(Photos are below)
Hola todos! Wow, as I lay here and start to write this, I can hardly believe it has only been one week--ONE week--since I got here. It feels like I arrived a month ago. Yes, it felt like a long week but I think that’s because we were trying to settle in. We got a lot accomplished and I’d say it was a good week overall. We got to tour the third biggest cathedral in the world, do a lot of shopping, have a welcome dinner with the ISA program, settle into our different living situations, and figure out the metro. Not necessarily in that order, but we have been adjusting for sure.
I thought I would die in the heat, and there were about 2-3 days that were absolutely miserable. But, just the past 2 days, it has really started to cool down even during the day, so I don’t think we will be miserable much longer. I really appreciate their siesta time here. I mentioned how siestas work here in my last blog but I have really figured it out and I love it. I use it as a designated time for me to be productive with things that I need to sit down to do. For example, I’ll do my homework during this time, catch up on my journaling, listen to music/podcasts, check my email, etc. Every one usually does this stuff, it just might be more sporadic throughout the day. This is just a set time to do those things everyday and it is during the time of day where you wouldn’t be productive anyway because it is so hot. Therefore, it is perfect! Oh, and if I’m really tired, I nap too. It’s still productive though because our bodies need sleep!
Figuring out my schedule for classes was a little rough. We had signed up for 10 classes before coming on this program, but I didn’t choose very specifically. I just chose classes in English and subjects that looked interesting and related to my major. I thought we would get to learn more about them and then choose them when we got here. Instead, they gave us 5 classes of the 10 we had chosen and then it was up to us to figure out if we wanted to switch by looking at the schedule and “adding” or “dropping” classes by getting a professor’s signature. Therefore, I had to go to almost 4 classes per day to try to switch around my schedule and get into the classes I wanted. I originally liked my schedule, but I realized I really want to practice my Spanish grammar while I’m here, so I wanted to switch into a Spanish class. However, they keep those classes super small and every one wants in those classes. Also, based on your placement exam, they only let you into certain classes. You would think because we are IN SPAIN, they would give a lot of Spanish class options, but I think there were less than at my University in Denver. Oy. But, no te preocupes (do not worry), because I figured it out. I have 3 classes on Monday/Wednesday from 10:30-2:50 and 1 class on Tuesday/Thursday from 12-1:20. I do not have classes on Friday which is awesome so I can travel! They are all really good classes too. I’m taking International Marketing, Español Intermedio, Communication and Media in the Digital Age, and Sports Psychology. All the teachers seem really great so I’m excited! The campus is pretty dang ugly, but I figured out why DU is so expensive. Because they take our money to build new buildings every year and to buy the newest technology. It is the perfect example of an “American” university. Whereas here, not only in their universities but in general too, they live very simply but have the same quality of what is important. For example, their education is very good here. They just don’t have the prettiest of campuses. However, it is FREE. It is a public college so the locals can attend the University of Seville for free. I have realized how beneficial being here and studying here is, solely because I get to learn about a different culture. I get to understand how their systems work here. If I plan on saving the world some day, it’d help to know what the entire world is like so that I can pull the best “systems” from each part of the world to design the perfect system. I guess God’s got that under control, but I have a good start nevertheless.
Well last night was incredible! We got to meet a ton of locals because our host parents hosted a barbacoa (BBQ). Carly (my roommate) and I were very curious what “BBQ” meant for Spaniards. We found out it’s very similar to a potluck. There’s a lot of beer, wine, soda, etc.
Oh! They made us mojitos too, which are delicious and very common here. Then, they have some form of meat on the grill and then every one brings a traditional Spanish dish. Por ejemplo (for example), tortillas de patatas or aceitunas (green olives) or some fresh fish with chips or salsas (dips) or queso (cheese), etc. Oh, and of course pan (bread). And you know how they say Spanish moms force the Americans to eat lots of food and make sure that they are really, really full? Well here, I had about 15 Spanish women there and they were constantly saying “Come, come, come” (eat, eat, eat). It was great. Oh, there’s also a lot of “besos” (kisses). I get very awkward real fast. Sometimes the women accidently brush each other on the lips and I almost die. I’m just super awkward...ah, ah, ah. Madre mía! (Mama mia). Anywho, most of these Spanish parents also have sons or daughters that are between 14-20 years old so there were a lot more people our age there than I expected. Oh, and the 14 year olds look like 18 year olds. You wouldn’t believe it. They don’t speak very much English so, at first, I thought it would be a little rough. Then, we all started talking and ended up talking and hanging out until 3:30am. It was so much fun! We created a group on Whatsapp and they said they would give us a tour around the city. I’m so excited to know some locals! They’re all so sweet and nice. And, it will be great practice for our Spanish. One of them understands English perfectly, she just can’t speak super fast. It’s so annoying how a Spanish person will say in Spanish…”No hablo inglés muy bien.” (I don’t speak English very well). But then, I tell them to try speaking and their English is perfect…. Ugh. I go, no no. You guys don’t understand. I say I don’t speak Spanish very well and it is very true. Oh well. I am starting to practice more everyday by watching Friends in Spanish and to read in Spanish, as well. That is how they are so good at English. They listen to music in English, they read news in English about the US, and they try to learn about our culture. That is why I am embarrassed to be American sometimes. Because I think we are so selfish because we don’t “need” to learn a different language because we expect the whole world to know English. Then, we don’t learn about their culture or try to keep up with their news. And I get it, it’d be hard to do that for all the countries in Europe because they are all so different. It just has made me realize how, in general, Americans are so uncultured.
Well, that was my rant. Anyway! I am really appreciating things here and am excited I get to live here for 4 months. I have to remind myself of that everyday. Hope you all are doing well!!!
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