Finally Here!
It has been a very long journey to finally arrive in Sevilla, and not just the plane ride. When a student first decides to study abroad, the excitement of a new country is the only thing on their mind, not all the important details that go with this experience. This process began around last February for me, with picking a university and the classes. Then during the summer, I applied for a Visa, which took some time. And finally, I had to find a housing arrangement, which is definitely not as easy as it sounds! I ended up finalizing my arrangements for housing when I arrived in Sevilla.
My parents flew to Spain with me to help me move in. We flew to Madrid first. In Madrid, we did a lot of sight seeing in two days, seeing everything from the famous Prado museum to the beautiful, timeless Plaza Mayor and Palacio Real. We ate lots of tapas and I began to see why the Spanish take a siesta. During the days, it easily reaches 100 degrees Fahrenheit (I am slowly learning the conversion to Celsius). After walking around all morning in the heat and eating a large lunch, obviously the next thing to do is take a nap!
In Spain, their meals are very different. I researched this before arriving, but it is still a shock to be immersed this different lifestyle. For breakfast, a piece of toast with a puree of tomatoes accompanied with a coffee is the usual. Then, around 2 to 4 in the afternoon is lunch time. For lunch, there is often a 3 course meal. The first course is an appetizer such as a tapa, then followed by the main course, which usually consists of a meat or fish dish. After, coffee and dessert top off this feast. Then for dinner, around 10pm, light tapas are eaten while enjoying the unending nightlife of the city.
So after we finished exploring Madrid, we rented a car and drove 3 hours to Valencia. When we arrived, we visited the Turia park and the City of Arts and Sciences. There was so much to see! From the futuristic architecture of the buildings to the beautiful surrounding landscape to the breathtaking life size photographs that had been taken around the world. After we explored this unique park, we ate some tapas and called it a night.
The next day, we packed up and hit the road for a 6 hour drive to Málaga. While this drive was definitely not fun, seeing the change of the land as we drove was fascinating. There are so many olive trees, grape vines, and even whole fields of sun flowers. And almost everything is planted in straight rows.
When we finally arrived in Málaga, we ate a late lunch, which was some beautifully grilled fresh-caught fish in a beach restaurant right on the Mediterranean Sea. We then went on a walk along the sea and saw many small vendors and very large cruise ships. Later on, we found a great rooftop restaurant that overlooked the sea. The view was stunning!
The next day, we started our final 2 hour drive to Sevilla. When we arrived, we returned our car and took a taxi to the hotel. And it was a good thing that we had a taxi, because the streets in Sevilla are very small and very crowded with people and carriages with horses. We had our first paella for lunch that day, and it was delicious! Then my exploration of my new home began. My parents stayed for a few more days to celebrate my birthday with me. We saw a very moving Flamenco show, explored one of the biggest parks in Spain, and of course ate more tapas.
When they left, I made my way to a shuttle to the university for my first day of orientation. Walking through the quiet streets in the morning made me fall in love with the city. Even though heat is stiffing at times, I would not trade any part of this for the world. The unending beauty and rich history is like nothing I have ever seen before. I am very excited to spend the next 4 months in this magnificent city and cannot wait to meet new friends and make many new memories!
