Life is still wonderful here in Granada :)
I will just jump right into things! Last Friday we didn't have to go into our usual class meeting at 9am.. I got to sleep in woot!! We got split into 2 groups and luckily I was in the later one. During the meeting we discussed our goals for our semester.
My main goals that I came up with included:
1. Becoming nearly fluent in the Spanish language by means of speaking and also writing and reading.
2. Befriending a Spanish man or woman... or both :) I've already accomplished this one!
3. Travel to at least 3 other countries.... I'll tell you more later :)
4. Be able to have an awesome conversation with my host parents without them thinking I'm stupid because I can't understand some of the words they say with their accents, eek!
5. To immerse myself in the Spanish culture and to truly understand it as a resident rather than a visitor.
6. Volunteer at some sort of health related organization (details to come!)
7. Finally... RELAX and enjoy the experience mistakes included :)
Friday night some friends and I went out on the town and met some Spanish people and also some folks from Holland and Germany... so fun to talk with them! I am learning so many new things about life... my world is already so much bigger; I love it!
Saturday... SHOPPING! woot woot! :) The deals here are absolutely nuts! In Granada they have great deals TWO times each year... One: Jan-Feb and Two: July-August
Sooo needless to say I am taking advantage of these deals. I bought a few new pieces of clothing and also shoes. I'm trying to save, but seriously I got jeans for 12 euro!
I've also been reading the Hunger Games.. SOooooo Great! I finished both 1 and 2 already haha bummer I don't have the 3rd with me here but it gives me something to look forward to in May when I'm back in good ol Iowa :) & someone brought The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo so that's my next read!
There are always street acts going on & we saw this one after shopping
It was especially strange.
We also saw this: The many ways to travel in Granada// car, bus, bike, moped.. oh and donkey.
Sunday was an uneventful day.. woke up late, read, went for a run.. got lost, read, and ate. Ya, it was a chill day :) ... not next Sunday (I'll be in Morocco! eep!) but the Sunday after Tayler and I are going to go to church with Maria de la Luz and Paco! Should be interesting.. church here is at noon and lasts only 30 minutes and they are also Catholic. Can't wait to see the differences!
Monday we continued on with classes in the morning and again from 4-7pm at night!! That is suuuch a long time in a row I'm telling you, I forgot how to go to school I think. We also had an assignment with a group and my group had to find 2 theatres in Granada.. El Teatro Alahambra y El Teatro de La Isabel Catolica. The point of this "treasure hunt" was to get us lost in the city, learn how to use a map and ask for help. So, needless to say I was very lost considering I can't do map skills in the U.S. But we eventually found them after asking liiike 8 people and got the information we needed for our power point presentation we will give on Friday. I was quite proud of myself after we did all of this however :)
Monday night... this is the best part!
Brielle, Malissa, Kelsey, and I got together at a cafe had tea.. and booked flights!
I am now officially going to Paris in February, Canary Islands for Spring Break, and also Portugal for a long weekend all inclusive trip! I must be dreaming.. this can't be real life; but don't pinch me. :)
It was quite an ordeal working all of the payments and info out.. I am clearly a beginner at this because well, dad, you're a pro. THANKS for being patient with me through the confusion haha
And now for today.. no class in the morning all week! Horraaaay! Sleeping in :)
This afternoon I went on a service trip to a place called Huerta de Rasillo which is a really really nice home for people who have been severely physically injured or have mental handicaps. It is an absolutely beautiful layout ( housing, a pool, a plaza, workout center that's along the lines of rehab, arts and crafts center.. many others) and if I choose to volunteer here I will be basically hanging out with the residents helping them with crafts, sitting outside with them chatting, going out for tapas, or helping take them to a store to buy things they want. Awesome? Yes! Not only is it fun.. but I get to help others and make their day; so great.. seriously. I could already tell by the expressions on their faces when we walked in that they would be so appreciative of our company. The woman who gave us the tour was also very very nice and said she would absolutely love us to come volunteer! Alsooo there is a flamenco concert going on in February that we would take the residents to (I get to go for free!). It sounds so great! (Also, I saw some of the workers walking around.. and I was zero jealous of the fact that they have to help them get ready for the day and I get to hang out with them.. opposite of my job in the states) Horray!
....There is only one trouble.
Tomorrow I have two other service trips to check out.. one at a hostpital and the other at an institute for people who have mental disorders such as being bipolar.
I don't know how I'm ever going to choose which one I want to do! ...guess I will find out.
---how this works: During the semester this service learning counts as 2 credits! YAH! I need to go at least 3 hours a week however I want to spread out the time is fine.
After the service trip I went on.. I went to the beautiful park near my house and went for a run in SHORTS and a Tee! Yah, it's that nice here :) Can't say I'm sad I'm missing the snow at home, ha! I've been keeping up on my running here and we walk soooo much. All the women here have bird legs and I'm starting to see mine doing the same.. not mad about it :) We walk 40 min total to and from class in the morning and then 40 min total to and from class in the evening not to mention my run and the extra walking I do... it's great! Also because I'm eating so much bread here that I neeed to be exercising, lots. People looked at me a bit strange when I was wearing shorts.. not sure if it was because they think 62 degrees is too cold for shorts, or if they thought I looked weird. No one else here wears tshirts.. they all wear spandex like professional looking gear. They don't dress down here at all.
Also, on a side note I literally have seen ONE overweight person here so far. I didn't realize this until I was walking down the street and this overweight gal stood out to me and I realized it was the very first time I had seen an unfit person here. Seriously, these people are beautiful here and very well dressed both men and women.
I don't know whether it's the fact that they spread their meals so far out during the day and don't snack, all the walking, or the smaller portion sizes of certain things (seriously their coffee is the size of a shot).
Finally, tonight.. we had class and it was long and well boring as usual BUT after we had a meeting and we got to learn about flamenco! It was very neat and I cannot wait to actually see a show!
Until next time... Adios! :)
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