I guess I’ll start this one with flamenco! My classes are going really well. I am absolutely amazed by my professor…she has got to be at least 65 and moves better than all of us! She can move soooo quickly, too! Her feet are so fast that sometimes when I forget a step I find myself watching her instead of getting back into the groove of the flamenco. She recently started playing the castanets while we dance. Sometimes it’s hard to figure out how her clicks are on beat, and other times they help time the steps perfectly. The music is amazing that we dance to; I look forward to getting the music we dance to & bringing it home with me. I’ll have to research where I can find it!

Last Thursday I went to the club “El Doblon” with a bunch of the students at the Institute. It was an all-white affair. Most of us only had 1 white item, so I wore a white top with khaki bottoms…some people didn’t even bother to wear white…I commend them. I stayed at the club dancing for a very long time last Thursday. I arrived back home at 7AM Friday morning. I saw a bus running when coming back!!! It was amazing. Not having classes on Fridays & siesta make nights like that possible. Phenomenal.

Saturday was my second trip organized by the Institute. We went to Cordoba, which is just about 2 hours east/northeast of Sevilla. (read the last post for full details!)

Yesterday marked a full month of my being in Sevilla. I can’t believe it in many ways. On one hand, I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot since being here; if I had to leave tomorrow, I would feel as though I was fulfilled. On the other hand, I still have so much to do! I have my reservations for Belgium with Ana & Maureen, I’m going to Nerja, Ronda, & Granada all here in Spain, and then there’s the trip to Italy in December after my birthday! I can hardly believe it all…and in only 2 months time! It has been said before that living in Sevilla (Spain) is like living 2 different days in each single day that other people live. It’s true. We sleep twice, get ready twice, and do different things by the morning and evening. I am a student during the first day & a young woman living in and exploring Seville during the second day. And yet, I accomplish both of these things in 24 hours. It’s a really cool concept when you think about it.

I’m signing up for a second intercambio because Paco is MIA. We had a good first meeting, and he had suggested we go out sometimes & meet later that week, but I have not heard from/heard back from him yet. Therefore, I think my best bet might just be signing up for a second, that way I can have someone to meet with, and should Paco resurface, there’s no saying I can’t practice my Spanish with more than one Spaniard!

It’s strange to think that it’s already been a month since I left Albany. Today in my Fonetics class my new found friend Katie (from NY!) and I were chatting about being “homesick” and just plain old missing home & things about it. I’ve gotten past the homesickness, but it’s true that there are certain things that I love about home that I don’t know I’ll ever adjust to not having wherever I am. I’m the same way at CUA…I love to call home & just see how my parents are doing, what they’re having for dinner, say hello. It’s just the comforts of home, I guess, I miss sometimes. I miss having a dog big enough to actually pet & obtain affection from. Curro is so small that my hand is bigger than his head! When I pet him it’s usually with 2 or 3 fingers tapping his head…it’s weird.

I HAVE, however, reached a great point with Abuela. She’s crazy & I love it. She started a “regimen” (diet) last week & the very first night she got ice cream when she saw Celia bring some to me! So I turned & asked her (in as sarcastic a tone I can convey in Spanish) “How’s the diet?” And she laughed for a long time & then told people who weren’t in the room about how funny I was when I asked her about the diet! THEN yesterday I was reading the paper about the bird flu & walked into her room & told her I was terrified of the bird flu & she said I wouldn’t get it & it would never come to Spain. She promised me I’d be fine. And then we laughed about my irrational fear…God love her.

And Celia is just, one of the nicest women I’ve ever encountered in all my life. Last night she gave us big hugs & kisses & told us she’s always been lucky with the students from abroad, but that we were by far the best’s ever had. She likes that we enjoy spending time with the family & care about them. I guess a lot of students just think of the house as somewhere to stay, but I thrive on family…even in a foreign country, I guess! For example, I told Abuela & Celia all about my dad while they were eating & raving about his chocolate chip cookies he sent to me. Everyone was so excited that the cookies were so wonderful! And they were even more excited that my dad knew how to bake! I love it.

Travel plans: So Saturday & Sunday we’re going to Nerja, which is an hour beyond Malaga (think beach). There are supposed to be some amazing coves in Nerja and some fun little food places to check out along the beaches, too. We’re just staying the one night and then coming back on Sunday. I can’t believe that next week is the last week of October! Then the first week in November is the overnight trip to Granada with the Institute and then…..*drumroll* BELGIUM!!!!! I’m taking a bus to Madrid & then flying with Ana from Madrid to Brussels…where we then take a short train ride into Leuven, to stay with Maureen!!!!! We’re staying Thursday-Monday morning. I can’t wait!!!!
Then I have a week of nothing, then a trip to Ronda with the Institute (our last trip). The week after that (SURPRISE!) is December…my birthday!!!! Ana’s planning to come from Madrid to Sevilla for it (Celia said Ana is welcome to stay here…either on the floor or sharing my twin bed…haha). And 3 days later??? ITALY. I’m going to Italy with Katie. We’re flying into Milan & taking a train to Rome. We’ll be in Rome for Tues, Wed, Thurs, & Fri. Then Saturday we’re taking the train back to Milan to see some sights there & then flying out Sunday morning back to Sevilla. Travel after that? A distant land known as the US… :)