El Alcazar, El Botellon, y El Museo de Flamenco

Hola a todos! I feel like it's been forever since I've written, how the time flies! Here is a recap of what I've done over the past week:

Tuesday: I visited el Alcazar, a stunning Spanish palace that was originally a Moorish fort. Whenever royalty comes to Sevilla, this is where they stay. For my language immersion class I had a very challenging reading I had to do (in Spanish, of course) about the palace so I decided to sit in one of it's many gardens and breathe in the experience first hand as I read about it. This place is nothing short of magical.

So much fun! The palace is only a 15 minute walk from my house and basically on my way to class, I definitely plan to go back.

Wednesday: My program hosted an intercambio party at a club and invited students from the University of Sevilla to come mingle with us so we could meet locals and practice our Spanish! I met an awesome guy named Roman who goes to the university and speaks fluent english but wants to help me practice my Spanish, so hopefully we'll start meeting weekly to chat!

Thursday: I stayed in to study for my midterm on Friday (what? a midterm?) which I took after only a week of class, but I suppose that makes sense if the 3 credit class is only 2 weeks long!

Friday: After dinner, I botelloned for the first time since being here! Botelloning is a growing trend in Sevilla where people buy a box of cheap wine (1 euro!), some cups, and some ice and then drink outside by the river. Public drinking is apparently illegal on the street but legal down by the river? It was a really fun, lively environment and a great way to participate in the local culture. Because the unemployment rate is so high in Sevilla (23%) botelloning is becoming very popular because it's a super cheap and fun way to socialize without having to pay to go to bars and clubs. 

Pretty dark, but you get the idea.

After botelloning by the river, I proceeded to have THE GREATEST night that I've had since being here! I went to a dubstep show at a reggae club and got to listen to performers from both genres. The night started with reggae and began to evolve once the DJ started intermittently dropping bass over reggae beats, I've never heard anything like it! The music finally developed into full blown wompy dubstep and my friends and I all had the time of our lives, it was so great to experience that aspect of Spanish nightlife! We also ran into the doorman from our first flamenco show here and shared the front row with him and his companeros! It was a late night.

Front row

Saturday: I went out with some amigos and ran into my high school friend Lauren Fetter at a club!

Today: I am pretty sick :(. The only time I've left my bed today was to eat lunch and go to el Museo del Baile Flamenco (which was STUNNING) for my Spanish class because I have to write a paper on it tonight. As a side note, my Senora is SO FUNNY. Apparently all the Spanish women believe that the only way to become sick is from the cold and either not wearing slippers in the house (I made the mistake of walking down the hallway barefoot one time after a shower and she nearly had a heart attack) or not going out with a scarf at night (keep in mind nights here are probably 45-50 degrees and I go to school in Colorado). It's hilarious and endearing because there is a little bit of a logic gap in her reasoning yet it's such a vehement belief, although I suppose she did prove to be right as I'm pretty sick right now. 

The following are her reasons why I'm sick:

-I don't sleep with a scarf on

-I don't sleep with socks on

-I walked down the hallway once while barefoot

-I let my hair air-dry (instead of blow drying it)

-I don't go out with a scarf every night (queeee FRIO que FRIOOO por la noche!!! vas a ponerte enferma sin bufanda!!)

I should also add that her dog Bobi has a full blown red rain suit complete with a visor to shade his eyes from the rain, utilized if there is so much as a drop of moisture in the air. It lightly drizzled for about 15 minutes the other day and she had him all suited up for protection so he could go outside and pee. I WISH so much that I had taken a picture. 

Here are some photos from the Flamenco Museum!

Just some flying chairs and orange trees

And on that note, I am going to go start my paper! Hasta nos vemos! xo

On Language Immersion

There NOTHING like being told by a native Spanish speaker that you speak very well. I expend so much mental energy trying to keep up with the locals and 99% of the time feeling like my Spanish is inadequate, so that single fleeting compliment does not only make my day but makes my week :). Before coming to Seville, I was very confident in my Spanish-speaking ability and considered myself to be fairly proficient in the language. Well, this past week has been a big wake-up call! Language immersion is a funny thing because while the information may be there, the difficult thing is being able to ACCESS it when five sentences have been spoken while you're still working on processing the first. Communicating a need or desire is no problem at all, but participating in conversation with natives, especially while trying to cultivate a friendship, is a completely different story. There is nothing more frustrating than meeting a group of really great people my age, yet only being able to communicate on a very basic level. But hey, it's all part of the learning process! And I have only been here for a week so I shouldn't get too discouraged :).

El Palacio: this is where I take my classes every day! 

(Photo by Cara Ladd)

La Plaza de Espana

Orange and Lemon Trees that can be found on EVERY corner. I hear they are stunning when they finally bloom

Last weekend was my first weekend going out in Seville! What a blast. Friday night my friends and I went to a discoteca and spent the night dancing and mingling with the locals, it was a late night. Saturday evening my friend Katie and I went to a bar to watch the Sevilla vs. Betis futbol game (Sevilla's two rival teams) and observe that aspect of the culture here. Europeans are so passionate about their futbol teams, we had such an awesome time!! Later that night we ended up meeting two people from London who had moved to Sevilla to teach English at the University here as well as a local architecture student and  his friends. The conversation was fantastic! Everyone we've encountered so far has been so kind and tolerant of us Americans; instead of shying away or writing us off they are quick to include and welcome us into the culture. Whether or not they realize it, los Sevillanos portray a very positive image of their city.

I finally began my classes yesterday! Well, class I should say. I have a language immersion/grammar/conversation/culture class every day from 3-6 with various places that I'm also expected to visit outside of the classroom. I'm so glad to be formally studying Spanish as well as informally practicing it every day in hopes that my speaking will improve dramatically in a short period of time! I've been very impressed with the level of Spanish among my peers here as well, nearly everyone is extremely proficient (participants had to qualify at a certain level of Spanish before being considered) and my language abilities, by comparison, seem pretty average. While frustrating, it is great to be constantly challenged not only by the culture and my classes but by my friends as well!

Last night four of my close friends and I went out for tapas in the city, here are some pictures:

Tuna on the left and calamari on the right, I'm not sure what the other girls ordered in the back!

Tuna

My friend Cara and Me

Bueno. Now, I am off to look at flights for travel around Europe! I am planning on visiting Italy, London, and maybe Dublin! Hasta luego! xo

La Vida Sevillana!

Hello, hello! I am finally beginning to recover from the jet lag and lack of sleep that have been plaguing me (an all the other students) since arrival and settling into my life here. I moved into my homestay yesterday and met the adorable Señora named Inma and her big, fluffy, curly-haired dog Bobi that I'll be living with. Inma lives alone but has a daughter (33, also named Inma) who works nearby and comes over every day for lunch. The apartment is so much nicer than I was expecting! I have my own room with a big dresser/closet, wifi, 2 twin beds, tv, and a very spacious desk. We exclusively speak spanish together which has been excellent practice for me, I can't wait to get to know her better!


Overall, I have been blown away by the caliber of people I've met thus far in my program. The social aspect has been phenomenal and I've quickly fallen into a group of friends that I see myself remaining close to for the rest of my time here and after. 

My orientation group on our final night together! Our leader, Jose (to my left), has become a great friend and plans to continue hanging out with us despite his leadership duties having ended

The lifestyle here is absolutely addicting! For the past few days my routine has looked something like this:
-wake up in the morning and explore sevilla with a few friends, enjoy un cafe cortado, window shop, and soak up the city. The weather, by the way, is unbeatable. 60's and sunny the majority of the time I've been here.
-come home for lunch at 2:30 to eat with my Señora and her daughter, rest/unpack/blog/skype during siesta time until 4:30 or 5.
-meet up with CIEE people to go to various information sessions about life in sevilla, tips for adjusting to the culture successfully, academics once we start classes (I have an intensive language session for just 3 hours a day starting monday and then regular classes begin february 6th), interest groups (we can join 1 of 9 interest groups that involve things like a weekend trip to morocco, wine tasting in valencia, going to the beach in portugal, flying to the mediterranean island Mallorca to see hidden caves, lay out on the beach all day, and go out clubbing all night etc etc all FREE with the program).
-grab a pitcher of sangria with some amigas before dinner.
-either go out for tapas or come home and eat a wonderful dinner prepared by my señora around 9:30.
-go to a flamenco show! (ok, this isn't part of my normal routine but I went once and it was AWESOME).
-meet up at a bar and enjoy some spanish cervezas while mingling with the locals and other international students I've met (lots from england!)


See why I haven't slept?!?!

I cross this river every day on my walk into the center of the city!

La Calle de Constitición

A side view of la Giralda

My friend Katie sketching while we drink sangria

One of the things that I absolutely LOVE about this city is the amount of walking that I do. My house is about 25 minutes from the center of the city and about 30 from where I'll be taking classes so I am CONSTANTLY on the move. We walk to the center of the city to explore, walk home for lunch, walk back to have some orientation meeting, walk to grab a drink or tapas, walk to learn the streets a little better, walk home for dinner, walk back to go to a bar, then either walk or taxi home. Whew! If anything, I may have lost a pound or two since being here! Even though meat is huge in Spanish culture, being a pescatarian hasn't proved to be an issue at all, as Sevilla is right by the coast and has fantastic seafood. The food is much lighter than I expected yet I always feel like I'm indulging! Spaniards don't snack at all during the day (unless it's a tapa or two with cerveza) which I love because I'm learning to appreciate each meal so much more. The culture here is centered around meals (breakfast upon waking, lunch at 2:30, dinner at 9:30 or 10) and because I'm not nibbling in between, I feel like I'm respecting my food in a way that I don't at home. Almost like honoring my hunger by preserving it, thus enjoying the comida that much more. My Señora cooks lunch and dinner for me every day (breakfast is usually just toast with jam) so I'm getting the authentic Sevillana food experience pescatarian style!

As you can probably tell by my enthusiasm, life is wonderful here. The pervasive spanish phrase "no pasa nada" (the spanish equivalent of "it's all good") is very apparent in the lifestyle here. Everyone goes at their own pace, stress is minimal, and people love life! It's contagious! I am so excited to start class next week and finally settle into a routine here. Tomorrow is my first day without scheduled activities, and I intend to take full advantage of that freedom! This will also be my first full weekend in Sevilla, so I hope the next time I write I'll return with a story or two to share ;). Hasta te veo! xo

Arrival

I have arrived safely in Sevilla! I'll make this entry short because my siesta time is very precious and limited, but I absolutely love what I've seen of the city so far. Our hotel is BEAUTIFUL, the food is magnificent, the staff is great, and the other students are so much fun.

Last night I arrived at the hotel around 6:30, rushed to take a shower, and had dinner in the hotel with my program. The spread was unbelievable, I felt like I was eating like royalty. I wish I had taken a picture! After, I dressed up and went to get drinks at the hotel bar with a bunch of other girls before passing out for the night. I don't remember the last time I was so tired in my life! This morning we went on a walking tour of Seville which was a BLAST.

We saw some amazing architecture and simply wandered the city for about 4 hours today. For lunch my group went to a small cafe where we ordered an array of tapas to share. Those consisted of:

-several types of red meat over potatoes

-amazing tuna over a vinegar-drenched salad

-fried cheese

-the best calamari I've ever had in my life

-bread, bread, and more bread

Examples of forgetting how to speak in english: 

-calling meals "meetings" (ex. do you think we'll be having tapas for our meeting this afternoon?)

-ok thats all I can remember, but just being extremely inarticulate in general because simpler words are easier to process. 

Chapter 1: Airports

 The journey has begun!! I left home over 24 hours ago and still have yet to arrive at my final destination. I have probably slept 6 hours over the last two nights and haven’t changed, brushed my teeth, or washed my face since yesterday morning. BUT 4 airports down and only 1 to go now!

I woke up at 8am yesterday morning (Sunday 1/15) to finish packing and catch my first flight from Atlanta to Laguardia in New York. After collecting my bags from Laguardia, I took a shuttle to JFK where I frolicked around for 6 hours before my next flight to Madrid. JFK is the BOMB. I had the absolute best time wandering around independently, watching international travelers, having a fun dinner, window-shopping, exchanging some currency, reading (drinking), and hanging out at a chic little bar before boarding my plane at 7pm. I shared my row with a young, scruffy looking guy named Ines whom I assumed to be Hispanic but later discovered was actually Moroccan. HOW AWESOME! Who knows anyone from Morocco?! He was sporting a long black ponytail, double hoop earrings, and completely immersed in a worn Kurt Cobain biography when I boarded the plane. We became fast friends (the middle seat passenger never showed up) and spent the first hour or two of the flight chatting over Bailey’s before I decided to try and force myself to get some sleep (a full 5 hours earlier than my body is used to). The plane was very cramped and uncomfortable, so after watching me awkwardly wriggle around in my seat for long enough, Ines lifted both arm rests and insisted that I just put my legs on top of his and sprawl out across the row. He tried to reciprocate the motion and, well, needless to say I crossed the Atlantic half-cuddling with a strange Moroccan man.

We landed in Madrid at 8:30 in the morning…. Which was REALLY 2:30 am. Talk about disorienting. Sunday crashed head on into Monday and the two formed an awkward zygote, with both days trying to break away but neither successfully separating from the other (like twins). So today is not it’s own day but rather an extension of yesterday in a blur of terminals, airplanes, and foreigners. BUT, I finally got to Spain!!! I ran into 2 other students from the states that are coincidentally participating in the same study abroad program as I am and the 3 of us are currently passed out on the floor waiting out the 7-hour layover before our final flight to Seville. Once we land tonight around 5 we will go straight to a hotel for the first night of our program orientation.

Salient examples of looking like a fool in front of natives: misunderstanding “customer service” for “ticket seis” (what?) three times in a row. Now that I think about it, that wasn’t even in Spanish (except for “seis” which everyone knows means 6). 

Food for thought.

As many of you know, my mom has recently opened her own practice as a health coach/therapist out of our home. The majority of her clients find her seeking guidance with weight loss, but her practice centers around 90% therapy and about 10% food. As a result of her newfound sense of purpose, my house has become riddled with various "self-help" books and weight-loss guides taken from an emotional and, at times, spiritual, approach rather than scientific. I stumbled upon one book that I found particularly intriguing and wanted to share with you all, called "Loving What Is" by Byron Katie (I know, I know... rainbows and unicorns). The book serves as a guide towards improving relationships with others and oneself by enabling the reader to identify harmful and stress-inducing thoughts that we all-too-often forget we have the ability to challenge. Much of our reality is based upon stories that our minds construct about ourselves and our environment, and often those stories are not self-serving. What Katie refers to as "The Work" is a method of meditation and reflection that doesn't ask one to change his thoughts, but rather explore them until a deeper understanding arises and the harmful thought can be released. It looks something like this:
Write down a statement about your life that is causing you stress/unhappiness. For example, "he doesn't understand me." Then ask yourself these 4 questions:
1. Is it true?
2. Can you absolutely know that it's true? (the answer will almost always be no)
3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought? (belief in the thought almost always results in distress or unhappiness)
4. Who would you be without the thought? (FREE. the thought or faulty belief no longer has power over you)


After going through these 4 questions, Katie says to turn-around the concept you are questioning and then find 3 genuine reasons of how each turn-around is true in your life. Some potential turn-arounds might look something like this:
1. He does understand me (then list 3 examples of times when he has understood you)
2. I don't understand me (list 3 examples of when you haven't understood yourself)
3. I don't understand him (etc. etc.)

Then sit with these alternative explanations and let your intuition guide you. Very interesting and thought-provoking.