I haven't done anything of particular interest lately, but I am tired of seeing the McDonalds beer picture when I log in, so I'm making a new, McDonalds-less post!
It rained again last night! If my new umbrella wasn't so cute, I would be very upset. As of November, Sevilla was suffering an intense drought. The city was in the process of working out a system of water rations in order to conserve what little supply remained. However, about a week before I arrived, the rain started coming down, and there is now a 3 year supply of water stocked up! My first week in Seville was miserably rainy and very cold. This can be attributed to the fact that the city is built to maintain cold air. Most of the houses do not have heat and are not well-insulated. They also have tile or marble floors. In the summer, the temperature will reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit!! Because of this, all of the streets in Sevilla are extremely narrow and are surrounded by tall buildings. This manner of construction blocks out the sun and provides a cool space to walk. There are many streets that are too narrow for cars to drive through! Some have signs with measurements on them, and if your car is wider than that, then you won't make it. It is almost never cold in Sevilla. The last time it snowed was over 30 years ago (50 according to my cab driver, 45 according to my host mother, 30 according to the local news). Snow flakes actually formed in the sky (but didn't fall) the first week I was here and it was on the national news! Crazy.
I skype/call/text my family and Arch soo much. It keeps me sane, but it is a little ridiculous when I hear how often my classmates talk to their families (about 4 times less than I do :)
haha, I love my seesters.
Laura and her bestie Kristin made a paper chain (Just like we did for Christmas when we were little!) counting down the days until I come home. So fun :)
I'm enjoying my time in Spain, but it is the hardest adjustment I have ever made. I am still focusing on taking it one day at a time! I can handle thinking about tomorrow, I can't handle May 7th. No siree.
Random Sevilla Facts:
1) Cars are always double and triple parked. Everyone leaves their cars in neutral, and other people simply push them out of the way when they need to leave. It is bizarre to see people pushing cars around the street, but I kind of love it. So hilarious.
2) Spanish food is kind of gross. I know that is a huge generalization, but honestly, I have had homemade Spanish food, frozen and heated up Spanish food, Spanish food in bars, Spanish food in restaurants, Spanish food at hotels, and Spanish food in cafés...and I have honestly yet to find something that I LOVE or that I wish we had in the USA...I know, I being a snobby American. I just really love TexMex and cheeseburgers ok?
**EDIT** every single café sells pastries, they are fattening and covered in chocolate and absolutely DELISH. So I guess I do like something! Also, I make sure to buy an orange juice on my way to school most days. Why? Because they throw 3 oranges into this contraption:
It squishes them and the juice goes straight into your cup! YUM! Best orange juice on planet earth, for reals yall.
3) If someone is murdered in Spain, it is national news. It almost never happens. The people of Sevilla still talk about a girl who was kidnapped over 3 years ago. There are still posters all around town with her picture on them.
4) Petty theft and pick-pocketing are HUGE here. It is something I have to conscious of at all times.
5) Everyone walks everywhere. If you live within 45 minutes to an hour walking distance, you are walking, no doubt about it. Rain, wind, night, day, the streets are packed. (Except during siesta of course :)
6) A teeny carton of ice cream from a convenience store costs about $11...but who needs it when you can get delish gelato at every corner!
7) On my walk to school, which takes me about 11 minutes, I see, on average, 1298373463 teeny dogs wearing sweaters. It is an epidemic.
8) Spanish people are not what we would consider "polite". They aren't rude, they are just extremely loud and very blunt. Employees at a store may ignore you for a second while they talk to a coworker, and then look at you and loudly say "give that to me!" and grab whatever you want to buy. It was a little shocking at first, but now I'm used to it. It's especially nice when I should be polite, but I don't have the vocabulary to do so. Being blunt is much easier on my tired Spanish-weary brain :)
9) All of the cute old ladies wear giant fur coats! PETA and Sevilla are not friends, apparently.
10) There is a saying in Spain among Spanish-learners: If you can understand the people of Seville, you can understand anyone. Hopefully this is true, because I am beginning to understand the Andalucian accent! The rules? Lisp all of the c's and z's, drop the s's and only say random consonants :)
I'm off to Barcelona with a big group of friends tomorrow! I can't wait to explore the city!
¡Adíos!
Julia
2 comments:
You write so well Jules. Obviously That didn't come from me! Have fun in Barcelona, stay in a group (do you have a jump rope?) Love. pop
You can do it, Julie! One day at a time. That is so true in so many things. I think you're doing great.
Your random facts about Sevilla crack me up. The triple parking thing is so odd. What kind of trust does that take to leave your car triple parked AND in neutral? Hope there aren't many hills there...
If I could pack up a cheeseburger and send it to you, I would.
Keep skyping/texting/calling exponentially - maybe I'll get lucky and get to see you sometime soon. ;) (I mean, if my nine year-old son can at school, surely I have a connection somewhere! :)
Have a blast in Barcelona, and thanks for changing that McDonald's beer photo. (I was starting to imagine what McDonald's beer would taste like, and I'm pretty sure I don't want to go there.)
(Have you made your own paper chain yet? If not, maybe you could make a reverse chain made out of peanut butter labels....)
;)
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