Monday, September 26, 2011

Pictures!!

Phineas and Ferb was in the theatres here!

One of the pools where I swim.  




Again, I don't know how to flip it.  But this was my first day of school pic.

Chippiona





Isn't this tile pretty?

This was just the most beautiful flower.

Currently my profile picture:)

Amen.

Ironic no?  This was totally empty. Translation: Smoking Kills.




I had to go here for a visa appointment today!  A little different than the one white room on the 15th floor in Chicago;)


Park 

Parque

Sevilla.  The above-ground metro :)

Yes.  The bull ring.


So those are all the interesting pictures I have right now.  School is going well.  I learn a few new words each day.  

-adios.


Friday, September 23, 2011

It's Typical Here. Typically awesome.

HI
How are you?

So here, in Spain, obviously........Many things are different.

(Mary Beth, a fellow AFSer who went to Spain last year, wrote a blog that really helped me mentally prepare.  Some things are different in Sevilla, but, Hi, if you are reading this, I REALLY appreciate your and Jake's blogs. They truly impacted my decision to pursue going to Spain. I can't thank you enough for sharing your experiences.)  For everyone else: http://marybeth-afs.blogspot.com/ and http://jakeinmadrid.blogspot.com/  PLEASE read these blogs about a year abroad in Spain.  They are so insightful.  Remember, these blogs are about their experiences.  And they will be different from your's should you decide to go with AFS to Espana for an exchange year.

So ok.  I do need to tell you guys a few things.
You may or may not be SHOCKED by these things.

So after my first few days in a Spanish school, I started to be more attentive.  (The first few days I didn't want to walk into the wrong classroom [which I have done in America] or trip down [OR UP!] the stairs at school.)

There are a few people, mostly males from what I have perceived, that are about 19 or 20 years old in my school.  And no, they are not siblings of any students (well they might be) or teachers.
They are actually students.  Yes.  In Segundo Bachillerato (equivalent to an American Senior) there are 20 year old students. There is a guy in my class who is 18.  Yea. I am 16.  And I do know a guy who is 15, I think he was just born at a weird time in the year.  We all know a kid who is either older or younger than us by just a few months, but you could be 14 and he or she could be 13, but you are in the same grade. But there is a THREE YEAR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS ONE STUDENT AND THE OTHER.
That's different.

And Like I said before.  When the teacher doesn't show up, there is no class.  SOOOOOOO I go with my friends to the room we were supposed to have class in and we just talk.  BUT  some kids, and kids from other studyhalls go outside.... Some just walk around the school.  SOME.............SMOKE.
Yes.  It is very common for me to see someone just puffing away on their cigarette at school.  I somtimes smell it when I am in the bathrooms.  Which gives me the memory of hearing stories from older adults, saying that they remember, back in the day,  when they would sneak off to smoke in the bathroom.  hahaha.  I think it's pretty comical.
Well this one girl was talking to me and explaining that things are different in Spain. Regarding the Smoking and drinking pastimes.
She said that the age is 18.  But no one really enforces it.  DON'T WORRY ANYONE.  I WILL NOT ENGAGE IN ANY OF THESE ACTIVITIES.
As they are grounds for my termination from the program.  Plus it technically IS breaking the law.  Another thing that we cannot do.
A girl, whose name will remain anonymous, was telling me today that she just bought a pack of cigarettes the other day.  And she is my age.  We were talking about something and it just came up.

Also, If you go to the bathroom in a Spanish school.  Well [specifically]...in MY school.  YOU have to bring your own Kleenex if you want to wipe your bottom.  Or just soil your underpants.  I am talking to the girls right now.  I learned the hard way.  So YES I know what I just said.  I WILL REMEMBER NEXT TIME.  Stop laughing or smiling if you are.  Thanks.

I go to a typical co-ed public high school if any of you are wondering.

I take the bus.  No its not like a city bus.  It's a school bus that directly drops me off with all the other kids on my route.
BUT don't go picturing the nice little, traditional yellow school buss from our favorite childhood show "The Magic School bus"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
or a ratty tatty old smelly bus.
TAH DAHHHHH!  I get to take a Coach bus to school everyday.  You know, like a Greyhound bus.  It's not shiny and brand new, but nevertheless.  SCORE.  So thats nice to have a padded seat every morning.  Granted I talk to my friends that usually sit around me.

Well there are NO lockers at my school.  It's probs not like that in every school here.  Mi colegio is a block schedule school.  So I have class A B C D E F G the first day.  THEN class A G C F R Y the next.  It varies.  Which classes is she taking you may ask? Well here:
- Fisica y Quimica or Physics and Chemistry.  (I already took chemistry in the USA so UGH  great.)
- Filosofia or Philosophy... yea I know. EWW
- Matematicas at least I understand.  Not that I am very good at the material, but I get where we are most of the time.
- Biologia or biology.  I already took that one in the USA so IDK.
- Ingles or ENGLSIH.  Easy A.  or here, it's an EASY 10.  The teacher said that she is not a dictionary.  So the kids have to ask me, not for the direct translation, but for the definition *in English.  Then they can infer what the word in English means in Spanish.  I have to explain the definition of an electric eel today.  But alas, it was not as easy as you think.  I have to speak REALLY REALLY REALLY slow.  I use my hand to try to show what I am saying. AND I have to use really SIMPLE syntax and words.  But I am thankful that my Englsih teacher is not afraid of me.  I have heard some horrible stories about English classes during an exchange year.  Yes, I have caught a few mistakes from the teacher.  She's no Mrs. Anderson, but at least I will have an easy subject this year.
- Educacion fisica or GYM (PE) just take me now lord.  I already finished this class in America.  I survived two grueling years of gym at DSHA.  But now, I have to show everyone how I can not run.  In front of boys. And gosh, I know I know.  Who cares.  BUT still.  I hope a few girls understand my pain.  I don't need this class, but I am stuck in hell for two hours each week.  And I have to behave and not make it look like I don't give a darn.  That would be rude to the teacher and set a bad example for AFS.
- Lengua Castellana or the equivelant to our English classes in America.  You know, reading, writing, grammer, books and essays.  THIS will be one of the hardest classes.  But I like the teacher.
- I have a study hall each week on 3rd period on Tuesday. SO thanks God :)
- FRANCES. Or FRENCH.  Yes, I already know how to say the basics.  But I can tell it's going to pick up soon.  This will also be one of my hardest classes.  I need to translate from spanish to english to french.  Then back again.  GREAT........ But I am kinda excited at the same time.  I sound pretty awesome when I speak my little bit of French. Not to be tooting my own horn.
- Modern Sciences.  That will be normal.  Just Science. WHICH I LIKE.
- AND I have Proyecto.  or an independent studies class.  But this one is with a group.  We need to write a 15 page paper and give a presentation about the life and music of Johann Strauss.  I only have to translate and make the paper sound REALLY good.  So that should be hard.  I like writing analytic essays.  BUT I HATEEEEE writing reports.  So translating will be good for my Spanish.  One girl wrote one of her parts already, in English.  But SORRY.  I REALLY had to correct that one.  Some words didn't make sense.  Some things were COMPLETELY random.   But the kids are just siked to have me in their group.  I think you can guess why :)

So there are all my classes.  IT will be work. But hey. I signed up for this.

A typical day of school:  (YOU'RE WELCOME FATHER)
- Get up around 7:00
- Get dressed.  "Put my face on." Gosh I look horrible in the morning.  la dadadada brush my teeth, hair, etc.
- Make my bed.
- If I didn't put my books in my backpack the night before, I get my books ready.  But I usually do that before I go to bed.
- Go downstairs.  Have breakfast.  I usually have juice.  (like a V8 fusion thing.  It's vegetables and fruit but I only taste the fruit!)  And Pan Toastado.  Or toast.  BUT not with butter.  toast with olive oil.  AND its not like bread smith bread or sarah lee bread.  Its nice, fresh, bread.  I know. I am spoiled.
- I have to leave the house by 8:00.  The bus stop is only a 2 block walk.  only 3 mins.
- Go to school
- THEN three one hour classes.  my school only has two floors. And the stairs are not much.  SO THANK GOD!  In the states,  My school has the basement, 1st floor, 2nd floor, 3rd floor.  And last year my locker was in the basement and after lunch i had a class on the 3rd floor.  I had to walk 4 stories every day for one semester.  Gosh and the stairs are steep at DSHA.
- After 3 classes is RECREO.  Just a 30 min free time where the kids eat a small sandwhich (or bocadilla as they call them) and drink a juice box.  it quite cute to see this tall and tough looking guy eating a sandwhich and drinking from a small little juice box.  But hey. they need to nourish themselves too.  i have noticed that some kids dont seem to be eating.  or maybe they scarf their food before i see them.  who knows. And yes, I staind around talking with my friends.
- After RECREO we have 3 more classes. they are all about 55ish mins in both the morning and afternoon. no yellow day, orchid day, green, day.  Blah blah blah. <--- at my school in the States we have different colored days for different schedule times.  If we have mass or a 1.5hr assembly we have a green day.  etc.
- I always have to guess which bus is mine after school.  It changes from day to day.
- I get home at 3:30ish.  School ends at like 3:00ish.
- I have lunch.  yes.  That's why we have a small snack at RECREO.
- I do my homework.
- Then if we have swim I go. It's either from 7-8 or 7-9.  Tuesdays and Thursdays we have dryland for an hour.
- Then come home.  and finish anything i have to do.  then dinner is around 9 or 10 or 10:30ish
- Go to bed.
- Repeat.

But it's a nice schedule. I like the meal times.  REALLY I do.  It's nice.

I am going old down town Sevilla, tonite with my friends.  Mis nuevos amigos.

My host-sister Marta told me today that she can tell my Spanish is getting better.
She said that she is starting to speak faster and I understand right away.
Truthfully, I knew I was starting to understand a little more.  Even after 3 weeks, but I DIDN'T realize that she was speaking faster.  SOO that's pretty awesome.

I can already tell that I will need to send a box home after my year here.  I would be in deep dodo if I had to pack everything up tonite.  It wouldn't fit.  I have a few new shirts, and Two pairs of shoes.  All for school.

Also, I love being here.  But if anyone who is reading this is contemplating a year abroad.  This is NO easy task. It is so hard.  Just ADAPTING to a new LIFE.  The food, culture, people, land, climate, city, houses, plants, animals, sounds, sights, smells, etc.  My first day of school was SO hard.  Quite awful.  So bad. I will not sugar coat it.  I walked in.  Didn't know a SOUL.  Except for my host-sister.  But she was off with her friends the moment we walked in.  BUT hey.  She's in her grade.  AND I didn't want to be depending on her.  So My host mother, Maite, introduced my to a girl right around the corner who was in my grade.  But that day, I didn't see her right away.  And I later discovered that she was not in my class.  I am with the same kids each day.  Different combinations in different classes, but ALWAYS the same kids.  So I have to make friends with them.  We are together for a whole year.  But They are very nice now.  I didn't feel the LEAST bit excepted the first day.  Yes, I did sit alone in a few of my classes.  But now, there are kids who tell me to sit next to them.  And I did get more than one invitation to hang out this weekend.  It takes A LOT OF WORK.  You are coming to Spain for school.  AFS is a school based program.  It's required that we go to school.  You can be terminated for skipping.  You do not come to Spain to party at the discotecas all week.  Most Kids that I know. DO. NOT.  You don't go to Spain to drink or smoke because you can get away with it.  You may be able to. BUT if you are caught (and GOD help you if you do) well, kiss your new Spanish life goodbye.  Spain is wonderful in many aspects.  But it is hard just leaving everything behind. I wanted to do this.  I really did.  But I DID CRY at the airport.  I think my father teared up a little.  My mom and sister were bawling.  I didn't bawl but I really had quite a few tears rolling down my cheeks.  SPAIN is SPAIN.  In my three weeks here, you can make it what you want it.
My ONE REALLY GOOD PIECE OF ADVICE RIGHT NOW:
-DO NOT. repeat. DOOOOOOO NNNNNNOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT have high expectations for your experience here.  Yes, you can expect to be homesick.  Heck I am a little homesick.  BUT that is REALLY REALLY normal.  It would NOT be normal for a kid not to be homesick at one point in their year away from home.   Yes, you can expect to not understand anything in most of your classes the first few days.   I think I looked like a deer in headlights in my Physics class the first day.  Don't expect everyone to be obsessed with your being from the USA.   Most people the first day avoided me.  Or we scared I think. The language barrier REALLY does make everything difficult.  But after 2days and a week and 2 weeks.  You will pick up a few words.  Maybe even understand what they are saying.   So Yes.  That's it on that topic.


Anyways.  THIS was a LOOOONGGGGGG post.  But I hope you enjoyed reading.  My fingers hurt form typing so much.

God Bless everyone.
Peace out.
-adios

Monday, September 19, 2011

Another post


Hola everyone!

My first day of school was hard hard hard.
Quite miserable is you ask me. 
FUTURE AFS STUDENTS!!!! Don't let that deter you in anyway.  
Thousands of kids each year, feel the way I felt.  At least I know a little bit of Spanish.
I can't imagine if I had to go to China or Thailand where I can't even say 'hi.'
But I just got home from the 3rd day of Spanish school and I’m feeling a lot better. 
A brand of hot-dogs here are quite interesting. They are like a BRIGHT pink. It's quite 
awful. My uncle owns a business that makes hotdogs, sausage, porklings, and 
all other sorts of wonderful meats. So I have REALLY high standards for my hotdogs. 
Haha oh well. 
But at least I had pizza the other night. I was dying without pizza. 
Then we got ice cream. But again, I am DYING without custard. Another thing that doesn't exist except for in good ol Wisconsin.
Well I guess the mid-western part. 
My Spanish?  I already feel that I have learned a few things. 
**********A big milestone for me: even though I make SOOOOOOO many mistakes, I feel less and less embarrassed to try to speak.**********
I like that. 

School was better.  I had to take an entrance test/quiz thing in English class
today. 
I was breezing through the thing.  I think it was British English,
because there were some crazy spelling of words.  Like mum and favourite instead
of mom and favorite. 
So I was bopping along, but then there was a conjugating
section.  I was like, um what?  I don't know how to conjugate the verb
"to tell!"
I know how to do it in Spanish because I have learned that my entire
life.
 It was about a 3rd grade grammar quiz in America.  But here, it was like a SMART KID TEST.
But I guess when a Spanish speaking kid goes to America, he or she has the same opinion of our Spanish Classes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am in the bilingual part of my grade, so philosophy class is part English too.
I also think I bombed the entrance test/quiz thing in Physics/Chem because I don't
know science Spanish.  And there were words I didn't know. 
 
I did answer one part in English tho.  I HAD TO WRITE SOMTHING!

But no homework. We had two free periods.  One in modern science
and one in biology. When the teachers don't show, it's just no class. Its' nice.

At DSHA, when Mrs. Anderson (one of my favorite teachers) is absent, we sometimes have a sub and that just complicates things.

You know how we hate having a bunch of $1 bills?  Well I have a bunch of 1e coins.  Hahahaha. but they actually are VERY good for buying candy.  I love the candy here.

The pools are in meters here. So I have to swim a lot more.  ugh I hate meters.

I am keeping a list of the cute little differences between Spain and Wisconsin.  (America in general.)  I'll wait until I have a few more things noted.  Then I'll post that entry. I Think everyone will enjoy that one.

Love you all.

-adios.
:)

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

RanDOm pIcTuREs


So much olive oil.  Need a year's supply?

My little town



The Light Switch and outlet.  Told you they were different.


Spanish Silly Bandzz



Crazy AFS'ers

Beach in Cadiz

The Guadalquivir River in Sevilla

Sevilla

A silly picture of my sister.  (My real american sis)

Poor Golf ball.  I know how ya feel.  Everything is hitting you pretty hard.  But you're in the game.  And you have to be strong and play to the best of your abilities.

Mischief.  I love this movie.  This is a REALLY random picture.

A few days after the 10 year anniversary of 9-11.  I will NEVER forget.  Also,  I am very thankful for my freedom.  I am proud to be a US citizen.  Thank you Soldiers.  I am eternally grateful to each and everyone of you.  From the Revolutionary War to the War in Iraq.




Well School starts tomorrow.  I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO nervous.  I want to go. But at the same time, I really don't want to.  But Here I go!

I got this.   

Monday, September 12, 2011

Move Along

Well it's been a week.
Just a week.
Long way to go. Many Adventures are still ahead of me.
This weekend we went to la playa in Cadiz.
It was nice.  Not as nude as Malaga.
Babies and toddlers are often naked.
Toddlers to 6 year old girls often wear a bottom but not a top. ummmm...........
And well, the women sometimes let it all show.  And some males like their ummm business so they wear itsy bitsy speedos.  Not a great look.  But it's a culture difference.  Everyone seems to be very comfortable in their own skin.  Good for them!!!

The Beach was beautiful. The sand was soft.  I took a walk with my host-mom down the beach.  And I went out and hung around with some kids a little younger than me at night.   I once stayed out til 12.45 and it was very nice not too worry about driving home.  Or a strict curfew.  City or family curfew.

The fashions I have noticed:
Yes, the women dress way nicer here.  A lot of height in the shoes.  But i haven't seen many stilettos.  A lot of wedges.  Some with cork.  Some with wood.  Some with rope.  Leather and canvas.  They are VERY in.  Also, gladiators and pretty strappy sandals.  Long skirts.  Nice tank tops.  Sunglasses.  Cross-body bags. YES THE MEN TOO.  It's a little different.  But hey! they Have to be stylin' too :)

I had an orientation in Old town Sevilla hoy.  I took many pictures.  But I'll be back and explore the city more.  It was  VERY hot today. very.  It sometimes gets to 43C or over 100.  That's common.  I get why all the floors are marble.  It keeps your feet cool and the room.

They eat so much bread.  Every meal usually has bread.  But it's REALLY good bread!!! love it.
The little Volkswagen beetles with little E.U license plates are cute.
The toilets flush fine. But you have to push a button  in the middle of the top.
The light switches are different too.  It's like a little plate that you flip? It's not a switch.  And the light switches are not very often to the right of the doorway when you enter in.  They are usually somewhere where I can't find them.  I still panic when i can't find the switch in the bathroom at home.  I wonder how long it will take to remember all the time.

Here are some pics.
-adios

The lighthouse in Cadiz

I forget the name for right now.  But it was the center in the 1929 world fair. In Sevilla.  

The flags!

The bull ring in Downtown Sevilla.

The beach in Cadiz.  Well one of the beaches.

Downtown Sevilla

The Cathedral in Sevilla

Thursday, September 8, 2011

A Quick Update

Guess who's taking 3 languages in school?
This chick.
Let's hope I will be tri-lingual by the end of the year :)

I have the classes:

- English (Umm easy? But my mom said that they speak in Spanish when they SHOULD speak in English [Just like when I am in Spanish class in America, we speak more English than Spanish!!!!!!!!])

- Castellana (Spanish) Like our English class.  They have to practice grammar and writing.  

- AND FRENCH. Great. I will have to translate from French, to Spanish, to English, Back to Spanish, to French. My brain will hurt. 



Last night we went to Cirque du Soleil!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was the 1st night in Sevilla so they had FREE popcorn and drinks.  And free CHOCOLATE.  I think I took like 5 bars.  hahahaha. Well it WAS FREE :)  Of course they show was awesome! I held my breath for some parts.   Art with the human body.


I think we are going to a beach in Cadiz this weekend.  Ahh.  Relaxing before school starts on the 15th.

Tonight is Javi's birthday party. Many people are coming.  Hopefully they will speak slow for me.  

-Adios

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Seeing a faint new pattern

Hola.
I am in Sevilla now!!! It is exactly my type of city.

I wake up eat breakfast.  Lunch is a family affair todo los dias.

I haven´t seen the old town yet. 
I bought my first piece of spanish clothing.  A red shirt.  Apparently red is an important color to have for birthdays and the holidays.

I went swimming yesterday.  Yes lap swimming.  It was great to finally exercise.  Traveling is worth it, but you can´t exercise and then I feel fat, tired, and fatigued. 

I am a little sore because I am out of shape.  Practice wasa totally easy but I´ll have to stay in the lower level for a while,
1.  So I get in shape because if I move up a level with Javi (my host brother) I will die right now.  They swim REALLY fast!!!!! And they swim a lot.
2.  I need to understand more spanish.  It is hard for me to understand as it is but in an echo-ing place with everyone talking.  It is very hard to understand the coach.

We filled out all my school forms last night.  My host dad, and Marta (sister), and I went to the colegio this morning but We have to go back tomorrow. 
It was a little weird to see boys all over the place.  I meet my gym teacher. And el Director.  Or the PRINCIPAL. 
I think he is teaching one of my classes? Who knows.

I´ll post my schedule but It does have a mix of hard and easy classes.  I think I have to read Shakespeare this year.  I don´t know if I am in an advanced english class? Who knows. 

This is all a new experience. 

It is also funny to notice a few differences between the two countries.
1.  The American tv shows obviously have voice overs. I am watching Lizzie MaGuire but her voice sounds like she is 50 years old.  The voices do NOT sound age appropriate.  Except for Phineas Y Ferb.  The character voices sound correct. 
2.  They eat bread. LOTS OF BREAD.  I usually have toasted French Bread with EVOO every morning.
3.  All the windows have wrought iron bars.  My school literally looks like a prision.  Great.
4. They floors are all marble or concrete.  You will see small rugs here and there. But I have never seen  a carpeted room.
5.  The key boards are different.  they have weird keys. Some I can show you but others you´ll just have too see.  The Shift key is just an up arrow. They have these keys.  ñ ç ¿ ºa €

Ill post my pictures when everything can finally charge.

-adios

Saturday, September 3, 2011

¡¡¡Quiero estar en España!!!

¡Hola todo el mundo!! Estoy en España.  Estoy emocionada. 
I left Milwaukee at 8:00 on Tuesday.  I leaft with my friend Erika.  We had a connecting flight in Ohio to Nueva York.  Then we meet some kids in the airport and made our way over to the Double Tree hotel.  There, we all had to wait in a dinner room because our actual rooms were not ready.  But we all made friends quicklyy. 
After we all got our rooms, we had to share with another student, we had rest time until 6.  But it actually was not 6. Six o´clock was dinner. We had to be in the ballroom at 5. hahahahahaha
My roomate, ally and I, slept a little, cleaned up.  We never were told to be down at 5.  But we only missed the rules of the orientation and the hotel ;) 

1. No leaving the premises
2. No loudness in the halls, and rooms
3. Have respect for the leaders and everyone else
4. No drugs, drinking, or smoking (of any kind)

Pues...I made soooooooooo MANY wonderful friends.  I can´t believe i will not see most of them for 10 months :(  We are all over the country.  And I have never had a friend from New york, connetticut, California, and Kentucy! And now I do!

Grandma and Grandpa B, I also made a very good friend. And guess where she lives?????  IN SCOTTSDALE AZ !!! wow.  So I can see her when I visit you :)

So many things were said in orientation.  But I loved all the leaders.  Gordon was pretty much my favorite AFSer leader.  He was pretty funny.  He used the lingo of the teens. 

So we left for JFK at 5 for our 9 oclock flight! But it was just enough time!!!!!!! Man is that airport crowded all the time.  We had to check our bags in.  And get through security.  I had to check my carry on suitcase.  It is only supposed to be 8kg but it was 12 kgs!!!!!  (22lbs=8 and 26=12)  But the lady was nice and I did not have to pay a fee at all :) 

Then we waited in line for security for 40mins! Well, maybe about 45ish minutes after we got all the way through. 
Finally we had about 45 minutes to get somthing to eat.  I got a ceasar salad and a water.  But the guy in the back of my friend Chloe and I asked us where we were going...  We said the usual, Spain, A year, yes it is brave.....
Then we asked him where he was going, and he said Venice.  I said that I have been there and it is a lovely place.  We asked him why he was going and he said a film festival.  I asked him if he directed a film and he said that he was in a film.  It is called ¨SAL¨ and JAMES FRANCO directed it!!!!!!!!! wow.  HOW COOL IS THAT :)

We got on the flight.  7 or 8ish hours to Switzerland.  That is a lovely airport.  And if you can, take SWISS airlines.  They are the best stewardessess I have ever encountered. 

Well, we got to Madrid and went to the hostel.  We meet all the kids from around the world.  Pretty fun. 

Then we got our rooms..... DID YOU KNOW THAT THEY ROOM BOYS AND GIRLS......TOGETHER!!!!!!!!!!???????? I was soo shocked. And there was a room with three boys and one girl.  She was fine. Everyone was fine. The only people a little shocked were the Americans.  hmmmm. I wonder about that :) 


Well I got on the bus today at 11.15
We took a stop at 14.30
We arived at 17.35

On the bus, I sat next to a girl who was from Switzerland.  She lived in America for 9 years, so she spoke Ingles.  But we meet here in the Swiss airport. 

We all tried to sleep.  But I am still jetlagged!!!! 

We all were talking about how nervous we were.  And excited when we all saw the city Malaga.  (My family and their parents have an apartment here.) Tomorrow is Sevilla.

When we saw our host families we all got squimesh and started screaming.  NOT with horror or anything like that, but ya know.. the Girly screams. 

I got off.  I kiss kissed my mom,sister,brother.and dad.  I kiss kissed my friends goodbye!! And we came to the apartment:) So here I am, practically falling over with exauhstion.  I can´t spell right.  And this post is long .  its 23.15 about 11.15 and more than half the family is still dancing at the club.  OH the nightlife. 

I miss everyone.  And my spanish is very minimal, but I have been promised that I will learn quickly.  GOD, I HOPE SO.  Ojala. 
Buenas noches America.

-adios