After having been in Sevilla for about 3 weeks, I’ve observed and gained a deeper insight to the culture here. The one thing that peaked my interest was why Sevilla is the way it is: the tiny streets in between buildings, beautiful tile designs in houses, the river, gastronomy and so much more. I’ve learned a lot about the history of Sevilla and how it has shaped its modern outlook. From Arabian and Jewish influences to the connections the river gave Sevilla to the outside world; a lot of things are very historical and contribute to a bigger story. I also feel that Sevillians have a strong sense of pride for their culture, history, and their identity after learning and seeing how historical buildings and culture have been preserved to this very day. I’ve noticed how Sevillians also move with a sense of urgency especially early in the morning, and sort of slowdown in the afternoon. The aspect of a siesta is not something common in the united states or breaks in between your day. I have more respect for it because it eliminates the feeling of burnout; I’ve taken a lot of afternoon naps since coming to Sevilla.
A big thing I noticed in the beginning was the rich vegetation. There are many trees and plants all throughout Sevilla. Every house I walked by there were always plants in the balcony or even in our house. I noticed this early on because of my severe allergies being triggered as soon as I got to Spain. I came to find out it was the olive trees and Spain was a big producer of olive oil. Olive oil plays a big role in everyday dishes from preparation to consuming it as a condiment with bread. There are also beautiful jacaranda trees all around the city. This was something else that shaped my view of the city because the plants make the city very rich in agriculture and appeal. Sevilla has a good blend of architecture, mainly from its history, and agriculture which makes it a beautiful touristic city. It made the city feel alive and full of character. The combination of plants and architecture really stood out to me and shaped how I experienced Sevilla
I took a paella cooking class and after this class, my perspective of food in Spain completely changed. It was one of the best dishes I have had since I arrived. We learned all the intricate steps of how to prepare it as well as gazpacho. The ingredients and the spices created an amazing flavor and its shaped my love for the food. I branched out and started trying different dishes and have increased my palate. Tortilla de patatas with fried ham, churros with chocolate, anything with tuna have been my top favorites. I think there’s something so unique about different places around the world eating and preparing different foods, sometimes in a very distinctive way only known to a particular culture. For example, potatoes are something that we eat in the United States all the time but never in the way it’s prepared here; the same thing with a paella can be closely compared to fried rice but spices like azafran give it that uniqueness. This realization has made me more open to immersing myself in the gastronomy of Spain. I believe there’s also a healthier way of eating here in Spain. There are few fast-food places, and not over a thousand like in North America.
All these observations and moments of learning gave me a fresh perspective of Sevilla. I have immersed myself in the culture and operated like a local which has enhanced my experience here. While studying abroad, it is easy to move like a tourist, however, with the things I described above as well as slowly learning to speak Spanish, I was able to experience Sevilla, Spain on a different level.