Author: montesef

My school days typically start out in the same way. I’ll wake up an hour and 30 minutes before class, factoring in the time it takes to travel to my destination. Somewhere in the middle of my morning routine, my host-mom will let me know that breakfast is ready. Contrary to your usual morning meal in the U.S, a Spanish breakfast only consists of two things: jam on toast and coffee. It is meant to be a lighter meal so you can look forward to the feast that is biggest meal of the day, lunch.

After I have said goodbye to my host-mom, it is time for me to make my way to class. Generally, I bike everywhere I go using the city’s public bicycle rental system aptly named Sevici (Se- like Sevilla, vici – meaning bike in Spanish). On occasion I do like to walk or take the bus if my legs are feeling tired. Although, nothing beats having the wind blow through your hair on a bike.

Now where I bike to exactly depends on the day. Mondays I go to the Math Department of the University of Sevilla. Unlike Wofford, the University of Sevilla’s facilities are spread out over the entire city, similar to USC – Columbia. From where I live, the Math Department is 30 minutes away, that is if I keep a good pace. However, it is honestly a highlight of my week because the path is so scenic. I get to pass by the old tobacco factory that now houses the English and History Departments, and most of the bike path is right by the river Guadalquivir. And that is not even mentioning how charming the STEM part of campus is.

Although I am only taking one math class, it is a direct enrollment course, meaning the students are mostly Spaniards. Another challenge I have discovered is that the norms of academia are much different than those of the U.S. It is expected that the brunt of the work necessary for learning should be done outside of the classroom. We only meet twice a week, once for a 2-hour lecture and again for a 2-hour lab. This means I have to set aside some time to review the notes that are published online before I attend class and any other materials I am unsure of (I am looking at you Linear Algebra). Though, I am sure the class will work to my benefit as I have had to learn how to program in MATLAB, used by many engineers and scientists.

When I am not at the University of Sevilla, I am at CIEE’s student center, where the academic culture is similar to what I am used to. These classes are taken with other students studying abroad, mostly from small, liberal arts colleges like Wofford. I have met students from Minnesota, California, Iowa, Massachusetts, and more places all over the country. Together, CIEE’s classes offer a nice change of pace from the difficulty of my direct enrollment classes.

After school, I’ll head back to my homestay to have lunch, where the television is always on as it is a common joke to say that the TV is a member of the family. Afterwards, I will sunbathe on the balcony or take a nap if I am feeling tired enough. There is not much to say about the apartment itself other than it has all your basic ammenities (except a dryer and dishwasher), plus a balcony. Life in my homestay has actually been rather enjoyable! I am getting along well with my host-mom and I will often talk to her about whatever interesting or noticable thng that has happened that day. Apart from her and I, one other student in my program, James, lives in the homestay with me, who has quickly become one of my closest friends here in Spain. I am very lucky to have such wonderful people in my life and I am so grateful for them (I have not had a chance to suggest a photo together yet so here is a photo of my “roommate” and me).

My evenings are truthfully variable. Wednesday evenings are spent taking lessons in flamenco guitar, now that I have found myself a teacher! I have only taken one lesson so far, but I am excited to see what I can do at the end of the semester, especially since taking lessons was one of the main reasons I came to Spain. Mondays and Tuesdays have me occupied by my philosophy class from 6:00-8:00 pm. It is not exactly ideal but it is a much preferable alternative to having class on Friday. Speaking of which, my Fridays are entirely devoid of class, allowing me to spend even more time traveling to cities like Ronda, Granada, Aracena, Madrid, and more, which I plan on posting about in the future because there is so much to say!

My free time is a mixed bag of doing activities through my program, studying, working on summer plans, calling loved ones, hanging out with friends, clubbing, watching tv, and practicing guitar. However, my days all end in my room lying on my bed comfortably, ready to face the next day.

And that is about it! Overall, my life is not that different than my life at Wofford. I still go to class, eat, study, and hang out with friends. When it comes to the minutiae though, life can look a little different from my life in the U.S. However, I am loving it! I still can’t believe I get to study in a whole other country. It makes me glad I decided to study abroad and I highly recommend it if you ever get the chance. The logistics of figuring out everything to do with classes can be taxing. Although if you can get over that hill, it is a fantastic time, while still counting for college credit too! Anyways, stay tuned for my next post and be sure to check out my peers’ blogs as well! This has been a Day in the Life of a Student in Sevilla. My name is Ethan Montes. See you next time!

Saludos de Sevilla! It has been about 3 weeks (at the time of writing) since I touched down in Europe and I am pleased to say I have arrived safely at my homestay.

What a journey though! The flight itself was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. I figured I was going to get tired of sitting for so long. However, the flight attendants were so hospitable, I felt like I was part of a VIP club. Also chatted with an older gentleman from the U.K. who was a carpenter about finding time to create art after he had noticed me composing on the plane. I probably should have slept more on the way here, but I was too busy enjoying myself. Side note: Good Will Hunting is an amazing movie.

I nearly missed my connecting flight from Madrid to Sevilla trying to track down my luggage. Shoutout to the representative from Iberia that assured me my luggage was on the plane. Goes to show that asking for help is a great idea, especially when you need it. After a short flight to Sevilla, I got a little stuck trying to find a place to exchange currencies. I would have found one within the airport if I hadn’t gotten so worried about having to track down my luggage later. Unfortunately, ATMs just outside the arrival gate don’t have the greatest exchange rates. I managed to get a bus ticket to the center of Sevilla though after looking around.

Sevilla reminds me a lot of Mexico from the times I have visited my extended family. I guess it’s no coincidence because Mexico has been influenced a lot by Spain, from its public parks to its Spanish-style architecture. Plus, you get the same feeling that the city has been lived in, as it were, because of the advertisements and busy streets. Once I had my feet on the ground though, it hit me just how incredible living in a big city is going to be. I stood in awe of the giant buildings and abundant sidewalks that surrounded me. On my way to my hotel (because I arrived a day early from my program start date), I passed by what I now know as the “Jardines de Murillo,” or “Murillo Gardens” in English. That was when I first noticed them. The orange trees that pervade the city were the most suprising thing I encountered here. I couldn’t help but smile and stare as I walked under them. And they smell amazing!!!

As soon as I checked into the hotel, I collapsed on my bed, called my parents to let them know I was okay, and tucked myself in. I slept for about 14 hours because of how exhausted I was. As I slipped in and out of consciousness, I kept fearing what was to come. I was on my own now, with an entire ocean separating me from my parents. I would have to find friends, fix my class schedule, and adapt to a whole new way of living. Yet, I got the chance to explore a new world, live in a big city, and experience things I had never encountered before. It was terrifying but exhilarating at the same time. Once I had woken up and gotten ready for the day, breakfast was next on my to-do list. I am not sure how they cooked them, but I had the best eggs I have ever had in my entire life at that hotel. Iberian ham has also quickly become one of my favorite foods, and that is not even mentioning how refreshing the orange juice was.

After I checked out, I picked up my luggage, exchanged my cash for euros, and began walking to my homestay. Pro tip: never grab the rosemary that people offer you on the street. Once I was let into the apartment building I was going to be staying in, I did not get a chance to formally say “mucho gusto” until we got in the tiny elevator fit for three people. It made for a pretty funny interaction as I had to shrink my body just to get everything to fit. I was expecting my room to be small, so when my host mom showed me to the room I was going to be staying in, I was pleasantly suprised. The room itself is slightly bigger than Wofford’s dorms, but it looked like the room was going to be cozy during my stay.

Actually transitioning into my host country culture was not too difficult. Sure, there are a lot of things that are different, especially meal times. Lunch typically happens around 2:00-3:00 pm and dinner is around 9:00 pm. On the one hand, I felt like I was used to this schedule already because of the similarity it bore to my family life. On the other hand though, nap time was such a welcome addition to my day-to-day! It is customary to take a nap if you so desire after 4:00 pm. For a college student that sometimes has to work later than usual to finish all my schoolwork in time, it was nice to be able to take advantage of this tradition.

There is so much to explore! I have already started a two-week intensive class to learn about some of the cultural history of Spain. It has been going great though the idea of a two-week class is strange to me. I am managing to find my way to CIEE’s student center where I am taking class. There are a lot of excursions coming up to different cities that my program has put together so stay tuned! I’ll be posting about each of these trips because each one is guaranteed to have something to talk about. Hasta luego!

Oh wow! It’s here already! It doesn’t seem real that I’m going to be leaving everything I knew behind to live in another country for four months. I decided to study abroad in the first place because of Wofford’s great international program. I thought it would be a shame if I didn’t take advantage of this opportunity. Plus, if I can save my parents some money then there isn’t a reason why I shouldn’t go abroad.

I chose Seville specifically because it lets me accomplish a couple of things. First, I can complete the study abroad requirement for my Spanish major while I can make progress in my math major and my general education requirements. Second, I get to explore Europe for the first time! It’s something I have wanted to do for some time and there has never been a better time to do it than now, while I am young and can travel cheap. Third, my study abroad program ends a bit earlier than some other programs, which allows me to participate in an REU over the summer. That is, if I get accepted into one. Lastly, I can advance my craft (music) while I am abroad. Seville is known for its flamenco scene which offers plenty of inspiration for composing music. Hopefully I can find someone to teach me some flamenco guitar while I am there, if I can get my guitar through airport security (I couldn’t bring myself to leave without bringing an instrument 🙂 ).

I think the thing I am most worried about is getting the classes I want while abroad. I am supposed to finalize my schedule once I get to Seville, which is mind-boggling to me but part of the norm in Spain. Your typical student in Spain decides his or her classes a couple of weeks prior to the beginning of the semester. Although it’s nerve-racking, I have advisors and an add/drop period to help out so I am sure it will be fine. Finding friends is another thing, but I am putting myself out there this semester. My host and the other student that will be living in the homestay with me will make excellent choices to become friends with.

Update: I have made it through security with no issues and managed to get my guitar through. I am waiting to board now.

I am going to miss everyone. My friends and family most of all. Thankfully it won’t be forever until I see them again. They will be on my mind and in my heart constantly. See you soon Seville! (after a couple hours of sleep) America, I’ll be back soon. It’s time for this adventure to take off!