Eso es la vida

Another week has passed here in Sevilla! Time is flying by.  I'm almost finished with my first class, Contemporary Spanish Society, and I've begun to plan for my classes at "la Universidad de Sevilla".  Starting February 7th I will be enrolled in two classes at the Universidad de Sevilla with local Spanish students and professors. I also have an "Intercambio" partner, a student at the Universidad that I'll meet with once a week to get to know and help answer any questions I may have about the university.  We're going to get together for coffee when she's finished with exams in about two weeks. I'm so excited to meet Gloria, my partner! Everything at home is still going well.  We have another new roommate, a 19-year-old German student, who does not speak any Spanish but he does speak English.  He's here doing an intensive language course until April.  There are now 5 students living here. It's really fun to come home and hang out with everyone, we've become a little family!

Family dinner!

All of us! From left: me, Franziska, Maik, Ángeles, Paulina, Alex

I'm still having so much fun exploring the city! Sevilla is considered the cultural, artistic and financial capital of southern Spain and is the fourth largest city in the country. There is always something to do! This week I went to see a Flamenco show at "La Carboneria". It's a tiny, hole-in-the-wall place near the center of the city.  It was nearly impossible to find, but luckily we bumped into a Spanish couple on their way to the show as well and followed them.  I was a bit underwhelmed by the costumes (or lack of), but the singers and dancers were very passionate and authentic. Overall, it was a great cultural experience. I found this video of Flamenco on YouTube that is similar to the dancing we watched. Click here for a glimpse of the Flamenco show!

I had a mandatory weekend excursion to Itálica this past Saturday.  Itálica, only about 10 km from Sevilla, is the site of a Roman town founded in 206 B.C.  It boasts the third largest amphitheater (it once seated 25,000 people), exquisite and well preserved mosaics, and cobbled Roman streets. It was a fascinating excursion and left us enough time to get home for lunch and a long walk along the river.  I'm looking forward to my last week of class at EUSA and then beginning classes at the university!

In front of the remains.

Mosaics preserved from the 2nd century BC.

Caitlin and me in the amphitheater.