And so it begins...

Okay, before I begin: since last I blogged, I've been to the Prado TWICE. I. Love. Spain.

Classes started this week! For some they are four days a week for 2 hours and for others they are 2 days a week for 4. I have class twice a week, so on the other two days I went into Madrid:) It is so fun getting to know the city and really get familiar with it.

On Tuesday my friend Casey and I went in at probably ten in the morning and stayed literally allllll day. We started with churros con chocolate (finally! something I've wanted to try since at least tenth grade, maybe eighth...can't remember which teacher told me about it first) then did some MAJOR shopping. I heard shopping in Europe was great...I had no idea. Seriously, it was so fun! I swear, everything they produce or sell in this country is super cute AND good quality and can be found very easily at a reasonable price. I bought 3 pairs of shoes, one pair was 8 euros and the other two 3 euros each. And they're not cheap quality! This all sounds so frivolous, I know, but I was floored. Also, I bought THE greatest jacket in the entire world. One of my shopping goals was a sick European jacket...yeah, that's off the checklist:) But enough about shopping.

That evening we went to the museo del Prado!!!!! Finally:) It's free weeknights between 6 and 8 so we went on Tuesday and Thursday night. I have no words adequate for what it was like to stand in front of Las Meninas, The Second and Third of May, being surrounded by Goya's Black Paintings and works by Velázquez, Rubens, Bosch, Claude Lorraine, Caravaggio, a Dürer self-portrait...I love art. The Prado has really phenomenal art. That's really all it comes down to. I wrote a research paper on a painting by John Singer Sargent, The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit, specifically because I knew it would be an invited work at the Prado while I was there. Normally it's in Boston. It was hanging near Las Meninas because there are a lot of similarities between the two, Sargent adored Velázquez. Anyway, the Prado is phenomenal and I can't wait to go back and keep exploring! I've yet to see every room. Someday:)

We've been getting to know Alcalá a lot better as well. It's so great having a home-base. Getting off the train after a long day in Madrid and coming home to Alcalá is sooo nice:) But the best is just hanging out with the group, eating ice cream or tapas, and chatting til we have to go home for dinner. One afternoon we went to the church to play fútbol and ended up playing for probably 3 hours. I busted my toe by kicking a girl instead of the ball, so now I can only wear open-toe shoes. Luckily it doesn't hurt too bad, and I have a sick battle wound from the day.

Cultural observation: When they answer the phone here, they say "Dime" (dee-meh) which just means "Tell me". Also, I have heard SO much English here. In the music, on the streets in Madrid...it's awesome. Also also, dinner is at 9 or 9:30 pm. It's so weird.

Time to take full advantage of the wonder that is the siesta! My first one since last Friday...yikes. Always. Tired. In a good way.

And just as an end note: I love my group:) I can't wait til we're all friends this fall back at school!