Guti's amazing and super fantastic trip to ITALY

So my trip to Italy started the 31st of March at 6 in the morning if you know what I mean, after going out to party Friday night we all slept like babies in the bus. The bus took us to Valencia, which was where the ship was waiting for us to board. We waited like 3 hours to board, and than we set off to Italy. This was the first time in my life I had been on an actual cruise liner. It was amazing. The first night we got there, we were all exhausted from traveling and waiting, but that didn't stop us from going to the ships discoteca, in which we danced all night until 5 in the morning! The following day was Easter, so many of us dressed up in professional clothes. The second day was funny because it was the day every one got "sea sick". I think half my friends threw up, but for the crazy ones, like me, we went again to the discoteca to party until 5 in the morning!

Me and my friend Rafa

My friend Agustin

My friends Antonio and Alvaro

David, Pancho, Alvaro, Juanje, and Guille

Girl- Maria Jesus

Rafa Antonio and a professor

Miguel, David, Dani, and Fran

Marta, Irene, Natalia, Rosana, and Estefania

Karen, Patri, and Marta

Jenny, Mayte, Julia, Sara, Maria Jose

Here are some photos of the first 2 days (still haven't gotten to ITALY yet) this is my whole class... and I look good with a suit in jeans!

Day 3 was the first day we actually got toset foot on Italy. We arrived first in a city called Trapani. It was a really cool moment to just think to my self, "I'm in freaking Italy man!" Got to eat some Italian ice cream. It was amazing.

So all the photos above are from Trapani

 some photos at the dicoteca... at this point we have gone 3 consecutive days of party till 5am

Chapel in Messina

 the ship on the left is our boat

 this isn't our ship, but its a cool pic

The next day we went to Messina, which was absolutely beautiful here are more pics... Geographically Messina is in Sicilia; where the boot meets the rock if you know what I mean, a beautiful strait. We got to see a lot more of Italy and its people in Messina.

Semana Santa en Granada (26th of March to 1st of April)

Semana Santa is our spring break, just a week that doesn't have school. Well that's what the majority of school  kids would say. Semana Santa is what some people in Granada celebrate, in preparation for Easter. It really is a festive time in the city of Granada, the weather is usually nice. Lots of people go to El Centro, and other neighborhoods like, Zaidín, Albaicín, and a few others to see "las procesiones" (Processions or ceremonies). In these processions people carry a large statute of Jesus Christ or Mother Mary, or other important figures that are apart of "la cuaresma" (lent). I am not very religious, but it was still cool to see some of these processions in the Spanish culture. Unfortunately, it rained the entire week of Semana Santa. So I only was able to see two processions. But regardless, it was a unique experience. Here are just a few pictures..

Statue of Jesus



Although these men appear to be a part of the Ku Klux Klan, in reality they are not. They are simple people who hide their faces in sin as a cultural custom of las prosesiones




These two girls are daughters of my host mom's friend. they were preparing to march in the processions. They also happen to be Flamenco dancers



The Alhambra

So I have lived here for 6 months and I finally saw the Alhambra.
But wow, it has left an image in my mind that wont go away. It really is incredible like the whole world says it is. It is the reason why Spain is in the 5 most popular countries for tourism. It is the reason why there are so many "guiris" (the local term for foreigner) in the city of Granada. It's a thousand year old master piece. But what I really want to brag about, is the fact that I took a girl on a date to the Alhambra... and I didn't even have to pay for the tickets... My aunt got them for free because she has connections with some of the staff there... so fellas if you can beat that, I wanna hear what you got that's better than this, right now, and ladies, if you think a man could do better than this, I also want to hear it now! Well... I guess I wont be so arrogant, and I'll just end with, it was a really fun date. I have this "friend" named Carmen... well that's just it. She's a  really cool person, and I enjoy being with her. Here are some pictures of the Alhambra.

Garden of the Alhambra

Tower of the Alhambra

Me and Carmen

"La Fuente de los Leones" Fountain of the Lions

Quite an image

One of the better days in my Life!!

just take advantage of it!

I've reached the point of no return... It's official. I'm at home. This has become my home. It's interesting that everyday I wake up and get into my daily routine; I have no idea that I'm just an exchange student passing a year of my life here... I've become a member of my host family now. I am considered as a cousin, nephew, son, brother, and a grandson. My family here treats me as one of their own. I have started playing soccer with my uncle Carlos's' "men's league". I've had my better games and my worse games, but he invites me back every time. I have spent countless hours in my other uncle Angel's bar with family and friends.. yeah I pay for what I order, and sometimes he invites me to a drink. Mondays are the "eat lunch at grandma's house" days. And then after we have finished eating, we go to my aunt Fuensanta house, to have some coffee and watch the "tele novelas" which all kind of suck, but grandma gets into them and sometimes swears at the TV... all too hilarious. I have found some peace here.. It's such a relief..

Yet my departure date is always in the back of my mind. I realize now it's not a permanent arrangement, only a year. I can only remember when at the beginning of my exchange a year seemed to be a long time... and now here I am passed the half way point, and I realize time is like a bird because it was made to fly with such grace. I am greatful now for every moment that I have experienced here, both the good and the bad, the happy and the sad, the normal and the mad, the outrageous and the rad!  I've gotten the chance to know so many people that it's incredible. In a city that I have only spent 5 months in, whenever I am on the streets I always run into people that I know. Whether I know them from school, basketball, soccer, or just that funny thing that happened during last nights party. I have also gotten to know Granada very well. I have the map almost memorized in my head because I am getting myself where I need to be all the time. I have a new navigational tactic, it's called getting lost! I've gotten lost so many times, but I always have a general sense of where I am going, so I always find my way... and in the process of getting lost, I always find a new way!

I, up to this point have not one regret, for that I am happy. For that I can call this place home. For that, I'm not sure if I want to leave. Fortunately I have a lot of time left... Enough to make a smooth exit, because when I leave, I don't know when I'll be back. So now, I just take advantage of it!

Summary of a month and a half.... Dec4-jan14

So I have realized that the Spanish way of life has consumed me to the point where it has made me forget to blog....
Well right now I write my summary...
So when I said the Spanish way has consumed me, I mean it literally. The other day I met some guy and he asked me "Where are you from?" and I said "Jun..."(the small town in which I live). I didn't realize that he was referring to my nationality. Another funny incident occurred when my teacher called out "Is Jose here?", I just remember looking around thinking to myself.. "Who is Jose?"... This is because everyone here calls me Guti. I had forgotten my name for a couple seconds... :(
I also feel totally at home here. When I think of my house here in Spain, its home, it's where I live. Its no longer the place that I'm just staying in.
Another thing is that I have been asked countless times, when I leave, when will I come back to Granada... I always respond "Cuando dios quiera" jaja which means "when god wants it"...
My friends on my basket ball team call me Guti el "Granicano" ( a mix of Granadan and American)

So what have I been up to?
Well school, it was hard. towards the end of the first trimester; I was totally beat mentally. Yes, I did fail a few classes... but this next trimester I will pass... I made a promise to myself... a New Year's resolution.

But I got to spend Christmas, New Years, 3 Kings day, and my birthday here in Spain!
here are some pictures of Christmas Eve, or in Spain referred to as " La Noche Buena" (The good night).

Me playing a drum at the Christmas party

Me playing guitar with Yered

Me playing guitar with my uncle Angel

Me playing guitar while my Tio Carlos plays the caja