School Starts!

Obviously I was a bit nervous for my first day of school in a new country. But that reached whole new levels when I got my schedule the day before. I was placed into beginning Spanish but all of my classes were for people that were fluent! AGHH!! They told us to change our schedule we had to get the signatures of the teachers. The entire first day of classes I was camped outside classrooms trying to get into classes. Like myself, so was every other student. Getting into classes became a competition. I got my first glance at bullfighting; and I was the bull! I ended up missing lunch with my host family because I was stuck at school until after 4 because I was trying to get into classes. Luckily, my host mom was very understanding. However, I was still very worried about classes. I tried skyping my mom, but if you know her at all then you know she is almost unreachable. While I was skyping with Andrew Utrup, he called both Dave Landers and my mom's office to try to get someone for me so I wouldn't have to make an international call! He saved me! So I skyped with both my mom and Dave in attempt to figure things out. They were pretty good at calming me down.
Today was the second day and it started off just as bad as the first. I got to the school an hour early so I could be placed into a Spanish class. However, because my placement test scores were low I was at the bottom of the list. I stayed for the duration of the class hoping it would work out but I didn't get in! The second part of the day went much smoother. I was already in a history of Spanish art class at 10:30. After I asked the teacher about the waitlist for his next class and it looks like I can get in! I'm on about 10 waitlists just in case!
So after one very stressful day and a smi-stressful morning, I am now playing the waiting game to see if people will drop out and I can take their place. Let's hope it all works out! For now, I'm going to enjoy being done at 1:30 on Thursdays and not having classes on Fridays! I guess Spain isn't that bad! :)
Left: Pablo de Olavide
Right: the cafeteria overlooking a courtyard

Santa Maria de la Sede

Today started off with a confusion of where to meet the group. We had our placement exam but no one knew exactly where the meeting spot was. Once we finally cleared that up, the whole group headed to La Universidad de Pablo de Olavide for the first time! We took our placement exam (which I don't think I did very well on) and had a tour of campus. The air out by the school seemed to fresh! Carly kept picking on me because I kept commenting on it. I think deep down she agreed with me but wanted to seem cool!
After we left la universidad, we headed into town to hang out and eat our lunches. It was such a gorgeous day out! The sun was shining down on us as if welcoming us to Sevilla! Nick, Marc and myself ate our sandwiches while soaking in the sun. We met up with Carly, Jaclyn and Amy before starting the tour of the Cathedral. Santa Maria de la Sede was in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the largest area for a cathedral. It was a beautiful cathedral with an extremely tall bell tower that we climbed. Even crazier, Christopher Columbus' tomb is there! I was standing only feet away from the guy the found America! His son is also buried there with remains of two of the ships, I can't remember exactly which two though, the Nina, the Pinta or the Santa Maria.
After the tour we did some shopping in town. Mostly, we just hung out because our feet were killing us! Now I think I might get in bed and do some reading to help me fall asleep! :)
P.S. Facebook isn't allowing me to upload the bajillions of pictures I'm taking, so it will be awhile until the new pictures are up!

Left: Inside the Cathedral
Right: Carly exhausted after climbing all the way to the top of the bell tower

The Pigeons!

I forgot to mention the pigeons on the bike tour! We stopped in a park and if you hold out food the pigeons will literally climb all over you!
Left: Amy with the pigeons
Right: Me with the pigeons







(you can see all of my pictures from Spain on my Facebook)

Sevilla begins!

I am now in Sevilla with my host family! My host mom's name is Juani, my host dad is Lolo and my host sister is Susana. I just got internet today! My host family is wonderful! I didn't hve interent in my room so Lolo was drilling holes and running cords through the ceiling so I could get it! And Juani's cooking is to die for. I could lose weight with all the walking I'm doing but with her food I think that will be impossible!
On our way to Sevilla we stopped in Toledo and took a tour of the city. It is an amazing place, all very ancient. I took many pictures but they don't do the real thing justice. Once we arrived, our host families were waiting for us. Juani waved down the wrong Meaghan at first but we eventually found each other. The next day we went on a bike tour of the city. This was interesting because I didn't learn to ride a bike until middle school and I haven't rode a bike since then! But it went really well and I only fell once (and that was going over a curb)! However, I came real close to hitting a couple people and a couple poles! But it was a really great tour.
We have been out on the town a couple of nights. My only problem is that I live pretty far out so getting back at night kind of sucks. But there are two great guys that live next door in my program that always go back with me so I'm safe! Nick and Marc. They're pretty good about keeping an eye on me. Tomorrow we are going to the school to take our placement test and have orientation.
For now, that's all I've got! Hasta Luego!

Left: Amy, me and Melanie on the bike tour
Right: Juani and me

España

So today is the real first day in Spain. Sunday I got all my stuff together with my mom's help and flew out from Burlington to Philly then Philly to Madrid. The flights weren't terrible but I didn't get any sleep. So of course the jetlag is horrible. When I woke up this morning I was feeling really sick, and ended puking. We went to the Royal Palace and I puked there too. It wasn't the best way to start off the trip. But the little bit of the Palace I got to see was incredible. The only person that I knew before I flew out was Carly but now I'm getting to know more people. While we are in Madrid I am rooming with Sonya and Annie. They are great people. However, there are a lot of other people that seem to be pretty great too. Everyone is really nice in the program. Well, on that note I'm going to get ready for dinner! Hasta Luego!

Left: First picture in Spain!

Right: The Royal Palace