Wasn’t it just March like…a minute ago? But like…some weird parallel universe March? As we have almost made it through a full year since Covid took over, I’m seeing all the memories pop up on social media from my semester abroad last spring, which unfortunately ended prematurely. Last winter, I spent a wonderful, dreamlike couple of months in beautiful Sevilla, Spain, and I still think about it every single day. I wrote about the experience in journals and reflected upon it in the many days of quarantine upon my arrival home, but I realize that I never shared my experience here! So here’s some of it! Sevilla is the capital of Spain’s southern Andalucia region, and it also happens to be a beautiful city full of culture, landmarks, great food, and some really fantastic people. It’s hard to capture it all, but I’m going to give a teeny tiny glimpse of some of my favorite things from my time in Spain.
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My Residencia!
In Spain, I was placed in a residencia, which, in my case, was basically a huge home with four floors, tons of room, and about twenty students. We were all participating in the same program, and we became close quickly. I also had two roommates of my own, both of whom became some of my best friends during my time there. I loved living in my residencia because it gave me a somewhat authentic experience without the pressure of having a host family (I barely speak a word of Spanish), and with the constant support of friends. I was so lucky to have been placed with people with whom I bonded so well, some of whom are still my best friends a year later.
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Río Guadalquivir
The Guadalquivir is one of the longest rivers in Spain, and runs directly through Sevilla. One of my favorite memories of being abroad was walking down to the riverside and having a picnic dinner with my roommates. There were always so many people out and about, talking, running, and playing music – just good energy all around. The riverside was also the best place to go for a run during the day! Such amazing views – and the sunsets? Unmatched.
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Real Alcázar de Sevilla, Plaza De España, Setas de Sevilla, etc.!
Sevilla is home to quite literally too many beautiful landmarks to count. While some are better for a quick sightseeing visit (the VIEWS on top of Las Setas), you could spend hours in others and never feel like you’ve seen enough. The hundreds of years of history packed into structures like the Alcazar, as well as the cultural influences that went into building it are enough to make you stop and stare for quite some time. This is one of the major reasons why I’m disappointed my time was cut short, but I firmly intend on going back and getting to see everything I missed out on!
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THE WEATHER
Let’s be real – I arrived in Sevilla at the end of January after having spent the past couple of winters in Vermont. I was ecstatic. It was about 60 degrees when we got there, but that felt downright tropical after leaving from the Boston airport. Eventually, by March, it had reached 80 some days and was usually sunny. The funny thing was that everyone living in Sevilla still thought it was cold out – I got super weird looks when I threw on my Birks in the middle of February to enjoy sunshine. Huh.
I think about my time in Sevilla constantly, and I am so excited to be able to go back soon and get to relive some of my experiences while exploring new parts of Spain. I’m incredibly thankful for my experience and the people it brought into my life – Spain itself was amazing, but the friendships and memories that came out of it are really what has stuck with me.