Granadaaa

So,

I got my vacation! Well, not really, it was only three extra days but, I'll take it. Monday and Tuesday were Andalucia celebration days which basically just means that nobody in Andalucia had to go to school or work. The reason I didn't have to go to school today is because my school is one of the only schools which actually takes strikes seriously so I ended up getting three days off instead of two. I'm not sure exactly what the strike is about but I'm sure it's either a bus strike or an unemployment strike. They used to be so exciting but 5.5 months later I've come to realize how common they actually are. I've had at least somewhere from 8-10 days off from school for strikes alone so far this year. In my opinion, it's not very smart on the schools part considering nobody actually goes to the strike but, because I'm just the exchange student, I've decided to just keep my mouth shut and enjoy the extra day off.

To celebrate the long weekend, my two exchange friends and I decided to go do some traveling all the way up to Granada. Well, Granada isn't actually that far from Jerez but with the 2 hour stop in Dos Hermanas, the trip actually ended up being six hours. If anyone who's reading this has ever been to Granada, I'm sure they'll agree with me when I say that it's definitely one of the most beautiful places in Spain, maybe even in all of Europe. Granted, I haven't actually seen most of Europe but, I just can't get over how amazing Granada is. If you need a little more convincing, Bill Clinton even said that the sun setting over the Alhambra is one the most beautiful things he had ever seen in his entire life. The thing that interested me most about Granada is how many different parts there are. For example, the street where I was staying was right in the middle of an Arabic market area. You could definitely see the Arabic lifestyle is still very much alive in Granada. I think some of it is just to attract tourists but I still found it to be pretty interesting. There's also the modern part of the city which looks just like any other Spanish city with big stores and chain restaurants. Between the Arabic markets, historic buildings, modern shopping, and absolutely amazing food, there was just no way we could do it all in three days. So, to solve this problem, my friends and I decided that obviously the only way to get everything done was to do...................a Segway Tour! (Bright green vests and helmets included) Needless to say, I've never felt more like a tourist in my entire life but, even with the embarrassment, I definitely don't regret going. We were able to see most of the important sites in a very short period of time which made the embarrassment worth it.

For me, going to Granada was definitely one of the best experiences I've had since being here, not only because of how beautiful it is but because of how independent and self-reliant I had to be. Even though I'm living in Spain with a family that's not my own, everything that I've needed so far has been taken care of by my local coordinator. I've never traveled overnight without an adult and I have to admit, it was a little scary. I was responsible for booking the hostel, buying the train ticket, taking care of my passport and bank cards, making sure I had all my stuff at all times. The amount of responsibility I had to take on so suddenly was a little scary at first but, after it was over, I felt proud that I'd been able to enjoy Granada without any significant problems. It made this year feel more like an adventure again. Before, this year was starting to feel like the weeks were just blurring together and that eventually it would just end suddenly. The time I spent in Granada felt like a break from thinking about how fast this year was going. I've decided I need to do more of those trips around Spain because I need more of those small breaks from reality.

Anyways,

I've started to make a new countdown! One week until I finally get to see someone from back home. Mom, if you're reading this, (which I know you will like five minutes after I post this) know that next week is going to be absolutely amazing so...get excited..

Just six days days left!

Happy Leap Day/Year/kinda forgot it was leap year until just now

Adioss

-Libby