Settling in Sevilla

For those of you I haven't communicated with yet, I made it safely to Spain yesterday. My flight from Atlanta to Madrid was uneventful, the highlight being that I got an entire two-seat row to myself. After clearing customs and gathering my two suitcases, I grabbed a taxi to my hotel, which was located really close to where I lived and went to school two years ago. It was a lot of fun to see all of the places I used to frequent and I was relieved to know my way around the area. Most of my time in Madrid is kind of a blur as I think I was more exhausted than I realized at the time. However, I had a nice time last night walking around the area near the Palacio Real and people watching. I also enjoyed a very Spanish dinner (tortilla española and gazpacho) at Cafe del Oriente, one of my favorite restaurants in Madrid. My table on the patio looked directly onto the palace and I was reminded just how beautiful Madrid is. I have to admit that part of me wishes I was going to be teaching in Madrid... but I guess there's always next year!

This morning I headed to the train station first thing to catch my train to Sevilla. Dragging my bags through the station was a headache, to say the least, only alleviated by the very strong cafe con leche and crossaint I ate while I waited for my train. The trip itself was very enjoyable and only 2.5 hours in length. I love train travel and I hope to do a lot more of it this time around.

I arrived in Sevilla about 1:30 this afternoon and took a taxi to my new abode, which I somehow managed to direct the taxi driver to without a hitch. I called Fátima, whom I am renting the room from, from the doorstep and she let me in and gave me a quick tour of the house. It wasn't exactly what I had imagined it would be but I guess that's what I get for committing to housing sight unseen! That said, it is very charming and very Spanish. The one obstacle is that my room doesn't have air-conditioning! I did manage to snag a fan from downstairs, which is helping with the heat at least a little.

After dropping my things off, I ventured out to find some lunch on the Alameda de Hercules, which is a neat little pedestrian strip with lots of shops and restaurants really close to my house. After that, I found a supermarket in my neighborhood and stocked up on some stuff to hold me over for the next couple of days. I then took a walk over to the Cathedral, in the center of the city, and then came home, where I am now.

So, that's the play by play of what I have been up to thus far in Spain. As for generalizations, here's what I've surmised so far: #1... my Spanish is rusty. Very rusty. The good news is that no one has responded to me in English yet, so at least they maybe, kind of, sort of understand me. #2... Sevilla is hot. Really hot. And according to Fátima's brother, David, it is going to stay really hot until November. Buying a window AC unit might not be out of the realm of possibility. #3... Spaniards are some of the friendliest people you will ever meet, a fact that I think I took for granted the last time I was here. Several men helped me with my incredibly heavy suitcase on the train this morning and Fátima has been so accommodating both before and after my arrival. #4... I think this is going to be a great year, although I'm not sure exactly how it will take shape.

Anyways, that's about all for now. I am eager to hear from people back home, so shoot me an e-mail when you can! And, I'll post some pictures of my new living situation and Sevilla soon. Un saludo!