Beaches, Star Wars, and Bull Fights
It has been a few weeks now since I started classes and exploring Sevilla. Everything is starting to feel more familiar: the food, the streets, the language. I have even visited a few beaches! The first week I went on many tours of the city with a group called Erasmus. This group organizes many events for international students from all over the world to meet each other and make the most of their study abroad experience. The tours are great, with lots of history included and free food after! I also went to a beach in Portugal called Tavira and a beach near Cadiz called Bolonia Both were so beautiful!
If anyone is a Star Wars fan, then the Plaza de España is the place to visit. This breath-taking building with influences from all over Europe and even Latin America stars in Episode 2 of the Star Wars series. On my way to the shuttle for school or if I walk into town, I get to pass this plaza and I am amazed each time. Whether it is during the day, when the sun is setting, or during a late night walk, it never ceases to fill me with awe.
The park that this plaza is a part of is one of the biggest in Spain, and was a gift to a Spanish queen’s sister. It is filled with sparkling fountains, intriguing statues, and intricately-detailed buildings. Walking through this park is a nice way to end a stressful day or pass a lazy Saturday morning.
One of the things I love the most about traveling is trying the new food. One of the coolest things I have found throughout Spain is their markets. Sevilla has two markets just a block away from each other. One market, the Market of Triana, is an older market in what used to be a Moor castle. It is full of vendors selling everything from fresh fruits to the famous Jamon Iberico. There are even cooking classes offered to anyone interested in expanding their culinary skills. I spent an afternoon wandering through this wonderful place and plan to go back again. The other market is just across the river. There are more prepared, traditional Spanish dishes here. I found a huge octopus at one of the vendors!
I was able to visit the legendary bull fighting ring as well called the Plaza de Toros. I went on a day that was very hot and had to wait almost two hours to go on the tour, but it was free and definitely worth it. Before actually entering the ring, we walked through displays of paintings and sculptures all about the history of bull fighting. I also saw many of the trajes de luces (literally suit of lights) that famous matadors wore during the corridas (bull fights). I had learned about the corridas in school so it was very fascinating to see everything come to life. I walked through the chapel that the matador goes in to pray one last time before entering the arena and the stables where the horses wait for their turn to enter. When I finally walked through the gate into the arena, I was stunned. It was as if I entered a different world. Turning around taking in the thousands of seats, I imagined the anxiously matador awaiting in the sand for the moment that would determine the rest of his life. The doors where the bull enters were opposite of the balcony where the king and queen sit when they visit the corridas. I left feeling as if I had traveled back in time. 
I hope to keep exploring not just Sevilla, but all of Spain. I am finding a good balance between studying and wandering around the city, which was something I was nervous about. A good family friend gave me some advice before I left and I have repeated it to myself every day since I have arrived. He told me that I am going to have rough days, days where I won’t want to do anything. But I should try to do something exciting every day, especially the challenging days. So whether it is just a walk through the park or I go to explore the city, I try to do something every day. Every day is a new day to visit something else, and this has made my experience even more memorable. I am taking it one day at a time, and each day is bringing a new adventure that I cannot wait to share. Hasta luego!
