I really don't even know where to begin... I kind of touched on some of my adventure so far but I think a thorough going over is in order. I think Friday would be great, but it was so long ago in terms of the days I've spent here so far. I feel like I haven't had a second to take a really long, deep breath until now. And I'm definitely lacking in the sleep department. But let's see, Friday...
I arrived to Alicante around 3:30 PM here, it was bright, sunny, and warm! Okay, so much warmer than at home where the average winter temperature only reaches a measly 32. But it was around 62 or so here, and the high so far has been about 68. Which, although still pretty chill when you are in the shade (and for los Alicantinos), is great when you think that only a week ago I was shoveling snow out of my driveway. Anyways, i took my sweater and lugged my baggage into the hotel where we were checked into rooms that are adjacent to the University dorms. I met a ton of new friends right away because everyone was really outgoing, which surprised me at first. But then I chalked it up to the fact that we are all on this great adventure together and need support from those who are going through the same thing.
It was kind of intense actually because everyone spoke in Spanish immediately (the guides and the people here, not the kids). So it was pretty hard to get used to. Imagine flicking a switch and turning off the lights... for me at least, the difference was that dramatic. Friday, although relaxing, wasn't enough time AT ALL to catch up on all the sleep I lost during the 20 hour plane ride. I didn't get to sleep a wink, not even a cat nap in the airport:( But we did get time to relax, and of course all we wanted to do was shower! I felt disgusting!!! We went to dinner at this little place near our hotel called La Hacienda de Jamon, and literally, ham thighs were hanging from the ceiling. I know what you're thinking, but it wasn't too bad lol Then we went back and CRASHED! Going to bed at 11 and getting up at 7:30 did nothing to help my sleep deprivation, but the next morning was full of stuff to do. We had a tour of the city and because we were split into groups, we got to meet more new people. They like to do things alphabetically here, like, all the time. So I was in a group with people from the program who are at the beginning of the alphabet. We toured allllllllllllllllllllllllllll over the city, and by the end of the day, I felt like my feet were made of lead. But we got to see a lot of cool sights, most of the pictures of which I posted on my Facebook. After a while, I became so tired that I actually stopped taking pictures haha I figure I'll be here for almost 6 months. I've got time to take them:) For lunch on Saturday we had paella, which is a famous Spanish dish. It is local to Spain and is rice that is typically mixed with vegetables and meat. Since much of Spain is coastal, the most popular type of paella is with seafood... I loved the miniature shrimp and scallops :) The vegetarian paella was good too, but I didn't care much for the sauce it was in. We finished our tour, headed back to campus for some break away sessions about program information, and then it was time for dinner. We had tapas again (I am not sure how often people here actually eat tapas, but we had them like 3 days in a row. They are good, but I did get kinda sick of the same thing over and over :/) and one of the program directors bought us shots that were of some kind of sweet liquor, maybe caramel vodka, I'm not sure. The cool part is that they were inside mini cups made of ice cream cone. Literally shot sized ice cream cones that were lined with chocolate and had whipped cream on the top and chocolate sprinkles. Best dessert I've ever had in my life ;) We left the restaurant late, and only had about 15 minutes to get ready to go out. Because believe me, Spaniards GO OUT!
There is this place in the heart of the city very close to the beach called el Barrio. Its the oldest part of the city, where the buildings are squeezed together and the streets barely let two people pass at once. They are also lined with bars. There are sooooo many with many different themes. Most have tables to sit at, but many are also discotecas... dance halls! My favorite:) We went to two clubs, at both of which our new friends David (who is here for the whole year and has already made friends with the bartenders lol) bargained to get us $1 shots. I had this vodka that was called vota negra: black vodka. It is actually a deep blue, but it tastes like jollyrancher. Delicious :) Then some caramel vodka, also scrumptious. And of course, being in Spain, tequila. Its so much better here, I won't even drink it at home. Overall, a very fun night. We managed to find the correct bus stop (there are so many that its impossible is you don't know your way around, which we didn't. Not to mention we weren't exactly in the right state of mind to put on our thinking caps haha) and had a conversation with a Spanish boy named Erik. He was very funny lol Then, as we all crawled out of our holes after only 3 hours of sleep - or less - , we had another full day of sessions, presentations, and a tour of the University campus. Which is HUGE by the way. It used to be an airforce base but now the barracks are classrooms and the plane hanger is a botanical garden; see pictures on Facebook. It is gorgeous though - orange trees and ponds are everywhere. Its very scenic. So much so that there are many cats who like to come to live there. I saw at least 10 on my first trip through haha
Monday brought the first day of classes of the intensive cycle, during which we have a two week class that meets everyday for 4 hours, 2 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. Its not all that intensive, its just a review. But its hard to get into the swing of things when you need to buy stuff and get a phone and all that jazz. So that brings us to today, which was the 2nd day of class. Monday Feb. 3rd marks the first day of the actual semester and actual class... should be interesting. Until then, I'll try to update more, but no guarantees. Right not its 10:40 and I plan on being in bed by 11 :) Next time I write, I'll tell you about my host mom. She is adorable.
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