home base

I could not have gotten luckier. Marta my host mom is an absolute gem. She is over 70 years old but is incredibly lively and mobile. She speaks no English at all - challenging for me in a good way (my Spanish has already improved since I’ve been here) – and lives alone because she is single and the rest of her family is in Granada. She is very funny and animated, and extremely hospitable. Spaniards are careful to conserve water and electricity (unlike Americans) so she is impressed I always remember to turn off the lights (thanks mom). Marta has been hosting students for a long time and although it is just the 2 of us in the apartment she has beds to sleep at least 7 other people! She is a talented artist and painter and her work is all over the apartment. I plan to take a photo of/with her as soon as I get the opportunity without being incredibly awkward. From it I can sketch a portrait of her, I think she would really appreciate it. I told her about you, Dad : ) and she was quite impressed. Hmm what else... she smokes cigarettes (unfortunately) and works out in the mornings. She loves sweets and red wine and has lots of lady friends who come over often for a smoke and a drink. They sit in the Salon and chat sometimes inviting me. Her best friend Amelia (ironically, Alicia’s host mother) lives around the corner (less than a minute away). Marta refers to me as “Guapa”, the Spanish equivalent to “handsome” in a feminine way. She is also an incredible cook! Marta tells me I am too thin and need to eat lots so prepares large amounts of food for me and it is sometimes way too much! Since it is typical for Spaniards to eat a large and late lunch, dinner is also late, and very light. Marta doesn’t eat dinner so she sets my food out on the table and I eat on a tray. I feel like I’m in a nursing home sometimes but I’m getting used to it…

As for my neighborhood I am quite “urban” and can walk to school in about 25 minutes. There are farmacias, panaderias, and little tiendas all over. SOL, a “Centro commercial” aka prime shopping area with street performers and bars and clubs for nighttime, is only several stops away on the metro.

Suffolk my University here is TINY! There are only 6 classrooms in the whole building. My schedule consists of 358 History of Spain 2, International Business 321, Public Relations 227, and Sociology 223, Families in contemporary Spain. Today was the first day of school, exciting. I’m definitely ready for some intellectual stimulation!

During our long break between classes Chrissy (another good friend from Chapman) and I roamed around in search of a cheap lunch. At a small local market I got a baguette with cheese and an apple for about 3 euro. Since I will be on my own for lunch each day I also bought a loaf of bread to make sandwiches to bring to school. Rather than paying to eat out I’ll hopefully save money for traveling. Plus dinners at home are so extravagant lunch doesn’t need to be anything special. So far being a vegetarian in Spain where jamon is predominantly served and eaten hasn’t been as difficult as I’d imagined! The hunt for some peanut butter still continues…

Speaking of traveling I still have yet to include anything about our orientation trip to Seville last weekend! But I’ll save that for next time. Still on the subject of traveling, Chrissy, Alicia and I booked tickets last night to Geneva, Switzerland! I can't think about it yet because I get too excited.

Several nights ago I tasted my first Spanish sangria. Fares, a new friend and local student at Suffolk took us to some hole-in-the-wall place. A ton of students followed and after sharing several pitchers of sangria we went down the street to a salsa bar! It took awhile to get back into the swing (no pun intended) of things but those salsa lessons I had in Guatemala several years ago definitely came in handy. I am still walking everywhere and it's warming up a little bit. The sun came out today! Will follow up later about Seville. Adios para ahora!