segundo dia de clase

I have successfully completed my second day of class! Right now, I am in a two-week intensive session (3 hrs a day, 5 days a week). I'm taking a class on the history of Spain, and I love it! We spend the first hour and a half in a classroom, where the professor gives us a lecture (there are about 15 of us in my class). He doesn't use notes or anything, just teaches us from his knowledge. Sometimes he'll show us slides or pictures as well. The second hour and a half is spent visiting historic sites in the city. So, for example, today we learned about the Islamic invasion of Spain from around the 8th century to the 15th century... talking about the different architecture they used, changes they made, etc. And then, after the lesson, our professor took us to see a huge church that was originally a mosque, and then was reconstructed in the Baroque period as a Catholic Church. It was really neat!

They have a system here called "intercambio" (exchange) where there is a list of Spanish students who would be interested in meeting Americans. So I contacted a girl on the list, and I hung out with her last night. It was cool to finally spend time with a native. It was kind of funny-- she took me to a Burger King for ice cream!

The language part of being here is getting a little better, but not much. I can understand when the professors are explain things, or if my host family is talking to me... but I can't understand when natives speak to each other... and I can't understand the tv... it's all way too fast. I'm hoping that might change in a few weeks.

I've been going for runs at a nearby park... it's beautiful. Everything in this city is just so gorgeous!

I hope everyone is doing well in the United States! I'm glad that I'm keeping busy, because it makes it a lot easier to be so far away. I really miss everyone :-/. My mom has been really sweet about talking to me everyday and making an effort to make things more comfortable for me. She is great! Thanks to all who have emailed me or left comments, I really appreciate each and every one.