the schedule, continued...

FOUND: free internet... at least for a little while
I'm over at Alex's (ridiculously large by comparison) apartment where there is free internet. It was a 35 minute walk or so, but it was well worth it...
Now, to continue with and finish my weekday schedule:

11:30- 1st class is over and I scramble into the lobby area to try and get a free computer since my own cannot pickup the wireless there. This is when I read email and check facebook, which takes up most of the 30 minute break.
12:00- 2nd class starts: SPAN 4080-- basically we're studying popular culture in Spain. It's actually very interesting and I'm realizing that I knew VERY little about Spain's modern history. I think people get so caught up with learning about World War II and the things surrounding it that they don't realize that Spain, from just before WWII until the 1970s was under the rule of Franco, a dictator. Anyway, I'll save all my academia for later... hopefully I'll know my fair share by the end of the six weeks. :)
1:30- 2nd class is over and I scramble into the lobby area to try and get a free computer :) Yes, I do the exact same thing. ISFLE (Institute of San Fernando for Foreign Language Education) closes from 2 to 3 for a brief "comida." That is the lunch/siesta break that EVERYone takes in Sevilla-- but more on that later.
2:15-2:30ish- Comida con Dolores (AKA Lunch)... Dolores is a very good cook. So far, everything has been delicious. Not as much variation as I'm used to, but tasty just the same. They use Olive Oil in EVERYthing here... so that's been an interesting adjustment. We also always have a loaf of bread with every meal-- the bread here is wonderful.
2-5pm- This entire period of the day is what Spaniard call "La Comida" and "La siesta." Basically, everyhing, all the businesses, stores, offices, and schools shut down for 3 hours so that everyone can go eat and sleep. The only places that remain open are the cafés and bars. This seems like it would be a good idea... except it's the time of day when you would want to get everything done... and you CAN'T... you just have to sit on your heels and wait for 5:00 to roll around. And now I find myself getting very tired and actually wanting to take a siesta... it's like the schedule is invading my system... weird.
5pm-9pm- More or less free time. This is also when all the tours and optional cultural events happen.
9-10:15pm- Dinner ends up falling in this time frame...
10:15-- The rest of the night depends on how we're feeling. We could go out clubbing, salsa dancing, whatever. People here stay out WAY later. It is not normal to go to bed before midnight, and even that is considered early. Jill and I might go out and come home around 1 am and Lola will still be awake watching TV.

Anyway, that's a typical weekday... it's been an interesting adjustment. :)

FOUND: free internet... at least for a little while

Here I sit, on the doorstep of un Telebanco... a very prevalent bank here in Sevilla. It's about 12:16am here... at 10:30, I met up with some friends to try and find free WiFi... about 45 minutes later, we returned to where we started and realized that there was an open network here all along. :)

I have so much to tell and so little time. Classes are good... The profs are nice. One of them, Carlos, is absolutely hilarious! He just has so much energy and it makes it much easier to stay awake. For some reason the schedule here makes me SO tired for class...
Speaking of which... here's the typical day for me:

8:15- wake up... this is difficult... but that's normal :) Take a shower... this is interesting because they have to be really short.
9:15-9:45- leave for school... we were very lucky. It's about a 5-10 minute walk to El Instituto de San Fernando... and we're SO close to all of the beautiful things Sevilla has to offer.
10:00- First Class starts: For me, this is Advanced Conversation and Composition. Jill and I both feel... um, a LITTLE ahead of the curve. It's very easy. But that's fine with me, because it gives me more time to actually focus on making my Spanish better on my own... en las calles de Sevilla! :)

internet SIDEWALK café?

Here I sit, on the doorstep of un Telebanco... a very prevalent bank here in Sevilla. It's about 12:16am here... at 10:30, I met up with some friends to try and find free WiFi... about 45 minutes later, we returned to where we started and realized that there was an open network here all along. :)

I have so much to tell and so little time. Classes are good... The profs are nice. One of them, Carlos, is absolutely hilarious! He just has so much energy and it makes it much easier to stay awake. For some reason the schedule here makes me SO tired for class...
Speaking of which... here's the typical day for me:

8:15- wake up... this is difficult... but that's normal :) Take a shower... this is interesting because they have to be really short.
9:15-9:45- leave for school... we were very lucky. It's about a 5-10 minute walk to El Instituto de San Fernando... and we're SO close to all of the beautiful things Sevilla has to offer.
10:00- First Class starts: For me, this is Advanced Conversation and Composition. Jill and I both feel... um, a LITTLE ahead of the curve. It's very easy. But that's fine with me, because it gives me more time to actually focus on making my Spanish better on my own... en las calles de Sevilla! :)

but now I have to say this entry is "to be continued" because my computer is dying... qué triste! Más después... :)

P.S. Check out the pictures on my website... captions coming later... :)

Finally here...

I can't type for long due to the fact that I'm in an internet café down the street... haven't figured out the best internet situation yet... but I will. I am alive though :)Jill and I are finally moved in with our new Spanish "mother," Dolores Romero. We spent one day in Madrid (which I will describe in greater detail when I have the time... AND I will add pictures! But for now, I will just say that I am thoroughly exhausted and suffering slightly from a bit of a sore throat. Hopefully, after a good night's sleep, those feeling will fade and the excitement that has always been there can come out. AH! I'm in Spain!!! :)
Anyway, now it's time to leave and get some rest. It's about 11 pm here. So many things to get used to. So many things to tell!
Hasta luego!

an email from my resident coordinator...

"Chicos y chicas,
estamos a punto de salir para España. Simplemente quiero recordar unas cuantas cosas importantes.

La fecha de salida es el 8 de mayo de 2008.
El vuelo sale a las 8:45 de la noche, pero necesitan estar allí tres horas y media antes.
Lleguen al aeropuerto a las 5:30.
Nos encontraremos en el mostrador de Airfrance. Airfrance International Check-in Desk.
Los TA´s y yo estaremos esperándoles allí. Les daremos la información del hotel de Madrid para asegurarnos que la ponen en las maletas y les indicaremos los procedimientos a seguir.
Comprueben hoy que su itinerario es el correcto, para poder solucionar los problemas que haya.
NO OLVIDEN EL PASAPORTE Y EL ITINERARIO QUE ENVIO JOHN (IMPRIMIDO).

El vuelo llegará a Charles De Gaule, Paris, a las 11:20. El vuelo para Madrid sale a las 2:10 desde Paris. Cuando salgan del avión en París, esperen en la puerta "(Gate") a que se reuna todo el grupo para poder ir juntos hasta la siguiente puerta. El aeropuerto de París es un poco complicado, por lo que es importante que estemos todos juntos. El mismo procedimiento seguiremos en Madrid.
Bueno chicos y chicas, ya queda poco!!!! Nos vemos en el aeropuerto.
Un saludo,

Diego del Pozo
Coordinador Residente UGA en España Sevilla"

This came at the most inopportune time as I'm trying (and kind of failing) at keeping my nose in my books. I still have two finals to go, but all I want to do is think, read, pack, do anything for Spain. AHHH! I leave THURSDAY! So much to do...

P.S. Since I will undoubtedly be using many Spanish words in future posts, I realize many of you may need to look these things up... so I will be adding a translating website shortly after posting this. :)

getting closer...

I've just been up late, packing up my dorm room as well as setting things aside for España. I did all my research about travel restrictions... they were a little redundant... 3 oz. containers! 1 one-quart size clear plastic bag. No more! Ok, I've got it. Anyway, in looking up these things, I stumbled across a very interesting site on Spain: it is here. Very informative. 

In other news, we had our Alumni Dance tonight for the Ballroom Performance Group. It was a smashing success... What was not a success, however, was my attempt at carrying on a conversation in Spanish with a friend. I fear I have lost any and all recall of my vocabulary. All the words are in my head, but pulling them out when I need them is proving to be next to impossible. I'm scared... :/ 

Study on the plane, quizás? I guess I'm going to have to. And I'm really tempted to bring my lovely 501 Spanish Verbs book, heavy though it may be... hmmm. I have some decisions to make. 

That is all for now. 

<5 days to go... I hope I'm ready!