Semester In Spain

A Semester of First Times: Megan Toombs

2011-03-28T11:30:00.003+02:00

The joy that a person feels when they do something for the first time is hard to describe, but it is a joy that I hope everyone experiences at some point in their life.

This semester in Spain has been full of first times already, and we are only seven weeks into the semester. This is the first time I have spent a semester abroad. I have traveled in Europe before, I spent a month traveling to a number of different countries in the summer of 2009, but I have never spent 4 months in a foreign country.

Upon arrival I met my host family for the first time. What a shock! I walked into a house, filled with strangers who spoke a language I hardly understood. It was 10:00 pm at night, I had traveled for 36 hours, and I was so tired I could hardly walk a straight line. But, I managed to introduce myself, and have a small conversation before I went to bed. When I woke up for the first time in the room that was to be home for four months, I had no idea where I was. Across the room I heard someone say “hello,” I rolled over and there was my roommate, the first American I met in Sevilla, and my first friend.

Later that day, I walked around Sevilla for the first time, and realized that I love living in a city. Meeting new people is always a great first time experience, especially when you become good friends and can look back and say, “remember when we first met.” When I first met the professors, staff members, and other students of Acento, I’m pretty sure they would say of me, “remember when we first met and you were so jet lagged you looked like a zombie…” Yes, of course, there are first times being jet lagged.

There are those times when I tried to talk to my Señora, and never felt like we were communicating. And then there was that day when I realized that I had been having a conversation with her for the past 30 minutes, and never even realized it! There are those times when I went to church and couldn’t understand a word, and then a few weeks later I could understand almost everything going on.

There are the first times meeting new Spanish friends, and the first time going out with those friends and finding out that I am the only one who speaks English. This was somewhat of a scary first time experience, but when it was over, and I realized that I had just hung out with friends in a foreign country; in a foreign language….and I actually talked quite a bit during the evening, the feeling of accomplishment was exhilarating.

There are also the first times trying new foods, and ordering that food in Spanish. Specific times that come to mind are when I ordered hot chocolate and it was actually hot, melted, thick chocolate in a tiny mug. SOOOOO GOOD! Or the two times I ordered some type of dish with fish and the fish was raw, I definitely did not eat much of it, but I did try it. There is also the first time you eat fried fish and find out the bones and the head and the scales are all still there, or eat squid with eyes still attached. Or the first time your roommate orders something called Menudo and you find out its cow stomach. I am still a little nervous when I order food, but I’m guessing that won’t last long, and I will be so happy when I can say that I ordered food, and I am quite certain what it is.

Another accomplishment that made my roommate and I feel good about ourselves was when we conquered the bus system. We have our bus cards, and we know which bus gets us to wherever we need to go. Slightly more difficult than the local bus system, is buying bus tickets for a trip. The first time my roommate, our friend, and I did this we were quite thrilled with our accomplishment. It wasn’t just that we had bought bus tickets for a trip that we were looking forward to, it was that we had done it all in Spanish.

There was the first time I saw the Mediterranean Sea, and the first time I saw Spanish mountains. The first time we saw the countryside, and farms. The first time I gave directions in Spanish to a native Spaniard, and first time I returned to Sevilla from a weekend trip, and realized I was home.

There are many other first times that have happened and will happen while I and the rest of the Acento students are in Sevilla. Some of those first times may not be our favorites, and many of those first times will be incredibly fun, but hopefully through it all we will grow as people in our language capability, in our spiritual lives, and in our capability to handle any situation.

Tales from Toledo: by Linnea Luzzo

2011-03-17T16:14:00.014+01:00

Toledo. Two days. One city. Many swords.

If I could think of one word to describe my experience in Toledo, it would definitely be: unexpected. Don’t get me wrong, I was extremely excited to go on yet another awesome excursion with the school, especially with the knowledge that we were traveling further north. But, after learning that we needed to be at the school at 6:20 am, and we needed to pack warmer clothes because of the colder climate, I wasn’t as enthused. But, as soon as I got a small nap in and awoke to the famous windmills of Don Quixote, I knew this wouldn’t just be an average trip.

When we arrived in Toledo, we were told by one of our fearless leaders, Carmen, that Toledo is famous for their sword-making. Swords? I was skeptical. But then, Carmen explained that the swords for movies like Lord of the Rings and Braveheart were made in Toledo. Like I said, unexpected. After we all checked in to our hotel, a bunch of us decided to check out said swords (they were impressive) and later met with the group to visit a church containing a painting by El Greco and a monastery.

Some of the guys showing off their skills as we anxiously wait to enter La Iglesia de Santo Tomé.

After our visits, we were given free time to explore the city. Most of the monuments had closed by the time we were finished, so it was up to us to be creative. As we walked around the city, we stumbled upon a monastery that sold desserts of mazapán (another one of Toledo’s claims to fame). We met a nice nun from India there and began to talk to another customer, Pedro, who we later learned was a Jehovah’s Witness. We began talking to both of them, and eventually we ended up having theological discussions. What word would I use to describe this experience? You guessed it…unexpected. Toledo was slowly becoming my favorite place. Where else could I have a conversation about the sanctity of Mary with a nun and Jehovah’s Witness…in Spanish?

Alissa and Jessica with our delectable, nun-crafted mazapán treats.

The remainder of our evening consisted of: a walk with Pedro, which included more discussion; a stop at the library to read random books on anatomy, landscapes, and world cultures (of course, in Spanish); my first taste of delicious paella; a stop for 1-euro “Cono Kit-Kats” at McDonald’s; and to end the night, a few rounds of “Mafia”.

The next day, we got up early to grab some breakfast and to head out to see Toledo’s cathedral. For the rest of the afternoon, we were given more free time to scope out the city. Some of us ended up walking along the river that surrounds the city, chatting and occasionally quoting Lord of the Rings (can you blame us? We felt like we were in the Shire, and the swords had inspired us.)

Not only was my time in Toledo filled with fascinating architecture and paintings (as all of Spain is), it was a time for us to continue building relationships with the members of our program. From the games played to pass the time on the bus to the late-night talks in the hotel, Toledo gave us all the opportunity to get to know each other, and to laugh a lot. This week, we are headed to Ronda, and I can’t wait to see what the city has in store for us. I’m not sure that anything can beat out my experience in Toledo, but who knows? Maybe my experience in Ronda will be just as unexpected.

The life of a Señora: As told by Nicole Reynolds

2011-02-19T20:12:00.008+01:00

When I grow up, I wouldn’t mind to have the life of my senora.

Every morning she gets up and neatly sets out our breakfast of crackers , peanut butter and nutella on the table along with Alissa’s orange juice and a mug for me if I want to make some tea and then goes for a walk down the street to what she calls her second home, café Don Diego. No matter what time of the day she goes to Don Diego I’m sure there are at least 3 or 4 friends of her there whom she can sit and talk with while drinking her coffee and eating breakfast.

Being a senora and in charge of our meals for the day, she is always thinking about what “strong” lunch she can make for us and what would be good for our stomachs at dinner. So, after coffee she walks down to the carnicería, fruitería, panadería and the neighborhood supermarket to buy the necessary food for the day’s meals.

Never forgetting about her dog, Vita, she returns to her apartment to get Vita and together they go for a walk to get the newspaper and whatever the newsstand is giving away that day. All this takes up most of the morning because it seems to me that she knows everybody she passes so she of course stops and talks about the ever present and unusual bad weather, the anti smoking law that got passed in January, or whatever her new topic of the week is. By the time she gets back to her apartment, its time to get lunch ready for when my roommate and I get back around 2.

Lunch is a big part of the day for her, to her it is the most important meal so we spend about an hour eating and talking…mostly alissa and I practicing our listening and understanding skills, which I am happy to say, are improving! After the dishes are clean and her kitchen is put in order, the afternoon finds her once again at Don Diego, socializing and occasionally going out to the terrace to smoke (this part of her life I won’t include in my future plans). Don Diego is like one big family. She walks in and any one of the waiters, who know her all by name, are already getting ready to make her drink. She sits down at the bar (20 cents cheaper to sit at the bar!) and asks the man sitting next to her how his wife is doing and the lady beside him if she’s doing ok since her dog died, all this of course after giving out several besitos and hellos.

I don’t think my senora ever leaves the house without checking what fruit, bread or other food might be lacking, so on her way home she might visit a tienda or two, pop into the hairdresser to say hi or walk on over to Cortefiel to see if they got any new shirts she might want to buy.

Dinner is at 9, on the dot. Since she is the senora, she puts all the food on the table and Alissa and I go ahead and start eating while she finishes organizing or cooking the meal. I don’t know how, after talking all day with her various friends, but Blanca always has even more to say at dinner and usually that lasts for almost an hour also without a lull in the conversation. She likes to practice her English words she knows so my brain gets to work even harder trying to understand the Spanish and then make places for the random English that is almost harder to understand. The night is the one time my senora likes for herself and she likes to spend it in her “privado” (what she calls her extra room) watching tv, looking at facebook and tucked comfortably into one of their amazing heated tables.

I’m pretty sure Blanca lives her life in about 2 square blocks of her neighborhood, Triana. but from what I can tell that is pretty normal for life here in Seville. You don’t drive all the way across town to go to Wal-Mart; instead, why not just walk down the street to the local meat store where you’ve known the owner for years and his wife makes you special croquetas every once in a while? Or go ask your friend at the fruit store when you can start buying strawberries because as she told you yesterday, they’re not really good right now and too expensive so you wouldn’t be getting a good deal anyways. And, of course it makes sense that you spend your afternoon chatting with friends in the same café that you went 30 years ago on the day it opened.

Even though at times her house can be cold and uninviting, I get really tired and miss my bed, or I wish I could have one of my mom’s delicious dinners, my senora has taught me more just by living her daily life than I could learn in two years of school: how to be a Sevillian and love your life, even in the little things.

An Alumni Story: Fighting Windmills

2010-12-07T19:26:00.005+01:00

When I think back to my time with Acento, one of my favorite memories that comes to mind is our trip to Toledo. Or rather, a brief stop we made while on the way to Toledo. Partway through the journey, we stopped in la Mancha, to see the famous windmills of Don Quixote.

Let me explain a bit, in case you aren’t familiar with the story of Don Quixote. Don Quixote is about a delusional old man who thinks that he is a knight, in an age long after knights were actually around. Probably the most famous scene from it is when he is riding on his horse and spots several windmills in the distance. Being the delusional person that he is, he immediately thinks that they are monsters and begins to attack them.

During the first week of class, I had heard from one of the professors that we would be visiting the windmills. I immediately became very excited and started planning for the trip right away. I went to one of the local stores a found a styrofoam sword. I got a few weird looks carrying it back to my apartment, but it was well worth it in the end.

The day of the trip, I brought the sword with me. When we arrived at the windmills, I had my roommate take several photos of me fighting the “monsters.” It wasn’t long before some of the other students realized what I was doing and started asking to have their pictures taken with “the gallant warrior.” I quickly became the most popular person on that particular trip. When we stopped in Toledo, I was able to purchase a real sword. I never got a chance to use the real one against the windmills (I doubt that much epicness could have been packed into one trip), but I still keep it in my room, as a reminder of that trip.

-Brett Meyer, Fall 2009, Northwestern College

Student Profile: Katie Waldner

2010-10-31T13:05:00.004+01:00

Living in a European, Spanish-speaking city is about as far from normal as I could have gone. I attend Northwestern College in St. Paul, MN, where I major in Linguistics and Spanish, so I have some city experience, but my rural South Dakotan unbringing presents a pretty stark contrast to a place like Sevilla. However, I’ve found this city, its people and this program to be a wonderful place to learn, change, and stretch myself. I hope to work as an interpreter when I graduate this coming spring, and when I leave Sevilla in just under two months, I will have prepared myself for more than just a job.
I’d been preparing myself to go to Spain for over a year, trying to imagine what kinds of challenges I’d encounter, what sorts of places I’d see, and especially what kind of people I’d live and work with. Now that I’m here there’s so much to talk about (even though my time’s only half done), so I’ll try to share just a few of the key highlights.
I knew studying abroad would be hard, though full of great experiences, too. Everyone I talked to before I left was full of admiration, telling me how smart I was for planning this while I’m still young, how brave I was for being willing to live overseas, and how lucky I was to have such an opportunity. As the time got closer, however, I felt the opposite, because I was the one actually going. And then I got on the plane. I was right; studying abroad is hard. The highlight in all of that is that the staff, professors, and host families are willing to do so much to share that burden of difficulty. Yes, it’s hard to change cultures, but they offer themselves in order to lighten our loads, enabling us to better appreciate the great experiences. And no, I’m not trying to get brownie points. It’s true. A friend and I got stuck in Paris during the strike. Even though most of what went wrong was our fault, we had people at school making calls, asking questions that we couldn’t, and finding out what options we had. The staff is also always available to talk about anything that’s going on, whether it’s homesickness, school troubles, or anything else. They are always there to listen to help in any way they can. We are well taken care of. Without them, this program would be lacking.
Another big highlight for me has been just living in a city like Sevilla. The pace of life here is wonderful, so tranquil and relaxed. It drove me crazy for about a day, and then I decided to enjoy it. Since then, it’s been heaven. How often in my life will I have a scheduled naptime? Probably never again. The city itself is also full of history and great things to see and take in. I’ve been here over two months, and I’m still excited to keep learning more about where I live, to find the places that we learn about in class. And although we have to watch our backs for pickpockets, I don’t know if I’ve ever felt this safe in a city. For as big as it is, it has a great small-town feeling that I don’t think many cities this size can boast. And personally, I think my neighborhood, Triana, is one of the best in Sevilla.
Finally, I’ve learned something important that has become a highlight for me. Like most new experiences, there’s a choice involved in living here: you can accept the changes and decide to like them, or you can fight them and settle for being miserable. It’s a good life lesson, and Sevilla gives everyone who visits the option to face it. Philippians 4:12-13, “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Toledo!

2010-10-21T10:01:00.004+02:00

Toledo is always one of the favorite excursions for the students. It is the only two day excursion that the school takes each semester. Toledo's location, being near Madrid, would not make sense as a one day trip from Sevilla, so it is always exciting for the group to be able to explore a city for two days together.

We headed out from the school early in the morning to get a good start on the day, stopping on the way at Los Molinos of Don Quijote fame for some quick pictures and explorations.

The windmills are not operating anymore but have been pretty well preserved. The sky and clouds always seem to make for some great pictures.

After settling in at the hotel we met at the Church of Santo Tomé to view El Greco's most famous painting, The Burial of Count Orgaz. Pictures are not allowed but there are many pictures online of the masterpiece. The professors always do a great job at

Next we walked to the Monastery San Juan de los Reyes, which was founded by the famous King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.

The King and Queen built it with the idea that they would be buried there, but this idea changed after they conquered Granada and decided that they would rather be buried in the cathedral there.

Carmen let the tour for the art class focusing on the the artist and the terms used to explain the certain architectural aspects.

Salva led the tour for the rest of the students giving a history of the building and its different areas.

After the tour there was free time to explore they city, and for some, do some shopping. The central part of Toledo still feels very much like a medieval city with its winding cobblestone streets.

The next morning we met at the Cathedral of Toledo for another tour given by the professors. We spent some time outside studying the outside structure and details. One of the most interesting features is the statues of the Lord's supper over the main door.

After the cathedral the students were given some more free time. Some of us decided to look for some good views of the city.

Many students continued on their way to Madrid and other destinations, but those who headed back to Sevilla on the bus got to stop for some pictures from one of the best views of the city at its famous mirador on the other side of the river.

Abanicos, El Parque, and Columbus

2010-10-05T09:27:00.005+02:00

It's hard to believe that the students have now been here for over a month! As the weather is finally showing signs of Fall, the students find the time quickly passing.

Even though the heat is just starting end, the students had the opportunity to paint their very own Spanish abanicos. The fans are very popular in the summertime and can prove themselves a very useful accessory in hot weather.

The money they bought the fans with will go to buy Christmas presents for the kids from a local convent. Some fans looked so good they could have been resold in the market!

To take advantage of the weather before it becomes too cold, we had our weekly Encuentro meeting in the Parque de María Luisa. After a game of Ultimate Frisbee and a funny game of Cats and Mice, we settled down for a time of sharing and worship.

A couple days later we were back in the park for the Fiesta de Intercambios. This was an opportunity for the students to meet Spaniards who wanted to practice their English. The idea is to get together with one of them throughout the semester and talk one language the first half, then the other the second. Intercambios have proven to be one of the best ways to become comfortable with a language.

On Saturday we went on excursion to the nearby town of Huelva. The first stop was the Monastery La Rabida, where Columbus spent much of his time with the Franciscan monks waiting for the funding for his excursions.

This is the conference room where many of the plans where made. Our guide told us much about the history and about how Columbus spent his time in the Monastery. It was very surreal to be walking on the same floor that Columbus walked on.

Then we headed down the hill to the water where Columbus' three ships can be found. They are not original unfortunately, but they these ships were built to be the same exact size and have been made out of the same exact materials as the original. Many students where surprised how small the ships are and how difficult it is to maneuver around them up and down the ladders. I can't imagine spending 5 weeks on one without being able to set foot on land!

Here we go!

2010-09-21T12:07:00.003+02:00

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

2010-09-13T11:31:00.007+02:00

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

2010-09-06T09:02:00.006+02:00

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!

2010-09-01T19:37:00.005+02:00

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!

Summer Session 2

2010-06-28T11:36:00.008+02:00

Summer Session 2 is well underway and there have already been a few adventures! After the weekly wednesday night Encuentro meeting at Iglesia Prosperidad we took our packed dinners to Parque de los Principes for a picnic. Sevilla gets a little hot in the summer when the sun is out, but once the sun goes down and it starts to cool off, you can't resist being outside to enjoy the city.

When we finished eating we hopped on the bus and headed over to the Monastery of Santa Maria de las Cuevas, also known as Monasterio de la Cartuja. After the monestary was closed it was converted to a factory of ceramic tiles in 1840. (you can see one of the chimneys in the background of the picture) It continued to produce tiles until 1982 and now has been converted to a museum of contemporary art and ceramics.

What brought us there was the a free flamenco show in the courtyard of the monastery. The show involved a guitarist, singer, flautist, and two palmeras (clappers) and a dancer. The show truly was amazing and very impressive for being free. We were glad that we came early enough to get good seats.

A couple days later on friday we headed over to the beautiful city of Cádiz. Professors José Maria and Salva came along to be our tour guides for the day. Cádiz is the oldest continuously-inhabited city in the Iberian Peninsula and possible of all southwestern Europe so needless to say there is a lot of history to see. We started the tour near the old tobacco factory.

The cathedral was built on the sight of an older cathedral that burned down in 1596. It was rebuilt beginning in 1776 in the baroque style, but since it took so long to build it changed hands through different architects and also contains elements of rococo and neoclassical. You can clearly see the different stages of building by what materials were used over the 116 year period of being built.

Next we headed over to the Torre Tavira to get an amazing view of the entire city. It is the tallest remaining tower left in the city that was used by merchants to see the merchant ships coming into the harbor. It now contains a pinhole camera on top that projects images of the city to a room below. It is the only cámara oscura in all of Spain

After seeing the city through the camera than we were able to go up on the top of the tower and have a look for ourselves. It was really cool to be able to see the ocean on all sides of the peninsula. This picture is looking down at Calle Sacramento, the longest street in the city.

The group with the cathedral and ocean in the background.

San Antonio Church. The Spanish Constitution of 1812 was proclaimed in this plaza.

Cádiz ends up being a lot of the students favorite city in Spain for good reason. We ended our day together near the beach. Some students decided to stay longer while others headed back on the bus.

Summer Session 1

2010-06-17T14:52:00.006+02:00

Well we have already made it half way through the summer and to the end of Session 1. It seems to have passed so quickly! Summer in Seville is when the city truly comes alive and other than siesta time (about 2pm to 5pm). It seems that everyone spends their time outside either at their regular cafe/restaurant or relaxing by the river.

Summer students had the chance to see the Romería de El Rocío pass through the city twice. Over a million people make the pilgrimage to the nearby province of Huelva on foot. They use wagons pulled by oxen or horse drawn carriages to carry their supplies for the journey. The people sing and dance as they go on their way. It is quite the sight to see them and the giant oxen passing through the streets of Seville!

The students came ready to learn and to put their Spanish into use. After a quick orientation at the school we gave them a tour of the main sights of the city. The best part about Seville is that all of the major monuments are in short walking distances from each other.

We also took the students out to one of our favorite tapas bars to show them how Spaniards in the south eat when they go out. It is always fun to be able to try a little bit of everything from each of the small plates. Local Spaniards and friends of the school, Martín and Enrique came along to teach a little about the different plates.

The first excursion came quickly and the first friday we headed off in a bus together to explore the city of Cordoba. Cordoba is most famous for La Mezquita, which is actually now the cathedral of the area but still shows much of the Moorish influence. Professors Ana and Salva gave us a tour through the massive building which feels like a mosque until you discover the very tall Renaissance cathedral nave in the middle. This picture of the students is of one of the doors outside which clearly shows the Moorish architecture.

Crossing the old Roman bridge of the city leads you to the Calahorra Tower, that was once used to protect the bridge but is now home of a cultural museum. The museum focuses on how Christianity, Muslim, and Judaism were able to live side by side in the 10th Century.

The next week our destination was just a 3 minute walk from the school to the Cathedral of Seville. It is the largest gothic cathedral and the third largest church in the world. Professor Carmen gave the tour and explained all the fascinating pieces of art and treasures that could be found inside, including the grave of Christopher Columbus. At the end of the tour students were able to climb the Giralda, which is a minaret converted into a bell tower, and is the most famous symbol of Seville.

The next excursion was a short city bus ride out of Seville to the town of Santiponce. Found right beside the town is the roman ruins of the city of Italica. The most impressive sight is the remains of the amphitheater which used to seat 25,000 people. Remains of the homes can be found, some with their elaborate mosaic floors still in tact.

After exploring Italica we walked over to the Monasterio de San Isidoro del Campo. The monastery was once home of Casiodoro de Reina who later was a major part of translating the Bible into Spanish.

Another night we met up together at a famous flamenco bar called La Carboneria. One of the appealing parts of the place is how hard it is to find. Even if you are on the right street you will see no sign bearing its name. It is only recognized by its big red doors. Every night there is a least an hour of flamenco music and dancing with no cover charge. Students were only given vague directions to find the place on their own and in the end really enjoyed the search and their reward.

Like every semester students were given the opportunity to play Bingo with the residents of La Caridad. The older men always enjoy the visit and they really get into the game! Both residents and students can win little prizes as the game is played. It is also a good way for the students to practice their numbers in Spanish.

Another holiday that took place in Seville was Corpus Christi. It is a religious festival of the Catholic church commemorating the Eucharist. Processions rich in tradition could be found all day throughout the city.

Back at the school students painted their own abanicos or "fans" to fight the summer heat and to bring home as gifts or souvenirs.

To end the students time in Seville a little piece of America came to send them on their way back home. Actors Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz came back into town to promote the premiere of the movie Knight and Day, which has many scenes shot in the city center of the city. On thursday they re-inacted a couple of the actions scenes involving Tom Cruise on a motorcycle being chased by a couple cars around the fountain beside the cathedral.

On Friday was the world premiere of Knight and Day which took place in Seville's Teatro Lope de Vega. It was an interesting mix of Hollywood and some of Spain's celebrities. Those who pushed through to the fence got their chance to meet Tom and Cameron face to face.

Summer Session 1 flew by over our three and a half weeks together. It was hard to say goodbye to those who headed back home. We wish them the best on the rest of their journey. But we were happy for those who decided to stay for Session 2! We also have three new students joining us. We have a couple excursions coming up so stay tuned!

Flamenco Class

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Every Fall and Spring semesters the Semester In Spain programs offers flamenco classes for the students. The classes are taught by Sylvia Santoro a professional dancer from Barcelona who now lives in Sevilla with her husband. Sylvia teaches the class a certain type of flamenco dance called sevillanas which just about anyone born in Sevilla grows up learning.

The classes take place on every Monday night in the library at the school and the semester of classes end with a Fiesta de Flamenco where the girls borrow flamenco dresses and the boys dress their best to put on a show for the rest of the school. This year the fiesta took place at La Caridad a convalescent home for elderly men.

Enjoy these videos of the two different groups of students!

Those who attend the Spring semester then get to then use their newly acquired skill to dance sevillanas with the locals at the annual Feria, a week long festival of eating, drinking, and dancing sevillanas.

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Ronda

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Last week Friday the school took a trip through the winding mountainous roads to the city of Ronda, found in the province of Malaga. Unfortunately, once because of the large amount of rain once again, we were unable to stop by the Roman ruins of Acinipo because the road had been washed out. But that meant that more time could be spent exploring Ronda.

The first stop in Ronda was the plaza de toros, which in fact is the oldest operating bull fighting ring in Spain. Ronda is also know for its horsemanship so students got to view a training session in la Escuela de Equitación next to the ring.

Random Fact: Madonna shot her music video for the song "Take a Bow" in this ring.

Profesora Cecilia came along as a tour guide on this excursion. She knows Ronda well because her husband Enrique was born there. Her mother-in-law or "suegra" met up with us to help show us around.

One of the most impressive structures in the city is the Puente Nuevo or the "New Bridge" built in 1751. The bridge took 42 years to build. The chamber underneath has been used for a variety of things, including a prison.

After crossing the bridge to explore the old part of the city, we found ourselves with beautiful views on all sides with many different lookout points available.

The last part of the day we entered into the old water mine below La Casa del Rey Morro. It was built to be an easy access to the Guadalevin River if the city was under siege. It actually ended up being the downfall of the Moors when that Catholic Monarchs captured the mine and were able to cut off the city's water supply.

The view from the bottom, about 300 ft. down. It feels like being in a different world.

The trip to Ronda from Sevilla is definitely worth the 2 1/2 hour bus ride. It is really a city like no other and is often found to be the favorite excursion of many students.

Los Molinos and Toledo

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Just then they came in sight of thirty or forty windmills that rise from that plain. And no sooner did Don Quixote see them that he said to his squire, "Fortune is guiding our affairs better than we ourselves could have wished. Do you see over yonder, friend Sancho, thirty or forty hulking giants? I intend to do battle with them and slay them. With their spoils we shall begin to be rich for this is a righteous war and the removal of so foul a brood from off the face of the earth is a service God will bless."

"What giants?" asked Sancho Panza.

"Those you see over there," replied his master, "with their long arms. Some of them have arms well nigh two leagues in length."

"Take care, sir," cried Sancho. "Those over there are not giants but windmills. Those things that seem to be their arms are sails which, when they are whirled around by the wind, turn the millstone."

- from Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
Last week Thursday and Friday the school took at trip up to Toledo. On the way we stopped briefly at the windmills or "molinos" in Castile-La Mancha made famous in the book Don Quixote.

You can view more of our photos HERE

This is a view of the city of Toledo from "the mirador," a viewing spot on the other side of the river. This gives you an idea that the city was built in medieval times with protection in mind. Toledo was the original capital of Spain.

After we arrived and got settled into the the hotel we met up again at the church of Santo Tomé to view the most famous painting of Renaissance painter El Greco. No pictures were allowed of the painting but here is a image from the internet. I don't believe that any camera could capture the large size and color of real life. The story behind the painting is very interesting so if you would like, you can read more HERE.
Next we headed to the Monasterio San Juan de los Reyes.
This monastery was founded by the famous King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella and has motifs and coat of arms of the Catholic Monarchs everywhere. Students enjoyed the peacefulness of the small garden in the middle of the cloister. More info HERE
The rest of the day students had the opportunity to wander the small maze-like streets of the medieval city. It was easy to stumble upon stores filled to the brim with swords made by the famous smiths of Toledo.

The next day, after having seen only the tower stick out high above from the streets the day before, we finally found ourselves in front of the great cathedral of Toledo. This cathedral is considered to be the pinnacle of the Gothic style in Spain. Students explored the inside and took in all the beautiful architecture and history. Inside the vestry we found a great collection of paintings and artifacts, including more famous paintings by El Greco. Read more about the cathedral HERE.

After the cathedral some of us head back to Sevilla and others took advantage of their proximity to Madrid and headed to the current capital for the weekend. Madrid is a half an hour train ride from Toledo.

You can view more of our pictures from Toledo HERE

Serving at Los Naranjos

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On Saturday, students had the opportunity to serve one of the local churches in the area by helping them fix up their retreat center. The church is called Prosperidad and each week they let us use their building for a service on Wednesday nights called Encuentro. The retreat center is called Los Naranjos and is a hour and a half train ride out of the city. Prosperidad, along with four other churches, bought the old military base years ago and have slowly been improving it and expanding it as a retreat center.

Our job for the day was to repaint and clean one of the apartments.

Emily, Kat, and Liz jumped on the chance to serve.

The owners treated us to a nice lunch, served camp style.

After lunch we enjoyed a nice walk along the river to the waterfall. The cool part about this was that normally it is not much of a waterfall, but because of all the recent rain, the river is stronger than ever.

The finished product!

The couple who ran the camp were very grateful for the help and the students enjoyed the change of scenery from the city for a day. They invited us back to come and help out or just enjoy the camp anytime.

Trip to Cordoba

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Last week friday, Semester in Spain took a trip to the city of Cordoba. Cordoba is well known for La Mezquita, or the great mosque, which is actually used as a cathedral today. Professors José María Navarro (History) and Carmen Suarez (Art History) came along as the professional tour guides.

The architecture inside La Mezquita tells its history. The first thing you notice on entering is the seemingly endless Muslim double arches and the 856 columns of jasper, onyx, marble, and granite. On the other side you will see the beautifully decorated mihrab, which is just as famous for its beauty as it is for the fact that it faces directly south even though Mecca is southwest.

But as you wander into the middle you find yourself in a drastically different atmosphere. For when Cordoba was recaptured from the Muslim army in 1236, the mosque was converted into a Christian church. A Gothic style nave was built in the very middle of the structure.

After exploring the church the group walked over the Roman bridge and entered in the Calahorra Tower where audio tours were available about the history of the city and how the three cultures of Christianity, Muslim, and Judaism lived side by side. One highlight of the trip, for student Kat Hewett, was being able to climb the stairs to the roof of the tower and get a great view of the bridge and city.

After the tour the student were set loose to eat lunch and explore the city. The bridge and cathedral are found in the old part of the city where you encounter small winding streets in the old Jewish quarter.

Cordoba makes a great day trip from Seville, being only an hour and forty-five minutes away.

You can view more photos from the trip HERE.

Video!

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New Blog!

2010-02-02T10:59:00.003+01:00

¡Hola a todos!

Semester in Spain has started this blog to inform others about the program here in Sevilla, Spain. Whether you're a student checking out the program or you are friends or family with someone in the program now, we will try to keep you updated on what is going on. We hope to include descriptions and pictures of some of the activites going on here and also include some insight from the students, whether it be an interview or a story they want to share with you.

So keep checking back for more!