Málaga and The End of the Beginning

This is probably the longest I have gone without blogging because I have been so consumed with schoolwork. The thing about Spanish classes is, everything is due at the end of the term. And as much as you try to work ahead in advance, there is only so much you can do to keep up with your homework and classes. Anyway, I have kept relatively close to my deadlines for my papers and stuff which is a good sign I guess.

A lot has happened since May 13 (the last time I updated). First, we went to Málaga with the program for two days. It was basically an all-paid-for beach vacation for us, because we really didn't do much except sit and bask in the sun on the Costa del Sol. When we first arrived, we went to the Picasso Museum, which houses works of art by the famous painter from all periods of his life. His family actually donated most of the works in this museum that were originally intended to be private. As I have said before, I prefer the more traditional art, but that doesn't mean I haven't come to appreciate the skill of Dalí and Picasso since I have been here. We spent the rest of the day Saturday on the beach, which was only a 3 minute walk from our hotel, Los Naranjos. The water was really refreshing but there were no waves, which was very strange. It was also weird to go back in salt water because I am so accustomed to the great lakes fresh water.

That night a group of at least 14 or 15 of us went out to dinner at a fish restaurant recommended to us by the hotel. The food was really good, but what really made it fun was having all our MCP group together. We have all become such good friends, I don't know what it is going to be like going back to the US and not be at the same university as some of them. At the dinner, we said this program sponsored trip to Málaga kind of marked the "beginning of the end" of our study abroad experience... but we decided that connotation was too depressing. None of us really want to leave Spain, so we decided to call it "the end of the beginning". As horrifically cheesy that sounds, I really hope that I can stay in contact with all of them and actually follow through with this "five year reunion" in Spain idea everyone has been passing around lately. Our time in Spain might be running out, but our friendships will certainly continue when we go back home to the US. Sunday was a beautiful day, so we spent almost our entire time on the beach again until we had to go home.

I have been trying to figure out what souvenir gifts to bring home for family and friends. I have found a lot of good things so far, but of course there are always more things I want for people. I have also been trying to cross things off our Sevilla bucket list. So far I still have a bull fight, going to Jerez, going to the top of the Torre de Oro, going to Carbonería (a Flamenco bar) and going to the beach in Huelva left on my list. Hopefully I can find time to fit all that in in these last 20 some days!!

Last Thursday night we had our "Cena final del curso" which means "End of the year dinner". Eva, Luisa and Pepe called it a "cocktail" and basically consisted of an open bar, along with waiters coming around with trays of 12 different hors d'oeuvres and small plates. All 26 of us went to the dinner, and they also invited our professors from the pro-cultural seminar and our center classes as well. It was so much fun, I would have stayed there till 3 or 4 in the morning if they would have let us. Lots of people gave toasts, and we gave Eva Pepe and Luisa our gifts as a sign of appreciation for all they did for us this semester. It was also really fun to see and talk to our professors outside of class. Personally, I think you have perfected a language when you are able to make small talk, since that truly is one of the hardest ways of talking to people, even in one's native language. I think I did really well, and can honestly say I have improved immensely in my ability to speak Spanish. When I got here, I said that the hardest part was speaking. Writing, reading and listening come relatively easier, but now thanks to my professors and my intercambios, I think I am at the same level on all four accounts.

On Saturday, Justin and I took Lourdes our to lunch for tapas with another señora (Carmen) and 2 of the girls in our program because Lourdes and Carmen are close friends. We went to a restaurant called Triplete, which is actually owned by Carmen's son in law. The food was delicious. We had bull tail sandwhiches, snails, guacamole and fish, and an assorted cheese tray. We also got dessert, which was equally as good as the main plates. We spent 4 hours at the restaurant, and spoke Spanish the entire time. I really liked Carmen a lot, she is so funny and a little easier to understand than Lourdes (not as thick of an accent). Luisa (the program director) joined us mid way through, which made the event that much more fun and entertaining.

I really don't know how I am going to leave Sevilla in 3 weeks. I have gotten to know this city so well that I can't bring myself to believe I won't be seeing it and living it every day like I have for the past 5 months. To think that I will no longer be waking up in "casa Lourdes", walking by the Torre de Oro on my way to class, sitting in beautiful plazas with water fountains in the middle, speaking spanish when I go into a store or restaurant, and going to some of the coolest discos I have ever seen in my life makes me so resistant to going home. Don't get me wrong, I miss my parents, my friends, and my life in the USA a lot, but this experience has somewhat transformed into a lifestyle since I have been here. And to think I am going to leave it makes me miss it before it's even gone! At least I recognize how limited my time is though. I really never let up an opportunity here in Sevilla. It's the only way to truly live and experience this city.

For now I have to get back to my studies. I think I have 2 more papers and 3 more exams left in this 20 day window of time before I leave for Amsterdam and then back to the United States. If you ask me, that is plenty of time to take advantage of all I have left to do.

All the best,
Michael

La Feria and La Romería

The Spanish HEAT has arrived. I'm sitting in my room right now, and can barely lay down on my bed because it is so hot in our house. Lourdes finally gave us a fan today, but I still find myself trying to escape that hot, sticky feeling even while I sit directly in front of it. I probably shouldn't be complaining now, because I know it is only going to get hotter from here on out, but to think that it is almost unbearable now makes me fear what it will be like come the middle of June. I can barely walk from my house to the program center (which is about a 7 minute walk) without breaking a sweat. Maybe I will buy one of those mobile fans that squirt water like they sell in Disney World...

I'm a little late on my blog post for Feria because I have been completely consumed with homework this week. I have my first ten page paper due next week Thursday, and I wanted to get it edited by the program center before I turned in my final draft. I made a few deadlines for myself, and so far I have followed them pretty closely, which is a good sign. While being in Spain, I have really perfected the lifestyle "work hard, play hard". I'd much rather avoid talking about the homework part though, so I will focus on the "play hard" part of my life. Last Monday night marked the beginning of Sevilla's "Feria de Abril". It's named "The April Fair" because usually Feria falls on the second to last, or last week of April, but this year since the Catholic calender was so late, Feria didn't even start until May 3rd. Also, there is generally a two week break between Semana Santa and Feria, but this year the city decided it was better to only allow a one week break in between the two holidays. The week of Feria was probably the most fun I have had since I have been in Spain. It is interesting because Feria has no religious affiliation, unlike that of Semana Santa and some of the other holidays during the Fall. Feria is entirely a celebration of life and a chance for families and friends to get together and enjoy time off work and school.

To begin, Feria takes place right in my neighborhood, Los Remedios. I was only a few blocks away from the big Fair and could usually hear it every night from my window when I would go to bed (and wake up in the morning for that matter too). The "campground" (for lack of a better word) where Feria takes place consists of approximately 1050 casetas and a temporary amusement park right next to it. The casetas look like little rectangular houses and are owned by various families in Seville. To own a caseta is actually a sign of wealth in Spain, because it costs thousands of dollars every year to have one. The costs don't stop there. Every caseta has a door guard who ensures that the only people who enter are members and their guests. Depending on the caseta, families will either pay for an open bar with food and drinks included or put a price on specific dishes since the Feria is truly the most expensive thing ever in Spain. A lot of the private casetas are owned by very large families who split the costs, and some are even conjoined groups of friends who buy a caseta together. It's interesting how private the Feria is, because most Spaniards are very open and welcoming but the Feria is viewed more as a chance to celebrate with the people close to you. I think that is what makes Feria special, because even as a foreigner, I could appreciate the desire to share Feria with those who mean the most to you.

Feria starts every year on a Monday night. At 12:00 (technically Tuesday), the big door-like structure leading into the Feria (called the Portero) lights up and marks the beginning of Sevilla's largest festival. On Monday, only members of the caseta are allowed in. Most casetas serve the traditional Feria dinner of fried fish and stay up early into the morning the next day dancing Sevillanas, eating, drinking and talking amongst each other. Tuesday through Thursday are the best days of the Feria because the casetas open up to member's guests and the Spaniards dress up to look their best. The last weekend of Feria is when all the tourism from around Spain usually comes to participate in the Feria of Sevilla. I was in Sevilla till Friday morning, so I got out just in time to avoid the big crowds. Of course, the tourists don't particpate in the private part of Feria, but a lot of them go on the amusement park rides and go to the public casetas as well (there are about 8 spread throughout the land) From what I saw Monday-Thursday, the Feria was the most Spanish event (besides the Flamenco) I have experienced. I almost can't put it into words because everything seemed unreal. As Americans, we have this image of what Spain is like in our heads, and the Feria fulfills and confirms that image. It's important to note that the Spaniards do not always dress in Flamenco dresses, and aren't always watching bullfights though. These traditions are special to holidays and that is what made it so cool to see and be a part of.

Back in the olden days, families were only supposed to arrive to the Feria by horse-drawn carriages. Of course, not everyone upholds this tradition, but of the few that do, it was very cool to see. Men, women and their children being brought to the Feria where they enter their caseta to drink, party and celebrate all day was just an inconceivable concept. There were also several men and women who rode their own horses through the streets of the Feria, dressed in "traje de gitanas" which a flamenco dresses, or "traje cortos" which are what the men wear to bullfights. Inside each caseta, there is a kitchen, tables and chairs, and dance floors. It's also funny because there are draw-string buckets that people put their valuables and other belongings in to protect them so they don't get lost or stolen easily. The nights are filled with more dancing, eating and drinking, and the amusement park gets much more active as well.

I went to the Feria every day, and even had the privilege of going to a friend's private caseta. He invited me for a meal on Thursday afternoon and I was able to meet his entire extended family and see what the inside of a private caseta was really like. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity because it is something I will truly never forget, and makes me feel very honored that I could partake in something so prized by his family. I wish the United States had a tradition like this, but I can only imagine what my Spanish friends would think if they came to America and saw a Saturday football tailgate! Culture differences are so interesting, and the Feria really opened my eyes to another way of partying and celebrating life.

For the weekend, I went to my other spanish friend's pueblo called Rubio. It is about an hour west of Sevilla by train and is the definition of "countryside" The reality is, there isn't very much to see when you go to a pueblo. But what I did have the opportunity to see was how normal and native Spaniards live their lives outside of the city. The houses are all next to each other, and there were two main restaurants, but much beyond that, it was all grassland. There were no supermarkets or shopping stores. It was exactly like farm towns of the United States. What I really liked about Rubio was the sense of community. Everyone in the town knew each other and makes a consistent effort to ask about how people are doing, and the most recent updates on their lives. In Rubio, I also got the chance to meet an entire extended family and get tours of each of their houses.

When I arrived Friday, I met my friends parents and she showed me around the town a little bit. We spent the whole day talking about various things on her patio and then went out to dinner at one of the two restaurants. We ate tapas and then went to the "Fiesta de la Romería", which is a prelude party to what was going to happen on Sunday. Believe it or not, we stayed out until 8:30 in the morning. I was absolutely exhausted and couldn't believe I had even managed to stay awake. It was so much fun because everyone from the town was at the party, from babies to 90 year old men and women. Needless to say, all day Saturday was spent sleeping till I awoke to a paella meal made by Elia's father. We had fish paella to start off the evening, and then my friend took me around to introduce me to her family that I hadn't met yet, and show me the church and central plaza of Rubio. Saturday night, we went out to dinner at the second restuarant and had a relaxed night in to prepare ourselves for the Romería party the next day.

On Sunday we woke up at 8:00 AM and got ready for the big fiesta. Elia put on her flamenco dress and we went out on the town to start the day. I guess you could say Romería was similar to Feria, in that there were tents owned by families and groups of friends, but it certainly wasn't as formal. We started by all gathering in the street and making a walk from the center of town into the countryside land. Since Romería is a religious holiday, we followed a procession with the Virgin Mary and Christ child up to a windmill stationed in literally "the middle of no where". When we got there, everyone started dancing Sevillana and singing. This moment marked the beginning of Romería and was very special for me to see. We then split up into our separate groups and got into our mobile-home like car. We were pulled by the back of a tractor for about and hour to the "campground" (which is literally what it was) and set up tents for the day. I'm sure you are probably reading this thinking it is the most hick, countryside festival possible, but the people were so proud of their tradition and so welcoming that I never questioned what we were doing at any minute. I spent the whole day with Elia and her friends (a group of about 20) under our tent doing what else, other than eating drinking and talking.

I was really proud of myself in Rubio because I spent practically the whole weekend speaking Spanish except for a few times when me and Elia would practice with her English. Again, I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to go to a Spanish pueblo. Her friends and family were so welcoming to me, especially for being a foreigner. They kept telling me how I was most likely the first American ever to set foot in their pueblo, and that they wanted me to go on the news and tell the world how much I loved their town and their Romería festival. I truly felt like a novelty in Rubio because everyone wanted to meet me. I guess I was just the center of attention, and it really felt good to be so welcomed and integrated.

Today a group of 13 MCP students crossed another thing off our Sevilla bucket list and went on the paddle boats through the Guadlquivir river. The company is called "Pedlquivir", and was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. We spent an hour going up and down the river and had a great time enjoying the sun and nice weather (even though yes, it was extremely hot). Tomorrow our program is going to Málaga for the weekend. It is our last program planned excursion, so I guess it will be one last hurrah before we start exams. I have made a lot of really good friends in Spain, both American kids from the program and native Spaniards. It is going to be really hard to watch everyone leave. And I am definitely going to miss my Spanish friends. It's hard to believe I am entering my last month of study abroad. I've had the time of my life, and am really going to miss every part of it.

The Rain in Spain is making me Insane

It's a really weird feeling being in Sevilla right now, because all my friends have finished their Winter semester, and are either getting ready to start spring term, an internship, or simply relax and take the next four months easy before Fall term starts up again. It was really strange to see all the Facebook statuses about being done with exams and school being out for the summer, when I still have about a month and a half left of schoolwork. And this next month and a half will certainly be the most trying of it all, because it's crunch time for those four essays I have due at the end of the term.

Before I came to Sevilla, I thought the program seemed unnecessarily long and relatively inconvenient, given I wasn't going to come back to the USA until the middle of June and would have an extremely hard time finding work. But now that I am here, I am very glad I still have a month and a half left of my trip. I actually wish I could have unlimited time here! There is still so much left for me to do while I am here, that if I had to go home tomorrow I would undoubtedly feel unprepared and unfulfilled with my time. It probably sounds strange for me to say that because I have been here for six months, but Sevilla feels like the city that just keeps on giving, and I feel like I still have to take advantage of every possible opportunity that presents itself.

Talking to my friends from home, and seeing all the "DONE WITH EXAMS" Facebook statuses was made relatively easier though, since we are now entering out second week-long break of the semester. Going back to school for only a week was a strange feeling, especially since one of my classes got cancelled both Tuesday and Thursday, and in two other classes we watched movies all week. I think the professors are starting to let up a little bit on their presentation of new information because the students are getting ready to hand in their final papers and study for the final exams. Plus Semana Santa and Feria are vacations that ought to be celebrated and enjoyed rather than spent doing homework.

The only thing that has really put a damper on our week vacations has been the consistent rain we have been getting (pun intended). It seems like every day it rains at least for 2 or 3 hours on and off. And when it rains, it rains hard. Lourdes has said that all this rain is "muy raro", but it is very disappointing, especially when we missed some of the great traditions of Semana Santa, and could possibly miss some of the celebrations and full effect of the Feria this upcoming week. But I am by no means letting the rain get in my way of seizing the city and making the most of it. When it stops, I usually go out for a walk to get out of the house, and there is always somewhere new to explore and people-watch.

Yesterday three people from my program and I went to look at the set up for Feria, which is located right in my neighborhood, los Remedios. We got to see the outside of the "casetas" and also went to the carnival part, where there are roller coasters and theme-park type games. A guy in our program's host mom actually got free tickets to the Circus as well, so we went to that and got to see the Spanish version of Cirque du Soleil. We saw many acts, including trapeze, disc throwing, elephant training, juggling, and clown acts as well. It was a good way to spend a Saturday afternoon, and even better that it was free for all of us.

Also, Armando invited me to his caseta last Friday for one day this upcoming week. Apparently this is a big deal, especially because they are so private and meant to be only shared among family and family friends. I was really honored he invited me, even though I had been hoping for an invitation all along. He said he would call me and let me know which day would be best to come, so hopefully he doesn't forget or else I may have to remind him!! I am really excited to meet his parents and show of my dancing Sevillanas skills though. I am glad I decided to stay in Seville for Feria because it is the epitome of Spanish culture and I know the celebrations will be amazing. I'll be sure to take a lot of videos and pictures. It's about to be quite the fiestaaa.