Friday, January 31 // Viernes, 31 de enero
ENGLISH
If I have heard it once, I have heard it... twice.
"The Spanish love walking. To us, a twenty minute walk is leisure."
"The city is very safe, but watch out for expert pickpocketers."
"Sevillanos les encantan la cerveza, they love their beer."
"Europeans dress up every day! I'm going to do the same to blend in."
First of all, I have a huge blister on my right foot from this infamous walking. I thought my boots were broken in, but I guess not. Day by day. Other than that, I really enjoy the walking as both a time to reflect, enjoy the city's weather, and drink in the spirit of Sevilla (and passing all of the pastries that stare at me each day).
Second, I have a fanny pack slung across my body at all times, only unzipping it for what I need when I need it. I will not fall victim to these notorious experts! Always aware.
Third, my perception was that wine was popular here, but apparently beer reigns as the king of drinks in Spain, as it is barely even considered to be in the same group as alcohol. There are many variations of beer including different sizes - una caña is small, una jarra is large, and there are variations of additions including lemon soda, not to mention the fact that each region has a different preferred beer on tap in restaurants and bars. Cruzcampo is popular in Sevilla and AndalucÃa as a whole, while Granada is known for Alhambra. So, instead of ordering a specific type of beer like in the US, you simply order the size of beer and they assume you want the beer of the region, unless you say otherwise. Different beer and wine variations can be found as well, such as Cruzcampo con limón (lemon beer) and tinto de verano, which can be red wine with a fruit soda.
Lastly, there is a notion among Americans that Europeans are often well dressed and very stylish. I have been loving the abundance of rich style that I see in the streets! Many people in my program are buying clothes here because January is a month of sales and this week is their last chance to take advantage of the low prices. I brought a lot of clothes because I didn't really think about buying a lot of clothes here.
I think some people packed light because they knew they would buy things here, which is smart. In addition, some students have said that they looked up what people typically wear in Sevilla or were looking forward to getting similar clothes to the Spaniards in order to blend in.
I have been thinking about this notion of "blending in" with the locals a lot. I never thought that as students of SAIIE that we were meant to blend in with everyone in the city. Yes, I want to learn the language and pronunciation of the area so I am observing and mimicking, but that is a means of communication that is essential to getting to know others - while style and clothing may be a means of communication, I think of them more as a way to express myself and dress my body in a way that I am happy with.
I think one reason that Americans want to blend in is because the don't want to be exposed as english speakers. I totally understand this; however, just because I am a native english speaker doesn't mean that I need to speak english all of the time. Even if someone knows that I speak english, I can still use Spanish in order to improve my speaking abilities.
It is definitely tempting to conform to the expectations and trends of the city because we, as students, are trying to navigate the language and culture. If I am trying to copy their language, why shouldn't I copy the way they dress?
To me, though, fashion goes hand in hand with personality. There is a fine line between adapting to a culture and changing yourself to fit in with others. So, the moral of my story is, I think, one piece of advice for students who are studying abroad:
Use what you see around you as inspiration, not motivation. Simply be yourself.
A few things I liked the look of along with some happy moments! It made me laugh when I realized that I liked the outfit I was shopping in better than anything that I tried on from the store, so I took a picture of the outfit I had already owned :)