Skip to Main Content
WoldStrides Logo

HE Worldstrides.com:

WoldStrides Logo
03/06/2025 | 0 MINUTES READ

Postcards from Sevilla & Barcelona

Avery E.

Belmont University | Seville

Low angle view of a portion of Plaza de España in Seville, Spain, with the Spanish flag flying.

The first moment it really sank in that I was living in Europe was at Plaza de España. As I was taking in the beauty of the structure on day two of Sevilla from a vantage point similar to this photo, it also struck me that this place would soon seem normal to me. Five weeks into my program, I can confirm that the Plaza has become something like my beloved backyard, but every time I visit, whether at sunset on a Saturday (absolutely packed), or 10pm on a Wednesday night (less so), something new and wonderful reveals itself.

A crowd watches the fountain show at sunset in Plaza de España, Seville.

When do I stop being a tourist? I ask this in my college town of Nashville as well. Technically, the answer is probably when I rent a house or get a job, but in a study abroad program, the progress is more marginal. When I become friends with the barista at the café down the street? When I feel confident speaking Spanish?

A crowd watches the fountain show at sunset in Plaza de España, Seville.
Overcast view of rooftops and streets of Barcelona, Spain, including ornate rooftop towers. Some people are visible on rooftops in the mid-ground.

Last weekend, I took a trip to Barcelona with a few friends from home. While wandering around the top floor with my 1966 Minolta SR-T 101, I was shown the maintenance entrance to the roof of our hostel by a new friend, Sebastian, from Argentina. “¿Eres una fotógrafa?” He pointed out all the most expensive apartments around our nine-story building and told me who owned them. There have been many similar moments of kindness with people who call Spain home in my time abroad.  

A low-angle view of a pergola roof with a building behind it, featuring tropical plants in the foreground.

Views from Invernadero del Parque de la Ciutadella (Barcelona). During a weekend dominated by concrete and architecture, it was refreshing to step inside the greenhouse by the Catalan Parliament.  

A low-angle view of a pergola roof with a building behind it, featuring tropical plants in the foreground.
Close-up of young plants growing in a greenhouse, supported by strings, with a blurred background of the greenhouse structure and an outdoor building.

Something about being surrounded by plants caused everyone to walk a little slower and breathe a little deeper in the greenhouse.  

A view through a decorative archway down a narrow alleyway in Barcelona, showcasing the city's street art and pedestrian life.

Down the street in Barcelona. On the metal grate, you’ll see “Passatge Sert” in Catalan, a language related to but distinct from Spanish. While Spanish is most dominant in the city now, historical signage is typically found in the regional language.

A view through a decorative archway down a narrow alleyway in Barcelona, showcasing the city's street art and pedestrian life.
Low angle view of a fruit-laden orange tree against a soft, cloudy sky.

A few of southern Spain’s famous oranges, which remained consistent from Sevilla to Barcelona and back again. These ones were in Parque de Maria Luisa, adjacent to Plaza de España.

Dimly lit interior with decorative tile work, ornate lantern, and wooden door.

Returning to Sevilla from Barcelona, I was filled with gratitude that this country is my home base for the next few months. There’s a long list of conveniences I could name (€1.5 café con leche!), but it truly is the friendly and relaxed atmosphere that gives each student abroad here the feeling that they can thrive in Sevilla, if only for a few months.

Dimly lit interior with decorative tile work, ornate lantern, and wooden door.

Avery E.

Tags

  • City Highlight
  • Photography