hola! que tal!

I finally have another chance to post something on here, it has been quite hectic this past week! The most exciting part was meeing my host family. Mi madre, Madolina, has 10 brothers and sisters, who all have kids, plus 4 kids of her own, and 2 grandchildren. I live with her and her son, Francisco. Every day she watches her grandchildren, Kay and Gloria, so I get so play with kids every day! Their 5th floor apartment looks over the puerto, so I can see the water, boats, and market from mi casa! I have my own room as well as my own bathroom. Madolina is a great cook... so far she has made me Paella con pollo (rice with veggies and chicken, very popular here, usually has fish), chicken and papas fritas (french fries), pasta with red sauce (not very tomatoey), and spinach salad with tuna. Everything is healthy, and made with olive oil instead of butter. Even the french fries were made in olive oil with no salt! I can communicate well with my "brothers and sisters" but my mom talks so fast... but I am sure I will understand her by the time my few months here are up!

The University of Alicante is so beautiful; it looks more like a vacation resort than a school. I am looking forward to sitting against an orange tree to study, and eating fresh oranges whenever I feel like it.

On Friday we went to Villajoyosa, in between Benidorm and Alicante. We saw an old mansion of a deceased Spaniard, which was neat because we could see what the architecture here is usually like. We went to a chocolate factory as well, one of the most famous in Spain; in the end, we got to sample the chocolate! Then a couple friends and I explored the beach area, even though the water was pretty cold! This picture is of me beating my friend Zach in a sprint race : )

So far I really like Spain, but some of the customs are very different. People are always staring at my friends and I; At first I thought it was because we stand out, but now I realize it is just because all the Spanish people like to look at each other´s outfits, and observe each other. Also, here people smoke all the time, so you are not considered a smoker unless you smoke more than 4 cigarettes a day! It´s also different how Spaniards rarely use please, thank you, or please, but instead they show their manners by greeting everyone as soon as they see them and again when they leave. I love learning all about their culture, and it´s fun to talk with locals about the difference between the U.S. and Spain.

I hope everyone is doing well! Buenos dias, tardes, y noches, because it´s night here but earlier there! hasta luego

Sarah