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hi,

i totally thought I did this already, probably because I've told so many people. Well, on Saturday we took this crazy hike at el cabo de gata, which is like the most southern part of spain. it was 10 miles and not an easy 10 miles. My calves are still killing me. i just put pictures on facebook and soon i'll try and put some here. I can't write for long right now cause we have to get ready for class. It was amazing though. Costal rocks and mountain peeks like no other. we swam in the Mediterranean twice and it was amazing. the wind was insane though and hurt because of the sand! stung! but it was worth it. at the end of the night we went to dinner at this crazy pizza place in a a little town called San Jose. the waiters loved to act silly and take shots and dance on chairs. it was hilarious.

yesterday we did nothing. it was amazing. we slept 12 hours and ate food and cleaned room.

today we are going to class and i think taking another walk later tonight

thats it for now, all things are good except for me having too much dairy yesterday...oooops!

love ya'll - happy birthday hannah

Kate

HOLA,

Today was pretty awesome. We had class as usual and discussed cultural differences and similarities. We talked about the kissing (2), the schedule (late dinners), and personal space (little...none), public display of affection (a lot), and living in the streets. In Spain the house is really just a place to rest. People just sleep and shower there and the rest of the time they are out and about (or cleaning the house). My host mother says she rarely eats dinner in the house. She always goes out for "tapas" with her friends. It's so cute.

Today we met our host mother's granddaughter. She is about 5 months old and named Laura. She is soooo cute. but drooled A LOT! The foods been fine, but nothing really special, but today for lunch we had meetballs! haha. and home made "papas fritas" - french fries.

I don't know if I described my room at all, but I am sharing it with Carrie and there are 2 beds, 2 desks, and a wall of HUGE closets. Beds suck unfortunately but other than that its a nice room, but LOUDDDDDDDDDD. The street is so loud and no houses here have screened in windows. Its weird. Anything could come in!! haha

Today we took the most amazing "paseo" or walk around the most gorgeous part of the city, the Albayzin. Its really old and has beautiful view of the alhambra. It's the most picturesque area, and the parts you see in pictures....with the small cobble stone streets and white homes with iron doors and gates. It an uphill walk, very steep, but the top is amazing. Beautiful views of the City....of course I FORGOT MY CAMERA! Luckily my friend Ali and I share the same passion for snapping hundreds of photos, so we will share them, but that means I don't have pictures for you all right now. But believe me its amazing.

It was like a 2 hour walk and then we went for tapas y bebidas (drinks) and then ice cream by the Cathedral. It's a magical area...and there just happend to be a mini orchestra playing right there, so it was one hell of a night.

TOMORROW though is gonna ROCK. We are traveling to Cabo de Gata...its a beach area. We are gonna do a 10 mile hike to like 3 or 4 beaches...and 1 or 2 are NUDE! haha. I am really excited. BUT we have to get up at 6:30 am to catch the bus at 7:45... This time I will remember my camera!!!!!

Things are going well today. I really like a few of the girls in my class (ali, lily, carrie, christina, and a few more)...so hopefully things will only get better between us!

We just bought "champu" today so I really need to take a REAL shower and wash my hair since being in Granada....I did shower in Malaga, I am not that gross!!!

I better do that now since I have to get up so early. Oh, last night i was really homesick because I couldn't sleep hopefully tonight will be better, i bought ear plugs!!!

LOVE YOU ALL
Kate

Hola todos!

Yesterday was our first day in Granada and with our host families. We left Malaga in the afternoon and it only took about 1.5 hours to get to Granada to meet our families. My roommate is Carrie and so far so good. We seem to get along really well. She's got the most beautiful red hair and freckles! haha

I have a host mother, Angeles, and she has 4 kids, but only one lives with us, Jose, and he is 30ish. He isn't here much because he spends a lot of time at his girlfriends apparently. Angeles is really nice and very talkative. She has had so many exchange students she doesn't remember how many. haha. She has books from all over the USA (presents from all her kids) but she has never been to the US, and doesn't really plan on going. She said she hates traveling! Kinda funny.

Ya know how Americans say "thanks" a lot, like after everything. Pass me the potatoes, thanks. Here's your keys, thanks. She opens the door for you, thanks.etc. well here they don't say Gracias that much, except for special things. And we say it ALLL THE TIME. she keeps telling us to stop haha but its hard not to. We are so accustomed to saying the "magic" words!

Last night we were exhausted but didn't go to bed until around 12. BUT I think we got MAYBE 4-5 hours of sleep because our room is SOOOO loud. The street outside our window is loud and people are always yelling. And we have to keep the window open because its so hot. It was horrible. I think we need to buy ear plugs, or a fan or something. The beds are NOT comfortable. Flat, hard, and we can feel allllll the springs. I have noticed that in Argentina too. They don't take beds as seriously as we do in the US! haha.

Today was our first day at the IES center. It is BEAUTIFUL! The area around there is so gorgeous, and you can see The Alhambra from the top patio. BUT there are like 5 billion stairs and its 1 mile away from our home. We will be doing LOTS of walking. Good exercise I guess . haha For the next week and a half we have an "intensive" language class everyday. We were put into groups based on our level of spanish and just work all day doing practical lessons, not necessarily grammar, but certain phrases that are important. We have 5 hours of class from 9-2 and then come home for lunch. Everyone is pretty friendly and we all seem to be getting along, but I don't have a "group" yet and lots of people seem to already have a group of friends. I'll get there I hope, but I am a little worried, this always seems to happen to me.

This coming weekend we are taking a day trip to Cabo de Gato, I think its a beach area and hiking area. And then next weekend we are taking a 3 day trip to Sevilla y Ronda. Then one weekend free, and the next we take a 4 day trip to Morocco (Maruecos en espanol), I am SOO excited.

Ok well I guess thats all for now! Hope everything at home is Wonderful

Hasta Luego
Kate

Hi there,

so I am now in the Hotel in Malaga, and tomorrow we have a breakfast orientation. I am sleepy and sweaty and need a shower! I have a roommate at the moment, her name is Sasha, she is from Pasadena. She seems very nice so far! We are probably gonna go to bed pretty early tonight since we have to be up and ready to leave by 8:45 tomorrow morning! yikes! Ok thats all for now. Plane was fine, nothing exciting thankfully.

Love
Kate

So, I am sitting in the London Heathrow airport right now. It is like 11:30 or 12 in the afternoon here, and I know it's 6:40 am at home. I am sleepy, and I could barely sleep on the plane. I usually am pretty good at falling asleep on planes, but NOT this time. I dunno why, nerves maybe. The flight was fine, no major issues at all, a little bumpy but ok.

I am bored and my flight isn't until 3:30 so I have LOTS of time. The gate for it hasn't even been posted yet. I was super nervous on the flight, but I am feeling much better now that I am on my way.

Turns out I really had NO IDEA if there was anyone from my program on the plane because the 2 people I thought were gonna be here, could have had any other fight at JFK leaving at 10:30. None of us specified which flight! DUH. Oh well.

I watched What Happens In Vegas on the plane. Yes I chose it, why I don't know. It was pretty bad. The middle was kinda funny and all, but the end was just lame. I mean sure everyone lives happily ever after, but they could have thought of something a little better than what they did.

So I had to pay 5 POUNDS to use this internet. LAME. and I get it for an hour, but I only have 40 mins. remaining battery and I can't find an outlet. I better get my moneys worth.

I wish I could wallk around and go shop at MARC JACOBS, but my stuff is too heavy and I really don't feel like lugging it all around. Damn Dell computer is huge.

Um well I guess I am only writing so I can use the internet and feel ok about paying 5 pounds haha, and I really have nothing to say, and I am sure this blog is kinda boring, so I guess I'll end it.

Alright, until later - by 7:30 pm Spanish time I should be in Malaga!! woohoo

Kate