The first full day!

So we woke up at 8:00 and got ready for our first day in Valencia! We had coffee and muffins for breakfast, and then our sweet sweet sweet SWEET host papa took us to the stadium, where we met the rest of the group (all of the others had to walk or take the bus or metro - but our family ROCKS). We got a tour of Avenida Blasco Ibáñez, where the ISA office is located and the University of Valencia. We took a level test to show our teachers how well we understand the language. After that, we went back to the ISA office and had a short meeting, then we were done for the morning!

Anna, Elizabeth, Melanie and I walked around for a while. I bought a straightener because mine doesn't work. We explored some, trying to figure out our way around this huge, gorgeous city. After about an hour of walking, we split up. Anna and I live near each other so we headed home. Our walk home includes going through the huge park (that used to be the big river that went directly through the center of the city but was converted in 1957 to a giant garden after a terrible flood). It's incredible. There are tons of fountains and running and bike paths and people walking their dogs and roller blading. We had lunch - pasta with tomato sauce and grated cheese and meatballs and a salad. Our parents were gone to a funeral, so it was just Miguel, Lindsey and me.

After lunch, we rested for a while, and I skyped my mama :) We had a meeting at 5:00, so Lindsey and I left home at 4:15 (yes, we have a 45 minute walk to the ISA office and Valencia). We met up with Anna and her roommate, Anna, and went to our meeting. They just told us about transportation around the city. Elizabeth and Anna and I went to get cokes at a little deli called Jamón y Queso (Ham & Cheese) and planned out the trips we're going to take this semester!!

At about 7:15, Anna and I headed back, but first we walked around the downtown area to get our bearings on the place. I am really surprising myself at how quickly I'm learning my way around this place. Anna went home around 7:45, and I walked around some more close to my street and found some great little variety stores, then headed home at 8:30.

For dinner, we had this delicious soup, vegetable flavored, with angel hair pasta, some bread, and an apple. After eating, I skyped the fam and sent about a million emails. I showered and straightened my hair - which took forever because there are NO good hair straighteners over here. It was then that my internet went haywire, so I eventually just went to bed. What a great first day in the city!