"Doock Leever Block"

Not much has happened since Friday's trip to Córdoba. I've pretty much kept the same schedule of sleeping, surfing the internet, reading, attempting to speak Spanish to Isa, attempting to understand Isa when she speaks Spanish to me...you know, the usual. Oh, and of course, I'm still visiting Don Divino and/or other pastry shops on a daily basis.
However, I have had two rather interesting experiences the last few days.
Saturday night, Ale invited me and a few friends to a "Beatles" concert by a local cover band. I cannot begin to describe my excitement when I found out the band would be singing Beatles music IN ENGLISH! AHHH! Anyway, on the way to the concert, I told Ale and his friends several times how excited I was to hear "Hey Jude." (This is BY FAR my favorite Beatles song, and I really hoped they would sing it.) Half way through the concert, they still had not sung my song, but never fear, a large group of 16-year-old boys began chanting "HEY YUDE! HEY YUDE! HEY YUDE!" At the time, I had no idea what they were chanting, but I yelled with them just for the sake of living the moment. It wasn't until the band began playing the first few notes of "Hey Jude" that I realized my Spanish amigos had been chanting for my song all along! I enjoyed every minute of the concert and will never again hear "Hey Yude" without thinking about my Beatles concert experience in Sevilla.

Moving on, yesterday I put my taste buds to the test and tried "duck liver block" aka "Pâté" or "Pato" in Spanish. The grayish tint of the spread should have been my first hint to STAY AWAY, but instead I dipped my spoon into the can and spread a heaping amount of the pato onto my bread. After chewing and swallowing, I asked Ale what exactly "pato" was.
"Es pato," he replied. "Es Doonald."
"Donald?" I asked.
He then picked up the can and read very slowly in broken English,
"Ninety-aaatee perceent doock leever."
"Hmm," I replied trying to decipher what I thought was another complicated Spanish phrase...then, the light bulb finally came on and I realized he just said, "NINETY-EIGHT PERCENT DUCK LIVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I had just eaten ground duck liver on my bread (hence his reference to Donald Duck).
I immediately gulped down the rest of my water and swore to Ale I would never again eat "doock leever" on my bread.

So why exactly did I decide to share these two experiences with you? The truth is...I have no idea! : ) Hasta luego!!

Córdoba

Friday, our group visited Córdoba. It was an amazing place (as are all of the cities in Spain). The main attraction in Córdoba is the Mezquita, or Mosque, built between the years of 785-787 A.D.



This Mezquita stands as a physical remembrance of a time when Islam dominated the Iberian Peninsula. Many additions have been made to the Mezquita since that time, but the most interesting addition comes in the form of a Gothic cathedral built directly in the center of the Mezquita after the Spanish Reconquista around 1523.



There are more than 850 columns inside the mosque, each of which was individually painted. My pictures do not do this place justice, but here are a couple of pictures of the arches and pillars.





Another really interesting thing our teacher pointed out to us was this tomb. It's kind of hard to read the name on the tomb, but the most important thing about it is that this is the only woman buried inside the mosque. Below the tomb, it says that she was buried in the mosque upon the request of her brother who my teacher said probably played a part in the construction of the mosque. I thought this was a neat story!



Even though putting a cathedral inside the center of the mosque destroyed the architecture and beauty of the mosque, the cathedral is breathtaking. Here are some pictures...









Once again, I was amazed that something this incredible could have been built so long ago. I'm going to Barcelona this Friday so expect more pics soon! Hasta luego!

Chocolate...

When I made the final decision to come to Sevilla, I came with several goals. My three primary goals were to...

1) Visit as many places in Europe as possible
2) Become fluent in Spanish
3) Eat healthy and return to the United States a few pounds lighter

After two weeks in Spain, I have visited Itálica and many different locations in Sevilla, and I am taking a trip to Córdoba this Friday. Next week I am going on a trip to Barcelona.
My Spanish has improved tremendously, and I am constantly forcing myself to think and talk primarily in Spanish.
Alas, these last two weeks have been a success as far as my first two goals are concerned.

HOWEVER, I have decided to make some changes to goal number three. (I tend to alter my goals rather than alter my habits).
Before I go into the changes I plan to make to goal number three, let me explain the reason for the change.

Isa's house is about a 20 minute walk from the school. I make this walk at least twice a day, and on the way to the school, I pass a little "pastelería," or bakery, called Don Divino. I can smell this place from a mile away. The first 10 days I was here, I resisted the tempting smells of chocolate and pastries and walked quickly past la pasterlería de Don Divino. However, yesterday I made the fatal mistake of entering the shop just to "check it out." Two cookies and a piece of cake later, I waddled out of Don Divino happier than ever.
Today I revisted Don Divino, but didn't buy a pastry because I had already bought one at another bakery near the school.
Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of this week I ate the most AMAZING chocolate fondant ice cream you have ever tasted!

Needless-to-say, my three goals have become...

1) Visit as many places in Europe as possible
2) Become fluent in Spanish
3) Try not to return to the US 100 pounds HEAVIER

That's all for today...Hasta luego!

Itálica: "I walked where the Romans walked."

Not much has happened since the last time I blogged. I have spent most of my time unsuccessfully trying to get over a cold.

However, Saturday, we did make a quick trip to Itálica, a Roman city which dates back to 250 B.C. I can honestly say, Itálica is one of the top five most amazing places I've seen. We walked through a stadium which could seat 20,000 people. The whole time I was walking through the stadium, the same thought kept running through my mind, "I am walking where the Romans walked."



I had these similiar feelings a few years ago when I walked through George Washington's house in Mount Vernon, but to think I was walking through a tunnel built by the hands of people older than Christ was absolutely amazing.



After the stadium we walked down an old "street" lined with the foundations of what once were the homes of the Roman patriarchs. My teacher explained to us that movies often portray these homes to be very large, when in fact, each room was actually only about 12 by 15 feet. I was especially awestruck by the mosaic floors in many of these homes. My favorite floor was decorated with tiles of birds...(most of you already know about my obsession with owls).





After leaving the Itálica site, we walked to a Roman theatre. Our teacher said a man discovered it a few years ago when trying to put in a garage behind his house. Needless-to-say he never got his garage once they discovered the remains of an ancient Roman theatre beneath his house. All of the houses around the theatre have avoided doing any construction, because the owners are scared that should they dig, they, too, might lose their homes to excavation.



I loved every minute of our quick excursion to Itálica. I am amazed by the abilities of man and look forward to visiting more of these incredible places! Hasta luego!

Rain, Rain GO AWAY!!

Today was extremely uneventful, and it's still raining!! I still have a cold and have already gone through at least five rolls of toilet paper blowing my nose. But things could be worse. My friend, Eric, still doesn't have his luggage and has been wearing the same two shirts and a pair of jeans for more than a week. It is a blessing for everyone in Sevilla my luggage made it on time. haha!

Moving on...Recently I have noticed people pushing cars through parking lots and down the streets in Sevilla. Until yesterday, I thought perhaps there was an epidemic of car trouble. However, Dr. Inglis, the director of the TTU Center in Sevilla, said this is a common occurrence here. He said because Sevilla is such an old city, the streets and parking areas were not made to accommodate the amount of people that currently live here.

For example: A man drives into a parking lot, leaves his car in neutral, and goes into a store to buy some bread. A woman leaving the store notices the man's car is blocking her exit. What does she do? She simply pushes the man's car out of her way, gets into her car, and drives away! haha! I have to admit, IT'S HILARIOUS!!! I have seen cars quadruple parked in a lot, but this is no big deal to the Spanish.

My only question is...What happens when the man leaves his car at the top of a hill? hmmm

"America Day"

Today can be summed up with one word, "dreary." It has been raining NON STOP here, and it's still very cold outside. I usually don't mind the rain, but mix it with 30 mph winds, and I become an unhappy mujer. In America, I like the cold weather, but the difference between there and Sevilla is that the apartments in Sevilla don't have heaters! : / I now prefer to sleep in two pairs of pants, two pairs of socks, two shirts, and a fleece, to the usual shorts and t-shirt. ha! Unfortunately, my choice of outfit hasn't done the job, and I woke up yesterday with a cold.

Anyway, since today was such a dreary day, my roommate and I decided to find a mall and eat some American food (the good greasy kind that causes a large percentage of our nation to resemble vacas). After several failed attempts at locating the general direction of Nervión Plaza (i.e. we tried to walk through the gates of a military institute), we finally found a mall. I knew I had found the right place when I saw the glow of "the golden arches." In good taste, we decided against eating McDonald's and settled on TGI Fridays. We ate chicken strips, French fries, and drank cokes! Ah, the satisfaction of REAL FOOD!!!

After lunch, we walked around the mall and looked at some of the stores. Right now, all of them are having sales, so the mall is pretty busy. Isa said the sales last until the end of February when the Spring clothes arrive. I really like the stores here and look forward to shopping when I don't look like I went swimming in my clothes.

On the way back to our apartment, "Hurricane Ike" hit Sevilla and after our umbrella malfunctioned, Kristen and I surrendered our fight with the weather. Defying the customs of Spanish society we took off at a dead sprint back to our apartment (so much for blending). Nothing much happened after that. Kristen and I spent the rest of the day in our "cave" coughing and doing homework!

But alas, things are beginning to look up... Isa just returned home from shopping all day and said her feet hurt too bad to cook. WE GET PIZZA FOR DINNER!!! yay! Two greasy American meals in one day (hence the title of this entry "America Day")!

Anyway, enough complaining for one day, Hasta luego!

Me encanta Sevilla

I'm now officially 21, and I have to say, I actually feel older! But last night I realized it isn't the fact that I can now order a drink in the States that makes me feel this way. I have stepped out of my comfort zone and as a result, have already begun to discover a lot about myself.
A dinner conversation last night with Isa helped me realize why I have begun to feel this way.
She told Kristen and me that she loves to travel. She said she uses the money she makes for providing housing for American students to travel. She speaks French fluently and has been all over the world.
Anyway, Isa then began talking about our experience here in Spain. She told us that when we arrived in Sevilla, we were simply wide-eyed girls hoping to learn a little Spanish and have some fun, but she said we will return to the United States "mujeres," or women, with knowledge of a different life and a different culture.
We were both very inspired by her little speech. Isa is knowledgeable and passionate as are many of the Españoles. The people here seem to be less passionate about money, social status, or professional success, and more passionate about their family and their culture. They take time to enjoy the simple things, and as a result, the pace is much slower and the people seem happier. Don't get me wrong, I am proud to be a Texas girl, but I am inspired by the lifestyle here. I enjoy being able to take a deep breath and walk slowly behind the meandering old man dressed in a fedora and a wool coat. It's like stepping back in time. So that's the end of my little sermon. Bottom line...me encanta Sevilla.

Photos de mi primer dia en Sevilla

Hola from Sevilla!

Hola Todos! This is my third day in Seville, and after a LONG plane ride, a couple of sleepless nights on a HARD hotel bed, and some STRANGE food, I am finally beginning to settle in.
My Spanish mother "Isa" met my roommate Kristen and I at our hotel around 10:45 this morning (that's 3:45 a.m. for all of you Americans) haha! She told us (in Spanish) that she didn't bring a car and doesn't prefer to take a taxi, so off we went to Nervion dragging 75+ pounds of luggage! I guess that's what I get for packing two years worth of clothes.
I learned quickly that Isa does not speak ANY English. Upon meeting her, I apologized for my large amount of luggage! She immediately threw her hands in the air, and told me that as a fellow "mujer" she understands and probably would have packed even more than I did. She is very kind and very stylish (aka Dolce and Gabana sunglasses! ha!
Isa has a son, Alejandro, aka "Ale." He is a student here at the Universidad de Sevilla studying sculpture. He is just as expressive and happy as his mother, but also speaks almost no English. He met us on the steps of the apartment building with wild hair, still dressed in pajamas! (We have something in common)! He and his mother work together trying to communicate with us, and several times Ale had to tell his mother to SLOWW DOWWWNN!!!! haha! (Thank you, Ale!)
Isa told us that lunch will be served at 3:00 p.m. and dinner at 10:00 p.m.! (Sorry to all the nutrition experts who advise me to eat an early dinner!!) Isa works during the day, so Ale will be cooking lunch! According to both mother and son, he is a very good cook! Nice!!
I took quite a few pictures yesterday during a quick tour of the city, and I plan on posting those asap! I love the history of this place! It's strange being in such an old country. George Washington seems like a youngster compared to Spain's founding fathers!
Well, I've about run out of things to say (yes that does happen occasionally)! I will write more soon! Until then... Hasta luego!