Hola from Seville! Its been a whirlwind of three weeks in Spain, but I’m finally settling into a groove here. This is my first time in Europe, so I’m still getting used to things. In Spain things aren’t egregiously different (aside from everyone speaking Spanish) but the culture shock really comes from an accumulation of little things. For instance, in Spain they don’t eat lunch until two or three in the afternoon, and dinner doesn’t happen until 9:30 or 10. I’m certainly not complaining though, the food here is by far the best I’ve ever had! Jamón is one of the bigger foods in Spain, and we even had a suckling pig (Jamón bellota). The food is certainly one of the many highlights of Spain so far!
Another culture shock is sports. Obviously, Spanish is well-known for its soccer (fútbol) and it is definitely the most popular sport here. I am definitely gaining an appreciation for the sport, as its usually my only option to watch. However, my sport of preference to play is basketball, and finding a place to play has been one of my biggest challenges here. Spain does not seem to have public recreational facilities like the parks in the U.S., there are three or four recreational clubs around town. Fortunately, my host family got me in contact with one of the clubs and there are weekly games Tuesday night! I am excited to see how the European game is different, and even more excited to finally have some physical activity!
Apart from a few culture shocks, everything in Spain has been great. Our first week in Spain was spent in Madrid, touring numerous museums, cathedrals and palaces. I would bet that I saw more artwork in that week than I have my entire life! It was amazing to see classics like Picasso’s Guernica or Goya’s Saturn. Seville is a beautiful city as well, from the sprawling Rio de Guadalquivir, which divides the city much like Portland, to the Catedral, which opened in 1520 (I walk past it daily!). Even just the designs on normal buildings seem elaborate and intricate. Europe is cool!
This is the Rio de Guadalquiver.
¡Hasta Luego!
-Tim