soo things are moving along. my madre and i are getting more comfortable with eachother each day. we get along really well, except she talks very loud and very fast, and feels the need to lecture me constantly about things like wearing a jacket, eating enough, etc. i think she misses having kids to boss around. she lives a very quiet life, watching the news, sewing, reading, hanging out with grandkids. but once she gets talking she turns into this totally fiery opinionated spanish lady. but even if shes just talking about something very simple, like what we are having for dinner, she feels the need to emphasize every tiny detail and get all worked up about it, it stressed me out. she waits on her children hand and foot, literally. her daughter (who is 34, with 2 children) had a headache one day. so carmen, my madre, made her lunch and dinner and walked over to her apartment and delivered it to her. because of a headache! at age 34! crazy.

classes have begun, and im sad to say they are not any easier than oberlin. they are just as hard as oberlin except in a language i dont have full mastery of... excellent! but my teachers are cool and i have lots of friends in my classes. the weather has been beautiful, and i spent a weekend in murcia just wandering around in the sun and hanging out with the girls. we were supposed to go to granada but it didnt work out. turns out planning ahead is usually a good idea when traveling, but hey you live you learn.

i feel like i should explain about alicante a little. its a big city, full of all different types of people, lots of restaurants, and more tiny dogs than i have ever seen. its a safe city, i have never felt really nervous, but you still need to be careful. its sunny with lots of palm trees and right near the beach. the sunsets are really beautiful. the nightlife is insane. this is the weekend schedule for spanish kids my age:

friday 10 pm have dinner
12 pm go out and start drinking in the barrio, which is a section of clubs-bars
2am go to a discoteca
4am go to the puerta, a club-filled area right on the water which doesnt even open until 4
6 am go get some food
7am go home and sleep

saturday 4pm wake up
10pm dinner and the whole thing repeats

like i said, crazy.

my parents are coming this weekend! and after that, sevilla. gotta run, will write more later.

amor, raquel