Be what you are and say how you feel because those who mind don't matter,

and those who matter don't mind.

~ Dr. Seuss

So, I am averaging 2 blogs a month... I honestly thought I would write a little more often than that. Sorry to those who are following and log on to see the same blog that has been here for weeks. I'm going to try harder to write more often these last 6+ weeks I'm here. Woah! Crazy right? Six weeks!?

Right now, I'm so happy to be here and that I have this opportunity, but I really miss my loved ones. That has been a reoccuring theme. I think a part of me just feels a little bit empty. Here I am on this amazing adventure, experiencing things many dream of, yet I have no one to share them with in the moment. And, that is difficult.

The good news is I'm taking a "bazillion" pictures, so I will be able to share my memories when I go home. Thank goodness for digital cameras and memory cards. And, I want to have good pictures to show everybody, so I guess I will just have to go out and have an amazing time.

Obviously, as I have mentioned before, every day is not wonderful. In Spain, there is still "cattiness" between chicas, misunderstandings, immaturity, and drama. I guess it can never be avoided no matter the country. At times it is extremely frustrating, adding to the frustration of going to school and constantly trying to learn a new language. But just like the negative feelings, the positive ones are present too. After all, the positive could never exist without the negative. It is hard when I feel dis-cluded or criticized because my Spanish is maybe not quite as good as other students. But, what it comes down to is; I am trying my best and those back home will love no matter if I say hola or hello.

Anyways, enough of that...

My friends Emily, Julianna, Kimberly and I, recently went to the beach for a day. We chose to visit Salobrena (there is supposed to be an accent over the n, pronounced like Salobren-ya, and actually it means saline). It is about an hour away, there are many beaches just one or two hours outside of Granada, since Granada is so close to the coast. Salobrena was, to put it simply, quite lovely. The weather was pretty close to perfect, a little too cold to go swimming, but my skin definitely felt sun-kissed by the end of the day. Although I wasn't showing as much skin as some of the girls on the beach that day. This beach is not a nude beach, however it is completely normal for women to go topless, and many choose to do so. I guess in the back of my mind I was aware beaches in Europe were this way, however witnessing it first hand was definitely an adjustment. Also, there really wasn't sand at this beach, just tiny tiny black rocks. Another adjustment.

I have had to make a lot of adjustments here in Spain, and I have tried my best to keep an open mind. Because of that I have gained more out of my experience than just learning a language. I'm learning about myself, and so much more about others. I hope we can go back to the beach one of these weekends. And I will take better pictures, because this time I kind of failed at doing so.