Helado and Ham

Our epic hike to Los Cahorros

Hello friends and family~

I have been been in Granada for exactly two weeks and am just now starting to adjust to the Spanish time schedule! Of all Europeans, Spaniards stay out the latest and get the least amount of sleep. On the weekends the discotecas don't even open till about 2am (trust me we have tried to go before then) and they don't come home till 6 or 7am. I know...I can't believe it either. The siesta from 2-5pm is a much needed break in the middle of the day when all shops and restaurants close and Spaniards take their naps.  Over all, the pace of life here is so much slower than the United States - says the beach town girl from Isla Vista.

We are really trying to fit in here...hahaha

Spain has been a huge adjustment thus far. The time schedule, eating habits, language, and people are oh so different from California. I started the intensive spanish school last week and take my finals for my 5 classes (grammar, reading, literature, history, and oral comprehension) in 2 weeks. After that I have a week break where I am planning traveling with one of my dearest friends who came here with me from UCSB and a few other girls from California. After our week break we will start the actual Spanish university (la Universidad de Granada) and will be taking all of our classes with spanish students in spanish. I will be taking classes for my global studies major and art history minor. 

The accent here in southern Spain is like nothing I have ever heard before. For example, in Spanish you say "hasta luego" and here in Granada you say "hata lueo." Exactly, what the heck? Hata lueo? It has definitely been a challenge focusing in my classes when my literature professor is trying to explain Cervantes in a thick Granada accent.  

Another aspect of Spanish life my body is still adjusting to is the food. Spain loves their ham! For those of you who don't know I am a vegetarian, which is an unknown concept to the Spanish. My comedor at the dining hall in our dorms calls me "loca" every time I ask for my food without meat. I gave a presentation in my oral class on an animal rights documentary called "Earthlings" and he didn't even understand what I was talking about, not sure if it was my spanish or the subject of fair treatment for animals haha. After I was finished he asked me if I thought animals had feelings. I said, "Claro que sí" (of course). Then he asked me if I ate plants and I again said, "Sí." He then tried telling me that plants and animals have the same feelings and that it was silly for me not to eat meat if I ate plants. The conversation ended with him shaking his head in confusion and disagreement. Not only do the Spanish love their meat, but they love their helado (ice cream/gelato). I was on a role and was getting one everyday to cool off, but I had to cut that habit when I realized that I am going to be here for a year and didn't need to eat a year's worth of gelato in the first week :)

My gelato habit inspired me to join a gym along with a few other girls from my program. It is rare that women work out here (yet they are naturally skinny, walk in heels, and never sweat), so when we went to sign up the whole gym was very aware that a group of American girls infiltrated. The first day we exercised, we took a spin class with a very macho Spanish instructor. The music commenced with the song "So What" by Pink. Our instructor sang and shimmied to American pop songs through the entire class while yelling commands at us in Spanish! We laughed through the entire class with a room full of silent, blank faced Spaniards.  We are now regulars at Gimnasio Triunfo.

I am loving life here so far and have not had the chance to be homesick yet. My hands are full with trying to find an apartment to move into in 3 weeks, applying for student residency, and homework, but my heart misses you all!