Here we go!

Last week was an exciting week for the students as the Monday night flamenco class kicked off under the instruction of Sylvia Santoro. The students will be learning Sevillanas, which is a type of flamenco dancing dance with a partner and includes 4 different parts. The dance can be found today at any fiesta or feria in Sevilla, and even in some of the night clubs. Everyone that is born in Sevilla or have lived here long enough will most likely know the dance. Near the end of the semester the class will put on a performance for the the rest of the students and the old men at La Caridad.

On Thursday a group of students came along to play Bingo with the men at La Caridad. The men always looking forward to playing and they always make it a great time. Their are even prizes for the winners. The school tries to organize a group to go play every few weeks.

The men love to take pictures (especially with the girls)

Then on friday the week ended with a excursion to the city of Cordoba. When Cordoba was a major capital of Islam in the middle ages it was one of the most largely populated city in Europe. The first stop for the students was the Great Mosque, which actually isn't used as a mosque today but actually holds the cathedral of Cordoba inside. It is one of the most architecturally interesting buildings in Spain and shows the contrast between muslim and gothic architecture.

The weather was nice and the students had a great time exploring the city and learning about it's history. In the background you can see the old Roman bridge and the Torre de la Calahorra.

1st week of class

The first week of class is over and things are really moving now!

We got the students together in Parque de los Principes for some pizza and frisbee and some time to get to know each other better. The park is near to where many students live during the semester, in between the Los Remedios and Triana neighborhoods. It is a great place to spend siesta time or to get some homework done in the afternoon.

The next day we challenged the students to complete a photo scavenger hunt to get them acquainted with more of the city.

Andrea, Tasha and Jason stand in front of the statue of Curro Romera near the Plaza de Toros. This photo scored them two points.

Bergen (from the winning team) stands between columns in La Alameda de Hércules that were 4 points.

Kori (the other half of the winning team) shows the clock on the city hall building for 1 point.

The girls fight over Jimmy in front of one of the many bridal shops around Plaza del Salvador for 3 points.

The doves and pigeons in Plaza de América were 3 points.

These students displayed one of the many tile mosaics in Plaza de España for 1 point.

These girls display the fruit from one of the fruterías in the local market for 4 points.

Shannon and Katie stand in front of the weird structures under construction that the locals call las setas (or the mushrooms) in Plaza Encarnación for 3 points.

After the second day of class the girls got together for a Noche de Chicas to hang out together, eat fruit and chocolate, and go paddle boating in the Guadalquivir River. The Triana neighborhood makes a perfect background for photos.

A couple nights later the guys got together to play some wii at the school and go out to eat at 100Montaditos.

Montaditos are little sandwiches and 100Montaditos is a restaurant where you pick between 100 different ingredients for your sandwich including different kind of cheeses, meat, salmon, and even chocolate. The guys split 34 sandwiches between the 8 of them. SIS students Jason says that his favorite was the salmon montadito.

This friday we head to Cordoba!

Orientation

Last thursday the staff and students headed over to Hotel Zenit for the Orientation of the Semester in Spain program. Burt Rozema, the Director of Off-Campus Programs at Trinity Christian College, started off the meeting by challenging the students to make the most of their time here and really challenged them to do their part in changing the world for the better.

Students went around the room to introduce themselves and ask each other random fun questions.

Leslie, the school Director, began telling the students everything that they have an opportunity to be a part of this semester. Each of the professors also came up to introduce themselves and give some information about the school and the excursions they will get to go on together.

After taking a placement test (and just before the students hit information overload)

it was time for a coffee break.

That afternoon everyone met back at the school for a city tour given by local Spaniards. The greatest part about Sevilla is that all of the major landmarks can be reached by walking around. Students learned random facts about how the World Expo of 1929 changed much of the city and also that the Plaza de España was used in Star Wars Episode 2.

The students appeared excited and slightly overwhelmed by all the Sevilla has to offer but soon they will come to know the city in and out.

Fall 2010 is here!

The Fall 2010 semester has just begun!

Most of the students arrived this morning together on the group flight

Students were dropped off throughout Seville at their host family´s houses.

They quickly learned how Spaniards greet one another with dos besos (two kisses)

The señoras (aka host moms) are always really excited to meet their new students every semester. We drop off the students knowing that they are in good hands!

Tomorrow begins with orientation where the students will meet the staff and learn about the culture and practical things they should know in their time in Spain. Later in the day they will go on a tour of the city that they will come to know and love in the next few months.

The SIS staff is excited to get things started!