Aqui estoy en Valencia!

I made it to Valencia! After a long day (days? who knows when you're dealing with international travel) in transit, I arrived in Valencia at about 3:30 pm local time. I made it to the apartment where I'm staying, and can I just say, it was no small feat getting here; dragging luggage, nearly missed flights, trains, planes, automobiles, 8th floor apartment-no elevator-three heavyish bags... I saw an add in a magazine on my Iberia flight that about sums up the transit part of the trip: "Lo que no me destruya, me hace mas fuerte ("That which doesn't kill me...")".

I am staying in a Spanish girl's apartment. Her name is Belen, and she goes to school and she works (as far as I can tell with my limited but rapidly improving Spanish..). There is also a girl named Serena who is from Sicily, Italy who, like me arrived on Sunday, is here to learn Spahish, and is staying with Belen as well.

This morning (Monday) Serena and I walked to school together (the top photo is our school and Serena), took our levelling classes together, and ended up in the same class. After class (9:30-13:30) we had some lunch (paella, what else?), then we took a walk. By "took a walk" I mean "got lost". But Valencia is small, so it's hard to get too lost. The second photo is of a balcony we saw during our "walk" displaying the flag of Valencia over the Spanish flag.

I have been speaking Spanish the ENTIRE time I've been here, and, honestly, it was almost hard to switch back to English to type. It's only been one day! THIS is a good thing...

This evening, at 18:30 (...while I can communicate with people here I'm not quite acclimated to military time...I have to use my fingers) we're taking a tour of the city sponsored by the school. So far (again, one day) I'm happy with the school and the teachers. They are young and very nice. There are only three of us in my class right now, but that could change as people change levels, and each Monday new people arrive.

If I don't blow up this little laptop I borrowed from PISD tonight when I attempt to charge it (Mike), I will post more tomorrow...