My first day of Spanish school was probably the weirdest day of my life. I had arrived to my host family only one day before, so I hand´t been to the school to get my schedule, gotten any textbooks, figured out how to take the bus, bought a Spanish cell phone, changed money, or done anything, really. Strangely, though, it was really fun just going with the flow, and having no idea what was going on, or to which class I was going next. Starting with actually getting to school, and ending with finding a way home, it was interesting, to say the least. The other students in my school (a public school in a nearby town) were really kind and helpful, though. In class, there´s always someone making sure I understand everything (I can understand like 80 percent on average, but some professors are really difficult to understand), or to take me to the next class. On the second day, I already had a solid group to sit with at lunch, and I know someone in all my classes. Even though I haven´t had the chance to get to know anyone from school really well yet, they seem interested in getting to know me, so I´m sure I won´t have problems making (closer) friends.
I´ve been relying on other people to help me a lot: the kids at school, a friend of my host family to drive me to get school books, another parent in my neighborhood to get me to school in the morning, a friend to help me find my way home from the bus stop, and of course my host family for giving me a place to stay in the first place. It´s a bit of an adjustment to not know how to do normal things, like taking the bus downtown, or cooking myself some pasta.
A lot of people have gotten excited when they hear I´m from the United States. I told one girl that I´m American, and the first thing she asked me was how many celebrities I´ve seen. Yeah, sorry, no celebrities in Oregon.
I was placed just outside Murcia, and I already have a little Murcian tint to my accent (though I´m sure I sound very American). My host parents laughed last night because instead of saying ¨más o menos,¨ I´ve started to say ¨ma o meno,¨ since Murcians don´t pronounce the ¨s¨ sounds at the end of words. I learned Latin American Spanish, so it´s been difficult to adjust to the ¨vosotros¨ form, but other than that, I´ve just had fun pronouncing the word, ¨fácil,¨ like¨fathil¨ instead of ¨fasil.¨
To be honest, I don´t think it´s really hit me that I´m actually here in Spain, and I think this is why I don´t really miss home. Of course, I would love to see my parents, but I´ve been really busy meeting new people, and figuring out all the things I listed in the last paragraph, so I haven´t been sitting around feeling homesick. I´ve been told by other exchange students that keeping busy is the best way not to feel homesick, and so far, that´s working. This week was one of the best weeks I´ve had in a long time, in a weird way, and I already don´t want to think about leaving in June.
I´ve been noticing cultural differences, of course, and I will add them into next week´s blog post, when I´ve noticed more, and I can describe them better.

-Ruby

One Year Ago...

The 15th of September has come again, yet this year under very different circumstances. Exactly one year ago, I was sixteen and embarking out into the world without anyone to rely on but myself. It was the beginning of me growing up, of getting not only my foot outside of the door to independence, but my whole body as well. Freedom had at last reached my freckle laden face.
Looking back upon my 365 day younger self, I seem to be a child, so ignorant and unexplored. Setting off into the world seemed to have the same effect as a firecracker upon me. I was lite up, I bloomed and now I'm a firework with no end to the things I can do. I feel unstoppable. 

My second weekend in Spain, I attended my swim teams end of the season gala. Of course now I wish I could attend again, for I now have an emotional connection with the people, team and experience. It is something that is a part of who I am now. And so when my host sister asked me to make a video for the gala tomorrow evening I agreed, although maybe with a bit of hesitation. So I thought for the first time I would give you guys a look at me speaking Spanish, and so for all of you who have been begging me to talk to you in the unique romantic language, I hope you enjoy.

 

 

 

Getting back into school has been tough, but it has been good in the sense that I am no longer wallowing in my room for hours on end. It is good to be back to a regimen, but at the same time I feel confined. Even though it may be good for me to get back into it, I feel even more lost than ever. My partner in crime has already established herself without me around, leaving me know where to fit in. I don't know where to begin, and I find myself wondering why I can't meld in, here in my own country, when I seemed to do it so effortlessly abroad. I mean shouldn't it be easier here?

Leaving

This morning, I left my hometown to live in Murcia, Spain, with a host family. I’ll be staying until June. I know a bit about my host family and my high school, but beyond that, I don´t know much.
My impending move to Spain had been seeping into everyday life. Whenever I went somewhere, I wondered if it will be the last time I go before I leave. Even places that don’t mean a lot to me make me feel a little sentimental.
When I actually get to Spain, I'll have more to write on. I will arrive the 18th of September, and hopefully I can get another sometime post up that week.
-- Ruby