clases, playa, intercambio [classes, beach, interchange program]

Buenos dias!!
I've successfully completed my first week of school!!  My classes siguen siendo [continue to be] amazing!  I added a 20th century history class of Spain and I think this is my favorite class (although it's hard to choose just one because they're all so interesting).  It's taught by the director of the university and he's such an enthusiastic teacher that it's impossible to get distracted, even for the majority of the class that doesn't understand his strongly accented and rapid spanish.  Although I was led to believe that the classes would be a breeze, I already have plenty of homework in each one-- not too much though.  

I've actually been taking all of my notes entirely in Spanish, which is the first time this have ever happened to me!! I guess this means I really am fluent now =)  I don't even need to think of words in English or translate them in my head.  Such a great feeling!!

Although apparently when I'm talking to random spaniards, they always ask me if I'm from Central America due to some of the words I use (they're specific to different regions).  I think it's so interesting that each Spanish country has it's own set of vocab words for slang and colloquial terms.  But I will soon be speaking more and more like a true Spaniard due to my cultural conversations class (my prof explains all the politically incorrect words people use on the streets that we would not be able to find in a dictionary), and also because I've made Spanish friends, and will start my intercambio program this coming week!!  I'm very excited for that, the information I was given is that it's a female student named Carlota who studies physical therapy at the University of Valencia, and she also loves soccer, music, going to theaters, etc [they matched us by our interests], and speaks English fairly well, as well as some French and Valenciano.

Valenciano is the original language of Valencia [a little obvious due to the name], but when Franco tried to nationalize everything, he forced all parts of Spain to speak Spanish and banned all other languages.  Because of this, half of the street names here are in Valenciano, and the other half in Spanish [and these conveniently do not always match up with the names on the maps-- which makes navigation around the city a little more difficult for a foreigner].  I was also reading the advertisements on my Special K box this morning, which by the way tastes very different here, and noticed that every single word on the box was in Spanish and Valenciano below it.  

A few days ago Dan [my neighbor] and I successfully rode our Valenbisi bikes home from the beach without getting lost!  Aside from the fact that this took us about an hour (we live clear across the city), it was a huge accomplishment for our first week living in the city.  I am getting to know the city more and more each day and have been able to recognize important landmarks during my adventures.

As I mentioned earlier, I made a Spanish friend!  His name is Ruben, he's 23 and has lived in Valencia his whole life.  He's a really sweet guy and last night he and his friends met up with a huge group of mine, which I thought was really great to expose us Americans to real Spaniards, as we've been unable to branch out so far.  I think everyone enjoyed themselves and improved their Spanish a little =)

I've been meaning to write about the cultural differences, which are extremely interesting.  But will save those for my next post. 

Off to the beach for me,

XO

take care everyone!!