My se�ora repeats this phrase all day everyday over here! I’m beginning to use it a lot, too…

…So when I got here originally I admitted that I may have packed too much….Well I take it back. For all of those who said “I told you so!” you were wrong. (Haha!) I wish I packed an entire third suitcase….full of winter jackets and sweatshirts and everything warm in the world! It is actually so cold here! Especially in the houses and especially at night! 

I have a space heater in my room, and when it is on it helps. But I can rarely keep it on because I only have two outlets in my room. Unfortunately, my computer must be plugged in at all times to function (and even then it hardly works) and then my other outlet is charging on of my phones, or I’m using it to plug in a light. Regardless, we can’t leave the space heaters on while we sleep, and I’m paranoid I will leave it on when I leave the house and get in trouble for it. So most of the time I’m freezing (or wearing a billion layers of clothing and then my bathrobe…and fuzzy socks and slippers). I was really not expecting the weather to be this chilly. Someone said it is one of the coldest winters that Europe has had in a very long time.

But it’s all good, I can bundle up and be just fine!

However, I can’t wait until it gets warm here in Sevilla. Although then you’ll probably hear me complain about how unbearably hot it is, haha! But that’s just how it goes, right?

3 credits…in two weeks!

On Friday I completed my first three credits in Spain. My intensive session was an advanced grammar class. I really needed the review of grammar concepts. I can’t believe how fast a two week class goes by! But we really covered A LOT. I feel much more comfortable now forming different verb conjugations in writing and even in speaking.

Meanwhile, I planned my class schedule for the rest of the semester…which starts tomorrow. I have three classes at the University of Seville and two classes at my program center. I am just waiting for the final “ok” that these classes will transfer back to Penn State and apply toward both my World Languages Education major and the Applied Spanish concurrent major I am trying to pick up. Fingers crossed!

I am nervous to start at the university tomorrow. I don’t know my way around this new university and of course I’m scared of getting lost! I’ll let you know how that goes! I really hope to make some friends, though.

p.s. I spent a lot of time carefully planning this schedule to avoid having classes on Friday’s. YAY!

Los ganadores

This week, my se�ora invited me to Mar�a’s show. She got me a ticket and I was so excited to go see her performance. The only problem was my final exam was from 6:00pm-8:00pm and her show was to start at 8:00pm.

So on Friday, I finished my exam as quickly as I could to run back to my homestay to get to Mar�a’s show. I made it back just in time!

The show was really legitimate. The stage, the show, the costumes, the choreography was all done very well. The whole show was called “Playbacks” because they were performing songs from the past. It was the “Final�simo” which means it was the final round of performances to see who would win over all.

There were 8 groups of younger performers in the first category and 8 groups of older performers in the second category. Each group did a song.  Mar�a and her group performed a song montage from Mary Poppins that included “Chim-chimney” and the Spanish version of “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” which I obviously can’t pronounce let alone spell! There was a Spice Girl’s act, a Jennifer Lopez act and so much more. Then in the older group, they had a Smurfs “los pitufos” act, a Madagascar act and a Party Rock Anthem act. All of the costumes were so well done! All of the kids were so animated and danced so well! It was no wonder they had made it to the “Final�simo.”

The show ended and everyone was standing up and dancing while we waited for the judges to tally the scores. Then, on a large screen the scores came up one by one from each judge for each act. My host mom was so excited and nervous for her daughter!

Mar�a’s group actually won first place from her category! Everyone started chanting “Mar-y Popp-Y” (because that is how they prounounce “Mary Poppins”).

After the trophies were awarded and many pictures were taken, the winning cast went out to eat. All of the families of the children in Mar�a’s class are so close (as are all of the kids). I was sitting at the kids table and we were waiting for our “tapas” I was talking to some of the Spanish children. I explained to them that I was staying with Mar�a and her mom for 5 months or so while I study at the university. Then word got around this huge table of kids that I was American. One of the boys stood up on his chair and yelled “�Ella es estadounidense!” (She is from the United States). Then the whole table starts singing their ABC’s in English for me to hear. All of the kids started asking me questions that they knew in English. “How are you? What is your name? How do you spell your name?” When I would answer their questions in Spanish they would say “In English, �por favor!” It is so cute to hear their little Spanish accents when they speak English and it was so much fun to be with all of these little kids just having so much fun after they just won for the second year in a row!

I feel so Spanish getting here this late!

I was out with my Spanish family until pretty late. Afterward I ran home really quickly before meeting up with a friend to catch a cab to the discoteca. The only problem was we only knew the name of the discoteca and not the location. After driving around in the cab for way too long not knowing where we were going, we got out paid and decided to find it on foot. We asked for directions and eventually found the line to get in.

By the time we got into the discoteca it was after 2:00am and I turned to my friend and told her that I felt so Spanish arriving so late! It is more common in Spain for people to go out later and stay out later. We had a lot of fun out. Everyone from our program was at this discoteca for one of our tour guide’s birthday. It was really fun to see everyone together again for the first time since orientation.

Last night, we went out again but this time in a smaller group. We ended up at this discoteca/bar called “Caramelo.” I love the atmosphere there is it so classy (and there are mostly all Spanish people).

My friends and I were dancing and I saw two Spanish girls doing their thing. I really wanted to dance all together and make new friends. Eventually, I walked over to the Spanish girls and asked what their names were. Their names were Angela and Irene (with a Spanish twist, of course). When I told them my name was Jennifer (with an American accent) they asked where I was from. When I said “Los Estados Unidos” the girls were really excited. The one girl tried to talk to me in English a little because she had studied in Ireland for a year. She said she only knew a little English so we switched back to Spanish and she asked me where in the U.S.A. I was from. Then she told me she loves New York so much, especially Manhattan because of the show “Gossip Girl.” These girls seemed like a lot of fun and were so sweet.

Hoy

Today, we went out to get tapas (little dishes that everyone shares) for lunch. We sat outside at a little restaurant on the corner very close to the apartment we live in. The sun was shining on us and it felt warm as we ate. (It has actually been pretty cold here this weekend! Luckily in the sun it still feels nice). It was Manuela, Mar�a, Jos� Ram�n and I. Jos� is Manuela’s friend’s son. He and Mar�a are really close friends. They were so funny together at lunch. They were both playing with those crazy looking Monster-High dolls. I loved going out with my Spanish family. It is really fun to be out and about in the city with them. I also love going out for tapas because I get to try a lot of different foods. (And if only I liked beer I would have drank cervecitas with my se�ora). We had a lot of different foods for the table. Chicken, paella, papas fritas, and more. Today at lunch Manuela also ordered some “tortillas de camorones” (small shrimp omelets) because she wanted me to try them. I took a few bites and it tasted good but I could see the little baby shrimp in the tortilla (with their eyeballs and everything). I told her that I liked how it tasted but I didn’t like that I could still see the eyes. “No pasa nada” she replied to me. This expression is used a lot here and it means “Don’t worry about it” or something along those lines. I like it a lot because if you apologize for something and someone says “No pasa nada” it really means that everything is okay and there’s no need to worry about it.

Other random highlights of my week:

-Going out to eat with a couple of friends at an Italian restaurant in El Centro- I ordered a Margherita pizza and it was so delicious!

-Getting A’s on my first two papers!!!!

-Skyping my best friends and my family!

-Introducing my mom, Tricia and Bri to my host mom and sister here in Spain through Skype!

-Everyday when I realize once again how crazy and amazing it is that I am abroad!!!

-Annnnd the fact that I still have 5 more months to experience more of Sevilla, Espa�a y Europa!

Exciting!!!!

I have three countdowns going for when my best friend, my sister and my boyfriend (in that order) make their way to Espa�a to visit yours truly. I can’t wait to see all of their faces! 

Emily and I are going to make our way to Barcelona! Jess and I are planning to spend our time traveling around Europe to hopefully see as much of Spain, Ireland, England, France and hopefully Italy as we can! David and I are staying here in Sevilla for the best week of the whole year here in Sevilla: Fer�a! Hope you three are just as excited as I am!

Ok, I think that’s all for now. More later about my new classes and other happenings en mi vida en Espa�a.

Besitos, xxoo

Location: Los Remedios, Sevilla

I can’t believe it’s been less than two weeks. It actually feels like time is going slow for once and for that I am thankful. That means that here in Seville, we are making the most of everyday so that our time here really counts. Here’s what I’ve been up to:

HomeSICK

I was so sick this week with a “resfriado” (a cold) or maybe it was “gripe” (the flu). I don’t know what I had but I do know that it was bad. Feeling this horrible made being away from home even harder….

What was worse was that the novelty of everything was starting to wear off and I was afraid I was losing my momentum and excitement for being here. I’ll admit I wasn’t my happiest all week but luckily I have an amazing support system that helped me stay positive so that I still made the most of it. Thank you, all!

Clase INTENSIVA!

Classes started Monday. I am in a grammar class. This class is 3 credits in only 2 weeks’ time so you can imagine the course load. I stayed on top of everything last week even though I wasn’t feeling well.

Our first assignment was to go to the Seville public library and take photos, talk to the staff, get a library card and write a two page guide about the library. The hardest part, and all my classmates agree, was writing two whole pages about a library smaller than one floor in Paterno.

Our next assignment, due tomorrow, (yeah, I should probably be working on that rather than writing this blog…) involved asking our se�oras for two recipes and going to this market to check out the prices. The market we had to go to was really cool! I was expecting a Giant or Shop Rite type deal because that’s what I think of when I hear “supermercado” but this was not that at all.

Then, we each brought in a traditional Spanish dish on Friday that we made together with our se�oras. [It was really fun on Friday afternoon to make a “Spanish omelet” (called a “tortilla” here) with my se�ora and her daughter. I also liked trying all of the foods that everyone else brought.] Now the assignment due tomorrow involves something about writing about the gastronomy of Andaluc�a but I will worry about that later….

We also had our first exam last Friday. I studied what I could but most of this class is just a grammar review. I thought the exam was easy then we got to leave class early as soon as we finished our exam.

I felt that after my first exam in Espa�a I deserved a treat so I stopped an got a “helado” (gelato) on the walk back to my homestay….(which by the way is a 40 minute walk! And I thought East Halls to Willard was far….)

Afuera de clase

Since my class is only 6pm-9pm I have spent a lot of my time relaxing and trying to get better from this cold. Also, I have shopped around the city, tried to learn my way around Sevilla, tried to figure out what classes I’m going to take at the university and gotten to know my family that I live with.

Also, Tuesday night a few of us went out to a bar for a little while. Then I didn’t have the chance to go out again until Friday because I was sick and trying to relax. (And getting done some school work!)

Mi amor

One of the most exciting things that happened this week was that David and I reserved his hotel for when he comes to Sevilla. He is coming for the week of Feria which is the most exciting time of the year in Sevilla. The festivals are said to be amazing and I can’t wait to experience this together! (Of course the fact that everyone comes to Sevilla for Feria made the lodging situation “mucho m�s caro” (much more expensive) but we’re young, we only live once, and it is going to be more than worth it. TQM <3

El fin de semana de inmersion en espa�ol

Friday night I left the bar early to get home. I had to wake up at 8am to go on a weekend immersion trip to “El Bosque” in Cad�z (another town about two hours from Seville).

I didn’t know what to expect from the weekend but I just knew I didn’t feel like waking up early to get on the bus to go! Also, I did not want to leave the beautiful Sevilla.

Anyway, Saturday morning came and we took the bus to Cad�z. We were staying in a hotel there for the night so we put down our stuff and got right to work.

First, we were each handed a “pulsera” (bracelet) that said “Hablo Espa�ol” (I speak Spanish). This meant that while wearing the bracelet this weekend no one could speak in English. If someone was caught by another speaking in English, their bracelet would be taken. The people with the most bracelets at the end of the weekend won prizes.

Then we split into groups with some Spaniards and some Americans in each group. We explored the city (speaking only in Spanish, of course). It was a beautiful, quaint, small little town. I really enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere. It was a pleasant contrast from the city of Seville.

That night we also got to go out in Cad�z which was really fun. A new bar, a new town, new people- it was very exciting. And of course…we were speaking only in Spanish.

Me encanta la naturaleza

Today we an amazing “Senderismo” (hike) along a river in Cad�z. It was incredibly beautiful. I really love hiking and seeing beautiful sights like this so I hope to do much more of this.

Then we had some lunch where we ate outside in the sun and after we were able to just relax for some time in the sun. I fell asleep laying on a bench just feeling happy for this opportunity and the experience I was having on this immersion weekend.

I had to wake from my peque�a siesta to do some more activities in Spanish. After, the winners were announced for those with the most bracelets! I came in 2^nd place! (I know, I am quite the loser 😛 But a won a Universidad de Sevilla t-shirt! )

I feel very drained and exhausted after this weekend because it was NOT easy to use only Spanish all weekend. However, I loved the challenge and I feel very proud of myself and much more confident in my Spanish speaking abilities after the experience. I also LOVED “El Bosque” and that we were all able to spend so much time together all weekend.

Back to Seville

Welp, time in the Bosque was short lived… Back on the bus. Back in Seville, walk back to my homestay, get a much needed shower…annnnd write my blog to update all of my loved ones about what’s been happening in my life!

I know that weeks will just keep getting better, even though I really am missing everyone back home.

Now, it’s time to relax, eat dinner with my “Spanish family”….and I should probably start my homework!

Hasta pronto, xxoo

Location: Cádiz, España

Where do I start!? I barely had time to sleep these past few days, let alone blog so you’ll have to forgive me. 😉 Finally, I slept in today and showered. Now I feel refreshed and ready to write… a lot!

Gymkana? Gymnaka? No se!

On Thursday morning we had to pack up all of our things to leave the hotel. Then we broke into teams and did a scavenger hunt (in Spanish=Gymkana) around the city. It was an amazing to walk around and see the city in the daylight. We asked passers-by if they knew any of the answers to the clues and where we could find those places. We were successful on a few attempts.

The absolute most gorgeous place I have ever seen

One of those attempts landed us at “La Plaza de Espana.” We walked into this large building and I was awestruck. I stood there trying to take in all of the beauty that surrounded me and I started to cry because I felt so blessed. I cannot believe that things this beautiful exist in the world.

I was in such a great mood when a woman grabbed my hand and gave me a piece of tree branch. She was “telling my fortune.” For a while I listened, trying to be nice. Then she asked for 10 euro! I pretended like I didn’t understand what she was asking for, so she pulled out a 10 euro bill. I said I only had 2 euro, gave her my coin and went to meet up with the rest of my scavenger hunt group. Later, I asked one of our guides about this experience and he said always just say “NO” and walk by. They are always there trying to get money.

Mi famila Espanola

After the scavenger hunt, we went back to the hotel where our host families or host mothers picked us up. My host mom picked me up and we arrived at her apartment….(after MUCH struggle to try to fit all of my bags into a cab). Then, since this apartment building doesn’t have an elevator…You know the rest. Just picture me lugging a 50+ pound bag of luggage up 4 flights of stairs. Let’s just say I went one stair at a time. I guess that’s why they call it “lug”gage.

Finally, I arrived in my room. It is tiny, but I have everything that I need.

Then I met my host mother’s daughter. She is an adorable 9 year old chica with a huge personality.

With no time to spare, I ate my first meal with my family, unpacked everything and took a short siesta.

What’s a girl to do without a sense of direction?!

I have never pretended to know how to navigate my way around…anywhere. I could get lost in my own neighborhood-don’t put it past me. I remember my first days….no, more like weeks, at Penn State. I would have to leave for class at least an hour early to account for the time I spent lost….(getting from Pollock to Thomas or Forum.) I know it is pathetic, but I have come to terms with it. Luckily, David compliments me well in this area.

But anyway, I had to leave my homestay and meet back up with my orientation group for dinner and nightlife in Seville. I mapped out my route (I’ve gotten better at reading maps since my first days in Penn State!) and I made it there even though I did make one wrong turn along the way. I was feeling proud!

After the meeting point we walked together to another meeting point. (We crossed the bridge that I will cross everyday to get to the University of Seville. How is everything here so gorgeous?!)

The second meeting point was outside of the university. Look at this building!

Then we walked through the city to dinner. Dinner was great, tapas-of course, 

and then we walked more to a bar where people can stand outside and drink! It was an awesome atmosphere and it was a lot of fun. I had “tinto verano”- some delicious form of wine.

Then, we walked further to a different, more intimate bar.

I probably don’t have to even tell the rest of this story. You know what happened. When we decided to leave the bar and find our way home…. We got so lost. For a long time. But it was so much fun and so worth it because we got to see more of the city and try to navigate our way.

Proximo dia

The next day I had to wake up early for orientation. (I feel like it is just the same information over and over!) Then I walked back to my homestay for lunch (a delicious soup) and had a very short siesta. I went shopping for some necessities with some girls around our neighborhood and then we walked all the way back to program headquarters for what we thought was a mandatory orientation event. It turned out to be an involvement fair that we didn’t need to go to, but at least we found our way to the program center!

I went back to my homestay and had dinner with my host mother. We got to know each other a lot. But this made me late to meet up with everyone to go out!

Out on the town

I ran (literally) to our meeting spot and I was so happy that the girls waited for me! Thank you, chicas! We took the metro to meet up with more people and then we went to a great bar. We stayed there for a while but left when the discoteca opened.

I had so much fun at the discoteca. It was a great atmosphere and I just was so happy to be out in Spain. I tried to make friends with some of the Spanish girls but it did not work too well. It upset me a little but I still had fun with the girls in my program.

It was after 3am so we decided to leave. The funny thing is while we were getting our coats back from the coat check thinking it was late, the natives were just checking their coats! I have a long way to go, haha!

Un encuentro que tuve valor

We took a taxi to the university and from there we all went our separate ways to our homestays. On the way home, there was a group of four Spanish people in front of me playing music out loud on their phones. It was a familiar song to me (an American song although now I forget which one) and I said “Me gusta esta cancion” to the girl who was playing it. This excited her and she said that she would turn it up. She asked where I was from and she was curious to find out more. She said that her and her friends would die to visit the U.S. (So strange to me how it seems the opposite!) She said that my Spanish was very good and she could not believe I had just arrived less than a week ago. I was so happy to hear that because I have been feeling like my Spanish isn’t up to par. I asked her then, why the girls at the discoteca did not want to make friends with Americans. She said that she thinks that people go to the discoteca to do their own thing, to dance, to be with their friends. I understood this and I was happy for this explanation. Then I had to turn to get to my street “Santo Angel,” so she hugged me and gave me “dos besos” (two kisses) one on each cheek in the traditional Spanish way. I was so happy that I met her and I hope to have many more positive experiences like this.

My dreams of coming here to study have already surpassed my expectations. (And I haven’t even started classes yet!) I am so excited to keep on living this life in Seville.

Hasta luego, xxoo

p.s. I just ate “paella” for the first time. It is a traditional Spanish dish with different sea animals in there. I’m proud to say that I tried every bit of that stew-like food and I actually liked it! Cheers to trying new things and liking them!

Location: Los Remedios, Sevilla

 Today is my second day in Seville.How crazy?!? Everything still seems so surreal! I cannot believe that I am so far away from home in a new country with a different language! It is pretty overwhelming but incredibly exciting at the same time. I arrived from Lisbon on a tiny propeller plane yesterday afternoon.

A bus took those of us who had just arrived to our hotel in the center of the city.

I showered quickly [Thank God, I needed it so bad after the flight and layover!] and had some time to myself. I figured out that there was free WiFi in the hotel which was such a pleasant surprise. (CONNECTION TO THE WORLD!!!) I was able to easily contact my parents and my boyfriend. I felt so much better after that.

I met my roommates who are both awesome and I met others in the Advanced Liberal Arts program here in Seville. Lo mas dificil es usar solamente el espanol! (The most difficult thing is using only Spanish!)

A lot of others had horror stories about delayed flights, layovers and lost luggage so I felt much better about my situation. (In fact I felt lucky!) I know that I got really upset in Lisbon but that was my breaking point. I did not cry that much leaving -very surprising for me! – so arriving in Portugal was very emotional.

It’s been a little hard adjusting but I’m trying! For example, dinner last night was good. Breakfast today was great. Lunch was horrible and then dinner tonight was…different. (But delicious, nonetheless!) For dinner we all shared “tapas” (little appetizer dishes). We had a variety of different foods: calamari, omelets, chicken and potatoes and more….We even had our first Sangria!

Food is just one of the many things to adjust to here in Spain. The sleep schedule has been hard to adjust, too. Also, it has been weird to be semi-disconnected. (Although not as disconnected as I thought). Not constantly updating my facebook status is strange and not having all of my wonderful group texts or texts from my boyfriend makes me feel lonely sometimes. Miss you guys!

Tonight was great, though. First we walked to a restaurant and ate tapas for dinner like I said. This was my first experience seeing the city. It is beautiful but it seems so different. Everything reminds me of a movie-set! It all just seems way too good to be true. We walked around some more. We passed the amazing Catedral. This moment was incredible. Pictures will never do this justice but I will post one for you all to see anyway! 

Afterward, we got to see a “flamenco” show. These dancers were incredibly talented and it was so amazing to see this traditional piece of Spanish culture. It didn’t hurt that the dancing reminded me of the perfect mix of “Happy Feet” and Beyonce, either! 

Even though it isn’t even 7:00pm at home, it is time for me to go to sleep. Another early and long day tomorrow! I get to meet my host mother and her daughter who I will be living with for the duration of the semester! I am so excited to meet my Spanish family and move into my homestay!

Buenas noches, xxoo

Location: Hotel Hesperia, Seville, Spain

Arriving at Newark Airport yesterday and boarding my flight to Europe did not give me the feelings I had anticipated. I thought I would be excited or at least scared. But the reality of where my life was taking me did not hit me yet. Of course I had butterfiles during lift-off because flying is frightening but it was not the “Oh my goodness I’m actually on my way to live in Spain for 6 months” butterflies…just the “Wow, this is SCARY” butterflies.

Even during the flight reality had not set in. I had a row to myself (I know! I got lucky!) But I still could not get comfortable enough to sleep. I watched a movie at first…then I just watched the blue screen that confirmed to me just how scary air travel is. The screen told me the altitude, speed, ETA…everything! 40,000 feet in the air? 600 mph??! AHH!!

Here’s where reality finally sets in…

Eventually-like 7 torturous hours later!- I arrived in Lisbon. I made my way through customs (I think that’s what that was?), went through a security checkpoint, found out my gate number for my next flight from a transfer desk (I will board after this 8 hour layover!) and then FINALLY I just wanted to call my boyfriend and my parents…simple right??? NO!

I tried the pay phone, I tried the thing next to the pay phone with a fancy touchscreen. I tried credit card, euros, collect calls, operators…EVERYTHING. I could not get through. An automated operater kept talking in my ear and I wanted it to stop. I just wanted to dial! Then I had a real operator but that was not helpful either because we could not understand each other. I was flustered and frustrated. I finally had to step away to let others in line use the phone. I asked a couple if they knew how I could use the phone to call home. They did not speak English but they spoke Spanish and French and between the two languages we were able to communicate and they directed me to a store in the airport where I could buy a calling card. Unfortunately, they did not have calling cards to the U.S… why would they right?!! Such luck I have.

But they did have a cyber cafe. So I bought an hour…and now I am on my second hour (yes I wrote an entire blog in the last hour but my time ran out and I lost it! Now, I,m trying again!) I emailed my family to let them know I was safe in Lisbon and I have been trying to reach my boyfriend. I miss home so much already. I know this is going to be hard.

As pathetic as this might all seem, I have now realized just how dependent I am on my iPhone. No WiFi is like a slap in the face. I’m so used to the instant gratification of constant internet access whether through 3G or WiFi. Life without it is…hard. Okay, I am being very dramatic! But, disconnecting is going to be very hard for me…but it will be just one of the many things I have to adapt to through this experience.

But dear God I cannot wait to get to Spain. Portuguese is so hard to try to understand! Wish me luck!

More later from Seville!

Jenn

Location: Lisbon, Portugal (Lisbon International Airport)

Words can’t describe the excitement I feel for this upcoming adventure. I have studied the Spanish language since the second grade and I am ready for a new challenge. I am studying through the CIEE Advanced Liberal Arts program which means that I will take my classes at la Universidad de Sevilla.

Location: University Park, PA