My day usually starts around 8 and is very similar to my mornings at Wofford. I get up, get dressed, and have a quick breakfast at my homestay. My first class of the day is Spanish. At IES, everyone takes a Spanish class in the morning, four days a week. My class starts at 9 so I leave around 8:45 for a short walk to the IES Center. The buildings along my walk are gorgeous and it’s usually sunny, so it’s been a nice way to wake up and kick off my mornings. I get out of class at 10:40 and then on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, I don’t have class again until around 4:30. I usually have to be back at my homestay around 2 for lunch with my roommate and host mom, though, so I like to take advantage of this little window by going to cafes to get a small snack or a hot chocolate, going on walks, runs, or going shopping for some necessities. My host mom, roommate, and I usually sit at the dining table for a long time after eating, just catching up and talking about our days. Outside of class, this is probably when I get to practice my Spanish the most.
After lunch, it’s time for a “siesta.” I either take a nap, get some of my homework done, or relax in my room. It’s a good time to reset before my next class. My classes don’t get out until 6:30 on some days and 8:30 on other days. This has been a bit difficult to adjust to because I’m so used to having free time earlier in the evening, rather than in the middle of the day. Once I’m done with my final class of the day, I usually head back to my homestay to eat dinner with my roommate. Dinner is not included in our homestay, but our host mom leaves us lots of space in the fridge and cabinets to store food for dinner. Occasionally, we’ll go out for tapas instead with a small group of friends at a nearby restaurant. After dinner, I go to my room, do a bit more work, then go to sleep around 11:00-11:30.
