Sights in Spain

Greetings from The Jerz,
Several updates of importance:
1. The host "family" is one woman named Carmen. She doesn't have young children...she lives alone. But Sergio (the one who's contacted us) said that her daughter visits much of the time. I'm excited to meet her and Experience Spanish! The exclamation point was intended for the Methodology class.
And speaking of our awesome FLEX Experience Spanish!, I've already been scheming about getting to spend quality times with the little guys in Valladolid. I know at the libraries by me, there's storytime and all for the kiddies. Maybe I could volunteer to read a bilingual book during storytime or do arts and crafts with the children. I have more bilingual songs that I want to share.
2. All volunteering and enjoying my time with the Spanish tots aside, I'm going to Spain to to classes and transfer credit back to the Valley. That is the academic piece involved here. I'm also going to transform into a sponge...you know...absorbing up every little thing I can. I am not signed up to take phonetics overseas, since we both had it this semester, but I would really like to know how phonetics goes down when Iglesias isn't teaching it. I bet those students don't laugh as much as we do.
3, We don't need to let the consulate know we are showing up in Spain, nor do we need any vaccines. A double-plus, right there.
4. Trying to pack clothes that can work double duty. And...sit down you will be SHOCKED... I went to the sore and paid for TWO DRESSES. Me. And TWO dresses. But I figure I can wear them out, and to church, and they're my favorite colors.
5. Also figuring out where to go and when. Any ideas? I've heard Segovia, Madrid, Barcelona, Salamanca, Valencia, Jerez, Malaga, Jaen, Granada, Andalucia...feel free to send ideas along!

Well, it's late, so, until we meet again,
~Alicia

Host family

Hola again! I'm still here in Nueva Jersey making arrangements. I got the info about my host family the other day!!! I'm not sure if it is just a woman, or her whole family, or what. Only one lady's name was included in the info. I'd love it if the host family has little kids--that would be awesome! It turns out Jess (the girl I'm going with) and I are living with the same host. I guess that's better since I get lost everywhere, but I hope we don't speak English to each other. We promised our advisor that we'd only speak en espanol.
I'm borrowing a carry on and I'm praying that I can somehow manage to fit everything! "Packing light" is not a concept I can grasp easily.
Here goes nada,
~Alicia. Or, for the non-Spanish speakers, Alyse.

Here on this side of the Atlantic...

Hola, everyone!
I depart for Spain on July 4th and I cannot wait! I created this blog as a way to (hopefully) document my life for the next month...we'll see what happens.
Right now I'm searching for deals on carry on luggage. I don't want to get stuck paying extra dinero for checked baggage, and my advisor warned me to pack light. So, that's where I'm at right now. Feel free to throw suggestions my way.
Hasta luego,
~Alicia