From a few days ago

So I’ve been in Cordoba for more than a week now. At first I felt homesick and it was hard to adjust. We had a lot of free time so I tried to fill it up as much as possible so that I couldn’t dwell on my feelings. Now that classes are officially starting and I’m figuring out my real schedule, I feel much better. I also feel really excited for my classes .

I think part of what triggered most of my feelings of homesickness is the Spanish-all –the –time thing. I hate to admit it but it’s exhausting at times. And frustrating. I feel like a little child when I don’t know a word or when I stumble over a verb conjugation. It also makes everything that much harder. The cordobian accent is difficult for me to understand but I’m already getting used to it. Guani, the woman who owns our building and provides our meals, has such an accent. It seems like she swallows the ends of her words. Sometimes I have no idea what she’s saying but it’s getting better.

Another thing that contributed to the homesickness was the feeling of insecurity in an unfamiliar city. It scary to walk by myself in a city I barely know. It’s getting easier and I’m less nervous about walking alone at night (when it’s only a 10 minute walk). It’s still dangerous for a woman to walk alone after 1 am so I try to avoid that. I miss smith in that way. I always feel safe there. I feel like I’m always on the alert or looking over my shoulder here. After Annie Le’s disappearance and death at Yale, I know it’s the best way to be but I can’t help but feel resentful that I even need to be so vigilant. The Annie Le case is not helping my paranoia. Tonight my suitemate Shannon was taking a while retrieving her dress from the clothes lines on the roof and I was convinced she had been captured by a serial rapist/murderer. I convinced my other suitemates to going looking for her with me. She was fine.

I also feel better now that I have my own sheets. I know it seems like a waste of money but the sheets that were on my bed smelled like dust. They were definitely triggering an allergic reaction. I purchased new sheets at El corte Ingles (fabulous department store like Macys except bigger with more departments). Much better.

Luckily, the food has not been difficult to adjust too. We have toast with jam or yogurt every morning. We have bread with olive oil at every lunch and dinner. It’s my new fav thing. Am addicted. I’ll discuss some of my other favorites. Papas fritas- French fries. I don’t know how Guani makes them but they are delicious. Tonight we have papas fritas with some sort of meet. Non of us could figure out what it was but it was scrumptdillyumptious. I am also quite fond of our salas which usually consist of lettuce, shredded carrots, and corn. Occasionally they include tuna and peppers (with a sprinkle of salt it’s perfect). The tortilla Espanola es como un sueno (like a dream). http://spanishfood.about.com/od/tapas/ss/tortilla.htm

Classes begin for real this week. We are expected to take three classes offered by the program and one from the university. Last week we previewed the university classes. After much deliberation, I decided to take a modern literature class that focuses on theater. The professor is friendly, approachable, and patient. She’s also super excited about the material which always helps me maintain my enthusiasm. This week I’m “shopping” for my program classes. Today I went to three. The first was a class focusing on women’s rights in Spain and Latin America. Loved it. Second class was comparative political institutions with a focus on the U.S. and Spain. Liked it but not entirely sold. The third was a music class where we listen to great works of Spanish music and discuss them. The professor was like a bundle of excitement of energy. She’s very passionate about the material and also adorable. It’s going to be a tough decision.

Once I decide on my classes, I’ll be able to choose which organization I want to volunteer with. PRESHCO encourages volunteer experience and provides a list of possibilities. I’m considering three: a women’s rights organization, teaching English to immigrants, and a gay/lesbian/trans support organization. Tough choice.