I STARTED TO PACK!

I fit all my clothes into one suitcase! And I didn't even have to expand it! And it weighs a little bit under 40 pounds (which means ten more lbs left for the way back). But that entire suitcase is just clothes. Then I need to pack bathroom supplies and a few more shoes.. and my computer. I think what I'll end up with is the one suitcase, my big duffel bag (as checked bags) and then just my backpack and purse for the carry-ons. WHICH REALLY ISN'T THAT BAD. I'm actually so proud of myself... 

But I know I overpacked, even if everything did fit.. heh.. I just didn't OVER-overpack. So that's a good start.

SEVILLA IS SO SOON AND I AM FREAKING OUT (in the good way and the bad way..) So pretty soon my posts will be less boring than PACKING STORIES.

Bahaha.

Hasta pronto, Sevilla! 

Reading about Spain...

'Traditionally, Spaniards have a 2-3 hour break from work or school in order to enjoy la comida and take a nap or siesta and the entire country closes up shop from about 2:00pm to 4:30 or 5:00pm.' 

HELL. YES.

Also, I really need to pack. Really. I got a nervous stomach today... SO IT BEGINS. Hopefully it won't last long. 

This happened yesterday...

Mom: Do you have a bathrobe?
Me: Umm... I think?
Mom: You'll be living with two teenage boys. You need a bathrobe.

awkward?

SO MANY THINGS

..that I need to do before leaving for Sevilla... I tried writing out my packing list today.. HOW WILL I FIT EVERYTHING?

Things I must do:

• 
  
• Pack
• Check emails/bajillion CIEE handbooks etc for important info
• photocopy DOCUMENTOS IMPORTANTES como passports, visa info etc
• BUY THINGS I DON'T HAVE ... travel clock, universal adapter so my plugs will work, capris, tights, shorts, leggings (so I can be fashionable and perhaps trick people into thinking I'm una sevillana looool ;) )
• GET EUROS - which, by the way, are far prettier and more colorful than US dolla-dolla-billz-ya'll
• Did I mention packing? I definitely should pack. And figure out how many bags I'm going to try to handle. Oh my god they tell you not to overpack, but I KNOW IT'S GONNA HAPPEN. SO MANY ITEMS QUE NECESITO
• Homestay present. Now that I know who I will be living with, I wish I had bought stuff from the GW bookstore when i was in DC.. reppin my school in Sevilla... still haven't decided if it's worth it to buy online and ship it here .. bleh...I could buy Connecticut-related items but CT sucks.. BAH IT'D BE SO COOL IF I COULD GET GDUB APPAREL FOR MY LIL BROS



'STARFISH REALLY LOVE YOU'
Charlie the Unicorn? Carlos el Unicornio? No?

• Sidenote, what if my lil bros think I'm crazy for calling/considering them my lil bros? I would be so sad...
• I gotta check if it wouldn't be a ridiculous amount of money to at least keep my smartphone for data purposes (like, not calling or texting, basically just internet..) I have a feeling that prices will be astronomical with verizon though, so not getting my hopes up. I will miss my wittle smartphone </3
• I also really have to pack.

Also, I got the tentative schedule for Orientation week.. I'm excited! FRIENDS.

This is happening so fast.. 10 days until my flight!! AY

And my homestay family is.....!!!

Teresa Juan Blasco y familia, in Triana, very close to the center de TODO.

Yay! So it looks like Teresa is the 'señora', and she lives there with her daughter Soraya and her daughter's husband Fernando, and their two sons Fernando y Carlos (16 and 15 yrs old). I'm so excited! I hope we all click pretty well. The email warned me that it might not happen right away, which I understand, but I hope they're as excited for me as I am for them! (heh)

I tried Google mapping the place, and I got the general area, but I'm not 100% sure where it is. All I know is it's a 4th floor apartment, and it only takes 15 minutes to walk to la Universidad de Sevilla, and only 30 to walk to the CIEE Study Center... which really isn't that bad because I like walking and I'll be able to see some more of the city! I looked at the route, and I'll have to cross over some pretty bridge and pass a cathedral!? So that will be fun!

I also tried facebooking them but I don't think Teresa has one, and I don't have much to go off of for the rest of the family. SO i'll just have to do that when I get there. Wish I could email them or something, but none of that was provided. It'll just be more of a surprise!


YAY YAY YAY FAMILIA
SEE YOU IN 12 DAYS
I HOPE I CAN SPEAK TO YOU IN SPANISH WITHOUT SOUNDING LIKE A COMPLETE IDIOT.

No English allowed.

Adios!

Edit (11:41 PM): I don't know how I got through this post without mentioning it, but here it is now: I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO LIVE WITH TEENAGE BOYS. So that will be an adventure. It's cool. Once I'm invited to play a rousing game of FUTBOL, I'll know I've made it 'in'. LITTLE BROTHAS :P

MY HOMESTAY...

...INFORMATION COMES TOMORROW AND I'M SO EXCITED. IMMA BE UP ON THAT GOOGLE MAPS SO FAST

Also, side note - my godparents took us to a spanish restaurant .. and as much as I appreciated them and my dad pressuring me to try sangria "for the first time" (much to my momma's dismay), I can't say I loved all the shrimp in that paella (BUT I ATE IT ANYWAY. So at least I won't starve in Sevilla). I've never really liked seafood. But I guess I'll learn to?!

Adios por ahora!

A quick addendum..

I know I said I wouldn't post again until I got my housing info.. but I wanted to add a quick thing because I think I'm cool*.

Two things:

1. I added two movies to my iPod with Spanish dubs and subtitles. They are HAPPY FEET (Pies Felices?) and LITTLE MANHATTAN which stars very young and chubby Josh Hutcherson, which makes it the cutest movie I've ever seen ever. To watch on the plane ride over? And get my ears accustomed to Español? I hope so!
2. I have not packed at ALL. SO MANY ITEMS I NEED.
3. Just kidding, three things. My dad's friend Caleb has traveled extensively in Spain and I think specifically in Sevilla, so he's gonna give me the LOW DOWN on all the hot spots in Sevilla. I think he mentioned some delicious restaurant, BULLFIGHTING (which I am slightly concerned but also really psyched about), and lots of historic sites and all. So that will be fun!

I hope I get to travel a bit around Europe too (and quizas Morocco!??!) .. but at the same time, I do wanna get the full Spanish experience. So we'll see.

Sometimes, I translate potential conversations I expect to be having in my head. Is that weird? Rhetorical question - I know it is. But maybe it's helping?!!? hehe.

Okay, that's it. I wish I had a fun picture to go along with this post, because I want to incorporate lots of pictures and such. MULTIMEDIA.

CIEE has some pretty cool opportunities. I heard from a CIEE alum that there's some singing group/choir I can get involved in, so I'm really excited about that. And it sounds like there are also a lot of volunteer opportunities. It's like I'll be right back at Gdub with my Spanish Vibes and my Spanish APO :P YAY!

Okay, that's all for really real. Ciao ciao!

*How do you even say 'cool' in Spanish?! I use that word all the time! I mean, I know 'cool' as in literally cold is 'frio'.. but I can't imagine it's the same? SLANG!

The Countdown: 16 Days!!

AY DIOS MÍO! It just hit me that I am leaving for Sevilla waaaay sooner than I thought. So I decided if I'm going to blog throughout my trip, I might as well get in the habit now. Also, my sleep cycles are ridiculously messed up in the summer, and I'm not tired yet. So ¿por qué no!?

The biggest dilemma: SHOULD I BLOG IN ENGLISH OR SPANISH?! ÍNGLES O ESPAÑOL?!
Pros of writing in English: I'll be able to look back at this blog in 50 years when (god forbid) I've forgotten all the Spanish I've learned from 14 years of schooling and a semester abroad, and be able to RELIVE THE MEMORIES without the aid of Google Translate. Also, other people can read it (haven't decided if I want that though…) 

Pros of writing in Spanish: good practice, duuuuh.

But I'm kind of liking my skillful blend of English and Spanish in this post already (yay, Spanglish!). Maybe I'll start off mostly English, sprinkling in some new Spanish lingo aquí-y-allí, and by the end of the trip, have the whole blog en español! Bueno.

Now that that's settled… my biggest obstacles with the Spanish language? Well, I've made a list:

• Por vs Para
• Ser vs Estar
• Preterite vs Imperfect
• EL DIABLO (also known as the subjunctive tense)

Wah wah wah. Here's hoping that by December 14th, none of these will be a problem! I swear, I'm putting myself in Spanish-Only Quarantine. No American friends for me. Or if I do have them, we have to speak spanish TODO EL DÍA. I'm a big believer in this whole 'immersion' thing. 

But who am I kidding? As soon as I step off that plane I'll be so nervous, I will cling on to the first thing that speaks English. It's cool, I just need time.

I'll FINALLY be getting info about my homestay on August 21st, so that'll probably be the next time I update this baby. I'm so excited! I hope there are some kids my age, and that they're super-rad and teach me all the cool-kid spanish slang. And swearing. Because, let's be honest, we all want to know how to swear in another language. Hush, hush..

Adios for now!