I am quickly falling in love with this city and my host family. This morning we had a bus tour of the city through many of the neighborhoods (barrios). We started and ended at the Plaza de España. The plaza is absolutely gorgeous and a very special place. There are little benches and mosaics that represent all the major cities in Spain. We were there around noon and many Spaniards were taking naps on the benches. The sky was so blue it was almost surreal, and per usual I forgot my camera but will definitely return to the heart of the city to take some more pictures. Next to the plaza is a beautiful park. There are many little parks around the city and the Spaniards love their parks. This afternoon after we watched a movie at school I headed to a little café to write some emails and watch the sunset. It was absolutely picturesque. My American tendencies are becoming more and evident especially in terms of the pace of life. When I took a seat at a table outside the café I expected service immediately, but here you are to relax and you will be served when the server has had a chance to finish serving other customers. I didn’t realize that I was so needy, but I am slowly adjusting to this way of life. Earlier today at lunch I met the son in my host family, José. I believer José is 30 and seems like a real cool guy. Immediately he was very open and accommodating. For lunch we had pan-seared steak and thinly shaved fried potatoes. They weren’t completely fried so they were a little chewy, and are excellent especially with a touch of vinegar and salt. Highly recommended. For desert we had fruit, which is pretty typical in Spain. This evening we had a wonderful dinner, which included salchichas (sausage) in a red wine sauce and more potatoes from earlier. Also we had a little bread, which we have at every meal, with a French duck liver paste that was phenomenal. It was funny that they didn’t tell me what it was till I tried it. At dinner we had the TV turned to an American movie to which the name escapes me. We had great conversation at dinner and I am finally feeling like I am understanding completely what my family is saying. They are very patient and eager to teach me. After dinner I gave my host sister and mother the soap from dear aunty Heidi and they loved it very much. At dinner tonight I finally felt like I was really getting over the language barrier and getting to know the family, which is very comforting. The weather was beautiful all day, warm in the sun and cool in the shade, but it has gotten a little colder since the sun has gone down. My classes and the Spanish only policy start Monday and I am really looking forward to diving in headfirst.

A note to all my vigilant blog readers, how bout a little feedback. Too much detail? Not enough? More about anything in particular? Like customs?

Thanks for reading, if you have any questions be sure to let me know.