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 

Last Week of Classes!

So the end of the fall semester has come. This is the last week of classes. I have nine days left at Gettysburg and will not be back for eight months. I always knew studying abroad was going to be a mixed feeling/experience. There is so much to look forward to and be excited for, but there is a lot that I will miss next semester. While it is only for one semester, I have been thinking about graduation and the future. This expereince is preparing me to leave for good in the Spring of 2018. It is weird to think that is coming so soon. Only 35 days until I leave the United States. It is really hitting me now how different everything is going to be, in a good way.

Updates:

- Took my language placement test a few weeks ago! It was painful (probably shouldn't of taken a year and a half off from spanish classes...oops). I would be more than happy to be put in a beginning level spanish class. I think it will help with the transitation. I would rather be underwhelmed then overwhelmed with my classes. So we will see how that goes when I actually get to Spain!
- Still need to book my flight...oops again. Hopefully that will happen soon!
- Starting to pack up the room and have plans to store it all for the next 8 months. Doing this slowly because my room is going to look so sad when its all packed and stored.

That's all for now! Soon these posts will be pictures and stories from my five months abroad. Crazy to think it's almost here!

Visas, Scholarships, and Pre-depature meetings

SO much has happened since my last post a month or so ago! Lots of updates for you all:

1. In mid-october I submitted all the materials for my visa application. It was an easier process than I anticipated. Luckily my program will submit the visas to a consulate near our school or home on our behalf. All I needed to do was submit the materials to my program coordinator and they were able to send it to the Spanish consulate in San Francisco, CA. I receive confirmation a few weeks ago that everything on my application was complete and that it was successfully submitted to the Spainish consulate. Now I just have to wait to see if they approve me! I am hopeful it will all work out.

2. More good news! In October I applied for a scholarship through the Eisenhower Institute which is a distinctive program at Gettysburg College. This scholarship is open only to Gettysburg College students and is dedicated to helping students afford going abroad. I was notified on Friday that I was selected for the scholarship! I am honored and excited to have received this award. It will cover my visa application, flights, and many other expenses related to studying abroad.

If you are interested in hearing more about it, follow this link:

http://eisenhowerinstitute.org/scholarships/hilton.dot

3. Lastly, a week or so ago the Center for Global Education here at Gettysburg College did a pre-departure orientaiton. I was able to hear more about important things I should know before starting my semester abroad. I was also able to meet with the students from Gettysburg College who are also participating in my program.

All three of these recent updates has made this whole experience feel so real! It's getting so close. I only have four more weeks of school and then finals week. I'll have to pack up all my belongings and put it in storage for eight months until I arrive back on campus in August of 2017. Although I am beyond excited for this new adventure, I will miss everyone here at Gettysburg and in the United States. With that being said, I can not wait to start this once in a lifetime opportunity!

I'll keep you all updated with any news I receieve over the next couple of months. ¡Adios!

Exciting News...

So it has been a while since I last posted, but I'm here to share some great news!

*Drum Roll*

I have been accepted into the CIEE International Business and Culture program in Sevilla, Spain for the Spring 2017 semester!!

I submitted my application within the past couple of weeks and I was not expecting to hear back so quickly! After speaking with my dad on the phone tonight, he asked about the status of my application. Spain and next semester is on my mind frequently, but I realized during that conversation that I had not checked on the status of my application in a few days.

After arriving back to my room and checking my account I was happily surprised to see in big bright bold orange letters "CONGRATULATIONS!"

Although I'll be honest, I was not that surprised to find out I was accepted (it's my understanding that this is a fairly easy program to be accepted too), it feels surreal to receive the acceptance! This program and next semester is something I have been talking about since my first-year of college.

This week marks the 4th week of school out of 15. It is slowly starting to hit me that not too long from now I will pack up my room at Gettysburg College, put my belongings into storage for the majority of next year, and turn in my key. I will be leaving not only Gettysburg College but the United States for roughly five months. Not only have I been working on processing the fact that I'm more than 1/2 way through college this year, but also the fact that starting in 2017 I will be living in a foreign country!

I'm looking forward to this crazy adventure! I can't wait to share it with all of you. (:

¡Hasta la próxima vez!

Beginning Stages of Applying

Since my first-year of college, I have known I wanted to study abroad in Spain with this specific program. The program I will be applying to is the CIEE International Bussiness and Culture. This program is a perfect fit for me for multiple reasons.

First off, the location. I have taken four years of Spanish but have never been able to really pick up the language. When I first started to look into programs, I knew I wanted a program either in Spain or South America, that way I could practice and advance my Spanish speaking skills. I have always wanted to study abroad somewhere in Europe, so Spain seemed like a natural fit. Seville is also a beautiful city that is not as big as Madrid or Barcelona, but not too small either.

Second, the class options. Since the program is International Bussiness and Culture, there are a lot of classes offered that are Political Science, Public Policy, Internation Relations, and Economics minded. In addition, the culture part will allow me to take a class that is specialized to Spain. I'm hoping I'll be able to take a Spanish Art History class.

Third, this program is home-stay only. I thought I always would go for a program that had apartments, where I would live with fellow students of the program. After attending college and thinking about what I wanted out of my study abroad experience, I realized I wanted to be immersed in the culture of the country as much as possible. I think there is really no better way to do that than staying with a family for my semester.

If you are interested in learning more about my specific program follow the link for more details.

http://www.ciee.org/study-abroad/spain/seville/international-business-culture/ 

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be starting and completing the application! It's due by October 1st, so it's not too long from now that I will have applied and waiting to hear if I am accepted.