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

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

¡¡¡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

Where has the time gone? Where will it go????

OMG.

What a teenage thing to say.
But I looked at the date....and WHOA!

It's August 27.
Ok this post was written in the EARLY hours of the morning because I couldn't really sleep.  But now I am going to be EXHAUSTED later today.  hahaha that's a silly thing to say.

I leave with my friend Erika on Wednesday morning to New York.  Hopefully this hurricane problem will fizz out and not interfere with my travel plans.

I have been making lists and writing thank you cards non stop!

I even bought my luggage on Wednesday :)  It's a maroon color.  Big suitcase,  lots of room.  But still, it needs to be under 44lbs.  Well maybe I can get by with 45! I mean come on! Hey, I'll just say the scale was off.  When I weighed it, it only said 44 ;)

I have been saying that I am going to spend my year in Spain.  Everyday now, it seems to get more real.  I am not implying that I didn't grasp the whole idea of my not being in America for 10 months.  However, it seems like it is actually going to happen.  I keep saying Spain Spain Spain.  But it will be different when I actually leave on a plane.  I will be like,    SWEET BABY JESUS, I AM THE CRAZIEST 16 YEAR OLD GIRL IN THE WORLD.  ok. ok. ok.  Probs not the craziest.  Let us thank God for that one.

I would like to take this paragraph to thank my parents for supporting me not only financially, but emotionally and spiritually.  I truly am blessed with you two.  I couldn't be where I am today without your care, support and tough but wonderful love.  Thick and thin, I really, truly, and honestly love you.  Ok mom,  please stop  tearing up :)

I want to make many memories.  I will be missing opportunities here.  But HELLO!  I'll make up for that one.

I don't know what else to write, but I just want to document everything I feel and think and experience.

I'm not the type of person who sits down with a pen and a journal and starts to write.  I am way to lazy for that.  I mean I might be able to, but It will just fizz out within a month.  Things like that don't hold my attention for long.

I like the computer, so I will just write my thoughts here.  Where I will always have this to show my future friends and family.  What if this is being read like 6 years from now? HI FUTURE ME! HOW WAS SPAIN!!  :) ok ok ok That was a little spazz attack.  But I mean, come on.  This will last forever, as long as the internet is in existence.

Well,  Here's to my last weekend in America for awhile...........
I am going to go to bed.

-Adios

SORPRESAA :)

Monica and me walking in.  I WAS SO SURPRISED! Ithought we were just going in to say hi to her parents.  But no,  We got all dressed up to go to an Italian resturant, but THAT WAS THE DECOY PLAN :)
Still wanting that pasta, MONICA!!!

My lovely family and friends.

My cousinss :)

amigas

Taylor Monica and Lucas 

Hola Aileen :)

Darian :)  

Momma and Reilly

Mi hermanita

Me Monica Lucas and Taylor 

Yesenia Maggie me monica lucas and taylor

WOW!!  What a surprise party.
I walked in and WOAH.  Hi everyone.  It was soo special.

A very special thing for my sister to do.  Muchas Gracias.  I love you so much.

All my friends came and I appreciate that.

Thank you everybody.  You will be dearly missed.

Well I am off to Sevilla next Wednesday!!!!!!!!!!!  I can't wait to officially meet my host-family.

There it is :)  Everyone asks me where it is.  This is my new Home.

I went to school registration because I had to get my picture taken.  And I am glad I did because I saw all my wonderful teachers that I won't see for a while.  And my classmates too.

Should any one want to send me a letter or anything, I will talk to my host family if they would be okay with my putting their address on my blog.

Thanks for everyone who is following me.  I appreciate all of you.

Here are the bigger cities in relation to Sevilla

Here is some architecture from around the city: 

alcazar

Cathedral 

The Puente Romano spans the Rio Guadalquivir and leads to the Mezquita in the city of Cordoba.

The Ruins of Medina Azahara is levels of ancient architecture in the Province of Cordoba.

My family will be visiting their parents so I will spend my first night in Malaga, Spain. 

IT IS BEAUTIFUL. Right on the Beach, Hopefully we will go there very often :) 

I need to pack.  But I will dedicate Sunday to that.  AUGUST 31st is coming quickly.  

I got my visa.  It's all set.  

Yes I am excited and nervous.  

Can't wait to see what's in store for me. 

-Adios  

The Time is Coming

Well, I am sorry that I haven't written an entry in a while.   I have been super busy just chillin with my family and friends.  But I need to do some research on Sevilla.  I would like to know all the history.  I am such a history nut.

Another thing.  I have to learn to see temperatures in Farenheit and Celsius.  I could memorize the thermometer:
http://www.mathsisfun.com/measure/thermometer.html

Do math in my head:    C to F:  Multiply by 9, Divide by 5,  Add 32
                                      F to C:  Subtract 32, Multiply 5, Divide 9 


HAHAHAHA yea right.

So I found this cute little rhyme.  I bet a lot of people know it, but I still find it helpful.

Thirty's hot,
Twenty's nice,
Ten's cold,
Zero's ice. 

C to F
30 = 86
20 = 70
10 = 50
0 = 32

Well that's not really a big deal.

What I am most concerned about is the language barrier.  I forget all my Spanish when I am using it to communicate with someone in the real world.  I think it is my fear of making a mistake.  But I will make LOTS of mistakes.  So I need to get over that. 

Funny fact:
I was watching The movie Knight and Day with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz.  It's an action movie and they have to run all over the world. One of the places in the movie is..................... wait for it................... Sevilla, Spain.  I said it's so beautiful there, wouldn't it be funny if I get placed there?  What!!!!!!? I actually did get placed there???  What a silly ironic thing.


Fun Facts about my host city:   
- Seville enjoys a pleasant Mediterranean climate
- It is one of the warmest cities in Europe
- Average temperature throughout the year of 18ºC (65F)
-  January is the coldest month
- Summers are quite hot in Seville, especially during July and August when temperatures reach 37ºC (98F), and even 40ºC  (100F) on certain days
- December is likely to be the month with more rain
- Seville is the capital city of Andalusia
-  Located in the South of Spain, Seville, or Sevilla in Spanish, is one of the largest Spanish cities with over 700,000 inhabitants (Now 700,001)   :)
- Seville occupies the valley of the Guadalquivir river
- This is the birthplace of Flamenco
- The city is where the most amazing Easter processions take place
- The Legends tell that Seville was founded by Hercules
- Julius Caesar gave Seville the status of colony in 45 BC. The surprising fact is that, nowadays, there is little rest of this flourishing roman period.
- In 1248, Ferdinand III The Saint conquested Seville for Christianity. Muslims were forced to leave whereas Mudejars and Hebrews stayed
- A lot of churches were built to replace the mosques
-  Seville became the headquarters of the Inquisition
- The Reales Alcázares is an amazing royal palace built by the Christian kings of Castile. This is the oldest occupied royal palace in Europe, meaning that the king and queen of Spain still stay here when they visit Seville (Spain is a constitutional Monarchy, like England)
-  It is not only a palace but several palaces together
- Seville’s Plaza de España is undoubtedly one of the city’s top attractions. This huge and beautiful square was built for the Ibero-American exhibition of 1929
- The Roman ruins of Itálica are one of the places you must go to when visiting Seville. 10 kilometres north from Seville, this city was founded by the Romans in the year 206 BC and was the birthplace of the famous Roman Emperor Trajan
- The historic town of Carmona, 30 kilometres (18Miles) from Seville, is perfect for a day trip. Both the Romans and the Moors have left their imprint in this picturesque town.
- I got most of the facts from this site http://www.tourspain.org/sevilla/photos.asp and if you also click here, there a lot of photos to see. 
- Maybeyou willplan a trip here!





	I am going to pick up my visa in Chicago.  IT'S READYYYYYY! I need to get a few more things. And I need to pack soon. Oh well.  It will get done. I will write before I leave.                                  ADIOSSSSS!!!!!!!!!! 

El Primero Hola

I sent my family my first hello! I was so excited/nervous when I pressed send!!!!

¡Hola mi nuevo familia!

Estoy muy emocionado para nuestro año juntos.  Yo quise decir ¡hola y muchas gracias para me escogiendo!  Estoy escribiendo una nota mas detallado.  Yo enviaré el e-mail mañana.

Tambien, ustedes quieren que yo llame ustedes señor y señora? Maite y Jesús? O madre y padre?

-Katie 


Hello my new family,
I am very excited for our year together.  I wanted to say hi and thank you for choosing me.  I am writing a more detailed note.  I will send ti tomorrow.  


Also, do you want me to call you señor and señora? Maite and Jesús? Or mom and dad?

I have a longer note I am translating.  It's fun.  I really, really need to practice my Spanish!!!!!!!!! 


- adiossss