There are only a couple of weeks left before I leave for Spain for eight months which is the reason for this blog. I've never had a blog before, but I figured that through this I can tell about my adventures and time in Spain. This way I won't have to send several e-mails out to friends and family that detail the same thing over and over again.
Everyone keeps asking me if I'm getting excited, where am I going to stay, is there anything in particular I want to do before I leave? Of course I'm getting excited, who wouldn't be excited to move to another country for eight months? I'm also feeling quite nervous, although my nerves have been eased since this evening when I received an e-mail from a lady who works at my school. I don't think the reality of the situation will hit until I'm actually in Spain where I won't have my family or friends to help me out. Although I have studied abroad in Mexico for a month I know the culture shock in Spain will be quite different. Sure Mexico was different than life here in the U.S., but everything was planned out for us and I had two other American roommates. In Spain I'll have to find my own housing, apply for a residency card, and open a bank account among other things.
I'll be staying in Sevilla the first week while I'm in Spain because that is where my orientation is going to be (supposedly), although I have to go by my school before my orientation. My school is in a town called El Cuervo de Sevilla and I'll be working with the English teacher where I'll help teach English to children ages 3-12. I just received an e-mail from a lady who works at the school who said she and her friend are looking for an apartment for me in Jerez de la Frontera, a city that is closer to Cadiz. Sevilla, El Cuervo, Jerez de la Frontera, and Cadiz are all cities in the southernmost region of Spain, Andalucia. I've been to Madrid and Barcelona twice before, but I chose the region of Andalucia because I've heard it's beautiful there and home to the Alcazar, Alhambra, and Mezquita (all things I've heard and learned about thanks to my Spanish classes).
It certainly will be hard living so far from home for eight months, but I know if I didn't do this it would be something I would regret. I've always wanted to become fluent in Spanish and this is a great way to be immersed in the language (is it bad that I don't want to be around Americans or other English speaking people?). I will miss many things from home, after all I am missing football season, although I will always be cheering on the Bengals even thousands of miles away in Spain. And the food! I will miss American food greatly; Graeters, Skyline, La Rosas, you will be truly missed. I realize that Spain has great food and drinks (tapas, sangria, etc.), but believe me, grocery stores in Europe are NOT the same as in the U.S. Ham is the meat of choice (turkey is virtually non-existent) and instead of going to the store and stocking up on items Europeans go weekly, sometimes several times a week! Simple things such as these I will miss, but I know this will be a great learning and growing experience which I am greatly looking forward to.
The countdown until I leave has officially begun (if only I could keep track of what the date is...)!
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