Ay, que mundo (Oh, What a World)

Today was the first day of second semester. Or, better said, today was the "first day" of the second semester. Two of my four classes were canceled (and by canceled I mean no one showed up/the doors were locked), which I guess is pretty normal. I've gotten used to it, but that doesn't mean that I like it any more than before!

The first class I was supposed to have was Actual Spain (a history class) in the biggest classroom for History -- the same one where I took my local development final on Wednesday -- but the room was locked. The note on the door said that all classes in that room had been moved/canceled due to water damage from the rain we've had the past few days. This, to me, was hilarious. During my local development exam, there had been strong rain, winds, and lightening and thunder. My genius professor went over to the window (more like door -- the windows were huge and swung open like doors) and kind of looked about and then went back to sitting down. So my guess is that he was the one who left the water pouring in, and that supposed 'band camp' smell Liliana and I thought we were smelling was actually just the mildew from the rain. Good one, Jose Luis. Really nice.

Second, and much later in the day, was Anthro of Communication with my 70-year-old love, Antonio Mandly, but he never showed. My guess is he's still in Cuba doing his fieldwork? Who knows. Anyway, I'm sure I'll love the class and will stay in it, so that's fine.

Later was History of Contemporary Iberoamerica II, which I LOVED. The professor was awesome, solid, and really invested in the class. 50% of the grade comes from participation in class, which doesn't freak me out like it would have last semester. The substance is really interesting -- it's an overall history of Latin America from the 1880s until 2000s, with a particular focus on a few countries (Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Cuba). He stressed how it's important to understand what goes on within each country AND understand what's happening with the interactions with the US and Europe at the same time. He knew his stuff and he seemed very into it and dedicated. His expectations are much higher than any other class I've had here -- he assigns readings and expects you to do those readings and expects an interactive classroom dynamic -- and I have high hopes. Liliana is in the class, too, which makes me happy. Added bonus!

And finally, at night I had History of Prehispanic America: States and Empires, which deals with early cultures in the Andes. The Inca, obviously, is the most well-known, but that is what we talk about at the end of the course. Before that we will learn a lot about all sorts of other small, indigenous cultures. It should be interesting. It's a bigger class and way less interactive (read: not interactive at all) but the professor was really good, easy to follow, and knew his stuff. There is only a test at the end of the semester, nothing else, which is both nice and intimidating. Fun random fact about this class: the classroom is on floor 1.5. It's halfway between the first and second floor. Weird, no? That's the fabrica de tabacos for you...

This semester should be good because I have balanced my life (in terms of classes) much better than last semester. I am taking two history classes, two literature classes (all about things relating to Spain or Latin America), and an anthro class. I now know which classes and professors are good and which ones should be avoided, so that has also helped me to create a pretty fantastic schedule, if I do say so myself. Hopefully everything stays the same, the other classes I haven't tried yet are good, and the university doesn't randomly switch around any schedules, although I wouldn't be surprised if that happens.

SO, backtracking, this weekend was great, especially Sunday. I think I am slowly making a legitimate Spanish friend! I had an intercambio with her before finals and things went really well. She knew that I liked photography, so she emailed me and told me that on Sunday her friend who studies Photography in Madrid was going to be in Sevilla and that I should come with them around the center of the city to practice taking photos. It was great. I spent a couple of hours with Cristina (the girl) beforehand, and it was great, again. Not awkward at all and we had real things to say to each other. She took me to a plaza where every Sunday morning there is all kinds of art for sale and then we hung out in Plaza El Salvador and drank tinto de verano and I tried "chuchos." The plaza is interesting because the people go, buy a glass of beer or wine or whatever, and then take it out to the center of the plaza and just stand around, talking and drinking. No tables, just groups and groups and groups of people. There isn't shmoozing or anything like that -- you come with your own people and you stick to your own people -- but it's still a festive environment.

Ok. So chuchos. They are some kind of bean-ish type thing, I think, but they are basically called "vaginas." After a long discussion with Mayte at dinner on Sunday night about what it was that I had eaten earlier in the day with Cristina, she told me that they are altramuces (still haven't found out what they are in English; not sure if they exist) but everyone calls them chuchos or chuchitos, which is literally a slang word for vagina. People use it as an affectionate term sometimes for little girls who are especially cute (analyze that) and also for the altramuces because... uh... they look like chuchos? I mean, I didn't particularly think so, but hey, to each her own culture. So that was an interesting experience, although Mayte did help me clarify a lot in my mind.

And now, some pictures from the wonderful outing with Cristina and her friends:

Cristina and one of her two friends who came, Paula, holding up the chuchos we ate.They treated me differently and at points I felt like the foreigner, but it was okay. I enjoyed myself!

Cristina's idea for a photo and a good one at that!

Walking around the old touristy parts, taking pictures, messing with the features on my camera and lighting...

The classic Sevilla shot.

Ok, so the Giralda dominates my photos. I really like this one, though.

Alrighty, that's all I have to say for now. I mean no, I'm sure I had more (in fact I can already think of other things I meant to say), but I will end this entry and move on to the other things I have to do tonight before I go to bed. Buenas noches a todos!