Spanish is hard.

Yesterday I was so busy that I didn't get to blog at all because I had SO much homework to do for this intensive session of spanish... I don't know why but I just assumed that it would be easy? WRONG! It's really hard... I had to write a composition yesterday about my time here so far so I just basically translated my blog and turned it in this morning.. seemed like a good idea.

Let's see yesterday I got up and learned a new way to get to class on a different bus route, had class, yuck. I thought I understood the material until I got there today and she told me something completely different than she did the day before! After class I went with Lyndsey to El Mercado de Encarnación because we had to for an assignment that was also due today... let me just tell you, I have NEVER seen anything like that before... it was underneath all this construction first off so it was noisy and very similar to a farmers market? To an extent, but here the employees or dependientes serve you and you don't touch anything. It smelled like fish because there were a ton of fish places... They had some interesting things at these fish stands though... like jellyfish? Shrimp with eyes? There were also a TON of places to get vegetables... but the weirdest BY FAR was the place that sold meat. They had birds and rabbits that were not de-feathered and had heads and legs and the rabbits still had skin on them and before I could even look away the person behind the counter started to skin a rabbit right there in the middle of everything. I was appalled.

One thing that I have noticed here for sure, is that everyone goes everywhere in couples... they even have a discount at the movie theater on thursdays just for couples! Whether they are old or young every one here is coupled off.... it's so different than the US. Anyways,

After the market I came home and ate lunch, and started to write my essay. At 5:30 though I went and had a tour of my neighborhood or barrio with a guide from CIEE and she told us where to do things like get our hair done, shop, etc. Her name is Christina and she was my guide at orientation too! We had a very interesting talk while we were walking because she is a lawyer here in Sevilla!! She said she just got back from the UK where she was working for a probate lawyer to see the difference between the laws in the UK and the laws in España so we talked about it for a while. Did you know that in españa you can't will your property to just anyone? You have to save at least 1/3 of it to go to your family? It's mandated by law? I was so surprised by this and she was so surprised that in the UK and in the US you can will your property to anyone you want to...

This morning I woke up and went to school, turned in my paper and went to have tapas with Lyndsey because we're in the same class and have an assignment to observe Sevillanos and give a 5-6 minute presentation to the class about how their lives and what we've observed of them... 5-6 minutes in spanish! I'm really nervous! I talked to my señora about it too but she really just said that she works alot... Everything here is so family oriented too... and I thought that I was family oriented!! NO! sorry mom and dad but this is WAY more family oriented... who do they eat with? family. who do they vacation with? family. who do they shop with? family. They eat almost all of their meals at home and they don't even really have friends come to their homes so I'm not sure when they ever see anyone except their families. I haven't heard my señora even talk about anyone except her family, who she is constantly on the phone with. It's so bizarre. Okay, well I'm off to study and do my presentation. I love you all and miss you!! :)

Besos!