Halloweekend, sightseeing, existential thoughts, and my first Sevillanas class: Expanding my knowledge of fine arts and culture in the city

This post is dedicated to my Uncle Fred, who was a fellow Spanish learner, an artist, and a huge supporter of mine on this journey. He will be missed, very dearly.

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It has been quite a busy three weeks of adventuring, emotions, and learning. Let's get into it, shall we?

Week of Oct. 20

This week, I felt myself adjusting to my classes and au pair schedule. Settling back into the student mindset was not a cake-walk at first, given my intensive class schedule. However, it feels great to be a student again. I love learning and feeling motivated by a subject that I'm passionate about; it feels so natural for me to be in a classroom.

On Wednesdays and Fridays, my au pair shift starts and ends earlier. So, on the 22nd, I bought last-minute tickets to a jazz concert put on by the University of Seville and Assejazz, which is the Seville Jazz Association. I saw a poster for the concert while casually walking down the street and was super intrigued. This is your sign to pay more attention to paper advertisements! I went with my friend Mira and we got drinks after the concert.

On Friday, the 24th, I went with my host family to a school event celebrating their founder. The event was very elaborate, with bounce houses, face painting, food, and drinks. There was even a stage with several performances from the kids themselves. And, get this... the parents were buying buckets of Cruzcampos at the event. Listen, I'm no stranger to the casual drinking culture here, but I was still surprised. It was hilarious!

The following day, I met up with my friend Ryanne and we caught up over breakfast at a little cafe. We then walked to the Jardines de Murillo to explore the Feria de Libros, an annual book fair in the city. Man, you really can't get much better than a beautiful garden and a book sale. There were even some authors there signing copies of their own books. Ryanne and I sat in the park after the event, talking about novels and Spanish shows. We ended up chatting with a Spaniard next to us about Spanish TV, and continued our conversation at a cafe nearby for a couple hours. The girl we met is not from Seville but she was super nice and it was awesome to chat with her in Spanish.

I went out with a couple other friends Saturday night, and Sunday was a nice day of R&R. I collaged, read, and went for a run. One of my new obsessions is running in the Jardines de Delicias. While I was there, I saw a dog playing in a fountain, and it was the cutest thing.

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Week of Oct. 27

The week leading up to Halloween was a rainy one! The weather started to cool down, reminding me of fall mornings in Michigan. Fall in the Midwest is my absolute favorite, and I can't lie, I am sad to be missing it. I've been requesting that all my friends send me photos of the trees and leaves.

In my B2 class, we continued our unit, "Cuídate," which focuses on health and advice in Spanish. I really enjoyed this unit because we got into the weeds of verbal tenses and syntax in Spanish. As students in an upper intermediate level class, we are not just trying to get our point across, but we're also learning how to engage thoughtfully with the language in context. For example, when talking about giving advice, we had to consider 1) the level of warmth we want to convey and 2) the proximity of ourselves to that person.

During the week, my friends and I tried a new cafe called Jester. We also spent an afternoon shopping in search of Halloween costume accessories. I found a shimmery turquoise shawl that worked perfectly for my costume.

This week with the kids consisted of costume competitions, discussions about animals, Bamboozle games, and Halloween crafts. The kids and I did the garbage bag spiderweb activity I did with the students in Sant Mateu last year. I also started a new book in Spanish: Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis.

Halloweekend was so fun! I got ready at my friend's house and we went to the party at our school. My friends and I went bar hopping after and we successfully ended the night with kebabs. Saturday consisted of eating Japanese food and watching Bridget Jones's Diary at my friend's apartment. I absolutely love that movie, and I think it gets more relatable every time I watch it. I love the cheeky British humor, it's one of those movies that makes me laugh out loud.

While waiting for the bus home that same night, I had a conversation with a stranger next to me, who was on his first-ever solo trip. We only talked for about ten minutes, but we had a surprisingly deep conversation. When his bus came, he said, "Well, have a nice life!" I thought it was funny at first, and then I started thinking more about it. Moving to a new city highlights how many unique people exist and how much you can learn from every person you encounter.

That is one of the things I love most about living abroad, despite its hardships: My worldview is challenged constantly. I have met people from so many different walks of life, each carrying their own wisdom. I am reminded: Hey! There's not just one "successful" way to live. Especially being in an academy with people from over 10 countries, my cultural awareness grows every. single. day. In class, I have learned tidbits about life in Brazil, Egypt, Ukraine, and France. We compare and contrast words, grammar, political systems, environmental issues, and more.

Ok, back to my weekly summary. I took myself on a solo date on Sunday, November 2nd! I first visited the Reales Atarazanas, a royal shipyard built by Alfonso X in the 1200s. There were free admission days and the last one was on that Sunday, so I felt compelled to go. It didn't take much time to walk through but it was fascinating. I loved observing the Gothic influence on the architecture. Having been in an inquisitive mood, I walked to the Museo de Bellas Artes, where I stumbled upon a cool art fair in front of the museum. The artists were incredible and I loved looking at their work.

The museum itself is awesome! I found a few paintings by Murillo to be particularly striking, and I came upon some works by Velazquez as well as El Greco (I loved his portrait of his son). I absolutely adore Spanish museums; the heavy religious influence always makes me think deeply about the people and beliefs that existed before us. I love to examine how the artists depict religious figures, and I think about how the creative process itself can be a form of worship.

On Sunday night, I met up with a few new friends, two of which are native Spanish speakers! We went to a rooftop bar, and the view of the Cathedral was INSANE. I was initially nervous going into the hangout because I knew I would be introducing myself in my non-native language. Meeting up with new people for the first time can be daunting as is, but Spanish adds a whole other level of nerves. I was recently talking to a friend about how (it feels like) there is a whole other layer of potential for rejection. However, it also opens up discussions about language and travel, which can lead to a deeper friendship. Bottom line: Putting yourself out there is daunting! But do it! (Feel the fear and do it anyway, as I like to say.)

As November began, I told myself that this month is another opportunity to expand my comfort zone and remember that I'm young, I'm learning, and I'm capable. I can shape my own narrative and not be a bystander in my own life.

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Week of Nov. 6

On Tuesday, I got a haircut at a small salon in Nervión. While my hairdresser and I were making small talk, he asked me where I was from. After finding out I'm from the US, he proceeded to say he was very surprised I wasn't blonde. I always find it funny to hear about American stereotypes; since I've been here, I've heard that we're loud, annoying, and apparently, blonde (I don't take it to heart, don't worry). I love learning about how people in other countries perceive us because it's often so generic.

On Wednesday, I went to my first SEVILLANAS class! Sevillanas is a traditional style of Andalusian dance that is similar to Flamenco. I signed up for a class because I want to learn before the Feria in April, which is a huge celebration in Seville. The style of dance itself is quite difficult, considering the coordination between footwork, arms, and hands (even fingers). The class was a lot of fun, and I'm excited to attend the next session.

Friday, my friend invited me to attend a fashion show, SIQ Costura Andaluza, with her. It was located at the Real Fábrica de Artillería, an old artillery factory in Seville! We saw several lines from different designers, and their artistry was astounding. I was in awe of all the pieces. Following the event, we were offered jamón ibérico and champagne. I was so thankful to be invited. Ryanne and I met up with a few friends after the show for drinks.

Saturday was a very busy day. My friend Shannon was visiting from Chicago, and I spent the morning with her and her friends. We went to the Plaza de España and the Cathedral. I had never been to the Cathedral; it was stunning and GIGANTIC. No wonder it is the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world. We also went up to the top of the Giralda, or the bell tower.

Later, I went to an outdoor festival, Electrolunch, at Parque Magallanes. The event had food trucks, a clothing market, a kids' area, and some stages with electronic music. I saw a few different friends there and it was a great time. The weather was really nice, and I left in the late afternoon to go re-charge before meeting back up with Shannon and her friends later that night. We went to the Carbonería for a drink and then we met up with my friends Jai, Niamh, and Regina later in the night.

I've been reflecting on how lucky I am to be here. I count my blessings, and I'm working extra hard on my Spanish in honor of my uncle.

Thanks again, as always.

With love and gratitude,