2 weeks!

Well, I have now been in Sevilla for 2 weeks! It is hard to believe- I feel like time has flown by, but at the same time I feel as though I have been here forever! It is very strange to think that 1/8th of my time here is already over!

I hope everyone enjoys the pictures I posted below. This website doesn't really love when I try and upload pictures, but hopefully now that I will be spending more time at internet cafes, school, etc, I will be able to upload pictures more often. I want everyone to see what I am experiencing!

Well anyways, this past week has been a lot better- and more stable- than the first. I am definitely still not completely adjusted to life here, but it really seems more and more natural every day. It has definitely been more comfortable in my homestay, which I am very happy about. Although I still do NOT understand everything Tita Charo says haha, and I still say the words "si" and "gracias" wayyyy too often, I am getting more used to living here. I also am not here as often now that school has started though. I basically am here for sleeping, eating, and occasionally during the day. I feel kind of guilty about it- like I'm ditching her- but then again I am not in Spain to hang out with my Señora, as nice as she is!!! I really do like her a lot though- she is extremely nice and caring. She worries about me, makes sure I eat enough, cooks me broccoli because I told her I eat it at home, and even bought me a gift from the flamenco fashion show she went to! I think I mentioned that she used to be a flamenco designer before she retired, so this weekend there was a big fashion show (of a flamenco designer, its so weird! like a normal fashion show but all flamenco outfits) and she went to that. She brought me back these big magazines from it so I'll have to show you all what modern flamenco looks like when I get back!

Last week was also my first week of classes, which ended up going well. I am still in the intensive session for this week, and regular classes start next week. I will find out my final schedule for that soon, I hope. My class consists of an hour and a half of boring history at 9 in the morning (I hate history), and then later in the afternoon we go exploring Sevilla and see the history in real life, which is cool. Today, for example, we went to a hospice called Hospital de la Caridad. It was built in the 17th century, when Spain was in a crisis due to war, famine, poverty, and the plague. People who were homeless, sick, or had no family due to the plague lived there and in other buildings like it. The coolest part is that people still live there today! Today it is all older people who are very poor and couldn't afford housing on their own. I just think it is so cool that these buildings that were built centuries upon centuries ago, such as this hospice and the Cathedral which was built in the 15th century, are still used for the same purposes today. It's really cool to walk into a cathedral that is still used regularly and know that it was built over 5 centuries ago. Well, that's my history lesson for the day! Haha.

As I mentioned below, my friend Adam who is studying in Barcelona came to visit this weekend. Despite the fact that it rained every night he was here, it was really good to see him, and I got to see some parts of Sevilla that I hadn't explored yet! We went to this plaza called Plaza de España which is a HUGE building and a gorgeous plaza and fountain. Then across the street is this enormous park called Parque Maria Luisa which is just endless amounts of beautiful plants, trees, etc! It was really cool. We also sat outside and had some Spanish pastries and drank some cafe con leche, which they love in Spain. Cafe con leche= coffee with milk. Yes, I drink coffee now! Ok, so I still don't really like it, but I'm getting pretty good at pretending. I eat a ton of things now that I never did before- lentil soup, BEAN stew, I even ate calamari! I didn't really like that though....but the point is I am being much more adventurous when it comes to eating. You all would be very proud!

Anyways, now that I have once again blabbed on for hours, I guess I should start getting ready for bed. Since I have to wake up at 7:30 everyday for class, I go to sleep sooo early! I hate it! This week I have planned: class, shopping!, a paper due and test on Friday, and then Saturday-Sunday I will be in Granada! I am very excited. I will try and write more later in the week and maybe upload some more pictures soon. I miss everyone and think about you guys a lot! I am also very excited for my family to come in 3 weeks and Aaron to come in about a month and a half! I think they are kind of excited too?? :)

Un abrazo, Jess


Here is just a small part of la Plaza de España. It is much more breathtaking in real life!

And here we are in Parque Maria Luisa again in front of this HUGE tree that reminded me of Grandmother Willow in Pocahontas. Haha it was very cool.

Here is the Triana Bridge at night! I live in a part of Sevilla called Triana- it's a really great area. It is across the river from the main downtown part of Sevilla, so there are a bunch of bridges that take you across the river. This is a picture of the main Triana Bridge. I only got the bridge in this picture, but when you're standing on either of the bridges, you see the whole view of downtown Sevilla all lit up and it is very pretty!