Random Happenings

Hola todos!

Well, today is Thursday and I am officially on my 5-day weekend break. I'm not really quite sure why I have so many days off, but I guess I won't ask any questions. Many people from school are traveling this weekend, but I decided to stay put, as a trip would have been a little too expensive for my liking since this weekend is a European holiday and EVERYONE is traveling. So this weekend I think I'll be doing some exploring of Sevilla. Additionally, Dana and I are on a quest to find a Mexican Restaurant. We know that they exist in Sevilla, but we're just not quite sure where to find one yet, but I'll let you know when we do. There is also a "Festival of Nations" going on in the city center with a bunch of vendors and international food, so I believe we'll check that out at as well.

Of recent, I have met with my intercambio (an intercambio is someone you are paired up with so you can teach the local person english and they can help you practice your spanish). My intercambio's name is Jaime. I believe he is either 26 or 27 years old and he has been living in Sevilla his entire life. I was telling him about my family and how my brother flies helicopters for the Army and he was so excited to hear this as he works for General Dynamics as an industrial engineer, and they make the tanks that are used in Afghanistan. Needless to say, he's a very smart guy and his English is pretty near perfect. We walked around the city for about an hour and he showed me the Plaza de Espana which was breathtaking! We plan to meet at some point this weekend so he can show me more of Seville!

As many of you know, I take the bus to school every day. The bus in Seville is probably my least favorite form of transportation as the schedule for the bus I take is so sporadic. Many times I find myself sprinting for the bus, waiting a 1/2 hour for the bus, or JUST missing it. At least I'm getting some exercise in, right? Anyways, on Tuesdays and Thursdays I get the bus after lunch and I always have the same driver. He has come to know me by my first name now and he's very nice! He knows me so well because I was always messing up my bus ticket when I would get on the bus when school initially started. You're supposed to say "un salto" which means one jump (don't ask me how jumping got involved in riding a bus), and it charges you about 4 extra cents. So I'd always forget to say it, and eventually he would just laugh about it. Now he knows my face and knows that I need "un salto," so it's really pretty fabulous. When I get off at school he says "hasta luego!" and it makes my day.

Home life is going really well. I've been having more in-depth conversations with my family and I am learning a lot from them. I make sure that every time I don't know a word, I'll look it up in the dictionary and write it down so I'll be able to remember it in the future. My host parents actually remind me a lot of my grandparents. Manolo always gets dressed up to go to neighborhood functions, and it reminds me of Pops and how he'd always be looking handsome on every occasion. Juani is a huge reader, so I see Nana in her. I swear that just about every other night that I sit down and eat dinner with her, she's reading a new book. Of course, Juani is also very religious, which reminds me of all of my grandparents. Every Sunday when we go to church she always tells me that she has said a prayer for my entire family, and it really touches my heart. Juani is also a wonderful cook, which reminds me a lot of Gram. Although, I don't think Juani's meatballs will ever compare to Gram's, but I'm just thankful I at least get meatballs on rare occasion!

All in all, everything is going great! Mom just sent me a package this week, so I'm looking forward to its arrival because I'm pretty positive the package contains candy corn inside amongst other wonderful things :) Oh yes, I forgot to mention my second quest. A quest for peanut butter--Spaniards really have no idea that peanut butter even exists, but I've heard that it is sold in a specific grocery store, so I think I might have to go find some so I can put it on my toast for breakfast in the morning! That's about all for now. I hope everyone has a lovely long weekend and that you're all staying warm--Mom and Dad told me that it's getting a bit chilly back home. I wouldn't doubt it for a second. Afterall, it IS the Berkshires. Love and prayers to all.

Besos,
Lindsay