I'll be home for Christmas!

The most anticipated day of my year is almost here, and I'm not talking about Christmas, although I'm looking forward to all of the Christmas festivities!  December 20th has been at the back of my mind throughout these past three months.  I remember in October the date seemed so far away and I often wondered if I could make it here until Christmas break.  With one day standing in front of the 20th, I think it's safe to say that I made it!  Lately I've been reflecting on everything that has happened so far in Spain.  I look back on things that happened in the beginning and my initial thoughts and feelings make perfect sense to me.  Of course some of my worst memories are of the first days and weeks here.  I was alone in a brand new country, jet lagged, my Spanish was rusty, etc.  Again, I'll say thanks to everyone back home who encouraged me to stay.  It would have been so easy to have hopped on a plane and thrown all of my dreams away.  And, as many times I said I wanted to go home, I honestly knew I wouldn't leave.  After thinking about all of the time and energy I put into coming here, I was bound and determined to have a good experience.  While the experience hasn't been as glamorous as I envisioned, it has definitely been rewarding and it will forever have a great impact on my life.   I have learned so many valuable life lessons in these months.  It reminds me of a quote I saw before embarking on my journey.  "I met a lot of people in Europe.  I even encountered myself."  I find this quote to be very meaningful now, especially since I feel this trip has allowed me to learn more about myself.  Once you take away the familiar, you're forced to discover the things that make you thrive.  I don't feel I've changed a great deal on this trip, I've just come into focus.  I always knew myself, but now I have more confidence in who I am, and with that comes a greater self respect.  I've now hopped on the bandwagon for study abroad and I recommend it to anyone in search of a once in a lifetime opportunity.  I'll pass along some words of caution, it may not be easy, but it'll be extremely rewarding.  When I board the plane on Saturday morning, words can't express how happy I will be to go home for the holidays.  I'll also be happy thinking about what lies ahead in Spain, more adventures and more stories.  I'll admit I might shed some tears when boarding the plane back to Spain. But, as my Spanish professor said, everyone always comes back to Granada, she'll always have a place in your heart.  At first I was a bit skeptical as to whether it really applied to me.  As I'm getting ready to leave,  I do find myself with some sentimental feelings toward this place that has been my home away from home.  

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and look forward to seeing many of you during my time home!

More to come in 2009! 

I'm dreaming tonight

Of a place I love

Even more than I usually do.

And although I know

It's a long road back

I promise you

I'll be home for Christmas.

You can count on me.

Please have snow and mistletoe.

And presents under the tree.

Christmas Eve will find me 

Where the love-light gleams.

I'll be home for Christmas

If only in my dreams.

Let it Snow!

Last night, I was in the middle of packing my bag (can you tell I'm getting excited?), when all of a sudden I heard many students screaming and hollering outside. I had no clue what was going on and why so many people would be outside at 8:30 on a Sunday night. Was there an exciting futbol game? Are the Spanish just really loud people? My friend Marta soon knocked on my door and informed me, "esta nevando!" And suddenly, everything made perfect sense! We all ran outside and joined the other students who were admiring the snow. It reminded me of last year at UNCG when we got some unexpected snow in February and all the students were out playing in the snow. I guess no matter where you are, snow generates excitement!

Field Trip

My history class, Historia Moderna de Espana, went on a trip Friday to Priego de Cordoba and Alcala la Real. This was the first of five trips throughout the academic year. I'm sure the trip was very educational, but to four foreign girls who are still learning the language, it was rather boring. Okay, the first three churches were interesting, but by the seventh church I had lost some interest. The weather didn't help make the trip more enjoyable. It was seriously one of the coldest days we've had so far, and I only had a lightweight jacket. Oh well, you live and you learn! I'll definitely check the weather before heading out again. Overall, the trip was fun thanks to my foreign friends. Part of the fun was being clueless most of the time and getting weird looks from the Spanish students.


The first church in Priego de Cordoba


Alcala la Real


Typical Spanish street


History Friends from Wales & Finland


Christmas tree in Alcala la Real

Meet Me in Madrid!

This past weekend Spain celebrated two holidays, Dia de la Constitucion and La Inmaculada Concepcion, which meant students had a nice long weekend.  It just so happened that my friend, Krista, who was studying abroad in London, finished her program the week before.  Krista wanted to see Spain before she headed back, and I was all for seeing a friend!  We decided on Madrid and the next thing I knew I was purchasing a bus ticket.  I have to admit that before I left on Friday, I was a little anxious about the whole thing.  Had I been too lofty thinking I could just hop on a bus and go to a big city by myself?  Or maybe it was one of the many horror stories I'd heard...  I'm pleased to say I made it to Madrid, saw the sights, and I lived to tell about it!

Friday, my bus left at 7 AM (!) and I arrived in Madrid five hours later.  The bus ride was far better than I had expected.  My iPod, a nap, and a 30 minute stop helped make the time go by faster.  I enjoyed looking out the window and seeing different parts of Spain.  Once I arrived in Madrid and checked into my hostel, I had lunch and walked around before calling Aunt Wanda's friend's mother, who lives in Madrid.  Sra. Vizoso was nice enough to let me spend a few hours with she and her husband, Kiko.  They were a very sweet, older couple who were interested in hearing about my time thus far in Spain.  It was fun talking with them and practicing my Spanish!  (Kiko doesn't speak English!)  We looked at pictures of their children and grandchildren while eating turron, a popular Christmas sweet in Spain.  There was a bit of confusion as to how I would get back to the hostel.  We spread my map out on the table while Kitty and Kiko used a magnifying glass to read the street names.  Kiko would point to a street and I would tell him the name.  "Calle Canalejas," I would say  and Kiko would say "ahhh Jose Canalejas....," as if he were an old friend.  I ended up taking the metro bus back to Puerta del Sol which was close to my hostel.  I'll never forget my visit to Kitty and Kiko's house, and their hospitality.  What an adorable couple!  I arrived back to the hostel exhausted and in desperate need of a siesta.  After a short siesta, I met a girl from Massachusetts who was staying in my room.  We talked for a while and then went to dinner at a sandwich place with over 100 different sandwiches.  We met a guy from Australia who was in Spain on "business" but seemed to be in search of a good party.  Oh, the people you meet!  

Krista arrived Saturday afternoon and we had a good time catching up.  It was really quite weird to see someone from home.  That's one of the hardest things about studying abroad, while I have friends here, I don't have a friend who I've known longer than three months.  Some of the highlights of my weekend were just talking and laughing, and boy did we do a lot of that! We didn't do as much as planned on Saturday because we were both worn out.  We did, however, make it to the Prado since it had free admission on Constitution Day.  It's a remarkable museum, but like most great museums, there's no way you can see it all in one day.  

We went to the Reina Sophia museum on Sunday, it's free admission day.  This was a really interesting museum and I'd love to go back someday.  We saw Picasso's Guernica, which was impressive.  I didn't realize how huge it is, it practically covers the entire wall!  It even had two guards who were quick to scold anyone who moved close to the platform in front of the painting.  It seemed there was a sensor that detected cameras and it would make a loud sound if anyone tried to take a picture, even without the flash.  After the museum, we walked over to Palacio Real, the Royal Palace.  I was surprised they didn't have guards in front like at Buckingham Palace.  We  found a great place for "lunch" at 5:00.  We had so much fun that we stayed 3 hours!  When we left at 8 we sort of forgot that we had just eaten lunch and not dinner.  I think it's safe to say the Spanish are rubbing off on me.  We had planned to do something extra fun Sunday night, but unfortunately it down poured, in fact it rained every day.  

Monday, we got up early and I checked out of the hostel. We walked over to the Parque del Buen Retiro, the famous park in Madrid.  I imagine it probably looks a lot prettier in the spring or summer.  Afterward, we went in some shops before it was time for me to leave.

I'm so thankful it worked out for us to meet in Madrid.  It was nice to reflect on life abroad with a friend.  I think we have a new found sense of pride for our country.  Sometimes it's easy to forget that all of the basic American beliefs and principles have not reached other countries.  

Thanks for a fun weekend in Madrid, Krista!  Hope you're having a wonderful time in Paris!

Outside of our hostel 

Plaza Mayor

posing in the plaza, this place was packed!! 

Christmas venders fill the plaza 

Reina Sophia Museum

Krista and I inside the museum

in front of Palacio Real 

Cafe con leche

Parque del Buen Retiro 

"Meme"

Last week my cousin, Susannah, tagged me to do a "meme."  As Susannah said, it has nothing to do with our grandmother, who is also known as "meme."  Apparently it's a new, fun "game" for bloggers.  A trip to Madrid and a Spanish exam kept me from posting it earlier! Better late than never!

The rules: Link to the person who tagged you. Post the rules on your blog. Write 6 random things about yourself. Tag 6-ish people at the end of your post. Let each person know he/she has been tagged (or let them get tagged by reading your blog). Let the tagger know when your entry is posted.

Here it goes!

1. Music gets me through the day!  Anyone that knows my dad, knows he loves music and has quite a collection of CD's.  I think he must have passed his love of music on to me.  Often I find myself with my music cranked up, and I can't help but smile and think I am my father's daughter.  

2. I love little kids.  They bring so much joy to life, and they have such a different perspective on the world.  I've missed not being around any children in Spain, even though it is fun watching the adorable Spanish children. 

3. I am a person who likes structure!  Before studying abroad, I might have been hesitant to say I really enjoyed structure and order.  Three months in Spain have made realize how much I appreciate and need structure!

4.  I put a lot of thought into just about everything.  I can spend hours trying to find the perfect card or the perfect gift for someone.  Even in the grocery store I put a lot of thought into everything I'm buying.

5.  I have a crazy memory.  I never really thought anything of it until high school.  People would start recalling events and I'd be able to give a detailed account of everything that happened.  It seriously surprised me that others didn't remember the same things.  Maybe it's because I'm such an observant person?

6.  In order for me to truly learn something, I must teach it to myself.   A whiteboard is my best friend right before an upcoming exam.  I know I truly understand the material if I can explain it to myself without looking at my notes.  

Unfortunately, most of my friends haven't started blogging yet, so I don't have anyone to tag! I'll let Krista off the hook since she's in a hostel in Paris right now! 

Cena de Bienvenida Carlos V

Friday night I attended the welcome dinner for students here in Carlos V Residence Hall. The event began with a few words from the director of the dorm. From what I understood, she gave some stats about the dorm. At one point she began to talk about what cities in Spain most students were from, she even added we have some foreigners living in the dorm. Who knew? Apparently one student questioned this information, and the director assured him she was right, while making eye contact with me. Quite a few people also looked at me... Just when I thought I was starting to fit in with the Spaniards! After her brief speech, we walked over to the cafeteria for the dinner which was surprisingly good. Unfortunately, students started smoking in the cafeteria completely ignoring the no smoking signs. Beer was also served at the dinner, but then again it's served everyday at lunch. It seems strange thinking back to UNCG's zero tolerance policy with alcohol, and here the school is actually providing the alcohol. Anyway, the dinner was fun and gave me a chance to meet some new people. I met a girl from Russia who seemed to be looking for a friend. Some girls from Jordan, who live on my hall, also came up to me and said they didn't know anyone there. I talked to them and then introduced them to Jose Luis, Marta and some other Spaniards. A big group of us ended up talking and we were actually the last ones to the leave the dinner. Before leaving we took a quick picture of our group.



We are the world!
Representing Jordan, The United States, Spain & Russia.

I get by...

...with a little help from my friends!


Amigos: Jose Luis and Marta


Even though I met Jose Luis and Marta over a month ago, it seems we're just now starting to become good friends. Maybe they were a bit shy at first, wary of the foreign girl. Nevertheless, it's interesting to watch the stages of a friendship. We went to lunch together everyday for a month, but that was about it. A quick lunch, then everybody said "hasta luego" and I wouldn't see them again until the next day. This was extremely difficult because I felt everyday I only saw "friends" for about thirty minutes. Something happened this week, and I'm not sure what it was, but I started to notice we were spending more time in the cafeteria. It seemed we had reached the point in a friendship where we wanted to be around each other. There isn't a better feeling, especially when you're alone in a foreign country, than knowing you have people who care about you, and will be there if you need something.


A few words about my new friends:

Jose Luis is a chemical engineering student from Cordoba. I met him in the computer lab while having trouble with the Spanish keyboard. He was even nice enough to go with me to the office to figure out why the internet wasn't working in my room. He speaks some English which is pretty unusual among students in the dorm. Sometimes I feel his English is improving more than my Spanish! Most times I do try to speak in Spanish and he speaks in English. We're convinced we'll have each other's language mastered by the end of the year!

Marta, also from Cordoba, studies psychology. This is her first year at university and she recently turned 18. Jose Luis and Marta's fathers work together at the post office in Cordoba. Marta's English is pretty limited, therefore I'm forced to practice my Spanish daily. Some days we are lost in translation, and we start laughing because we have no clue what the other person is trying to say. Who knew learning a language could be so much fun?

I feel so fortunate to have met such kind, caring students here in the dorm.
Muchas gracias, Jose Luis y Marta!

Spanish 101

As I've noted in several other posts, I can truly tell my Spanish is improving. I feel like I've already learned more here than I would have learned in a semester Spanish class in the United States. And, I'm not only learning in my classes! In fact, sometimes I feel I'm learning more outside of the classroom. It's easy to pick up on little words, phrases, or expressions in daily conversation.

So, if you plan on visiting Spain, I suggest you learn these words/phrases:

Vale:
translates to OK in English and is used all the time! I had actually never heard it before coming to Spain. Needless to say, I quickly added it to my vocabulary.

Venga:
from the verb venir, to come. It's often used when saying "bye" to someone. From what I can tell it's similar to "later."

No pasa nada: Nothing happened!
An appropriate response to "i'm sorry."

No te preocupes: Don't worry!
I've heard this a lot since arriving in Spain. I'm not sure if it's because the Spanish are so relaxed or I'm always stressed! I'll let you decide.

Weekends

As many of you know, weekends in Granada are especially difficult since my friends in the dorm go home every chance they get. I've been persuading them to stay one weekend but so far I haven't been successful. I'm happy to report that this weekend wasn't so tough. I'm hoping they only get easier from here on out!

On Friday afternoon, after discovering a couple Euros in my room, I treated myself to coffee at my favorite coffee shop, Coffee Belle. The lady now recognizes me which is a plus because she gave me a discount on my coffee. Afterward, I went over to a store nearby where the lady also recognizes me. I find it really interesting just to talk to these people and learn about their lives. Also, it's a great way to practice my Spanish with natives! I then headed over to El Corte Ingles, for some grocery shopping and browsing. I always like to stop for a perfume tester since I left all of my perfume at home.

Saturday I slept late then met a girl from my Spanish class at Plaza Isabel, a great meeting place here! We wanted to try the movie theater out. It seemed to be a good idea as many other people were also at the theater. We ended up seeing Nights in Rodanthea dubbed in Spanish. It was crazy to see a movie set in North Carolina! Whenever a car was shown in the movie it always had NC license plates. There were also a couple letters shown that had NC addresses on them. After the movies, it was almost dinner time (8 o'clock!) so we headed to one of the many restaurants in the mall. This mall has the only Mexican restaurant I've seen in Granada. It's funny how many people think Spanish food is the same as "Mexican" food. Our dinner was pretty good and I also learned from the girl that there's a church in Granada with a large student membership. I think I'll try it out next weekend!


Sunday, today, was a pretty typical Sunday afternoon. I worked on homework and laundry all afternoon. I had a brief scare with the washing machine, which took 2 hours to wash one load of clothes! Thankfully, everything's okay now and my clothes are safe, and clean!


Stay tuned for next weekend-- I'll be reporting on our "Welcome Dinner" in the dorm!

Granada: Home Sweet Home?

I had good intentions of writing about my first month here and now it seems the second month is quickly approaching. Obviously this is a good sign that things have picked up and it's no longer so difficult! Even though I still have hard days, I feel like I somewhat belong here now. I'm really starting to appreciate the little things about Granada. I enjoy that Granada has a big city feel yet it's small enough to find your way around. Also, with the large number of international students it's quite easy to meet a new person every day. This also means that whenever I'm out in the city I usually run into at least one person I've met. I've met so many people now I often have to stop and think where I met someone (the line at the police station? in passing at the international office?). As the time passes I can definitely tell my Spanish is improving. When I arrived I was able to communicate and get my point across. Now I feel I am able to have more of a conversation with someone. All of this leaves me feeling confident about my decision to study abroad. What a difference a month makes!




Plaza Isabel




Parque del Triunfo




My facultad



Monastery in front of my dorm




The front of my dorm




My building




My room

Si se puede!

The day draws to a close in Spain and students get ready to call it a night. However, light still shines in habitacion 5106. Others will wait for the news tomorrow, but not this girl transplanted on foreign soil. Tonight she is in a different time zone and her heart bleeds red, white, and blue.



Memorable moments from my "election day"
Despite being far away from home, the impact of the U.S. election is certainly felt here in Spain. While people are not as tuned in to the election as Americans, everyone seems to be aware that the outcome will have a worldwide effect.

I was determined to bring up the election as much as possible today. Most of the reactions were about what I had expected. Some people smiled politely but showed no real interest when I mentioned today was the U.S. Election. Others seemed curious and were eager to know when the winner would be announced. A cafeteria worker caught me off guard by saying, "your country has an election today." A librarian asked,"Obama or McCain?"

Overall, I was a bit disappointed more wasn't said about the election today. I hoped a professor might mention it in class or a classmate might ask about it. Thank goodness for the internet so I can stay connected and follow the latest news!



A new day begins to unfold in Spain, while states are awarded back home. The foreign girl grows sleepy but knows breaking news could arrive any minute. Tomorrow she'll plan for a siesta.

Ronda

Last weekend I went on a trip to Ronda, a small town in the Malaga Province. Only one hundred students went this time instead of the usual three hundred. Unfortunately, it rained again which made it difficult to tour. I met a Slovakian boy on the bus and later we met up with girls from Chile and France. We had a ticket to see five sites in Ronda but only made it to two. It seems the museums also close from 2-5.


Puente Nuevo

Michael, Charlotte, myself, Alejandra


A museum in Ronda


Arab Baths


Sheep passing by


Puente Viejo


Ronda, a mountainous town, much different from Granada


a view of Ronda, it's getting ready to storm

Confessions of a Study Abroad Student

As I approach the one month mark here in Spain, I want to take a moment to reflect on things. I'm trying to keep this blog as candid as possible in order to give you an accurate depiction of how things are going for me. While it might not be the most exciting blog post, I think I will enjoy rereading it in the upcoming months to remember what it was like in the beginning. I'll start by saying things are definitely better than they were at first. I'm now familiar with Granada and know how to get to all the important places (e.g. the grocery store, the department store, main streets and landmarks). I now know people in the dorm and feel like they genuinely care about me and want to help. I've also straightened out most of the problems I encountered when I arrived. Having said all that, it seems like I should be feeling pretty good about things. For the most part I do feel good about things and I have confidence that I can make it. However, there are still difficult days where it seems like I'm running a marathon and the finish line is not in sight. Days like this I do still wonder why I chose to come to a foreign place for a whole year and take classes in a foreign language. Other days I'm the exact opposite, I'm excited to be here and feel so confident that I can do it. I'm guessing it's pretty normal to feel this way at first. I've searched the internet and read many articles on study abroad where students gave similar accounts. I do think it will be worth it in the end and this motivates me to get up and tackle another day.

Bar Hopping and a Trip to Cordoba

The international students group had two outings last week, a Tapas tour and a day trip to Cordoba. I was curious to see Cordoba since I had done a project on the city in high school. I decided to go on the Tapas tour at the last minute because I really wanted to get out of my dorm room. It turned out not to be a "tour" but bar hopping without much of a guide. At the first bar we ordered tinto de verano, similar to Sangria and very popular among Spaniards. We received mini hamburgers and french fries for our food. In Granada, if you order a drink you receive free food. A Spanish girl described it as the restaurant giving you a present. (After eating at too many pricey restaurants, I see that it is a good deal. You pay about 2 Euros for a drink and food. In most restaurants 10 Euros is the common price for one dish! ) When we finished eating we looked around to see other students with bored looks as well. At the other end of the table the "guides" sat smoking, drinking, and eating. About 30 minutes later we left the bar and headed to another one on the same street. Streets are filled with tapas bars which makes it quite easy to hop from one to another. I ended up leaving the second bar early because I had to get up the next morning and register for classes. The tapas trip didn't turn out to be too educational but at least I was able to get out for a while.

Saturday I went with the international students to Cordoba which was a bit of a disappointment due to the rainy weather. It seems the trip was slightly unorganized. The man in charge kept asking us what time it was. A British girl said you think a man in charge of 250 students would have a watch! We did see the main attractions in Cordoba, La Mezquita and Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos.

La Mezquita

Another view

Inside La Mezquita with the "candy cane" arches

Outside of Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos

A view of Cordoba

I voted!

When weighing the pros and cons of studying abroad this year, I have to admit that missing voting in my first presidential election was on my cons list.  I knew I could vote absentee ballot, but there's something about being home on election night.  Also, it was a little hard this year with a candidate who really appeals to me.  Nevertheless, I chose to study abroad because it's a once in a lifetime opportunity and presidential elections are every four years.  I did vote last week, thanks to Daddy, who worked hard to get me an absentee ballot.  I'm not sure he would have been so helpful if I were a McCain supporter!  Anyway, voting in a foreign country had it's own excitement.  The two boys who witnessed my ballot were "so happy to be signing something so important."  They also asked me many questions about the election process in the U.S.  Try explaining the electoral college in Spanish!  While it was sort of fun voting here, it won't be the same as watching the election returns with Daddy, glued to the TV.   But, you can bet that I'll be glued to my laptop eagerly awaiting the big news.  And hopefully there will be reason to celebrate!

A Day at the Beach

This Saturday I spent the day at Cabo de Gata, a natural park and beach in the Almeria Province.  The trip was organized by the International Students Association.  It was nice to get away from the city and be able to relax for a day.  About 200 international students went, so it was a great opportunity to meet new people.  I sat on the bus with a girl from Germany who was very nice.  She too had a rough start in Spain, and had come on the trip to get out and meet some people.  I ran into the British girls I met at the orientation and we all hung out together.  I'm glad I went but I was exhausted after the day long trip.  

Here are some pictures from the trip:

San Jose, a town near the beach

Another view of San Jose 

Cabo de Gata 

mountains + ocean! 

Another view showing all the beach goers! 

Mediterranean Sea

New friends from L to R: Antonia (Germany), Daisy (England), myself, Lucy (Canada), Melanie (Switzerland)

Livin La Vida Loca

While things are improving for me, I still find myself having to adjust to the culture.  As most people know, Spain is considered to be a fairly relaxed country.  Before coming here I thought I could handle being a little late and taking a few naps.  In fact, I thought that sounded pretty nice. I'm coming to find out it's more than just naps and being late.  Spain really lacks the structure I'm accustomed to back in the United States.  Things are disorganized and no one really seems worried if something gets done.  The common feeling is not to worry and wait until tomorrow.  I can appreciate this attitude but I'm curious how anything gets done here.  I'm hopeful things do get done eventually, especially since I haven't been able to register for classes yet.  I don't mean to sound as though I'm bashing Spain because I am starting to like it here. It's simply frustrating that everything seems so disorganized.  Maybe this is just my experience or the university here in Granada. 

I'll share one of my particularly crazy days in Spain.

• I forced myself to get up and go to my history of Spain class at 10 AM.  This was my second day in the class. I made it on time and went into the classroom right at 10.  There were several other people in class but certainly not the 60 I had seen on the previous day. Slowly people began to leave.  I walked over to a girl who happened to be British and asked her what was going on.  She had no idea either and we waited until 10:30 before leaving.  I was confused as to how 60 students and the professor all decided not to come to class that day.   
• Next, I was supposed to go to the international relations office to talk to a woman named Beatriz.  I had talked to her multiple times before and she was always very kind and helpful. She even gave me her cell phone number in case I needed to get up with her after office hours.  I had called her the night before and told her how the cafeteria said I wasn't on the list of students who could eat dinner.  I added that I had been having problems registering for classes.  She said not to worry she would call the dorm and get my name on the list for dinner and she would help me choose some classes to take.  I felt much better and thought maybe things are finally working out. 
• I arrived at the international office and found Jose the man I've been dealing with.  I explained how Beatriz said they could help.  He took care of the dinner situation but said Beatriz knew more about the classes.  He told me to come back at 1 PM and I could talk to Beatriz.
• I went back at 1 and told the man at the front desk I needed to talk to Beatriz.  He said, "Beatriz doesn't work here anymore."  And honestly, I wasn't that surprised.  Of course she would quit on the same day she was supposed to help me.  I went to the back and told Jose that Beatriz didn't work there anymore.  He got very upset and assured me she did and wanted to speak with the person who told me that.  He spoke with some women at the front and then told me, "Well, you're right, she doesn't work here anymore."  

I'm hoping this is not the typical day in Spain.  However, I was able to laugh and I still find it quite humorous.  It seems I never know what to expect on any given day.  

October 1st is finally here!

When I arrived in Granada it seemed the answer for everything was October 1st.  When do I register for classes?  October 1st.  When do classes start?  October 1st.  When does the cafeteria open?  You guessed it, October 1st!  Well, somehow I survived my first two weeks in Spain.  I can't believe how independent I have become and already I find myself learning to appreciate Spain.  I keep reminding myself that even though I'm here for the whole year, in the grand scheme of things one year isn't that long.  This will be a once in a lifetime opportunity and I need to make the most of it!  Also, I remind myself that most people coming to a foreign country and taking classes in a foreign language would have difficulties at first.  I'm so glad I was able to stick it out the first two weeks.  Thanks to Mama and Daddy for encouraging me to stay even on the hardest days.  Things began to improve when people started arriving to the dorm.  Yesterday I met Claudia a girl who lives across the hall from me.  She, like most students here in the dorm, is at college for the first time.  She told me she couldn't sleep because she was so worried about starting college classes.  She was one of the first people who was sympathetic and seemed to understand I was far away from home and might be a little sad.  I am so thankful to have such a nice neighbor.  Already she has invited me to go home with her one weekend.  I might just take her up on it since she's from Malaga, a beautiful coastal city.  Tonight I was supposed to meet Claudia and some other students in a girl's room.  I was afraid to find a room full of people smoking and drinking.  When I went in the room, I saw everyone sitting around watching TV on a laptop.  I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Grey's Anatomy on the screen!  In the room, I met a girl from Mexico whose father is Spanish.  She explained she has dual citizenship in Mexico and Spain and decided to come to Spain for college.  Everyone kept telling me they thought my Spanish was really good.  Claudia kept saying, in Spanish of course, "I keep telling her she speaks really well."  They all say in a month my Spanish will be even better and I won't have problems understanding them.  I am so excited to think how much my Spanish will improve after the year in Spain.  I really believe this is the way to do it.  Go to a foreign place by yourself and live with the natives.  I have to use my Spanish because they don't speak English.  I find myself wanting to spend more time with Spaniards than Americans because when I'm with Americans we always resort to English.  Words can't express how happy I am that things have improved and I might turn out to love Spain after all.  I know my hard days might not be over, but at least now I have friends who want to help me.  I am confident this year will be so rewarding in ways I might not even realize now.  

First Week in Granada

Saying goodbye at the airport!

Finding my flight, it's on time!

Note: This entry was written on Wednesday, September 24, 2008, after one week in Granada. Some information has changed since then. I will provide you with an updated entry soon.

As many of you know by now, my first week in Spain has been tough. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to say goodbye to home and the familiar. I am currently adjusting to a new environment while using a foreign language. Initially, I had imagined arriving to find a beautiful country filled with the nicest people. Upon arriving in Madrid, I began to realize I might not find Spain to fit my definition of beautiful, especially after passing rows of smoking rooms at Barajas Airport. While I might not use beautiful to describe Granada now, I will simply say that it is different. Different is not necessarily a good or bad thing. But, it's not home and that has been the hardest part. When I walk out in the city, I am not greeted with Southern hospitality, in fact, I am lucky to receive a greeting at all. I feel it would have been easier if I had arrived closer to the beginning of the school year. There are still not many people in my dorm and I have not seen anyone on my hall. However, I am starting to see students moving in now. It is a little hard to watch them move in because it reminds me of moving in to my dorm room last year. Like these students, I had many bags and the help of my parents. Now, I am alone in Spain, far away from loved ones back home. On a positive note, I do feel my Spanish is improving which is one of the main reasons I'm here. Do I ever wish I had not decided to spend the year abroad? Sure. Have I wanted to go home? Absolutely. Do I love Spain? Not yet. It is still early, though, and I'm reminded daily that everyone has trouble at first. UNCG has a saying on the study abroad website: Explore the world... Discover yourself. And if I gain a greater understanding of myself on this trip, I think it will be well worth my time.