I am fairly certain that I should have been born a Spaniard.

Cadiz, Spain. July 10 through August 15. I went to a pre-departure meeting today and I want to be there NOW. I love being an American, but I'm at a point in my life where it's time to get up and get out and see the world.

Cadiz is a beach town. Yes, it will be hot, but I can just jump in the water if things get too uncomfortable. Spain, especially this town in Spain, isn't like America. It is low-key. People here love to relax. From 2pm to about 5pm, almost all stores close... and a lot of them don't re-open. Spain is one of the safest countries, and pretty much the only crime is the petty kind--theft and such. Did you know that next to Italy, Spain has the lowest birth rate in the world? It's something like 1.1 child per family or something ridiculous.

And the food. This is a place where people indulge in the Mediterranean diet. That means some of the greasiest and healthiest food around. The woman at our pre-departure meeting kept talking about "tortilla espanola," a popular, cheap Spanish dish that is basically a potato omelet. I was salivating as she described it. She said they serve fresh-squeezed orange juice everywhere, for cheap, and that it's amazing.

And the people. I am going to be living with a family. I filled out a housing form requesting to be in a house with kids, and with a family that would incorporate me into their family as much as possible. There will be a senora cooking three meals a day... for me!

So, basically, I am absolutely ready to get to Cadiz and explore and live in an ancient, beautiful city. So long, Austin.