Hola from Granada!!!

Not much has happened since last week, except that I started school on Monday! Maybe that's the reason why I haven't been up to much! J I am taking four classes at IES and have a wonderful schedule!! I am taking a Spanish course, Islamic Civilization until 1492 (in Spanish), Islamic Art and Architecture (in Spanish) and Women in Mediterranean Literature (in English). The Art and Architecture class has one in-class lecture session and then one visiting class where we go see sights around Granada every week! This last Wednesday we went to Plaza Bib-Rambla, an old Muslim plaza in the middle of Granada. We learned lots about it that we would never have known just by looking at it! I think that will be one of my favorite classes because of how much I will learn about Granada. It is VERY easy to space out when you are listening to a professor in Spanish, so I have to concentrate very hard to catch what the professor is saying. But on the bright side, I understand the classes in Spanish! I would be in LOTS of trouble if I didn't! ha-ha The professors are all very nice (my history one looks like Robin Williams!) and they are all very laid back. They don't like to be called professor or Dr. They only want us to call them by their first names - quite different than my teachers at UP. I finish classes on Thursdays at 11 am, so I have extra long weekends! It will make travel nice later on in the semester!

This weekend has been fun so far, except for the fact I come home reeking of smoke every night because people smoke EVERYWHERE here! The smell permeates everything I wear and my hair!! A friend and I went out on Thursday night for tapas and then to a discoteca called Mae West, located at the top of a super mall! There were tons of different rooms inside, all playing different genres of music! Last night we went to the Colegio Mayores - an all guys dorm for UGR students. Some of our friends live in it, so we went to check it out before going out to Granada 10, another discoteca closer to our house.

My host brother has been getting more comfortable with us here I think in the last week. He's not as shy anymore. I asked him for recommendations for places to run and he was so helpful and said he would go with me one day for a run! He also invited us to the movies with him last night, but we already had plans! He is very nice and is fluent in English too!

It has finally started to warm up a teeeeny bit! It didn't rain the last two days, however we did have some snow yesterday! The sun is out today and instantly brightens my mood! I have been enjoying the Spanish music over here a lot; however they don't start playing it until about 3 or 4 am in the discos when they think all the Americans have left and they can stop playing Britney Spears and start playing the real Spanish music!

Not much else is new over here! My Spanish in the house is getting better, still learning all sorts of new words every day! Its hard to remember them all! I am still trying to catch up on sleep all the time too - thank goodness for siestas!! My roommate just came in and we decided it was time for a siesta; however we didnt get up till 1 pm! We are a bit pathethic taking naps after being up for 4 hours! When in Spain!! haha Hope everyone is doing wonderful back home!! I am always on Skype if you ever want to call me!!

Oxox