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Well....let's see....today I went to visit El Alcazar, a castle that is built along a mountain right next to the Mediterranean shore. Once we got to the top, the view was AMAZING!! Unfortunately my camera died after taking two pictures 😞 **Fail. But it was worth it anyways, and now I am ridiculously tired from walking and climbing things all day!

Its crazy to think that I left a month ago today....time has definitely flown by. But its been a good month, so I'm really happy about that, and I feel really well adjusted now. I know I haven't been here for that long, but its weird to think that this place doesn't feel so foreign anymore and actually is starting to feel more like home. Speaking and hearing Spanish all the time seems way more natural to me now and things I thought were different or that I disliked about this place at first seem really normal now. I'm finally getting into a routine with this place and the people from my ISA group are starting to feel more like a second family just because we're constantly around each other and rely on each other for so much. So I guess I'm pretty glad I decided to do this 😊

However, indulging yourself in another culture does make you realize the things about your old culture that you miss...I've already got a list going of all the things I MUST do once I get back:

1) Lie in the grass....or in an actual yard of some sort
2) Drive my car!! And not have to worry about getting dizzy in roundabouts...
3) Eat at Applebees and Panera Bread...and possibly Taco Bell haha
4) Spend a significant amount of time in Meijers, where I can actually read the food labels and not feel confused when trying to maneuver through the aisles
5) Walk the streets freely without having to hear some random creeper yelling things my direction
6) Eat PEANUT BUTTER!
7) Enjoy a home cooked meal without worrying about whether or not my mom thinks I'm eating enough or becoming "flacisima" even when I eat about 9385925 pounds of food
8) Watch American TV programs. In English.
9) Enjoy being able to walk around in public without worrying about if I look formal enough to be out!
10) Drink normal tasting milk
11) Walk down a sidewalk without worrying about tripping myself 18,000 times on the cobblestone that's been there since before the beginning of time

That's all I've got so far. I'm sure the list will grow as time goes on...haha

Being here for such a long time has really made me realize the difference in values over here. Madrid was a little bit more fast paced and reminded me a lot more of the US, but over here things are a lot more traditional. Here space is really limited and you have to make good use of what you have...people don't own big screen tv's or nice cars, but there are still so grateful for what they have. The lives they live here are really plain and simple, but they never complain, in fact they seem happier than most Americans! Its a very unmaterialistic culture and its all about being happy and embracing what you've got....and they have a lot more pride in their culture as well. Its actually kind of refreshing and is definitely changing my outlook on things. When I came here, I expected the majority of my learning to come from the school rather than outside experiences, but its actually turning out to be quite the opposite.

GRANADA THIS WEEKEND!!! I am very excited

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Comments

[Robin]

hahaha the thing i missed most when i was in the dr was taco bell, american taco bell that is... yesss. and don't you trip all the time anyway?? haha and its ok if you're not formal enough, you're a gringa (do they call you that there) and therefore you are hot stuff! ;)

[AiRiKaH]

hahaha the sad thing is that is so true!!! I almost feel like the worse you look, the more compliments you receive You are so lucky you go to comer taco bell en la republica domicana!