Wednesday, September 8, 2010

I'm in Love!

My first intentions were to write on this blog every day, but obviously I have not.  The internet in my room is very unreliable and I have just been keeping really busy! I absolutely love everything about Segovia.  Any place where a siesta (nap time) is programmed in to everyone's daily routine is my kind of place.  The language is just absolutely beautiful- I think it is probably the best language there is.  Someone can be swearing and I still think it sounds amazing! haha.  Its just so fluid and graceful, not very choppy or rough like other languages, including english.  Im slowly starting to remember my words again although everyone sort of talks english to eachother (whoops) so I haven't had a chance to talk that much yet.  But now every time I do at least I don't sounds like a complete idiot.  I can carry out a conversation pretty well now.  We made friends with two guys from Madrid, Ruben and Dominik (who is actually from Poland..) and I just love talking to them.  Its so much different talking to someone closer to our age than adults.  I'm starting to pick up on a lot more slang so it's kinda cool to learn something new. 
Not as many people go out together at night now either, which I actually really like, so now we aren't that large group of Americans strolling around together trying to find somewhere to go at 11:30 at night.  When I'm in a smaller group I don't get stared at as much.  I think it's because I can pass as more of someone from Holland or Sweden and I blend in more whereas when I'm in a huge group of people who are either speaking English or broken Spanish, it's obvious we are from America.  Occasionally we say we are from England, then we can blame our "stupidity" on the Brits ;)
Outside my window there has been road construction going on for like the past week, and it is super loud and obnoxious.  I live right off of one of the main streets since I live so close to the plaza and so I get to hear a lot of commotion right outside my window.  They are replacing some of the brick on the roads I think.  The roads and paths here are so cool! Everything is made of bricks and stones, giving the whole site a lot of character.  I feel like I always need to look down tho otherwise you can easily trip or step in a hole.  Maybe that's why people walk so slowly here.  I always feel like I am walking as if I'm in a hurry, even though I'm not.  I really need to just slow down and enjoy the moment at times.  It's one of my favorite parts about this place.  It is really hard to feel stressed or depressed when your here.  Everyone just seems to enjoy everything and is always in a pleasant-ish mood.
Some people find it awkward, but I actually really enjoy how people greet eachother- a kiss on each cheek.  It's just so much more personal than awkwardly standing back and doing a lame little wave.  When people enter or leave a house, people also always make a point of saying hello or goodbye to everyone.  It's considered rude if you don't and know people should do that in America and sometimes do.. but it's a way bigger deal here.  I just feel like everyone has a wierd connection somehow- it's like a different energy.  Maybe I'm just crazy, but I think there is. It is sort of funny tho how people look eachother up and down, which would be considered rude or suggestive of a challenge or judging in America, but it is completely normal here.  Or when people say "Hola guapa(o)", it's just a normal thing.  I just love it :) haha.
Today our group got together at Ricardo's house (which is absolutely beautiful) for Brunch and it was so good!  We had scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes, fruit, toast, orange juice, coffee, little muffin things... the works.  It was definitely an American meal, but it was great.  He has two cute little boys with a lot of energy! I was definitely stuffed by the time I left. 
Ochon (the grandma) has cooked a couple times now since I've been here and her cooking is so good! I love it.. it's actually like legit Spanish food.  So I've enjoyed trying some new things.  I wish she would cook every meal :)
The weather here has been a little sketchy these past few days.  Very cold at night especially, but apparently that's really out of the norm for this time of year.  Espero que it gets warmer in a couple days- which they said it should.  I need to take advantage of all these sales on summer clothes before they end! In some places, sandals are only 6 Euros and a couple sun dresses Ive seen were only 15 Euros... I call that a bargain. 
I finally got a one of my memory cards to read in the card reader, so I put those on a CD and now I can finally start taking some pictures!  I did take a couple pictures already... but my stupid camera erased them so I lost those pictures along with a bunch of old ones that I tried to download to prevent from happening... but the card reader wasn't reading them.  Technology hates me.  So now I have 2 blank memory cards I suppose. So now I can start putting pictures on this blog! :)
I think this is long enough.. And I will try to write in this more regularly so that I don't have to play catch up every time.  There is still so much more I can talk about!

1 comment:

  1. Leah- Thank you for allowing some of us to live vicariously through you-I told your mom that a semester abroad was the one thing I regret not doing while in college.
    Soak it all in and have a ball!
    Mo

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