Vale (Vah-lay)

Vale is the most commonly used word here... it's like "okay?... yeah, that works, sounds good, alright."



La marina

Today we went to a sort of campsite. Some people go there for a few days in their campers but you can also just go for the day which is what we did and it was great. It was so beautiful with pools and jacuzzi's and slides and a just short distance from the beach-- I swam in the Mediterranean today!

I did, however, run into a wall of the pool with my face and now I have a very attractive cut on my nose. ha ha. 

Paella

I ate paella, a popular dish that originates in Spain. It is rice mixed with seafood or some meat and sometimes vegetables. In the picture, they are both rice with calamari and shrimp, it's just that one is black and one is orange. You can put on it lemon and spreadable garlic, which its seems is very popular here... Super yummy!

I definitely think I am starting to understand more... I am talking more too and making lots of little mistakes but also learning a lot! I am starting a list of new words I learn in my journal so that I remember them. For me, it's easier to remember the word if I know how it is spelled, too.

Carolina, Luisen, Noemí, Minguez

And here is a picture from yesterday at la teteria. I took it so I am not in it. Something I find funny: they listen to a lot of american music here... I cannot get away from "Call Me Maybe." ha ha

Kosher

I made it... I am in Spain! The trip went well. It was so long and confusing... I was eating and sleeping at the wierdest times. Five hours added in London then one added in Madrid. And my crazy dad put me down for a kosher meal when he bought my tickets. So out came my rabbi-blessed Borenstein dinner and at 1 AM I woke up to my blessed breakfast. It was written in hebrew, as you see in the picture. hah!

Borenstein Kosher Meals

At my terminal in London a woman was going around with a garbage bag saying "Any rubbish, guys?"

I got lost in the Madrid airport, but found help. Thanks to Johnny Keese, I got to spend that two hours in a VIP Lounge, that was very pleasant! I made friends with two Brazilian girls studying abroad in Alicante on the flight from Madrid.

"Customs" consisted of: are those all of your bags? yes. are you here for vacation? yes, well, I am going to be a foriegn exchange student for a few months. Good, well good luck, have a nice trip.

My host family (minus Anais, who was at home studying) greeted me at the airport with a great sign and kisses! 

Noemi, Me, Solene, Ines, Jose

The house is lovely, the town is beautiful. We are going for a bit of a walk later to see it all. I walked with Ines to get some bread and it was so nice. So far I feel like a little child, not understanding a lot and tripping on all my words. But they are so understanding and helpful. It has been almost one whole day so far and I love it.

They made hamburgers for dinner last night for me and today we had tapas for lunch. Solene says they are eaten when you go out or for celebrations and so they all toasted to my arrival. We ate muscles on potato chips and I liked it!

So much new stuff to try, to learn, to see... Que lindo, no? (:

1 day 16 hours and 53 minutes... but who's counting?

Wowee. One full day left in America! I am an absolute mess of emotions including but not limited to: nervous, excited, sad, apprehensive, jubilant, delighted, irritable, nostalgic, grateful, glad, etc... Now that I have my packing done, I am a lot less anxious though. I managed to pack only three suit cases and that includes all my toiletries and gifts for the family (3 jars of peanut butter, Reese's cups, chocolate chips, NC State wear, books, measuring cups, and a pineapple thing!) Praise God for vacuum seal bags; I was able to condense my whole closet. Let's just see if I can lug it through customs!
So, I fly from RDU to London Heathrow to Madrid to Alicante. Just over 11 hours in the air, but overall a 17 hour trip plus a 6 hour time difference!
When I arrive in Spain, it will be halfway through the first day of school here. It will be one week until my birthday and school there. Oh my goodness... this is real life! (:

Away We Go

Here is to the start of a grand adventure. It is still unreal to think that in about one week I will be living with this lovely family in Spain... going to school, taking siestas, playing padel, eating (a lot!), traveling to France, making new friends, practicing Spanish...

Still have to pack... 10 bags is enough?

Well, away we go (: