Espana. Week 1.

Here we are in SPAIN. In EUROPE. Across the ATLANTIC ocean! It has taken about a week for that fact really set in. Here in Spain we are 9 hours ahead of my family (in CA), 10 hours ahead of Catherine and Sean (in Alaska), 8 hours ahead of Audra (in Utah), and 7 hours behind Connie and Gary (in China). Skyping has not been easy, I'll tell you that. In fact, there are some people we still haven't been able to skype with since we got here. But more about Spain!

We arrived on January 15, around 7:30am. We then proceeded to wander through EVERY terminal of the airport collecting other members of our group that had come in from a number of other flights/airlines. The last group arrived around noon, then we met our professor and got on the bus to Alcala de Henares. Once in Alcala our host families took us to their homes. We live in a neighborhood called El Virgen de Val, or El Val for short. It is a twenty minute bus ride to school, or a thirty minute walk. We are getting really good at using the buses and trains. 

We have classes at Alcalingua at 9am (until 10) every morning, then on Monday and Wednesday we have a second class from 11-12:30. On Tuesdays and Thursdays we have our second class from 10-11. No classes on Fridays. It's a rough life. On Monday nights an emeritus general authority that lives here in Alcala teaches a religion class, and on Tuesday nights we tutor english for elementary and high school kids in the area. 

We really enjoy going to Madrid. It is a 20 minute bus ride to the train station, then a 30-40 minute train ride and boom, we are in Plaza del Sol. We have spent two full days in Madrid already and we have barely even scratched the surface of what is available to us. We have been to the Cathedral de la Almunda, it is huge and so pretty! It is the only cathedral outside of Italy to be dedicated by the Pope (according to our tour guide anyways). We have also been to the Reina Sofa museum of modern art. I am not so much in love with modern art. I don't think I want to go back, but it was a good experience. We have also spent hours just wandering around and enjoying the old city. 

In Alcala, we like to eat. A lot. I am glad our host family doesn't have a scale, because I don't even want to know. It's all bad, but so so good. There is an excellent bakery near the school that we have gone to almost every day. Everything is about 1 euro, and it is delicious. We also have a favorite Tapas bar already that we have been to several times. You can get one Tapa and a soda (or beer for our drinking friends, because apparently it is legal at 18 here) for only 2 euros and 70 cents. 

Austin's spanish is, of course, excellent. People here compliment him for being so good even though he learned it in the states. On the other hand, I am struggling. Everybody talks so fast and with that dang accent. I am definitely learning patience. I work really hard at it and try not to rely on Austin too much so that I can learn. I have been ordering my own food, ask for directions, prices, etc. It is getting better, but I have SO much to learn! 

I think I will close here and post some pictures. Next post is about Toledo! 

Love, 

Reagan :)