Watch a Sunrise at Least Once a Day

Watch a Sunrise at Least Once a Day- Phil Dunphy (Modern Family)- Regardless of how much sense this statement actually makes, it reminds me to value the little things.

I really want to dedicate this post to enjoying the simple stuff in life, and how that sort of mental attitude can make or break your study abroad trip. It's really easy for us, as United States citizens, to grow accustomed to things such as long showers and being able to leave all sorts of lights on at home, but that is simply not the case in Sevilla.


Electricity is pretty expensive and people limit their shower times to under 10 minutes. It's a different way of living, but enjoyable if you can let go of some unnecessary tendencies. It's really easy when you just laugh things off. Take for example, my bed.

On a side note, I'd argue that the test of a person's manliness can be determined from his comfort level in a girls bed. Am I right? ;) 

Pretty girly, if you ask me, and I'm sure there will be those people who make fun of me for it, but such is life. My host mom raised three girls, so assuming she would have boys bed sheets (or even some pretty cool spider-man ones) isn't reasonable. In all honesty, these sheets are pretty comfortable and keep me warm at night; and if that's their sole purpose, then why should I complain?

All jokes aside, I'm pretty content with my home stay, and really have a great host mom.

Breakfast is also pretty plain. Some toast and coffee is about it, but they definitely make up for it with lunch and dinner (I'll post pictures of both later.)

It's also been a while since I last posted anything, but I've been up to quite a bit. I visited the city of Rhonda, home of the world's oldest bullfighting ring and one of the most amazing bridges I've ever seen.

Bullfighting Ring

Puente Nuevo (even though it's 400 years old)

There was a pretty cool hiking trail you could take to the base of the bridge.

I saw this while exploring Rhonda. Don't forget to vote!

I found these at the American booth at the Festival of Nations. #merica

Midterms and Choosing the right Classes!

I'm approaching the end of September here and realized that I haven't written much on my school work and explained any differences in grading scales. First of all, I forgot to mention that I took an entry test when I first arrived in Sevilla which ranked me as an intermediate 1 Spanish speaker. For those who know me, this may come as a surprise considering I'm a fluent Spanish speaker, but I have actually never taken a Spanish class. I've learned all my Spanish from my parent's who are first generation immigrants, in fact, I learned Spanish before learning English, but never received any formal education on grammar or spelling. Regardless of this, I just wanted to mention that my situation is actually quite common. After speaking with the program administrators, they mentioned that they see a large number of Hispanics fall into this same category, and that I should not be deterred from trying to take classes outside of my skill set.

Overall, I'm really satisfied with the classes I'm taking and it is all because I chose and was encouraged to challenge myself. My test score actually discouraged me at first from selecting classes that i thought were out of my skill set, but my program administrators were quick to mention that I would not learn as much if I chose the easy route. In fact, one of my professors actually refused to let me stay in a lower level class and suggested I take a literature or writing class taught completely in Spanish. Furthermore, the program administrators ensured me that my Spanish was actually on par with higher class levels.

On another note, the grading system is slightly different here as well. The grading scale is on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the highest and translating to an "A" at an American university. The course load, such as required readings, homework, and such, are actually on par with my home university. I will, however, mention that most professors offer some leeway on your Spanish skills. They are conscious that you are not an expert in this language and are prone to mistakes, so don't be afraid to ask for help or question. However, this does not mean that they will not challenge you and at times will wait on you as you figure out a pronunciation or translation. This can be nerve racking at times, but it's actually a great feeling when your able to overcome this small obstacle.

All in all, I just want to reiterate that choosing the best classes for your trip abroad should be based  lot more than just your skill level and comfort. If you really want to learn, grow, and become more proficient in a other language then you must challenge yourself. Don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone, because you still have professors and faculty that are always willing to help you.

Day Trip to Malaga!

I know it's only been 3 days since my last post, but so much has happened in such a small amount of time. To start off with, ISA, my study abroad program, scheduled a day trip to the coastal city of Malaga, last Friday. I know a lot of people were looking forward to enjoying the beach and whatever else Malaga offered, but some much needed rain may have led to a change of plans. Regardless, I really enjoyed my time there and learned some pretty interesting things.

Picasso Museum

Pictures aren't allowed in the Picasso Museum, so hopefully this will serve as proof that I was there.

I really have to say that I have a new found respect for the artistic style of Picasso. I've never really been a fan, merely on the opinion that his artwork seems like something anybody could do, but a nice tour of this place really gave me a new outlook on the originality and revolutionary ways of Picasso.

La Manguita

We also visited "la Manguita" or the one armed lady. It's called this because one of its two towers was never completed. The reason the second tower was never completed is also due to the United States. Spain used the money that would have been used to construct the second tower to help the US reach its independence. The U.S. also tried to pay the money back, but the nickname and uniqueness of "La Manguita" has become such a staple of the Malaga community that they refused to build the second tower.

The plaque thanking Malaga from the U.S.

You can also check out a lot more pictures here: More Pictures!

Time Flies When Your Having Fun

I'd just like to let everyone know that I'm probably the worst blogger ever, but will be more dedicated in keeping this updated. This post will serve to catch everyone up on what I've been up to the last two weeks, and I'll update again sometime Sunday. I promise or I'll name my first born child Jed I. Knight. (He'll be the coolest kid in school...)

In all seriousness, I've had a pretty eventful last two weeks. I started classes on September 12th and they've actually been pretty interesting. Aside from taking a Spanish writing class, my classes are all taught in Spanish and range from subjects like Spanish civilization, politics, and intercultural communication. Altogether, I have a full workload and am just another student at Pablo de Olavide.

I know my buddy, Phil, thinks I'm just on an extended field trip, but I promise I'll be learning something while I'm here. 

This is Phil. Enough said. 

I'm just poking fun at him. In reality, he's one of the best friends a guy could ask for.

Anyways, school is great but I'm sure people are wondering what else I've been up to.

I figured that the best way to show everything would be with a few pictures:

Plaza de Espana

Real Alcázar de Sevilla

Religious Procession (I'm not exactly sure what this was called, but they carried this float around the city)

Corrida de Toros (Bull fight)

Champions For Africa UNICEF Charity Game

What a week...

I'm not exactly sure how to fully explain the first week I've spent in Spain. Partially because I'm deciding whether to write this in Spanish or English, but really because this has been one of the most fascinating weeks of my life.

My flight into Spain wasn't bad at all. My first flight to Dallas from OKC was delayed by about two hours due to plane issues, but that really didn't derail my travel plans as I had a 5 hour lay over in Dallas. The flight from Dallas to Spain was a little over 9 hours, and actually wasn't too bad. They played Mirror, Mirror (weird) and Money Ball (can anyone really take Jonah Hill seriously?) on the flight so the time passed by pretty quickly. 

I arrived in Madrid, Spain around 10 a.m. the next day and ended up taking a cab to the hotel where I would be staying for the next two days. I also met my room mate, a pretty chill guy from the University of Denver, and had lunch at the "Puerta del Sol." 

Puerta del Sol

Aside, from the usual tourist stuff, i.e. sightseeing, I went out a few times and enjoyed the local food and night scene.

My third night was spent in Toledo, where my study abroad program planned a one day stay. On a side note, I found out Toledo is a world renowned sword making city. I thought about purchasing one as a gift, but decided against it when I considered how hard it would be to get pass airport security.

A view of Toledo

I finally arrived in Sevilla on Saturday and met the family I would be spending the next four months with. I'm staying with an extremely nice and welcoming lady named Manoli. She actually reminds me a lot of my grandmother, and she used to own her own restaurant so she's an amazing cook! My home is also perfectly situated right next to "Calle Betis," a great place for going out, and from many local shops. I also have my own room with access to the roof of our building and WiFi (They pronounce it Wee-Fee here, I laughed when I found out.)

I'm still trying to familiarize with everything in Spain. It reminds me a lot of the few times I've visited Mexico, but is still vastly different. There's stuff like "tiempo de siesta" which translates to nap time and is the time between 2-5 pm where most stores shut down and people take naps. The stores reopen later on, but having an almost mandatory nap time is definitely something to look forward too.

So... what is this about?

If this was any other year, I'd have already moved into my dorm room at Oklahoma City University and have likely been procrastinating that fifteen page paper due in a month, but this semester is different. I'll be spending the next four months studying abroad at the University of Pablo de Olavide in Sevilla, Spain. I've never spent more than a few weeks away from home, so I'm sure this will be an exciting, scary, humbling, and a plethora of other adjectives of an experience, but look forward to every bit of it.

I'd like to use this blog to document my experiences through my writing, pictures, and videos; as well as, provide insight and advice on material pertaining to studying abroad, such as financial aid. Oh, and there's that thing about making sure my friends and family know I'm still alive. 

I'm less than a week away from my departure from the United States and still have plenty to do before I leave, but my goal is to update this blog on a weekly basis (if not more).

Until then, enjoy my current jam.