¨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!