I have officially been in Trujillo, Spain for a full week — and what a week it has been. My host family consists of a mom, a dad, and two sisters who are fifteen and twenty-four. I was a little intimidated to meet them at first as I was recovering from the eight-hour plane ride followed by a three-hour bus ride, while simultaneously trying to translate in my head in order to introduce myself and learn more about them. Luckily, communication with them gets easier every day and they are incredibly kind and easy to get to know.

These past seven days have consisted of curiosity, exploring and learning. Every night, my friends and I walk to La Corria to watch the sunset. La Corria is an abandoned convent that has been revamped to be a museum as it sits on the top of the hill and is a great viewing point. It is also where our classes are held, which makes studying a lot easier since we can do it in a scenic and calm environment. During the day, the sky is a vibrant blue where the air is warm but dry with a few gusts of wind to keep you comfortable, while the night is home to vibrant red and purple sunsets followed by cool fresh air and starry skies.

My Spanish has definitely improved over the past week. I thought I was confident in my speaking skills before I came, but I had no idea what I was in for. I am constantly having to ask people around me to slow down or repeat what they’re saying, but they are so understanding and do so with grace. The locals here genuinely want us as visitors to improve our Spanish, so they are incredibly patient with us as long as we are eager to learn and listen.

A few cultural differences I have noticed during my short time here so far include lack of athletic wear on the daily, staying out late is common no matter the age, and the aspect of time is thrown out the window. In Charleston, I primarily wear athletic shorts and big t-shirts more often than anything else, but living here has taught me to put more effort into my appearance and dress up just a little more day-to-day. Adults, as well as children, can commonly be seen staying out until upwards of three o’clock in the morning, which is perfectly fine because we have “siesta” here in which the entire town shuts down between the hours of two to around four-thirty. So, everyone has a chance to nap after eating lunch as a family. Furthermore, time is an enigma around here. There are no distinct hours for any business besides grocery stores and store owners will open and close as they please, which I am learning to appreciate.

This new home of mine has already exceeded my expectations and I can’t wait to see what these three months have in store!