A little update

So, just so you know, this post was going to be awesome. I made a video from my trip to Cordoba yesterday and spent about an hour putting music to it, cutting clips, adding effects, etc., but then I found out that Windows Movie Maker is homosexual and only saves it in a format that can be used by that program only. I can't upload it. [So, maybe instead of homosexual that makes it celibate?] Anyways, it was gonna be awesome. Now it's just words.

So, it's been only about 4 days that I've been here, but it feels like forever. Really, it does. I guess it's so different over here and so much has changed that it seems like it's ben longer than it has. The first night we went out to dinner with just the SAS (advanced program) people and slept at the hotel. The next day we met our Senoras, who will be cooking for us and housing us for the semester. Mine is named Marisol. The first day freaked me out because I could barely understand anything she was saying. I've gotten a little better at this, but I still need to amplify my vocabulary immensely. IMMENSELY. Oh yeah, as it turns out, Marisol was Andy Bravo's senora when he came to Sevilla.

So, my activities since I got here have been pretty simple and mostly centered around the program. I've needed my free time to catch up on the sleep I lost. I got a cell phone here for 30E (approx. $45--yeah) and have only explored minimal amounts of the city. It's decently large, I must say.

Yesterday we got up early and ledt for Cordoba. On the walk to meet up with everyone, my roommate and I ran into Kate and Lily, and Kate had just been robbed. Someone snatched her purse, which was accross her body, breaking the strap and taking off with it. Needless to say...that sucks. But she didn't lose her passport, thank God.

Cordoba was amazing. We went to the Mezquita, which was a giant Arabic mosque/palace or a Catholic cathedral, depending on who was in control of Cordoba at the time. The mezquita was HUGE and beautiful. It was one of those structures that you will never see anything like. I really enjoyed my self there. Afterwards, we went to a couple less interesting places and then were set free to eat lunch and roam Cordoba on our own for a few hours. I hauled it and went probably halfway around the city. I really enjoyed it; the city was similar to the Santa Cruz district of Sevilla, which has tight streets, old architecture, and lots of commercial activity. I tried to get in to Cordoba C.F.'s soccer stadium, but it was closed. Oh well. After a long walk, we headed back.

Spanish culture is pretty interesting. I had some sangria yesterday, and it was pretty decent. I had paella, and it was likewise. The vino tinto de verano was pretty good though. Classes start tomorrow for me, but I don't actually get started in any classes at the University of Sevilla until mid febrero. I get 2 breaks during the spring, both close to a week long, and I am trying to decide how to spend them. I want to find a good balance between not spending money and having a great time...it's really a unique opportunity. Stay tuned for more updates or pictures or whatever. Me voy, vale? Hasta luego!