Destination Spain

I'm just an American girl off on my next big adventure. Language and human enthusiast. As lost as ever.

[mylittlebookofquotes]

You are a woman. Skin and bones. Veins and nerves. Hair and sweat. You are not made of metaphors. Not apologies. Not excuses.

Sarah Kay (via mylittlebookofquotes)

[suenos-en-sevilla]

Spain - Blog #11 - Italica & A Little Update on Daily Life

Last friday we took our last programed day trip to Italica. It was said to be only a short fifteen minute bus ride to our destination. Most things in Spain operate in this manner, what is said and what happens are two completely different things. We met at the school at 9 a.m. and it was closer to noon before our actual arrival. To be fair that does include the walk and waiting at the station to actually board the bus. Life moves at such a more relaxed pace here that adjusting back to the states may prove difficult. Our main purpose for visiting Italica was to see the Roman ruins from when the empire stretched it's way  to Spain. They're well reserved and more out in the open, as most of the empire has been lost and buried underneath the construction of civilizations that followed, it's not as common to see. We spent an hour or so there passing through the ruins. Having just been in Rome it reminded me of the Forum on a smaller scale. These trips around Spain have been such a gift as it's allowed us to see with our own eyes the variety of things this country has to offer. There's such a diversity of people and history here that we would not have been able to see if we'd had simply stayed in Sevilla throughout the semester.

As far as daily life and progress goes, the time has flown just like everyone said it would. I've been in Spain for three months now and have less than three weeks ahead of me before the program ends. Sometimes I catch myself feeling as if I haven't done very much and then I remember all the places I've seen and the things I've done. It seems that doing everything is impossible, and even when you think you have, something new turns up without fail. Even though I feel that the program itself left certain things to be desired, I now know better what I want from any future experiences and that in itself is priceless. I'm grateful for what has been and I am hopeful for what is to come. This week was a series of essays and final presentations followed by another week of vacation during the holiday of “Feria.” I'll be leaving this friday to spend a few days in the Canary Islands and then another few days in Madrid to finally see the city as I've been intending all semester long. After another week of vacation I'll be returning to Sevilla to endure another week of exams and try to savor what little time I have left in Spain.

Coming home always proves to be a mixed bag, something others dread and others look forward to. Even though my journey here feels unfinished, as there's always more we feel we could have done, other parts of me are ready for the next adventure. In all my travels I've always gained a deeper appreciation for home and expanded myself as a person in ways that have allowed me to give back in better ways than I would have ever been able to before. I guess that has always been the goal for me, to better myself to be better for others. And in that venture, I feel I have been successful. So here's to what is to come and to what I still have left to learn. I look forward to seeing you all stateside.

& as always, thank you for reading.

Love,

-Wylee

[suenos-en-sevilla]

Some pictures of us in various countries featuring Portugal, Morocco, and of course our beloved Spain. 

[suenos-en-sevilla]

Euro-trip - Blog #10 – In Which I Bite Off More Than I Can Chew & Regret Nothing

The Spanish love to party, and when it comes to holidays they do it not just for a single day but for an entire week at a time. Translated, this means that I have two whole weeks off during my semester, not consecutively. This first week is due to this cultural spectacle known as “Semana Santa” or “Holy Week” or Easter on lots of uppers. The city fills to the brim with people from all over the world to watch the various brotherhoods guide their floats up and down the streets of Sevilla. This goes on day to night back to back Sundays. In short, it’s a lot of men in tall pointy hats that look like members of the KKK pulling around floats with extravagant scenes of a Mary crying over the death of her son Jesus. I’d been warned that during this week it is both impossible to get anything done much less cross the street. As a person who enjoys breathing and only willingly goes to the Minneapolis Pride Parade once a year, I decided my time would be better spent enriching my person anywhere but in Sevilla.

I ran as far away as I could possibly manage before the festivities had the chance to start and ended up in Munich, Germany on Thursday. I met up with one of my best friends Saranda from university who was also studying in a different program in Europe. Getting in pretty late we just got dinner with her program in which I got to try the staple German brew and pretzel combo. The next morning we took a train to Füssen, Germany a few hours over. I instantly fell in love with small town Germany. The countryside looked like a fairytale, with small cottage homes that made me feel comfy even just seeing them from the train. Anytime I can see mountains, my heart is happy. And Füssen had just that to offer us. There was even a little bit of snow left to remind us of the weather we’d left behind. It was such a cute little town, surrounded by the mountains, with a river running through, lakes, and that cozy small town feel you’d expect from an off the map destination in Germany. The first day we just walked around town taking in the sights, took an unplanned hike, got ourselves some dinner, and planned for the next day.  Allegedly, the Neuschwanstein castle in Füssen is what inspired Walt Disney’s idea for the Disney castle. So we took a bus and took the hike up hill to get up close and personal. Neuschwanstein was very cute but the most enjoyable part for me was walking the trails and even spending some time by the lake. Afterwards we were lucky enough to have a hostel with kitchen access, always a score, and enjoyed the rare opportunity to cook a meal for ourselves and relax. We chose breakfast food for dinner, one of the wonderful American cuisine possibilities that I miss the most. The next day we caught a train to Colmar, France. A little fairytale village that we saw mostly on our long walk to our hostel that was outside of town. An hour walk by now though, seems like nothing. If Spain has gifted me with anything it’s with two calves of steel. I know that Saranda and I both were slightly terrified to interact with any French people as most of what we’ve heard hasn’t been good. I’ve met some incredible French people in my life, but as the rumor mill goes they’re known to be rude, especially to tourists. Maybe we were lucky, but when we had to finally ask for directions, we were gifted with incredible kindness.

The next day we took the train to Paris. It was unknown to either of us, that it would be a ten hour ride before hitting our destination. Much of our time was lost in the limbo of traveling from one city to another. After transferring from the train to the metro we found our hostel relatively easily but were both very tired from a day of traveling. We took sometime to recuperate and have dinner before heading into the city to see the Eiffel Tower. An experience I had largely spoiled for me when I caught a seven year old boy mid-pickpocket attempt. I was so lucky to catch him as he’d only managed to unzip my bag and hadn’t been able to snatch anything yet. It was such a close call and would have been largely lost if he’d been successful. That whole experience was not much more than a moment but weighed heavily on me for the remainder of my time in Paris. You hear so often about pickpocketing and take what precautions you can, but the fact of the matter is that they’re smart and they’re out there to target you the moment that your guard is down. What made it even more conflicting was that it was a small boy, who because of his size was able to sneak up on me in the first place, but this also compromised my ability to react. This is a very common problem among the gypsy communities in Europe, they’ve invented a million tricks and nothing is off limits. They may drop a ring and out of kindness you’ll pick it up to return it, but instead they will demand money. Or in Sevilla it is common that the women will push rosemary into your hands and demand payment for the blessings they’ve so kindly bestowed upon you. They may even rush around you as they often work in teams creating an even more traumatic experience for an unsuspecting tourist. It’s hard to even talk about it without using language that ostracizes entire groups of people. I’ve encountered handfuls of Europeans who insist their hatred of gypsies is “not racist.” Regardless of their claims, it’s been a difficult cultural aspect for me to navigate. I do not agree with stereotyping entire groups of people and can understand how circumstance can push the systematically disadvantaged to commit crimes for no other reason than the need to survive. The most common complaint is that they refuse to integrate into society, but I can see very clearly how it would be difficult to integrate with people who view the group you belong to so negatively. If no one is willing to hire you, how else are you supposed to make ends meet? What was worse was to see the way this little boy had been born and raised into a situation that made crime such a normal part of his life at such a young age. At first it was very upsetting for personal reasons, as I’d felt violated by the experience and felt myself loose my faith in humanity temporarily. But afterwards it was upsetting for the larger scale systematic reasons and how much bigger this small experience was than just one isolated incident. My experience was simply a window to some much bigger questions about humanity as a functioning system that I do not have the answers for yet. Part of my heart aches for the boy and his family and the circumstances that have led them to feel the need to steal, to see it as their only option or at the very least their easiest.  The rest of my heart has just been left to wonder what there is to be done for all of us to grow, better ourselves, and take better care of one another.

And that was Paris for me. I saw very little as I didn’t have much time and Saranda was traveling in one direction and myself in another. I’m not sure after that experience if I want to go back, I’m still digesting, and trying not to blame Paris for what I saw of the city. As I’ve said before, one of the most important things about traveling is to keep things in perspective. Simply because you meet a bad egg along the way, doesn’t mean that the rest of the dozen is tainted. That goes for people, places, and even the smallest of experiences. Too many thoughts on my mind, I made my way to the airport for my next destination: Geneva, Switzerland.

Having a lay over in Portugal, a completely backwards out of the way country to go to, I got the pleasure of enjoying another salmon sandwich, in the airplane of all places. I got into Geneva in the afternoon to meet my “sister” for the first time. For those of you who don’t know, when I lived in Colombia my second host family had two daughters. One of which I never met because she was off studying in Europe. It’d always been one of my hopes to go and meet her, and almost three years after finishing that program, I finally had the opportunity to. I was welcomed with open arms and felt so absolutely loved as she took me into her home. It was incredible to get a little taste of my other home again, to hear the Colombian accent, to talk about our “parents.” I am so blessed to have been accepted as a part of their family, my first experience abroad truly was a gift that just keeps on giving. As Aleja and I got lunch I was just so filled with gratitude for all the wonderful things I’ve gained from my time in Colombia. After lunch she headed back to work and I took the most direct route I knew to the lake. I then spent the rest of my afternoon walking alone through the botanical gardens and along the shoreline. You look across the lake in Geneva and it stretches as far as you can see in one direction and to the other you can see the Swiss Alps. Breathtakingly beautiful, the city had everything I loved: mountains, a body of water, and a small town feel mixed with the convenience of a developed city center. Walking around the lake there were so many gardens and sculptures to be seen it was amazing. At six o'clock Aleja and I met at the flower clock and kept walking around the city until we found somewhere to drink some tea before dinner. I got to spend dinner with her and some friends who were celebrating a birthday. It was so fun to be surrounded by a mix of French, Spanish, and English and to talk to an entire table of people with international jobs and experiences, over Thai food of all things. In the morning I met Aleja at the World Trade Organization where she works and she gave me a little tour and we drank some coffee before I had to leave to make my way to the airport. It was a short but sweet trip that left me feeling much better after my fiasco in Paris. I’d take more time in Geneva and with Aleja in a heartbeat. I got on my flight homesick for Colombia but so completely pleased with my decision to travel to Europe.

My next stop was in Rome, Italy. Rome is one of those cities we’ve all heard of, it’s a cultural center for the entire world and humanity itself. I absolutely could not pass up a chance to see it with my own two eyes. I went in with a general vision that looked a lot like Eat, Pray, Love with every intention of eating absolutely everything and anything I could fit into my stomach. Bring me your pasta, your pizza, your gelato and I will make the most of it. I went to Rome to shamelessly be a tourist in all ways possible. Simply put, I went because I HAD to. Upon landing I went through my usual routine of finding the nearest train, metro, or bus to take me to cheapest hostel I could have possibly booked. The place as it turned out, was family run and named after the Twin Cities.  When you travel there’s something so amazing to find pieces of home in the most unexpected corners of the world. I actually got to have a conversation with someone who knew what Lake Calhoun was. I set my stuff down and made my way into the city center. It was already dark and long past dinner as I surfaced from the metro in search of the Colosseum. It was a shock to walk out of the exit and have it right in front of my face with a full moon to boot. I then went on a hunt for pasta and quickly found a plate of Spinach Cannoli to stuff my face with. Gelato followed of course and went above and beyond my Eat, Pray, Love cinematic expectations.

The next day I did the Forum and walked around the Colosseum area some more. It was very cool to see the ruins and see what was left of such a great civilization.  I got a Chicken Alfredo lunch and I then made my way to the Vatican and walked all the way around just to get a feel for the area. It was already after open hours so I didn’t make my way in. Instead I headed back and picked up a Margarita pizza to go and chowed down in the hostel where I just spent the rest of the night talking to strangers and enjoying my first taste of true solo travel. I took a slow morning the next day as my Vatican reservation wasn’t until three that afternoon. On my way to the metro I got to experience the stereotypical Italian male catcall that they are all too famous for, it met my expectations and I couldn’t even count the number of kisses he blew my way. Once at the Vatican, I spent the next three hours walking through the numerous collections of art that span across both time and space. My favorite was the Egyptian collection of course as I’ve always held a special interest in Egypt. I got to stand in the center of the Sistine Chapel and then the Basilica during mass. I got to see so many things I never imagined I’d see in person but had always heard about. Dinner that night was some sort of meat dish I couldn’t translate for you that was incredible. The next day I woke up early to catch my next flight to Barcelona, Spain.

Barcelona was the last stop in my 11 day long euro-trip. I arrived exhausted and unwilling to participate in anything but a nap that lasted until the next morning. I woke up early and went to Güell Park, La Sagrada Familia a famous church in Barcelona, the Pablo Picasso Museum, and even took a walk port-side of the city. I got to go up into a wide open space for the park, see famous architecture and art, and see the ocean. I’d call it a pretty successful day overall. I was still operating within a language barrier as the most common language is Catalan, and not in fact Spanish. Just like anywhere I’ve truly enjoyed, I’d take more time there as I had little to see everything I wanted. But it’s not like “everything” is ever really possible anyways, there is always more.

Now I’m home and I’m tired. I may have bit off a little more than I could chew and some cities I saw in little less than a flash, but I’d do it all again in an instant. It was such a relief to unpack my life from the backpack I was carrying around all week and be back to Sevilla, a place that feels a little more like home every time I come back from traveling. Now I only have a few weeks left of class, another week of vacation, and a week for finals exams before the program ends. Being in the month of April now is a daunting thing as it means my time in Sevilla is now down to it’s final last leg. I’m planning to make the absolute most of it, and who knows yet where I will go during Feria week.

& as always, thank you for reading.

Love,

-Wylee

[suenos-en-sevilla]

Morocco - Blog #9 – In Which I Get My First Taste of Africa

One of the trips advertised by the program (however not included in tuition cost) as a major selling point is the opportunity to go to Morocco during the semester. An opportunity too intriguing to turn down to say the least. I am not claiming to be well traveled, but out of everything I've seen so far it was by far the most unique place I've ever been. It's easy to draw parallels between Spanish and Colombian culture as they share many characteristics and have a long history of influencing one another. Morocco however, was nothing short of a world all of it's own.

True to form, we took the bus a few hours south to the port of Tarifa in Spain. We then went through passport control and in a new change of pace, climbed all aboard a boat. It wasn't the smoothest cruise I've ever taken but without fail in about 45 minutes time we were on the shores of Tanger, Morocco. First thing we did was exchange our Euros for the local Duran. It's always interesting to see a new currency for the first time, as it often feels to be worth nothing more than your average run of the mill monopoly money. Afterwards our local tour guide took us to a restaurant and had to translate for every single one of us through the ordering process. (Arabic is the main spoken language) A friend and I split a plate of “fried fish” that included an array of sea creatures, many of which came with their faces intact. The best part of the meal by fair was the staple mint tea that I will spend the rest of my life craving. It didn't take the group long to discover the bathrooms. Which aren't much more than holes in the floor you just pop a squat over to do your business. A surprisingly manageable physical endeavor but shocking nonetheless.

After lunch we made our way to the nearby costal city of Assilah. One of the first things we noticed on our way was the lack of traffic control lights. Most of the roads instead are managed by roundabouts and can only be described as chaotic. Assilah was charming, we walked through the old part of the city which is known for it's international street art. We learned about the architecture, took pictures of the ocean, and tried to take in as much as we could of the world around us. We made our way through the “Casbah” and on the other side is where we ran into locals. The school children around us stared, pointed, and laughed. Street vendors came up to us trying to sell everything from peanuts to paintings. We walked around a little bit more, some of us getting our second round of tea or window shopping for souvenirs. We headed back to our hotel and Tanger and ate dinner in the hotel. We were forbidden to leave the hotel under any circumstances because it is not safe enough and so we just hung out in our rooms before going to sleep.

We ate another amazing breakfast and left the hotel room early the next morning to go to Chefchaouen, better known as the blue city. It's a small town surrounded by mountains that lives up to it's name. Later we had it explained to us that the blue color repels mosquitos. It's a tightly packed town and was the farthest I've managed to get away from Western Civilization. Through the streets you could see shop owners hand making their goods. There was little English to be found but it was obviously a tourist attraction as there were plenty of souvenirs and other tour groups to be seen. We got lunch which was a gigantic family style portion of Couscous to be shared with the table. Everything we ate was amazing. As it's an Islamic country, alcohol is nowhere to be found, another interesting cultural difference. After lunch we continued our tour and then headed into the market for some free time to wander around. We were warned to be wary of vendors and pickpockets, something we get warned about everywhere we go. And off we went. 

There is no such thing as a set price where we were, so we spent the next few hours bartering with locals to get the best deals we could. It was so nerve-racking at first to argue with shop workers. There is the moral dilemma of wanting to give them what you feel is fair and trying not to be taken advantage of as an easy target tourist. If you went too low, there most common tactic was to laugh in your face until you raised your price. It's hard to negotiate when you don't know the running rates of things and are also having the added difficulty of converting a brand new currency. For practical purposes 100 Duran is the rough equivalent of 10 Euros. It's not that hard to drop a zero but often times they'd switch between giving you the price in Euros and in Duran, sometimes they'd even throw in the dollar. It took us paying too much one time to get smarter. The first vendor we dealt with walked us all over because as it turned out he had at least four shops all in the area. They are also pretty forceful, another factor that adds to the stress. You will just be trying to look at something which in the States is something you expect to do in peace. In Morocco however they immediately walk over to you and start chatting you up, trying to convince you to buy. Some even went as far to say “no pressure” as they continued to try sell us anything we even glanced at. They'll say anything, from talking about the quality of whatever it is to complementing your eyes. Nothing is off limits, whatever it takes to get you to buy is fair game. It's a pretty easy game to figure out though, you can be forceful back and if you go in with the right attitude and the right amount of stubbornness you're more than likely to get a fair price. They weren't unkind people, it's just a different cultural approach to business, one that must have a pretty good success rate. Honestly apart from being initially stressful it was a lot of fun to barter once you got the hang of things.  I came away feeling like I'd done a good job, and with some pretty cool things in tow. I mean, when is the next time I'm going to be in Africa after all?

The next morning we took a “panoramic tour” of Tanger. This meant some beautiful coastline and driving through the royal neighborhoods with extravagant summer homes as well as castles. Then came the camel rides. An attraction very clearly designed for tourists to entertain their ideas of an “exotic” African experience. I won't deny, most things we do are transparently for tourists because that is in fact what we are. Since it was already included in our trip cost there was nothing much more I could do but roll my eyes and enjoy the bumpy ride in spite of my cynicism. The keepers completely milked the experience by yelling and making exaggerated gestures to add to the whole spectacle. No matter how cheesy, it's always important to enjoy where you are. I mean, how many other people can say they've ridden a camel in Africa of all places? I'll take my bragging rights even if it did cost me some of my pride.

We dismounted our camels and traded our saddles for seats on the bus. Then we headed into the open market of Tanger for another round of bartering and a last minute look at Morocco. I hate to make it sound like all we did was shop, but that was a lot of what we did. It was so much fun though, to talk to so many different locals and see such a different side of the world. After a rushed lunch and my last mint tea we headed back to the port to take the ferry back to our beloved Spain. I know that using the term “Africa” is ridiculous as the name for the continent cannot possibly represent the infinite variety of people and places that are apart of it, but the tiny sliver of Morocco that I did see, left me wanting some more Africa. As a place that originally had not even been on my radar, I'm now looking forward to the day that I can venture back and get another taste.

& as always, thank you for reading.

Love,

-Wylee

[suenos-en-sevilla]

Spain - Blog #8 – In Which I Take Two Day Trips

The first Friday of March we took a program organized day trip to the nearby city of Cordoba. By now maybe you've realized how the routine works; we wake up early, pile a crowd of college students into a bus, and meet up with a local tour guide in a city a few hours away. We toured the church and the old neighborhood surrounding the area. The most interesting part of churches in Spain is their history and the way they've been altered through conquest by other religions. Most churches we've seen were originally mosques until the inquisition when the kings of Spain unified the country under Catholicism. After our tour we piled back up into the bus and headed home. That night a few of us went out to dinner and went Salsa dancing afterwards. I went to bed early to catch my train the next morning to head to Madrid for a concert. I've yet to see enough of Madrid but it is always fun to venture into the big city. I'm still hoping to take a longer trip to see the museums and local attractions. Rachel and I snuck up to front row and enjoyed ourselves before taking the train back home to finally get some sleep.

& as always, thank you for reading.

Love,

-Wylee

[suenos-en-sevilla]

AmsterDAMN - Blog #7 – In Which I Venture North

There are a handful of European cities that are on my “I absolutely need to see that” list. A lot of them are places that I grew up hearing about, cities with names like buzz words that fly around and somehow are always coming up in conversation. Those places that when you hear about them you recognize them in an instant. You might even be able to rattle off a few facts, but might not have a clue as to what they actually look like. Amsterdam for me was like that, a place I knew I needed to see but wasn't even sure why. Of course if you grow up hearing about a far off place you sometimes forget that it actually exists outside of dreams and conversations. Maybe that's why landing in the Netherlands felt so surreal.

On Wednesday evening my friend Quin and I flew to Madrid for the night to catch our early morning flight as that was the cheaper traveling option. We landed in Eindhoven Thursday afternoon and found our way to the station to catch our train to Amsterdam. The first thing we noticed was the sea of bike racks absolutely filled to the brim. The countryside on our way into the city was stunning and even after the recent thaw was nothing short of unforgettable. It was the first time I'd been in a wide open space since moving to Spain and it made me realize how much I had missed the extra room to spread out in. Once in Amsterdam we wandered around for a little bit to take in the city. Quin and I found our hostel and then headed back into the center to find dinner. The next day we met up with another one of our friend's Jordan who took a later flight in. (We would also meet up with Rachel a little later on) We then wandered around to find food and poke our heads into the various souvenir shops around us. Finding food in Amsterdam proved interesting, as it is an international city there are not authentic dutch restaurants, the cuisine is instead a wide variety of other countries' typical dishes. Aside from the dutch language on public transit we didn't have any problem navigating the language barrier as most people spoke English in addition to a handful of other languages. We bought our “IAMSTERDAM” card, something I really recommend for anyone making the trip as it included entrance to most of the city's major museums, attractions, canal tours, public transportation and so on. (It was more than worth it) For the remaining nights we booked a cabin like hostel in Amstelveen, about a 45 minute metro trip outside of the city. We got settled into our little backwoods cabin and headed back into the city to find dinner at an Italian place near the center. Afterwards we took our first walk through the red light district, the most shocking part of that experience was how casually integrated the workers were with the rest of the neighborhood. In one part of the district there were women working their night shifts on one side of the street and a church on the other. Amsterdam has more than a few things figured out, one being that sex is simply a part of life and there is no need to make it taboo or drawn unnecessary attention to something that is nothing more than natural. In this instance, it was nothing more than business per usual and didn't need to be treated any differently than a restaurant or any other type of workplace. May I remind everyone, it is the oldest profession humanity has to offer. 

On Saturday we woke up early to head into town and start seeing the sights. We started with a bread and stroopwafel breakfast in the museum square. The first stop we made was the Van Gogh Museum which I found to be the most beautiful. Having grown up an admirer, it was amazing to see some of my favorite works in person and learn even more about his life. We stopped next at the Stedelijk museum, known for it's collection of modern art and design. We passed through the diamond museum, visited the famous flower market on one of the many canals, and then took our canal tour as the sun set. We made our way back to Vondelpark for a nighttime stroll and then went on a search for dinner. Sunday was another intensive day of sight hopping. We visited the Nemo Science Museum, The Maritime Museum, the Botanical Gardens, the Amsterdam Museum, The Canal Museum, The Cheese Museum, took a houseboat tour, visited the “Homomonument,” and visited the Anne Frank House. We were on our feet absolutely all day until finally heading back to the hostel in the pouring rain to make ourselves a pasta dinner and promptly pass out.

We were all sad to have our wonderful weekend end with a Monday flight back to Sevilla. The city itself was so beautiful, with so many interesting things to see and do, and I was fortunate enough to share the experience with some amazing people. The north of Europe went above and beyond my expectations. I would have loved to take even more time to explore the city even further but that just means I'll have to return one day. I will say though, we were all very happy to hear the Spanish language again upon our arrival.

& as always, thank you for reading.

Love,

-Wylee

[suenos-en-sevilla]

Portugal - Blog # 6 - A Weekend Over The Border

Back in February we took a weekend trip with the program to Lisbon, Portugal. Arriving to the coast entailed a six hour bus ride with thirty college students across the Spanish and Portuguese border. Thanks to the European Union there is no such thing as border control but unfortunately this also means no stamps in our Passports to show for it. When we arrived to Lisbon we took our first stop for lunch in Rossio Square and afterwards met our tour guide at the hotel. With the tour guide we visited the monastery, the watch tower, and the monument of discoveries. True to most of our guided tours, our short attention spans got the best of us and we simply gawked at the monuments and took as many pictures as we could. Mixing in a variety of funny faces and peculiar poses. Portugal is an interesting country especially in regards to history as at one point it was incredibly influential especially in regards to the new world and it’s many maritime pursuits. Saturday morning we had breakfast in the hotel. This is only note worthy as it was, for most of us, the first time we'd had anything more than toast for breakfast since our arrival in Spain. We then took the bus to the city of Sintra to see the “Palacio de Pena,” a beautiful castle on a hill. To reach our destination we had to squeeze the bus up winding roads, a venture so impressive we all applauded for our bus driver when we reached the top, in spite of a plethora of white knuckles. The palace itself was a refreshing break from the Spanish architecture as it was much more colorful and looked amusingly enough like Bowser's castle. After the palace we drove to Cascais for lunch. On our way we stopped at “The Devil's Mouth,” a horrifyingly beautiful piece of coastline known to take the lives of those careless enough to get too close. In Cascais we had some free time to explore the town and find ourselves some grub. Portugal is known for it's fish dishes, and the Salmon sandwich that I had for lunch was absolutely unforgettable. After heading back to Lisbon to the hotel we had a free evening which we spent having dinner at a Brazilian restaurant in the city. Sunday we enjoyed another breakfast that wasn't limited to the staple toast and coffee. Afterwards we spent some more time in Rossio Square. This included shopping, ice cream, and a late lunch before loading back up into the bus for the dreaded six hour long drive back to Sevilla. By the end of the ride, the atmosphere of the bus was nothing short of restless. We pulled into the city with all thirty of us singing and dancing shamelessly along to old 90's pop hits. There’s nothing like some classic Britney Spears and NSYNC to top off yet another wonderful trip. 

& as always, thank you for reading.

Love,

-Wylee

[suenos-en-sevilla]

Spain - Blog #5 - A Day in Cadiz

On Valentine's Day a few friends and I took the train to the ocean surrounded city of Cadiz for the day. We took the earliest train there was and it took us about 2 hours to arrive to the coast. When we got there we started wandering with only the intention to find food and a sandy place to sit. We didn't know anything about the city, only that we'd be on the ocean, and that there was Carnival that weekend. After we found a cafe to get some food and some coffee we settled in on the beach. We passed most of the day with our things spread out across the sand enjoying each other's company. Did some wandering around, took some pictures, but mostly just did a lot of relaxing under the sun. A few hours before we had to head home we packed up and headed into the center to enjoy Carnival with the rest of the city. We walked straight into the middle of the action. In front of the main church is a huge plaza and it was absolutely filled to the brim with people. It seemed a lot like a warm weathered Halloween, with everyone in costumes, music, and plenty of drinks to go around. One of those moments where it doesn't matter if you're strangers, you're all friends for the night. Our time in the plaza passed too quickly, and after a quick stop at Burger King, we were on the train back home to Sevilla. All around, it was a great day with sun, sightseeing, and good people. 

& as always, thank you for reading.

Love,

-Wylee

[suenos-en-sevilla]

Spain - Blog #4 - A Day In Ronda

We took a day trip to Ronda the first Friday of February. Same drill as Granada, pile up into a bus, sit for a few hours, and drool out the window at the Spanish countryside. In Ronda there is one of the  oldest and largest bullrings. We took a guided tour of the ring first which also includes a museum type setting. I am debating myself trying to see a bullfight while I'm in Spain but I'm caught somewhere between the animal cruelty, it being a cultural staple, and also not feeling informed enough to formulate an opinion yet. It also feels a little touristic as well. After walking around the ring we crossed the major Ronda bridge into the old part of the city where she jabbered at us about history, important buildings, and urban legends. Ronda is of a higher altitude and so a little bit more chilly than Sevilla but the view was absolutely beautiful. It was a pretty cloudy gloomy day and still the city more than impressed us. After walking around the old city (the new city is considered new by the way because it's only about 500 years old) we headed down for a better view of the bridge. We made the hike back up and went to the restaurant and shopping district for some lunch. After a full meal of tapas and Sangria, we piled back up into the bus and headed back to Sevilla. Some of the pictures are up, but of course none of them do what we saw an ounce of justice. Yet another amazing little trip, yet another place I would go back to in a heartbeat.

As far as school is concerned, we will be having our first round of exams next week. A lot of us are wondering what to expect, as it will be our first exposure to the European format. Americans are very used to being taught to the test, so it should be interesting to see how these compare. We've been told the weather should start picking up soon, days are starting to reach into the 60's, and seeing the snow back home doesn't make me the least bit homesick. I took a pretty relaxed week last week and so I don't have much to report. This Saturday a few friends and I will be heading to Cadiz for the day, a beach city in the south of Spain, for the yearly Carnival. What that entails I am not quite sure, but it sounds like an experience to me. Next weekend we are taking a program trip to Portugal, which will be the longest bus ride so far. I officially booked my tickets to Amsterdam last night and have started looking into all the things one absolutely “must do” while there. There's at least a solid four museums I'm dying to see, the Canal district, a few parks and gardens, as well as the infamous Homomonument. (Yes that's what it's actually called) This is now the fifth week of being in Spain, if you can believe it's been that long already. I know I barely can.

& as always, thank you for reading.

Love,

-Wylee

[suenos-en-sevilla]

Day Trip to Ronda

[suenos-en-sevilla]

Spain - Blog #3 - Weekend in Granada

We took a weekend trip to Granada, an old and history filled Spanish city. It was one of the places that I was looking forward to visiting the most because of it's mix of Muslim and Spanish history. Friday morning we loaded up onto the bus for the weekend. It took us about 3 hours to arrive at our destination. I was completely thrilled by the Spanish country side, I spent most of the trip with my eyes glued to the windows. I am constantly wishing that there was a way to share absolutely everything I'm seeing here with the folks back home, but pictures just do not do it justice. When we arrived to our hotel we had a little bit of free time before we had to load ourselves back onto the bus. Our first stop was the Alhambra. The Alhambra was the last muslim palace in Spain before the catholic kings decided to make the entire country catholic. We had a tour guide that walked us through each part of the palace, which included several different sections and the royal gardens. Afterwards we had free time for the rest of the night and we went to a cafe for dinner and spent the remainder of the night in the hotel. The early morning made it so we needed an early bedtime.

The next morning we walked around Granada with the group. We went to the Capilla Real where Queen Isabel and King Ferdinand are buried. We got to see their tombs, caskets, possessions, and some art work from when they were alive. We then went for that scenic walk through the older neighborhoods of the city and walked up for a view of the Alhambra from the other side. We also saw different places where the local gypsies live. Some even have homes in caves on the mountain side. Afterwards we had free time for exploring the city. Granada has this beautiful mix of Spanish, Middle Eastern, and African culture to offer. The shops were full of Arabian goods and plenty of trinkets for tourists. We went out for dinner that night and then spent the rest of our time out at a hookah bar just relaxing together and taking in the lovely atmosphere. The next morning we took the bus ride home and were all happy to be back in Sevilla to catch up on all the sleep we'd missed out on in Granada. It was a really beautiful time and I would go back again without a single hesitation. I will write about Ronda soon as well, the day trip we took this weekend. The coming trips include Cadiz for a day trip for Carnival, a weekend in Portugal, and another weekend in Amsterdam. February is absolutely flying by.

& as always, thank you for reading.

Love,

-Wylee

(P.S. I'm trying to get pictures up soon, the computer and I are currently fighting) 

[suenos-en-sevilla]

Spain - Blog #2.5 -Unsolicited Advice

This is the moment I'm going to offer up advice to any future travelers on a few things. First, as an American citizen it's very important that you're aware of both your privilege and your presence in a foreign country. You hold the most powerful passport in the world. With this power, you're going to get mixed reviews from the people and places you encounter. Not everyone is going to be your biggest fan. As you travel and meet people it's important to keep in mind you might be the only experience someone has with an American in their life. The impression you leave may be the impression they have of all American's for the rest of their life, the story they tell their friends and family, your existence could influence their opinion permanently – this can obviously be for better or for worse. Yes, you are going to meet people that are absolutely ecstatic to talk to you, who will be thrilled to ask you questions about where you're from, and test out the truth of common stereotypes. These may be surface level interactions where the word “McDonalds” and the current president is all you talk about, but they can be enjoyable nonetheless. The other side of that coin is the assumption that you are fat, stupid, lazy, and completely agree with everything that the current president is doing. Yes I realize, you alone are not representative of the entire complex entity that is the United States of America, but they may not be able to differentiate the two. With all this in mind, it's important for you to not feel overwhelmed, pressured, or personally attacked. Be aware, but do not let it tear you up from the inside out. There will be unpleasant people, and it is not your responsibility to educate those who do not want to learn. Many times, they just simply don't know any better. Do what you can, and try to know when there's nothing left for you to do, and then do what you can to keep yourself sane. As an American citizen traveling abroad you have this beautiful opportunity to prove people wrong, to show them that we're much more complex and diverse people than our fast food chains.

The other side of this coin, is this exact same concept except in reverse. Something I'm trying to do while reporting back to the homeland about my travels is to not encourage stereotypes, generalization, misconceptions, or a destructive “us versus them” mentality. Maybe, just maybe my blog is the most exposure you've had to what life is like in Spain. Imagine the power that comes along with being the only picture someone has seen of a place, it leaves people to assume that everything is exactly like the small sliver they've been exposed to. It's like when you're on Facebook and everyone seems so much happier than you are, it only seems that way because you're only seeing snapshots of their life and not the 24/7 reality. Be aware of distortion and representation, is all I'm saying. Just because it's all you see does not mean that it is all that's there. Back to my point though, as a traveler, when reporting back to the homeland, you also need to be aware of what kind of impressions you're spreading around. So you met a bad Cuban/Chinese/American/whatever people it does not mean that all Cuban/Chinese/American/whatever people are bad people. There's a big difference between saying “I met a pretty crappy person today that happened to be American” versus “All Americans are crappy.” Just be aware of the pictures you're painting. Avoid generalizations and globalizations, I promise it'll be better for your mental as well. This may be starting to sound silly, but I cannot stress enough how vital being able to grasp these concepts are. Don't underestimate the size of the waves you make. The best way to make the world better is to be aware of the impact you have on it.

& as always, thank you for reading. 

Love, 

-Wylee 

[suenos-en-sevilla]

Spain - Blog #2 - I'm Craving Pancakes

Hello people of Middle Earth!

I am now mid-way through my second week of classes. The routine is starting to fall into place, with a few new things to come and get situated. Everyday I wake up to have the staple Spanish breakfast of toast and coffee. Then I make my twenty minute walk over to the school, my first class starts at the 8:15 Monday through Thursday. I was able to be placed into the Intensive Fourth Year Spanish course, a four-day-a-week-6-credit-blessing. In exchanged I dropped my Business Spanish course, which worked out perfectly because it would have served little towards my graduation, if not have just redundantly met requirements I've already filled. On Mondays and Wednesdays I have Spanish and History of Latin America back to back. I finish by academic day at 11:30 and am left to shop, hang out with friends, or just head home for a nap. For weekly meals we are expected to arrive back home, as they're prepared Sunday Dinner through Friday lunch for us by our Senora. On weekends we're left to defend for ourselves, possibly just as motivation to leave the house. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have Spanish, Monuments of Sevilla, and Women's Literature. For Monuments of Sevilla we have quick discussions in class and then take to the streets to see the history and the architecture we are studying with our own eyes. My Women's Literature course is still in the introductory phase, I'm excited to see what we cover further on and hope to report back with positive news. The best part of classes overall is just simply being able to sit their and intake an immense wave of language. For me, my favorite part is listening and to be constantly figuring out new things. We don't have classes on Fridays except for once a month to make up for the week we will loose over Feria week in April. Feria is one of the two weeks we have off in April, the other is Semana Santa. Semana Santa is essentially a week long Easter Celebration that Sevilla in particular is absolutely famous for.

So far, my classes have been very relaxed with minimal homework. There is an understanding throughout the program that we are here not to simply learn academically, but also to experience Spain and grow in ways that we could never possibly attain sitting in a classroom. The big emphasis has been put on attendance and participation. There's about four tests and two projects per class plus small exercises to be completed in between classes. It simply wouldn't be possible to experience Spain to the fullest with heavy amounts of course work, yet another part of the program I can truly appreciate. I could rot away in a classroom with 6 hours of intensive coursework afterwards in the lovely state of Wisconsin with minimal breaks for sunshine and sustenance for a fraction of the cost. So far here, the bang-to-buck ratio is panning out quite nicely. The school also has optional “cultural activities” planned for us most days of the week, for minimal to no cost. These range from anything to tapas, to walking tours in the city, to wine tasting, to watching a Spanish film at the school. I've been able to take advantage of a few thus far and plan to attend more now that I've finished my J-Term course. It's a chance to experience something new, learn about where we are, and spend time together.

Lunch is served around 2:30 or 3:30 depending on my class schedule. Then follows the glorious siesta that gives us all time to wind down everyday. Now the Spanish siesta for about 15-20 minutes, us Americans because we are so big or go home, siesta from anywhere from 1-3 hours. Oops. I've been opting out lately though to try and smooth over my sleeping schedule. After siesta at about 5 or 6 o'clock is when we usually have some sort of cultural activity. Sometimes I go to those, other times I will go shopping, or to a cafe or ice cream shop. This is the first time I've had such an abundance of free-time since starting my college career, and it is probably the most foreign feeling thing about this whole experience. To think that I have no job, when there was a time when I was juggling four with a overload course schedule. This is the least sleep deprived I've been in almost three years, this is truly a wonderful time to be alive. Dinner is served at 9 p.m. every night, which I'm fairly certain could be considered early in Spain. During the week, at least for us Americans, bedtime follows shortly afterwards.

Weekends, beat to a different drum. I personally have not experienced a lot of night life as I've been caught in finishing a J-term course through my home university. I've been told though, that sometimes Spaniards don't arrive home until the crack of dawn, as a general rule. Which leads to a lot of sleeping during the day. I've also been told that when the weather is nice, people will spend all day drinking at a local bar or cafe. Drinks are strong, and a way of the land. It's a more appearance based culture, and what's in fashion seems to actually count for something. Men, women, small children seem to all have an inherent since of style. Sevilla in general is a more liberal and accepting place to be, as I've been told. Spain overall compared to the North of Europe however, has some catching up to do. This has been explained to me as a result of Francisco Franco's time in power. As a fascist leader, he pulled Spain behind by a light year socially, especially in regards to women's rights. I've met some overly confident and thick headed men as a result, but it's not as if the United States is running short on those either. I'm actually catcalled substantially less here. Overall, it still appears to be a good place to be a woman. Once I know more, I'll report back again on the subjects of the weekend and the experience of being a foreign woman in Spain.

On the unfortunate end of things, everywhere we go as a group we stick out as Americans. I don't think it's the blondies either, I think it's being a large, loud, and obnoxious mass of college aged kids that can't walk in a straight line and are always in either a hurry or slightly lost. A lot of the times people try to speak to us in English, something I find incredibly annoying and mildly offensive, as well-intentioned as it may be. It can sometimes feel like a major insult to our intelligence. We get mixed reactions from people wherever we go. For example, I'd been informed that restaurant staff are generally just more “rude” than in the States. I've experienced both incredibly pleasant people and the ill-tempered ones, which just goes to show it's probably not a Spanish thing, but more of a person-to-person thing. I am still on a mission to break away from the red, white, and blue mob and find me some Spanish pals.

Today I got some pretty cool news! First I set up my volunteering time with the local school to teach English. I'll most likely being going after classes on Monday and I told them to give me whatever age group they need me to take. So I could be working with kids anywhere in between 1st grade and Senior year of High School. I don't know which idea I find more horrifying, the thought of small snot nosed children or ill-tempered adolescents. In all reality though, I'm very excited to help out and teach again. I also got an offer for an internship today, none of the details of which are set in stone of course. The university found me a position at the local Flamenco Museum right next to school. I'd be doing everything from secretary work, to giving tours, to announcing shows, to tending bar. I have the option of doing it 1-3 times a week. Soon those two things will hopefully be successfully integrated into my weekly schedule. I've very excited for both and I hope it all lives up to expectations.

This weekend we have a trip planned to Granada. Which is basically a city filled to the brim with history. It has some incredible remains of the Muslim kingdom before the requisition came and kicked all the non-catholics out. Plus lots and lots of other really old things. Do a Google search kids, it's fascinating stuff. We signed up this week for our trip to Lisbon, Portugal in February as well. Basically, I'm pumped. Still living and loving every minute of this Spanish dream. Many a things to look forward to.

& as always, thank you for reading. 

Love, 

-Wylee 

[suenos-en-sevilla]

Spain - Blog #1

So I wanted to try and keep up on documenting my experience here abroad, just for people back home but also mostly for myself to have something to look back on. (for those of you who followed me through my Colombian experience you know that my blogs can be a bit on the long side)

For those who don’t know but may care, I’m taking a semester abroad in Sevilla, Spain. (Seville for the Americans) I’m going through the University of Wisconsin Platteville program and I am one of thirty some other American students. I am a junior at Wisconsin River Falls double majoring in International Studies and Spanish. I also lived a year abroad in Colombia during my senior year of high school. 

I really want this trip to be what really rounds out the rest of my Spanish skills and puts me where I’d like to be linguistically. I also am dead set on taking what I learned from my first study abroad experience and absolutely maximizing my stay in Europe. I want to make absolutely every moment my own, and go about this experience as unapologetically as possible. Plus, I just simply love traveling and being completely out of my element. 

Before I start, I’d like to take a moment to really thank the wonderful souls that have supported me and made all of this possible. I am incredibly proud of myself it’s true, something I believe I deserve, but I could not and would not be who I am today without the experiences and people I have surrounding me. I am so fortunate to receive both unconditional support and love from absolutely everyone in my life. (That’s a plus to shedding the bad apples, everyone ends up being a good one) I’m becoming a very very (very) confident woman, and I have so many people to thank for that. 

Three years ago I would have told you I had no interest in going to Europe (yet), Spain was absolutely last on my list when selecting countries for my first program. But by some twisted turn of fate, here I am. Happily so, may I add. I arrived to Madrid at about 8 a.m. on Tuesday the 13th. I waited until the night of to really pack my bags and it wasn’t until 2 a.m. that I booked the hostel I’d be staying at. When I arrived I still had no idea how I would make it from the airport to my hostel. Chaotic straight out of the gate, how I prefer it. 

This whole trip is about flying by the seat of my pants, if you can’t tell already. I’ve vowed to meet every potential hiccup with a shrug of my shoulders and an “okay let’s do this.” 10/10 would recommend, it’s worked thus far. 

Anyways, I arrived to the airport, struggled with the WIFI and google maps, asked a few people at various information and tourist desks how in the heck I should get to where I was going to. I got different answers every time. I knew a taxi would be expensive and I hadn’t brought much cash with me anyway. Eventually I decided on the Metro (Subway) which was a hike and a half across the airport with my over packed carry on and fifty pound checked back. (My arms are still sore) 

I got a map from the impatient desk clerk who briefly explained which lines I should be taking to get to my destination. Again, not as helpful as I would have liked. I tried to pay for my metro ticket with a machine that was out of order. (it took me a few tries to realize there was a sign blatantly stating it wasn’t working) Then I didn’t know how to put my ticket through the gate so that it would open, so I had to ask another clerk.

This is just a glimpse at how completely disorientating traveling abroad can be. Living your daily life at home you come to this subconscious conclusion that everything in your world exist universally across the planet. This is not the case at all. Leaving the country is the swiftest kick in the ass, you realize very quickly that you don’t know anything. And I mean anything. Something as “basic” as an elevator can be like a Rubix’s Cube to decipher. If you’re considering studying abroad, the faster you can accept that you’re going to feel stupid ALL. OF. THE. TIME. the better off you’re going to be. 

It took me several times to get things right. I took the wrong trains, stood around like an idiot staring at my map, got off at the wrong stops, endured glares from strangers, all while towing my life’s worth of luggage behind me. I was so hungry by the time that it was all said and done I thought I might just pass out. Might I add, I did this all without WIFI or cell service. 

Finally, I surfaced. & from the first moments Madrid absolutely took my breath away. It’s a beautiful, ancient, and completely massive city. Still having no idea where I was, I took a moment to sit down, and then took a guess at which direction I should go. I cannot read maps to save my life, much less tell my left from my right. North and South are mysteries to me. In an effort to survive, I approached the first people I saw that looked as lost as I was. 

I am quiet the survivalist I tell you. Turns out they were Italian, thus began an exchange of Italian, English, and Spanish. I’m fortunate enough to understand most romance languages, so it wasn’t a problem. Plus Italians talk loud enough and with their hands, so if I would have had any doubts, they would have been cleared up by the flamboyant gestures. I ended up pointing them in the right direction and they pointed me to mine, a truly beautiful moment. 

It took asking two more people on my way to find my hostel. Turned out the street I was looking for was right in front of me. (As is how it usually goes) For those who don’t know, as I sure as heck did not, in Spain there are no street signs. The names of the streets are put up on the corners of buildings, essentially out of view from most angles. They use tiles like we would to put numbers on our houses, and they are well above eye level as well. (Put that on the list of things I should have googled before coming to Spain) Humiliating moment #17 of the day. I also had to walk down the street three or four times to find the hostel which was, of course, right in front of my face. So it took about five strangers after getting off the metro alone to help me find what I was looking for. (Plus the countless others in the airport and Metro Station) 

It was about noon and check in time was not until two. So I put my bags down in the hostel and checked in with my family via the free WIFI. I was so frazzled I could barely communicate with the receptionist in Spanish or English. Turns out, the free walking tour for guests was about to start so I shrugged my shoulders and went along. It was so beautiful. It ended up being about two and a half hours long. We had an British tour guide, Harry that explained all the history and told us stories. We passed through major plazas, saw royal family homes, castles, great churches, a rose garden, good places to eat, and just enjoyed the view in a big group of strangers from all over the world.  

I got myself back to the hostel afterwards, took a nap until about 8 p.m., and then went out with the hostel group for tapas and drinks. We went to “El Tigre” where they had endless tapas. Which was good, as I hadn’t eaten since before I landed that morning. I spent my time with a group of guys from the States, Canada, Germany, and Australia. I filled up on tapas, had some amazing and politically charged conversations, and walked myself back to my hostel. Alone, at night, with headphones in even, something I would have never dreamed of doing in Colombia.

Am I fearless or reckless, I don’t particularly care what you think. The honest to god truth is that no where in this world is 100% safe, and you can be robbed or assaulted anywhere. Yes, even your home town. Common sense is key, and to remember that even if/when something does happen, it is not your fault. I’ve had caution preached at me, especially as a young and attractive female, my entire life. I’ve had it preached at me to the point where the fear I internalized became paralyzing. That is not living. & I’m so tired of it, simply put it’s not fair to teach people to live in fear of living their lives. You can survive absolutely anything that happens to you, so why let the possibility stop you, there’s also a pretty damn good chance that you will have the time of your life. 

So far, I feel so safe here, and it’s made all the difference in my comfort and my ability to purely enjoy my experience. Yes, they’ve already told us a handful of times pit-pockets are all over, but I am also a dangerous force to be reckoned with. I am 120 pounds sopping wet, but I secrete confidence, and the universe recognizes that. You can take all the precautions in the world, shit is still going to happen. You’re also more equipped to handle it when it does than you realize. My biggest advice is to find a balance between common sense and general awareness of your surroundings, a balance that does not inhibit your experience. Have fun for crying out loud, you may only be here once. 

Allow me to step off my soap box, I realize nobody asked me, but it is my blog after all. So, I woke up early the next morning and again attempted navigating the metro. I had much fewer issues this time, maybe only two mishaps. I also figured out the airport relatively easily. Again, it took a few tries, but I'm counting it as a win. At the gate there were many more American students also arriving to Sevilla to study, most of which were not in my program. The flight went by really quickly and soon I was meeting the welcome party SAIIE had sent for us. 

They put us in a taxi and sent us on our way. The amount of independence and responsibility they expected of us was astonishing in comparison to the constant bottle feeding I experienced in Colombia. As daunting as it is to be expected to behave like an adult, I greatly appreciate the freedom to bump around and learn how to walk with my own two legs. That’s not to say they haven’t been supportive and made themselves available for questions, because they absolutely have. So far I am actually very very impressed with the program and the faculty. I feel really comfortable with the way things are, if I reach out they will take my hand, if not they’ll allow me the space I need to figure it out on my own. They’ve been down to earth and honest with us from the moment we arrived, and feel more like family and friends than suffocating superiors. 

From the taxi I dragged my bags to the door of my new home, rang the door bell and was joyfully greeted by my Senora Carmen. She immediately started clucking at me and grabbing my face and telling me how beautiful I am. Something I am more than accustomed to from living in Colombia. I live with 3 other American students, my senora’s daughter Carmen, and there are also 3 other American students from the Winter program staying with us until Saturday. Now calm down, because I only share a room with one other person. Logan and I are roommates, then there is Chloe and Quinn. I knew none of them before arriving. 

I’ve been translating for them since I got here. I unpacked and tried to get things at least semi-settled. I believe I took a nap as well and had lunch, but it was all very hectic. At 5:30 we took a walking tour of our neighborhood with students that lived nearby. They showed us where the school was and also some helpful places like the grocery store. Again, absolutely beautiful. I am in love with this city and cannot wait to get to know every nook and cranny. And I probably will, as I’ve been lost a handful of times already, but never wandered too far away from where I was trying to be. 

The next day we had orientation where they explained some rules and gave us tips and advice. That night we went to a Flamenco show, which is a traditional style of art in Spain. It combines singing, dancing, and guitar. I could appreciate the talent, but don’t think I’ll be paying to see another show while I am here. It is however an experience I am happy to have had, and I will cherish it. After the show, Logan and I tried to find “El Corte Ingles,” the local department store as we needed to buy a few things. We got lost and then got found, as is turning out to be the way of doing things for us. 

In Colombia I used to carry so much anxiety when faced with completing simple tasks in Spanish. I am so happy to report that is no longer the case. Most of the time I can communicate clearly without an issue, and for those times that things don’t go so smoothly, I no longer let it pierce me in the gut. I just laugh at myself, move on, and usually end up successful regardless. After the store we went to get chocolate with churros. I was happily hit on by an Italian waiter, who offered to teach me Spanish. (something I don’t actually need) Logan and I left giggling, only to get a little bit lost on our way home.  We dropped our things off, took a nap, and then woke up around 11 p.m. Which in Spain, is time to go out. 

By midnight we were out of the house and in the pouring rain on a determined search for wine. We ducked into the first bar we found, about 20 minutes away from our home. (Spaniards walk everywhere if I haven’t mentioned it already) We ordered our drinks and observed the locals. We finished them off and headed around the corner to another bar, ordered our second round and just chatted to each other. A warning to those considering Spain as a destination, drinks are much stronger on this side of the world. On an empty stomach, two drinks each was more than enough for the both of us. We giggled all the way home hand in hand, in complete shock and awe at how beautiful this place truly is. Surprisingly, we didn’t get lost this time around. 

We got home a little before 3 a.m. and then woke up on Friday with grace, in the way only 20-something-year-olds can. We had breakfast then got ready to go to our second orientation. We met some teachers, talked about what we should expect from study abroad. Fortunately most if not all of the SAIIE staff have traveled abroad, to Wisconsin in particular. This gives us experiences in common and complete understanding and support. After orientation we took a long walk to the Plaza de Espana, incredible. We spent some time there and took a lot of pictures with the entire group of us. We headed back for lunch where we ate a “potato cake” which was more like a giant tater tot. It was delicious. 

After siesta we went out for tapas with the group as a welcome party. We met the rest of the SAIIE staff and ate and drank our hearts out. It was a lot of fun and I had a chance to go from person to person and get to know more people in my program.

I’m looking forward to starting classes on Monday and seeing what that part of the experience has to offer. I’ll be taking a Spanish language course, Women in Literature, Business Spanish, Artistic Monuments of Sevilla, a speaking lab called Intercambio, and Latin American History, all of course will be taught in Spanish. Something I chose to do to try and maximize my learning opportunity. I’m also hoping to be bumped up to the fourth year intensive level Spanish course, which is four days a week and 6 credits instead of simply twice a week for 3 credits. I’ll put that request in on Monday. It would get me even closer to my goal of graduating early so, here’s to hoping it gets approved. 

The jet lag is still wearing off, and we are all becoming accustomed to the new sleeping and eating schedule. As well as the pace of life, which is much slower during the day and much more lively during the night than the States. I finally feel like there are enough hours in the day here. I may be in a honey moon period, but for now I am deeply in love with this city. Here’s to what’s to come.

& as always, thank you for reading. 

Love, 

-Wylee