Letters from Spain

Though I do miss the wonderful autumn weather, the delicious food at Davison and all of my friends and family I couldn't have asked for more from studying abroad in Seville, Spain. Not only has the weather not dropped below 70 but I have gotten a total immersion into the Spanish culture here. I've seen Flamenco shows, eaten tapas with sangria, apathetically watched a bull fight, cheered at a futbol game all while speaking Spanish the whole time! People in Sevilla only speak Spanish, and I am also living with a host family who's English only goes as far as 'hi' or 'bye'. I live in an apartment only 15 min walk from school with a 54 year old single woman Amada, her mother Dolores of 85 years and Amada's nephew Sergio of 20 years who attends the University with me. Basically every day is like a comedy show. At the beginning, to communicate it seemed all we were doing was playing charades or constantly having a dictionary at our side. But now, Amada has become a confidant and someone I turn to when times are good and bad. We stay up late having long conversations about EVERYTHING and I've learned a lot from her.

Her food, and all of Spain's for that matter, is a whole different story! I have had some of the most interesting meals here that I know I will NOT be missing back in the states. Two essentials that you won't find a meal without here: olive oil and ham. Anything and everything has these two somehow incorporated, to the extent of having ham potatoe chips! I've become accustomed to a lot of the food because I have no other choice, but to be honest I can't wait to just dive into a chicken parmesan calzone the second I get off the plane in Boston!

I am taking 5 classes at the Universidad de Sevilla which used to be an old tobacco factory and is one of the main tourist attractions in the city! My classes are strictly only spoken in Spanish and range from topics about the Spanish Realist Novel to the Construction of the European Union. At the beginning of the semester I was petrified and couldn't believe I actually thought I could follow through with a whole semester in a different language. However, I quickly surprised myself and now have no problem understanding my teachers or whipping out papers and exams fully in Spanish. It now seems strange to think of taking classes next semester at St. A's where I can actually ask a question in English.

Though I love Sevilla and wouldn't mind staying here every weekend, I have been lucky enough to have a three day weekend that allows me to travel a lot. In Spain I have gone to Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Cadiz, Huelva, Marbella, Cordoba and the Canary Islands which all offer the same historically-rich societies of the Muslim, Christian, and Jewish influences. I've traveled outside the country to Portugal, Munich, Paris, Gibraltar and Prague all of which were incredibly different and exciting!

I only a few weeks left here in Spain and I can't believe how much I've been able to do and see in such a short amount of time. From laying on the beaches in Lagos to eating crepes at the Eiffel Tower in France to touring a concentration camp in Germany I've learned so much about myself and have become a more confident and independent person.

Everything I have experienced will stay with me for the rest of my life and I feel so fortunate to have had this amazing opportunity to study abroad. I'm looking forward to my return to St. A's, but am already planning when my next trip to Europe will be! My advice to everyone. stop dreaming and start doing, there's a whole world out there just waiting to be discovered!

You Only Live Once,

Rachael Paskievich