I wrote this Tues night but the hotel turned the wireless off so I couldn't post it...

I lost my voice somewhere between Los Angeles and London. But I arrived safely! My luggage, however, did not. Until about two hours ago, I was living in the same dirty jeans y ropa interior. It was a new experience, losing my luggage, but I wasn't the only one, and it made it all the more sweeter actually getting it. I could actually dress up for the bars tonight! It was kind of like Isla Vista but in the city: all the bar-goers took their drinks into the street to talk. But the streets here are skinny, cobbled, and windy and the sidewalks are thin if there are any. It makes it interesting when cars go by.

I'm slowly adjusting. My spanish is improving ever so slightly, i'm adjusting to the time difference kind of (it's 2:00 a.m. here, but I took a 2 hour siesta today so i'm not tired). I'm meeting lots of people (most of them from the midwest and east -- everything thinks California is sorta foreign) and i've signed myself up for lots of programs that will get me in touch with los españoles.

Tomorrow I move into my homestay. I'm living in Los Remedios (an area across the river and about 20 minutes walk from La Catedral, the biggest church in the world) y El Centro (where everything is). I have my own room, in an apartment with a señora. Apparently it's common here for children to live at home until they're 30 or older... so lots of kids are with a women and her 30-year-old son and many also have roommates.

Our spanish guía took us to a tapas bar this afternoon, where I got the first real meal i've had since i've been here. I also had sangria (it's really good!).