Aqui! Aqui! Aqui!

Hola a todos! I finally have made it to Sevilla! After 3 flights and almost 20 hours of travel, I am in Sevilla and alive. It was a very long trip, that was full of emotions, excitement, and extremes!
I started at SeaTac airport and flew into JFK, I then had a three hour layover, and finally I left for Madrid. This flight from JFK to Madrid was the longest, and probably most uncomfortable, but I slept most of the way, which made it a little more bearable. I then had a 45 minute flight, after a six hour lay over to Sevilla. And when I got to Sevilla, I had to get my bags, and get a taxi and get to my house myself (I did it Mama!!)

My family here is very kind, Alejandro is the father of the family, Emma is the mother, and Julia is the youngest of the three girls. I have only met one of the other sisters, but she is leaving today for the University in Germany. My roommates name is Emily, and she is from Maryland, USA. We are getting along very well, and are having a good time adjusting. Coming to Spain for this program, I felt I would not be as culture shocked and others, because of my experience in Spain before. And this has been the case for the most part. I understood how to order 'un cafe con leche y un bocadillo' in the airport in Madrid, and I was able to communicate with the taxi driver and my host parents as soon as I got here. I am hoping my speaking and listening skills will greatly enhance with my time here. I feel myself growing more and more confidant in my abilities each day, so I know this to be true. I also get asked where I learned Spanish by all my professors and family. From spending time in Ponferrada, I have a slight accent when I speak. It has been unnoticed to me, but for anyone living here, accents are very important and tell people exactly where you are from. It will be interesting after being in Sevilla for three months to go back to Ponfe and have a little bit of a Sevillano accent.

Right now, I am taking Spanish classes at the programs center. This center is in partnership with Linfield. My classes started today with an intensive three week period, of three classes, for roughly five hours a day. With a siesta break of course. These classes are going to be a little hard to get back into the mentality of school, but having everything in Spanish is a huge impact.  Everyone takes a overall review class, depending on their grade from a introductory quiz we took yesterday. Also a speaking, listening of writing class. I chose the writing class as I struggle with that the most. And I am also taking a cultural realities class, which discusses the culture and issues in current Spain. On top of this, we have a speaking partner and our parent speak to us only in Spanish. So I think I'm getting more than enough intake for the moment.

I can't even imagine how my Spanish is going to improve over the course of nine months. But I am very excited about it all
besos a todos,
J