routine

Today marked my 17th day in Seville!  When I look back to the beginning of this adventure, it seems like so long ago, but yet I don’t feel like I’ve been here long at all!  The time is flying, but as it does I’m also establishing more of a routine.  I am just enough laid back that I can go with the flow as long as “the flow” somewhat fits into my routine :)

I have class Monday through Thursday from 9:30 to 1 with a 30 minute break halfway through the morning.  My class is great... It’s a literature and legends class, so we read old Spanish (specifically Sevilliana) tales, but then we get to go to the sites and experience the setting of the stories in real life.  This has been a great way for me to get better acquainted with the city and find hidden gems that are actually quite significant.  We are currently reading “El burlador de Sevilla” which is a play about Don Juan.  Apparently there is a saying or an expression in English about Don Juan (I hadn’t heard of it), but essentially he’s a handsome Spanish flirt who works his way through the women of Spain and Western Europe by tricking them into falling in love with him.  The first term of the summer ends next Thursday (crazy!) so I’ll have a new class in 2 weeks.
 

The statue of Don Juan in Barrio Santa Cruz, Sevilla

After class, I sometimes stop in a store or two and run some errands before I head home for lunch.  Siesta (more or less 2-5 pm) drives me crazy a little bit because I HAVE to stop and just do nothing.  Nothing is open, not many people are outside, and there’s really nothing to do.  Thankfully this provides some time to do homework from school here and for my online class, Skype and call friends and family, and just read and relax.  I do occasionally take an actual siesta (a nap).  Spaniards sleep during siesta, but only for about 45 minutes.  The purpose of siesta time is basically so they can be out of the sun and indoors during the hottest part of the day.  

After siesta, I usually go out with friends from school to shop and walk around or get some ice cream.  A new hobby we have is going into stores and looking for shirts with English words on them.  Screen-print t-shirts (think like what you wore every day in junior high from American Eagle) with English sayings are super popular here.  However, ninety percent of the shirts make no sense whatsoever, are incorrect, or just say “California” or “Long Island.”  

“Infiniment Chic”... if anyone knows what this means, enlighten me.  We guess it’s supposed to mean infinite, but that still doesn’t make a ton of sense...  

“Style is a way to say who you’re.”  It’s fine... Americans don’t know the difference between your and you’re either.

We usually eat supper somewhere between 8 and 10 pm, and after that I typically get ready for bed.  My days feel full and satisfying!  I also have some travel plans for upcoming weekends which helps lessen the anxiety of trying to decide how to spend my time wisely.  Tomorrow I’m heading to Ronda which is a little pueblo about an hour outside of Seville (look it up... it’s beautiful!)  I love the simplicity of traveling around Spain and Europe each weekend!  On Saturday and Sunday I’m staying around Seville to do some more exploring.  

I’ll be sure to post pictures and some stories from my adventures this weekend!