Week 3: First week of classes and Booking Trips!

Monday, January 23^rd

Today was the first time I visited the UPO campus, where I will be having all my classes for the rest of the semester. I had to take a Spanish placement test to see what Spanish class I would test into. I tested into intermediate one, which might not seem like a super great accomplishment since that class is middle of the road, but I was feeling pretty excited and proud. This is the farthest I have ever come when trying to learn Spanish and while I’ll never be perfect I feel like I am doing pretty well. It’s the little things in life friends. With that being said, there is still a long way to go until I would say I am close to proficient but I feel like I’m finally on the right path towards reaching that goal.

Tuesday, January 24^th

Today was officially my first day of class but the rest of the CIEE student's didn’t actually start classes until Wednesday. The reason I had class today is because I am enrolled in what is called a direct enrollment class. This means that I am taking a class with Spanish students directly through the University. My other three classes are through the international center on campus and are only with international students. The class I had today was called Public International Law. The class is taught in English so it’s not too hard. It’s actually really interesting! This might be my favorite class this semester.

After I went to a make-up session regarding bystander intervention through CIEE since the original one I was going to attend was during my Public International Law class. After the presentation, I headed back to UPO (University de Pablo Olavide) for orientation where I received my classes.

So study abroad, I think most people will attest, is a mixture of really great and pretty stressful or horrible days. Tuesday was one of those stressful not so good days for me. If you know me pretty well you know that I am more type A, so when I saw my schedule, unfortunately, all my classes conflicted. Of course, it’s not that difficult to make changes but it’s time-consuming and there is always that small chance that I can’t get into another class. So after one of my longest days here where I had pretty much been out of my comfort zone all day (going to a class with no Americans and going to a training where I knew no one) I wasn’t really in the mood to deal with a crazy class schedule. But, as everything always does, I told myself things were going to work out. Oh, on top of all of that, my phone screen started to develop weird lines…you could say it was definitely just one of those days.

Wednesday, January 25^th

So today was the “official” first day, but really my second day, of classes. I had a total of three classes, but I had to go to other classes and try to switch my schedule. Luckily all the classes I went to where I had to either switch to a different section or add the class, I was able too. I’ve always been pretty lucky with schedule changes so I feel very grateful the process for me was easier than it was for some other people.

My schedule looks pretty good overall. Mondays and Wednesdays I have Spanish from 12-1:20pm, then an Economics/Political Science class called “The European Union” from 1:30-2:50pm, and lastly a History of Spanish Art class from 4-5:20pm. That probably sounds late, but Spaniards eat lunch at 3:00pm so it’s a pretty typical time to have class.

On Tuesday I have the Public International Law Class from 10:30-12:30pm then a discussion group for the class from 12:30-2:00pm. I have no Thursday or Friday classes. Yes Mom and Dad, I’ll be using those days for studying and not for traveling.

Overall I feel really lucky for all the classes I have and all the opportunities I have been awarded so far with this experience. Although there have been some bumps in the road overall I’ve been very lucky and my experience has been overall really great.

Oh and as a side note I am currently applying for summer internships, while this is not Sevilla related it is semi-exciting and has been keeping me occupied over the past couple of days. Wish me luck! More details to come if the outcome is positive.

Thursday, January 26^th

Today was the second day of classes. Things are starting to fall into place. I think I have my class schedule all figured out, which is exciting. I had one class today called the Global Economy but I will probably end up dropping it, unfortunately.

After classes today my friends and I went to go get coffee and discuss some travel plans. While I do love Sevilla I am really excited to get out and travel, especially now that I do not have Thursday or Friday classes.

Also, side note: the UPO cafeteria is seriously the best, which is where I am currently writing this. They have this large patio where you can sit out and do homework or just hang out. The food is so cheap and really good (you can’t beat a .90 euro coffee). Also, there is this cat, which we think is a stray, that hangs around the patio. He’s pretty cute.

Also another side note: I just have this feeling that I’m going to come back to the states and crave tapas (specifically croquetas and chocolate con churros) as well as continue my obsession with Spanish music. Shakira’s Bicicleta anyone?

Friday, January 27^th

So yesterday afternoon I went with friends to a café where we were planning on booking trips to Madrid and Granada. We ended up booking a trip to Brussels for next weekend and Granada for the weekend after that. I’m so excited!

Today was pretty relaxing. I didn’t have class so I woke up later and relaxed. My friends and booked hotel for both trips. It is my host sister’s birthday today, she is turning 12! We went and got chocolate con churros, went and saw La La Land at the movie theater, and then went to dinner to celebrate. 

Saturday, January 28^th

Another pretty relaxing day in Sevilla! We visited the Las Setas, a structure with a 360-degree view of Sevilla, again. Later that evening my host brother took me to the center to see a preview of Semana Santa. Semana Santa occurs in April. I'll probably be writing more about it then. 

Sunday, January 29^th

We finally booked our Airbnb for Brussels! Everything is starting to come together. Today I also went to see roman ruins about ten minutes outside of Sevilla. Seeing these ruins makes me so excited to visit Italy and see the ruins there!

Roman Ruins

Córdoba

Last Saturday I went with roughly thirty or forty students to Córdoba, which is a smaller city in Andalusia. We left Sevilla at 9:00am and arrived back around 6:00pm. It was roughly an hour and thirty-minute bus ride, which wasn’t too bad.

This was my first experience leaving Sevilla since I had arrived two Saturday’s prior. Looking out the window as we departed for Córdoba the landscape was what I had imagined by also completely different than I thought. It reminded me of the valley back home, flat lands with green grass everywhere. It also reminded me of visiting family in Illinois and the midwest.

Side note: I usually love looking out the window when I fly, especially when I’m flying from the East Coast back to California. I don’t know why but the few times I have flown internationally looking out the window is the absolute weirdest experience I have ever had. The land looks so different than anything I have ever seen in the United States and I think it is in those moments where it really hits me that I’m not even close to home.

Anyways, that same feeling I got on the airplane when I went to Finland last year or when I flew to Seville is the feeling I had driving to Córdoba. The land looks familiar but I knew it was land I had never seen before. Anyways, it was weird.

Moving on…so when we arrived we first went to the mosque-cathedral. I took my tour in Spanish so no promises that the information I am about to share is completely accurate but this is what I think my guide said. The mosque-cathedral was first a church for Christians until Muslims conquered Spain in the year 711. In the 13th century, Córdoba returned to Christian rule and the building was converted to a Roman-Catholic church. Throughout the cathedral, you can see how the building has changed hands numerous times. Instead of taking down the entire structure each time a new group occupied the city the group would build upon what was already there. 

  

Original Roman flooring                          One part of the Mosque

The Catholic section of the same building

After taking a tour of the mosque-cathedral we went to a Jewish synagogue. The one located in Córdoba is one of three left standing in Spain. It now only consists of one small room and a small patio/garden. After stopping at the synagogue we went to our last stop the Alcazar (or palace). We toured the building, the gardens, and climbed to the top of the tower. It was beautiful but I still think the Alcazar in Sevilla is better. 

The gardens at the Alcazar & the tower

 View of Córdoba from the top of the tower

After the tours were over my friends and I searched for tapas and gelato...lets be real, when am I not in search of either of those things. We found some awesome tiramisu and later gelato (I think I’m overly ready to go to Italy haha). I realized when I got home that basically my lunch was dessert and that I did this on accident (I promise it was on accident, I can see my mom and dad saying “sure it was” as they read this), but when in Spain right?

Overall, Córdoba was really interesting! It’s so much smaller than Sevilla but I’m glad I had the opportunity to see it, especially since it was a free excursion.

If you are looking for more information on Córdoba check out these links below:

http://www.catedraldecordoba.es/index.asp 

http://www.alcazardelosreyescristianos.cordoba.es/?id=3&lang=3

Week 2: More Intensive Spanish, Activities, and Exploring Córdaba

Monday, January 16^th

This is my last week of intensive Spanish. Besides having to wake up super early, I will truly miss this class and my professor. I have learned so much in two weeks! My professor makes the three hours of class enjoyable and is so helpful as well. After class, I went home and had lunch and then met up with friends for chocolate con churros, which are seriously so yummy and addicting. After we went across the street to the mall to do some shopping. Pretty easy and relaxing Monday!

Tuesday, January 17^th

Today was filled with a lot of different activities. I had class, as usual, from 9am-12pm. We had a session after class to set our goals for the semester. After I had lunch with friends on the patio on the top floor of the CIEE building. My host mom made me a bocadillo (packed lunch/sandwich) because during the normal Spanish lunch hour (around 3pm) I had a tour of the local palace Alcazar. 

Alcazar was built by Muslims who occupied Spain in the centuries prior to the Catholics conquering Spain in 1492. The palace is a mix of Arab and European architecture and style. The current king and royal family of Spain still use this palace when the visit Sevilla! The king’s sister-in-law (or something like that) had her wedding at the Caterdral (the one I visited last week) and then had the reception at the Alcazar right across the street. The Alcazar also has beautiful gardens with peacocks, which I now have a small fear of because as we were taking pictures of them they started to circle us. It was really freaky.

After the tour, I, as always, grabbed coffee with friends! I’ll probably need to start cutting back soon…but coffee’s a necessity so…probably won’t.

Peacocks in the garden at Alcazar

Wednesday, January 18^th

Today was pretty typical. I had class and then after my professor took us to get tapas to practice ordering food in Spanish! I think it went pretty well! I ordered a small plate of croquetas (one of my favorite Spanish tapas).

Later that evening my host sister and I (along with my host dad’s supervision and help) made torditas, which are crepes. I have never made them before but that’s going to change in the future because they were amazing and super easy to make.

Thursday, January 19^th

Second to last day of intensive session Spanish classes! I’m really going to miss this class and professor. We have our last exam tomorrow, which I think might be really hard…I’m hoping with enough studying tonight it will be fine. I’ve been doing really well in the class so I’m hoping everything will work out and I’ll receive a good grade! This afternoon I went with friends to get coffee and to study. It was super cloudy all day and it even rained (okay sprinkled) a little bit which is super unusual for Sevilla.

Friday, January 20^th

Today was my last day of intensive Spanish classes! I had my last test and I think it went pretty well! Later that evening my friends and I took a tapas cooking class where we learned to make two typical Spanish dishes: Salmorejo and Tortilla de Patatas. It was so much fun!

All four group's tapas, my group is closest to the bottom of the picture

Saturday, January 21^st

^{Today I participated in a trip to Cordoba with CIEE. We left Sevilla at 9am and spent the entire day in Cordoba leaving around 4pm and arriving back to Sevilla at 6pm. I'll do a whole post on Cordoba with pictures so look out for that later this week.}

Sunday, January 22^nd

My host family and I went hiking at a location about 20 miles outside of Sevilla. My host brother said we hiked about 13 kilometers which I think is equivalent to 7-8miles of so, but I could be totally off. Needless to say, it was a really really long and busy weekend so later that evening I took a well deserved two-hour siesta. 

Week 1: Arriving, Intensive Spanish Classes, and Exploring Sevilla

As I mentioned in the previous post I arrived in Sevilla two Saturday’s ago on January 8^th. I have officially completed over one week in Spain! Everything is going well and I’m loving it here! I decided I'll be posting an updated once a week on either Sunday or Monday. Here’s the breakdown of what happened this past week:

Monday, January 9^th:

Monday was the day of intensive language classes! I am one of the lucky student’s who class starts bright and early at 9:00am. It takes about thirty minutes to walk to the CIEE study center from my home stay so this means pretty early mornings for me.

Tuesday, January 10^th:

During class today we explored a market (el mercado) a couple of blocks from the CIEE study center. The market was really interesting! All the food looked so fresh compared to the United States.

Later that afternoon, after class, some friends and I explored the structure that was above the market called “Las Setas” which I believe means mushroom in Spanish. You can take an elevator to the top which has 360 degree views of the entire city. It’s seriously amazing. I would share a picture but my phone was still broken so I don’t have any, but if you’re curious here’s a link with more information:

http://setasdesevilla.com 

That evening we had another information session at a local hotel. We talked about academics, activities in Sevilla, and adjusting to the culture. On Monday I dropped my phone off at a repair shop and I was able to pick it up after the information session. It was such a relief to have my iPhone back!

Wednesday, January 11^th:

Class continued this morning from 9am-12pm. After class, we participated in a walking tour of Sevilla. We walked through the historic center and saw the Cathedral as well as the Royal Palace (El Alcázar). We weren’t able to receive a tour of both these locations during this afternoon but luckily my friends and I have tours scheduled next week through CIEE.

After the tour, a few friends and I went to go see the La Plaza de España which was only a few blocks away from where our tour ended. It was absolutely beautiful!

La Plaza de España

Later that evening the entire program of ninety-seven students met in the historic downtown for a tapas welcome dinner at La Gorda de las Setas. It was so much fun to have the group together in a relaxing setting and the food was sooo good.

Thursday, January 12^th:

Just another day of intensive language class, nothing too exciting happened. I was busy studying and preparing for my first test, which was the next day (Friday).

Friday, January 13^th:

Had my first test today! I went really well, at least I think and hope. After class, CIEE had scheduled a walking tour of the Catedral & Giralda. It is the third largest catholic church in the world, following the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica. It took over one hundred years to complete and when it was finished in the 15^th century it surpassed the Hagia Sophia in size. The Giralda is the tower connected to the Catedral. We were able to climb to the top which has a 360 degree view of the entire city. Later that night I went out with some friends for tapas!

El Cathedral

Saturday, January 14^th:

So it’s official, I’ve made it through one week in Spain! I had a super relaxing day. I studied and hung out with my host family. Later that evening I met friends for tapas!

Sunday, January 15^th:

Another relaxing day, nothing too exciting happened. Part of my family went to the beach for the day while the son and I stayed home to study. We went and grabbed lunch at this really yummy Italian restaurant. I had a composition due for class the next day so I grabbed coffee with a friend and worked on it at the coffee shop. Nothing beats studying at a coffee shop in Spain!

Finally Here!

I am currently in Spain and have survived my first three days! I made it to Sevilla this past Sunday, January 7th. I arrived around noon with lots of students who are in the same CIEE program as me that were on the same flight from Frankfurt, Germany to Seville, Spain. The assistant program director was waiting in for all of us at the airport and drove us to our home stays. My family picked me up at the stop and drove me to my new home for the semester!

My family is amazing! They are so nice and welcoming. The family consists of two parents, one son (15 years old), and one daughter (11 years old). The son speaks English well which is nice because the rest of the family does not. Maybe I'm crazy, but I think I my Spanish has improved a lot in the first couple of days. When you have to use the language, I guess it just comes back quicker. Their apartment is beautiful too and food in Sevilla is amazing!

It's been a crazy three days. While I was on the plane from JFK to Frankfurt I accidently broke my iPhone. Not only was I stressed about moving to a new country, not knowing anyone, and having to live in a stranger's house that same night but then I had to deal with my phone breaking. Luckily everything worked out and I was able to purchase a Spanish phone yesterday. The only downside is that the phone is cheaper and does not have a good camera so I haven't been able to take any pictures so far. I'm hoping to get my iPhone fixed early this week so I can use it to take pictures and upload them for you all to see!

Sevilla is absolutely beautiful. It reminds me of a mix between what I expected Europe to look like and Israel. The weather is similar to Spring in California and it's been sunny every day so far. The city is huge, but it's very walkable. My home stay is located in between the city center and the commercial district, so it's close to many things.

I started my first round of classes today. I have two weeks of intensive Spanish and then I will start my classes for the semester in three weeks towards the end of January. I really like my teacher and the class has been a very useful refresher.

I feel like my life is always an adventure, I never know what's coming. It's been a crazy three days, but I can really see myself enjoying my semester and Sevilla. There is so much to look forward to over the next four months. I can't wait to see what this semester has in store.

My host mom and I