Hola peeps! Classes are now in full swing. I've been trying a few different routes to get to school, all of which are unfortunately pretty long. I think on a good day, I'll be able to get to school in just under 40 minutes. That's the thing about living in a homestay. While you get the full immersion, the apartments aren't very close to the school, making the commutes long. Never again will I complain about a 15-minute walk to the Academic Quad to get to class at Tulane!! That represents the tail end of my current commute. Before that, I either take the metro and transfer or take the metro and then get on a bus. It's simple, yet complicated.

Yes, I moved into my homestay, and it's going great! I love the area I am in, and it is convenient to other cool areas such as Sol and La Latina. Lucky to say that my señora is a wonderful cook. So far, she's cooked Spanish tortilla, vegetable soup, bean soup, chickpea salad, and chicken curry. It's healthy and filling, which is so important! The cat, Mimo, is like a younger sibling to me. I've compared him to a baby a few times - so adorable but can be annoying. He's woken me up a few times with his meows. Also, I think my room is bigger than the one I have in New Orleans! I'm happy, but it's a transition for sure. I was just getting used to living in the dorm, and now I just moved into someone's apartment. It'll just take some time..I'm glad Shiri is getting back from Mallorca because her homestay is right around the corner!

On Saturday, a group of us decided to take a day trip to El Escorial. We ended up taking the train in the wrong direction (oops), but we spent the rest of the time figuring out everybody's favorite riddles. That was fun. We should've taken the bus, which we ended up doing on the way home. Ya live and ya learn I guess. El Escorial is known for its famous monastery and the historical residence of the King of Spain. Philip II (Felipe Segundo is more fun to say) started this project in the 16th century with the mindset of creating a palace as well as a burial place for his father, Charles V.

Inside, you can find the church, the monastery, royal palace, and library. The library was magnificent. We weren't supposed to take photos, but since I'm a ninja, I snuck one in. I don't even know how to describe its beauty. There were also gorgeous statues and art galleries. Seeing the deathbeds as well as the cellars with the tombs of Spanish Kings and Queens was a little bit eerie. But, we also got to witness a wedding as the bride was walking into the basilica. We ended our trip taking pictures in the gardens, with a view of Madrid in the distance. So ~beautiful~ *sigh*

This Saturday, we have our first trip through our program. We'll be heading to Segovia. The other organized trip is to Córdoba. That'll be right after midterms. I love how easy day trips are here! Stay tuned for a blog on Segovia..