So just a disclaimer. I am so sorry for my horrible English grammar when I am writing these blogs. I'm looking over what I wrote and I am horrified. First of all, I (and many other Americans here) have come to realize that the more Spanish you speak, the worse your English gets. Also, my time on the internet is pretty limited so I wrote those last two entries in a MAD DASH (which also means that I don't read over them to check for errors). So I'll try to be better in that area. Love you guys.
Michelle
Friday, January 30, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
My second week starts...
Hey guys! So I’m just starting my second week here in beautiful Sevilla! I’m thinking that I will probably update this blog weekly and usually at the beginning of the week. Sorry this is so long, but it’s also a little bit of a journal for me as well so I can look back at these things in the future. For all of you who are wondering, I don’t get internet at my house. I’ve been told that there are literally hundreds of internet cafes in the city but I’m assuming that because I’m on the other side of the river, it’s harder to find one here. Last week, I walked around mi barrio for about 40 minutes looking for a place that had wifi, but I couldn’t find one. So in order to use the internet, I usually have to walk a half hour to my school or to an internet café in the center of town. Plus it's not always guaranteed that it will work with my connection. So I’m really sorry if it takes me a while to answer personal emails because I don’t really want to make walking a half hour to use the internet a habit.
Over this last week, I have continued to get to know the city. I’m beginning to get a hang OF where major streets are and I haven’t gotten lost yet. I’m actually terrified of the center CENTER of town because the street are incredibly wind-y, are one car lane wide and are surrounded by 3 story buildings on each side. I literally feel like a rat in a maze. There are some streets that are so short and small that they’re not even on the map. If you look at a map of the center of Sevilla, it literally looks like a mess of short, tangled lines. Plus when a car goes by, you have to basically hug the building you’re walking by so a car can pass. My trick has been to keep to larger, busier streets, even if it makes my overall walk longer. Last week, Steph (for those of you who don’t know, Steph is one of my best friends from home who is doing the same program) got really really lost and called me at 5 o clock in the morning so that I could help her find her way home. I was sitting on my bed with a map in front of me trying to direct her to where she should go, but I couldn’t even find the streets that she was talking about on my map. Thankfully, she got back to her house, safe and sound. I have met some really amazing people from the states while I have been here, but I’m getting to the point where I am desperate to hang out with only Spaniards because I want to practice my Spanish so much. Over the next couple days, I plan to go out more at night and strike up conversations with some sevillianos so I can get to know the culture and practice my Spanish.
Orientation week ended last week and yesterday I started my intensive Spanish session which is 3 hours of intensive Spanish each day for two weeks. After those 2 weeks are done, regular classes start. It’s really interesting because the class really pounds into your head the basics of the Spanish language so that you have a refresher of things that you probably learned 4 years ago (like me). We also learn about the Sevillan culture. For example, I cannot remember that they don’t shake hands here; they give a kiss on each cheek. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met who startle me when they come in for a kiss and I’m sticking out my hand. I really need to try to get that down. We also are given assignments to do outside of class. For example, today, I went to the Real Alcazar which is an old palace in the center of town. It was built by the Muslims and then taken over by the Christians so the architecture is a mix of the two cultures. I have to write a two page paper about what I thought about it. I’ll put a link to the pictures I took at the bottom of this page. Also, because I’m out of orientation, it has been easier to make a schedule. I usually wake up around 8, spend some time in prayer and do my “Women of the Bible” devotional that I’m doing with my friend Kelsey who is also here and then I get a newspaper from the estanco (newspaper stand that also sells magazines and bus passes) and I go to a café and have a café con leche, which is my new favorite coffee drink. School doesn’t start until 6, so I’ve been shopping, walking and doing homework during the day.
This weekend was very interesting. So Steph’s hermana, Maria (the 19 year old she lives us), took us to her boyfriend’s house in the country. We literally drove a half hour outside of the city and stayed with his grandmother. That night, we had dinner with the grandma and then went out to a couple bars. It was probably the most purely Spanish night I’ve had the whole time I’ve been here. In Seville, there are many foreigners, not just Americans but also French, Italian, Chinese and English people. But in this place, it was ALL Spanish people speaking ONLY Spanish. The only American thing about the bar was the fact that Steph and I were there. We met all of Maria and he boyfriend’s friend and they were awesome. Overall, it was fun, but I got super frustrated after a while because I could barely understand what they were sayings. The Sevilliano accent is very difficult to understand because they shorten their words and hardly pronounce their “S”es. So not only am I not used to hearing constant Spanish, I’m not used to hearing that accent.
So that’s basically all I can think of right now. I know that was a lot. Hopefully I can update the blog more frequently so that the entries will be shorter. I have a feeling that as time goes on, I won’t as much to talk about because things are still so new now, but we’ll see. I would really appreciate some prayers. Besides the mother who I live with, it seems like her son and daughter don’t really have any interest in getting to know me. I requested a family who would want to get to know me and incorporate me into the family but I feel like a guest here.I really want to talk to them more, but they stay in their rooms. I haven’t even really seen them at meals. There have even been times when Pillar has made me food, set it down in front of me and left. I’m not in the house all the time so I don’t even know when they eat dinner, but I usually am eating by myself. I would love some prayer that maybe we will have some opportunities to get to know each other.
Love you guys!
More pictures...http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2357567&l=febad&id=10235591
Over this last week, I have continued to get to know the city. I’m beginning to get a hang OF where major streets are and I haven’t gotten lost yet. I’m actually terrified of the center CENTER of town because the street are incredibly wind-y, are one car lane wide and are surrounded by 3 story buildings on each side. I literally feel like a rat in a maze. There are some streets that are so short and small that they’re not even on the map. If you look at a map of the center of Sevilla, it literally looks like a mess of short, tangled lines. Plus when a car goes by, you have to basically hug the building you’re walking by so a car can pass. My trick has been to keep to larger, busier streets, even if it makes my overall walk longer. Last week, Steph (for those of you who don’t know, Steph is one of my best friends from home who is doing the same program) got really really lost and called me at 5 o clock in the morning so that I could help her find her way home. I was sitting on my bed with a map in front of me trying to direct her to where she should go, but I couldn’t even find the streets that she was talking about on my map. Thankfully, she got back to her house, safe and sound. I have met some really amazing people from the states while I have been here, but I’m getting to the point where I am desperate to hang out with only Spaniards because I want to practice my Spanish so much. Over the next couple days, I plan to go out more at night and strike up conversations with some sevillianos so I can get to know the culture and practice my Spanish.
Orientation week ended last week and yesterday I started my intensive Spanish session which is 3 hours of intensive Spanish each day for two weeks. After those 2 weeks are done, regular classes start. It’s really interesting because the class really pounds into your head the basics of the Spanish language so that you have a refresher of things that you probably learned 4 years ago (like me). We also learn about the Sevillan culture. For example, I cannot remember that they don’t shake hands here; they give a kiss on each cheek. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met who startle me when they come in for a kiss and I’m sticking out my hand. I really need to try to get that down. We also are given assignments to do outside of class. For example, today, I went to the Real Alcazar which is an old palace in the center of town. It was built by the Muslims and then taken over by the Christians so the architecture is a mix of the two cultures. I have to write a two page paper about what I thought about it. I’ll put a link to the pictures I took at the bottom of this page. Also, because I’m out of orientation, it has been easier to make a schedule. I usually wake up around 8, spend some time in prayer and do my “Women of the Bible” devotional that I’m doing with my friend Kelsey who is also here and then I get a newspaper from the estanco (newspaper stand that also sells magazines and bus passes) and I go to a café and have a café con leche, which is my new favorite coffee drink. School doesn’t start until 6, so I’ve been shopping, walking and doing homework during the day.
This weekend was very interesting. So Steph’s hermana, Maria (the 19 year old she lives us), took us to her boyfriend’s house in the country. We literally drove a half hour outside of the city and stayed with his grandmother. That night, we had dinner with the grandma and then went out to a couple bars. It was probably the most purely Spanish night I’ve had the whole time I’ve been here. In Seville, there are many foreigners, not just Americans but also French, Italian, Chinese and English people. But in this place, it was ALL Spanish people speaking ONLY Spanish. The only American thing about the bar was the fact that Steph and I were there. We met all of Maria and he boyfriend’s friend and they were awesome. Overall, it was fun, but I got super frustrated after a while because I could barely understand what they were sayings. The Sevilliano accent is very difficult to understand because they shorten their words and hardly pronounce their “S”es. So not only am I not used to hearing constant Spanish, I’m not used to hearing that accent.
So that’s basically all I can think of right now. I know that was a lot. Hopefully I can update the blog more frequently so that the entries will be shorter. I have a feeling that as time goes on, I won’t as much to talk about because things are still so new now, but we’ll see. I would really appreciate some prayers. Besides the mother who I live with, it seems like her son and daughter don’t really have any interest in getting to know me. I requested a family who would want to get to know me and incorporate me into the family but I feel like a guest here.I really want to talk to them more, but they stay in their rooms. I haven’t even really seen them at meals. There have even been times when Pillar has made me food, set it down in front of me and left. I’m not in the house all the time so I don’t even know when they eat dinner, but I usually am eating by myself. I would love some prayer that maybe we will have some opportunities to get to know each other.
Love you guys!
More pictures...http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2357567&l=febad&id=10235591
Thursday, January 22, 2009
I'M HERE!
Hey guys!
So I know that it has been almost a complete week since my last post but I have FINALLY been able to get the internet. It's been a little frustrating because I don't have internet at my homestay and I haven't been able to find a good internet cafe yet so right now I am sitting in the CIEE study center in downtown Seville in order to use the internet. I got here on monday night and before this, I was able to use the internet for a grand total of five minutes. This week is still orientation week so I'm hoping that once school starts, I will be able to get in a routine of getting to use the internet everyday, even if just for a little bit.
Sorry if this post seems long, but I have to update all of you on everything that has been happening since I've gotten here! The flights were completely fine. I slept well on the plane and having Stephanie and Kelsey (my two good friends from school who are both in the same program) was a huge blessing because I wasn't as nervous. Fortunately, we all got our luggage because there was a HUGE amount of people in my program who didn't. The night we got to the hotel after our flights, I decided to go out with some people from my program. It's really interesting because right now all the Spanish natives at the University are taking finals so the bar and street are completely dead at night because they are all studying but it was still fun. Me and Steph broke off from the group and went to this small little bar where the bartender was SO excited that we were american and then proceeded to get everyone's attention and introduce us to all the people there. We also got a chance to speak some spanish. The next day was the first day of our orientation and we were placed in groups. The guide for my group is named Esteban and I have a little crush on him. All the people in the group are afraid to talk to him but I do every chance I get because I really like to practice spanish. He took us all around the city and the university and then that night he took us out for tapas (a Spanish custom where you order dmall snacks and drinks). We also went to a Flamenco show which was kind of interesting because I had never seen Flamenco before (it's intense) and all of us were so jet lagged that I probably saw 15 other students who had fallen asleep during the show. There are 14 girls in my group (there are a lot more girls in my program than guys) so one girl called Esteban a "pimp" and he said "peemp? que es un peemp?" when we told him he turned bright red. It was hilarious. That day, the weather was amazing. I also got a chance to walk around the city and take some pictures.
The next day I got to meet my host family. My senora's name is Pillar and she has a son and a daughter who live with her. Her daughter is named Piluca and she's 25 years old and he son is named Jesús and he is 28. Pillar's husband died a while ago but she has a boyfriend. Because I have been with CIEE almost all day everyday, I haven't met Piluca or Pillar's boyfriend yet but I have met Pillar and Jesús. In Spain, it's not unusual for older people to live with their parents because family is very important here and it's much cheaper to live with your family until you are married. I've had a really good time practicing my Spanish with Pillar and she is an amazing cook. I live in a neighborhood across the river (there's a large river that cuts down the city and the downtown area in one side and los barrios or neighborhoods are on the other) from where the study center is and it's about a 25 minute walk and about 15 with a busride. I have my own room with my own bathroom attached. The rumors were true. In Spain there don't have central heating and they have all tile floors so it is COLD. Today I was absolutely freezing and had to put on 3 layers.
The city is beautiful. Most of the building are white, red and dark yellow (the colors of the Spanish flag). I'm still getting used to the food. I don't mean to sound close-minded but I really don't like it at all. Everything my señora has made for me has been really good, but everything that I have had at tapas (I've gone for tapas twice) has made me want to gag. They are really into mayonaise and cold soup. I've tried everything I've ordered so I'm trying my best not to be picky but it's really hard. This week has been really crazy but I'm hoping that when school starts I will be able to bring back some routine in my life because right now it's like one thing to the next to the next. I am a lot better at Spanish than I thought I would be and I'm not really nervous about trying to use it. I also have already seen a lot of improvement in my listening and conversing in the few days that I've been here. I love the girls in my Orientaion group. They are from all over the United States and all of them are so much fun. I'm a little frustrated because all the girls in my Orientation group are not trying to speak Spanish so I feel like kind of a suck up to Esteban because I won't stop asking him questions or trying to talk to him. I really want to speak Spanish but I haven't met a lot of students who share the same desire so I'm hoping that I can work more on going out with just Steph or Kels so that we can meet more Spanish people. Plus, because all the Spanish students are studying, it's been hard to meet a lot of people while we are out anyway.
I miss you guys a lot, especially my mom and dad. There are so many times that I just want to call you guys but I can't. But thank god for the internet and skype! Sorry this post was so long, it's been a while so I don't think future ones will be as bad.
¡Hasta luego!
Michelle
I think that you can see my pictures by going to this link:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2355632&l=6b424&id=10235591
So I know that it has been almost a complete week since my last post but I have FINALLY been able to get the internet. It's been a little frustrating because I don't have internet at my homestay and I haven't been able to find a good internet cafe yet so right now I am sitting in the CIEE study center in downtown Seville in order to use the internet. I got here on monday night and before this, I was able to use the internet for a grand total of five minutes. This week is still orientation week so I'm hoping that once school starts, I will be able to get in a routine of getting to use the internet everyday, even if just for a little bit.
Sorry if this post seems long, but I have to update all of you on everything that has been happening since I've gotten here! The flights were completely fine. I slept well on the plane and having Stephanie and Kelsey (my two good friends from school who are both in the same program) was a huge blessing because I wasn't as nervous. Fortunately, we all got our luggage because there was a HUGE amount of people in my program who didn't. The night we got to the hotel after our flights, I decided to go out with some people from my program. It's really interesting because right now all the Spanish natives at the University are taking finals so the bar and street are completely dead at night because they are all studying but it was still fun. Me and Steph broke off from the group and went to this small little bar where the bartender was SO excited that we were american and then proceeded to get everyone's attention and introduce us to all the people there. We also got a chance to speak some spanish. The next day was the first day of our orientation and we were placed in groups. The guide for my group is named Esteban and I have a little crush on him. All the people in the group are afraid to talk to him but I do every chance I get because I really like to practice spanish. He took us all around the city and the university and then that night he took us out for tapas (a Spanish custom where you order dmall snacks and drinks). We also went to a Flamenco show which was kind of interesting because I had never seen Flamenco before (it's intense) and all of us were so jet lagged that I probably saw 15 other students who had fallen asleep during the show. There are 14 girls in my group (there are a lot more girls in my program than guys) so one girl called Esteban a "pimp" and he said "peemp? que es un peemp?" when we told him he turned bright red. It was hilarious. That day, the weather was amazing. I also got a chance to walk around the city and take some pictures.
The next day I got to meet my host family. My senora's name is Pillar and she has a son and a daughter who live with her. Her daughter is named Piluca and she's 25 years old and he son is named Jesús and he is 28. Pillar's husband died a while ago but she has a boyfriend. Because I have been with CIEE almost all day everyday, I haven't met Piluca or Pillar's boyfriend yet but I have met Pillar and Jesús. In Spain, it's not unusual for older people to live with their parents because family is very important here and it's much cheaper to live with your family until you are married. I've had a really good time practicing my Spanish with Pillar and she is an amazing cook. I live in a neighborhood across the river (there's a large river that cuts down the city and the downtown area in one side and los barrios or neighborhoods are on the other) from where the study center is and it's about a 25 minute walk and about 15 with a busride. I have my own room with my own bathroom attached. The rumors were true. In Spain there don't have central heating and they have all tile floors so it is COLD. Today I was absolutely freezing and had to put on 3 layers.
The city is beautiful. Most of the building are white, red and dark yellow (the colors of the Spanish flag). I'm still getting used to the food. I don't mean to sound close-minded but I really don't like it at all. Everything my señora has made for me has been really good, but everything that I have had at tapas (I've gone for tapas twice) has made me want to gag. They are really into mayonaise and cold soup. I've tried everything I've ordered so I'm trying my best not to be picky but it's really hard. This week has been really crazy but I'm hoping that when school starts I will be able to bring back some routine in my life because right now it's like one thing to the next to the next. I am a lot better at Spanish than I thought I would be and I'm not really nervous about trying to use it. I also have already seen a lot of improvement in my listening and conversing in the few days that I've been here. I love the girls in my Orientaion group. They are from all over the United States and all of them are so much fun. I'm a little frustrated because all the girls in my Orientation group are not trying to speak Spanish so I feel like kind of a suck up to Esteban because I won't stop asking him questions or trying to talk to him. I really want to speak Spanish but I haven't met a lot of students who share the same desire so I'm hoping that I can work more on going out with just Steph or Kels so that we can meet more Spanish people. Plus, because all the Spanish students are studying, it's been hard to meet a lot of people while we are out anyway.
I miss you guys a lot, especially my mom and dad. There are so many times that I just want to call you guys but I can't. But thank god for the internet and skype! Sorry this post was so long, it's been a while so I don't think future ones will be as bad.
¡Hasta luego!
Michelle
I think that you can see my pictures by going to this link:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2355632&l=6b424&id=10235591
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Night before I leave!
Hey family and friends! Welcome to my blog for my semester abroad! Right now I'm running around like a crazy person trying to fit 4 months worth of stuff into suitcases to take overseas. I hope you guys enjoy catching up with me on here. Keep checking for my first update and pictures!
Love,
Michelle
Love,
Michelle
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