Goats! Cats! Dopplegangers! Everywhere!

My university here is in the suburbs of Sevilla, on the way to a cute little town called Montequinto. So its not in the main part of the city but in an area that's a little bit more rural. On the metro, I pass several olive groves and open fields before getting off at the university stop. One day, on my way back into the city I was staring aimlessly into the Spanish countryside when all of a sudden I saw this huge group of goats. It caught me off guard, I ruptured a few snickers and had this ridiculously amused smile on my face for at least the next two stops. Ha! It was so random to see the goats, I mean, I would guess there were like 50-75 goats just wandering around in an empty corn field right outside my university. And just so you, if you didn't already know this about me, I love animals. And goats are especially amusing to me. Yesterday, I saw the goats again. I smiled another ridiculous smile while my friend Landon just shook his head at me. I think he was amused too though. 

Apparently in Spain, there is a huge cat population in the countryside (not just goats). Also at UPO, my university, there are un monton of stray cats. So many in fact that I was inspired to write about them for a paper I had to do for class. It was a news article about a feral cat clinic opening in Montequinto. I was, again, amused by my inspiration. Geez. But sometimes I think the cats are cute and other times, like when I see one stretching its neck down into the garbage can to try to find some lunch, a little disgusting. They always stare at me as I walk by and their hunched-over-ness and piercing eyes can be a bit freaky. On the other hand, a few of the cats just had kittens, so of course that just makes me melt when I hear them "mew-ing". 

Since I'm on this animal kick, might as well keep the ball rolling, eh? There has been a circus in Sevilla for about three weeks now! How exciting, a circus! I haven't been to the circus since I was a wee little thing... But that's going to change this weekend! I am especially excited because this circus..... are you ready for this.... it's theme is..... ALASKA!! I'm holding my breathe to see a moose (one of my ALL TIME favorite animals, I often say that one day, I will have one as a pet), but I doubt they will have a moose. I don't think Sevilla is that moose-friendly, you know, with the scorching heat and all. 

Oh, its finally starting to feel like fall here. Right now it is 23 degrees Celsius, which, let me do the math, is.... between 65 and 77 degrees. Probably like 70-72 degrees. Yeah. Which is pretty chilly for Sevilla. This morning I was so excited because I got to wear my favorite sweater, its the little things in life, right? 

Last weekend Landon and Leah (two friends from App) and I went to a city on the east coast of Spain called Alicante. Some of you may remember that this is the city that I originally wanted to study at, but since I am not an international business major, I wasn't able to go there. We have a partnership with the school there too, so a lot of people from App go to study there and a lot of people from Alicante study at App. So, since we are such fantastically connected people, we have a few friends that live in Alicante. It was a lovely weekend. I saw rain for the second time since I have been in Spain, I took a swim in the Mediterranean for the first time (BELLISIMO!), made some new friends, FOUND A CORN DOG (or a close cousin to one) and went to a festival that was celebrating the start of a sail boat race around the world. I'll have you know that the US was placed in the first spot. 

Check it out! 

http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/home.html

In a little more than a week, I'm going to Hungary to visit one of my friends that I haven't seen in like a year and a half. SO EXCITED. I'm sure I will post again after I come home... lots of good stories about goulash and the baths in Budapest. Stay tuned kiddos! 

Ohhh.... and as far as the dopplegangers comment is concerned, I see people here in Sevilla, everywhere, that look exactly like friends and family from back home. It makes me think of you guys! Miss you! I'll be home in two months! 

Un besito :)