So you all will definitely have to forgive me for the length of time that has transpired between this entry and my last entry ( almost a month!). We have not yet set up internet at our piso so we "steal" internet from upstairs, which means we get internet at various random times throughout the week. Once we set up internet, I promise that entries will be more frequent.

After being here for 6 weeks, I am definitely getting into a routine but I absolutely cannot wait to start seriously traveling. This past weekend Jenny, Samara and I went to a beautiful city on the coast called Cadiz for two days. Upon arrival we initially thought that maybe Cadiz wasn't going to be a beach trip but after waking up to a beautiful warm and sunny day on Saturday, we realized that we were wrong. We spent about 4 hours on a beautiful beach called Playa Victoria, enjoyed montaditos (tiny sandwiches) at a restaurant called Cien Montaditos and returned back to Sevilla Saturday night. This Thursday, Jenny, Samara, Maryanne, John (Maryanne's boyfriend), Liz, Katie and I are traveling to Milan and Venice for an Italian weekend. I can't wait to see the beautiful sights of Milan and Venice, eat some delicious food and hopefully get some good shopping in!



With each day I spend at my school, I am falling more in love with the children. When I arrive at school I am typically greeted by my students and sometimes by students who I don't teach but have heard about me. I have been taking more initiative with the teachers and have had a few opportunities to teach class by myself. On Halloween I carved a pumpkin (which any other pumpkins in the states would put to shame) and taught 5 classes of 4th and 5th graders. I taught them some vocabulary, and while listening to "Monster Mash", we played Bingo (Ghost) or they drew their own Jack'o' Lanterns (or in England, pumpkin lanterns). When I asked some students what I should be for Halloween, they replied "debe ser modela" (you should be a model). I laughed to myself because I knew it was because of my pelo rubio(blond hair). Instead of being a model for the night, I decided to be a 70's mod girl.... above is a picture of Samara, Maryanne and I on Halloween night!



I feel as if I am going to learn the most Spanish from my students because they are constantly approaching me in the courtyard after school ends to talk.... one day I got approached by four of my girl students and we ended up listening to Britney Spears on my ipod for about 15 minutes! And one of my students even lives across the street from me!



I am also falling more and more in love with Sevilla everyday. Alcazar (a palace with Christian, Muslim and Jewish architecture and art) is even more beautiful than I remembered and our neighborhood in the center is wonderfully Spanish. The nightlife is great as well, on my favorite night so far we encountered a traditional "traveling" band called "La Tuna". It is a band comprised of medical students who travel weekly from town to town bar hopping and playing music for those who are at the bars. They originally were created as a means of paying for tuition to med school but now they just do it for fun.

Well I am off to find some materials for class this week but I will update later with some pictures from Milan and Venice. I miss you all mucho and would love to hear from you.



Besitos a todos,

Lauren