Day 16-El estudio parte de estudio de extranjeros

Today was a typical morning: breakfast and class.  Tomorrow is our first exam, which oddly enough is also the midterm.  So after class, we stayed until a little after 5 and just talked about all of the notes, the important people, the important time periods, and things we thought may be on the exam.  Reviewing it all in English was really helpful and we basically created a study guide, which I think will help me to prepare.  After studying I went home for just a little to drop off my stuff and read my Bible, and then I headed back out to go to a cooking class.  We didn't actually really do any cooking, but we got to watch a señora prepare an empanda and then we got to eat that and flan.  She used the coolest little machine, that measured the amounts of things that she put in.  It would also mix whatever she needed and had a little spot to crack an egg at the top.  It was rather handy!  They were both good and we got the recipe!  After the "class" my flamenco class was meeting up to go to a bar where they have flamenco performances.  We went but the show did not end up starting til about 45 minutes after we expected, so we only stayed for a few minutes because we wanted to get back to study and have a good night's rest.  So I headed home and tried to prepare some more, but I was pretty beat, so let's hope it goes well!!!

Day 15-¡Excursión!

Today was a special holiday in Seville, so we were not allowed to technically have class, so most of the classes went on special field trips.  Since I am in the Flamenco class, we drove about an hour away to a city called Jerez and went a Center of Flamenco.  However, on our way to the bus stop, we have to walk through a park.  Well we looked to our left, and there just right in the middle of the park was a man standing there looking at us, with his shirt pulled up and pants pulled down.  The three of us somehow all saw, and QUICKLY turned and booked it away.  I think we were in utter disbelief for like the next ten minutes and just kept saying, "I can't believe that just happened."  If we weren't awake before, we sure were then.  We looked at a bunch of different pictures, some history, and a big library.  We were there quite a while and my group was so angry, but I really didn't mind too much; I mean we got to learn some more and we didn't have class.  Then we walked around for a while because he didn't seem to know where our next location was, 

but we eventually found it after walking in the HEAT for a WHILE!  The next place was really cool though because it was a peña flamenca, which is a flamenco club.  They give lessons there and perform, so we got to watch a bunch of different dancers.  It was so much different from the last performance we saw because the other was extremely formal, but this one was much more informal and they seemed to improvise more and just have fun with it.  After the show, we went to the bar they had there and had drinks and tapas!  Then we got on this bus, had our bocadillos and headed to the beach in Cadíz!  It was beautiful and the sand was gorgeous and amazingly soft!  The water was so nice too because it was much warmer and not many waves, so just nice, floating and relaxing!  We played chicken for a little and then talked with our teacher for a while, which was great to see him in like a different light.  I like him a lot and he is very nice.  He also has

the best laugh and is the funniest when he says, "WOW" 

because they pronounce it differently here,

and it cracks me up every single time.  He
 LOVES flamenco so much; it is just entertaining to watch him stare and smile whenever we watch or listen to anything.  Then it started to get cold so we just laid out until we had to leave.  It was a topless beach however, which is something I just do not understand and do not think I could ever get used to, too many unnecessary sights for us today...Well then we headed home and got to sleep most of the way back and got back around 7:30, so it was a long day.  Then I had another burger from my señora and then I spent some time studying and skyping with my mom!  It was a fantastic day!

Day 14-Mi y direcciones...no bueno

Rise and shine early today!!  I grabbed some breakfast then headed off to the bus stop.  On my adventures yesterday I swung by here to make sure I would know where the stop was and I saw two and knew I had to cross the street, so I figured that must be it!  Well I got there this morning, doing really well on time, early in fact, but then I realized that bus was not the number bus I needed!!!  Well, with no other bus in sight I was not sure what to do, so I went to a random stand and TRIED to ask for directions.  After a few moments they understood me and directed me to my stop and it worked!  I arrived to the school right on time and actually beat the man I am working with!  We met and talked some about Colombia because that is where he is from.  He is also slightly hard to understand, but i am still trying to work out at it, and the one piece of advice I got for doing this is to not be shy!!  We prepared a couple of things and then the kids came in and we served them.  I was expecting to have lots of converstaions with them and everything but them came in for like 5-10 minutes and then would leave.  They acted the same as American elementary students too, just like yelling and everything, and it was clearly all Spanish, so not quite as easy as I expected.  A couple of the girls came up and asked me my name and then asked where I was from,  so I guess I really do
stick out pretty easily.  Then I cleaned the dishes and he helped give me bus directions to go directly to the study center.  I made it, but it was not quite as close as I expected, but luckily made it there almost exactly on time!
Then we had normal class but left like 45 minutes early so we could go walk around again.  This time we went to two different clothing stores and got to see a bunch of different dresses and accessories.  The accessories are huge and dramatic so that they can be seen by the audience, no matter how far away; they are really cool too.  The dresses are also amazing!!!  We were shocked at how heavy they are as well--another
reason it is so impressive that the women can dance like they do.  We all wanted to try one on really badly too, so hopefully someday soon!  If I only I could fit one back in my suitcase...
 Then I had to hurry home to eat some lunch--the chic pea soup and like a small tortilla.  Then I rushed back to the study center to meet with my tutor for some more review, which I am realizing I really need!  Then I went back home and took a siesta and got to talk to the wonderful Mags!  Then we met up for a wonderful tour of the Parque de Maria Luisa, Plaza Americana, and Plaza de España!  They are my new FAVORITE spots in Seville.  I just cannot get over how beautiful they are.  We had been to the Plaza de España before with my guide, and I still love it!

That garden was just incredible.  It was so peaceful and there were so many things to see, so many beautiful flowers and trees, so many different things of water (ponds, fountains) and just such cool designs.  I LOVE it!  We also learned some more interesting things about the culture and history!  It was a long walk though so we headed home and took it easy!  My señora made me a


pizza for dinner, and it was SO good and such a wonderful treat!  I then got to talk with my friend and my mom, so it was a wonderful day to catch up with some people!  All in all, I'd say it was another good day! :)

Day 13-Un ocupado día

It is slightly weird being back in Spain and back to the same routine.  We were all talking yesterday about having to go back to class and being exhausted and everything, which reminded me of how we talk about going back to school after like a Christmas break or something, but I don't think our professors our going to "take it easy on us".  I sat down for breakfast this morning and my señora came and asked me about my trip, so I told her a little about it.  Then I asked her about her weekend, and she showed me her foot, which was all swollen and black and blue, and she said she had fallen!  It looked painful!  Then I headed off to class, but I was still rather tired.  We got to take a mini field trip though today because we left class around 12:30 or so and went to a Flamenco shoe store!  I even volunteered to try on a pair, so I got to stand on a little box and tap around.  Then we went to see one of the original flamenco paintings.  It was cool to see but I had to go meet a lady to talk about tutoring and I was already running late because he had kept us like 15 minutes extra, so I was rushing to leave!  I made it back to the center and then met with Vicki, who runs the Gota de Leche program.  This program is basically set up to help decrease infant mortality.  They feed needy students breakfast at school and make sure they drink their milk.  She said a lot of parents will just feed their young kids coffee because it is what they drink.  Basically I would be helping one of the coordinators to serve breakfast, which I thought sounded like fun except for the fact that I would have to take a bus.  I don't even know how the Penn State bus system works, let alone the Sevilla bus system, but it's a learning experience right?  So I agreed to do it!!  Then I had to rush over to go to my tutoring session and we just reviewed the differences for ser and estar.  We are doing basic grammar, but because my classes are not grammar based, I think it's good to get this type of review.  We also just practiced some conversation, which I still need a lot of work on!  I had my bocadillo again but this time with some little sugary donuts...um yum....then I headed home and relaxed, looked at some pictures from out trip, and read some wonderful letters from home.  Then I took a quick siesta and set off on a WILD GOOSE CHASE!  I decided I could find the post office on my own and I needed to buy my bus pass, but that I had no idea where to go, so I went exploring.  The first post office I went to had been shut down and still no luck with the bus passes.  At this point I had been walking close to an hour, so I was not quite sure what to do anymore.  I finally found a Spanish English institute, so I asked them about both and I was actually right beside a stand that sold bus passes and she gave me directions to the post office!  The lady at the bus station was not too happy that I did not know what pass to get, but the volunteer lady had told me three things and when I told her, she asked which of two cards I wanted.  I had no idea, so I chose one; let's hope it works!  So I got to mail my letter, get a pass, and see a whole new beautiful part of Sevilla: overall not too bad!!  Then I went back home for dinner, which was rice and meat, and I loved it!  But get this: my señora comes into my room and points down to her leg and she has a big old cast on her foot!!!!  I could not believe it!!!  Yet when I tried to help her with my window, she said no, and wanted to do it on her own.  She is still trying to serve me, with a cast and two basically crutches: what a woman!  Then I took some time to read and get ready for bed because I have an early morning for my first day of volunteering!  I am a little nervous about the bus but excited for the day!

Day 12-¡Los camellos!

We got to sleep in a little extra today and didn't have to get up until like 7:45.  It was a good thing Ashley's phone worked this time cause I for sure was not waking up on my own.  We had breakfast again and then checked out of our rooms and boarded the bus.  I finished the last bit of my homework too and it feels so good.  So many people in my class are freaking out that they now have to di it on the bus or when we get home and it feels good to not even have to worry about it!  Then we drove to Tetouan and got another tour.  The town was somewhat similar to yesterday but bigger and some other differences.  We got to see the King's palace as well as many little stands.  They said that the people who live in this medina never leave so you could basically buy anything-from $15,000 gold belts to pastries to bathroom sinks.  Their conditions were pretty crazy though as well.  The men were much more pushy about buying their things as well and would just keep asking you.  Our guides told us you weren't supposed to actually be but almost had to be rude.  Basically yu just said no ONCE and then walked away.  If you kept looking or said anymore, they would think you were interested or engaging in conversation.  That was kind of hard for me to do just because I felt bad, but I got the hang of it especially after seeing how they kept hassling those who gave them attention.  

Next, we went to lunch and it was at a really cute place again.  They served the same salad and soup that we had before, and I got VEGETARIAN cous cous (no more claws for me please) and then some little cookie pastries and hot tea for dessert!  Then we headed back to the buses but were constantly hassled by the men on the streets.  It honestly didn't really bother me because they're just tyring to make their living to, but some people were getting so annoyed.  The only thing that bothered me was when one man touched my arm and I literally flung across the street: not okay.  We got back on the bus and played a game where you got a character and had to guess who you were  and it actually helped the trip to go by so fast!  Then we arrived awt Tangiers and got to in this big cave.  It had a big cut out, (see the pic) which opened up to the ocean and I think it may have been one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen!  

Then we went to...RIDE CAMELS!!!!!  Oh man, it was so cool!  Once in a lifetime experience!  It was kind of like riding a horse, except when mine (Nettie) got up and down, I literally thought I was going to fly off!  Our instructor was great too because he kept singing and was just so excited!  So of course I played right with him and sang and yelled along (not really sure what all we were saying...)                                                                     Anyway, then we drove to the place where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic, and it was also so beautiful!!!  We took a long break there and just took pictures and some people bought some things.                 The rest of the day was pretty much just a full day of travel-an hour or so drive to thte ferry, hour trip back and then had to wait around for a while for our bus to arrive.  In the meantime, I got to learn about some Jewish beliefs through some of my friends.  Then the bus finally came and I tried to sleep for some.  We finally got back to my house around 2:20 in the morning.  Unfortunately, while  I was gone somehow had hacked into my Facebook and left the most obnoxious messages and comments on soooo many people's walls,                   

  even people I didn't know.  So I spent a while trying to fix that and delete somethings and finally went to bed close to 4.  PHEW!  What a weekend!!!

Day 11-¿Puedes creer nosotros estámos en África?

We're in Africa!  Woohoo!  It's been crazy because I never really expected to be coming here!  And yet it just seems like NBD. We got up pretty early like 6:40 and thankfully I somehow woke up.  Our phones were not working there and with the time change, Ashley's iphone didn't go off when it should've.  Somehow the girl who can't wake up to an alarm just happens to wake up on my own, exactly when we needed to.  Then we had wonderful breakfast with so many different breads and pastries.  Then we headed out for like a 2 hour drive to this sweet city: Chefchaouen. We first had a tour throughout and got to see so many houses, shops and people.  And we got so many loaves of bread that were just handed to us and were still warm.  We even saw them making it, basically in the hole in the wall, with a stove.
 It was so so good!!!  It was pretty unbelievable to see how those people live and how they work in stores that are basically 8 x 8 cut outs in the rock.  The walls were pretty much all white and blue on the outside, which we learned was the white made it look fresh and the blue made the bugs dizzy.
Then we headed to lunch at Restaurant Casa Aladin.  The restaurant was amazing, like we really felt like we were in Aladin, but I was not a fan of the food.  We had the same salad and then fries and chicken, but mine legit had a claw in it.  I am not having tons of luck in that food department, but I did still even force myself to try one bite!  Then we got like two hours of free time to shop at the stands/market.  It was a lot like New York in the respect that there were so many stands so you bartered everything. It was a little overwhelming at first especially because English is not their first language and I usually always end up just feeling bad, but I actually did pretty good and got most of the prices I wanted for some cool things.  They were funny though because they kept saying, "I give you good price.  Student price.  I make you very happy."  One of the guys grabbed my hand and tried to tell me how good of deal he was making JUST FOR ME.  Yea...right...We also saw some beautiful views and learned a lot about their culture, as well as being serenaded by two old men as we were leaving.  One of the hardest things for me though was seeing all the little children trying so hard to sell things, and it broke my heart to have to say no to them, but you just do not know why they are doing it and if they are being forced/even need the money, but it still does not seem right.
Then we headed back to the hotel and headed to the beach, AKA Mediterranean Sea!  Of course it was gorgeous!  They made sangria and we hung out and talked, played some volleyball, Steal the Bacon-and I won a t shirt!, took pictures, saw a camel on the beach and swam even though it was cold!  After all that we had dinner, which was a great soup, spaghetti, and more ice cream!  Then they surprised us with an African performance.  Some men came and dance, sang, played clapping cymbols and drums.  Then a man came and swung fire around and balanced it on his head.  It was fantastic, and then we joined them!  I loved it; one even put his hat on my head! :)
Then we just had a relaxing night, where we talked, danced, and saw some sweet card tricks.  Finally I went down to the beach with a girl I'd just met (not in our normal CIEE group but from TCU).  And it was such a blessing and absolutely wonderful because we got to talk about the Lord and just admire His beauty!  So thankful for that!  Then the group set off a few "fireworks" and then I headed back to the room because it was a longg but wonderful day!

Day 10-Vamos a MARRUECOS!!!

So today I told my señora not to make me breakfast because I wanted to sleep in!!  So I got to til about 11:30.  Then I got up, packed my stuff for the weekend, showered and had some lunch with my señora.  She fed me so much today (some cold potatoes with eggs-popular here and then some meat and mashed potatoes and watermelon! :)), so much so that with the long walk to the bus and heat, it did not make me feel so well, but luckily it didn't last too long.  And we headed out for our trip to Morocco!  It was about a 3 hour bus ride but wasn't too bad because they put on a movie and I got to talk to Ashley, a girl in my group for a while, which was nice.  Then we got to the ferry and had about an hour ferry ride to Africa!!!!  We exchanged some money real quick then took another like hour and a half bus ride to the hotel.  It was a long day of traveling!  But it was not too bad and we got to see some cool things along the way.  It was crazy too because within like the first 5 minutes of being in Morocco, there was a little boy who jumped onto the back of our bus and hung on as we drove down the street.  It was kind

of sad to see, but it led to good conversation at dinner (get to that in a second).  So ultimately the trip was not too bad because it actually helped me to get a lot of my homework done as well, and we had a lot to do and I did not want it looming over my head all weekend.  We finally got to the hotel at like 9:45 and had dinner at 10.
We were so hungry!  Luckily, it was good!  We had probably the best hot tea I've ever had.  Then we had salad that I didn't really care for-mix of like onions, beets, egg, cucumber, but the tuna and lettuce were okay!!  But then we had meat and vegetable cous cous!!  Yum!  I loved it!  And to top it all off, we had some delicious ice cream!!  While we were eating, my friends were saying how this was the first time they really felt bad and guilty about we have and compared our lives to theirs-to me it sounds like the Lord at work, even if just a little.  When I got to share some stories from my mission trips, which was neat!  Next, we got out room assignments and went to our rooms.  The hotel was GORGEOUS as well!  Except we were confused, so some worker came up and grabbed my bag out of my hand and led us to our room, but when we got there he just started shaking his hand with some coins in it.  Ashley and I just kind of looked at each other because we were not quite sure what to do and did not have the money to give him...kind of awkward...then I killed a massive mosquito cause they made us a little more nervous in Africa and then we went to sleep shortly after!  I cannot believe I am really IN AFRICA!!!!

Day 9-Fiesta

Today I got up following the regular routine for some breakfast and then off to class.  Today was a pretty good day in class because I finally got to participate and understood a decent amount!  Then towards the end of class, he went around to each student to check to make sure we could clap correctly, and sure enough there were some students who could not.  After we had that done, he wanted some singers to sing a song he played (with the lyrics posted on the board).  No one wanted to participate though, until finally one girl raised her hand, and then finally another.  He still wanted one more person, so I was just like what the heck, this definitely can't hurt my grade, so how bad could it be?  And it was actually a lot of fun and he was so carefree about it!  He just wanted us to try and have fun!  Then I went home for a quick lunch of a good bean soup with a little meat and some fried fish-no bones-but the tails still there just hanging out!  Anyway then I had to rush to my first meeting with my tutor.  She is like the cutest, tiniest Spanish woman and so nice!  I think I will like her a lot and she will meet with me twice a week, so hopefully that will help!!  Then I came home and relaxed for a few minutes and then got to skype two of my favorite people! :)  After that I got ready to go out for the night!  We were supposed to meet our intercambios, the people who we help learn English and they help us learn Spanish, but mine was not able to go, so I have not met her yet.  We still went to hang out with the others though, and it actually ended up being wonderful!!  Pretty much from the beginning I started to talk to one of the Spanish men named Fran, and it was really cool because he spoke to me in English and then I would respond to him in Spanish, so we both got to practice speaking a lot!!

  Then we went to eat with their group of Spanish students and had some tapas and then to another spot to play foosball and hang out.  We had a great time talking to all of them and I met quite a few people.  One was quite friendly and touchy, which was a little out of my comfort zone but finally showed me the "typical" Spanish man they warned us about.  Anyway, we had a really good time, but by the end I was exhausted, both physically and mentally because all that conversation seriously does wear me out!  My brain was actually hurting! :)  So we headed home shortly after!  Time to read and then get some sleep!!!

Day 8-Absorbemos el sol

Phew! I am exhausted!  It felt like a nonstop day...for the most part!  So like always, I woke up and had breakfast, but it was a little rough since it was a decently late evening.  Then we headed to class, which was more on the difficult side today.  The other frustrating thing is that my teacher, Curro, makes participation a big part of our grade, and the biggest part of that is if you "present" in class, but he only allows like 3-6 people to go a day.  Shockingly, I actually do want to participate, but I can't (which is unusual phenomenon for me)!  So I am hoping that won't affect me too much and I will have the chance later on.  We had a guest dancer/teacher come in as well, but he was pretty difficult to understand.  Then after class I went to book my trip for the weekend and got everything cleared up.  Although it was not my first choice originally, I am now SUPER EXCITED to go to Morocco!!!  We will hopefully have a fantastic time and definitely get to experience something very new!
After that I went home for lunch with my señora, and we had meat and vegetable and patatas again.  She told me about all the different things she likes to cook and how she used to cook with her mom, and now her kids can cook as well.  She has also been having to use eye drops to clean her eyes because (as long as I heard correctly) I believe she is about to go have some type of laser procedure.
After lunch, I got some other things taken care of and then met some friends to go down by the river to lay out.  It was so hot out today, up into the 90's so it was extremely hot but did feel wonderful!  We were able to take a little siesta there! :)  It was cool to because on the walk over, it was just my friend Kristy and I and once again the conversation of drinking came up and she asked for my reasonings and what my faith was; it didn't go much farther than that, but it's still nice to even be able to share with these friends!
Then we met up with the students from my Flamenco class and our designated guide (who happened to be my guide from before!) and two other Spanish students.  Then they took us to one of the "best" helado places in Sevilla (I knew one time and I'd be hooked!) and we got some helado, but there were sooo many choices, but one again it was muy delicioso! (These are only a few of the choices here).  Once again my group got a big kick out of me as I tried to walk
 and eat ice cream with a cup of water in my hand.  Naturally I kept spilling it but had no idea and started freaking out multiple times that something was coming from the sky...always ready for a good laugh! :)
Then as a group we headed over to Las Setas and were able to go up the top, which was sweet!  As we headed up, we got our guides to start speaking in Spanish with American accents, like how we sound, and it was hysterical.  We must sound completely ridiculous to them. Anyway the view was once again gorgeous and looked out over all the city.  Under all of it, there were some preserved Roman Ruins, which were cool to see.  The rest was all very modern and the roof was so unique.  We took a bunch of pictures then headed home.  I had my first frittata with my señora, which was eggs and potatoes in a type of omelette.  Then I met up with my friend Zach to hang out with him until the others arrived, but I was exhausted and wanted to try to do some work for class and spend some needed time with the Lord and SLEEP!  Even though I have major FOMO: Fear Of Missing Out, I think this trip is good for me in that area because I do want to do as much as I can and spend time with my friends, but I also need time to focus on my work, to take care of myself and most importantly to spend time with God and His word. I never want to replace that with a need to go out, so tonight was a stay in night, and (it's great to see the Lord's work as) I am quite content and happy with that! :)  Plus I found a ton of Hillsong spanish songs and I am not sure I could find many things better! :)

Day 7-Catedral

Today was a wonderful day!!!  Except sure enough that mosquito got me.  Twice.  But no problema!  So today I had a quick breakfast and headed off to class.  I was ready to pay really close attention today.  Although he is still very difficult for me to understand and there are many times I am lost or confused, today felt better.  It really takes ALL of my focus and I cannot have other distractions or be thinking about other things, or I will get lost, but if I really pay attention, it at least makes it a little bit better!  So class was pretty good, except most of us, at least us Penn Staters, are not used to 3 hour classes!  Luckily, they don't drag on like I would expect it to.  After class we headed back to Levies, our current favorite restaurant.  My señora had packed a bocadillo, so I just hung out with the group, and then we headed to the cathedral, which is the 3rd biggest in the
world!!!  It was beautiful and actually really interesting to learn about the different history that has gone along with it, as well as what it is currently used for.  It was special to me because Christ was represented in so many different ways, and it was just nice to see Christianity expressed somewhere in Spain.  I think we were all pretty blown away by the whole thing--I know it was definitely way more impressive than I was expecting!  Then once we were done with our tour, we were allowed to go up to the top of the Giralda, which was the tower.  It has some architecture from the Muslims still, but the top part is now from the Christians.  It was neat to hear about the transformation of it over the years.  The whole thing took 4 centuries!!  It was originally all a mosque, but when King Ferdinand was reigning, he was a Christian, and he made them tear down all the Muslim structures and then built the Cathedral as a symbol for the Christians.  The tower was really cool because at the very top there is a warrior and underneath there is the Latin word Nomendni, which represents that God is our fortress.  This comes from Proverbs 18:10, "The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe."  I loved that!  Anyway, we then got to go up to the top of the tower, which was sweet because it is basically a lookout over Seville and let me tell you that is pretty cool to see!  
        After the tour, we decided to finally get some helado!!! Which was a wonderful decision, except for the fact that I am now going to want some like every day!  I had brownie, which was so interesting that pretty much all the flavors were our ice cream flavors, but it was fantastic for a hot day!  Then we got home and I talked with my señora for a few minutes then went to do some writing!  I just caught up on a few things and then had dinner with her and got to talk about her favorite things in Seville: the beach and her allergies :)  We also watched the strike from the students on TV.  Then I got to talk with my sis for a few wonderful minutes and watch a sweet little video for me!  Then I headed out to meet up with my group to spend some time with them in the evening, where we really practiced our Spanish, and then came home for the night!  ¡Buenos noches!

Day 6-MUCHO

Well today was our very first day of class and I am taking Flamenco!  Unfortunately, it's not like we are actually learning how to do it; it's more of a history type class, but hopefully it will still be good!  So I went to our study center early with my friend Elise, and decided I might as well go find out about some churches and to request a tutor (thinking I'd probably definitely need one).  When I sat down to ask the lady about getting one, she asked me what class I was in.  I told her Flamenco and she turned to me and said, "Oh yea...you are definitely going to need a tutor..."--Just what you want to hear on your first day of class right?!?  And yes, today proved to be quite overwhelming.  We got to class
and my professor was super nice and funny, but he was so so hard to understand.  He just started going on and on as I was trying to copy Spanish notes and listen and not fall asleep!  This is  definitely going to test me much more than my classes in America because I know I am REALLY going to have to pay attention and won't just be able to coast my way through.  After class we headed home and I had a delicious meal with my señora.  Today felt like American food day: I had a big plate of penne pasta with tomato sauce! Mm!  While I was eating, my señora randomly tried to assure me that I would not get fat if I eat pasta...haha good to know!  (Guess it must just be from the loaf of bread she sets out at every meal!)  Then I sat and did hours of homework.  We had a bit of a break to go to the study center to meet with different travel groups, which are helpful because they "claim" to offer the cheapest services and will completely plan out trips for abroad students.  We had planned to go to Italy this weekend, but as we tried to book stuff, we literally watched the prices go up by about 60 euros, so we decided to hold off and think we will go to Morocco for this first free weekend.  It is so cool that we get to have these free weekends to explore more of Europe, but it is also stressful because we have so much planning to do and not much time!  Hopefully everything will work itself out!  Anyway, we then headed home and I basically spent the whole night doing my homework :(  I did take a quick break for dinner, which was a hamburger and chips, haha, not quite the Spanish meal I was expecting, but still great!  Then I was back to the homework, and it took many hours because we had to read an article that was rather difficult for me.  It was talking about some politics and gestations, and I don't even know what that means in English, let alone Spanish.  So I sat there looking up many words, which I would not do for a normal class, but I am trying to look at these classes as ones where I know I will have to try very hard, and I actually really want to learn!!!  I mean that is ultimately why I am here right...? :)  It was a bit frustrating because it was taking me a long time and it just didn't seem to be clicking and I just kept thinking that I am not going to do well, but then once again the Lord provided just what I needed.  "I Can Only Imagine" came on my itunes and as I thought about the words,                                             

"Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel? 

Will I dance for You Jesus or in awe of you be still? Will I stand in Your presence or to my knees will I fall, will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine..."

It just made me pause for a moment. Think about those words.  What will we do when we see Him?  I know for sure I am not going to be like "Hey, you know what it really stunk when I had trouble understanding my professor in Spain and then I got a bad grade..." and i know He's not going to care!!!  We are to try our best and the reminder of that was so refreshing!  My purpose here is so much greater and how amazing is it to know that God loves me whether I get an A or a C, even if I still hope for the former :)  But once again, it was just a good reminder that I am to try to work hard, but ultimately we are here for the glory of God.  Anyway, then I got to talk to mi padre for a few minutes on skype, read and tried to go to bed.  Unfortunately, it was a bad night for falling asleep and the little buzzing around my ear did not help.  Hoping the mosquito does not get me!  Anyway, finally got some rest and called it a day!

Day 5-¡El toros!

Today we got to go to Alcanzár!!!  It was a royal palace with many gardens and it was absolutely beautiful!  I do not think I have ever seen a building with more detail.  It was a combination of the main three cultures there as well, which are muslim, christianity, and judaism.  It was cool to see the differences between each and simply unbelievable to know that someone used to live there!!!  It was probably 7 times the size of my house!  We went on a long tour with a very descriptive guide and took tons of pictures!  Then we headed home and had some lunch, which was a treat because my señora made a combination of arroz y mariscos: gamba, langotino, y mejillones.  Then I took a little siesta and then headed out for quite a shocking experience.  We went to our first (and LASTTTTTT) bull fight.  Our group went and again were not quite sure what to expect.  I was kind of excited because I thought this was a real "Spanish" experience.  Well we did enjoy seeing the different outfits they wore and the part with the flags was kind of cool, as the matadors sprinted away like little girls to hide behind their boards.  But then it was horrendous!  Two men came out on horses and speared the bull, stabbing in multiple times.Then three men came out and stuck it with these littler spears that we think had drugs in them.  Finally the main matador would stab it with a sword.  The Spanish people LOVED it and would go

nuts whenit died.  It was pretty awful to watch blood dripping down it as you could tell it was suffering.  I am glad to say I got the experience, but it is definitely not something I would need to ever attend again, and yet somehow the boys loved it...weird...anyway then I was supposed to go meet one of my friends for dinner.  Well since she doesn't have a phone and mine is not really efficient, I was supposed to meet her at the entrance of the stadium at 9.  Well the others in my group left because they knew I was meeting her, but at 9, she was not there.  At 9:10 she wasn't either, which is not like her.  So I decided to try to find her and ended up practically running around the stadium, but luckily when I got back she was there!  Clearly facebook communication is not as efficient either, as she thought I meant entrance 9, not at 9...anyway we went for more tapas with her host brother and his friend and a girl who had studied abroad in Seville two years ago.  It was interesting because we got a combination experience of talking English and practicing more Spanish.  The food, again was great, and we let the boys choose since they're from Sevilla!  But lesson learned: don't ask for agua you must ask for un vaso de agua or else you will have to pay.  Sneaky sneaky.  Well then they walked me home and we got the chance to talk some more and as I was about to head in I mentioned that I wanted to go read my Bible, and the boys spun around so quick and were shocked when they asked if I was religious and I told them yes, I am a Christian.  They asked if I went to church in the states and I said yes and they were surprised again.  They said that only old people go to church in Spain, so I think that is just another reminder that this country needs Jesus and to be praying for them!  First day of classes en la mañana!

Day 4-No oí mi reloj

WOMP WOMP.  So today we were supposed to go on a group trip to Aracena, which is apparently a mine, park, and cave that we were going to explore.  We were meeting around 8:20 to walk to the groups meeting spot to catch a bus.  Well around 9:20 my señora comes into my room and wakes me up, but with the combination of jet lag, being out late, having a señora who did not want to wake me, and just not being able to wake up from an alarm clock, makes for a bad combination when I needed to catch the bus.  So after making a series of phone calls and seeing the passion of a spanish woman as she tries to explain what to do (and I continually do not understand), we realized that there was only one more bus that went to the place today and I would miss the group, so unfortunately I was not able to go.  I decided that it could not ruin my day, and I would have to make the most of it because God is good, and I am to "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in ALL CIRCUMSTANCES!"  So I had breakfast and decided to go explore Sevilla a little bit.  I went into town and bought the tiniest straightener I have ever seen and searched and searched for a bilingual bible, but they are HARD to come by, so I may just have to stick with the internet for that for now!  Anyway, I headed home and had another interesting meal!  The first part was so delicious, a combination of meat, fried potatoes, and peas in a gravy broth.  Then she brought out a plate of about 10 little fish.  No kidding you could see the tails; thankfully they were fried, but yes, they still had the scales, and the full set of bones.  This time there was not really a way out, so I managed to take out all the bones, and try to force down the rest.  Surprisingly, they were actually quite good; I just had to try to get over the fact that the scales were still there, or try to take them off when she wasn't looking. :)  My señora and I watched some interesting television programs: Salud para el día and part of Daddy Day Care (in Spanish).  Then I finally got to skype with mi madre.  Afterwards I got to spend some more time with the Lord, which was a wonderful part of today, and continued to pray for the whole group and to be His salt and light!  Shortly after I caught up some with my group and then went back in to read.  Then my señora and I had dinner, which was the chicken noodle soup with chic peas and a bocadillo, which she had packed for my trip (it is like a sandwich: chorizo and queso and grilled!).  Then I got ready and went out to meet my group.  We went to a new place and talked for a while and got to meet one of the employees, who was very friendly and invited us back all the time!  Then we headed to the river to meet up with

                                                                                    the other groups.  When we got to the first place, we got to meet a few different Spaniards.  Although slightly intimidating because my Spanish is not great yet, I got the chance to talk with a group for a while.  They knew some English so occasionally we'd help translate for each other.  It was quite fun trying to really communicate!  Then we went to another place that we had gone the night before, and I got to meet even more people, some Spaniards, and some in our group.  It was a blast; some girls in my group also took notice to the fact that I would go out with them, but not drink like them.  This led to further discussion about why I choose not to get drunk and live that sort of lifestyle, so I got to tell them how important my faith is to me.  I just thought it was cool that even within a couple of hours, I could see the Lord answering my prayers and feel so blessed to be able to have a FANTASTIC time simply because I love people and enjoy life! :)  It was a crazy night, and as we walked back around 3:45, I could only take in my shock at how the people there are just getting started with their night; and I thought Penn State was a party town....

Day 3-Muchas nuevas cosas

I cannot believe we have only been here for 3 days!  We are actually starting to feel comfortable and get our bearings, but still (basically me) STRUGGLING with the language!  We had breakfast then headed off to the study center for more orientation, some city exploration, and then back home for lunch.  Today I finally got try gazpacho, which is like cold tomato and vegetable soup--very refreshing for a hot day.  Then I had some type of bean and chorizo soup/chili (not sure of the name) and some fresas!  Then of course siesta time!!  Around 5 my group met up and we bought some old school flip phones, just to be able to have in case of emergencies or anything.  We decided to walk around some more and were so thankful we did.  First, we saw two weddings taking place!  One was about to start and the bride and bridesmaid were taking pictures outside the church.  Then a newly married couple walked out of the church as the crowd threw rice!  It was a fantastic scene because many people gathered, a few played guitars and drums and sang, and the couple danced.  We loved watching it!  Then as we walked back, we saw this parade taking place, which was a lot of little girls in flamenco dresses and boys holding crosses (it reminded me of our girl scout parades!).  

We're not quite sure what it was for, but it was adorable!  Then we headed back to meet up for more tapas, and this was the BEST night yet!  Basically everything was covered in cheese: nachos, potatoes, and fried cheese in raspberry sauce!  Muy delicioso!  To top it off, I got to try a cheesecake milkshake, which was like the first sweet we've had here, since they do not commonly have dessert like we do, so my sweet tooth was very happy!!  Then we headed to a flamenco show, which I loved!  There was a guitar player and singer, and then a man who danced.  I was not sure what to expect, but he basically did a very passionate tap dance with lots of movement.  Then the girl came out and did a similar dance but in a more graceful, flowy manner, using her dress for a lot of accentuation.  Finally we went out and spent a few hours with the whole group!

Day 2-Camino sobre Sevilla

This was a full day, which started early in the morning and we were all still a bit tired from the long day and trip.  We went to our CIEE study center, where we will take classes, and it is beautiful (and completely different from Penn State).  There is a fountain and flowers right in the middle!  We then had a few informative sessions, followed by a Spanish interview, which was not quite as nerve racking as expected.  Shortly after, we headed home for lunch with our señoras and again we had a delicious meal: sopa con polla y pechuga.  Then she placed a whole loaf of bread in front of me, as well as a plate of jamon y chorizo y queso.  I could not finish it all (a rare thing for me :)) but they insist on feeding us so much!  Next, we had what is becoming one of our favorite things: una siesta!!! (a much needed nap!)  Everything closes down between about 1:30-5:30 because it is so hot, so time to relax!  Our group, which is shown in the picture below, traveled throughout Sevilla, and were able to see many of the popular sites.  We crossed the river, saw an amusement park: la isla magica, took a bus, saw the justice building, many gardens, ran through some misting fountains, drank from a fire hydrant-type water fountain, and finally saw this amazing place (below): Plaza España, which was INCREDIBLE!! We hope to go back and take a row boat around in this water!  Afterwards, we went to a bar where many of the locals and other group members met up and then headed out for more tapas.  I don't think they can get old because there are so many different kinds.  However to my group's entertainment, I was thoroughly shocked and horrified as the waiter brought out the shrimp and they were looking right back at me with their dead little eyes.  So after one of the girls so kindly peeled one for me, I decided I needed to man up, and yes, I ripped the head and legs right off of it.  One was enough though for me.  Then as they brought out the fried fish that seriously looked just like a fish, I decided sure I could cut it, and we were pleased to know the scales was gone.  However, I do not think I could have been more surprised to see it's basically whole body of bones jump out at me.  It was quite the night!  Then the groups saw a few of the other bars and locals' spots, and after a few hours finally called it a night! :)

DAY 1 :)

Yesterday I arrived in Sevilla!  It was quite overwhelming as we tried to make our journey here.  We left Philly at 6:20 PM but sat on the plane for an hour waiting to take off.  As we watched the time tick away, knowing we only had an hour between our connecting flight, we started to slightly panic, but the good Lord was watching us.  We got to the London airport at 6:30 and needed to be through security no later than 6:50, but the Lord blessed us with our own little angel who took us directly from our plane, gave us express passses to get through security, and led us to the gate.  (we would have NEVER made it without him, possibly even if our plane was on time).  Then we headed to Madrid, where I had to go find somewhere to print a boarding pass, even though it should have been printed back in Philly, but once again, the Lord gave us direction and we found it in time!  We finally made it to Sevilla at 1:10 the next day (yesterday!)  We arrived at the airport and thankfully all my luggage was there and we were shipped off in our own individual taxis--quite the experience!  I arrived at my homestay to meet Ana Maria, who was very welcoming and chatty--although most of that feel on confused ears, as she talks rather FAST and my spanish is rather poor. (hopefully working on that!)  She quickly prepared lunch, which was a salad, lomo de cerdo, patatas, and an naranja, and then I had to siesta because the whole trip had completely exhausted me!  After a quick power nap, we headed to our group's meeting spot, which is luckily right around the corner, and then our guide took us to see the university, which we would have never found on our own, so it's a good thing we have him!  Then we had some brief introductions with the whole group, and then walked around a little bit (and saw this cathedral, which clearly looks GORGEOUS at night) and then we went and had our first tapas experience with just our meeting group, which is about 10 of us!  Tapas are amazing!  They are basically just little samples of a whole bunch of foods, like hamon strips, queso, calamari, patas fritas, carne, and many more!  They were delicious and we all left feeling stuffed and ready to sleep!  So we headed home and just unpacked and got ready for bed!  It was a wonderful, LONG day, but day one in Sevilla is complete! :)