First week in Sevilla

I have been in Sevilla, Spain for one week. At the same time I can’t believe a week has passed and it feels like I left home a lifetime ago.

I had an amazing time visiting mis amigos in Boston! It was just like old times with just as many laughs and shenanigans!! It was like a day had not passed. Rob, Kelly, Alycia, I love you all to death!!!

As for Spain so far…let’s start at the beginning. The trip here was the WORST. Well I suppose not THE worst, because then I would be dead. Not quite there yet (although I am sick…. : ( ) Long story short I had to switch flights and airports last minute, had to cab from LaGuardia airport to JFK in New York, I thought I would never see my bags again AND miss my flight, but I did manage to make my flight from JFK to Madrid and although we were two hours late taking off and I missed my connection to Sevilla, I was able to catch the next connection to Sevilla and I survived. It took over 24 hours and I could have filled about 8 gallons with sweat from running across JFK (large airport) and from the tears when I broke down where everyone else’s luggage came off the transferred flight except mine and when I was sure I was going to miss my flight out of JFK and have to spend the night n New York alone. But I made it, and I actually got bumped to business because I almost missed my flight and they gave away my seat in coach. The lady at the desk told me “it was my lucky day”.

So I arrived, and they only lost one of my bags instead of both like I thought would happen, and they actually delivered it by the next day. Our orientation was….. ok. Very nice hotel, and of course, walking around Sevilla is amazing. It is SO beautiful.

Bad part of orientation is that this is the first year of this particular program so although it was well organized, it was not always relevant or helpful. Not nearly as much help with the practical things like FINDING A PLACE TO LIVE, help with banking and legal issues than I expected. We were basically told “go out and look for rental signs and call numbers” …..uhhhh….

One really nice thing is that I have met some really cool American girls from my program and I am looking for a place with 2 of them that will be working near the area where I need to be. One girl (who is hilarious) studied here before so she knows about the city which is really helpful. But we are only in this next hotel until the end of this week so time is definitely running short and we NEED to find a place. Tomorrow we are basically going to a real estate agency and we are willing to pay a large sum of money to not be homeless. We are not panicking yet though, we still have some time.

So needless to say, it has not been all parties and sightseeing yet. I know as soon as we find a place, get things taken care of, I start my job (I go in Wednesday for the first time), and get a routine down I will start to have fun and enjoy it here. Right now it is basically just really stressful… and I’m sick.

We went out for my birthday last night to dinner and walked around a bit, but I must say I was a little homesick. The girls have promised a “re-do” of my birthday night, which they wanted to do tonight but I think I better just try to get better physically and focus and the more pressing tasks at hand like not being homeless.

I am hopeful though, I know everything will work out and then it will be awesome once I am living and working in Spain. Dude, my schedule rocks, I teach Mon-Weds. 4 day weekends, hell yes. Once I get things for together I will start doing tutoring for extra money, but for the first few weeks I might just take the time I don’t feel like I have right now to just take in the city and relax. I will let you all know when that time comes.

If you are reading this, I know that I miss you and I love you. Email me, hit me up on facebook, get skype, it helps to hear from people at home.

Besos,

MC