Although it was a few years ago, it seems like just yesterday that I lived in Sevilla, Spain. After graduating from college, I decided I wasn't quite ready to enter the real working world (especially since many of my friends were still in school). Being a Spanish minor, I felt that the only way I was ever going to get the nerve to speak the language was to to go to Spain and learn Spanish.
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My first few days in Sevilla were rough. It was very hot, I didn't know anyone, and my living situation isn't what I thought it would be. I had thought I would be in an apartment with at least one other student, but that wasn't the case. I shared the apartment of a Sevillana woman who wasn't around very much, and who locked up the phone in her room so I couldn't use it. I felt a little lost and a little homesick.
Once I started classes, it was great! Sevilla is such a wonderful town. Many of the landmarks are a mix of Spanish and Moorish architecture, which really give the city personality. (there is also a coffin in the Cathedral that supposedly holds the remains of Christopher Columbus) It is truly a Spanish town...siestas shut down the city for a few hours in the afternoon, most people are Spanish-only speakers (which was perfect, as I was trying to learn and falling back on English wasn't an option), the technology at the time was a little behind that of more northern cities Madrid & Barcelona. But people were friendly, there were gypsies singing flamenco at night, and there was a sense of pride, despite the economic downturn the city was experiencing.
And, to top it off, I was learning and speaking Spanish! I was even dreaming in Spanish, which they told us was a great sign that we were learning. We could converse with locals, with each other, with tourists who were having a hard time. It was awesome!
Even all these years later, I still recall my time spent in Sevilla learning Spanish as one of the best in my life. I have back to Spain since studying there, but haven't yet headed back to Spain. Soon, I hope!!
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