Somewhere between..

the incredible amount of second-hand smoke we've inhaled, the increasingly powerful sunshine, the surprisingly late nights, trying to pass one small old woman who can command the space of a four person sidewalk, and the new friendships that have been sown, Sevilla has become a part of my life. It's no longer just a city i'm visiting, but a place I feel a growing kinship with. Coming home from trips is no longer sad, but an excitement rises within me to see Sevilla, speak with the sevillanos, and reunite with my friends that were off doing their own adventures. Hopefully over time, the culture, the language, the slang, and the areas i have yet to explore will all cease to be goals, and simply another part of the reality here.

This past weekend a large portion of the student population in Sevilla went to Cadiz to see Carnaval. An exact equivalent (in mindset) of Mardi Gras, Carnaval in Buenos, and those found around France and Italy, Cadiz incorporates a costume element. There is nothing more fascinating to say the least than a group of upwards of half a million people, spread in and around a city tightly packed, consuming large amounts of alcohol (the word copious comes appropriately to mind), in costumes such as lady bugs or cross-dressers (very popular among the men here). To be quite honest, I've never experienced such a packed feel and at times claustrophobia seemed to make so much sense. There was a plaza that is infamous, where a mosh pit the size of a city block can sometimes arise, and we were explicitly warned against going. Of course we all made it over to see, carefully avoiding getting sucked into the tide of people, and needless to say it's an interesting site.

In general the Carnaval was something I am glad to have seen and be able to witness. We went on "la noche de los guiris" which directly translates into the night of the foreigners. This night is characterized by drinking and nothing else, with a focus on party and getting everything out before Lent arrives. Later in the week, (starting on Sunday, we went on Saturday) the event becomes more about events, spectacles, music and other culturally charged activities. Obviously drinking in Spain is culturally charged, but i'm sure you get the drift. It's certainly worth seeing, but for those that are faint of heart, faint of stomach, or just unenthused about any bodily product you should certainly leave earlier than later. We left around 6Am and to say the least, it hadn't rained in weeks, but you could've been fooled.

Spain in general is going well. I haven't written an entry in a while, and thus want to just throw out some random thoughts. Classes are going well, i've now changed and dropped my Quijote class... to thank the lord is an understatement, supposedly the class is just getting more and more intense. That may sound slacker-ish, but considering I won't receive credit, nor will I receive recognition that it's even a literature course I'll be sure to read Quijote back at Bates. My new class, Cine Espanola Contemperanea (contemporary spanish film), is incredible. The teacher is great, the students fun, and all is well.

Food here is incredible, and tapas is the most misunderstood / underrated restaurant in the United States. To go out pay 2E a plate, and have cheap beer for all is incredible. Last night with my Scott's dad who was in town we went out, managed to stuff ourselves, drink quite a few too many beers all for under 10E a person. The best part was we ate a plethora of dishes, so we never got sick of one.

Friends here are doing well, just for the mere sake of throwing a shout out and letting you all know some names that you might be hearing for years to come for sure the ones I've spent the most time with are certainly Scott & Daniel, and the girls Christina, Tessi & Lexi. We've done a good amount of traveling together, and while we're all eccentric in our own distinct ways, it all works out when we're together. They're certainly an unexpected blessing.

This weekend I'll be going to Malaga, followed by another trip to the Canary Islands. For a kid who has now spent a good portion of his life in the mountains, or canoeing in the woods of Ontario, the beach is certainly becoming an important aspect of life. Today I also began planning my trip with a good friend Christina to Italy. We'll be doing this cool little expedition through the northwest portion of Italy hiking around, then stopping by Venice and later Rome (during Semana Santa) to make sure we get the two largest cities of Semana Santa: Rome and Sevilla. It will be fun, and while there is still much to plan, and many bills to pay it will be an unforgettable experience.

Anyway that's a week or two worth of news all thrown into a couple paragraphs. I'm sure there will be more I want to add, but I will do that another day. Hope all is well for everyone, those here in Sevilla, and those at home in the United States, Canada, and Israel. Safe travels to all that are traveling, prosperous times at home, and hopefully we can all meet up soon!