Day in the Life: Seville, Spain
DAY IN THE LIFE: SEVILLA, SPAIN
By Isabelle Todd
Good morning from Seville, Spain! Ahead of me, I have a typical day in my life. Today is Monday, October 14, 2019.
After I have officially woken up, which is usually around 7:30 a.m on Mondays and Wednesdays, I start to get ready for class. Today is Monday and I have a 9 a.m — International Marketing. I am excited for class today because we’re working on a marketing research project. My group is working on expanding Sevici Bikes, a local bicycle rental service, to American cities. It’s super fun and I get to work with two of my best friends who I met in class!
One of the first things I do every morning is get coffee. I am a coffee addict and luckily, so are most people in Spain! Back in the US, I’d normally have iced coffee every morning. In Spain, iced coffee isn’t that common unless you go to Starbucks or a specialty coffee shop. What I like to do is buy a cafe solo (like a Spanish expresso) and refrigerate it so that I can make an iced latte in the morning. Today I’m actually feeling pretty rested so I will only have one cup of coffee to start.
It’s 8:30am and I’m heading out for class soon. It’s actually pretty cold this morning (60 degrees in October is cold for Spain), so I am wearing a sweater over my dress. During my walk to school I normally have breakfast, an apple or banana, and meet up with my friend, Kim, who lives on the way to school about five minutes away from my apartment and has a 9 a.m too.
Today I have an apple. My walk to school is just under 20 minutes and oh my goodness it’s so beautiful out this morning! Although it’s a little cold, the birds are chirping and so many people are out and about — not only going to work / school, but also getting coffee and socializing. That's something I love about Spain: every hour is social hour… and for people of all ages!
We start class around 9:10am; it is common for Spain to start later. After taking some notes, we dive into our marketing plan project. My group and I are working to bringing Sevici Bikes to America. As I said before, Sevici Bikes is a local bicycle company founded by Seville’s government. Essentially, you have access to the bikes for $30 a year and ride them anywhere around the city. You “return” them the the Sevici stations which are everywhere. Many students and professionals alike utilize them.
Today we got let out of class a little early and now I’m headed to Torch — my favorite coffee shop in Seville. It’s adorable and modern but also decorated simply and with greenery. I get a cappuccino and it’s seriously made perfectly. I love getting a cappuccino made with almond milk. The almond milk makes it a little sweet without being overpowering or adding sugar. It’s so foamy and hot of course; perfect for this chilly morning!
My cappuccino!
After sipping my cappuccino and reviewing some work for this week (midterms), for about an hour, I’m ready to go home, but I’m stopping at Aldi first.
I live in an apartment so I’m responsible for all my own groceries and making meals, which I love because I enjoy cooking. One of the best things about Spain, in general, is how inexpensive everything is. I bought a week’s worth of groceries all for under $25. I mostly got produce: lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, apples, bananas, etc. I like having apples and bananas for breakfast on the go. I normally have salad for lunch. I hate boring salads so I’m always sure to make it fun by adding ingredients with different textures and tastes.
Of course I had to buy some chips and crackers for snacks, too. There are a lot of different brands and flavors of chips and crackers here in Spain. I love trying different ones and I’m enjoying trying things that I couldn’t get in America. All of the crackers here are fluffy and melt-in-your mouth; I don’t know how they do it! My favorite flavor of crackers and chips is tomato sage, which is similar to the Americam “garden salsa” flavor.
I go out for tapas a lot here for dinner — taking full advantage of this part of Spain’s culture — but when I eat at home for dinner I try to replicate some of Spain’s signature meals. My favorite to eat and make is seafood paella!
When I get home, I unpack my groceries and have a banana for a snack. I’m going to go to the gym today because I’m pretty sure my membership is going to expire soon, so I want to go while I still have it. There are a bunch of gyms in Sevilla that are so nice and affordable too! If you enjoy working out there are definitely a lot of options here! I am a member at Viva gym. Some other gyms in my area are Cuesta and Sevilla gym. I toured these gyms and they’re all super nice, but I chose Viva because they offer so many classes and it’s only one block away from my apartment.
When I get home from the gym, I prepare myself a biggg salad — enough to tie me over until dinner tonight when I get tapas with my friends! After a little bit of relaxation and lunch it’s time for my last class: Present day Spanish Culture and Society.
Universidad Sevilla
I love this class. It’s so interesting to learn about this country's history and how it’s affected the current society and culture. What I’ve gathered from this class is that Sevilla’s culture is mostly based on Isalamic and Roman culture, especially the architecture and designs. I think part of the reason why Sevilla is so beautiful is because of the diversity you can visibly see and the history that remains so beautiful and well preserved.
After class, Kim and I meet up for a beverage. I met Kim through ASA and we do so much together! We have similar schedules so we’re always walking to class together and hanging out. In Seville, there are many ‘kiosks’ along the river that you can sit at and enjoy a beverage and socialize. I love this part of the culture — it’s very laid back and focused on enjoying life. If I were home in the United States, I would go straight back to my apartment after my classes ended and begin working on homework.
At the kiosk, my friend and I talk about our days and trade stories about our classes. This weekend, we are going to Granada with ASA, and she and I discuss what we’re packing and how much we’re looking forward to the upcoming trip. Something that is awesome about ASA is that our excursions are included in the tuition bill, so all of the costs of the activities we do while on trips, as well as housing and transportation, aren’t paid for out of pocket. My favorite excursion so far was a day trip to Itálica which is a town near Seville that literally has a whole city of Roman ruins. It was so incredible to see these artifacts in person and literally be able to walk around the once inhabited city. There was also a very well preserved amphitheater that a Game of Thrones episode was filmed at!
After about an hour at the kiosk, we return home and get ready for the night. My friends and I, some of whom I met through ASA and others who I met through classes, are going to Santa Cruz, the oldest neighborhood in Sevilla, known for its endless tapas bars and restaurants.
On my walk to Santa Cruz, it’s about 8pm and the sun is setting above the palm trees. The sights here are absolutely breathtaking. Everyday I walk across the Guadalquivir river, which is just the most beautiful sight, especially at the time of the night. The sunset is reflecting on the river, radiating beautiful colors. The homes that line the river are all unique in design and color, allowing for a very recognizable view. After crossing the river, I’m met with more beauty as I walk past the cathedral and its gothic design.
Catedral de Sevilla
There are so many restaurants in Santa Cruz to choose from. Although we enjoy finding new places and going tapa-hopping, my friends and I sit down at a tapas restaurant that we’ve been to before and love; Mateos. The restaurant itself is a sight. The walls are lined with mirrors and the bar is designed with classic Roman-style ceramic mosaics that you see all around the city.
My friends and I begin ordering tapas — Iberian ham, Croquetas, fried Cod, grilled vegetables and our favorite (and a Spanish classic!), berenjenas con miel (fried eggplant with a drizzle of honey sauce). We enjoy a leisurely dinner and before we know it, it’s almost 11pm and we are beginning to get tired after a long day.
Chicharron de Cádiz
3 different types of chorizo
Salchichón, jamón iberico, chorizo and queso de cabra
When I get home I do my normal night time rituals — showering, doing my skin care and having some hot tea, which I make with just hot water, lemon and a sprinkle of turmeric. Although while studying abroad I try to make the most of trying new things and doing different things, it’s nice to be comforted by your routine, too.