This will be much easier

Hello, I had read about people blogging about their trips before I decided to study abroad and I was totally against it. I have been diligently writing in my journal and I figured that was good enough. Then I came to the conclusion that I spend quite a bit of time telling different people the same thing several times a day. I figured I could cut that time down by going against my previous bias and starting an online blog for family and friends. (a big thank you to LaRocca for doing this because when I read yours I realized this would be much easier..oh and if you read this please come visit any time you would like ..Madrid is awesome..and thanks to Megs for posting it on my wall).

Anyway I have already been here for 20 days so I'm going to just bullet point some of the things I have done so far.

1. Met my API group and stayed in Hotel Regina in downtown Madrid. Went to an underground bar for the first night. Drank some excellent sangria.
2. Started school at Antonio De Nebrija. Right now I am taking an intensive Spanish course for about 4 hours a day M-F.
3. Visited the famous Prado museum where I saw the works of Velazquez, Goya, and El Greco.
4. I live in a Residencia. It is like a large boarding house for Spanish and American and whatever other kind of nationality you want to bring here. We get fed 3 times a day. Breakfast is very light like toast and muffins and coffee or cereal, but the milk is warm so that's a struggle for me. but Breakfast is my FAVORITE meal so its killing me over here-What I would do for some serious pancakes! Lunch is always two courses with fruit for dessert, and dinner is one course with yogurt for dessert. I live in an old Palace...its 3 floors (of course I live on the 3rd floor, why change it after 3 years) and huge I think there are around 100 students here. We also have people who make our beds, tidy up our rooms, do our laundry and iron our clothes....yeaaa. Not too shabby.
5. I live off of a street called Gran Via, the closest thing I can compare it to is Michigan Ave in Chicago. So we live very much in the heart of Madrid. We are within walking distance to Plaza de Sol which is where many bars are and restaurants etc.
5. The fashion here is incredible, they are way ahead of Americans and clothes are relatively inexpensive, as well as leather boots, and jackets. Something that is rather funny is the fact that they listen to music in English, even though they cant understand it ( or all of it). I swear I walked into a Cortes Ingles (which is like a Macy's Best Buy, Target, Wal-mart, and grocery store on crack) and they were playing The Thong Song. hahaha hilarious!
6. Note-The dogs here, like people's pets, are AWESSOOMMEEEE. Most walk around the busy streets with their owners, not even on a leash. They just stay right next to there owners..I even saw one dog who when his owner went into the grocery store he just sat outside staring into the store waiting for him to get out. incredible.
7. Visited the Palacio Real-the former home of the Spanish Royalty. Beautiful. Feel free to google that.
8. Visited Parque del Retiro..is quite possibly the best park in the world, one of my favorite things here so far. It is huge...like miles long and people are all over walking, roller blading, and biking. There are free museums in there and a huge lake with all these statues and people were rowing in the lake..i need to go back and take pictures..I could spend a whole day there. I can't wait until it gets nicer so I can have a picnic and go for a boat row. People were playing music everywhere. I heard a saxophone, french horn, and violin. It makes the park that much better.
9. Speaking of music..the other day I was in the metro and I was thought I was going crazy because I heard someone singing the song "Hey Jude" by The Beatles..So I walk around the corner and see this guy playing his guitar to the song...its so good that I think its a recording, but then I see this Spanish man singing this song in perfect English so I had to give him a tip duh. Made me think of non-other than my madre!
10. Speaking of the metro..the metro in Madrid is probably one billion times nicer than the one in Chicago. So so so clean. It was mind-boggling.
11. They have good peach juice here and pineapple juice.
12. Agua is served in glass bottles and is kind of expensive.
13. I went to Toledo last weekend which is about 45 miles outside of Madrid and it was beautiful I saw The Burial of Count Orgaz by El Greco in Iglesia de Santo Tome. It is honestly incredible to see these paintings that I have only learned about in school. Very strange to wrap your head around. We also saw the most beautiful cathedral that brought tears to my eyes. It made me think of how much my grandparents and parents would have appreciated it. Pictures don't do it justice. I can't imagine going to mass there. Might have to give that a try while I'm here.
14. Oh I'm playing soccer on the Nebrija soccer team. yaaaa...just can't live without deportes.
15. Going to Granada next weekend on a group trip.
16. Just booked my first trip. I'm going to Marrakech, Morocco from feb 3 to feb 7 because I have a break in between my intensive course and my other classes. Hello Africa.

Today I did some exploring around Plaza de Espana, Palacio Real, Cathedral Santa Maria la Real de La Almundera, and Parque del Campo del Moro. I took some really nice pictures, I just wish it were a bit more sunny here. That's all I have for now.

Hasta manana!