So you actually do have to go to school here, which was kind of a shock to the system since I haven't been in class since the end of last April. I was worried that starting classes would take away from life in Sevilla, but I have found that that's not the case at all. We started classes Monday (it's currently Wednesday morning Sevilla time). Since I only have to take four classes, (thankful for that awful online summer course now) my schedule is pretty great. I have class on Mondays/Wednesdays from 1-7 and on Tuesdays/Thursdays from 9-11 (no Friday classes in Spain!)
The professors are extremely enthusiastic and I'm so excited to learn in such a new way and take such interesting, fun classes. I'm taking a contrastive grammar class which points out the differences between grammatical differences in English and Spanish, a class entitled "La Literatura y Concina: Escribir, Leer, Cocinar, Comer,"which translates to "Literature and Cooking: Writing, Reading, Cooking, Eating." For every two days of actual class we get to spend one in the kitchen, cooking different Spanish dishes. There's a whole week dedicated to wine pairings… so obviously I was sold on that one pretty easily. I'm taking one other spanish grammar/vocab class and a class about culture and society in Spain.
The biggest difficulty I have had thus far is paying attention for 2 hour long classes conducted entirely in Spanish. I originally anticipated taking two classes in english, two in spanish, but after realizing that my spanish is nowhere near as good as I thought it was, I wanted to really immerse myself in it.
Today marks the one week point in Sevilla, and it has been one of the most amazing weeks of my life. Even the days we have class have been so filled with other things. On the first day of class a bunch of girls went out after for tapas and a drink, and we decided to make this a regular occurrence for most Mondays and Wednesdays to make six hours of class more bearable. Since I don't have class until the afternoon on Monday and Wednesday, I have been able to go for runs along the river which has been a great way clear my mind as its been on overdrive trying to recall all of the Spanish I have learned, learn new things in class, and adjust to a completely different place.
Yesterday I only had class until 11, and after I visited my favorite little cafe again (if you ever go to Seville a visit to Cafe del Valle is a must) did my small amount of homework and caught up on life while enjoying another amazing mocha cappuccino and a pastry. My roommate Sam met me there and on our way home for lunch we stopped in a few little stores. We had another amazing lunch (which Gertrudis said was a French meal) of some kind of cream of broccoli soup, baked chicken, and melon for dessert.) I look forward to our long lunches everyday as it's a time where we really get spend time with our host mom. I have been so surprised about the deep and intuitive conversations we have had. I guess it's true what they say about Europeans and how they truly want to get to know you. I have also been really surprised that I can understand most of what my professors and host mom say (they talk unbelievably quickly and with a different type of Spanish accent), but even though I can understand it has been tough to communicate back.
After our lunch yesterday we took a siesta and then went shopping with our host mom. She is always so well dressed and showed us a store with really cute, really inexpensive clothing. After shopping we met up with the API group for a trip to the Metropol Parisol or "la Seta" (the mushroom) as the locals call it. It's basically this big tall structure that you can climb to the top of. We went at sunset and got to see even more of this beautiful city. We walked home to have dinner around 9:30 and around 11:15 Sam and I decided to spontaneously go out in search of gelato. We found one little place that was still open where we got to experience yet another wonderful Sevillano. The man working explained that it was his shop, and in sited we try every flavor before order (it would have been rude to oppose right…? ) So of course we did and then sat and had our gelato before heading back home.
Days are so filled with life here and everything just seems a little simpler and a little more enjoyable. I'm definitely hoping to bring this type of attitude back home with me at the end of the semester (if I actually come home). Feeling a tiny bit homesick today as it's the first day of fall! They do have pumpkin spice lattes here though, and as much as I mentally oppose going to a Starbucks in Europe when there are so many great coffee shops, I may just have to get one soon.
I'm hoping to link my blog to periscope soon so I can life stream some of my adventures!
If you're reading this have apple pie/pumkin anything for me today!
Adios from Sevilla!
The professors are extremely enthusiastic and I'm so excited to learn in such a new way and take such interesting, fun classes. I'm taking a contrastive grammar class which points out the differences between grammatical differences in English and Spanish, a class entitled "La Literatura y Concina: Escribir, Leer, Cocinar, Comer,"which translates to "Literature and Cooking: Writing, Reading, Cooking, Eating." For every two days of actual class we get to spend one in the kitchen, cooking different Spanish dishes. There's a whole week dedicated to wine pairings… so obviously I was sold on that one pretty easily. I'm taking one other spanish grammar/vocab class and a class about culture and society in Spain.
The biggest difficulty I have had thus far is paying attention for 2 hour long classes conducted entirely in Spanish. I originally anticipated taking two classes in english, two in spanish, but after realizing that my spanish is nowhere near as good as I thought it was, I wanted to really immerse myself in it.
Today marks the one week point in Sevilla, and it has been one of the most amazing weeks of my life. Even the days we have class have been so filled with other things. On the first day of class a bunch of girls went out after for tapas and a drink, and we decided to make this a regular occurrence for most Mondays and Wednesdays to make six hours of class more bearable. Since I don't have class until the afternoon on Monday and Wednesday, I have been able to go for runs along the river which has been a great way clear my mind as its been on overdrive trying to recall all of the Spanish I have learned, learn new things in class, and adjust to a completely different place.
Yesterday I only had class until 11, and after I visited my favorite little cafe again (if you ever go to Seville a visit to Cafe del Valle is a must) did my small amount of homework and caught up on life while enjoying another amazing mocha cappuccino and a pastry. My roommate Sam met me there and on our way home for lunch we stopped in a few little stores. We had another amazing lunch (which Gertrudis said was a French meal) of some kind of cream of broccoli soup, baked chicken, and melon for dessert.) I look forward to our long lunches everyday as it's a time where we really get spend time with our host mom. I have been so surprised about the deep and intuitive conversations we have had. I guess it's true what they say about Europeans and how they truly want to get to know you. I have also been really surprised that I can understand most of what my professors and host mom say (they talk unbelievably quickly and with a different type of Spanish accent), but even though I can understand it has been tough to communicate back.
After our lunch yesterday we took a siesta and then went shopping with our host mom. She is always so well dressed and showed us a store with really cute, really inexpensive clothing. After shopping we met up with the API group for a trip to the Metropol Parisol or "la Seta" (the mushroom) as the locals call it. It's basically this big tall structure that you can climb to the top of. We went at sunset and got to see even more of this beautiful city. We walked home to have dinner around 9:30 and around 11:15 Sam and I decided to spontaneously go out in search of gelato. We found one little place that was still open where we got to experience yet another wonderful Sevillano. The man working explained that it was his shop, and in sited we try every flavor before order (it would have been rude to oppose right…? ) So of course we did and then sat and had our gelato before heading back home.
Days are so filled with life here and everything just seems a little simpler and a little more enjoyable. I'm definitely hoping to bring this type of attitude back home with me at the end of the semester (if I actually come home). Feeling a tiny bit homesick today as it's the first day of fall! They do have pumpkin spice lattes here though, and as much as I mentally oppose going to a Starbucks in Europe when there are so many great coffee shops, I may just have to get one soon.
I'm hoping to link my blog to periscope soon so I can life stream some of my adventures!
If you're reading this have apple pie/pumkin anything for me today!
Adios from Sevilla!