The Alhambra etc.

On friday my group had our trip the alhambra. it was incredible. it had some of the most amazing and intricate architecture i have ever seen in addition to the most fantastic views of granada. i am so glad that i finally got to go see it. Friday was also my last day of classes for my intensive month of spanish. Tomorrow i take my final (and only) exam 2 days earlier than the rest of my class because i am also off to Amsterdam tomorrow! Its very surreal to me right now. it doesn't seem possible that i have been here for a month. It feels like so much less and so much more time than that all at the same time. I have a fair amount of studying to do but instead i am posting something here.

In other news, my roommate is sick. i think she might have the flu which is such a bummer. i am trying to drink lots of orange juice, washing my hands a ton, getting lots of sleep and not be in the room too much. Wish me luck in not coming down with the same thing that she has.

I think my spanish may finally be improving. While my roommate was still asleep this morning i had breakfast with just my senora. We actually has a decent conversation. nothing too complicated or specific but we definitely kept it going for awhile. She also told me yesterday at lunch that my spanish has improved so i guess this proves it! I look forward to the day when i can have many more conversations with her. I would love to know more about all the people in my homestay family.

Yesterday I went to the public library in Granada. My host older sister pointed out where it was on the map and i set off. I found it very easily even though its in an area that i havent ever spent any time in. The library was interesting. Very different from the ones we have the United States. For one you walk past a security booth when you walk in. The library was all white and metal and not cozy at all. There were also very specific spots for studying vs being on a laptop vs just reading. I sat in the wrong spot and the security guard came and asked me to move. Im glad that i could understand what he was saying! I liked being back in a library though. Up at western i go to the library most days after class and being in one here finally made me feel like i was actually a student in spain. I see myself spending more time there as the semester goes on. It was very quiet and a decent study atmosphere. After the library i had lunch and then went to the park to study with one of my friends from my program. Unfortunately i ended up doing more sleeping than studying but i did finish all of my flash cards. now i just have to remember what is on all of them. Later in the evening after getting tapas i made friends with some girls from wales, scotland and england who are all studying in granada for the year. they were very nice and i hope to run into them again.

The days here have started to get into a rhythm and its very strange to me that it is about to be shook up. Its going to be an odd transition from only having 4 hours of spanish class a day to having other classes plus spanish class. The classes i will be taking are spanish, history of spain and islam in the western world. I still dont know the times of my classes but i am 95% sure that i wont have classes on fridays.This is going to make traveling so much easier. The weekend after i get back from amsterdam i am taking a trip to Lagos Portugal.


Well i guess i should get studying, here are some pictures from the alhambra