A Week in Review

As you can see, I’ve gotten behind on my posts.  But, as always, I have a lot to say, so you’ll have to bear with me. I realize that it is a lot to ask from you, and that you will probably be overwhelmed with so many posts at the same time, but let’s just pretend that they were all sent on different days, as intended. 

Here’s the game plan—I’m breaking this into three posts as follows (I’m making a list for you, to make this process easier. Also, I like lists):

1)      The post you are currently reading will consist of a rough summary of my past week.

2)      The next post will recount my adventures in Gibraltar over this past weekend.

3)      The final installment of this trilogy will fill you in on my eventful week thus far.

If you don’t think you can make the commitment to read this, now is the time to turn back (however I don’t condone giving up, meaning you should probably keep reading).  I have faith in you. We’ll do this together. Ready…here we go.

Last week on several occasions, I felt like a Spaniard.  I dressed like one, I walked around with confidence, and I explained to random passersby (that word may look strange, and you probably stopped for a moment to decide whether or not I used correct grammar or made it up. It is correct. You can continue) how to get to places within the city. 

I met one of my intercambios. I know have two, because I’m taking advantage of my situation. An intercambio is a Spanish student studying English at the University of Sevilla who is randomly assigned to be our partners to practice one another’s language.  Typically, you meet with your intercambio once a week or so and switch off speaking English to help them and Spanish to help you. It’s great! Well, anyway, the intercambio assigned to me found out that his schedule was much too complicated and he could not meet with me, but he told me to contact his friend who would also like practice in English. She emailed me back right away and we met two days later. She’s awesome and her English is incredible. I was only able to meet with her for 45 minutes, but I learned several notable things from her in that short amount of time! …Then, because she wasn’t officially assigned to me, I asked the director of the program for another intercambio.  My new intercambio emailed me back right away, as well. He said his English is at a very low level.  So now every time we email one another, we write in Spanish and then in English.  I’m meeting him tomorrow night. He seems really fun. I’m excited. Getting an intercambio has reinstated my drive to be proactive and proactive and practice the language more.

Every Thursday I attend Cine Club (aka we go to the Study Center and watch a movie in Spanish and eat free microwave palomitas). It’s a great way to see movies I would have otherwise not, and a great way to learn vocab, since we sometimes have a “lesson” afterward with the leader of the group.  Between class and the movie, we get tapas (by we, I mean my friend Claire and I…we do a lot together because we’re from the same university back home and therefore are in many classes together because we have the same requirements for credits, etc.). Every week we go to a different place and try new things. It’s quite fun. Last week we found a nice little place hidden away. There we saw an American family who clearly did not want the Spanish food.  The mother said loudly to her husband that they would just go to the pizza place the read about in their book. We didn’t like how rude they were, so we didn’t warn them about how different Spanish pizza is than American pizza. Also, when our food was brought out to us, it was actually given to the French girls at the table next to us. They didn’t know Spanish, so they were confused about what was happening. When they realized that it was our food, they gave it to us and one apologized for sticking her finger in it. We didn’t mind.

While strolling along the Centro (the down-town area of Sevilla), we discovered the music section.  Calle Baños.  It was filled with quaint music stores and the sounds of people practicing their instruments in the apartments above. It was a warming feeling. I realized how much I miss band (if you didn’t already know I was a band geek, you do now).

One night while Skyping with my family, my host mom and sister came into the room and saw my dogs and cat on the screen. It was an exciting experience for them. It made me happy.  My host dad teases about me taking Pepe home with me and I joke back. The truth is, I’d take him. I love Pepe.