting anxiously in one room, while our host families were in another one right across the hall. We got our roommate assignments, and I got paired up with a girl named Julie. She is from Washington D.C. and is super sweet. She is spunky, has a great smile & has pretty red hair! (Sometimes i wish i had red hair because i think it is GORGEOUS, but she doesn’t tan all that well, so i’ll stick with my brown locks). She has a boyfriend too, so we tend to skype lots in our room. We are already becoming friends & it’s only been one week, so i’m excited to see the friendship that blossoms from this semester.

Let’s just say when Veronica called mine & Julie’s name my heart skipped a beat & maybe did a few summersaults. Dun dun dun.... We finally met Jaquelin & Juancho, who were both dressed super nice & both smelled amazing. Jaquelin doesn’t look spanish, so i am really interested to hear her story. Juancho look VERY spanish! but I’ll get onto their backgrounds later!

Since last sunday, I have experienced many new things. I am just go

ing to make a list, or i could write for days!!!!

1. Spanish food- which other than a few things have been incredible. We make our own breakfast in the morning- normally consisting of toast & yogurt. The first couple days i didn't have any coffee & was definitely needing some. So i mustered up some courage, spoke my very best spanish & asked if it would be possible to make coffee in the morning. Jaquelin then became my very best friend. Out of the cupboard came an espresso maker. Not a nice one like my mom has, but something that looks like the tin can from the Wizard of Oz. Remember that term “Don't judge a book by its cover?” Well i don’t think i have learned in a better way. I made coffee the next morning & it was absolutely incredible! A little milk, a little chocolate, mmmm mmmm mmmm. A spanish mocha made by an American :))) Next the first meal cooked for us was paella. So so good. It is almost like dirty rice, but better. It has chunks of chicken & steak and shrimp & grilled veggies all mixed with rice. Then there’s the bread. Jaquelin goes to the store every morning for bread & veggies etc. So, when julie & i wake up, the kitchen smells like a bakery. Not too bad i must say :))
2. Getting around the city- Generally people walk everywhere especially if you live in the downtown area. I live in a place called Plaza Gran Capitan. We look out our window, and see a plaza with a fountain, lots of trees & more apartment style housing. It takes us about 10 minutes to walk to school if we are running. If we enjoy ourselves and look around, it takes us 15-20 minutes. We are probably walking at least 15 miles a day back & forth to school multiple times a day, and when we do our touristy stuff.
3. School- This week and next week is orientation. We took a level test at the beginning of the week to see what classes we would be in for orientation. I am in a class with five other girls and our professors name is Jose. He is very funny, and has helped me tremendously with my spanish in the last couple days. After next week we will take another test to determine our level again. Hopefully i’ll test into Lengua y Cultura, which is the second level. If i get into this program, i won’t have class on fridays, which would be wonderful and i would also be able to pick the classes i want.
4. My host family & home- Jaquelin, Juancho & Miguel. Jaquelin and Juancho have been dating for 4 years and they live together in this apartment. Miguel is Jaquelin’s son who is 14. He is very funny and makes us laugh all the time. He knows english pretty well, so he has been a big help when Julie and I are speaking spanish to jaq & juancho. Jaquelin also has 2 other apartments that are rented out to international and spanish students. These aren’t typical apartments though. They tend to have 4 bedrooms & 3 bathrooms, with a kitchen big dining room & living room. Jaquelin cooks for all of the students, does our laundry, and is basically a mom for 16 students!
5. When walking around the house, you wear slippers. If you don’t, your toes may fall off & if they do, it’s no one’s fault but your own! Also, because there is no central heating, we wear lots of clothes to bed. :)
6. When going out to eat or get drinks, tipping the bartender/waiter is not necessary.
7. Gypsies on the street will try to read your palms & give you branches of rosemary. They especially love american because i guess we fall into their little traps easily. They tend to be senoras (older women) who try to repeatedly shove branches into your hands. Once one grabs our hand though, more gypsies come around you, and if you aren't careful you could get pick-pocketed. So be firm, say no and walk really fast passed them!
8. Churros con chocolate is the most amazing dessert i have ever had in my life. Here churros aren’t covered in sugar. Instead they are plain, and you can order them with chocolate sauce. Now when i say chocolate sauce you are all probably thinking liquid hershey’s syrup from a bottle. Nope. This chocolate is almost as thick as pudding, tastes like hot chocolate and is steaming hot. Oh my goodness- it is too hard to explain. i’ll have to take a picture the next time i have one.

Ok i think this is enough for one day. More good news; i found a church very close to my house, that i will call home for the next four months. Everyone i have met there have been wonderful! They took me out for tapas last night after youth group, and showed me around a bit. It was great.

besos x