Hello Everyone!
I have only been in Spain for a couple of days now and I have already done a lot of new and exciting things! Just in my first day, I made it through the airport and train station without getting lost, rode a super fast train from Atocha station to Pedroches, and got to see the parade for the last day of Romería. My second day was full of observing classes at Academia Manhattan, eating at some of the local cafes and restaurants, and seeing new parts of the city.
Villanueva de Córdoba is beautiful! From the roof of my host family’s home, I can see the whole pueblo. It is even more beautiful during the sunset! My host parents, Sebastian and Anna, are super friendly and really funny. They showed me some of the best places around and always make sure that I’m not hungry. They have been helping me improve my Spanish speaking skills by having long conversations with me and encouraging me to say full sentences (rather than just “Sí”). They let me take my time and stop me from using Google Translate. Once they understand what I am trying to say, they correct any grammar or conjugation mistakes. Through all of this, I’m sure my speaking and listening skills are going to improve greatly!
Sebastian and Anna also run a little clothing store and they seem to know everyone who walks in! I think it is nice that everyone in town knows one another and are super friendly. Hopefully I can also meet more of the residents (especially when I start teaching some classes).
One thing that I have noticed is how late dinner can be. Last night, I ate dinner at 10:00 pm (22:00), but in America, dinner is usually at 6:00 pm (18:00). Even though there is a four hour difference, I don’t get too hungry since the meal sizes for lunch are very large. It also helps that everything is delicious! The siesta is also a new experience that I have to get used to. I love the idea of a midday nap, especially if it means cooling down when it is way too hot, but having all of the shops close down can be difficult. Hopefully I will learn to work around that since I have an entire summer left to go!
I can’t wait for the many new things I will get to try while I am here and am especially ready to start exploring Spain!
Ahliaa