School..almost..Still haven't quite started..

Today many things happened, and the day isn’t even over. Yet I feel like I have to write down everything that I do/see otherwise I forget them. This whole slow paced life style has affected my brain way too much. If I do more than like 3 things in one day I feel like I’ve been so busy! It’s just not the same culture as America. I don’t know if I’ll be able to adjust back to the demanding lifestyle of America. I feel like Americans live in a world of the here and now. Of instant access to everything with a touch of a button. I haven’t watched any news since I’ve been here. I haven’t read a newspaper. I really haven’t heard anything relating to any part of the world. Disconnected much? Yes I think so. But everything can be done/accomplished “mañana”. That 4th thing I had on my list of things to do…eh..mañana. Sometimes I feel better not knowing everything going on in the world. Most the time it’s not good anyways…

Aside from my random tangent…(I’m becoming more and more like the Spanish every day. Talking about random things for long amounts of time, ANYWAYS)…Aside from my random tangent I had my first orientation at the Universidad de Sevilla today. Surprisingly it was just as boring as every single orientation I’ve had in the United States. Why I thought it was gonna be more interesting, I have no idea. It was however, very different.

Our ISA group met at 9 in the morning (very early Spanish time) at a very nice Starbucks location in a main plaza next to the school. Our small group of Universidad de Sevilla students formed a small group as we waited for our ISA directors, semi-late as usual (in Spain no one is on time). From afar we see our ISA directors walking with another group of students coming towards us. The OTHER Sevilla group. (The study abroad program offered by the ISA group has two sessions. One had a two week intensive crash course before the Universidad de Sevilla started, aka the one I took, and the second session had no intensive class and those students just go straight to the Universidad de Sevilla for school. I think they got to Sevilla on Thursday..newbs lol…) We have been so used to our small little group of 15 that seeing these “intruders” was a bit weird. All of us stood there watching as the other group approached. I’m not gonna lie it was a weird feeling seeing all the “newbies” walking towards us. It was like the senior class getting their first look at the new freshman, all wide eyed and in awe of the city surrounding them. We felt like pros. :) We were all introduced, yet inside we were still two different groups. We walked in our separate groups to the University and up to the room where the orientation was to be held.

We enter this room to find it filled with another 70 or so American students. Needless to say there weren’t enough seats and we sat on the floor. Not horrible, but uncomfortable yes. I also felt like I was back in pre-school or something! I can’t remember the last time I’ve had to sit on the floor to listen to someone speak! The orientation was carried out in Spanish which was fine, but the material covered in the orientation was a bit unnecessary. We went over how to use a library, how to find books, how to take notes, and how it’s ok to ask for directions if you get lost in the school (which is actually very easy to do, more explanation to come). I know we are from America, but we do have libraries there!! I know how to use a freakin library! We also have notebooks, pencils, and brains as well. I’m not sure if they assume we’ve forgotten how to do everything since we’ve been here, but I certainly haven’t!

I feel like the dumbed it down a bit for the American kids. I felt bad for the people giving the orientation too. None of us was paying much attention, but what were we supposed to learn?? How to judge what kind of book it is by its cover? (haha) Sometimes I don’t like being from America because everyone here has this image of a loud, English speaking, lazy person. Not everyone from the States is like that, but even after just spending a few days here in Spain I can see how they have that image. You can always tell the stereotypical American kids apart from everyone else. And they are always 1. Loud 2. Drunk 3. Lost. It’s these people that give Spaniards a distorted image of the American lifestyle. Can’t say I blame them for having that image after what I’ve seen, but I will make it my goal not to be an “American” while I’m here. I think I’m doin pretty well too!! Someone asked me for directions the other day in Spanish to some street or another. Not that I knew where it was, but I feel proud that at least I blend in! :)

Sorry…tangent..back to the orientation…

After the very lame orientation it was time to explore the university and find the classes! Simple right? WRONG. The numbers here don’t go in order. Most schools will have classes that go something like, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 etc…Here, although there are only two floors all the numbers are mixed up. Instead the rooms here go something like 115, 114, 113, 24, 209, 12, 116, 117, 38, 207..all in a row..not cool.. Just because you have a class that starts with a 2 definitely does not mean it’s on the second floor. It COULD be on the second floor, but I wouldn’t count on it. AWESOME. However, there is a bit of a rhyme/reason for the odd numbering of the classrooms. The university is really old, like from the 16th century and so over the years, they have added new classes and had to split the rooms. Obviously in the 16th century there wasn’t too much one could study. Now a days, however, it seems like an infinite number of subjects. When they make one classroom into 5 it creates a numbering issue. I kinda like it. :) Something different from the all too easy navigation of the American school.

And as luck would have it I along with some other people have one class in a classroom that my friends and I seriously couldn’t find for like an hour. Classroom 24. Not next to classes 22, 23, 25, or 26. Nope. Its got its own special location tucked away in a wing with 2 different corridors. Take one wrong turn and you’ll never find it. Lord help me. We even ASKED people from the school where it was and they had no idea!! Even a janitor!! I figured he might now since maybe he cleans the room..nope. wrong again. This infamous class must be like a Bermuda triangle or something. Once you go in you never come out. That’s why no one knows where it is! It leaves no survivors!!

After all that fun, we went home and ate lunch. Yes that’s like I’ll I’ve done today, but like I said…more than 3 events and it’s an overload. And I still had things I wanted to do today! Let’s take a look..

1. Meet group at Starbucks
2. Get introduced to Newbs
3. Walk to University and have orientation
4. Find classes
5. Go to market at Parque Maria Luisa
6. Shop
7. Write more postcards
8. Meet up with group later

Damn…that’s like 2 days right there..I think I have to shopping though. I’m addicted.

Wish me luck!! School starts Monday!! Hopefully I can find all my classes! Hopefully I can figure out this schedule too. Miss you all! Only 3 months left! Time goes soooo fast..So much to do with so little time left..I almost don’t wanna leave. :( almost.