ESPANA!!!!

There is much catching up to do since my last post. I arrived in Madrid last Thursday in the morning. We then stayed at a hotel until Saturday. I got to meet some great people here with the program. There are some awesome directors of the program as well as some great students. Had fun in Madrid, it is a massive city with unbelievable amounts of culture and history, and best of all, it is my culture and history connected through my ancestors who went to America from here in Spain during the discovery of the new world. The royal palace was astonishing and breath taking. I almost felt weak at the knees when i walked in there and saw the things i saw. We also went to a museum that was quite breathtaking. It was nice to learn about Spanish artist like gayo, velasquez, and el greco. Madrid was amazing. I managed to get lost somehow downtown alone trying to walk to the palace and caught a cab. the driver was really awesome and we talked about my family history and how i should go to the basque country and see if i may have family there. I am doing better than i thought i would speaking and understanding the spanish. i certainly have lots of learning and sharpening to do, but i understand most of what is told to me and i can respond quite well. The whole lisping of the s´ and z´and c´is unique to spain, and i have been experiencing that everywhere.
After madrid, we traveled to toledo spain. i learned alot there and there is also a lot of culture and history in that little place. Madrid seemed like a really fast paced almost american city, but definitely not american. but toledo was definitely more laid back and relaxed lifestyle. I love getting in touch with my catholic roots and it is fascinating to me the history of the catholic kings and monarchs here. Tanto cultura y historia! We stayed in toledo for the night and then were off to our hometown for 3 months malaga the next morning.
Malaga is quite breathtaking as well. One of the locals told me it was a ¨smaller¨city, haha yea right, this place is massive. It is as beautiful as any city i have ever seen and feel extremely blessed and privelaged to be a part of it. There is a roman theater that is over 1000 years old here and a moorish fort right behind it as well. so there is no lack of history and culture in this city either. It was great seeing the roman theater, because i live right by it, because i get the best of both worlds in regards to my two cultural identities as i am both spanish and italian. The beach here is awesome, other than there are spots that are really rocky and it makes it hard to walk on it.
I had my first classes yesterday. I love the classes i am able to take here. They will all be very benefial to both my future and academic studies. I am taking a full slate of classes which include international finance, marketing, relations; as well as cross cultural management and the european union affairs and history. I am currently at the isa office downtown and have class soon so i may cut this one short. i want to go to the beach for an hr or so before class, so i better get going! que buena la vida aqui! hasta luego amigos!