Last Day

I'm writing this post from my bed as I look at my empty closet, and I couldn't be more sad. I was in Sevilla for three and a half weeks which was the perfect amount of time for me to fall in love with the city and the people I met. It's also the perfect amount of time for me to wish I had a week or two longer. These past three weeks flew by just like I knew they would, but that doesn't make saying goodbye any easier ((sorry this is so sappy)). Sevilla is the first city I've been to outside of the US and I've learned so much while I've been here. My Spanish has improved tremendously, I grew close with my host mom and sister, and I became friends with local Sevillanos. I tried snails (thanks Rafa), I stayed out until 4:30 in the morning, and I walked at least 3 miles every day. I swam in the Mediterranean, I met people from all over the world, and I found my way in a foreign city .I had the time of my life.

I know tomorrow will be hard saying goodbye to the family that so generously took me in, taught me about the culture of Sevilla and Spain, and helped me improve my Spanish speaking skills. Tonight will be the last hurrah as we revisit our favorite places and where some of my favorite memories are. I can't wait to see my parents tomorrow (fingers crossed as their first flight is delayed), but no guarantees I won't tear up as I say goodbye to Sevilla. I can promise you though that I will be back to visit this beautiful city and the people that helped make this experience great.

It's not goodbye, it's see you later. No es un adiós, es un hasta luego. 

Vamos a la Playa

So far in Spain I've gone to two different beaches, and different they were! The first Saturday I was here we went to a beach with a lot of wind and fine sand that wound up everywhere. The water was way too cold for my liking and my expectations for European beaches went down, as did my excitement since I have forever been a water baby. Luckily for me though this past weekend we took an overnight trip to Malaga and Nerja, two picturesque beach towns that I fell in love with, especially Nerja. There was a view point called Balcón de Europa, and it was beautiful. The beach we went down to was just as pretty. As soon as we found enough space for our group, we dove straight into the Mediterranean. At first the cold was a little shock to my system, I expected it to be quite warm and it took a little getting used to. At the same time it was such a surreal experience to literally be swimming in the ocean in Europe. After a few hours of fun in the sun we headed back home to Sevilla, where I think everyone fell asleep before midnight which is super early for Europeans. Unfortunately I forgot to put on my sunscreen (sorry mom) and turned into a lobster, but now it's faded quite nicely. Just in time for me to head to Lagos, Portugal for 4 days. I don't plan on leaving the beach much :) here are my iPhone pictures from Nerja! Just like a postcard :) I leave on Thursday for the long weekend and will return on Sunday, can't wait!

{Lindsay}

Catedral de Sevilla

Yesterday after class we had the opportunity to go on a tour of the Seville Cathedral, and I have to say it was my favorite cultural activity so far. Work began on the cathedral in 1507 and according to our guide will never be 100% finished because they are always working on it. It is the largest Gothic cathedral and the third largest church in the world. Located next to the Alcazar (royal palace), the two beautiful buildings are a wonderful representation of Sevilla. Attached to the cathedral is La Giralda, the bell tower. After we turned 37 corners of ramps, we reached the top and got to look over all of Sevilla. The view was incredible. My calves are a little sore today but it was well worth it :) also in the cathedral is Christopher Columbus' tomb, a surreal monument to see.

Yesterday also happened to be the 4th of July! I'm bummed that I missed one of my favorite holidays but it was fun celebrating here as well. Our large group of students from the program donned our best red white and blue and hung out by the river. Someone was nice enough to bring sparklers to share so we lit those and acted obnoxiously American. Some of our intercambios (Spanish friends learning English) had a good time celebrating with us and pretending to be American as well :)

Tomorrow we head to the beach town of Malaga for more sight seeing as well as some beach time! Here are my latest iPhone pictures

Culture Shock

Coming into this trip I knew that the Sevillian lifestyle would be very different than the American lifestyle. However, no matter how much you think you know about a town, you're still shocked at what is going on around you. Hence the term "culture shock." Being a fairly good Spanish speaker I thought I would have no trouble with the language difference. Apparently I was wrong, because in southern Spain they talk a lot faster, drop some important letters (gracias is just gracia, and d's sometimes disappear too), and expect you to follow along because hardly anyone speaks English as well. My host family only talks in Spanish and that's okay with me because they try to help me out, and I can already understand most of what is said to me. Forming my own sentences is a little intimidating no matter where I go because as soon as I open my mouth the word American is stamped on my forehead.

There are so many things that are extremely different than the United States, but at the same time a lot of things are similar. People stay out until 1 AM during the week and then 5 or 6 AM on the weekends. You'll get turned away at a discoteca if you're not dressed up enough. Kids are out playing in the streets past midnight. Naps are socially acceptable if not encouraged. IDs are not checked at bars. The list goes on! I'm not sure if I'll ever be 100% used to it all but it's definitely an experience to remember.

Here are some more iPhone pics! The first is the beautiful cathedral in Sevilla at night, then there's what we did in class yesterday (basically took shots of oil. Ick), my walk home every day (Calle Betis), and my homestay!