My community: Sevilla Edition!

By fuentescaro

I am thankful for the community that has welcomed me in Sevilla, Spain. The individuals that I have met have made this experience so far an unforgettable adventure. First, I want to describe how La Giralda is one of my favorite places in Sevilla to sit down and relax. The magnificent structure has so much history hidden within its architecture. When I took an intensive history class in the beginning of the semester, I learned of how much La Giralda has changed, all thanks to the different cultures of its conquerors. My favorite time to visit it is at night. The lights enhance the beauty of La Giralda and the calm breeze always makes me want to sit down and enjoy the view.

My community abroad is Seville, Spain. It is a beautiful community rich in culture, history and delicious tapas.

My favorite part of the city is La Giralda. I walk by it every day because I love to admire the architecture. Late at night, the lights of the city are all centered around this magnificent structure.

My closest friends have become other CIEE students that are currently sharing the experience of also being in Europe for the first time. Some of them come from Illinois, Massachusetts California and Oregon. Sometimes when we get homesick we look for restaurants that remind us of home cooked meals. It is a nice feeling to know that even if we are away from our families, we continue to celebrate our Latin roots. Hence the picture at a restaurant in Sevilla. While we also celebrate our culture, we also explore different cities and learn more about the different traditions that make it a community.

Some of my closest friends are Melina, Isabel and Luis. Here, we are pictured at a Mexican Restaurant in Seville. We were feeling a little homesick.

Ruthie, Meg and Isa are the best travel buddies and churro eating companions.

The individuals that I spend the most time with are my host family members. My host mom and host sister encourage me to try different foods, attend festivals and travel with them. My host father and host dog are extremely attached to each other and they both teach me about different genres of music both in Spanish and English. I want to give my host family a special shoutout for being amazing people and for taking me in and welcoming me with open arms.

My host mom is vegetarian and she always makes sure we have enough fruit and vegetables in our daily meals.

My host sister is a very creative nine year old who enjoys music and eating Nutella. She enjoys helping our host mom cook different food and out of the two, I think she is the favorite child.

Pictured above are my host father and host companion, Miki. Both enjoy long walks and jazz.

Last but certainly not least, I want to talk about my favorite spot to do homework and also relax. My friends Isa and Meg took me here for the first time and I fell in love with the aesthetic. La Jeronima has books and great background music. I come here often and this is where I meet with my intercambio, Jose, to practice both English and Spanish. Their tea (specially té de meditar) is delicious!