"The World is a Book.": Algunas photos de la catedral de Sevilla (A Few Photos of the Seville Cathedral)

A year is a long time. It hit me pretty hard last night before bed. I think I realize it most when I think of how long it is going to be until I see certain people. I have never spent this long away from people who I love and care about. I know this is how life goes and even if I hadn’t gone abroad, once I graduate from Cornell the same thing is bound to happen, but still. Thinking of my friends at school who I won’t see for an entire year—until we’re all seniors—is overwhelming. Especially when it’s late at night and I’m in that pensive mood that I get into sometimes. I know with skype and the internet everything is much different, but I think that only goes so far. Especially with some of my, ahem, male friends… some of them definitely fulfill the stereotype that guys are not good at the whole communication thing. And still, even if they were, it’s different. And this is fine, it’s normal, and I’m still insanely happy and content to be here, it’s just one more way that I’m growing up. Pretty soon my friends, from home and school, will be all over the country (if not world). Real world, here I come.

Qué triste.

Today I forgot my keys (I did a little switcharoo at el centro and forgot to put my keys in my little bag I took back for the siesta). It’s not a problem—I just press the button and call up to Mayte. So I called up, she let me in, and I took the elevator up. I couldn’t get into the apartment either, obviously, so I knocked on the door. I heard voices, and then Fernando came to the door and told me that he was sorry, no one was home to let me in. I stood on the other side of the door saying “please” over and over in my most pitiful voice. He finally stopped messing with me and opened the door with a big smile on his face. He’s a joker. I like it. Katie and I both want to spend more time with him… after that he was telling me how he expects me to go running with him tomorrow morning, no excuses (even though he knows about my ankle). Funny guy.

One last thing: one of the first things we learned in class is that Spain is actually a much, much less religious country than America. Granted, a bit of that is up to opinion, but I think the argument is really interesting. Here, yes, Catholicism is deeply embedded in the culture, but most people are not religious. There is a difference. There seems to be a common consensus among Spaniards (based on the reading we did and what our professors have said) that if the government ever tried to mix itself with religion, there would be an uproar. They said that what’s happening (and has happened) in the US with the mixing of church and state would never, ever happen here. It’s funny because everyone I’ve talked to in the US thinks Spain is insanely religious. Religious, as I’m finding through class and through my own experience, is not the right word. The majority of people don’t worship or anything like that…

And now, on to pictures. I had many, many more I wanted to add, but the internet isn't working too well and I could only get the first batch on. These are all pictures of the central, infamous cathedral in the center of Sevilla.

During a picturesque night out for tapas towards the beginning of the program, this is what our walk looked like. That's the tower attached to the cathedral (we climbed up it).

So this is not the church, as you probably figured. This is the view from the top of the tower (at a later date, obviously). This is one of the main streets. See those trees? Yeah, they're orange trees. Pretty!