Riding from Pamplona to Madrid/Meeting Family

Alright...so we are riding in the bus...the view is beautiful by the way and it is sooo wierd because you can drive a couple miles and it will be sandy, then drive a couple more miles and it is beautiful with trees and hills and mountains! We get to the half way marker...a convenience store that sells cooked food within it...and by looking at that menu the first time...i knew...i wasn´t going to like any of the food...tooo much nasty fish and way too damn much ham! We finally get into Pamplona and it is absolutely beautiful!!! On parts of the way to Pamplona, there were old Italian-looking cottages that were up really close to the road...don´t worry i got pictures...but i won´t be able to share them until we get back! We pull into the school and all of the ¨moms¨ are standing there waiting for us...my roommate and I get out and meet our host mother! hahaha!! i was honestly a little bit wierded out because she did the New York Housewives double kiss on the cheek! hahaha!! Gotta love Europe...but anywayz shes wayy short, little, short blonde hair and ofcourse a good complection...she is around the age of like 50 or so. Her name is Ana and she is very very sweet. Our room is little bitty, but we are never there anywayz...but the bedding is all bright colored stripes and such. And there is just a bottom sheet on the bed...i don´t know if that is normal or my roommate and I just got jipped lol! No, but its fine lol! And our first meal was some olive oil fried fish stuff...that i really don´t like lol! But it is all part of the culture right!?

Airport/Airplane/Landing Craziness!!!!

Alright...so right after I left yall with the blog on Friday morning, my parents, brother, and I made the journey to DFW International Airport...we get there...the flight was cancelled!! So you know, I am all trying to remain calm in the process of Mr. Smith trying to get us another flight out that day. All of the students and their rides stood outside of the airport waiting...hoping that we could go on this trip and get out of the US that same day. Finally we got a flight out...that day...and it was straight shot from DFW to Madrid, Spain. The flight was delayed about 13 more times until at 6:45 we were departing! Now this aircraft that we flew 9 hours in was not an Airbus, which means the seats were tiny as hellz, and then there was this little old lady that was sitting behind me bitching that this was the worst overseas flight she had ever been on! (I mean I have nothing to compare to, therefore, Í can´t say anything.) THEN some of our guys were in the back talking to this pilgrim about how you talk to the locals! Really!! Shut up so I can get my beauty rest! BUT finally, we landed in Barajas Airport, in Madrid, Spain and it was all worth it! The airport is soooooo beautiful and so modern looking! We get off the plane, and get our passports stamped and such and everybody knows that the suckiest part of going on an international trip is going through customs...hahaha...picture it Sicily 1927....I am just kidding i am not a golden girl!! But seriously, picture it, the security dudes that are supposed to be in charge of customs are texting on their cell phones and told us to just go on through!!! WTF!!!! How do they know that we don´t have contraband!!! hahahaha!! Then, we walk outside and the little Spaniard that was driving our bus was standing there with a sign that said Tarleton State University...then after over 9 hours of flying....the 4.5 hours of riding in a bus began.........

What will I be doing?

I am very excited/nervous about this whole ordeal, but I feel very blessed and lucky that I get to participate in a study abroad program in Spain. This is a chance of a lifetime! Anyways, the plane leaves DFW on May 20, 2011 at 1:40 P.M., we have a layover in Chicago and will then travel from Chicago to Madrid, then when we arrive in Madrid, we will travel by bus (without chickens and pigs) to Pamplona, Spain, where we will go to the college, live with our families, as well as sight see. Our daily schedule starts out every morning with lessons that are provided by the institution...these lessons will last from 9-1:15 (Spain time). Spain is 7 hours ahead of central time (I believe). Then usually we will participate in excursions provided by the institution, then finally at the end of the day we will eat dinner with our gracious famiiles, go to bed, and begin it all over again for 5 whole weeks! As I said before, it is a very exciting time, but very scary, all at the same time. Throughout my trip, I plan on blogging (hopefully everyday) to let my friends and family know what exactly I am doing.