Days 3 and 4

Yesterday I found out the results of my placement test and signed up for classes. I was able to get all the advanced classes I wanted! Art history (which involves excursions around Spain to look at art), Spanish history, short stories, and advanced grammar. I start classes at 9:15 am and am done by 12:35. It's going to be great. We also had a lecture for a couple of hours - Culture 101 and safety. We learned about a bunch of the cultural differences. For example, everyone here dresses up to go out. I love that! We also learned a few other "rules," like ALWAYS wear shoes in the house, expect cat calls from men, expect it to take a while to leave somewhere because you are engaged inconversation, etc. There are way more, but those are a few. We also learned that it is completely safe to walk outside at night, until about 2am. That's when everyone goes out! My host dad, "mi Señor," gave me a talk on making sure if I'm out past then, to have a cab take me back, because it's dangerous unless I'm with people. It was cute how protective he is of Nicole and I, kind of like our dad. He made sure we had our keys and phones and everything too. :)
Speaking of going out at night, a group of us went Salsa dancing last night. It was so fun! I had taken a long siesta too so I was ready to stay up late. I LOVE the night life here. It's like a giant party! Everyone is up till 1:00am, mostly because it's so hot during the day. Even parents with babies in strollers. The streets are all lit and there are people everywhere. Dancing was fun too - where we went there were mostly older people, so that was cool to be a part of. We did get back really late, so some guys from our group walked us home. Today Nicole and I slept in, then went shopping/on a picture scavenger hunt with our school. I'm really connecting with a few other girls here, so that's really fun. I bought new shoes, because I had blisters from walking so far (we walk EVERYWHERE), and shoes=fashion in Europe apparently. That's how you can tell a tourist from a local...the shoes. I learned my European shoe size is 39, and I bought some lovely white European-looking sandals.
I'm tired, so I think I'm going to take a siesta now. I have been realizing Nicole and I got one of the best host homes for sure. Our Señora flat out spoils us, and loves talking to/with us, and cooks us amaaaaaaaaaaaaazing food, and we have a dad, and we have air conditioning (everyone at school hates us for it, haha). It's very needed in 106 degree weather. So an air conditioned siesta sounds lovely.