So since I’ve been here, there’s been this pretty funky smell that seems to be coming from my bathroom across the hall. It bothered me so much for the first couple days that every time I would leave my room to go to the bathroom, I would shut my door, open the bathroom door, shut the bathroom door, do my thang, open and close the bathroom door, and finally open and close my bedroom door. My host parents may or may not have diagnosed me with some kind of OCD (I mean hey, my host Dad IS a doctor). But today, I haven’t minded the smell – my doors wide open. I love hearing my host parents lovingly converse with one another, my temporary favorite dog Curro (shout out to Nala) barking at threatening noises, and the sound of the heater that blasts outside my room. I’m taking everything in at all times and it’s making my experience pretty freaking great.

Today was my first day of classes and I wanted to make it count. I enjoyed my fair share of cervezas (beers), ciestas (naps), and sleeping in fairly late and using jet lag as an excuse for a bit too long now. So today, I started it off with a run with my pal Marni down to La parque de Maria Lusia and the notorious Plaza de Espana. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of seeing both of these places. We took our time and walked around the area before heading back home for lunch. I had an incredible meal with Paloma – a spinach/pasta/cheese awesomeness with salmon…ON THE SIDE! She has literally not made me a meal I haven’t liked yet.

Ok, so then I was off to class (a little late today, my bad friends) for my first day of classroom learning. My professor’s name is Marta and she seems super sweet. We talked about classroom expectations, tutor services (FREE of charge friends), and started to crack away at some common vocab used commonly by abroad students. Turns out I have two exams in two weeks, along with homework and 4 projects – not the easy class I may or may not have been expecting. But after talking to Paloma, it seems that I’m going to learn so much in such a short amount of time (she referenced you Djukic…if you’re reading). Finished up the day with some homework and another delicious meal – this really good veggie-like pasta and dumplings filled with ham and cheese.

Hope all is well wherever you are and I promise I’ll have pictures up by this weekend (sorry Mom)!

Location: Seville, Spain