Vino

I just returned from the store where I bought a bottle of red wine for $1! I haven't tried it yet but I am told that even the cheapest wine in Spain is generally very good. In Spain it is not customary to have guests over, consequently, the only way to hang out with friends is at a café or a bar where you are expected to purchase a drink or a tapa. I am quickly learning that it is much more cost effective to enjoy a glass of wine before going out rather than purchasing several drinks at a bar!
I am finding that things such as wine, olives and even tomatoes are so much better here in Spain, much cheaper too! In the U.S I never cared for olives or tomatoes, but here, I could eat both all day every day! Most of the food tastes so much fresher because in Spain, almost everything is small business and very few foods are frozen, processed or contain preservatives, however, there aren't many options for 5 minute meals. Lucky for me, my host mom and dad definitely know how to cook!
In between meals I have made some great Spanish friends, at first it takes a bit to break the ice and get comfortable because there is still a bit of a language barrier, but it's worth the effort. Making new friends in Spain is quite an experience, just when I thought I had a handle on the Andalusian accent I realized there was a whole new dialect of slang I had to learn. Slowly but surely I am learning, and there is no shortage of teachers, my Spanish friends LOVE teaching me new words and phrases. They are also very curious about english and American culture as well so it has been fun to compare.
Next Monday I begin regular university classes! I am so glad I have already met some students at the university because a campus of 60,000 students is very intimidating, I'll keep you posted!