Greetings from Sevilla!

¡Hola!

This semester I am studying abroad in Sevilla, Spain, and I am creating this blog to keep everyone updated on my adventures along the way.  Though it seems unreal, today marks my one week anniversary of being here in Sevilla!  My first week has been a whirlwind of exploring the city, acclimating to my host family, starting classes, and interviewing for internships.

I’m in Spain!  At la Plaza de España

To give you a little background, Sevilla is located in southern Spain in the Andalusian region, close to both Portugal and Morocco (which I plan to visit this semester).   With temperatures hovering around 40-65 °F, winter is considerably more enjoyable here than in Indiana.  So far, I’ve had the opportunity to see a flamenco show, tour El Alcázar palace, and eat tapas – and I’m looking forward to exploring more of the city this weekend.  One of my favorite cultural experiences was going to an Arabic tetería (tea shop), where my friends and sat on Moroccan floor cushion and tried several different types of teas.

En la tetería

Although I have received numerous brochures from IU and my host program warning me about the inevitable phenomenon of culture shock, so far the transition has been…easy.  Almost suspiciously easy.   I came here not having taken a Spanish class in eight months, so the language barrier was my biggest concern.  While I definitely have room for improvement in terms of my speaking abilities, I have been pleasantly surprised with how much spoken and written Spanish I can understand.  In addition, I was lucky to be placed with an absolutely amazing Spanish host family.   Juan and Maria, my host parents, have had many American students prior to me and Stephanie (my American housemate), so they welcomed us openly into their home.  Their three children – Jaime (age 16), Maria (age 14), and Patricia (age 10) – have provided me with great insight into Spanish culture and are patient in helping me practice the language.  To top it all off, Maria is an amazing cook, so I definitely won’t go hungry this semester!

I appreciate your willingness to read my blog, and I’d love to stay in touch with all of my friends and family this semester while I’m away.  If you’d like to get in touch with me in Spain, feel free to contact me by email or Facebook.

¡Hasta luego!

Nicole