Daily life in Seville

Ok, so now after a few more days being here, I am realizing why all the people here are so fit. They eat so healthily and walk everywhere! For example, so far at every meal we have eaten something that consists purely of vegetables. Everday we have some type of soup at a meal and they have been lentil, beans sauteed with garlic, or tonight we had a squash puree....and nothing else added except maybe garlic or onion...so good! Also, we have been eating a lot of fish, today I had my first spanish paella, with clams. Then we also had these fish, that remind me of anchovies in size, and we just peeled the fish away from the spines and ate it. My senora buys fresh fruit and bread every day, and has vegetables delivered twice a week. Cafe con leche is an obesession here...but I must admit, it is better than any coffee that I have every enjoyed at home. I have it about three times a day, and every cup seems better than the last, and good to the last drop (no it isn't maxwell house). Enough about food or I'm going to get hungry again!

My intensive class has begun, and it is just that, really intense. We have two presentations, two papers, and two exams all within a two week period! After this things should slow down with my regular courses. In addition to this, I'll be keeping busy with all of the activities that my program provides: grammar workshops, flamenco dance classes, cooking lessons, movie club, volunteering, and intercambios (meetings with a Spanish student to practice our spanish/english). I am really excited to jump right into all of this! Also, there are three trips that are included with the program, two day trips to cities in Andalucia, and one three day trip to Morocco. This will all be unbelievable.

Although I describe Sevilla as though it isn't that different from the U.S. there really are a lot of differences. For example, stores don't open until 10 and close at 2pm. Then after lunch and "siesta" ( this is more common to actually nap in the summer because the heat is unbearable), they reopen at 5 until about 8 or 9pm. Also, it is considered ill-mannered to walk and eat at the same time, this could be part of the reason they don't snack...at all. This ISN"T the case in my house, but some of the people in my program have to light the hot water heater every time they want to use the shower or get hot water. Also, most of the homes have a table in front of their couches. On these tables are table clothes, and under the tables, attached to them, is a heater. It isn't uncommon to sit at the couch with your legs under the table and under the table cloth to stay warm. My senora seems to be a bit more advanced, with internet, a dishwasher, but we definitely have the heater/table, and it is delightful because even though the weather hasn't been colder than 45, the homes are all marble, and are quite chilly!

Every morning this week I have woken up at around 8am, and it still isn't light here...this takes some adjusting to, but when I walk out my door at 9, there are people everywhere walking to work, or walking their uniformed children to school. Andalucians, and the Spanish in general, are extremely family and relationship oriented. Everywhere you look in the street there are people kissing on the cheek (the traditional saluation here) or hugging or just catching up (it isn't customary to have people into your house). Yes, my senora requires that we give her one kiss per day because she says we are a family!