Two weeks ago today, around this time, I was departing from Kansas City airport, a bottle of nerves and excitement...I still sort of feel the same way today! Last Wednesday I officially moved into my “casa”, an apartment owned by a local Senora, named Antonia, who comes in and cooks our meals, does our laundry, and cleans our rooms (not a bad gig for me..eh??). I live here with two other girls in my same program but in about a month, two more students in different programs will be joining our casa. I currently have a double room to myself but I am sure that someone else will eventually join me. So far things in the casa have been going very well. I am still of course adjusting to the fact that lunch is not until 3 or 4, and dinner never before 9. It is also a little piece of reality shining down on me (literally and figuratively) as the heat here is outrageous and I am living in an apartment “sin aire” (without air conditioning!). I have one small fan in my room but sometimes it is just too hot to sleep :/  My senora and my housemates all seem very nice, but the whole thing is definitely an adjustment.

I cannot begin to describe how blessed I feel to have family so close to me in Sevilla. After my orientation finished on Friday, my “great-Uncle” Ubaldo picked me up from my casa and we headed to their home for a delicious late lunch - homemade abundigas (meatballs), pasta, and salad. After that we headed to their beach home for the weekend, located in the town of “El Portil.” It was a such a retreat to escape the heat (about fifteen degrees cooler, less than an hour away) and to spend the day on a beautiful boat on the Atlantic Ocean. Not only was I able to witness such incredible beauty on the beach, but I also had the pleasure of witnessing a new culture...beach culture! As I looked around, everyone as far as I could see was doing a sort of dance with their feet and legs, all with their heads down... (I remembered hearing about nude beaches in Europe, but never dancing ones!) I asked my great-aunt Mary, why everyone was dancing in the sand.. She started to laugh and she replied “Todos estan buscando para coquinas!” (This translates as: everyone is looking for coquinas (a small edible muscle/clam shell.)) She then explained to me that everyone loves to eat coquinas but they are very expensive to purchase at a supermarket. So often times, many people travel to the beach, and instead of just lounging in their beach chair, they get up and search for these delicious muscle-like shells. ENTIRE families were there all looking at once! This is not something I saw many Americans doing while passing a week for spring break in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. But I thought, hey.. why not give it a try! Mary and I headed to the sand and she showed me what we were looking for and the best way to find it. I agreed to help and after about an hour of extreme searching, we had about half a bottle full of coquinas! Later that night, to my surprise, a large plate of coquinas was placed in front of me and I was asked to try them. After some hesitation I went for it, and they were delicious! It gave me a whole new respect for “catch of the day!” Everyone on the beach seemed extremely happy, laid back, and comfortable with themselves - no matter their body size. Something that I think Americans could learn a bit more about!

Mary Y Yo 

La Playa

Las Coquinas

After a glorious weekend beach retreat I returned to Seville with my family and spent the next two evenings at their house, because classes didn’t start until Wed. (today!). I was able to catch up with all of Ubaldo and Mary’s children, mis primos (my cousins) which is always a special treat! Then on Tues. night (last night) I returned back to my casa to prepare for classes to begin. I am taking three classes at the global campus, a 30 minute walk, and one class beginning next week at the University of Seville, about a 25 minute walk. Today I had two out of the four classes I am taking this semester: 1. Cultural Values and Stereotypes: Spain & the U.S. and 2. Teaching tongues: theories and practices of language acquisition. They are actually taught by the same professor at the global campus through my program, and she seems very nice and knowledgeable. My classes are small which I like, and definitely seem more relaxed than my classes at Wooster. I am especially excited about my education class “teaching tongues” because we have the opportunity to have a field placement in a local school teaching english to students (couldn’t be more up my alley!). Outside of class, I also signed up today to be a part of an intercambio “interchange” with a local student who wants to improve their english, while I want to improve my Spanish; it is a casual way to meet up with someone, practice your second language, and maybe even make a friend! I think classes and the intercambio will be a great way for me to get to know more of my peers as well as experience more and more of the amazing culture that Spain has to offer!

With all of the wonderful things that have happened, there has also come many difficult learning experiences; such as today when I stood at the wrong bus stop in the 105 degree heat for twenty minutes only to find out that the bus I needed didn’t stop there...or entering the correct bus incorrectly and being screamed at in Spanish for not swiping my bus card properly! (I now know how to ride the bus with confidence tomorrow ; ) ).  I have and still currently am experiencing culture shock, homesickness, and a bit of boredom - I feel bad even admitting I am bored in a beautiful foreign country waiting to be discovered... But the truth is that here around 2-5 everything shuts down, lunch is over, and it is time for “siesta” (nap). I have never been a napper nor is it possible for me to become one.. This is probably the most difficult time for me because I am not used to having it ever at home or in college... I think it is one of the many valuable aspects of Spain’s culture that I need to try to become accustomed to. Although we all have different ways to relax, or have down time, Spaniards make sure that it happens for them every single day. They may pass this time with their families, friends, or most likely napping. So instead of spending my time napping right now, I am writing my experiences for all of you wonderful people in my life who are reading my blog!!! 

For now, I am doing my best to keep my head up, challenge myself, go outside of my comfort zone, and improve my Spanish daily! 

As always, thanks for taking the time out of your busy lives to read!!!

Con Amor, (with love)

Catie