bienvenidos de sevilla

¡Hola todos!

i´m finally here...breathing Spanish air and savoring every moment of it. Our first several days were spent being tourists. And people here don´t really like Americans...especially American tourists. Probably because we´re stupid and don´t know anything about their country, and usually we don´t even know anything about our own. But that rant is for another day. We flew into Madrid -- the most uncomfortable 8 hours of my life -- where we stayed for two nights. The first day was uneventful, although i did have my first sangria (i dont know how to do accents on this keyboard...i promise its not because i dont know how to spell in spanish) in old madrid, where we were surrounded by 400 and 500 year old buildings, palaces, cobblestone streets, and screaming futbol fans in the pub next door. Everyone walks everywhere here -- and its wonderful. Anyhow, the next day (thursday) in Madrid we toured as a group el Museo Prado, where we focused on the works of Velasquez and Goya. Apparently i´ve seen two of the three most famous paintings in all of europe: Las Meninas by velasquez and some other one with a long spanish namy by Goya. (the third famous painting is the Mona Lisa) The museum was amazing - and overwhelming. i could write about the museum alone for the remainder of my 30 minutes at this computer. Anyhow.....then we had time to get lunch and walk around on our own, which was lovely. Food here is awesome and light. Bocadillos are the typical fare, at least for people like myself who dont like paying more than 5 euros for a meal (thats about equivalent to $7.75). It is a sandwhich of a simple meat or cheese on delicious bread. Simple, light, and wonderful. Americans eat so much and so heavy. Anyhow...then we toured the Royal Palace, which is where the kings lived from like the 1700´s on...but the king doesn´t live there now because it´s too big. It was so impressive. It´s amazing how much money is put in to lavishly furnishing and decorating this one building....who knows what kind of poverty the Spanish people lived in while their king spent his time adding on extravagant rooms for every occasion (including an opium room). Then i saw an egyptian tomb that was donated to spain....and other cool things. (wow...time is running out fast...) Um..Friday we went to el Valle do los caidos (valley of the fallen) named as such because of the thousands of people who died building it under Franco all because the church wouldnt let him be burried with all the other kings because he was a dictator and not a king. You should research it....i cant write more now. It was so eerie and huge and amazing. the view of the mountains took my breath....Then to el escorial, and then to Toldeo. Toledo is amazing. Old, beautiful...tons of history and buildings and everything. i went to a bar that was once a cathedral. it was strange but very fun. the place didnt close until 8am....people stay up so late here! i talked to some pretty attractive spanish guys, danced a lot, but by 3am the smoke and crowds was too much for me. Then yesterday we came to Sevilla and met our host families...mine is adorable. My host sister´s birthday was yesterday! it´s slightly awkward knowing what to do and say....and where to be....but i love it here.

i will write more when i can....now i must go! i love you all!!!!!!!!