Like a freaking fairy tale

I have arrived! I have now been in Segovia for more than 24 hours, and I've spent about half of that time sleeping. Some of the other kids on the trip went and walked around with their host moms, but I fell asleep and woke up as my host mom was going out for the night. I was asleep again by the time she got back.

Speaking of her, my host mom is great! She speaks slowly for me, and teaches me many vocabulary words we never learn in spanish class, like dishwasher (lavaplatos) and nail polish (esmalte). Yesterday she made me paella (pronounced pa-eh-ya) when I first got here, which is a traditional Spanish dish made of rice and lots of different seafood. I don't usually eat shellfish, and I like my shrimp peeled and headless, but I gave it a go and it was delicious. Even with the giant, unpeeled, head-attached prawns and the clams. She said she'd teach me her recipe for "paella rapida" so I could make it for my parents when I get back home.

Today, though, we had our orientation and we got cell phones and a bunch of information on Spanish customs and our classes. For example, it's customary for people to kiss each other on each cheek when they great each other, which is not something they do in the US. It's more of a touch to the cheek though, and you're not supposed to actually touch your lips to the other person because the women here wear lipstick, and it would smear.

We took a walk around the city with one of our conversation partners, Chris, who is from England and has lived in Segovia for a few years. We also had Marian, the head of our program, showing us important places to know like the post office and the bank. Despite that, I still got lost on my way home and wandered in circles around the plaza where my host mom lives until I remembered I have a cell phone now, and I called her.

Here are some pictures from our walk.

This is part of the view from my school.

The Roman Aqueduct is probably the most famous part of Segovia, and it's in every single post card. It's something like 2000 years old, and it runs right through the center of the city and through the main plaza, which is constantly busy. 

This is a church, whose name I can't remember, that I pass by on my way to school. Right now, all the landmarks are running together.

That's all I have for now, though this post does seem ridiculously long. Miss you all and looking forward to checking ESPN in the morning to see another shiny, green W next to Oregon after their game against Virginia today. Scoducks!