San Valentín

So Valentine's Day a bit late from Spain! It is not overly celebrated here, but it still wasn't possible to skip it. My señora told me that the department stores (in Spain the biggest is called el Corte Inglés) are trying to make it more popular, and our program had the center decorated with hearts and flowers.
But being in Sevilla for Valentine's turned out to be fantastic with my host family and friends.

Biggest news of the day: I joined the gym! By my study center there is a gym that offers classes like yoga, pilates and spin. Being excited and ambitious, I decided to try 2 yesterday. In the morning I went to pilates with a friend from class. The instructor was adorable and it was so fun to take the class in spanish! All I really had to know was "arriba" or "up" and "abajo" or "down" and just followed along with the music. The teacher was muy amable and we told her that we will be coming back twice a week! Then later on I went to spin with another friend. What a relief! I was going crazy without my spin class! It was super similar to my cousin Amanda's class, just with a male instructor who was loud, flamboyant and played great music. For that class all I needed to know was "siguéme" or "follow me" and it was a piece of cake!

Speaking of cake, my lovely señora made homemade tiramasu last night for Valentine's day and it was fantastic! We had a great dinner while watching the Barca game. Perfect. Then mis amigas solteras aka single ladies and I went out for wine. Ah what a day! I am so excited to have the exercise classes to go to, along with walking, it makes me feel so energized! The gym also has a roof with incredible views and chairs to "tomar el sol" so I will have a lovely tan for my trip to Mallorca!

In my Women Writers class today my profesora tried to make it about love and Valentine's day by telling us that we were going to chat about the "love for humanity." Well that pretty much involved talking about all the horrors that women face in the world...kind of a downer. But Magdalena never disappoints and taught us how to say "six pack abs" in Spanish: "Tabletas de Chocolate" or "chocolate bar" Now I very much prefer this description because I don't drink/like pop and a six pack of beer is even less appealing for me, but a bar of chocolate! Now that is what I'm talking about!

So here is my Valentine's gift to you:

The best "Tabletas de Chocolate" that Spain has to offer! 

I don't know what I like more, the bar of chocolate or Rafa!