Alright, so let me think, last time I've posted was Barcelona. So I'll start with last weekend! Well, as you know, thursday was when I got my camera so that was a BEAUTIFUL day of course! But speaking of beautiful days, I need to say that the weather here is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. Sun has been out almost every single day, and it's hit the 80s some days!
So last weekend, we did all we could to stay in the sun all the time! Friday, I had to run earlier of course because I DEFINITELY didn't want to run when it was scorchingly hot! So I ran in the morning, had lunch with the family of course, and then Adrienne and I went and "did homework" by the river. Pretty sure I didn't open a book, but that's fine. So we talked and hung out in the sun, and then after that went and walked around El Centro and did some shopping. The only thing I bought was candy from CANDYWORLD! Haha, never did I think I would like licorice, but they have this kind with like sugar in the middle that I'm somewhat obsessed with. We were both just loving being in Candy World. Hahah, and Adrienne also bought a BEACH BAG BECAUSE SATURDAY WE HIT THE BEACHHHH!
Alright, back story. So for those of you who don't know, I have a second cousin studying here too! Kelly is my age, and she's my dad's cousin, Lisa's daughter. I've met Lisa and some of that side of the family before, and I'm obsessed with them, but I'd never actually met Kelly before! So, kind of weird that it took us both going halfway across the world to meet, but it's fine. So anyway, we'd been wanting to get together, and Saturday looked like a nice day, so we decided to go to the beach! She brought her friend and I brought Adrienne, and it was a pretty fun day!
We left on the 9:30AM bus to go to Isla Canela, which is in Ayamonte. We got there around 12:30, and the beach was pretty dead! But that was fine, more room for us! So we layed out our towels and just hung out on the beach for a while! It was great to be on the beach in MARCH, the only thing was that the sand and wind combination wasn't so much fun for us, as sand was continually blowing all over us, but it was fine! It was a really pretty beach too.
After our time on the beach, we got up, and walked around the town a little. It wasn't much of a town, because we had taken a bus from Ayamonte to the island, so there was more in Ayamonte, which we walked around after! But Isla Canela had amazing beachside apartment buildings that we were all dying to live in. So after we got back to Ayamonte, it was around 6, and the bus home didn't leave until 7:30, so we walked around, they got some ice cream, I got coffee (we all know me, the addict) and then just hung out until the bus left! It was a really fun day and I'm so happy I got to spend time with Kelly and I'm hoping before she leaves we'll hang out more! She leaves mid-may. I'll be stickin' around til JUNE!
So Sunday was again another nice day, and I can't remember too much of what I did. I think I went to some bars an interviewed some bar owners for my project for journalism, which I'm starting to write now. We'll see how that one goes. Anyway, and after that Adrienne and I went and checked out a different church, Comunidad Cristiana. Every last Sunday of the month, they have an English speaking service. It was pretty interesting, the people there were all really nice. We sang songs that I knew and was happy about, and then the pastor gave his sermon. I mean, I wasn't obsessed, and I can't say how much I'll go back, but it was good to experience and nice to have something be in English for a change!
So that was Sunday, and then last week went by really fast! Not sure if anything extremely exciting happened during the week. I did have my first experience watching theater here, because my class had to go watch a play in the Lope de Vega theater called "Amor en Tiempos Revueltos". It was interesting, but definitely hard to pay attention and follow when it was all in Spanish! I thought the theater was gorgeous though and I was glad to have the opportunity to go see a play! I miss my acting days ;)
Anyway, that was on Wednesday night after class! And then I had one class thursday, and the weekend began! This weekend was AWESOME - but definitely had its ups and downs. Haha, you'll see what I mean. So we had heard that friday was going to be in the 80s here, so naturally, Adrienne and I hit up the BEACH! We went to a different beach this time, though. This one is a lot closer, Matalascañas. It was only an hour away! So we took the bus, and got there around 11AM! The SUN WAS BRIGHT AND SHINING. One problem, Katie didn't have sunblock. Now, it's not that I DELIBERATELY left sunscreen out of my bag, I didn't have any to begin with and figured there would be a store on the beach with some. Wrong-o.
But we got to the beach and it was gorgeous! There was a cool upside down tower type of thing in the water which was pretty awesome! Not something you see every day.
And by 1ish, the beach was FILLED with people, and it was really really hot! The water was of course cold, so I only got about up to my chest, and it was that feeling like when every time a wave hits you you lose your breath because it's so cold. But it was still nice to get in and feel refreshed! So we just hung out on the beach all day; had lunch, laid out, and I even read my book "In My Sister's Shoes". It's a book about one sister who gets cancer and her other sister has to come and help raise her kids while she does chemo. Very Raising Helen-like. I read 100 pages in total that day, so I was pretty proud! And anyone who knows me knows I am SO not a reader so this is a pretty SICK accomplishment.
So it was a great day, but of course, I was definitely coned by the sun. I probably have the worst sunburn I've ever had in my life. I know I should have brought sunscreen, but I guess Spain is just trying to teach me EVERY SINGLE LIFE LESSON I CAN EVER LEARN IN ONE SEMESTER! Jeesh. So needless to say I've had some rough sleeping nights, some bad headaches, and I have to refrain myself hardcore from itching. And Aloe Vera is my new best friend. But it will fade to a tan, right?
OOPS.
Anyway, so we got back from the beach around 7ish, and then met Ky in Starbucks to do some catching up. (Before I say anything more, I need to discuss my new obsession at Starbucks. So remember my first blog, when I criticized Starbucks for failing at iced coffee? I realized they actually can do it here. My new obsession is an iced café latte with an extra shot of espresso and soymilk! Ah, its perfection. Especially when it's so HOT!) So, I got that. But, Ky had been in Amsterdam all last weekend and I hadn't seen much of her last week, so it was so good for the three of us to hang out together again and just catch up! We walked around for a bit after, but I didn't make it too long because I was exhausted and my body ached. Needless to say, I got quite the lecture about using sunscreen from my host mom, she felt so bad that I got burned! And now every day she makes sure I'm putting aloe on. Gotta love ya Maribel!
Saturday, we decided to make "SEVILLA" day. We'd all been talking and we feel like we need to explore more of this lovely place we live, so we're starting to try to do weekly excursions just to places in Sevilla, because it's easy to forget that there are still things HERE to do!
So we went to the Real Alcazares, which is Moorish ruins. It was REALLY COOL! The palace and stuff was cool, but we had the most fun taking pictures in the gardens and going crazy. The great thing about the three of us is, we can go to a place that sounds like it will be deathly - like how many of you really got excited when I said Moorish ruins? That's what I thought - but the three of us still manage to have a great time!
LOVE THESE GIRLS!
I have no idea what inspired this but it is greatness.
Walking with my people - DUCKSSS!
So that was that, we spent a while there, and then, went to Starbucks, yes, again, and did some homework and just talked for a while until it got dark. I then went home for dinner, and just hung out for the night, because the next morning Ky and I were getting up early to go...HIKING!!!!
So, yes, I've been on two hikes, and I loved them, and we were both so excited to go on this one! We left at 9AM to hit the trails!
Spain of course decided nothing can be easy for us. It rained.
So we were pretty much soaked from the time we stepped off the bus, until the time we got back to Sevilla. But it was still a fun hike! It was near Grazalema, the area I went to last time, but I think this trail was called el Pinsapar!
We did a lot of climbing, it was definitely more intense/more steep than the other ones I'd been on before, but we were up for the challenge and it was really fun, despite being soaking wet. There were a lot of pretty views, but I didn't want to take my NEW camera out too much, because I'm too attached to it to see it get wet or anything happen! But we did get a lot of good pictures between the two of us, and of course, more than anything, we had a ton of good laughs!
So we got back to Sevilla around 6, and I went straight to the shower and warmed up! (The bus ride back in soaking wet clothes really wasn't my favorite.) But once I showered, put on the UNH sweats from Kristi (LOVE YOU HUGAH) and Maribel brought me in a nice cup of hot coffee, I was all set! :)
So it was a pretty packed weekend, and I'm now exhausted but ready to start another week! I'm currently in between classes at the University, waiting on my Critica Literaria class to start. We only have two weeks left until Semana Santa, WHICH MEANS ONLY 16 DAYS UNTIL DMA COMES! So excited, can't even handle it!
So that's kind of where I'm at for right now. Just starting another week here, sunburned, and excited about the upcoming events! I'm pretty sure I'm over half way now, I counted and I think I have 66 days left here? WEIRDEST THING EVER. It feels like its been so long but so short at the same time! I can't get over it. Ah, alright, I'll stop thinking about the future. But I will say, once I see my FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND DUNKS AND EVERYONE IN TWO MONTHS, I AM GOING TO BE THE HAPPIEST PERSON ALIVE!
Until then though, gotta live it up here! Class in about twenty minutes, blah!
Un abrazo!
Katie
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