I have been in Sevilla for less than a week and this city has already stolen my heart. I feel like I have been here for so long, I can't believe it was just last Tuesday that I left home. Meeting our hosts families was such an adventure. My roommate Ashley actually lived with our family in the summer of 2009, so I felt more at ease than most because she assured me we were living with an awesome family. We live with Puri Garfia Ruiz and her two sons, Jose and Guille. At first I was a little nervous how it would look like living with someone I didn't know in a house with two men in their 30's. (In Spain, it is the custom that you usually live at home with your family until you get married or move to another city). One of the sons is very attractive and looks somewhat like an Armani model...Jose if you read this, marry me? But he is 31 and doesn't speak a word of english, so I won't hold my breath. I really love our room, it reminds me of Briggs 416, what with the lime green and all. I nested and made my side as homie as possible.
Our Señora repainted these rooms since the last time Ashley was here. Apparently this is a drastic improvement. Guess which bed is mine? I promise I'm not weirdly obsessed with animal print.
The other side of our room. A day in the life: skyping in the room. That's Ashley!
My desk! I attempted to make it as personal as possible. A difficult task seeing as I forgot to print any pictures. I hung up my necklaces, headbands, and a sweet note from Mary Martha. Maybe I will print pictures here?
I don't think I am on the level with my host family yet where I can ask to take some solo shots. But rest assured, that day is coming...so pictures to come! Puri, our host mom, is an absolute doll. Sometimes I just want to hug her when she says things; she is so cute. Yes, there are still some awkward silences at the dinner table. It's been a tad frustrating at times, those of you who know me well know I love to talk. And it has been hard here because sometimes there is so much I want to say but I don't know the vocabulary in Spanish. But, I have definitely already noticed an exponential increase in my ability to comprehend and speak spanish. It makes me exicted to see that much improvement in the first week. (1 week down, 15 to go).
The weather has definitely been on the chilly side, but not miserably so. Probably in the high 40's and low 50's. (I still have NO idea how to convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit). A common phrase my friends and I have been saying here is "Once is gets warmer it will be so nice to (insert anything fun here)". There are so many parks to explore, the river to see, the shops to go to, the buildings to look at...the list goes on. You would not believe how much walking we do here. If I were to only leave my house ONE time to walk to school, and then I stayed home the rest of the day, I would walk a minimum of four miles a day. Just to give you an idea, I probably leave my house around 3 times a day. However a few things make the walk better. Just a few of the places I pass on my way to school:
This is the view from the bridge I cross every day. El Puente de Triana.
Also a view from my bridge. This is Calle Betis. The Northgate of Triana.
A view of the back of town hall.
The Giralda, which is the bell tower of the huge Cathedral in Sevilla.
A strip of really fun bars, also on my way to class.
The Bank of Sevilla. PS there are horse carriages everywhere here.
So as you can see, the walks are well worth it. And I am getting a great workout, right? Right now I am taking classes in the ISA office. I am taking an Intensive Language Course that is 3 hours of grammar and 2 hours of speaking every day from 9-2pm. Afterwards I feel like I just worked out, it is very intense. There are only 10 people in my class right now. 9 girls and 1 boy, but he holds his own and is loved by all of us.
Our classroom in the ISA office. We spend 5 hours every day in this room. Way too long.
Love these people already!!
So this is the University of Sevilla, where I will be taking all of my classes starting February 7th.
It looks just like the A&M Campus. Oh wait.....
Ya....I go to school here!
Overall, I am really loving it. I want to do a better job at blogging, because I am definitely feeling lots of different things about being here, knowing I will be gone for four more months, missing my family and people at home, feeling God's presence even though I am so far from home, meeting new friends, living in a new city, and experiencing a new culture. I feel like I have already learned so much.
One passage that I have been meditating on alot since I have been here is Psalm 139. One part in particular:
7"Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me."
I am definitely on the uttermost parts of the sea in relation to Texas. But no matter where I go, no matter how far or how long, God's right hand is still holding me. I can find such comfort and security in Christ. He is bigger than any ocean or distance, and He is always with me.
"I am with you always. These were the last words I spoke before ascending into heaven. I continue to proclaim this promise to all who listen. When my presence is the focal point of your consciousness, all the pieces of your life fall into place. As you gaze at me through the eyes of your heart, you can see the world around you from my perspective. The fact that I am with you makes every moment of your life meaningful."
-Jesus Calling
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