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Published: September 7th 2011
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Hey-row everybody!
Sorry I missed yesterday and the day before that…and the day before that! It is amazing how late the days go here, yet we are somehow able to fill the days up!
Sunday is definitely beach day here. You guys think the world closes on Sundays in the States? The whole universe stops on Sundays here. Everyone in Càdiz goes to the beach. Pepa doesn’t really like the beach so she goes very seldom. Two of the API girls who I have been hanging out with a lot, Hayley and Jerica, were going to the beach with their family and invited me along. They are very sweet people and instantly made me feel welcome and a part of their fam for the day. They go to the same spot on the beach every Sunday. While we were at the beach I noticed that Hayley had a scar on her back so I asked, “Hayley did you have surgery on your back?”
“Yeah, I had a lump that I had had since I was little and it wasn’t bad, but as I got older it started hurting and stuff, especially when I ran so I got it removed.”
“Oh.
Josefa
To the far left is Josefa, Jerica and Hayley's host mother. Next to her is her son-in-law. Have you ever seen ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’?”
“It wasn’t that kind of lump.”
Priceless. She got the reference right away. Haha, It was really funny! Heather, I really wish you had been there for that! You like ‘em, I make ‘em. Hahahahaha!!!
Monday was our first day of our 3-week intensive Spanish class that we will be taking before we start real classes, with real Spaniards on the 26th. This 3-week class is only for the international students studying here in Càdiz.
The day started off with an invigorating placement test! I actually tested into the highest level they are offering for these three weeks so that made me feel a lot better about the classes I will start taking in a few weeks. I haven't picked my final classes for sure so we will have to see! It’s kinda cool how they register for classes. The first week they go and sit in on the classes they think they would like to take and then after that week they actually chose their classes, but the choice is final. No changing and no dropping.
Our class has 10 students in it: One girl from Poland, five
Arturo
Arturo is Jerica and Hayley's host brother, but he is only here for a while because he studies in Sevilla. girls from Germany and four of us from the United States. Yesterday I made friends with one of the girls Anna-lu (short for Annalouisa). She is from Berghausen, Germany in the south but attends university near Munich where she is studying for her Masters in mechanical engineering. She is here until February. However, she would really like to travel around northern Spain, as would I, so we talked about traveling together if we need a buddy. Ha, I asked if she had been to a lot of places in Europe and she shrugged and said "meh." Then she proceeded to name off darn near half of the European Union. "Germany, of course, Poland, England, Spain, France, Italy, Austria, Denmark and Sweden, and possibly a few others." Yeah. "Meh." Sure. Haha!
Our professors are Jose and Alberto. Gotta say, I like Alberto more. He is very happy and seems to really love to teach us! He reminds me a lot of my friend Dillon at Clemson. They sort of look a bit alike and Dillon wants to be a teacher…Dillon I think this must be a sign that you should be a teacher. 😊
I finally got
La Universidad
This is the building I am currently taking my intensive course in to start running a bit too. A few girls and I are meeting up in the mornings to run. Seven in the morning sounds reasonable, no? Well 7am here appears like 5am in the US! Its still very dark, the sun is just hardly rising. Its very peaceful outside. There are very few cars and no one in the streets. It will be a good time to run I think. It gives us a good time to talk stuff out and feel a bit...normal I would say.
Things in the house are improving, but slowly. It is a bit like walking on eggshells at times. I don't want to be an inconvenience to the family and with many people in a small space that is not always an easy task. Today I had another MM (Muffin Moment as my API chicas have affectionately started calling them). If you have read my other blogs then you the incident with me wanting another muffin…if you haven’t well go read it real quick. Anyhoo, I brought my notebook out into the living room/dining room last night to sit with the family and work a bit. This was not a good idea, ha!
Parque Genoves
This is the park that is directly in front of the university...it is very beautiful and goes along side the ocean as well! We are of course allowed to sit and watch T.V. with the family, and I have written in my journal in the living room, but Pepa prefers that we do our homework in our room and not in the family area because there isn’t a lot of space. So, I got scolded a bit, but she said it’s a mistake that all of her girls have made. We also got to meet the girl they had in the house last semester, Kiki, over Skype. She seems really cool and she had a great relationship with the family, so I’ve contacted her to see if she has any advice she could give me.
However, Monday night we finally got to spend some time with Alba (our host sister) while Pepa and Serlu (by the way I have been getting his name wrong until about two days ago) were out. She is really a sweet, sweet girl, very smart as well. She wants to be a veterinarian and she takes really good care of the 3 dogs, the guinea pig and the bird as well as helping Pepa out around the apartment.
Today I am sitting in the internet café
that I go to for Wi-Fi and I’m starting to get to know the people that work here. Today I decided that I actually wanted to order something other than water. There is this really, really sweet barrista that is almost always there, so I asked her what her favorite thing is in the café, she said it was this chocolate torte thing, so I asked if I could have one. I immediately thought of you, Dad. My Mom and Dad like to have their servers at restaurants order for them sometimes. Everything looked delicious behind the glass, so I just decided to "Pull a Dad", well “Pull a Rex” to you guys. 😊 Little things like that keep me close to my family.
Tomorrow we have the day off of school and so we will get to see a bit more of Càdiz and…go to the beach, obviously!
Thanks to everyone who has been sending me little messages and I have already been informed from a few people that they are sending peanut butter and trail mix! I honestly can’t tell you how much everyone’s support means! My Mom, my cousin Heather, and my friends keep telling
Ocean side school.
This is looking down at the ocean water directly in front of my school. It is so clear you can see all the way to the bottom. me that I am strong, I am brave and they are proud of my for being here. Whenever I receive these messages I often tear up. There have been a lot of moments where I feel weak, defeated and embarrassed that I cry when I see my Mom on Skype, or when I am surrounded by a beautiful ocean and I am missing home! This is definitely a challenge. Its something I have to work at everyday. I know this is an experience of a lifetime and there are some moments where I can forget why I am here. Its funny that it is often the people back home that remind me and keep me focused on the present here.
New motto: Day by day.
Love always,
Devin 😊
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Aunt T
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Day by Day
You will really comprehend the culture shock our german(Italian, etc) kids experienced during their time with our families...That'll make you a wonderful "host mom" someday! Ha! Every day will have its own challenges AND blessings. God is always there in the midst of every tear, uplifting you. That's how I live day by day....