Spain update

Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. I've just been preoccupied with school and adjusting a little bit more. But now that I am completely adjusted it's almost time for me to go. Spain has been really good to me or more like Bilbao. I am really glad I chose Bilbao instead of a bigger city like Madrid. It's really safe and quaint and like I have said absolutely beautiful. School has been going extremely well. I really like going to school, I've never had an issue. I love going to school at UIC and attending class there. I find myself feeling really comfortable at the University of Deusto. I have great professors and I've learned a lot. I really like my Culture and Politics class. I've learned so much about Spain and it's history and it's made me enjoy it and appreciate it even more. I've loved having the opportunity to speak Spanish and become more comfortable with it. I've gotten the chance to speak with native speakers and it's been a blast. They are so curious about American life and I am so curious about the Spanish life. Aside from school I've been keeping myself busy with home work but also exploring a little bit. There's the old quarters named Casco Viejo. There's a ton of shops, ice cream shops, bars, restaurants, and so much more. We really like to go there on Friday's after class and pick up souvenirs for family at home and we go to this one bar where they have pinxto's or tapas or little appetizers for about one euro a piece. I've had amazing calamri and other interesting foods but it's been an awesome experience. Last Saturday my roomate and I went on a funicular that takes you to the top of a mountain and you can see a complete over view of Bilbao. It was one of the most amazing sites I have ever seen, after that we ended our adventure with a pitcher of sangria, yum! Then that night one of the program directors has a cousin who lives in Santurtzi and was having a party for us. It was a strict guest list and we had to RSVP but we got on it right away. Santurtzi is very popular and crazy this time because of the Fiestas del Carmen. A little side fact a lot of the festivals they have here are religious and they celebrate them by eating lots of food, live music, and of course drinking. But this apartment where the party was amazing!!! It was beautiful and when you step outside onto the balcony you get an over view of Saturtzi at night with the stars and all the lights from the stage and the festival. And there was also food and drinks at the party. So we all ate and drank and watched the concert then they had a DJ. It's seriously one of my best memories I've had here, just dancing all night over looking Santurtzi, it was so great. This weekend is our last weekend here, it's already coming. I think on Saturday myself and acouple other friends are going to climb a mountain called Santera. It's a 45 minute climb up and you can see all of Bilbao and then the ocean on the other. Then beach on Sunday. I am going to miss the beach the most. Laying on a towel with the sand and the sun. Then having a whisp of the ocean float in the air so you get a nice mist to cool you down and with a good playlist on your Ipod is complete heaven. Then classes and finals next Wednesday then I will be home Friday. It's gone by so fast and I had a thought the other day that what if this was my last chance to be here, what if I never come back? Then I realized that I love it so much here, and I know that I will do everything I can to come back. I would really like to bring my family here and whoever would want to come along. It's a great place to be. Such an amazing place enriched with culture and tradition. Spain has fought a lot for their independence. They didn't have a democratic constitution until 1978! They had a socialist president until 1975! You can see that the Spainards are so so proud from where they come from and from their culture and it's so great to see that sense of pride of who they are. This truly has been one of the best experiences of my life and I can only hope to have another or at least come visit. Dear Spain, this isn't over yet! I will be back!