A November to remember spent in my new hometown

While my international travel plans have stalled since a trip to Lisbon in late October and this blog has been seemingly dormant for longer than usual, I've been trying to get to know my host city on a whole new level.

After that trip to Lisbon, I was honestly pretty burnt out when it came to traveling, studying, and living abroad.  It had been almost 4 months since I had been in Europe (2 in London, 2 in Spain) and while I wasn't desperately homesick, it was tough adjusting to the fact that I had 7 more months until I'd be back in the USA, home to everything that I loved most.

The end of October and early November had a rough start, as some time went by where I mindlessly went through my daily routine without really caring or wanting to delve much deeper into life in Sevilla; I was exhausted.  I was also annoyed that I wasn't more intrigued by the many things that seemed so interesting when I had first come to Europe (as a boy and this past summer), I was aware that millions would love to be in my same position, and I wondered whether I'd have a future living and working abroad, like I've hoped and planned for most of my life.

A little later into November I came to realize that I had just settled into my surroundings and things that were so foreign a couple months ago were now just a part of my everyday life.  I knew that I needed to make things interesting again, step it up a level, and continue challenging myself to get out of my comfort zone, learn more about myself and my new country, and further enhance my perspectives on Spain, life abroad, and life in general.

Once I experienced this renaissance of thought, I became eager to talk with my host family more, pay closer attention in my Spanish history, politics, and conversation classes, research all aspects of life regarding Sevilla and Spain, and explore as many areas of the city as I could.  My fire was back, and I was now happily focused on living my present life in Spain to the fullest, not worrying about my past in the US or my future wherever it may be.

It has been a few weeks since I had this renewal of passion (and almost 5 months since I've been in Europe) and as I'm saving funds to travel more during Christmas break and next semester, it has given me the chance to step back and learn a great deal more about Sevilla, Andalucia, and Spain, places which I had been taking for granted and was unaware how much there was to see and learn.

Sure experiences like going up the Eiffel Tower or riding a camel into the Sahara are amazingly awesome (and I hope to have many more like them), but now I'm happy to find it just as exciting to explore a new part of the city, learn from my host family, go study in a park or old plaza, or find a new favorite bar somewhere in town....little things that I was previously too ignorant to see the value and joy in beforehand.

This November has been most memorable in that it has slowed life down for me by teaching me how to live each day in the moment, to the fullest, and with no regrets, practices which I knew as common sense but found it difficult to implement, and I hope to continue living by these methods from now in Spain into the far future!

Below are some pictures that summarize my latest explorations.  This next weekend I'm off to Cordoba and Granada and then within a month I'll be back in London for Christmas break!

Hope everyone's enjoying the start of the holiday season, Happy November, and GO GATORS!!!

A foggy November morning looking across the Guadalquivir River

The high point of a day trip to Italica, the oldest Roman town in the Iberian Peninsula located just outside Sevilla, at the Amphitheater which was the 3rd largest in the Roman Empire seating 25,000 and is still an impressive sight

Enjoying a uniquely American night out at the Texas Saloon, which has a fairly solid location

Another day trip to beautiful Carmona, which lies about 20 miles northeast of Sevilla

Ancient castle-top view of the ridge and rolling Andalucian plains in Carmona

Hmmm i recognize the face but not quite sure about the name...

Waterfall Gazebo! one of the many hidden features in Parque Maria Luisa

My señora spoiling me with these challenging to eat (with all the tiny bones and shells) yet delicious giant sardines and gambas (prawns) that were a small part of this lunch 

'Murrrica??!!

View from my study spot one evening

Relaxing in Plaza de Espana 

Witnessing my first legit flamenco show last night in Macarena, another charming neighborhood in northern Sevilla.  I honestly really enjoyed it and am excited to see many more!

Morocco: Gaining new perspectives from a personal frontier

This past weekend was easily one of the most enlightening trips I've ever been on; the setting for this memorable encounter? Morocco...

While having the great fortune of being able to travel around Spain so much already this semester, I've been really wanting to dive into a new world so a couple weeks ago I bought a cheap flight ticket to Marrakech, Morocco.  With my fellow international students touring other worthy European cities or going to Morocco another time (with one of the many large-grouped, package deals they offer here), I knew I would be traveling alone and was certainly comfortable with that; Being a fairly independent traveler, I find it easiest when I'm the only one to please and theres no plans, no judgment, no whining...just spontaneous exploration.

This enlightenment began the moment I stepped outside Marrakech Airport, where I found myself nudging my way through armed guards, Muslim traders, and one-eyed beggars just to find the road into the city.  Using an online recommendation and not against saving 30 dirhams (about 3 euros/4 dollars), I traveled from the airport to the city center on foot.  The journey was about an hour and a half and took me through the gorgeous Menara Gardens and down streets where I first witnessed the extreme diversity of Moroccan road travel: a mix of Western cars, horse carriages, constantly honking motorcycles, family-packing scooters, and crop-carrying donkeys to name a few.  

For a guy with some OCD characteristics, I thought finding my hostel without a map, the absence of street signs, lack of any French or Arabic language skills (the two most useful in these parts), and the target of "TOURIST!" on my back in a legitimately foreign North African city was a pretty fun, (dare I say) relaxing experience.  Ok so I had some directions jotted down beforehand, but they consisted of finding a missing cafe (that my hostel manager Abdullah later told me was being rebuilt after a bombing last year that killed 17 people...yes not the greatest first impression), a small bazaar selling wooden trinkets, and an old toothless Berber man handing out hard drugs (ok well not quite) so I did feel quite relieved after I found my way to Djemaa el Fna (the large main square and sight of that bombing), through dozens of decorated souks, down numerous narrow alleyways, and into my cozy hostel.  

After having some deliciously sweet Moroccan tea with Abdullah that Friday night, I instinctively booked a cheap two day-one night excursion to the Sahara Desert leaving early Saturday and returning Sunday evening.  The hostel offered other packaged trips to the mountains, beach, and various towns around the country but I knew a Saharan adventure was calling my name, it being a major global brand when it comes to natural geography.

After meeting my fellow excursionists on Saturday morning (made up of 4 Italians, 3 French, 1 Arab, and our Moroccan driver), we drove for hours through some of the most amazing landscapes I've seen, studded with mountains, canyons, hillside towns, lush oases, and the usual Moroccan roadside salesmen until we reached a small desert town a few hours southeast of Marrakech.  From here, we rode for nearly two hours via camel into the Sahara until arriving at our campsite.  While it was a bit bumpy (as expected) and possibly a little more uncomfortable for me and my fellow gents as the minutes passed, riding a camel into the desert was a genuinely unique, movie-like experience and wasn't quite complete without our Arabic-speaking caravan leaders getting a tad lost along the way...However, they would renew themselves by finding our camp, cooking us a simple yet satisfying Moroccan three course meal, and hosting a little concert by the campfire as night swept across the desert landscape.

On this Sahara excursion, I also recall gazing up at the starry, non-light polluted desert sky for hours and really noticing the Milky Way and several shooting stars for the first time.  While a couple of the French travelers spoke a little English, it was also interesting being the only American and native English speaker in the group.  I was called "America" by the two Arabic-speaking Caravan leaders and the only other intelligible word they could muster my way was "Obama" so naturally I just kept smiling and nodding (like the first days in my Spanish homestay) and we got along great.  While I wouldn't have objected to an English or even Spanish speaker, I found communicating without a common language a very illuminating aspect of this trip.  Also, seeing several towns without water, electricity, cars (things we think of as necessities) and young children having one soccer ball as their primary entertainment (and seeing foreigners as their biggest thrill) was so eye-opening and showed me how fortunate and lucky my life has been.

After departing the soothing Sahara and returning to the craziness of Marrakech Sunday evening, I continued to explore the city more (until flying back to Sevilla Monday afternoon), observing the hordes of salesmen making their living (you can seriously buy anything here...just be prepared to negotiate), dodging traffic (it took me five-ten minutes to cross the average street due to the lack of traffic lights and insanely crazy drivers), stumbling upon numerous hidden souks and eateries, and escaping the rush/watching the world go by from some mosque gardens.

Looking back on my first four days in the African continent, I discovered it was the first place I had been truly aware of how different life was to Spain and certainly the US.  I was viewing scenes I had only seen through movies, shows, and documentaries but neither in person nor on my past travels...and that was EXACTLY the way I wanted it!  I never felt fearful, just conscientious of my new surroundings, my status as being a foreigner in their country, and open to learning as much as I could about this foreign land in my short stay.

It felt amazing to survive and conquer at least a chunk of North Africa on my own, as I had never expected to be getting the opportunity to do something quite so adventurous for some time.  I really hadn't experienced major culture shock until my visit here, and I'm so grateful to the country (and Ryanair!) for letting me experience something so different.  Different is sometimes good and sometimes bad but to me it's always a blessing when you can put the world in perspective and sincerely appreciate where you come from...I look forward to getting that feeling again, hopefully sooner than I expect.

Check out my Morocco picture album on Facebook which should be up this week!

Happy October and GO GATORS!!

Settling in to a home away from home

What a difference a few weeks can make!  I have had a wild past month from finishing work in London, exploring Amsterdam and Paris both for the second time over a 10 day trip, getting back and sadly saying bye to family in London and flying into Madrid to start my life in Spain.

As living (and in this case studying) abroad for a year has been something I've wanted to do forever and will hopefully continue to do, I've already gotten upset with myself multiple times over how I haven't become fluent in Spanish yet, traveled around Spain or Europe enough, or fully appreciated/explored my lovely surroundings that many people would give anything to be in.  Then I take a breath and realize I've only been in Spain for nearly two weeks and Sevilla just over a week and it hits me how much I've done and seen, how many great people I've met (who I already feel like I've known for years), and how much time I fortunately have to live in this setting.

Although getting to Spain seems an eternity ago, I still vividly remember my first couple days living with my Spanish host family.  From the moment I got picked up from a bus stop in the center of Sevilla by my señora, we euro-kissed (two on the cheek...same as London) and she cheerily started bombarding me with words in her thick Sevillan accent.  I couldn't tell if my years of learning Spanish had immediately failed with my "mom" for the next year or if I was just tired, but either way I found myself just smiling and nodding (throwing in the occasional 'si' or 'bueno') for the next couple days....Luckily I had Steve, my fellow American/house-mate for the next year, bail me out then as his Spanish is more advanced but 'twas not my ideal start to the life I'd been planning for years.

Following the arrival, I've certainly come a long way and have become way more comfortable around Marilo (the name she told us to call her) and two of her aged mid-twenty sons that live here also, Carlos and Salvador.  Its definitely challenging to come up with new ways to answer a daily "Que pasa?" multiple times or to describe a meal without saying "bueno" or "delicioso" every time but the family and I have recognized that my Spanish is better than their English (only Salvador knows a few english words), once you get out of your comfort zone and talk to locals nothing can stop you from learning more, and I've got a solid enough language base to build upon each day I spend in this beautiful country.

One of the draws to studying in Sevilla for me, besides the homestay, was the three meals per day I'd receive from my future señora, as food is a major part of any culture and my life.  I think Marilo's had enough experience cooking, raising five boys and one girl and hosting international students the last few years, as I haven't had a bad meal yet...I actually just had dinner and told her 'No he tenido una mala comida en su casa' and whether that made sense to her or not, she smiled and thanked me while I walked off proudly, happy to have held my own in a legit spanish conversation for more than 30 seconds.

A usual day food-wise will consist of her laying out a nice breakfast spread for Steve and I while I watch my morning news or some kiddie toons (cus I can understand them woohoo!), then I'll come back from classes and eat a solid lunch (I'll hold back descriptions for the both of us) in the mid-afternoon usually with the sports channel on, and cap it off with a nice dinner around 9:30 with some Spanish Family Guy (very entertaining), Simpsons, etc...

By the time I return to my room, my brain is buzzing with all the new stuff I learned on the day and it definitely feels weird logging into my email or facebook (in this case blogging) and seeing what the English-speaking world is up to while I'm still thinking in Spanish....and even weirder not waking up early saturdays for a fun-filled day of college football and not remembering most of saturday when 'coming to' on sunday...Sure when here in Sevilla you can get an 88 cent bottle of solid Spanish wine at the local supermarket, one of the better investments of my alcohol-buying career btw, it's easy to think about binging American style but once you get used to roaming the old, charming, narrow streets or strolling along the gorgeous riverbanks with good people and good conversation, it just feels right to take it slow and make every bit last...and thats certainly just as nice to me.

The one sarcastically bad thing about Spain is that it's held me back from uploading photos from the past month to the internet but once I overcome this laziness, there will be hundreds of pics from London, Amsterdam, Paris, Madrid, Toledo, Sevilla, and Cadiz, as obviously the world is waiting.  While I can't wait to continue adding to those pics from my many upcoming weekend excursions (Next Stop: Tarifa on Thursday), I'm just happy and thankful to be settled into my new life in Sevilla and although it may not be the most smooth year ahead, I am excited to keep learning about my capabilities and tackling the Spanish world day by day.

On the road again

Here's a brief update on what my future schedule will be like, as I know you've been dying to hear from me...

Yesterday was my last day of work in London and I'm celebrating by taking a leg-numbing 11 hour coach ride to Amsterdam tonight (you better believe it's much cheaper than flying) where I'll spend 4 days then its another solid 7 hour journey to Paris where I'll be for 5 days.

I leave Paris and arrive back in London on the morning of September 3rd and fly to Madrid on the morning of September 5th.  Once in Madrid, I'll meet all the other students on my study abroad program and get acclimated until we depart for Toledo on the 7th and head off to meet our host families in Sevilla on the 8th, where my little EuroTour will stop for now, and then start the Fall Term on the 10th.

It feels really strange to be traveling right now when normally I'd be starting school back in Florida but if that means I get to look at where the nearest coffeeshop (uhh i mean educational museum) in the 'Dam is or try to pretend I'm a legit Parisian (possibly believable until I speak) rather than scan the inside of an eyes-bleeding textbook, then count me in!

I'm hoping and expecting to have some great, memorable experiences in these fascinating cities over these next few weeks and I can't wait to share all the pictures and stories with you all once I'm settled in Sevilla...who knows maybe the next post will be in Spanish??...ehhh probs not

Good luck to everyone in the start of a new school year!

A bromantic retreat to Italia

This past week I traveled to Italy and met up with my fellow Florida Gator/brother Kevin Dillman.  It was my first hostel-booking, train-catching experience abroad while on my own and it turned out to be a fantastically spontaneous trip of a lifetime.  Whether it was for the food, culture, people, language, or history, Italy was definitely near the top of my (and Kevin's) traveling to-do list and it happily did not disappoint.

Kevin and I found ourselves "winging it" from the start.  We both flew into Milan's Malpensa airport on Saturday the 4th, but he arrived around 9:30 am and I around 4:30 pm.  He got the chance for a solid airport nap but once I arrived, we couldn't find each other.  I didn't panic (we didn't have a way to contact each other so I knew it wasn't going to be the smoothest day ever) but as I found myself wandering every corridor of MXP (airport code) multiple times, I was just wondering if Kevin had made it safely or taken a shuttle bus into town already.  After about an hour of no success and gathering frustration, I went to the airport information desk (ready to embarrassingly display my lack of Italian language skill) to see if I could get them to loudspeaker Kevin to meet me at the same spot, or lend me a giant conch shell that would most likely point him in my direction.  However, once I started talking to the lady behind the desk I immediately heard Kevin's familiar voice from behind calling out my name.  After exchanging numerous bro-hugs we found out that Kevin had been pointed to the wrong terminal, by numerous airport peeps, to await my arrival and had to take a bus to get to my terminal.  We were just relieved to have found each other, laughed off our failure at this pre-tech age experience, and were excited to start our trip in such an alluring country that we had never been to before, without losing each other of course.

Our Milan hostel for the night was booked, but we had only vague clues of what we were going to do for the rest of the trip and where we were gonna go.  Names like Genoa, Turin, Como, Pisa, and the Cinque Terre popped into our heads as possible side-trips from Milan but we had no idea how much ground we would actually cover in 6 days, both on foot and on the map.  As a usually obsessive and organized planner freak, not having a plan proved to be most relaxing option and surprisingly more successful than I could've ever estimated beforehand.

To see the rest of the story, check out my upcoming Facebook picture album which will aim to capture the full spirit and scope of this enlightening experience.

Although it was really sad to leave Italy and Kevin, I know that this is just the start for both of us in an excitingly ambitious life of travels to follow.  This trip really enhanced my perspective on world traveling and has inspired many hopeful excursions in the near future.  As to where they'll be, you'll be the first to know!

Standing in the gorgeous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, one of the largest and most famous shopping centers in the world.

Another shot from the other side...we may have indulged in some Italian beverages beforehand so this picture's quality tells the story of our first night in Italy.

In front of the Arch of Peace in Milan on Day 2.

Finding water was one of the toughest tasks and major joys of our Italian adventures.  Kevin found this one while we were walking in Parco Sempione, Milan's main park, and we stopped for a good 15 minutes to cool off.  I definitely will never take water for granted again after our experiences on this trip.

Florida doesn't have many cool statues, so why not take a pic next to a random one here in Florence?

During the long climb up a few of the 400+ steps that make up Giotto's Campanile in Florence.  This pose summed up the the leg-burning ascension that followed.

On top of Giotto's Campanile.  Easily some of the most beautiful views my eyes have ever seen.  My Facebook album should show you how much I appreciated it. 

Ahh drink it in...

A refreshing Raspberry and Mandarin sorbet gelato during Day 3's activities in Florence.  

Action shot with this random landmark they call "Il Colosseo" in the background on Day 4.

BROS. 

BROS. In front of Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome.

One of the many pizzerias around the Vatican.  This particular one advertised "BIG PIZZA 6 EUROS" so naturally our curiosity and got the better of us.  

Finishing off Day 5 with some exhilarating cold Roman water straight from Fontana della Barcaccia which lies at the center of Piazza di Spagna, home to the famous Spanish Steps.  Yes this was safe to drink....When in Rome!

Sunny days to Olympic relays

While the Opening Ceremony sufficiently paid tribute to Britain's proud and vast history, culture, and society, there were unfortunately billions around the world (and possibly even some in the motherland) most likely wondering what they were watching.  Criticism has been raised that London (and Britain in general) didn't send a message to the world but just celebrated its past.  There's absolutely nothing wrong with celebrating your past, especially with one as rich, innovative, and exciting as this, but perhaps the critics were quite accurate as at times the only people who seemed to know what was going on were on the tv.  I, along with others, wondered why the Middle Ages, perhaps the most globally recognized period of Britain's history, was seemingly absent as the act transitioned from peace in a Lord of the Rings-type set to pioneering the Industrial Age to the social networking era.

Maybe I didn't watch it closely enough on the pub tv (that came with a very drunk elder man yelling nearby) to catch any subtle references to those years in between, as I was more happily focused on the Olympics actually starting and London hosting.  Although it may not have inspired the world and shown off as much manpower as Beijing did (I watched that Opening Ceremony in London too), it was an overall fantastic spectacle to witness and a fitting start to what promises to be a really exciting next couple weeks.  

There were also some great moments such as:

-The five Olympic rings of steel rising and coming together following the Industrial Age act

-Rowan Atkinson's humorous 'Chariots of Fire' skit

-Finding out that the World Wide Web was invented by a Londoner, Tim Berners-Lee

-Daniel Craig deservedly doing his James Bond swag walk into Buckingham Palace to pick up the Queen and parachute her (her stunt double I should say) into Olympic Stadium...however, the most exciting part was visualizing myself in a suit like that...oh well, someday

-Ending the mystery of the cauldron's location once a couple hundred petals were lit and came together to form a truly unique flame...Once the games are completed it will be dismantled and each nation will receive a petal...another great, creative idea by the Brits

Here are some pics (in addition to ones on Facebook) in random order from this past week.  It has been an exceptionally beautiful and exciting week to be in London!

The aforementioned Five Bells Flaming Challenge with all the trimmings...as this plate was one of two orders between 5 hungry guys watching the Opening Ceremony, hopefully I'll have a post of a more ambitious solo challenge another time

Ending a long day of adventure with a trip down an ominous looking station...dare to enter?

Looking towards the Canada Memorial, which commemorates the 110,000 + Canadian forces killed during the World Wars, at Green Park.

Queenie's home?!

The guards letting my important self through

Picturesque view across Green Park

Looking towards the less popular tower of the Palace of Westminster in one of London's many hidden green spaces

Close-up of that architecturally inspiring tower

Those ubiquitous tour buses...partial evidence that shows London is the most visited city in the world...FACT

Westminster Abbey's western (and most recognizable) facade.  Founded in 960 (not 1960), this church has played host to every English/British monarch's coronation since 1066, 16 Royal Weddings since 1100 (most recently William and Kate's), and is the resting place of many significant historical figures like Geoffrey Chaucer, Isaac Newton, and Charles Darwin.  

The Gothic style North facade of the abbey...looks like a completely different church!

Looking towards Notting Hill Gate in Kensington Gardens (immediately west of Hyde Park) after escaping hundreds of thronging onlookers, including me, who glimpsed the Olympic Torch making its way through these parts one day before the Opening Ceremony.

A small chunk of those onlookers cramming onto Holland Park Avenue in West Central London as they started dispersing up the street...I got out of the Holland Park tube station just as the torch was passing so I couldn't get it on camera but snapped a shot of the masses to prove I made it.

Sculpture of a giant Shot Put crash landing from the heavens into London's heart...taken in between the London Eye and Waterloo Station.

A mildly silhouetted Lambeth Bridge from the South Bank

Looking at Lambeth Bridge from Millbank (the other side from the previous pic and same setting as Picture #7)...probably my favorite bridge due to its cool color scheme

Entering Hyde Park with a faint view of the London Eye and Shard in the distance

Royal Albert Hall...located on the northern edge of South Kensington (City of Westminster), this concert hall was opened by Queen Victoria in 1871 and consistently hosts some of the world's best artists from various performance genres.

The Albert Memorial located in Kensington Gardens directly north of Royal Albert Hall...another Queen Victoria-comissioned sight in memory of her beloved husband Albert.

Looking at the Round Pond in Kensington Gardens...theres a blimp in the central distance that was overlooking the torch events of the day...too much of a run for me on this gorgeous day

Other view of Kensington Gardens looking towards South Kensington far in the distance.

Horse Guards pass through the Wellington Arch, a truly fascinating structure to the south of Hyde Park topped with the largest bronze sculpture in Europe.

When it's sunny in London, you better get your camera out as everything's a great picture.

Yes this is still London...taken at Hyde Park.

On top of the Serpentine Bridge looking towards the Long Water (western half of the lake pictured below).  The bridge marks the boundary between Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park.  

The Serpentine...a 28 acre recreational lake in Hyde Park created in 1730 and named for its snakelike appearance.

I've gotten enough London Eye pics over the years but hey the weather was great so try and stop me!

"Drink it in...it always goes down smooth" -Ron Burgundy

My boss chair and work desk at The Africa Centre...if anyone needs help with African geography hit me up I've got a giant map next to my head!

View outside on a nice day that I was stuck inside for looking down King Street in the Covent Garden district.

View of the opposite side looking towards the extremely popular Covent Garden Market/Piazza where one can hear tourists speak in dozens of different tongues, witness many entertaining street performances, and browse through loads of trendy shops (Guess that describes most of London also).

The Apple Store a couple buildings down from me...'Twas the largest Apple store in the world but New York just built one to surpass it...America's always gotta win I guess.

Looking at my 1960's era building (pictured center) on King Street.  My workplace is through the second floor window that's first on the left.

Looking towards Nelson's Column and Big Ben in the distance on a lovely day in Trafalgar Square

Olympic countdown clock in Trafalgar Square looking up to the National Gallery.

The Admiralty Arch...surprisingly just a large, glorified office building that provides road and pedestrian access between the Mall and Trafalgar Square.