a rainy day in sevilla is still a beautiful one

It has been raining here a lot...and cold. When we were in El Escorial last week it was raining and so cold...I thought I was going to catch the death (by the way, if you walk ANYWHERE - even in your house- without shoes on, they say you´re going to catch the death). Today I thought it was going to start warming up, but it´s raining outside now. But still SO beautiful. Today was a little more relaxed. My first class isn´t until 1:30, so I was able to wake up late and walk into town at my leisure and take a tour of some Arab-inspired palaces and gardens that were spectacular to say the least. When I got up this morning my host mom was cleaning the kitchen when I woke up - all the furniture pulled out and scrubbing the oven...which is kind of awkward in an apartment that is already teeny tiny. But I grabbed some fresh bread with jam and headed out the door. We finally figured out how to get from our apartment to the school - once you get into the city of Old Sevilla the streets are like a labyrinth and people drive around on mopeds and cars and bikes like crazy. Sometimes the sidewalk is only about a foot wide, and the town is definetely not laid out on a grid system like we´re used to. The school is located in el Barrio Santa Cruz, which is a historic part of town where they Jews were forced to live when all the people of Sevilla decided that it was the Jews who were causing all the disease. So they built a wall and said ok, you can live here. It is truly beautiful, though. There are cathedrals and chapels and synagogues around every corner, and even more often are sweet little bars and cafes where people are always relaxing. One amazing thing I have noticed about Spaniards is that they are always moving but never in a hurry. For lunch today I took my bocadillo that my host mom made me and sat on some steps in a plaza near the school to people watch. I can´t even begin to explain the people here...but they are wonderful. I was an old couple walking down the street hand in hand, and then they stopped and he leaned down and they kissed like hormonal teenagers, and then kept on walking. Then later as I was tomando un cafe con leche two men playing an accordian and a viola stopped by to serenade us. The sound of Spain will always be to me a distant accordian and the ceaseless tap of well-worn shoes on cobblestone streets. And the smell...some mystical combination of fresh bread, beer, rain, and olive oil.

My classes have turned out very well - they are basically the same class but one in is English and the other in Spanish. The English one is the required one for St. Edward´s and covers the history, culture, and current situation in globalization of Spain. The other class is called Cultura y Civilization de España, and it is taught by an energetic professor from Madrid who talks incredibly fast, but by some miriacle I understand about 90% of what he says. I am in heaven here with all the history - it´s truly a 3D history book just walking down the streets. And people here just know so much more about history - they often know more about the history of my own country than I do. I was talking to a guy in a bar about how people in Spain are so proud of where they come from, and that I am usually not very proud of my country. He said that we should all be proud of where we come from, and every country has its good sides and its bad sides. I think the wisdom of thousands of years of inhabitants is suspended in the air of this country and its people know subconsciously something that our young country cannot yet understand. Another interesting point is that the bombing in Madrid two years ago was related to Spain´s close connection with the United States, so that´s also part of the reason why they don´t like Americans so much here. Anyhow, the school that I am attending is an international school, used only by international students because the universities in Spain kind of suck. So apparently many students will only take one class at their main university and then attend small universities for other stuff. And this one is small - a mere sliver in one of the many rows of buildings here. My classrooms are long and narrow - obviously not made to be a classroom. But it is still so beautiful. There is a patio on top of the building from which I can look out across the roofs of the city and see the peaks of cathedrals and mosques. Spain is so amazing (among other reasons) because of the combined influence of the Christians, Jews, and Muslims. At several different points the three religions lived together in harmony. In fact, Toledo was once called the City of Three Communities or something like that because of the presence of these three groups. Tonight I have to study - tomorrow I have a quiz over the provinces and capitals, the mountains, and the rivers of Spain. I don´t even know that much about my own country. At least they only have 17 provinces instead of 51.

My host family is wonderful. It´s still a little bit awkward, but not anything too bad. Our host mom is as sweet as she can be and she talks faster than...I don´t know...something really fast. But she is always checking to make sure we´re happy and asking if she needs to do something else for us, and giving us suggestions of things to do while we´re here. My host dad is not very socialable...I think he has a weird work schedule so maybe he´s just really tired when I see him. My room is really nice: small and pink with a window that looks out into some kind of courtyard. I wish I could upload pictures, but I don´t think I can from this computer. Maybe I can borrow someone´s laptop and put some up. I hope you´re all prepared for a painfully long slideshow when I get back...because I will have TONS of pictures.

que mas que mas....there is so much that I have seen and tasted and felt and thought, I can only scrape the surface with this blog. I hope these posts are not too long to be worth reading...and please send this link to anyone who might want it and doesn´t already have it (mom...could you send it to julie and terry and luci and carl and all the family?). I guess that´s it for now. I have to go buy a notebook and stamps. Stores are all closed from 1-5 for siesta and lunch. What a great idea!!!

much love,
Catie