Un Viaje Espectacular: ¡Hola de España!

At last, my study abroad journey in Spain has begun and I have already been in Alicante for a week now! Time flies when you are having fun. In the past 168 hours I have done more than I do in a month in the United States. There is just so much to do here with so little time! I must say, the actual experience of getting here was less than ideal. The flight was very long and I did not sleep at all. In fact, the first few days here, I experienced some extreme jet lag / homesickness, and did not sleep for 3 days! Thankfully I passed that stage, and was finally able to get onto somewhat of a regular sleeping schedule.

I arrived in Alicante on Monday afternoon, after nearly 24 hours of traveling. Monday night, we began our orientation with CIEE, the study abroad program that I am in. Then, we (meaning all of the international students here) went out for tapas, which are traditional Spanish appetizers. As worried as I was about the food here, I have liked about 90% of things I have tried! This includes peppers, lots of fruits, and turkey neck (yes, you read that correctly). My parents would be so proud!!

Classes began on Wednesday, and I had to remind myself that I am actually here to take classes, and not just for a vacation. The class I am taking in Alicante is called Wine and Gastronomy in the Mediterranean, and it is very interesting. The class contains a ton of content in such a short amount of time, with a large paper, oral presentation, and final included. In the class we learn all about food and drink production in all of the different regions of Spain. It is very interesting, and also very practical to know when ordering food at a restaurant here!

In the past week, I have gone to two different beaches. Let me just tell you, the beaches here are AWESOME! The sand is so soft and the water is so clear and blue. I could literally spend every single day at the beach if I wanted to. And the beaches are so close; one of them is only a 15 minute walk from my house. The beach I went to today is about a 30 minute train ride away, and it is huge! However, the sun here is so much stronger than the sun in Iowa, and I actually got my first real sunburn ever. So if you go to Spain, don't forget SUNSCREEN!

I have also visited many other sites with the other students here. Last Thursday, we visited El Castillo de Santa Barbara, which is the huge castle right in town. It was a lot of hiking and climbing! However, when we got to the top of the castle, the view of the city and the sea was absolutely spectacular. It was definitely worth the long hike. Then, yesterday we took a day trip to Guadalest, which is a small town in the mountains. There we saw another castle and a mansion-like house. The view was absolutely breathtaking and we were lucky enough to eat lunch at the castle. After that, we went to Las Fuentes del Algar, which is a spring in the mountains with beautiful waterfalls. We even got to jump off of one! However, the water was absolutely freezing, and I was not able to stay in it for long. Both sites were very beautiful though, and I got some amazing pictures!

So far my experience in Spain has been outstanding. The family I live with is very nice, and surprisingly I am able to communicate well with them. I have gotten the chance to go to El Barrio a couple of nights, which is an area full of bars and restaurants here. All of the food and drinks here are relatively cheap, and it is nice because the drinking age is 18, so we can have wine and sangría and anything else our hearts desire!

In general, Spaniards are so much more relaxed than Americans. Time here is a loose concept, and the meals and food are their own complete lifestyle. It is so nice to just relax and let loose for once. Even with classes, everything here is just so much more calm and happens at a slower pace. I would say that is one of the best parts of being here. I cannot believe a week has passed since I got to Alicante, and yet it already feels like home. Me gusta España mucho.

Below are some pictures of my experience so far. Enjoy!