Sevilla is a woman

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Sevilla is a woman, I’ve decided, and she is beautiful. Each turn seems to have its own story waiting on the other side. People hang out of doorways, piling into the streets with something to drink or eat close at hand. I wander around and wonder how a simple plot of land has turned into such a magnificent place where love seems to boil and spill out, drenching any too close. I was drenched walking in the center yesterday and I have fallen unconditionally in love with the city.

Today the sun is shining and, literally, the birds are chirping. It’s almost lunch here. Charro is working her magic in the kitchen, making some delicious soup and maybe a piece of chicken. I’m starving. After I’m going to walk to the park after and write or maybe just sit. Being in there allows you to get lost in yourself and just enjoy the beauty. I haven’t had maybe experiences with that kind of place. Most of the time there seems to be somewhere else to be or something to do, always glancing at the clock. Not in Maria Luisa.

Today was the first day of class. Judy Cotter (one of my professors) is perfection. If the there is someone that I want to be when I am…60?...it’s her, no question. She is in completely love with Sevilla! There is a word in Spanish that means love at first sight, flechaso. She says that’s what happened to her when she came to Seville 20 something years ago and it still feels as fresh as it did the first day. Sevilla and I don’t have that kind of relationship. In all honesty I’m not madly in love with life here. For me it’s growing stronger every day, the more I discover all the little details that make this place so magical. One thing that has been automatic is the felling of being home. Being in Spain gives me a feeling of being where my family belongs, where my ancestry started. I know it’s not genetic but I feel like I was born with a secre,t natural longing to be here. And now that that feeling has been uncovered, it is alive with full force. I almost wish I didn’t have classes so I could just walk the city and get lost all day. But my Spanish is not so good so school is more than necessary.

The night life is something else. For now it’s going to be put to rest so 1) I don’t spend so much money and 2) so I can recover. My body has officially said ENOUGH! I need to rest…but I don’t regret going out as much as we did. It was so much fun. The night life here will put the most serious American partier to shame. I’ve been staying out until 5am and apparently that’s rookie stuff. No matter though. I’m going to go out once or twice on the weekends and then try to go to bed early so I can wake up in the mornings.

The people that I’m meeting have made this place complete. Without Laura and Crystal things wouldn’t be the same. Those girls mean the word to me and in the next couple of months we are going to make memories together that won’t compare to anything else in our lives. I love them to pieces. So Crystal and Laura, cheers to good and bad wine, creeping on FB, Soho, the Fins, Seville, peeing, walking for ages, Sleepless in Seattle, WFS, BarcelonaMarracoCadiz, the millions of memories to come, and loving and living life everyday. True 😉

Life here is a dream. I never want to wake up.

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Photos

Cathedral
Its so much more beautiful in person.

Home
Even though its a bit of a walk from the school, the villas are great to live in.

Some of the group
Crystal, Samir, Lauri, me, and Kaitlyn

Comments

[Maria E. Ibanez]

Sevilla is a Wome and Christina is a Poet
I was always afraid that you looked forward to going to Spain so much and had such high expections, that somehow you would be disappointed. Very happily I can see from your blog that like most times, I had nothing to worry about. Looking forward already to your next blog. Love, mom

[anonymous]

Wow Christina you are a good writer. I have questions about the last line in the last paragraph. I can imagine about what you mean about it seeming that you are home. I have never been in Spain and yet I seem to know that that is how I would also feel. I am very happy for you being there.

[Cruising Christina]

Thank you! Whats your question?

[Nancy Roussell]

Seville
I loved reading this blog. You reminded me of something. I can understand falling in love with a city, a place or country. I feel in love with the Dominican Republic when I went, more accurately I feel in love with its people. I felt a connection there even though I'm not Dominican. I realized thinking back that maybe I fell in love because I allowed it. I was open to the experience. I was really "looking" at what was going on around me instead of just walking past it. I wonder if that's what most of us do in our everyday life. How many tourists, vacationers, or exchange students come here and may find themselves falling in love with South Florida. I know skeptics will say we have too much crime and rudeness for anyone to fall in love but honestly crime and rudeness can be found anywhere if you look for it. You have reminded me that I need to slow down a little more in my everyday life. Life is what you make it. It is a choice. I have always been pretty good about enjoying life. There are times that I have spent when I have thought, “yep, I’m in the middle of creating a good memory.” I need to do this more maybe look at the world around me as if I'm visiting. Enjoy the beach more, appreciate our beautiful weather more, share laughter & time with more of my friends & kids and make memories. Thanks Christina

[Julie Dolan]

Celebrating Your Life
Since I have missed most of your life it is delightful to watch this adventure of yours. You are a great tour guide!