On September 22, my classmates and I went on a day trip to Portugal. I was excited to visit a new country and swim on a beach for the first time in two years. The day was packed with fun beach games and swimming in the cold, refreshing water. I loved Portugal so much that I planned a trip to Lisbon for the upcoming weekend. It was an amazing start to my first full week in Spain.
On the bus ride back to Seville, I realize that my mini vacation is officially over. As I look at the pile of homework I have barely started, I remind myself that keeping a consistent homework schedule is important to my academic success. I noticed that I began to struggle with homework, classes, and trying to make the most out of my time abroad. The stress of it all made me a worry about making my semester a success. I began to notice the things I didn’t necessarily like about being abroad: the stores having odd hours, rude tourists, and my new eating schedule.
Some people may call it culture shock. I disagree, I call it culture curiosity. I wonder, how do the locals do it? How are the able to spend time with their loved ones while also going to work and school? How do people go out so late? Watching the people at the bar from my apartment above and listening to them speak at 1:00 in the morning makes these thoughts run into my head. I want to be able to become more comfortable with being comfortable. I noticed that I tend to isolate myself from my friends and family whenever I feel stressed. I thought about the things I liked about being in the South of Spain. I thought about my wonderful new friends, the sunny weather, and I thought about how great it was that everything I needed was in walking distance.
Even though my life in Seville is different from the one in New Jersey, I am totally fine with it. I am glad that even though I struggled a bit with learning how Spaniards live, I am embracing it and becoming more flexible.
On Friday the 27th, our school had a field trip to Royal Alcázars of Seville. A professor from the International College of Seville gave us a small tour of the area. It was a great learning experience and I am glad that I got to see some beautiful gardens and a historic location. I found it interesting that there are so many cultures and religions shown in the architecture. On some buildings, you can see the Muslim influence mixed in with Christian symbols.
On Saturday, we took a class trip to Bolonia and Jerez de la Frontera. Jerez is known for its delicious sherry wine. Even though the smell of the wine made me sick, I enjoyed learning about the history of Sandeman’s Bodegas. The highlight of the trip was seeing the Roman ruins in Bolina. While I was walking on the beach, I could see the ruins on one side, the beach in the middle, and North Africa on the other side. It was absolutely breathtaking, and I could not stop admiring the view. I am excited to visit more historic locations as the semester continues.
Ali's Adventures Abroad 