Cadiz!!!!!

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Buenos Noches! Last night I arrived in Cadiz, the city where I will be living for the next four months.The other 7 students and I were all nervous and terrified to meet our families. It rained for the last hour of our 8 hour bus ride, which was a surprise to us all because it usually only rains 5 days out of the entire year. We didn't really know what to expect from our soon to be families, but in my case everything turned out to be great. My host mother (Josefa) and her 30 year old daughter (Milagros) were waiting to greet us when we got off of the bus. As soon as we said our hellos and gave each other kisses on each cheek, the rain stopped and the sun came out. Coincidence? I think not. Josefa and Milagros each grabbed one of the four suit cases and the four of us headed toward the house on the other side of town. The fast pace at which they spoke was intimidating to say the least, but they were extremely patient with us and slowed down so that we could have a conversation with them. The walk was about fifteen minutes and I was blown away by how incredible the town is. Charming is the best word to describe it. Right before we arrived at the doorstep of the new home, I caught a glimpse of the breath-taking green/blue water which is across the street. The building we live in is darling and to Hayley and I's surprise so is our room. The first floor is divided into two parts. On the left side is our room. It is a lot more spacious than we had expected and is what I would consider a mini apartment. We have our own kitchen, our own bathroom, two closes, shelves, a desk, and the best part... we are bunk mates! The bunkbeds are good because it makes the room a lot bigger than it would be with two beds on the floor. Josefa and Milagros were extremely accommodating and showed us how to light the water heater for showers and how to work the tv. All of these things were a shock to Hayley and I because we were expecting to have to share a bathroom with the entire family and have a tiny room. As happy as we were, the day was extremely overwhelming. We immediately unpacked our suitcases and got comfortable. Hayley and I talked about how we were feeling anxious. She is awesome and we are very similar so I can tell we are going to get along great. It has only been 6 days but we have bonded already and are a great source of support for each other when we need it. Our first dinner, which is served at 9:30 PM was tortillas con patatas, a pancake like mixture of friend eggs and potatoes. It was amazing! We went to bed with full bellies and slept well.
This morning we woke up at 9 to shower and get ready to go on a tour of the city with the other students and our director Juan. Josefa and Milagros walked us to the Plaza where we were going to meet the rest of the group so that we wouldn't get lost, they are acting like real family already! It was still a tad rainy, but thanks to my mom I had a raincoat with me! After our group all made it to the Plaza, Milagros and Josefa went back home. After talking to the other students, Hayley and I quickly realized that we were extremely lucky. Two of the girls, Devin and Natalie had a bit of a disappointing situation. The woman who was suppose to be their host mother had decided to move and therefore Devin and Natalie now live with the sister of the woman who is moving. The problem is that the house of their new host family is being remodeled for the next year and their temporary housing is much much smaller than what they were originally told they were going to have. One bathroom for five people, and a lot of pets is not fun. Luckily, Natalie and Devin are awesome girls and i'm sure they will be fine in no time, but nevertheless the situation did not comfort them and they looked pretty drained today. Another girl had a problem with the language barrier. The great thing is that we all have each other to lean on for support. Our director, Juan, took us through every part of Cadiz. The people here are fun and lively. Not a lot of people drive, but when they do we have to jump out of the way so that we don't get run over. At the market where they sell every fresh food item you could possibly imagine I saw a tuna fish that was 5 feet long and bigger around than I am... and they told us that it was a small fish! I didn't take any pictures today because I wanted to absorb every moment without distraction. Juan took us to the university (which is conveniently across the street from where I live) and showed us where our classes will be that begin on Monday.

This week has been a rollercoaster of emotions and without Hayley I would struggle a lot, but I know this is all going to be worth it. More is yet to come... I have a lot to say about my family, but for now it is almost one in the morning and I must retire so that I can rest up for the beach tomorrow. Besos y abrazos! (kisses and hugs).

Jerica

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