Warning: this entry is kind of boring, but skip to the end for a classic Emily moment.
Well, I guess it's a good thing I don't have internet at home, because otherwise I'd probably never write in this (I'm writing this on Word in my spare time), or the other journal i'm (trying) to keep. Right now i'm just waiting on friends to get done with dinner so we can go out. Yes, it is wednesday (or at least it was when I wrote this), and yes, you should be jealous. Its hard to get used to the whole Spanish schedule. Eating at 10, not going out until midnight...In Wisconsin, if we aren't out of the house by ten we usually put in our retainers and call it a night. But I don't have any classes until three so its like...why not? Speaking of, my spanish class i'm taking right now is kiiiind of a joke, but I guess I need the practice. Our grade is only based on our assignments for the next two weeks and our midterm this friday and 'final' next friday. After these weeks I'll start my real classes of which, at this point will be, Spanish Phonetics, Spanish Contemporary Film, Contemporary Spanish Lit, and 3 Cultures of Spain. I know I'm probably totally boring you guys with the details but what can I say, I have no roommate to talk to, no internet, and I've already changed my clothes 18 times.
In other news...I guess I have completely committed myself to seafood while I'm here. My stomach is doing ooookay, but sometimes I feel a sick. Tonight and last night Pepita and I had salmon and blue cheese sandwiches, which were pretty good, though I don't really like raw salmon or blue cheese. Other than that though..... Also last night, Pepita told me to come and see her work. I don't know if i've mentioned this before but she makes all kinds of clothes but specializes in wedding dresses. (I've already decided that when I find a hot Spaniard to marry while I'm here, I'll have her make my dress). So I followed her into the room and she showed me around asked me if I knew something about “Sevillanas”, which apparently is a kind of dance. And she just started shakin it around the room to some flamenco music, it was hilarious. Mind you, she looks like she's a little younger than my grandma so you can imagine her moves :) it was actually really cool to watch her dance, (Lu- free spirit), though I once again felt culturally out of place.
The morning after....here's a story all my friends can appreciate, and I'm sure you're surprised it didn't come sooner. So I've spoken before about the cobblestone streets, and how beautiful they are, but how much they hurt my feet. Especially when I wear heeled boots (or any heels for that matter). But on top of that, it is quite a chore to gracefully walk on them in heels. Key word: gracefully. I think we can see where this is going...last night I was walking with my friend Amber to Bandalai and thank god it wasn't a weekend night when the streets are packed but my heels must've caught in a crack or something because they stuck in the ground while the rest of me went flying forward. Just ate it hard right into the ground, ripped my pants, scraped and bruised both knees, both hands, and the majority of my pride as well. Though it was unlike any fall I've had before, (hard to believe cuz I've had so many), if I had to compare it to one, I'd say it was similar to the garbage can fall of 2006 (Carli will remember this well), because of the flying part of it. Good stuff. Aside from that, the night went fairly well.
Well, that's pretty much all the details for now, I have a ¨midterm¨ tomorrow in my intensive grammar class so I´ll be studying tonight :)) bsss!!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
poquito mas de españa..
hello again friends, right now i am in the computer lab at my school, and of course, as always, rushed for time, so this will be short!
everything is going very well, the rain finally subsided, we had had a few days of it which i guess is very rare but today it was beautiful as always. I also started my intensive grammar session today, ughhhh. i forgot i came here to go to school! it only lasts two weeks, so i have my midterm this coming friday...awesome. i don´t think it will be tooooo bad, although i´m not looking forward to this interview project we have to do with universidad de sevilla students. i try my hardest all day not to look like a dumbass and this is going to put me right out in the open, but oh well haha. (jaja en españa!) this weekend we went to an awesome club called ´catedral´, its nothing like anything i´ve seen in the states, there´s big white beds all over, really cool lighting and stuff, its hard to explain unless you´re there! we had a lot of fun though, claro. i didn´t go to sleep until 7 in the morning though, the spainards are notorious for staying out verrrry late. i don´t mind, until the next day that is. we will be going to granada, spain the weekend of february 7th, which should be really cool. some of my friends checked out trips to places like lagos, portugal, caraval in cadiz, horseback riding somewhere, france, italy and other places in europe, and the prices aren´t bad at all. Today i also signed up to be in a Human Rights interest group that goes to Morrocco for 4 days, which should be amazing. other than that, i´m still loving it, but always thinking of home. its going to be difficult to find time to skype during these first two weeks of this class because we have to do a lot of out of class activities and i still haven´t gotten the internet to work at my house. but afterwards, i promise i will do my best to get to a cafe, and it shouldn´t be hard on days i have classes. love ya´lllllll.....
everything is going very well, the rain finally subsided, we had had a few days of it which i guess is very rare but today it was beautiful as always. I also started my intensive grammar session today, ughhhh. i forgot i came here to go to school! it only lasts two weeks, so i have my midterm this coming friday...awesome. i don´t think it will be tooooo bad, although i´m not looking forward to this interview project we have to do with universidad de sevilla students. i try my hardest all day not to look like a dumbass and this is going to put me right out in the open, but oh well haha. (jaja en españa!) this weekend we went to an awesome club called ´catedral´, its nothing like anything i´ve seen in the states, there´s big white beds all over, really cool lighting and stuff, its hard to explain unless you´re there! we had a lot of fun though, claro. i didn´t go to sleep until 7 in the morning though, the spainards are notorious for staying out verrrry late. i don´t mind, until the next day that is. we will be going to granada, spain the weekend of february 7th, which should be really cool. some of my friends checked out trips to places like lagos, portugal, caraval in cadiz, horseback riding somewhere, france, italy and other places in europe, and the prices aren´t bad at all. Today i also signed up to be in a Human Rights interest group that goes to Morrocco for 4 days, which should be amazing. other than that, i´m still loving it, but always thinking of home. its going to be difficult to find time to skype during these first two weeks of this class because we have to do a lot of out of class activities and i still haven´t gotten the internet to work at my house. but afterwards, i promise i will do my best to get to a cafe, and it shouldn´t be hard on days i have classes. love ya´lllllll.....
Saturday, January 24, 2009
¨la mejor manera para aprender otra lengua es con otra lengua¨¨
¨the best way to learn another language, is with another tongue...¨ bienvenidos a sevilla!! i learned this quote yesterday and i think i can get used to this spain thing.... :)
Sorry I haven't been able to write yet, it has been a crazy few days, almost a week!First of all, I want to say that I have trouble finding internet, (though I think my senora is getting it soon), so I've been recording my travels on my computer until I can put it up, so this first post will probably be really long, over a few days. Seems like it has been so long since I left home. Traveling was not too much of a problem at all, a long flight but that was expected.A lot of people with CIEE were on all my flights, and I've met a lot of really cool people from all over, but the schools with the most people are Madison and Penn State, though i´ve met some sevillanos and even a french girl last night.
I have already run into some problems with eating meat, and I ate fish for the first time in 8 years! It wasn't very good but it didn't make me sick or anything so I think I will probably eat some more fish while I'm here.Although I've had many misunderstandings already with the Spainards, I am understanding them much better than I thought I would.People had told me it sounds like another language, and I don't think so at all, I'm even trying to adopt the Spanish lisp, which will definetely annoy people when I get back.
The staff here is great, very helpful, and some very cute....by the way, Anna, if you're reading this is Antonio Maclino the one you were talking about? Because I am trying to stalk him very nonchalantly as we speak haha....I haven't really experienced the night life here yet but I HOPE to tonight, though I have said that for the past few days and it hasn't happened yet.CIEE has us on a pretty tight schedule and my legs have never walked so much in boots on cobblestone streets before...quite painful, so I'm always extremely tired when it comes time to go out.But last night we went out for tapas and a flamenco show with our groups, and it was so much fun.Sevilla is beeeeaauuutiful, I can't really begin to explain it.Very old and colorful and quaint, with narrow cobblestone streets and a charm that can't be described.I know I'm in the “honeymoon” phase of culture shock right now, or so the handbook tells me, but I think I will always be in love with the city, no matter how frustrated it makes me.
Now today we finally met our homestays and left the hotel which was verrrryy nerve-racking, but I am happy to be leaving the hotel and organizing my things.I live with just one woman, Josefa, but she told me to call her Pepita. Though I know it is only the first day, I think I will like her a lot.She has no problem cooking vegetarian and likes to eat really healthy, which of course I love.She also told me if I want anything I should just ask her and she'll buy it.And mom, she is very motherly and I am to call her and let her know when I will be home, or if I will be.I think she'll take good care of me.I also don´t have a roomate, which is kind of a bummer because i have no one to help me stumble through spanish and find my way around, but a lot of people live in triana, so its been fine so far. oh and my address is Triana, Seville, Spain (triana is the borough/neighborhood, i don´t know if you need it), San Vincente de Paul 24, 2C (2C is the apartment number). So write to me!!! and my cellphone number is 667060418, in case you want to text me or something, but you have to add some numbers to it to do that, i´m not sure which ones....
Another day, more crazy stories. Last night we went out to dinner again with the group and got sangria and tinto (me encantan!)and then went to this bomb ass club that I think was called Bandalai or something, it was like arabic....so pretty!! The guides are awesome, its cool to talk to actual Spanish people, even though they are being paid to be our friends, and probably are so annoyed with us.But the club was great. Mucha cerveza, mucho vino, mucho dinero.I know I told you this already anna but I finally introduced myself to Antonio and he went crazy when I told him we were friends.“Mi Anna! Mi Anna!” and I said, 'no, ella es MI Anna!”...so I guess we'll have to share you. We stayed at the discoteca until 3:30, which apparently is pretty early because some people didn't get back until 7 in the morning....not sure if I'll ever adopt that spanish habit.I woke up at 11 and wanted to die.
Today was the most difficult day I've had yet.It was raining and one of my friends borrowed my flats last night and I didn't want to wear my heel boots because my legs already feel like they are going to fall off, so I wore my sandals.No one in Spain wears sandals.Especially not when its raining.And everyone has an umbrella.So as if I don't feel like a huge outsider already, here I am with sandals, no umbrella, with my stupid map that tells me NOTHING, looking like a blind wet rat trying to find my way to my meetings.On top of all that my sandals had no grip whatsoever so I was slipping like crazy.I was AN HOUR late for my meetings and on the verge of tears.This city is damn near impossible to navigate. The street signs are on the buildings, sometimes there are no street signs, or sometimes the name of the street is not on the map, and all the streets look the same, all the plazas look the same.....AH! So frustrating, you can't imagine.
An interesting thing about Spain is that you can't really tell who is Spanish. Sometimes I think that I know they are American if they have blond hair or something but then they start talking really fast Spanish.Another good thing is that because of that, I fit in pretty well I think because some people have thought I was Spanish.As long as I don't look like I did today, that is.But in general, they are beautiful people, there are a lot of extremely good looking guys...bum bum bummm.....unfortunately Anna stole the heart of the most beautiful one, THANKS ;)Also, another thing about the guys...I haven't really noticed the “piropos” or catcalls that people talk about, or maybe I just don't understand what they are saying, but even at the club last night, it was nothing like american clubs where nasties just start humping you from behind, Spanish guys talk to you and don't even really try to dance with you....or maybe its just me, totally possible. Or maybe they think i'm spanish and arent interested, or maybe i'm just making excuses for my lack of attractiveness. Either way.Another observation, most of them do not speak Engish well, or at all.Which although frustrating at times, is actually really good because I get a lot of practice. In Mexico they all talk to you in English and you can't really practice as much. They are also really really friendly.I'm already in love with the “besitos”, the two little kisses they give when they meet each other. Especially when the besitos come from Antonio...
Anyways...the program is really good and really well organized but there is SO much to do and always somewhere I need to be, and I feel like its not going to slow down ever, but hopefully it does. Yesterday we went to Italica which is a city about 10 minutes from here that the Romans took over a long time ago and has some pretty cool ruins, especially the arena which is the fourth biggest in the world. i will put pictures up just as soon as i can! Last night was our first friday in spain and i take back what i said about the catcalls....haha. there were SO many people out!! we went to a bar called Rebotica for huge 5 euro mojitos (which were killer), and it was ridiculously packed. Tonight we´re gonna go to La Catedral which apparently is a sweet discoteca, so i´m very excited. Last night i met my second spanish lover haha. I don´t think i could ever have a spanish boyfriend though because i kept saying ¨no entiendo!¨ and ¨como? otra vez?¨ (i don´t understand! what? once more?) but they are quite cute so i might have to deal with the language barrier ;) I love Spain but I desperately want to hear about American adventures too so please update me on your lives via facebook message or email. I'm always itching for juicyness. I miss all of you guys so much, please write to me on facebook or a letter or anything to tell me about life, i don´t care how boring it is! sorry for the lonnnnggg post, hopefully i´ll be able to do this more often :) and think about coming to visit, there are a lot of really nice hostals! love you, miss you, and enjoy the cold....i think its around 65 today and sunny....ahhh me encanta sevilla!
Sorry I haven't been able to write yet, it has been a crazy few days, almost a week!First of all, I want to say that I have trouble finding internet, (though I think my senora is getting it soon), so I've been recording my travels on my computer until I can put it up, so this first post will probably be really long, over a few days. Seems like it has been so long since I left home. Traveling was not too much of a problem at all, a long flight but that was expected.A lot of people with CIEE were on all my flights, and I've met a lot of really cool people from all over, but the schools with the most people are Madison and Penn State, though i´ve met some sevillanos and even a french girl last night.
I have already run into some problems with eating meat, and I ate fish for the first time in 8 years! It wasn't very good but it didn't make me sick or anything so I think I will probably eat some more fish while I'm here.Although I've had many misunderstandings already with the Spainards, I am understanding them much better than I thought I would.People had told me it sounds like another language, and I don't think so at all, I'm even trying to adopt the Spanish lisp, which will definetely annoy people when I get back.
The staff here is great, very helpful, and some very cute....by the way, Anna, if you're reading this is Antonio Maclino the one you were talking about? Because I am trying to stalk him very nonchalantly as we speak haha....I haven't really experienced the night life here yet but I HOPE to tonight, though I have said that for the past few days and it hasn't happened yet.CIEE has us on a pretty tight schedule and my legs have never walked so much in boots on cobblestone streets before...quite painful, so I'm always extremely tired when it comes time to go out.But last night we went out for tapas and a flamenco show with our groups, and it was so much fun.Sevilla is beeeeaauuutiful, I can't really begin to explain it.Very old and colorful and quaint, with narrow cobblestone streets and a charm that can't be described.I know I'm in the “honeymoon” phase of culture shock right now, or so the handbook tells me, but I think I will always be in love with the city, no matter how frustrated it makes me.
Now today we finally met our homestays and left the hotel which was verrrryy nerve-racking, but I am happy to be leaving the hotel and organizing my things.I live with just one woman, Josefa, but she told me to call her Pepita. Though I know it is only the first day, I think I will like her a lot.She has no problem cooking vegetarian and likes to eat really healthy, which of course I love.She also told me if I want anything I should just ask her and she'll buy it.And mom, she is very motherly and I am to call her and let her know when I will be home, or if I will be.I think she'll take good care of me.I also don´t have a roomate, which is kind of a bummer because i have no one to help me stumble through spanish and find my way around, but a lot of people live in triana, so its been fine so far. oh and my address is Triana, Seville, Spain (triana is the borough/neighborhood, i don´t know if you need it), San Vincente de Paul 24, 2C (2C is the apartment number). So write to me!!! and my cellphone number is 667060418, in case you want to text me or something, but you have to add some numbers to it to do that, i´m not sure which ones....
Another day, more crazy stories. Last night we went out to dinner again with the group and got sangria and tinto (me encantan!)and then went to this bomb ass club that I think was called Bandalai or something, it was like arabic....so pretty!! The guides are awesome, its cool to talk to actual Spanish people, even though they are being paid to be our friends, and probably are so annoyed with us.But the club was great. Mucha cerveza, mucho vino, mucho dinero.I know I told you this already anna but I finally introduced myself to Antonio and he went crazy when I told him we were friends.“Mi Anna! Mi Anna!” and I said, 'no, ella es MI Anna!”...so I guess we'll have to share you. We stayed at the discoteca until 3:30, which apparently is pretty early because some people didn't get back until 7 in the morning....not sure if I'll ever adopt that spanish habit.I woke up at 11 and wanted to die.
Today was the most difficult day I've had yet.It was raining and one of my friends borrowed my flats last night and I didn't want to wear my heel boots because my legs already feel like they are going to fall off, so I wore my sandals.No one in Spain wears sandals.Especially not when its raining.And everyone has an umbrella.So as if I don't feel like a huge outsider already, here I am with sandals, no umbrella, with my stupid map that tells me NOTHING, looking like a blind wet rat trying to find my way to my meetings.On top of all that my sandals had no grip whatsoever so I was slipping like crazy.I was AN HOUR late for my meetings and on the verge of tears.This city is damn near impossible to navigate. The street signs are on the buildings, sometimes there are no street signs, or sometimes the name of the street is not on the map, and all the streets look the same, all the plazas look the same.....AH! So frustrating, you can't imagine.
An interesting thing about Spain is that you can't really tell who is Spanish. Sometimes I think that I know they are American if they have blond hair or something but then they start talking really fast Spanish.Another good thing is that because of that, I fit in pretty well I think because some people have thought I was Spanish.As long as I don't look like I did today, that is.But in general, they are beautiful people, there are a lot of extremely good looking guys...bum bum bummm.....unfortunately Anna stole the heart of the most beautiful one, THANKS ;)Also, another thing about the guys...I haven't really noticed the “piropos” or catcalls that people talk about, or maybe I just don't understand what they are saying, but even at the club last night, it was nothing like american clubs where nasties just start humping you from behind, Spanish guys talk to you and don't even really try to dance with you....or maybe its just me, totally possible. Or maybe they think i'm spanish and arent interested, or maybe i'm just making excuses for my lack of attractiveness. Either way.Another observation, most of them do not speak Engish well, or at all.Which although frustrating at times, is actually really good because I get a lot of practice. In Mexico they all talk to you in English and you can't really practice as much. They are also really really friendly.I'm already in love with the “besitos”, the two little kisses they give when they meet each other. Especially when the besitos come from Antonio...
Anyways...the program is really good and really well organized but there is SO much to do and always somewhere I need to be, and I feel like its not going to slow down ever, but hopefully it does. Yesterday we went to Italica which is a city about 10 minutes from here that the Romans took over a long time ago and has some pretty cool ruins, especially the arena which is the fourth biggest in the world. i will put pictures up just as soon as i can! Last night was our first friday in spain and i take back what i said about the catcalls....haha. there were SO many people out!! we went to a bar called Rebotica for huge 5 euro mojitos (which were killer), and it was ridiculously packed. Tonight we´re gonna go to La Catedral which apparently is a sweet discoteca, so i´m very excited. Last night i met my second spanish lover haha. I don´t think i could ever have a spanish boyfriend though because i kept saying ¨no entiendo!¨ and ¨como? otra vez?¨ (i don´t understand! what? once more?) but they are quite cute so i might have to deal with the language barrier ;) I love Spain but I desperately want to hear about American adventures too so please update me on your lives via facebook message or email. I'm always itching for juicyness. I miss all of you guys so much, please write to me on facebook or a letter or anything to tell me about life, i don´t care how boring it is! sorry for the lonnnnggg post, hopefully i´ll be able to do this more often :) and think about coming to visit, there are a lot of really nice hostals! love you, miss you, and enjoy the cold....i think its around 65 today and sunny....ahhh me encanta sevilla!
Friday, January 16, 2009
a few last american thoughts...
so, basically if you're reading this, you're either really bored, or miss me terribly already--or both. either way, bienvenidos! i'm gonna be keeping this online journal thing as a way to keep in touch with as many people as possible, and it will also force me to write my travels down somewhere, so i can read about them later and cry. anyways....it's getting down to the final hours of being at home and i want to enjoy it, and don't want to bore anyone who's reading this anymore than i already have. and if anyone has skype (kim, carli, and anna--get it now!) my screename is brighteyes85jm and if i find internet we can talk or video chat fo free. oh, and i have a cellphone, i'll get the number and put it on here asap. stay tuned, i'll be in spain sometime on sunday, and i'll try to keep this updated with my cultural fuck ups as much as possible. besos!
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