Some tips for future students wanting to come to Spain.

This is my last week in Seville and I cant believe how fast it went.  I decided this would probably be a good time to give some tips for prospective students coming to Spain or world wide travelers.

When I had my orientation at CMU about Seville I was given the impression that everything would be walking distance.  This can be true depending where you live. Seville is a huge city. I am assuming the person that conducted my orientation lived near the center of Seville or near the school.  However not everyone lives that close.  On the first day I arrived to Seville I was given a map of the whole city.  On the map they said they circled where your house is and which bus you should take to school.  I looked at my map for a long time and I did not see anything until I moved my finger off the very edge of the page and I saw a circle that said home and it had an arrow pointing off the map!  Later I came to find out that my home stay was the furthest from the school.  I walked from my house to the school once and it took an hour and fifteen minutes!  Also while everyone else could walk or would take a bus I had three bus numbers written down!  In the beginning this was terrifying and I was a little upset but after a few days of getting lost I understood how to get home and to other important places.

Another tip I have is practice talking to your Señora they understand that you might not always understand them but they want to help you.  The first day I got to my home-stay I was very nervous.  First off everyone else from the program was going with their roommate to meet their señora while my roommate was on vacation and I had to meet my Señora on my own.  I remember my first day I could not understand barely anything she was saying.  She was talking fast, had the thickest accent I have ever heard and she kept talking with her mouth full.  I just kept on saying yes, no, yes.  I was so worried that I got myself into something I could not handle.  After the first week my spanish was flowing a lot better.  I know I am no where near fluent but I talk at a decent pace and my Señora and I understand each other majority of the time.

Some random facts I have picked up on..
They wear their wedding rings on the right hand.
Older people always ALWAYS wear long sleeves and pants.  (Way too hot for this!)
They love their Gazpacho.
You dont need to tip at all, in restaurants or taxis.
They get annoyed when you say thank you 2343 times in a restaurant.  They think that this is what they are required to do and it annoys them a lot when you say it all the time.
Siesta: Best thing in the world.  Everyone closes up shop and goes home from 2-5 ish because it is way to hot to do anything.
Finally, make sure you know a lot about the USA.  I have had some cab drivers be really excited when they learn I am from Michigan.  They know Detroit, New York and Washington D.C.  They always have a lot of questions about Detroit and I probably know the answer to half of them!

I am sure I will think of more things right after I post this but thats all I have for now.  I have one more post after this one and my classes end on Friday!