Waiting and Reflections

The last night in Sevilla, spent over exquisite tapas that we couldn’t just tear into, because we were in the presence of company. The last night, surrounded by our best friends, and by random new characters that actually made me excited to get back to America. I’m glad that I was able to share my last night too, share it with Jeremy, so that neither of us was really the focus of attention, well, as much as Jeremy could ever not be. I realized how much these people, these silly kids who all ended up in CIEE by chance or by accident, how much they’ve impacted me. The majority of my thoughts this semester, in my extensive downtime, have been concerned with the creation, maintaining, and evolution of friendships and relationships in general, and this semester, of starting from scratch, and forming not only singular relationships, but a coherent crew, has given me a lot of fuel for the pondering flames.

The conclusions that I take from Spain, I suppose they are many and varied. I conclude that I prefer Latin America. I conclude that Andalucia should always be referred to, when discussing my experience in Spain, because someone living anywhere else would, literally, have a completely different experience. I think the Sorolla exhibit that we saw on our last day is actually a perfect description. Sorolla was a painter in the impressionist style, who was commissioned to do a series of murals depicting typical Spanish scenes. There are three scenes from Sevilla, and looking at each one, I felt as though I was literally looking down the street. They were scenes I had, personally, seen, with all of the emotion and complexity of Andalucian tradition. So, it only makes sense that the scenes depicting the other communities of Spain must also transmit typical traditions, and each was as foreign to the Sevillian scenes that it could easily have been showing any other part of Europe. Spain has a lot of political, social and economic issues, internally and within the EU, which was an instability I hadn’t imagined, but thanks to watching the news every day over lunch, I feel I’ve grown to understand it to some regard.

This trip, more than any other that I’ve done, has given me a stronger sense of home, and what my home means to me. Not just my parent’s house, and the comfort that I have there, but also my own independence and the ability – and responsibility- to be able to care for myself. Living in Sevilla, along with many discussions on the topic, surrounding sources such as Mark Twain’s Innocents Abroad, as well as other travel writers, all sorts of discourses on Americans have been inspired. Sevilla, a beautiful city in Sunny, Southern Spain, has been crowded with tourists since the day that I arrived. Admittedly, the numbers grew by counts and bounds as the temperatures increased. I remember one month where it seemed every day I saw another French schoolgroup, and weeks at a time that I would pass old Germans touring all of the sites. The most consistent, however, are the Americans. CIEE is a huge study abroad program, hosting at least 500 students per semester. And it’s far from the only one. It is impossible to walk the streets without hearing English, and almost impossible to not run into someone you know. The majority of the Americans earn reputations as semester-long vacationers, sacrificing getting to know Sevilla to travel to all of the capital cities of Europe, and eager to drink legally under 21. Last night I had the good fortune to meet a couple of Americans on a summer architecture program. They were friends of a friend, and therefore did not earn immediate disdain from me, and I was really pleasantly surprised with their acceptance of our group, and also our acceptance of them. American gentlemen do still exist, and they are witty and enjoyable to be around. I also appreciate the irony of this entire paragraph, because who have I surrounded myself with and become best friends with during this semester? Well, none other than Americans, with the few Erasmus kids for good measure. Take my hypocrisy as you will.

Well that ends this round of thought and elaboration. Morning has dawned, and the hours that I wait for my train are dwindling. Finally.

My CIEE friends have made my semester abroad awesome, and they are all interesting, intelligent, and unique people. Thanks, guys.

Fin de Semestre...

Wow.. well, I got here quickly. In two day's I'll be winging away from Sevilla, to have a little bit more fun in Europe with Claire in France, and hopefully I'll run into Natalia, but she's showing a fairly typical lack of returning e-mails. Then I'll be home!

I am currently reading notes and writing outlines for my last portfolio that I have to turn in, and I'm retaking one exam to try and get a better grade. Thanks for that grade transfer, Northeastern! At least I will be getting all sorts of credits for this semester, and of course the experience of living here, meeting new people, and having all sorts of introspection as a result thereof was worth probably not getting as good of grades as I would have if I'd been at NEU.

I am beginning to pack things, but it's always easier to pack for going home, because you don't really have to chose what you will take, just throw it all in.

I will be spending some time in the airport in Paris tomorrow, so I think I will have some time to reflect perhaps and have a more meaningful blog post at that time!

El internet en casa

One defining factor about the homestay has been whether or not there is internet access. It is very normal for some Spanish people, especially the elderly, to not understand the concept of the internet. It is normal for many families to not have the internet, especially not wireless. A number of CIEE students have bought Instanet, a portable modem which gives you wireless wherever you are. Coming from America, land of hyper-connectivity, it took quite a period of adjustment for many students to come to terms with not having constant internet access. (Boys seem to handle it better than girls.) In my own experience, I’ve been steadily pirating the internet of someone here in this fine apartment building since the day that I arrived. Granted, it cuts out frequently, and sometimes can’t be reached at random hours of the day, but having access to the internet has been a huge part of my stay here, and lately I’ve been thinking about how everything would have been different had I not had a connection here.

First of all, having the internet is obviously a great way to stay in touch with people at home. Unfortunately, it makes not receiving news a much bigger deal than actually hearing about things. Secondly, the internet, as we all know, is an endless source of entertainment. I have been able to read the news regularly, watch movies and TV shows, do research about topics that are being covered in my classes, and have a translating web-page to help me write my papers. All of these are extremely positive aspects, but the thing is, if not for this access from my bedroom that I have, I would have spent more time at the University, and definitely less time literally doing nothing. I’m sure it would have caused a fair amount of difference in my relationship with Elena. Without the internet, I’d probably be spending a lot more time watching TV with her after lunch and dinner. Although I do watch a few movies a night with Elena and her boyfriend nowadays, sometimes it’s tough because they’re just plain bad movies. On those nights, I retreat back to my solace of internet entertainment, rather than make fun of the movies with them.

Thinking about web-connectivity also ties into recent discussions that have taken place about friendship. It can be hard to keep in touch with people when away, but then again, it kind of makes you realize that the best part of your relationships are the company, the doing things together, and the simple act of being together. Which “keeping in touch” does not satisfy, not really in the least. Especially when we all know that nothing really exciting is going on, we’re all still taking classes, working at our jobs, and having the same parties as always. People form some set of friends no matter where they are; we all need some social interaction. So the verdict here, I suppose, is that nothing would have been lost had I not had this beautiful internet, and perhaps I would have even gained something – a purpose in having to leave my house to search for internet, and a potentially better relationship here at home (although everything is really great now, I mean more along the lines that we would have gotten along better sooner, more than anything). Ah, technology.

I spent the last weekend on a beach getaway with just a few friends in a very tiny town. It literally could not have been better - on the cloudy day, I got some studying done, and other than that, the weather was gorgeous. Jeremy's brother was visiting and made the mistake of asking us why we all decided to do study abroad and what we've gotten out of it, which inspired some rather self-contradictory and confused conclusions from each of us, which I won't go into here. It was nice to get out of Sevilla, but for once, coming back was hard, because I really just wanted to be arriving back at my real home. I have only three weeks left here, and I know it will go by quickly, especially with my exams looming. I really can't wait to see home!

Quejas - Purely Sevillano

Sidewalks. – Sevilla is a very pedestrian friendly city. The main roadway that runs through the centro and passes the front of the cathedral is foot-traffic only, aside from the tram that runs between two main plazas. So why, oh why, is it so difficult to navigate the sidewalks? Triana, my neighborhood across the river from the main downtown of Sevilla, also, in general, has wide sidewalks and a grid of roads to break up foot traffic. But, in my experience, standstills are easy to come by as one attempts to travel down the street. The sidewalks tend to be littered with dog droppings or simply cut up due to obras (construction – there one week, and no trace of it the next). While you must watch your step, you must also be cautious of the incredible number of elderly people wandering the sidewalks as well. Attempts to run down main streets have been quickly frustrated, as groups of two or three staunchly refuse to budge to a side, causing the runner to come to a complete stop as they pass, or a pedestrian, hearing a runner behind them, may suddenly step to one side, usually towards the center of the sidewalk, effectively cutting the runner off. The city is full of tricks.

No cat cookies. – Alright, when I came to Spain, I knew I would be experiencing all sorts of new foods and I would miss some of my favorites from home. This minor complaint stems from the fact that, when searching for a snack, there is literally nothing to go for other than either chips or chocolate. Which is fine, when in a desperate and miserable mood, but for a regular, in-between-class, fill-me-up, fruits can be hard to find, granola bars don’t really exist, and cat cookies? Simply out of the question.

Machismo. – Another expectation I had of Spain, especially having travelled before in South America, was the general disrespect of women. I bring this up mainly to comment on the difference of an experience between a guy’s study abroad and a girl’s. Guys have more freedom to be able to go out on their own, to strike up conversation without worrying about repercussions, and above all, to not get hassled. Hassling girls is almost a Spanish pastime, which is probably augmented by the size of this city, and the regular number of foreigners who inhabit it. Personally, I have noticed a huge difference in commentary between going running with my blonde friend, by myself, or with a guy. Blondes beware – really. They are especially targeted, because they’re obvious foreigners, and in general, obviously Americans. There is a very real difference in how women are treated, and therefore in the concept of Spain that they will take away with them.

Of course, I don’t have only complaints.

Parks. – Sevilla is Spain’s fifth largest city and the capital of the autonomous community of Andalucia, the southernmost section of Spain. That said, it has some of the nicest city parks I have seen – in any city. There are three main parks (not including the gardens of the Alcazar, which are more of a tourist attraction), spread out in various sections of the city, each with a very unique feel and different layout; jungle, lakes, garden trellises, and wide grassy spaces. They are great for running, working out, wandering, doing work, and people-watching, but, as with just about any place in this city, keep an eye out for weirdos.

Tapas. – The Spanish custom of standing or sitting around small tables over drinks and bites of food is absolutely fabulous. Some Americans aren’t good at it; in general the American impulse is to eat your food quickly and move on, but here, a small, single beer can last an hour along with conversation with good friends. The fact that most of the bars are tiny and spill out to patio tables or under awnings makes it even more enjoyable to watch the evening descend and enjoy the complete lack of hurry that characterizes most of Spain.

Segunda Feria

This past weekend definitely deserves some description. On Saturday, I attended the Medieval Fair held in a small park here. There were people dressed in medieval costume, vendors of ceramics, Arabic watercolors, and literal mountains of food. The booths had open grills covered in pork ribs and 2 foot long slices of bread, which would be covered in a tomato and garlic paste after grilling, then topped with any of a variety of sausages. Although chorizo, salted or smoked sausage, is very popular here, I don’t think I’d ever seen cooked sausage. There was a booth selling spices, teas, bushels of dried fruits and nuts, and wheels of cheese, all for rather exorbitant prices. Sitting at a table with a couple of friends, we watched the people walk by, made end-of-semester plans, and mostly just enjoyed each other’s company – for a few hours. This is probably one of the things I’ll miss most about Spain – sitting outdoors and taking plenty of time, knowing that none of us have anything we really need to be doing, something that is quite un-American. In the states, time is allotted for a lunch with an old friend, but everyone’s life is on such a schedule that it’s rare to find yourself just waiting for time to pass by as you spend time with someone.

Jack’s parents were also visiting, reminding Jeremy and I that we are real people with real conversational abilities, and that talking to adults is extremely interesting and rewarding. In Jeremy’s words, “I pay more tribute to people older than me, because they have a lot more to say than someone my own age.” Talking to adults brings out the best in us, and it also makes me remember that I am an interesting person who has had a lot of experiences too, for my few years. It’s been very awesome to meet everyone’s parents that have come here, and I miss mine.

Sunday can be classified only as another jump in time. Allison and I went with Elena to her pueblo, the small town where her parents live, and we had been told that it was a type of feria, and Elena said that she was going to wear her flamenco dress. Next thing we know, her mother is pinning flowers in our hair, and we’ve found ourselves in extra dresses, looking just as Spanish as any of Elena’s cousins. We ate all day – literally all day. Which is never a problem, of course. We tried to think of some American tradition that could be compared to that of dressing in traditional flamenco attire, and devoting entire weekends to a Saint, that is, to town parties. Fourth of July was the closest that we could think of that’s even comparable, and not very much at that.
Women of all ages, dressed and enjoying the feria.

ETA

Today, there was another ETA bombing in the north of Spain. There has been the shooting of a former Socialist politician, and two other bombings (I believe) with no fatalities. In this attack, on a police compound, one person died, a police chief, and four more are injured. While extremely minor compared with the total destruction that has happened in southeast Asia recently, I think it's important to remember that even in a country that we consider to be modern, people are killing each other. How can this end?

14 May 2008 - Contemplation/One month left

This experience has once again convinced me that not all of America’s youth is a lost cause. The other students that I have met here are, as should be expected, exemplary students of respected universities, with outgoing personalities, easy to converse with, and just as fun to go out with. It’s very interesting, to me, to look back to when we all first arrived and see how our group dynamic has grown and changed. From initially bonding between those from the same schools, at this point, I think the majority of our group has come to know each other pretty well, through classes and closeness of homestays. Observing the dynamic and the changes that I’ve gone through in my friendships here, I’ve been thinking a lot about friendships I’ve had, maintained, and made new over the past few years. Being young is an awesome time for friendships – interests are constantly fresh and changing, and we’re moving around frequently, always in contact with new people, and in my case, I’ve found myself in larger social circles than the past, finding more people that I really identify with, rather than basing friendships solely on proximity.

I’ve come to the conclusion, after my Brazil exchange experience, and I’m sure the case will be similar after this study abroad, that it’s almost easier to maintain a long-distance friendship than anything else. Talks may be infrequent, but there are always plans being made about meeting up. When two friends who haven’t seen each other in ages finally meet, they don’t take each other for granted. There is a lot more saying things without just talking, and a lot more comprehension rather than just listening. After seeing Dominique after about 4 years, we talked endlessly about the appreciation that we each gained for our homes after being away a variety of times. Obviously we’ve both grown and changed in 4 years, but it’s pretty remarkable to see that we still just get each other. I’ve found that with friends who I don’t see for long periods of time, when I do see them, it’s as though no time has passed. Which raises a question that I simply can’t answer: Is that because we’re truly not changing that much, or is it because we revert back to our memories of our previous interactions? I’m inclined to believe that it has more to do with the connection that two people must have, in order to stay in touch and really make the effort to meet up, there must be something in their personalities that doesn’t change after a few more years of growing up.

On the other hand, there are the friends we see everyday – housemates, classmates, co-workers, and basically anyone who lives close. Of course all of these relationships have different dynamics. But the constant interaction of any one of these results in a much more dynamic and changing relationship. It’s intriguing to think about how we’ve come to know people in our lives, and consider the friendships that come out of any meeting. The difference, I feel, between interactions in the “real world” and interactions with a group while traveling is that in life, once you realize that someone is going to have a big part in your life, either because you see them every day, or it’s a close friend of a friend, adjustments are made to also include this new person. Whereas travel experiences bring people together in a way that almost nothing else does. It brings up all sorts of contemplation and idea-sharing that would never take place in our respective comfort zones, which may not even include each other in the first place.

I’m really grateful that I’ve had classes with the other Americans in my program, because if not for that, I’m sure I wouldn’t have gone out of my way to know them, since my main goal was to meet Spanish kids. It’s interesting to think about “types” of people, as all of us are drastically different at first impression, but we really must not be that different, because we all seem able to interact and enjoy each other’s company. The main thing, I suppose, is that we’re all here, experiencing Southern Spain together, for better or for worse.