what I like , what I don't & what I miss about home

I've slowly been making lists about the things I like & don't like about Sevilla, and of course the things I miss about being home. 

I'll start off on a positive note.

Likes

- arroz con leche: Sarah and Anne always tried to get me to eat rice pudding, I guess arroz con leche just sounds a million times better.

- cobblestone streets:adds a certain old world vibe in the middle of Spain's third largest city

- café con leche (better yet all coffee drinks here): the coffee is stronger, even mixed with half milk and a huge packet of sugar (all of you coffee drinkers don't know what real coffee is!)

- Chino stores: These stores, which are on almost every street, have everything.  My favorite: the gummies.  You fit as many gummies as you can into a bag and never pay more than 2 euro (they even have sour gummies Cath!)

- Fruit after every meal: A Nice refreshing touch after eating

- Never more than three hours of class a day, no class on Fridays: I think this one explains itself, but it makes weekend traveling much easier!

- The bread: María buys fresh bread everyday (sometimes twice a day)

- The sweets: In a word: Delicious. 

Dislikes

- Dog poop everywhere: There is no concept here of picking up after your dog (and there are a LOT of dogs!)  There are even little bags specifically posted around the city to pick up said dog shit!  I was walking with my friends once and a man bent down as if he were going to pick up his dog's poop, instead he ended up smearing it across the sidewalk.  So gross.

- People's inability to walk: Sevillians like to walk slow, and manage to take up the whole sidewalk.  It is literally impossible to get around some people.  Even a little old lady with her bag in hand can take up the sidewalk.  Couples here walk holding hands, but with a foot in between them.  People walk right in front of you and then stop, from inside a store, from the other side of the sidewalk if they see something on your side.  Groups of people that are stopped on the sidewalk (& taking up the whole sidewalk)do not move to accommodate for you, even when you say "Perdón!"  You have to expect to be cut off numerous times even on the shortest walk.

- Yes, I have green/blue eyes and lighter hair, does that mean tat you need to stare at me... at all times... for long awkward periods of time?  I just stare back, which I don't think they expect from a green-eyed American girl.

- The Bread: I never really eat bread at home, and the fresh bread twice a day thing is probably not the best idea.

- The Dulces: Delicious, but also need to be regulated.

-Cobblestone Streets: Beautiful, but not always the easiest thing to walk on.

- Studying: I know, I came here through a STUDY abroad program, but I didn't really think about actually having to study.  What a disappointment!

- Mumblers: People here enjoy mumbling.  Making it difficult to hear them, even if Spanish were my native language.  If I say What? they immediately think I don't understand Spanish, and say oh nevermind you don't understand. Umm.. I would understand you if I could actually HEAR you. SPEAK UP! I don't understand English when people mumble to themselves. 

- The Rain: I though it never rained in Sevilla? What lies.  I guess I'll be happy it rained and stalled the heat in a week..

- Instanet: The infamous internet provider and the modem that killed me computer

- Parking: People are NOT supposed to park in two rows (even worse three) but they do.  People here block other people in by parking behind them.  What happens if someone needs to leave that is blocked in?  They honk.  They hold down their horn and honk until the person blocking them comes out to move.  That is of course, if the person blocking them hasn't put their car in neutral so if someone needs to get out they just push the other car out of the way.  I thought of this because all i hear right now is a long horn because someone is trapped.  It's a beautiful sound to wake up to.

What I Miss About Home

- All of you! (obviously)

- My boys (Jack, Obi, and that little white deaf one)

- Having my own room

- Being able to cook and eat what I want and when I want

- Dryers and dryer sheets: They actually make a huge difference.  My jeans never go back down to size!

- Not being told that I can't watch something online because only US residents can.  HELLO! I am a US resident!!

- Milk always being refrigerated.  The milk outside of the fridge just makes me a little more cautious.  

- Missing out on things at home

- Again, all of you!

That's what I can think of for now, more to come!

love you love you

Franny