So Far so Good..

Well, we just finished our two week intensive grammar session and that means that this coming Monday that we start our actual classes. To say that Spanish grammar is difficult and frustrating is an understatement. Pilar, my host mom, seems to understand me just fine. Oh well. Now that all the touristy visits are over and done with it seems normal to walk past the 766 year old cathedral on my way to class everyday.

I also signed up for what CIEE calls an "intercambio." I am paired with a student from the University of Sevilla to improve my Spanish and also to help them with English. We exchange emails and phone numbers and meet up as often as we want to practice our languages. I have already met mine at an event through CIEE and he is really nice. I'm sure that Jose will help me a lot with improving my Spanish.

So far I am really liking Spain. The people are really helpful and they help us with our Spanish when we are out and about. I have ordered a year long Sevici bike pass so that I can ride one of the bikes to school everyday. And I am always on the lookout for a new cafe to eat in or people watch at. It is finally starting to cool off during the day but it has rained almost everyday this week. Good thing i packed my Land's End raincoat special, courtesy of Mom!

Here are some extra pictures that I have taken of some random things while I have been walking around and being at home/ Pilar's house. Tomorrow Sara and some of our friends from CIEE and myself are going to Cadiz. I have heard from a lot of people that it is a really beautiful beach. So look for pictures of that sometime later tomorrow! ¡Hasta Luego!

Sara and I at the top of the Giralda at the Cathedral

Spaniards love them some Tinto de Verano, which is just wine spritzer. But i assure you that is yummy none the less 

CHURROS! These things are so yummy. It's kind of like fried bread that tastes sweet. You can have it with "chocolate" which is a really thick hot chocolate drink that is warm like coffee. They are so yummy 

Paella that Pilar made us the other day. I told her like 3 days before that I did not like shrimp and squid and all that, so she made it with chicken instead. By far the yummiest rice dish I have ever eaten.

Today after class my friends and I discovered that there is an "American" store. They poptarts, arizona tea, nacho cheese dip, and all kinds of stuff. I discovered the jackpot. The next Pilar is gone for a weekend, I'm busting this out and making some. I love me some Mac 'n' Cheese.

After we perused the American store I found this cow in the middle of the entrance to this store so I made my friends Cassie take a picture of me with it.   

For Javi Diaz. Miss you!

There are horse carriages everywhere all around the cathedral and the Ayuntamiento. It's funny because everyone is like ew they smell terrible while I am over there breathing deep. I miss Bug and Gracie! And also the gypsies around the cathedral always try to sell you these twigs that are "good luck" and  blessed my the archbishop or whoever... and they actually just trim them off those bushes right behind the horses every morning. haha

Pilar's Son Jesus got married 2 weeks ago. And no, Sara and I weren't invited...

For weddings here and the men that are actually in the wedding wear long coats, not tuxes. Also they wear their wedding bands on their right hand, which I thought was interesting 

And the older women or the mothers of the and groom and bride wear these crown things with veils on them. They wear white ones for weddings and funerals and black ones during Semana Santa (Holy week)

Pilar, Jesus, Piluca (left to right)

Pilar, Jesus, and Piluca again. Piluca is super pregnant and is here napping and eating pretty much all day. 

Sara and I finally broke down and went to the Burger King the other night. Spaniards eat significantly less food and we are pretty much hungry all the time.