Update!!!

Sorry yall I havent been updating my blog. Spain is absolutely amazing and I am having the time of my life. I thought that I wouldn't have enough things to do but we are constantly busy having a blast and having an adventure of a life time. The only reason I am able to update today is because i am sick :( no bueno.

So far I have been very successful with the clothes washing and the grocery shopping. I have even experienced washing a dress in the sink because i forgot to wash it with the rest of my clothes. ha ha who would have thought that it would have been fun. The grocery shopping here is different. To get the veggies and fruit you have to put plastic gloves on and then you get what you want. The milk here is not refrig but i havent had the nerve to try it, weak i know. But there is just something about milk being on a regular shelf that turns me away. The first time i went shopping i had the spanish dictionary out while trying to shop trying to figure out what i was buyiing and if i even knew if i could eat it. You should have seen all the looks i got, it was hilarious. The onyl bad thing about shopping is that i have to carry it back to the dorms. ot very fun, but i am getting serious muscle. And then when you go to check out you have to bag it yourself and while you are bagging your stuff she rings up other people its is very efficent and very convienant. And then she tell you how much your price is and you pay and you are good to go.

One of the very most important things you should know is that they don't have a lot of playing cards here. It took me 2 weeks!!!!! 2 stinkin weeks to find cards and even then it was just poker cards. I was hoping they would have Skip-bo or Phase 10. Nope all they have is Uno and Poker cards. But i finally found some and everything is right in the world. lol. I even bought some really cool earrings, I love them!!!
I also tried to find sweatpants but no such luck but i got a cool jacket. Someone said that I wouldnt need the sweatpants that I tried to pack and they said it was going to be warm. Welll lo and behold we had a cold spell for about 2 or 3 days.. And so finally i bought the jacket and have only used it once. I knew that was going to happen, after i bought the jacket it would get hot again. Oh well at least i have a new jacket.

Tapas Bars

Let me explain to you what tapas bars are, they are absolutely amazing. So here we have a really big lunch around 2pm and siestas. Then we dont have dinner till 9:30 or 10ish at night. For the most part everyone goes to the tapas bars. It is these little little restuarants that line the calle or street and each little tapa bar has their own specail little food thing. My favorite so far are the chicken and fried veggies. The chicken they serve you on a stick like a kebab with a piece of bread attached. And you just go from tapa to tapa sampling all the amazing food. Its really a neat experience. its a gathering of friends and families and enjoying the time here. Family is really important here and they do everything together and its a very friendly enviornment. I can't wait to take the parents out to the tapas. It is a complete blast and extremely yummy!!!!

Pampalona

WOW!!! that pretty much sums up the whole trip. haha. I have never seen so many people in my life, let a lone so many drunk people. But it was a blast and scary all at the same time. Right now in Pampalona is the Running of the Bulls.. What an amazing and life time experience. Just to ease yalls mind, i didn't run but i had 2 very dear friends that did run and they survived, i don't think my heart did though. lol. Me and my worrying tisk tisk. Water is for us as wine is for them. I have never seen so much wine in my life, people were carrying by the milk jugs and gallons of wine in buckets its insane!!! Everyone was pretty nice there, i didn't run into any mean people, which i was very lucky for, but i don't think i have every prayed so many times and so hard in my life. Okay so here is the play by play
Friday: We arrived by bus to Pampalona and went straight to buying tickets for the bull fight, we also bought tickets to seat in the arena and watch the running of the bulls and watch the people and the bulls run in, pretty awesome idea even if it was by mistake. While waiting in line to buy tickets Karen and I were starting to play goldfish when this little old lady in front of us took the cards out of Karen's hand and was trying to teach us a game in Spanish, it was hilarious, i couldn't even keep a straight face the whole time. Also while standing in line i got proposed to HAHAHA. this guy (who was gorgeous) took a ring off his finger kissed it and tried to give it to me, sadly i declined. LOL. After we got our tickets we headed back to the bus stop to meet up with everyone else. We then went and found a park to sleep in, yes me, i slept under the Spanish sky with no tent only a blanket. I didn't have a problem falling asleep, but i am the only one in the group who fell asleep. I believe it was because all of the worrying and stress made me exhausted. The funny thing is i slept with both wallets down my pants and my electronic stuff down my shirt, so if someone did still my bag all they got was a change of clothes and some treats, LOL. I am a genius i know.
Saturday: We woke up early so that we could drop Jill off at the starting point. I thought i was going to pass out when i saw the crowd and also being so nervous for her. It took us forever to make it to the arena, we got to walk up the course that the bulls run which was pretty awesome!! While walking to the arena we ended up being in the middle of a parade, lol only tourist would do that. And finally after about an hour of walking, getting lost, walking a different, asking questions we made it to our seat. The arena was PACKED.. it was neat hearing everyone sing a fight song or anthem or something. We watched the running of the bulls and then were able to watch them run in as well as the people. That was really a neat experience. We saw Jill about 30 minutes later after they had the bulls running around the arena throwing people in the air (their horns were tapped). We met up with her outside the arena and met some boys from Italy, they were nice but very drunk. When they found out i was from Alabama they sang sweet home Alabama, very loudly and very off tune. It was so embarrassing everyone was looking. We met up with the rest of our group and had lunch in a different park and took a nap and played uno and watched a random band come through and play, that was cool. Then we went and i bought a t-shirt, a newspaper, a program, and some other stuff, and we went and saw the bull fight. It was an interesting but once in a life time experience, (that's what i kept repeating in my head) the arena was completely packed. I was really nervous that we were going to get wine thrown on us, because that is what they do, people have buckets, cup, and squirt guns full of wine and they just throw them. Luckily we didn't sit in our seats because if we did then we would have been SOAKED. We sat with the old people, lol. This was such an amazing experience!!! But i am glad i am back in the dorms clean and safe! VIVE SAN FERMIN!!!!

Grocery shopping and first real day of class

June 30, 2009
So today was our first real day of class and it kicked my butt…. We are not allowed to speak ingles (English) at all unless we are to the point of pulling our hair out then we can say a few words in English. After class we went to the grocery store to get real food. It was very successful and fun and exhausting all at the same time. I have stayed away from the meat thus far, I am a chicken I know. But I got some bread, strawberry and chocolate milk, a few produce, a smelly thing to make my room smell like apples. It’s crazy to go to the seafood section, its gigantic smelly section of the store. And they have everything out there like eel, fish heads, all sorts of fish, shrip, anything and everything just chilling there on the ice. And then you look to the left and its your meats and they have pig legs with hooves and everything just hanging there for you to buy. Not a fan. Also their milk comes in boxes not refrigerated, it makes me a little nervous so I got the other two milks because they were in the fridge section. By the time that excursion was over with I was exhausted because we had to carry all of our stuff back to the dorms and it’s about ½ mile walk maybe give or take. I came home with a lizard on my bed, our windows don’t have screens on them just bars like prision. Ha ha. I wanted to keep it and make it my pet but I didn’t have a container. Boooo.. I know I am a little kid at heart. Right now the hallways smell like mildew, some estudiantes came in the hall way last night and turned the fire hose on, everyone my piso (floor) their rooms got somewhat flooded except for the last 5 or 6 rooms which I was in which is very good. Now I know not to leave anything on the floor. Silly kids they never grow up. It stays very light outside till 10ish its crazy… Well I am having a blast and I am very excited that I have this opportunity and I can’t wait for more adventures.

Catching up

June 29, 2009
All of my three days of being in Logrono has been really amazing.. It gets really hot here but I am sort of use to it from being in the humidity in Alabama. I am starting to get use to being surrounded by only Spanish, I still can’t understand it but it is less uncomfortable I guess you could day. I love the way this town is relaxed and just enjoys one another’s company minus those who are driving.. They are awful drivers, I am pretty sure every time I cross the road I think I might pee my pants when a car slams on their breaks. So my first day of class wasn’t too bad. I only understood every few words, but at first we were all together for orientation. The teachers seem really nice, and they have tons of patience, I can tell already. Then we had a little treat and juice or water then we had to take a placement test, just so they can see where we are at. The best wasn’t too bad, the only two hard things where writing about a nightmare and then speaking with two of the teachers, they were very sweet and kind. They asked how I was doing and I said I was doing good but nervous and they kept reassuring me not to be nervous and the test is no big deal. HA! Then every time I got stuck or messed up and I would say sorry they reassured me that I was doing well and not to say sorry, I just didn’t want to disrespect them or say some horrible word. Lol knowing me I would. After that we came back to the dorms. Erin and I went searching for the river and found it, in hopes that we would be able to swim in it, but that is a BIG FAT NEGATIVE! L The water is really gross and smells bad. I don’t feel like getting any disease or viruses while I am here so I will just take a cold refreshing shower. But it is a lot easier to jump into a cold pool, ocean, or lake then it is to climb into a cold shower.
After that we rested during the siesta, I am starting to love those, I think the united states should have siestas maybe we would be a happier people. We had a tour thing to go to so we decided to leave early because we had to walk to another part of the city to get to our group. WE WALK EVERYWHERE!!!!! We used a map, and then along the way we stopped at a grocery store and I got Aqu Aries (its like this orange water drink) it is fabulous and I got a little snack. We looked through a few stores and kept walking. We decided we had an hour to kill so we mine as well catch dinner so we stopped at this little café. I have no Idea what kind of sandwich or roll thing I ate but it was absolutely good, the waitress laughed when I ordered but after to point to what I wanted my transaction was successful. We finally made it to our group and toured the old part of the ciudad (city). It was really pretty and I took a lot of pictures. The tour wasn’t as fun but when you are sweating, you can’t/understand any of it, it’s kind of difficult. We almost got hit by a few cars but it was nice. The guys we were walking with were fun, and they seemed a little protective of us which was nice. Our tour was 2 hours long. Right after our tour was over and we were heading back to the dorms it started down pouring, I mean raining buckets and buckets and it was very windy. I am starting to get use to the lightning and thunder but I still don’t like it. I guess it rains every night, but I am grateful for the rain because then it cools everything, but I don’t recommend walking during the rain. The sidewalks here are tile they aren’t smooth and continuous and so it is a struggle. LOL but I have yet to fall. Oh yeah!!!

Travel day 1

i am in Logroño. (my town) Ha ha yesterday was awful, i had already wanted to come home within 6 hours.lol but i am not a quieter. So my plane got in 10 minutes late, and it took me 30-45 minutes to get through customs. And the airport is 6 levels and each thing is on a different level. Then it took me 15 minutes to get into luggage claim. ha ha I got my bag and found my way to the metro (subway) and so by the time i got there i had missed the girls i was hooking up with.
So i was a little frustrated and nervous then. So i maneuvered me and my big suitcase through the metro and took 4 wrong trains, lol i missed my bus, went to the wrong bus station on the wrong side of town. I wanted to cry but i didnt. YAY!!!! So NO ONE speaks any english.. but i survived somehow by the grace of God. This little nun help me and my suitcase to the bus station. And instead of them making me pay for another bus ticket they just gave me another one and the correct metro stop and bus station. Got on on the bus it was 4 hour ride but the country is beautiful. and the people are so nice.

I will write more later.

Packed

I am finally packed. My life for the next month fit in 1 huge duffel bag, and small carry on suitcase. What are my feelings right now? I am scared, nervous, excited, worried, anxious, speechless. I am so blessed to have this opportunity, its an opportunity of a life time. Hopefully i won't have to ride in a bus with chickens and goats. :) Can't wait for this journey to begin, well actually can't wait to get to my dorm room. I am going to take a butt load of pictures, its going to be insane.. and just so y'all know they are probably going to be the most random pictures ever!!!!!
I couldn't decide if i wanted to leave technology behind such as facebook, myspace, msn, but I decided that it wouldn't be as fun for all you guys who are tracking my where abouts. I still think its amazing how much crap i (well my dad) can fit in a suitcase. AMAZING. Well i better go to bed so i am energized for the big travel, well enough so that i can sleep on the plane. Next blog will be in Spain.

Adios

Introduction

Hola!!

So i am starting a blog so that my friends and family can follow my journey across the ocean and to a foreign land called Spain. I am going for a month to learn how to speak the language as well as learn about the culture. I am very excited and very nervous at the same time.. Its like the feeling of waiting for the gun to shoot when starting a race, or that feeling you get when you are up to bat and its 2 outs last inning and you have a runner on 3rd base, that gut feeling you get where you can barely hold still. I have all that going through my system times 100. I hope this is a journey of excitement, fun, and a journey of finding myself. oooo la la deep.

What do i know so far? NOT MUCH.. I know that i will be in class 4 hours a day and the rest is letting my wings fly me to who knows where, doing who knows what. And yes there will be a lot of studying involved. I know that by the time I get to Spain i am going to be tired of traveling. HA HA from here to Spain is 14 hours travel, well from here to dallas and then to Madrid, Spain. And then from Madrid to Logrono is a 4 hours bus drive with 3 stops. Woo hoo.

I still need to shopbut i am making some progress and I am slowly gathering clothes, I am just not a fan of shopping. I'd rather stick needles in my body then clothes shop to be honest. But i have printed out tons and tons of packing list from everywhere and so I feel that i will be some what prepared, and I know i will take to much. Who doesn't? I have exactly a week left. Wow time is flying fast and i know that plane ride will be the longest plane ride ever, it always seems to be that way.