It’s taken a while, but Sevilla is starting to feel like a place I can call home. I’ve slowly accepted the Spanish culture as my new lifestyle. I eat small breakfasts, large lunches and stay out later than I ever imagined (4am is becoming the usual). Almost everyday I peddle my bike into the center of town and pinch myself as I ride pass the towering cathedral or watch as tourist are totted around in horse drawn carriages.
Some days it feels like I live in a fairytale, but the reality is, is that living in Sevilla has had it’s ups and downs for me. I have accepted that everything happens a little more slowly here, people are not as friendly as I thought and the language barrier will continue to be my biggest obstacle. Coming to terms with all these “culture shocks,” has given me a greater perspective about Spain but also made me fall in love with Sevilla a little more each day.
Once my family arrived in Sevilla, I felt at home again. My family had nine days left in their travels and we had plans to travel around the southern tip of Spain. Though I had only spent a little over a month’s time in Sevilla, I was eager to be their tour guide. It was special to show them the place I had been living for the past month and show them everything from the cafés I study in to the gym I go to. I think it gave them better insight into all the things I would tell them over the phone.
Biking selfie!
Boating around Plaza de España
Sharing my family with one of my best friends, Andria
Found the best place to get Pad Thai
We didn’t spend much time in Sevilla though, cause we wanted to explore other regions of Southern Spain. We rented a car, and on Friday morning took off towards the ocean. Our first stop was the small town of Jerez, known for their dancing horses. We stopped and walked through the quarters where all the famous horse are trained and where the shows are performed.
Dancing Horse.
From there, we drove to another small town called Cadiz, located along the coast.
Cathedral in Cadiz
The town had very little going on so we ate a quick lunch, walked around, then pilled into the car again. On this leg of the trip, I fell asleep but was awoken two hours later to a view of kite sailors and windsurfers covering the Strait of Gibraltar. This destination was on my bucket list of places to visit in Spain, because of its reputation for amazing windsurfing. I was on cloud nine when we walked down to the beach and saw all the activity. Sadly, the sun was about to set and the rental shops were closing so we weren’t able to windsurf. Nonetheless, I loved being around that laid-back environment and watching as people zipped back and forth. With my family by my side, it was just another reason I felt at home.
Oh Tarifa, you are beautiful.
The town of Tarifa is hands down my favorite places in Spain. The local vibes attract surfers and tourists looking for adventure. I felt like I fit in here. We spent one night in this cozy town and watched the sunset, ate fresh fish, and then spent part of the next day walking the beach and peering across the waters to Morocco.
It was bizarre to think that in a weeks time, I would be in Morocco with my program.
Looking out to Morocco
Beautiful building in the town of Tarifa
By midday we were on the road headed to Ronda, which is part of “los publeos blancos” meaning the white towns. Arriving at dusk, we were surprised to learn that Ronda was a popular tourist town and all the hotels were booked. Eventually, we found a place on the outskirts of town.
Ronda.
The next day we wandered around Ronda then drove to another one of the white towns, Grazalema. This quaint town was tucked in the foothills of the Sierra del Pinar mountain range.
Grazelama
Hiking in the Sierra del Pinar
We spent the rest of the day hiking and walking around the small town. After venturing through all these Spanish cities, we headed back to Sevilla, but somehow the GPS directed us to a dirt road which led to a 45 minute attempt of trying to climb a dirt hill.
We ended up reversing back to the main road and then were back on track towards Sevilla.
The rest of my family’s time was spent in Sevilla. Before my family arrived, I had made the decision to change host families. My first host family consisted of a single mother with two kids, José Luis and Maria. I lived there for one month and had the hardest time fitting in. My host mom hosts students as a way to make money, so her only interactions with us was to prepare our meals and do our laundry, and she never made an effort to get to know us. When I chose to live with a host family, I wanted to feel like I had a home to come back to every night and felt a part of a traditional Spanish family, which was why I decided to move.
On the Monday my family and I returned back to Sevilla, I had to move to my new home. I had packed my things beforehand so all I had to do was pick them up and then a cab was scheduled to take my roommate and me to our new family. It was one of the hardest, most emotional moments when I had to walk into the apartment, pick up my things and say goodbye to someone who relied on me for her only source of income and now didn’t fully understand why I was leaving. In the end, I knew it was the right choice and looking back I’m so happy that I had the courage to make the switch. Now I live with a 78 year old Grandma who has lots of grand children that visit often. She is very sweet and does her best to make me feel at home.
Even though I had just moved into a new place, I spent the rest of the week sleeping at my family’s apartment. It felt so nice to have a comfortable apartment to lounge around in and the best part was, was that I got to eat home-cooked meals that tasted like home.
First colorful plate in a long time.
My favorite meal!
Took Kelby out on the town for a night!
Goodbyes are always hard, and this time was no exception, but I was so grateful that my family was able to visit. Looking back, I am so thankful that they were with me when I moved, because this was one of my hardest times abroad and it was so comforting to have my family with me. Though I wish they could have stayed longer, I cherished all the quality conversations, the laughs and adventures around Spain and am already looking forward to the next time we are all together again.
Miss these people everyday.
living unbound. 