Hello again.

Last night my roomate Rachel and I tried to go out with some friends, but it turned out to be a miserable failure. We were 15 minutes late to meet our friends in the plaza where we decided to meet, and they were not there so we went to a bar we passed on the way to hang out and get some drinks. I didnt know what anything was (except cerveza) so I ordered a Manzanilla, and it tasted like pee. Rachel´s cerveza didn´t taste much better either. So we downed as much as we could bear and then headed out in search of a more happening place where maybe there was some dancing or some people our age we could hang out with. I knew there were some places along the river, but somehow we never managed to find the river. Twice we ended up back where we started, and with the ominous stroke of midnight from the cathedral´s belltower signaled that it was time to accept failure and go back home, much to the disappointment of our host mom, who was really excited that we were going out. I also managed to get lost coming home from school yesterday afternoon, in addition to getting lost on the way there. What should have been a 15 minute walk lasted over 45, but I made it back by the grace of God, who has proven so so faithful on this crazy adventure.

I´ve been asked about my family and things like that...I don´t actually see much of my host family because I´m at the school or around town most of the day. My host mom´s name is Esmerelda, and she is truly as sweet as she can be. She is so excited for all the excursions we´re going on and she´s always making sure we like the food and that there´s plenty of it. One thing that is kind of strange is that we do not eat with the family. She prepares our food and we eat at a small table in the kitchen, and I think a little bit later the rest of the family eats their dinner - which is different food - in the other room. Maybe its just because there´s not enough space for all 5 of us to eat at the same time, or maybe because she´s being sensitive to the fact that we´re not used to eating so late. Anyhow...We haven´t had much interaction with our host dad. I think he has a weird work schedule, so our paths don´t cross very often. And when they do he´s the opposite of talkative. He´s really short too. Marta is our host sister, and she is the sweetest little ten-year-old i´ve ever seen. She has a bit of a cough right now, and i can hear her coughing in the other room throughout the night. We don´t see much of her either - she doesn´t usually come home until around 9 at night. I think she goes over to her cousin´s house after school. Our family has been hosting students with ISA for about ten years, so she´s literally grown up with international students in her home. She´s going to have a birthday party tomorrow - I don´t really know if we´re invited at all or not...hmm... They don´t have any pets, and Esmerelda is very much into have a clean home. She told me to make sure Rachel makes her bed every morning because it´s bad if she doesn´t.

Yesterday I did some people-watching in the Plaza Nueva, which is the main plaza in old Sevilla. There were tons of little kids, some middle school aged kids, old people, twenty-somethings, and every other type. I was absolutely entranced by watching these little kids run around and play together. Two little girls were playing hide-and-go-seek in gleeful oblivion to the world around them. Another little boy about their aged watched quietly through red-framed glasses. Two little boys played soccer until a little girl slightly taller than them came around to show them who was boss. Everyone in Spain lives outside - the general feeling is that Sevilla belongs to everyone that lives here. Homes are very private, intimate places, so if you want to hang out with a friend you meet them out somewhere. For this reason there are ALWAYS people in the plazas, bars, cafes, and on the streets hanging out, talking, laughing, or just enjoying the scenery. I love that everyone walks everywhere.

I´m managing to keep myself busy enough not to be homesick, although I think of everyone back home very often. It´s so strange to not be able to just pick up the phone and call my best friend or my parents to say hi. I think in a way it´s good that international calls are so expensive, because it´s better for me to be independent and forced to make friends here and live life where I am here and now, rather than where I was a week and a half ago.

I love hearing from you guys - keep the comments coming!!!

Until next time,
ciao!