As I was on the plane, hours away from landing in Madrid, I remember feeling excited, curious, and nervous about the journey that was ahead of me. I barely knew any Spanish and I was on my way to a Spanish speaking country! “I won’t be able to understand people. How will I communicate with my host parents? Where will I be living?” These were all thoughts and questions that were taking over my mind. I was going into a new country, a new culture, and a new living arrangement with host parents that I did not know and a roommate that I had only briefly talked to over Facebook. I had this feeling of being unprepared for what was ahead. In response, the question that continued to come up over the course of the plane ride was, “How can one possible prepare themselves for such a journey?” From then on I began to take on this mindset of growth and opportunity. I started to realize all of the opportunities that I will have to learn and to grow as an individual, even if that came at the cost of uncomfortable situations or failed expectations. So after landing Baker, Will, Annelise, and I (aka the Point Loma crew) were met by two API coordinators (the organization that we were going through) and the journey began! After arriving at our hotel in Madrid we got to explore the city for a little bit. My goodness, Madrid is huge! So many people, so many cars, and so many things to see. After a little bit of exploration we had to head back to the hotel for a meeting that updated us on instructions for the next couple of days. We spent the next five days in the cities of Madrid, Córdoba, and Toledo and all of these cities were beautiful! As great as a time that we were all having, you could sense that people were ready to head to Seville, the city that we would all be in for the next 4 and a ½ months.
As we were on the bus to Seville, Juan Calvo, one of our API coordinators, made the announcement, “We are in Seville! 15 minutes before all of you meet your host families!” The mood throughout the entire bus began to change and everyone was starting to get extremely nervous. All those questions that were caused by uncertainty began to come up again. My roommate, Micah, and I exited the bus and found a lady that was holding a sign that read, “Carmina Garrido”. I met her with two kisses (one on each cheek), and then met my host dad, Manolo, with a firm handshake. I was told that Carmina spoke English, but I did not know how much English she knew. Right then I learned that the language aspect of the trip was going to be a struggle. After a quiet car ride, we arrived at the house and received a tour with basic instructions about the house. After unpacking we were called in for dinner and this was another big moment: the first meal! The food was absolutely incredible and it all made sense after learning that Carmina trained people how to cook for 10 years while she lived in San Francisco, California. I was extremely excited for the semester ahead as I was going to be spoiled by incredible food. The night continued with both Micah and I giving gifts from home to Carmina and Manolo and they absolutely loved them. Even though I did not communicate much with them, it was a great start to a semester that I will remember for the rest of my life!
My host parents: Manolo (64) and Carmina (67)
Now I have been in Seville for exactly one week and I am falling in love with this place. This past week has consisted of exploration (aka getting lost), bike tours, and visits to the Cathedral, the Alcázar, and the Plaza de España. Relationships have been strengthened and more conversation has been taking place between my host parents and I. I think my most common phrase to Carmina is, “Como se dice…en español.” That is how you learn right? This semester I am attending Pablo De Olavide University and orientation was on Tuesday night. After orientation the school put on an event that served free cervezas, tapas, and tinto de veranos! Quite different from student life at Point Loma! Classes started last Wednesday and I am taking: Spanish 101-102, History of Spanish Art, International Business, and International Marketing.
A couple of things that I have learned in this past week:
- Be bold and try stuff – I have been surprised by the results
- If you don’t know what people are saying, responding with “Sí” works most of the time
- Don’t fill the laundry basket with clothes quickly or Carmina might get upset
- Gelato consumption might become a problem – Will keep you updated on that
- Bread is eaten at every meal – This is not me complaining
- If you are skeptical of a certain food, eat bread with it
- Siestas are a beautiful thing
Thank you all for reading! I have truly been blessed by the situation that I am in and I am going to try to fully take advantage of this opportunity, while updating you along the way! God is so good and He cares so much about his children. I can’t wait to see the ways that He moves within me this semester. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6