My flights were very long but not horrible. It was just a LOT of traveling. I left Boston and flew to Phili where I actually met three people in my program! They are very nice and it was awesome to be able to know some people before arriving in Spain. I then flew from Phili to Madrid, which is the most confusing airport I have seen, where we met some more people from my program! We all flew from Madrid to Sevilla and finally arrived at about 1 o'clock in the afternoon on Thursday! After getting our luggage, etc., we were met by one of our guides, Macarena. Yes that is her name, like the song and dance...the other guide Pablo made it his duty to sing that song as loud as possible at random times in the day just to make her mad, which it did. The program said we would have a group pick-up, which we did, however it wasn't so much as a group pick up as a “were together and now let’s get taxis to pick you up.” There was about 10 or so of us with sooo much luggage, waiting in line outside the airport with about 20 angry Spaniards behind us waiting. Macarena paid for the taxi with CIEE's money so she had to wait and talk to each driver...then the whole "your two suitcases cannot fit in my taxi' thing started. I ended up having to go alone because of my luggage, a punishment clearly, but I arrived at the hotel just fine...although my cab driver was driving 120mph and my seatbelt didn't work...
When we got to the hotel, we were met by Luisa who is the student coordinator. She gave us an intimidating packet with lots of information that I'm not sure I want to look at. We were assigned rooms, which I shared with a girl named Katherine from Quinnipiac. We ate lunch as a group, hung in our rooms a little, ate dinner, and then explored a little that night. The next day was filled with information sessions about everything from academics in Spain to our homestays! The one thing people were really surprised is that in Spain they grade according to a 10 point scale and an AWESOME score for someone in Spain is a 7…which is a C. My grades effect my GPA but this is the way I see it….I have never gotten a C in my life but if I do, it might as well be in Spain!! I’m not too worried about it, I can worry about it when I’m home and see my grades. That night we got tapas with our two guides, who were amazing by the way! We then saw an authentic Flamenco show. It was unbelievable and really beautiful.
Flamenco!
On Saturday, we got a walking tour of Sevilla! We went all over and got to see the university and a meeting point for people that live in similar areas. After that, we had to wait at the hotel where we were literally handed off to our families! Everyone was introduced to their homestays and I kept watching until it was only me and another girl Lauren who were left. I was nervous because I thought great, my family doesn’t even want to pick me up! About 15 minutes later these two women came running in saying how there was a strike in their neighborhood and taxis couldn’t get to her house so it took so long! I was just thankful it wasn’t because she didn’t want me haha. SO, I live with one person, a señora, whose name is Rosario. She is about 65 years old if I guessed. She lived alone, has four children from ages 25-40 and is divorced. She is so accommodating and helpful and I think I totally lucked out. Her apartment is small but was renovated about 4 years ago so everything is pretty new. I have a small room and a bathroom to myself. What more do I need? She cooks all three meals for me and I honestly have liked every single thing she has made me! She switches it up a lot but an example is…
Breakfast: toast with jelly/butter, hot chocolate, juice, and a piece of fruit
Lunch: Mixed salad, small meatballs, potatoes, bread, water, and a piece of fruit for dessert
Dinner: some kind of soup, a sandwich (or small dish of meat and veggies)
My bedroom!
my bathroom :)
shower
Rosario has had a lot of students before me so she knows exactly what I need to know and also some great places I should visit in the city. She is truly passionate about her city, and even her country and she ALWAYS talks about how “la primavera en Sevilla es preciosa” (the spring in Seville is precious). It has been a little cold, although not like the snow back home, but about 40. It has rained a lot too, no down pours, but scattered showers throughout the day. I feel like this city is going to come alive in the spring. All the streets around me and so many more in the city are literally lined with orange trees. The smell is amazing right now, never mind when they are in bloom in the spring.
The people in my program are really nice. There are only 18 of us which is nice because I can get to know everyone, whereas the other program I was going to do in Seville has 230 students. There are a couple people I feel that I will definitely get closer to and I am excited to make some really good friends, although I really miss everyone back home and at school!
This past week I have been in an “Intensive Advanced” Spanish class. It is 9-12 am every day and it is technically a class since we have a midterm and final, although it only lasts two weeks. I am excited to start the regular session with regular classes so I can start to get a routine down. This week has been crazy because I had to get my phone, and other stuff I need in my house, while also trying to get to know the city and start to find my way around the TINY streets that cars should DEFINIETLY not be allowed to drive on but somehow find a way. It is a work in progress…also the fact that Rosario doesn’t speak English at all is interesting. I can actually understand a lot of what she says but it is hard for me to say sentences that are more than about 10 words. She is patient though so that’s all that matters.
Two things I need to do are learning how to drink coffee (the secret to the Spaniards ability to be awake all day and night) and learn how to take a siesta (a nap-also key to living in Spain)! There is no other way to stay awake in the morning and go out until 4, as they do here, without these two things. Also, get used to the meal times…lunch is served anytime from 2-4 and is the biggest meal of the day and dinner is smaller and served anytime from 8-9.
My program is going to Cadiz tomorrow, a small town about 1 and half hours from Sevilla! Rosario’s four kids all live in Cadiz so I am excited to finally see the city she talks to highly of!
¡Hasta Luego!
p.s.- My address is Calle Urquiza 3, Sevilla, Spain 41003 if you wanna look it up! There is a different address my mom has to send letters though!
Love, love, lovvvvve this!
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