Apologies for not posting a blog in awhile! It has been a wonderfully busy week. First day of classes on Tuesday, Arabic tea party, delicious food, a visit to the Alhambra (3 breathtaking REAL palaces with courtyards and astonishing views), and a visit to the beach tomorrow! (Sunday)
My class is interesting...it is taking me awhile to get used to being taught with very rapid Spanish. Our teachers do not speak Enlgish at ALL, so if we can´t ask a question in Spanish...we can´t ask one at all. At first this was very frustrating, and I spent my time hoping I heard the right instructions! But now I am getting very used to it and learning to understand a lot. I have a 25 minute walk to class every morning, and stay in class from 9am until 2:15 pm. We have a 20 minute break around 10:45, and my last hour is ¨Conversation Practice¨ in a different building. Right after class I make the 25 minute trek back home where a huge home-cooked meal is waiting for me! Every day we have tons of bread, tons of salad, a main dish, 2 sides, fruit, and the occassional additional dessert. There has not been a single thing that I have not liked and my Señora cooks very well!
I have a wonderful set of around 7 or so friends that met me either in the airport in Dallas, or in my first day in London. All of my friends are so amazing, and I know that I will continue to be friends with them even after Spain! The guy/girl ratio is 9/44, and I am lucky to have 2 guys as a part of my group who work hard to keep us safe on the streets of Spain late at night/early in the morning, and watching out for forward Spanish men! Many of us live on the same road, but in very different directions...some 10-15 minutes apart...so these guys spend sometimes 1 hr walking us all home!
All over Granada there are adorable Tapas Bars with free tapas...Granada is the only city in Spain to offer free tapas! Tapas are complimentary appetizers that you get if you order a sangria, servesa (beer), or another type of drink.
Everywhere we go is beautiful, old spanish architecture and beautiful people! The Spanish are extremely fashionable at all times, so it´s very fun to people watch and go inside all of the clothing stores.
The men are very forward here, but we learn to ignore them. They absolutely LOVE blonde women, and it is not strange for me to be approached on the street by a man saying ¨Chica rubia! Bonita!¨(Blonde girl! Beautiful!) and to be asked to be in a picture.
One interesting custom of the Spanish is their greeting style. Each time I meet a new person, we kiss on both cheeks, starting with the left. At first it was awkward, but now I´ll probably carry the tradition into the states! :)
I cannot even begin to write how much I love Spain, how much fun I am having, and how much I am learning! But do know that I miss everyone in the states very much! God has blessed me so much with the opportunity to do this, and wonderful friends back home whom I miss and love! Please know that He is taking care of me, and that He has provided friends here for me too!
I miss and love you all!!! I am only sorry that I don´t have time to talk to all of you individually!
P.S. (Favorite Quotes of the Week) "All Texans have shotguns in their closet"
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Hannah,
ReplyDeleteAunt Suzanne says to stay out of the Topless Bars.
Haha. Tio ¨Santiago¨you guys must have been drinking when you read this...it´s TAPAS. :)
ReplyDeleteBut we did go to the beach and it was awkward because it was topless