Las cosas que me encantan de Sevilla y las cosas que extraño de Indiana / Things I love about Sevill

My first semester is finally coming to a close. In less than 3 weeks, I will return to the States. I’m ready to go home, but I’m sure as soon as I get there I’ll want to catch the next flight back to Spain. Like the title says, I’ve composed a list of things I love about my second home, and a few things that I definitely appreciate more from the United States.

Spain / España

1. The greeting / el saludo

Among women and between men and women, the typical greeting is dos besitos, or two kisses. Among men, it’s normally a hug or handshake. This seems to be a hit-or-miss among my fellow American classmates. I like it a lot because it’s an intimate way of saying hello, nice to meet you. A handshake just doesn’t accomplish the same idea now that I think about it. It’s a habit I’d like to take back with me to the United States. The misimpression is that outsiders probably think it’s that you literally kiss the person on the cheek, but it’s actually just touching cheeks and making a kissy sound. However, I have seen many older adults actually kiss their friends’ cheeks too.

2. How walkable everything is / lo transitable

One of the struggles of living in a small town in the U.S. is that you have to drive almost everywhere to get to your desired destination, while in Sevilla I’ve probably walked more than I have of all the instances that I’ve walked in my life combined before coming here. No lie. It’s easy to walk into el Centro and buy things or hang out with friends in Alameda, which is awesome. Side bonuses are that it’s better for the environment and promotes an active lifestyle.

3. Mediterranean diet / la dieta mediterránea

This is so great that my anthropology class had two sections about this. I’ve eaten, overall, very well here. Most of my dishes include vegetables, and dessert is considered a piece of fruit. I haven’t really eaten chips or candy, mainly because my host mom doesn’t keep any in the house. Sure, there are times where I’ll go out of my way to buy a few snacks, but most of the time I tire of the taste easily.

4. The Sevillian accent / el acento sevillano

Prior to coming to Spain, I must admit that I thought the Spanish accent was a little ridiculous with the lisp thing. However, I LIVE for the accent now, especially the native Sevillian one. I find it to be very smooth, and it’s very pleasing to the ear. It is my goal to attain this accent one way or another. Enrique Iglesias isn’t from Sevilla, but most of his songs you can hear the general Spanish accent as an example.

5. The character of the city / el ambiente de la ciudad

Sevilla would not be described primarily by its “modernity.” In other words, it has an old-feel to it. No two buildings are the same, and they’re painted in pastel, vivid colors. My favorite time to explore is late at night/early morning (normally when I’m walking back home from a night out) when no one is in the streets. Sevilla is relatively small, but when I wander around I always manage to find a new corner that I’ve never ventured to before.

The United States / los Estados Unidos

1. Green! As in trees, grass, and leaves

This is something my intercambio and I joke about often. I cannot say this enough! Sevilla is located in the southern tip of Spain, where it’s as dry and hot as Arizona and there’s not much vegetation. One of the few things I miss about Indiana is the lush greenery. I can breathe (relatively) clean without inhaling smoke from someone’s cigarette nearby. I can go walk on the trail in my backyard and go to a REAL park. In Sevilla, you have to look really hard to find proper trees.

2. Catholic Mass / la misa católica

This was one thing I really looked forward to participating in regularly. I’m not trying to hate on the style of the masses here because I respect all types of ways that people worship, buuut I have several “issues” so to say. First, the language barrier hinders me from really getting any message from the Mass. Sometimes, I ask myself it it’s worth attending church if I can’t understand. Plus, the lack of music and joyfulness further adds to my discouragement. Mass only lasts thirty minutes normally, which is nice, but I can’t say I genuinely enjoy attending it here. Maybe I’ve been going to the wrong church? Back home, I’m accustomed to singing every hymn and hearing loud, firm responses. Here, it’s just sad murmurs!

3. My dog / mi perrito

Obviously. Just look at him. You would miss him too if you were me. No dog here compares to Harley.