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