Granada

I've made it to Granada all in one piece, I didn't think that I was going to make it earlier today. We had to lug all of our suitcases all the way across town, 30 minutes walking, and I have two suitcases that weigh 50 lbs. each, a backpack and a purse. Luckily Carlos, our tour guide, helped me out and took one of my suitcases...I was struggling...BUT we are all here! 

We are going to the Alhambra tomorrow and then to explore the city for a bit. Our hotel is right next to the Sierra Nevada Mountains and it's a gorgeous view....

It's the beginning of the end....

¡Qué Sevillana!

After three and a half months...I´ve finally found out how to finally look like a Spaniard!

One Last Good-Bye

So many of you have asked, “So how do you feel about going home?” Here is what I have come up with….

How am I feeling about going home…ah, such a complex question and quite honestly the answer changes daily. For starters, I can’t believe that I’m coming home…this kind of seems like my new life here…so it’s odd to even think that I have to go back to the States. After being here so long I’ve grown accustomed to everything that is around me, and this is my new home. It’s hard to think about how things are going to be when I get back to the States because it is going to be so different. Are my friends going to still be the same? Will I feel left out? What will they expect of me when I get back? Will we start off where we left off? What friendships do I cherish and which could I live without? Who do I really care for? Why? I went through culture shock when I came here and now I feel like I’m going to go through culture shock again leaving. Why are Americans this way? Why can’t we do things this way? Will I be hungry at 6pm anymore? Why can’t I go to the bar at 2pm and just do homework while having a glass of wine? There are obvious differences and things that I like better here or there. As of right now, it doesn’t seem real that I am leaving, and leaving so soon at that.

I’ve been here for three and a half months, three and a half whole months. Which brings me to question, what have I done with my time in Spain? Did I spend it well? What would I have done differently? What can I still do? I think that on this trip I have learned more about myself, about my abilities, and about others than I would have imagined. And with this said, I think that I am going to start to notice the changes and my strengths and weaknesses when I return to the States. Will I be able to bring back my “Spanish mentality” with me? Will I change back to who I was? Will I stay the same or will I end up a mixture of the two? There have been times when all I wanted to do was to go home, to make a phone call, to change the culture, to be there for a friend, to give up, to say “I can’t”…but I haven’t been able to.

The things in life that are most important to me, are the things that I take for granted everyday. I take for granted the ability to give a friend a hug when they are having a bad day…being able to check my e-mail frequently… to talk to friends on a daily basis…to buy a tub of ice cream…to watch movies with friends…to have a shoulder to cry on… the ability to explain myself…my education…my family…my abilities… talents… dreams…I take for granted all of the little things that my friends and family do for me on a regular basis…I take for granted the ability to make someone laugh, to have an intelligent conversation, to take a leadership role. Most of these things I do on a regular basis in the States, but here each one of these things becomes complicated. For example, I went to the library to do research for a paper. Four hours later when I was frustrated and without any information, it hit me. I took for granted being able to use a library, to ask the right questions, to search for the right books, hell to even be able to check out books…everything becomes a challenge in which all of the little things add up. Life is filled with little things and until you are put in a highly self dependent state, you don’t know how much one question, one problem or one instance can change a series of events and can become the most important thing in your world at that moment.

It hasn’t been the easiest time here, but through the hard times I’ve learned about myself. I’ve become even more self dependent, more confident, more aware of my surroundings, more relaxed, more optimistic, more spontaneous, more dependent on my communication skills, more opinionated, and more open to new ideas and experiences. These are only a handful of things that have changed and I continue to grow and change each day. I’m not quite sure that I can see the change from my perspective but from others, I know that the changes are there.

Why not be happy in life? Why do things that don’t make you happy? Why not surround yourself with amazing people who will lift you up rather than bring you down? Life is too short to not take chances, to get lost, to go on adventures, to see the good in people, to push yourself to the limit, to share yourself with others and to be who you want to be.

Quite honestly I’m a little scared to come home…but excited all at the same time.

So to answer the dreaded question…I’m feeling indifferent and emotional about coming home. If only the physicality of the trip back was what I had to worry about, I’d be fine. But that’s not anywhere near what I have to prepare myself for. Emotionally, physically, psychologically…I’m going to be a wreck. Torn between two worlds with an overload of family, friends, memories, familiar surroundings, and the normal but monotonous and comfortable lifestyle of the States…the things that I’ve been missing, anticipating, loathing…are all going to hit me at once. But would I change my decision or trade my experiences abroad for anything? …not a chance.

Bullfight

Sunday April 27, 2008

Today we are going to the bullfight at 6:30pm. It’s going to be pretty hot, but I’m prepared: SPF 45 sunscreen, a huge hat, seat cushion, water, sunglasses and a fan. The works. This is going to be a really interesting experience and I’m stoked to go! I wish that I could write more about the fight but…today will be that last day that I write…we leave Sevilla tomorrow. Oh how the sands of time have wound down! Our train to Granada leaves tomorrow at a little after 11am and that officially starts May Term. We will be traveling to Granada, Murcia, Barcelona, San Sebastian, Bilbao and finally to Madrid.

On a side note, thanks to everyone who has taken the time to keep up with what is going on in my life. It’s been great hearing from you all and I don’t think that I could have survived without your love, support and mail! Studying for the semester in Seville has truly been a life changing experience and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. As for me…I will see you on May 12^th…but until then ¡Adios de España!

Our Final Intercambio

Saturday April 26, 2008

Here is the run down of the day…the abridged version.

• I went to Itálica, an old ancient ruins about 20 minutes outside of Sevilla. The ruins were pretty cool. The huge amphitheatre was my favorite part, but I’m glad that we went in the morning because it got really hot today…past 96 degrees!
• Bullfighting tickets: We finally got them exchanged and we are going to the bullfight tomorrow at 6:30pm! I’m excited to see this interesting part of the culture…how unique.
• Shopping for a bit: Allison and I had a few things that we still needed to pick up around Sevilla so we went shopping in the Barrio of Santa Cruz for a while.
• Exchange at Bandalai: After lunch we met up with our intercambio friends at a bar called Bandalai. It was amazingly decorated, low lit, with mosaic light fixtures, candles, tiles, and huge comfy couches lined the walls. We got in free with some VIP passes that Alfredo had, he’s a writer and he works in public relations so he has connections all over town. There was a live flamenco band playing, which included a little drummer boy (ha) who couldn’t have been over 7 years old. We drank, we danced, we talked and afterwards we headed to another bar to get some food. We talked some more and then headed out again. Allison, a few of the guys and myself went to the flamenco bar Lo nuestro and we danced flamenco all night. We ended up dancing with the best guys in the house (more like being taught and trying to dance), they were amazing and had to be at least 40, but it was a lot of fun. I’m going to miss being able to go to a bar and dancing flamenco and just being social until 5am.
• Saying “until laters” not “good-byes”: It was really crappy saying good-bye to all the friends that we have made here in Sevilla. But our friends assured us that we would be back again soon, if not for next Feria, and that they would see us again. Thus we said our “until laters” instead of “good-byes.” They are all very different and they all have their own intricacies and I’ve loved getting to know all of them. I think I’m going to miss the hospitality when I leave, and not to mention all of the amazing people that I have to leave behind as well. We exchanged e-mails and such, so I hope that we will continue to say in touch.

La Giralda and Paella

Friday April 25, 2008

I finally went up the Giralda today, finally. I’ve been meaning to make it to the Cathedral…but I hadn’t yet, so I decided that it was now or never; I opted for the now. The view from the top is gorgeous of the city and its cool being able to look out and actually know what I’m looking at. Afterwards Allison (who was feeling a little better) and I caught a bus to the School of the Silicianos, that has a professional kitchen, and we met up with our classmates and Yaye to learn how to cook paella. Paella is a very typical Spanish dish with rice, veggies and either chicken or fish, sort of like a stir-fry. There was a professional chef there as well as Yaye and we all pitched in chopping, stirring and decorating to make paella. I cooked a little pan without fish (no more Pepe’s and his friends) and it actually turned out really well. I can proudly say that I can cook a real Spanish meal! After we got done eating we had to say good-bye to Rocio and Yaye, two of our teachers, and it was really sad. I adore them both and this experience has been great because of them. Afterwards I went home and changed and I went to La Plaza de España and El Parque Maria Luisa with two classmates. We just hung out and talked and reflected. It was fun to get out and enjoy the 95-degree weather. Sevilla is starting to get really hot, and Encarna say’s that it just gets worst as the summer goes on. She said the high is around 120-ish and I can’t even believe how anyone could stand that. I stopped at an Internet café on the way home and said a couple of final good-byes. If that wasn’t bad enough, Allison and I ended up packing a bit when I got home, how lame. Encarna came home from Málaga tonight and we chatted with her for a bit while packing. It’s an odd feeling….I know that I’m leaving but I don’t think that it has quite hit me yet. I’m sure when I’m lugging my life around for two weeks during May I’ll start to realize that we are actually returning home rather soon.

The Last Day Of Classes, ¡Ole!

Thursday April 24, 2008

Today is finally the last day of classes for the semester. Carmen gave back our history and literature finals and Victor stopped in to give us our culture final back. I was really happy with the first two, and not really thrilled with the last but they are done with and I survived to tell the story!

After classes we tried to exchange our bullfight tickets from last weekend (when the fight was suspended because of the weather) but the ticket man told us that we needed to come back on Saturday. Afterwards we headed home. When we arrived home for lunch, we quickly realized that we were going to have garbanzo bean stew. I don’t really care for these beans much, but Spaniards love them. After our host sister left we went to the kitchen and decided to make our own lunch: macaroni n’ cheese and salad with real dressing. It was delicious and I actually cooked it (just call me Emeril). After our gourmet meal Allison and I went and got our haircut and highlighted. It was a really nice day, in the nineties, so Allison and I walked around and shopped for a while.

We came home and she started not to feel well, but we both started to get ready for our “last supper” with our teachers. She didn’t end up going (sad) but I still went alone. We met up with our professors and went to a bar called, “Torre de Plata.” We had a delicious four-course Spanish meal and some good table conversation. There was a lot of reflecting back on the semester, which brought about a mix of emotions. Afterwards we headed to an Irish pub and had a few drinks with everyone and then people split their own ways. I ended up going to a club called Catedral with Elsabeth and we danced for a while…until some crazy girl ran up to us and started accusing us of stealing her purse. She was furious…but we didn’t do anything. All we could say was sorry, it wasn’t us, we can help….but all she could do was accuse and yell (in Spanish obviously). After we finally got that fiasco settled it kind of killed the night and we decided to head home.

On the way home we passed a group of people who were “botellon-ing” in the Alameda. Botellon-ing is where you buy a bottle of liquor, a bottle of Coke, you bring glasses and you drink in public. It’s quite an interesting concept, especially because as of last year its technically illegal, but that doesn’t stop anyone nor does it make the police enforce the rule. A little piece of the drinking culture that is quite different from in the States.