It has been a long time since I´ve written last (becuase my computer broke on friday...now I know that I´m def. computer dependent after feeling like my life was coming to an end after it stoped working) so I think this is going to be a long entry! Be ready!

Where to start....

My classes seem like they may be a little challenging at times... my professors are def the fastest spanish speakers I know. And I´ve recently discovered that there is no spacing out while you are in class because you will become even more lost than usual if the profesor is speaking Spanish. As of right now I´m a little nervous about my classes because I´ve never taken an advanced Spanish class yet and also this is going to carry over and go on my transcripts. (I´m jealous of the students who are taking this pass/fail) Also I will have to write two 4 pages essays in Spanish which is not that much fun to do in English....Dios mio! But I also know that my classes will def. help with my speaking abilities and such...they are already and we get to go visit a hospital in Alicante which I´m excited about!

So my first weekend in Spain....

Friday we checked out some of the night life in Spain with most of the CIEE crew. I think Alicante may actual have more bars than IC. After a while I was bored talking to normal American students that I can talk to in the U.S. so I decided to branch out and talk to other ppl in the bar. As I was thinking this some random guy gave me a rose that the street vender was selling and I struck up a conversation with him and his friend in Spanish. It turned out the guy was from Itlay and was just here for 3 months doing some sort of volunteering project I think....um.. Spanish was fussy on that one and his friend was from Argentina. It was fun practicing my Spanish with a local spanish speaker for a while and it seems a lot easier to practice when your in a noisy bar and you have a 1€ margarita. lol After a few minutes of practicing my spanish, I said goodbye and went with the American crew to another bar to dance. And surprisingly I knew all of the songs that they played. Most of them were in English. The bar that we went to was pretty empty because apparently no one goes to the bars in Spain until 1 and they stay open until 3 or 4 in the morning. We didn´t stay out quite that late because we had to wake up early for a trip the next day.

The next day we went to Villajoyosa and Altea which were about 30 mins from here. The highlight in Villajoyosa was the chocolate factory that we got to go to. We toured the ancient machines used to make it and got free samples of liquid fresh chocolate. Afterwards I bough a ton of chocolate con almendras my favorite! However, my chocolate ended up melting on the bus while we went to the beach in Atlea...but no worries I managed to freeze it and eat it still! ¨

Atlea was absolutely beautiful! once my computer is fixed hopefully I´ll get some pics up for you guys! The beach and old ciudad was beautiful. I could have stayed there all day and enjoyed the wonderful landscape. The only problem is it was ungodly hot...so we had to take a dip in the beach to cool off and all was well!

After I returned from my trip I took a shower and a quick nap and I went with my padre and madre to the parade for chirtianos y moros and also the Las hogueras beginning parade. Alicante is full of festivales and parades in the summer. I saw four parades this weekend and I believe there are many more yet to come in the next weeks.

Sunday I did my homework, rested, went to 2 more parades and also went to church with my padres in the morning. We went to the biggest and most famous church here San Christbol. However, it was so hot and packed and there were no more seats because the church had a parade afterwards.... imagine that. I guess my count was 5 parades this weekend. Mi madre says that there are many festivales and parades in Alicante during the summer. And the big ones are yet to come.

The exciting news for this week is I get to start my Latin Dance classes! I have my first class tonight. Also we are going to hiking to the castillo you see in my pictures of Alicante overlooking the beach as well as going to a muesum about the Hogueras festivales.

Busy and exciting week ahead!

hasta luego!