Seville

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Individual Reflection

While in Seville, we helped another group of American college students work on a community service project in which we prepared soil and planted various produce for a public garden. Before the project, I was apprehensive because it has been a long time since I have participated in anything related to gardening. So, I was worried that I would not be very helpful or knowledgeable about the tasks we would be doing. However, I used CQ strategy during this activity by being aware of what other students and leaders were doing and following their lead (Livermore, 2015). Also, I checked to make sure what I was doing as I worked was correct by pausing and again observing what others were doing and what I should be doing (Livermore, 2015).

Cultural Interaction(s)

Thus far, I have noticed what seems to be the typical Spanish diet is both familiar yet unfamiliar. For example, Spanish people also eat foods such as chicken, pizza, and salads. However, through several meals and interactions with Spaniards, I have learned of dissimilar foods such as Gazpacho, pork cheek and ears, horchata, and many others. Although I have loved many of these new foods, I have discovered I do not always end up liking some of them. For example, some foods that have not been my favorites have been gazpacho or paella although these seem to be cherished foods by everyday Spanish people. This has helped me develop my CQ knowledge through seeing my culture’s role in myself (Livermore, 2015). I often wonder about how much our cultures affect what types and flavors of foods we tend to prefer. In Spain, it seems that it is typical for them to enjoy ham, seafood, and bread. On the other hand, Americans seem to like beef, turkey, and various types of sandwiches more.

Social Issue

Since staying in various areas of the southern region of Spain, I have noticed that there are significant differences in the people, atmosphere, and culture. For example, people in the south seem to be more carefree whereas those in northern parts of Spain come across as more busy with more neutral expressions. Also, northern and southern Spaniards seem to generally disagree about important political and social issues such as bullfighting. In the north, bullfighting seemed less prevalent, and the tour guide in Terragona expressed a dislike for it whereas it is easier to find stores and people discussing bullfights or selling bullfighting merchandise in the south. This is a social issue because the political differences between the regions could escalate to polarization or worse if resolutions and compromises do not occur between the involved parties.

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Photos

Potatoes
Some fresh potatoes growing in the community garden that we volunteered in while in Sevilla.