At Last, Sevilla

Here is Emmy's first e-mail home after her arrival in Spain for a semester studying in Sevilla. For more photos, see her Facebook page.

by Emily

After an 8 hour bus ride today, we arrived in Sevilla around 5pm. Leah [standing next to Emmy in photo, a classmate from DU who is her roommate in Sevilla] and I met our host mother, Carmen, who is very patient and kind. She took us around the main street in town, somewhat like Pearl St. Sevilla is absolutely stunning with its old and colorful buildings, the river, and the different barrios. Her flat is right next to the cathedral in the town center and is a very nice home. We are about a 5 minute walk from our classes. Leah and I have a shared bedroom, a TV room, and a bathroom all to ourselves. We have our first day of classes tomorrow after we take a Spanish placement exam.

Madrid and Toledo were tons of fun as well as super tiring. Madrid is a bustling cosmopolitan area. We went to el museo del Prado which was right across from our hotel that showcases art by El Greco, Valesquez, and Goya. It was a guided tour all in Spanish and I was quite astonished that I could understand almost everything our tour guide said. We also went to the big palace which was absolutely stunning and walked around in la plaza mayor. After two days, we bused to Toledo, an hour and a half away. Toledo is absolutely stunning. You must take a day trip there when you come. It looks just like a fairy tale: a walled city with a castle and large cathedral in the center, all surrounded by water. It was very picturesque with tiny streets, cobblestone walkways, old fashioned shops, etc. I have a feeling that it will continue to be a favorite city of mine, even after I see more of Spain.

It's difficult to adjust to the time zone, especially since the Spanish like to stay out all night, so sleep is minimal. Hopefully now that I'm in Sevilla I'll have more of a routine and my stomach will stop grumbling constantly.