Week 1: Muy Bien!

Alright my people, week one of No Spain No Gain is now complete. I’ve visited wonderful places, met wonderful people, and most importantly, I’ve eaten a frick ton of delicious food. And yes, that is the most important. To celebrate this successful week, lets do a recap of que paso en mi vida.

Day 1: Getting to Spain, and passing tf out.

This day was particularly unexciting, however, I met my WONDERFUL host family. They are so welcoming and sweet, treat me like their own daughter, and they make me feel right at home. They have a cute little lab named Hummer (yes like the car) and I think he loves me. Anyways, after this I mostly remember nothing, as I was pooped from my really odd travels to Spain.

Day 2: Seville, Communion, and Street performers.

The day started out with a fun bus tour of the city. It has so much history and so many nooks and crannies to discover, but we had to discover the basics by bus (city center, the 3 main neighborhoods, La Giralda, La Torre del Oro, etc). This was my first real interaction with the 8 other kids in my program who are incredibly intelligent and fun (I was basically asleep the first time we  met).

After our bus tour, we decided to all walk around the city together and discover some fun spots. One very odd thing that we noticed (both on the bus and on foot) was that on the streets, there are groups of men that sell…..wait for it……….TISSUES. FUCKING, TISSUES. These men knock on car windows IN THE MIDDLE OF MOVING TRAFFIC in attempts to sell packets of portable tissues? It is truly odd, but you gotta do what you gotta do. We also saw some fantastic street performers, including flamenco dancers, headless accordion players, and best of all, musicians playing the entire score of Star Wars. 

And for the highlight of my day, I, Ana Vincenti, participated in communion at La Giralada (big church in Seville). Yes, I am Jewish, and no, I technically really was not supposed to do that. But I did it anyways! Nice! Sorry (not sorry) if I’ve offended any hardcore Catholics or Christians, but I wanted to take part in the cultural experience. Which did not end well for me because apparently I did it wrong…oops.

Day 3: Las Setas and Churros

This day started as a relaxing day for me, but ended with a splendid afternoon at Las Setas, a beautiful piece of architecture that is only 5 years old in Seville. The structure was built over old Roman ruins which have been preserved, and you can go to the top of the structure, as well as go underground to see the museum that was built to showcase the remains of a Roman settlement. The view was absolutely breath taking, especially during sunset. Afterwards, me and some of the wonderful ladies from my program got our very first authentic churros! And if Dora the Explorer were there, she’d say they were “Muy delicioso!”

 

 

 

 

Day 4: Day 1 of class, and Roman Ruins

This day was absolutely magical. Before class, we went to visit the oldest city to ever be founded in Spain called Itálica. Now, this breathtaking city has turned into one of the most popular tourist attractions, as Roman Ruins dating all the way back from 500 AD are sprinkled all over the city. The most astounding  part of the visit was the old Amphitheater that is still mostly intact. It was the size of a football stadium, and I can only imagine that the grandeur of the games and celebrations were a perfect match for the elaborate amphitheater. Afterwards I attended my first Spanish intensive course, and I am learning a ton.

Day 5: Visit to Universidad Pablo de Olavide

While I am here, I am incredibly lucky to be taking class with local college students at La Universidad Pablo de Olavide. The campus was very different from Chapman, but I am incredibly excited to start going there every week! Wish me luck #spanishishard. After this I got a little too many glasses of sangria with Cayli and Charis, two girls from my program, and we had a great time getting to know each other better.

Day 6: Class…maybe a nap?

I’m not gonna lie guys, I do not remember what I did today at all. I definitely went to class though. Which is kicking my ass but I enjoy it a lot, I feel like I’ve learned as much in the last week as I would in a whole semester of class back home. I really love this language and hope I’ll be a pro by the end of this (lol sure).

Day 7: Spanish Friends and Festivities

Today I got to meet “mi pareja de intercambio”, in other words, my speaking partner for the semester! His name is Cristian, and his is absolutely charming and kind. I’m super lucky to be paired with him! I met his friends too at a little gathering for Americans and Spaniards, and afterwards we all went out for hookah, tapas, and drinks. It was a great time, I got a glass of sangria as large as my face (those who know me understand my slight obsession with sangria). It was also the first part of Rachel’s birthday festivities (she’s in my program too), and we will be continuing her birthday celebration tonight 😉 It’s gonna be wild y’all.

Day 8: Biblioteca, or Discoteca?

The correct answer is: Discoteca! Yeah, definitely did not study today, however I went to my first club and danced the night away with my new friends. #newfriendswhodis. IT WAS A BLAST, except for at 4 am when we left the club and I realized that I lost my coat check ticket so they wouldn’t give me my jacket back…RIP. Sorry Rachael for also losing your jacket.

Day 9: I got my jacket back and bought a dress

The title says it all, I retrieved my long lost jacket, and went shopping with my friends because there are #rebajas (sales in Spanish).

THANKS FOR READING MY FRIENDS, its been an incredible journey thus far in the last week and I can’t wait for the next 4-5 months. This language and this country are equally beautiful, and I hope you enjoy living vicariously through my mostly ridiculous commentary.

(Vino and cheese)