As many of you know, our family went through an extremely difficult time this January. Our beloved Carly passed away. This was tough on me because I was so far away. I was able to fly back for the ceremony and be with family and love ones for some of this trying time. I am extremely glad that I was able to make it back for that. It was good to see everyone, but i cant even think of worse circumstances.
So January has been pretty good. I am all settled in again and am just getting into the groove of school again. I am all signed up for the end of the year trip, in which we get to travel southern Spain and into Portugal for the Rotary conference.

ITINERARIO de Viaje:

DIA 14 DE JUNIO.-  MADRID- GRANADA

Salida desde Madrid a medio día para emprender viaje en Autocar con destino Granada.

Llegada al Hotel. Cena y Alojamiento

DIA 15 DE JUNIO.-  GRANADA

Desayuno en el hotel y visita de Granada de día completo con entrada a la Alhambra y a la Catedral (guío oficial ½ día) y Almuerzo.

Regreso al hotel, cena y alojamiento.

DIA 16 DE JUNIO.-  GRANADA- CORDOBA- SEVILLA

Desayuno en el hotel y traslado a Córdoba (guía oficial ½ día ), con entradas a la Catedral y a la Mezquita. Almuerzo.

Salida hacia Sevilla, llegada al hotel, distribución de habitaciones, cena y alojamiento.

DIA 17 DE JUNIO.-  SEVILLA

Desayuno en el hotel y visita de Sevilla de día completo con almuerzo (guía oficial ½ día), con entradas a la Catedral, Torre del Oro y Reales Alcázares.

Regreso al hotel, cena y alojamiento                          

DIA 18 DE JUNIO.-  SEVILLA- ALGARVE

Desayuno en el hotel y salida hacia el Algarve, realizando parada en Palos de la Frontera y comida en restaurante.

Llegada al hotel en el Algarve, distribución de habitaciones, cena y alojamiento.

DIA 19 DE JUNIO.-  ALGARVE- LISBOA

Desayuno. Por la mañana salida hacia Lisboa, almuerzo en ruta.

Llegada al hotel, distribución de habitaciones, cena y alojamiento.

DIA 20 DE JUNIO.-  LISBOA (EXC. ESTORIL, SINTRA Y CASCAIS)

Desayuno. Salida por la mañana para excursión a la ciudad de Lisboa (guía oficial ½ día) con entrada al Museo de los Jerónimos, Torre de Belem. Almuerzo.

Por la tarde visita con entrada al Palacio Da Pena en Sintra con subida en microbús. Después visita de Estoril.

Cena y Alojamiento.

DIA 21 DE JUNIO.-  LISBOA

Estancia en régimen de pensión completa en el hotel con posibilidad de realizar alguna excursión facultativa.

DIA 22 DE JUNIO.-  LISBOA

Estancia en régimen de pensión completa en el hotel  y visita a la Convención de Rotary International y encuentro con los Chairman de los Distritos patrocinadores.

DIA 23 DE JUNIO.-  LISBOA  -MERIDA – CACERES

Desayuno en el hotel y salida hacia Mérida para visita (guía oficial ½ día) con entrada al Teatro y Anfiteatro de Mérida. Almuerzo. A continuación traslado a Cáceres. Llegada al hotel, distribución de habitaciones, cena y alojamiento.

DIA 24 DE JUNIO.-  CACERES-  SALAMANCA

Desayuno en el hotel y salida hacia Salamanca. Llegada al hotel para el almuerzo. Por la tarde visita de la ciudad (guía oficial ½ día) con entrada a la Catedral Vieja de Salamanca.

Regreso al Hotel, cena y alojamiento

DIA 25 DE JUNIO .-  SALAMANCA  - MADRID

Desayuno en el hotel y salida hacia Madrid. Breves paradas en ruta

This is the itinerary and it seems like it is going to be a blast. 
There is also a chance that i will be able to go  to Barcelona for Semana Blanca. I would travel with another exchange student and we would take a plane up to Barcelona and stay with a family there for about 5 days. i really hope that we are able to take part in this, because it's Barcelona!
That is all

Holiday Times

Alright so Christmas was a different experience;

First the 24th was a very family oriented day during which we ate a whole ton of various foods. I rather enjoy the food here now, but occasionally we still have something that I simply don't care for in the slightest. We finished eating at around 11 o'clock i would say, and then we took part in a fiesta. We arrived back home in the morning at an outstanding and slightly ridiculous time of 8:25. This is a typical holiday night for a Spanish teen. On normal nights this is not the case, but during some holidays the tradition is to partake in various fiesta activities until dawns early light. The next morning was slightly less enjoyable as we left for Malaga a bit too early. We enjoyed some more food at an aunts house and I met a lot of the new "family". They are extremely nice people and are a really close family. This was good, but really tough cause it made me miss all my family more. Carly I love you, get well soon.
Then on the 29th I believe, we all went to Sevilla to meet even more family! Also of course to eat a bunch more food! Always eating food, always. I have decided that Americans don't eat more, we just eat a lot less healthy than Spaniards. Here they eat a tremendous amount of food, but they eat healthy and more fresh food. I was able to go to the cathedral in Sevilla, and it is beautiful. It is even bigger than the one in Malaga and has a great history (i want to say its the third largest in Europe, but i don't know). I am simply amazed with the architecture that these buildings have.
New Years was another great experience.This was another extremely family time, with a very nice dinner and spending time together. Then one cool thing that they do here is while the countdown to the new year is happening, they eat grapes. One for every month, twelve grapes in very few seconds while the ball of Madrid is dropping. After this we went to a fiesta again; this one didn't begin until 1 o'clock in the morning!

It doesn't really feel like Christmas, but I think that's probably alright. I am doing everything possible to just pretend that it isn't Christmas time. It is a different experience and although sometimes It is a bit sad that I am so far away during this Holiday season, all is well and all is ok. I think the lack of snow is also very helpful to make it seem less like Christmas. I am sending a package on Wednesday, because that is when the post office opens again. I have been really bad and really slow with my sending of cards and packages, but I am trying to get my act together. My Spanish is improving, but I am still not that satisfied. I am hard to please and until I am absolutely capable of functioning and understanding in every situation. I can now understand almost everything important that is said, and can say everything i want to say. That being said, when I do say things it simply doesn't sound all that good. Better every day!

Reflecting

As we approach the last week of school until break, I look back to reflect on the first semester. I have learned an incredible amount already both about Spanish and about myself. Things are so much easier to see when you step back and just listen and observe. I have met a bunch of incredible people through Rotary and just while living here. There are people from all over and that speak all sorts of different languages, and it’s just amazing to think how much has changed in just three months. There are still tough times ahead and there will always be something more that I want, but for now I am happy with where things are at. I was expecting to know more Spanish by now and I think that I am just too hard on myself with what I actually to know and understand. Time will make all things better.

Bull Fight

Alright so I went to a bull fight. It was really... good. I learned that there is a lot more than just killing a bull but at the same time, it is just them killing a bull. It is a large part of the culture here and I really wanted to take part in it. This stereotype is just not true, the only people that really enjoy bull fighting are old people. None of my friends ever go and most people think that it is pretty bad. My new host father works as a Civil Servant  He went to school for being a veterinarian and now 15 times a year he goes to various bull fights and evaluates the way they treat the bulls and how sanitary the butchers are. They eat the meat and use the parts of the bull after the fights.
I have moved families and I am having a pretty good time. I went to Malaga on Saturday as well and that was pretty fun. I am amazed by the architecture of some of the old churches and cathedrals that I see. They are really detailed and huge, and even if they were built today it would be difficult. Everything here is so much more quaint and beautiful. Its older and although I miss things there still, I really enjoy all the new things to see and do here.

School simply isn't really happening.

Alright so I have had a couple of days to adjust into the new home. Thoughts so far are still that I like it and will have a good time here. I am about a 15 minute drive from school, which doesnt seem too bad. Its a little worse here because I personally dont have access to a car. This family however is really nice and I am sure we will fit well. I am a little further from the beach but it is still within walkking distance. I am further away from all of my friends but Im sure I will be able to make more. I have a host brother now and that should also be good. It really shows me how much people here study, and I am impressed. Usually I dont study for school, as it is tough for me when I am not understanding, but instead I study Spanish. I figure the quicker I become better at Spanish, the easier school will be as well.

I also have internet now which I would say is a pretty fantastic thing. I should be able to keep this updated better now. It will also be easier to upload pictures. If there is anything specific you want to know more about feel free to let me know.

Adios

Dear Avid Followers,

I will be moving host families on sunday and will be closer to San Pedro. This is both good and bad. I am excited for a change but at the same time nervous. Also i will need to make new friends outside of school again. The biggest thing i am concerned about is how far I will be from town and how easily or not I will be able to access it. Also there is the pressing concern of how far from the beach I am ;)

Love,
CJ