Real Time

So now that you've read about my past two weeks here, here's an update on today:

WE FINALLY GOT OUR BIKE PASSES! Sevilla has this amazing bike rental system. For 10 Euros, you get a yearlong pass to rent bikes. There are stations everywhere so you can pick one up and drop one off wherever there's a station. No more 40 minute walks to class! Courtney and I rode our bike up and down the river today after class and I felt like a ten-year-old. It's honestly been the highlight of my trip so far. The bikes make getting around the city so much easier. Sometimes you have to ride in the street but there are bike paths pretty much everywhere. Very cool. They even come fully equipped with bells and baskets.

My bike pass actually came in the mail a couple days ago, but Courtney never got hers. We checked again today but it wasn't there. The student mailboxes are just little slots that go by last name (A-B, C-D...Y-Z). I got out of class before Courtney today so I went and checked her mailbox again..nothing. Then I had the bright idea to check in the C-D mailbox and there it was! Brilliant.

We rode around for a while and ate more Principes to celebrate. Oh by the way we have a serious addiction to these Spanish cookies called Principes. I'm stocking up before I come home. They're kind of like inside out oreos only bigger and better. If Jesus ate cookies, he definitely would have eaten these bad boys. So yummy.

Courtney and I have been trying to make travel plans but it's been difficult. We need to sit down for a day and fully plan it out. We joined an Interest Group with CIEE that goes to Morocco the weekend of my birthday! We're trying to visit Rome, Paris, Lagos, London, Dublin, and maybe Greece. CIEE takes us on a ton of excursions, too. We've already been to Cordoba and Italica, two of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The architecture and the history here is incredible. You really have to see it to appreciate it. Courtney and I booked a trip to Cadiz yesterday to attend La Carnaval. It's basically the Spanish version of Mardi Gras only much more political satire and costumes. It was cheap and there are a bunch of people from our program going so we figured why not? It will be a fun trip, but exhausting at the same time.

We're supposed to get our finalized class schedules this week. As of right now, I'm enrolled in 4 courses at la Universidad de Sevilla and 1 business course at the CIEE study center. There are no classes on Fridays! I can't wait to get back into a normal routine. I feel like I've barely had any time to breathe. I have to go put together a powerpoint before dinner (dinner here is ually around 9:30-10:00) so I will write again tomorrow!

Today was the first day I've been very homesick. The bike ride made me feel a lot better though. I'm buying a bike when I come home I love it so much.

Mom I know you've been going nuts because I haven't mailed you my address but if you want to send me cards or letters send them here:

Marisa Bono
CIEE Study Center
c/ Munoz y Pabon
Sevilla, Espana 41004

I have no idea how to blog with accents but there's an ~ over the n in Munoz and Espana. There is also an accent over the o in Pabon.

See you May 14th!