Let me tell you about Morocco!

This past weekend, myself and 10 other students from my program here in Sevilla went on a weekend trip to Morocco with Discover Excursions!  We were part of a group of around 100 people, and I was ecstatic to be able to fit my life for the weekend into my backpack.  In our short amount of time there, we experienced a lot as we visited four different cities and also got to ride camels right near the beach.  We stayed at a hotel in Tetuan, and spent most of Saturday in Chefchaouen.  Chaouen is known as the blue city, because most of the doors and walls in the Medina (or the old city) are painted blue.  The people there do this to keep flies away and also because it keeps their homes cooler in the summer.

The next day we had a panoramic tour of Tangiers, and stopped at Cabo Spartel, which has a lighthouse and is also where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean in the Strait of Gibraltar.  We then got to go on a camel ride by the beach which was so crazy!  It was also really cool to be right on the coast of Africa. 

 We had lunch at a restaurant right outside of Assilah, which is a small beach town that also has a beautiful old Medina.  We got to explore and shop there for a while too!  It was an incredible short little weekend that I am so thankful I went on!  Granted I got back late Sunday night and had two tests Monday morning... but my time in Morocco was full of moments to remember with a great group of friends!  

Immensity

Tomorrow we go to Córdoba!  We will visit La Mesquita there, which is the mosque that started construction in the 8th Century.  I've been learning about it in my Spanish art history course, so it will be so cool to get to actually experience it!  When the muslims invaded Spain in 711, they established their capital in Córdoba, and as such it is a place very full of history! (though those places aren't difficult to find around here)

I've begun planning some trips around Europe and the area, which is so exciting!  My first one is next weekend, and will be to Morocco!

Something I'm learning while here is about how small my world is.  Everything seems so big and important to me.  But the other day I sat in a park staring at a tree with roots that were partially above ground.  The part above ground was almost to my waist!  That tree has been around for hundreds of years!  Kind of puts things in perspective.

Sevilla is an incredible city.  There is always something new to discover, and I will forever be in love with the Guadalquivir that I walk across every day to class.

This is a photo I took tonight as I walked to a place I hadn't yet been on the edge of the river. 

I did manage to watch (some of) the Superbowl!  Kickoff was at midnight-thirty here, so I only made it through halftime.  I went to a bar that had advertised that they were streaming it and it was FULL of Americans studying abroad.  Some people had been there since 5pm!

Sunday I visited the Cathedral in Sevilla and wow.  It was beyond incredible!  The art, architecture, immensity of everything, it was breathtaking.  

I am so thankful to be here in Sevilla and with this wonderful friend and fellow Jubileean! It's such a blessing to have a bit of Covenant and the familiar with me here in Spain.

One week in and I am definitely still in the honeymoon stage of adjusting to another culture!  I love the tapas, the siestas, the fact that I walk everywhere, and especially that I can get a cafe con leche at any hour of the day!  My Spanish is improving daily (I think) and I am understanding more and more.

My Señora continues to be amazing as she has made things like tortilla de espana for Mica and I.  Today I Haley and I got some vino and as I was getting up to leave the table at Toc Toc Tapas, my jeans caught and ripped a little!  So I asked my señora where I should buy a needle and thread and she proceeded to pull a needle out of her jacket. Needless to say my jeans are ripped and I didn't have to fork over any euros.

Saturday afternoon was incredible!  I spent some time by the river reading and writing with friends (and getting a bit tanner!) then we decided to go for a walk.  We overheard some screaming in the plaza by our school so we went to check it out and turns out we came across some Spanish celebrities!  So we joined the yelling and jumping up and down, though we had no idea who they were.  Turns out we happened upon some famous youtubers.  We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the beautiful Plaza de España, which can be seen below or in the Star Wars movies, whichever you prefer.

Not all of my life is vino and tapas, of course I have some classes.  They're all pretty fun I suppose and I really enjoy that I don't get much homework (yet)!  Anyways, here are some photos of my adventures!

This is the Guadalquivir, the river that I walk over every day.  You can see the Torre del Oro also.  I spend quite a bit of time near the water reading or studying.

The Plaza de España by night.

Our Spanish celebs.

Again, the Plaza de España, but during the day.

And finally the view from my 8th floor bedroom window!  Yes I walk up all 8 flights multiple times a day. 

Time for Class!

As Profesora Cochran would say, gracias a Dios porque hoy es viernes!  This Friday I am reminded that living in Spain is not quite all fun and games.  We start classes today!  Thankfully I don't have a 9:00 class as my first one doesn't begin until 9:55!  I'm taking Advanced Grammar, Literature of Spain, and History of Spanish Art.  I'm pretty excited about the art class!  Also that I have a break from 11:45 to 12:35, and am done with class for the day by 1:30.  Interestingly enough I have the same profesora in the same classroom for all of my classes: Carmen Suárez.  She seems really cool and I think I'll like her!

After siesta today, our school is taking us to a Flamenco show!  I'm so excited, especially as we'll begin learning Sevillanas, a type of flamenco specific to Sevilla, in a few weeks.  I know a little bit about this style as my sister learned it this past summer at Kirov and also as I've seen some people dancing in the streets!

I've been meeting some really cool Americans in my program, and can't wait to start my intercambio so I can meet some Spaniards.  A few of my American friends and I have already decided that we're going to become regulars at this little bar near one of their houses.  (Don't worry mom, bars here serve coke, tea, cafe con leche, as well as alcohol, and are a very normal place to hang out with your friends).  This bar has wicker chairs, deep red walls, and a nice middle aged bartender with a receding hairline! It's a great place to hang out and talk and laugh.

My dad got my phone set up here and if you would like to call me, incoming calls for me are free! Check with your provider if you can call internationally without racking up ridiculous fees, but my number is 011-34-602231792.

xoxo, Isabel

First Impressions- for Joy

Dear Joy,

Estamos en España!

After many many hours in airports, train stations, and the air, I've made it safely to Sevilla!  We arrived at the train station in Sevilla yesterday (Tuesday) around 1:30, and my roommate whom I've dubbed "Mica" and I were put into a taxi and sent to our "piso!"  Her name is really Micayla but that is so long to pronounce in Spanish!  Our Señora is the sweetest little lady with a boyfriend in Granada (as long as he's working, she refuses to marry him) and she loves to cook which is wonderful.  She also has a chihuahua named "Paquito" who is hilarious and she describes as an "angry little man." Paquito and I are becoming friends (at least he let me hold him for a moment- my Señora was so surprised).  Mica and I share a room and bathroom, which is pretty fun.  However, there is no central air, so our room is freezing!  We have a little heater that we run at night as well as two down comforters for our beds, which needless to say it has made getting out of bed in the morning even more difficult! Yesterday was uncharacteristically cold and rainy, but today is much nicer!  Our Señora promises that in five days it will be warm and sunny.

This morning we joined all the school children in the neighborhood and walked the streets of Triana (my neighborhood) to a hotel where all the Acento students were meeting for orientation, meeting professors, taking a placement exam, and getting our Spanish phones.  We had cafe con leche and some delicious little pastries and made some plans for later today!  Mica and I returned to our piso on Calle Trabajo for a lunch of paella around 2:30 and now are taking a ciesta.  Later today we are doing a walking tour of Sevilla with our school and later tonight we're going to go to Calle Betis with some chicas from our program!  I suppose that that's all for now!

Hasta luego, and more to come!

Ellie

T-7 Days!

This semester will be spent studying abroad in the beautiful historic town of Sevilla, España!  As a Spanish major, this study abroad time is a requirement for my degree, but also an eagerly anticipated time of independence and adventure as I discover a foreign city.  I'll be taking classes about the culture, art, and of course the language of the Spaniards while living with a family and another student from the US.  

In preparation for this immersion experience, I've switched my phone language to Spanish, started using a Spanish Bible, and more importantly started watching Spanish TV shows.  As cheesy as it sounds it has helped prepare me for the Spanish accent (I hope) and also has just put Spanish in my head.  So much so that sometimes after I've been watching a show I'll without thinking speak in Spanish which I love of course! 

The biggest concern right now, naturally, is what to pack!  There are so many blogs that say so many things, and as I haven't ever really been to Spain in the spring it's hard to know the clothes and shoes to bring.  

As my brother is leaving to go back to Covenant, and some of my favorite people are already back there, I know this will be a hard semester as I will miss everyone so much and also miss some fun events like 80's Skate Night and such.  However, I know that I will be having a wonderful adventure in Europe with some wonderful people!

Adios for now,

Ellie