Sevilla

Hola.

So, I’ve been in Sevilla a few days and here are some fun facts:

1. There are so many small streets that in order to put them all together in a map-like form, it takes an entire gigantic book. Not only have I been told this, I’ve seen it in person. Subsequently, as a silly little American girl, I’m constantly getting lost. However, I’m finding all kinds of new and exciting places that I can never get back to a second time.

2. As one would expect, oranges here are positively scrumptious. I ate three in one day and my host family thought it was great.

3. Apparently Spaniards do not eat many vegetables, though they do eat more bread than I’ve ever eaten in my entire existence (okay, that might be a bit hyperbolic, but seriously, I miss vegetables).

4. A lot of streets are geometrically designed stone patterns, which are lovely to look at, but terribly uncomfortable for feet.

5. Women wear their hair in a more natural style here. It’s nice. If my hair is a little frizzy, I just fit in more, so I’m definitely all about it.

My host family is incredibly hospitable. Pacita (my host mom) smiles a lot and makes jewelry (which we’ve bonded over). She told Fiorella, my roommate, and I that we would be like her daughters and has given us a lot of privileges in the house. Jesus (my host father) is also very kind. For the past two days, he’s walked us to where we need to go and Fiorella, our friend Ellen, and I all follow behind like ducklings.  Jesus (host brother), who Fiorella and I refer to as Jr. (and will henceforth be known as such), doesn’t seem to be home very much. We don’t know much about him, but Pacita assured us that he’s just shy at first.

Getting lost has been a common occurrence for everyone in the program and we’re all tired from walking by the end of the day. Today, Fiorella and I asked how to get to our street and just about every person stared at us, wide-eyed, and said “Es tan lejos!” (It’s very far!). At this point, we’re so used to walking in circles that it never really seems that “far.”

The other day I was walking down the street and a boy who was about 10 stopped in front of me and mirrored me when I moved. At first I thought he was just being a funny kid (which I guess he was for his tres amigos). But then he started saying thinks in English and Spanish like “fuck your mother” and “you and me.” I wasn’t really sure what to do there; it looks pretty bad to bully a ten-year-old, now doesn’t it? But eventually I made eye contact with a woman and she inquired about what was going on and after the boy said, “I’m telling her ‘fuck your mother’,” she just nonchalantly asked “why?” And that ended it.

My first day of intensive classes was today. They were, well, kind of intense. It will essentially be five hours straight each day of learning things about Spanish, but I know I’ll be pretty darn prepared for my classes at la Universidad de Sevilla.

Besos!

Love,

Natalie