Study Abroad Spain - Alcazar & Alhambra

THE ROYAL ALCAZAR OF SEVILLE (El REAL ALCAZAR DE SEVILLA)

Thursday, and a little bit Wednesday, we went to Alcazar. Alcazar is an old palace with many gardens to walk through and look at. I say we went for a little on Wednesday because we were originally planning on visiting it then. On the map, Alcazar covers a pretty good amount of space. Not really planning exactly where we had to go, we decided to head over there after a little shopping near the cathedral. Because we didn't have a great plan going into the day, we went to the wrong side of Alcazar. We ended up walking all the way around the perimeter of the property for probably close to an hour. By the time we finally arrived at the entrance gate, where of course they make you pay to get in, we only had about 45 minutes until closing time, so we decided to wait another day before we visited.

Thursday right after school, we grabbed lunch at a restaurant and went straight to Alcazar. We probably didn’t pick the perfect time. The high temperature for the day according to The Weather Channel App on my phone said there was a high of 102 with “Extreme High Temperature” warnings throughout the day. The palace was beautiful nontheless.  Originally it was an Islamic palace, however later it was taken over by Spanish Christians.

My favorite part about it was the architecture. I don’t really know anything about architecture, but even I can see and think it’s cool how you can notice the different additions and styles of architecture from different times when different people had power of the palace. Another very interesting thing I observed about the palace was the room temperature. We walked through different rooms that used to be used as bedrooms, meeting rooms, or in various other ways. With it being so hot outside, I could really tell the difference in temperatures between rooms. Some rooms were sort of hot while others were a little cooler and the bedroom was the coldest of all. The bedrooms had no windows or any way for air circulation. Because they were made completely out of tiles, stones, and never received direct sunlight, they were able to stay so cool. I think it is very interesting how well planned and detailed the palace was to maximize the comfort for royalty.

If you ever go to Sevilla, Alcazar is definitely one of the historical places you need to visit. According to Trip Advisor it is the second most valued tourist attraction in Sevilla, and I would agree with them on that.

-Austin Todd, Junior, Business major, Alpha Company

THE ALHAMBRA IN GRANADA

How does one describe Granada, words and pictures can do little justice to the magnificence that is the city itself. I will do my best to convey the atmosphere and the sites that were seen. Among those sites two stand out above the rest; The Alhambra gardens and the Alhambra Palace, both of which are heavily influenced by Arabic art and religion.

The first thing we were greeted with was a climb to the top of a small mountain, from our direction it was a seemingly regular trip with no sites of major significance to be seen quite yet. Once we reached our destination we were greeted by one of Spain’s many biker gangs who happened to be visiting greeted us with the growl of engines and the shrill sound of horns.

Shortly into our guided tour of the gardens, the absolute beauty of the region began to show itself. The climate is perfect for the growth and maintenance of elaborate gardens such as the ones found within the Alhambra. Lavish overhangs and in-ground arrangements were quite the site to see. However, this was not the pinnacle of the experience.

The Palace itself is something of a wonder as its influences are heavily Arabic as well as traditional Spanish. Words cannot describe the intricacy of the building at even the most simple of levels. Aqueducts and plumbing in virtually every area supplied cool air and refreshment even hundreds of years later. Vast open areas with gardens, statues, and other visually stunning aspects exist in any area not occupied by a building or the fortress.

The fortress is a grand structure much like our own Citadel. Walls 5 to 8 stories high prevented foreign invasion and a garrison of several hundred troops manned the defenses long ago. The guns have since fallen silent and now only the remains of the interior remain, but the wall stands high as it did in the past. Once we crested the tower, the full view of Grenada came to light, a packed urban area with virtually no large buildings lying in a valley surrounded by small mountains. Beautiful sky and earth all around, Granada was and still sits in my mind as a grand wonder in Spain.

-Michael Arthur, Senior, Political Science major, Romeo Company

Ryan in Spain - Intro

Meet Ryan Leach, a veteran day student who was a recipient of our SHSS Study Abroad Award. Ryan is traveling with his wife and daughter to Spain with the Citadel's program.

This won't be Ryan's first trip abroad, he spent his childhood traveling the world as an Air Force dependent, visiting many different states as well as Korea and Germany. After graduating high school he enlisted in the US Army where he served 6 years as a Military Police Soldier assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division and was deployed to Iraq for a total of 27 months, first serving as a Protective Service Agent and later as a adjunct position with Blackhawk Troop 1-7 Cav.

After a few years in the Pacific Northwest, Ryan moved his family down to Charleston and enrolled at The Citadel. He  is an Honors Student with a double major in Political Science and Social Studies Education, and is also pursuing a minor in Southern Studies.

We look forward to seeing his travels with his family in Spain!

Photo by: Stacy Pearsall

Study Abroad Spain - Bullfighting

Before we left Sevilla I decided to take a tour of the great Plaza del Toros.  For those of you who do not know this is where the bull fights take place and perhaps Spain’s most famous sport.  Like most great sports it is slowly falling apart due to politics and mainly everyone becoming a lot more caring about almost everything unlike our danger-seeking death defying predecessors.  That is why this trip is such an honor, because that means that Sevilla’s Plaza del Toros is one of the last of a dying breed.  I learned many things on this tour ranging from what occurs in the fights, who takes place, and the public’s response to the sport.

The fights are exactly as you’d imagine: morbid and thrilling, after all it is a fight.  However, the Spaniards have a brilliant talent in turning something so horrible into something beautiful.  The guide explained the fight as not so much as a battle, but a dance.  As she continued to explain I could see how they perceived this, as the suavely dressed matador moved his cape like a flamenco dancer over the bull as its power and strength broke through the mirage. Or, if you don’t have a great imagination you could take it as what it is which is men in colorful suits stabbing a cow. 

There are four waves that the bull has coming at him, first he has the picador which is a man on an armored horse who carries a big spear and uses it accordingly.  Next, are the banderilleros who have quick feet and “banderillas” which are like smaller gafts for fishing. Then the big name guys come out the youger Torero’s, who tire the bull out more with flashy moves of the cape and continuous movement.  Finally, the main man, the Matador, the face of Spanish culture, comes out looking like a complete stud and finishes the bull off.  The uniform of the matador is filled with flashy colors and gold and artistic designs so he looks qualified and honorable enough to do his job.  Spanish people honor Matadors and revere them as national heroes.  Honestly, I would love to be a matador only if I did not have to kill such a great animal, or maybe I just want to wear that awesome uniform.

As I stated earlier the world is getting softer and people are starting to take action in stopping this sport, only about 30% of people from Spain approve of this sport and only 15% attend the actual fights, the rest are tourists.  Seats are like Mets games, pretty affordable unless you want to be as close as you possible can, and you usually don’t leave the stadium constantly disappointed.  Regardless, it is a once and a life time experience which I think everyone should at least watch or learn about.

I understand why people do not like bull fighting; I am an animal lover just as much as the next person but this is culture and in my opinion culture is the most important thing there is in a country.  A country’s culture is what defines who they are as a people and what has long past them.  Culture allows countries to succeed and compete in markets in which otherwise they would fail, it creates jobs and produces income.  It may not be a big difference but culture is the reason there are all those tourists in the seats of the arena.

- Vincent Bellaran, Senior, Modern Language major, Mike Company

Jacob in Ecuador - Week 2

Last weekend we went on an excursion to Baños, Ecuador. It is safe to say that it was one of the best weekends of my life, and I will dream about it for years to come! We left at around 8:00 am on Saturday morning and did not return until 10:30 on Sunday night. It was a 3 hour bus ride filled with awesome views, and I was blown away by the small city when we got there. Baños is surrounded by mountains on three sides and there is a Volcano nearby. It is a very religious city, but it is also a major tourist attraction because of the mountains and the hot springs. Throughout the weekend, we hiked the mountains, took a dip in the hot springs, rode a gondola over a giant canyon, and we even rode a zipline over a waterfall. I also tried to eat guinea pig for the first time and I actually enjoyed it! If we can find a couple of free days this month, I am going to try my hardest to go back and hike more and maybe even go bungee jumping!

            On Monday everyone was a little depressed when we got back to class because we had so much fun in Baños. However, we got through it and after class I continued my ritual of running in the parque de Carolina and going to the gym. On Tuesday we went to the Botanical gardens after class. It reminded me of the botanical gardens back in Myrtle Beach, SC., except there were many plants native to Ecuador. Afterwards we played basketball with some locals, which I have been itching to do since I got here. Ecuadoreans are generally shorter than North Americans, and I had the opportunity to be the tallest guy on the court for the first time in my life! Basketball is actually popular here, but not nearly as popular as soccer. I have heard that the entire city will shut down when the world cup starts, and I am excited to watch the games with the locals and witness the passion that the people here have for the sport!

            Tomorrow night we are going bowling at the mall, and Friday we are going to the movies again. Every day has been so much fun thus far, and I am honestly having the time of my life. There is never a dull moment here, and our group always has activities that we can go to. I am impressed with how well the program is being ran, and I have no regrets about coming here!

Study Abroad England - Globe Theater

I enjoyed the Globe Theater tour and felt that it set up a good baseline in terms of what to expect later that evening. Some people disliked the fact that our tour guide was a Globe actress, but I liked having that perspective. Rather than hearing strictly about the history of the original Globe and its former incarnations, I got to understand the theater from the perspective of a professional who uses it as her stage. I especially liked her discussion of the acoustics inside The Globe, and how the rounded shape and set-up allowed for excellent projection of the voice. Once she pointed it out, I did realize that the shape of the theater reminded me of the multi-layered echo walls/chambers I saw at The Temple of Heaven in Beijing. Her perspective really helped inform my viewing in the evening. I stood to the side, and leaned right up against the stage. My favorite parts were the audience participation, how as a collective it became a living and breathing character in the scene acted out before us. We were expected to voice our approval, our cheers and our opinions. We were a part of the action, and sometimes even joined in; the actors addressed us directly, both as a group and occasionally singling out individuals. Our tour guide had talked about this as well, completely transforming the way that I think of and examine the soliloquy...how the actor does not turn in on himself for these personal monologues, but rather poses their thoughts to the audience. This is something that someone merely reading a play instead of watching it performed might totally miss. My proximity to the stage also heightened the experience, the physical closeness facilitated a closeness of experience; it felt like I had walked into someone else's life, not just that I was watching it, as in a movie theater. I also especially enjoyed the music, how my limited perspective from the side caused me to rely much more on audio cues; I could not always see their facial expressions so I turned to the music to deduce the current mood of the scene. All in all, I loved the experience and would love to go again if I get a chance before I leave. 

- Jane Ma, Senior, Biology major, Golf Company

Study Abroad Spain - All Things Seville

After living in Seville for two weeks, I had seen and done most everything that the city had to offer. I had gone to all the major sights such as La Catedral, The Archivo General de Indias, Plaza de Espana, and the amazing view that the Metropol Parasol had to offer. 

When I wasn't in class, which was only four hours each day, I was out meeting other students from around the world or playing soccer at a local recreation center. Normally we would get a group of people from our own school to play a couple games of soccer, but eventually we got to know some locals from Seville and started a couple pick up games with them. 

Personally my favorite part of being in Seville was getting to know a lot of different people my age from all over the world and learn about how they see things it seemed like a very large melting pot for students to travel and study. 

As for the food in Seville, I without a doubt tried some of the most delicious dishes and tapas during my stay such as Rabo de Toro, Pulpo, Jamon, Navajas, and Txpirones, which I would have never been exposed to or had a chance to try without visiting Spain. 

My host mother in Seville also made a lot of common dishes of Spain, for instance Tortilla Espanol, Paella, and Gazpacho. After dinner, which was usually around 9:00pm, I would head out to see the night life of Seville with new friends I made from different countries, and needless to say we always found something to do or a place to relax and talk about the differences from our own countries and customs. 

My time in Spain has encouraged me to travel as much as I can whenever I have the opportunity to, and it has helped me to better appreciate the things I have back in the United States.

- James Grimm, Junior, Political Science major, Bravo Company

Study Abroad Spain - Seville

We asked the head of each of our study abroad programs to have their students write about some of things they are seeing and learning about abroad. Our group from Spain is sharing about their travels in Seville.

¡Hola a todos! The past week in Sevilla has been absolutely enchanting. After classes we have plenty of free time (with the exception of siestas of course) to wander the city and absorb as much as possible. The first day of class we were given a tour that took us throughout the various barrios of Sevilla so we could become better acquainted with the city. We saw some gorgeous views on the ground and some even more impressive ones on top of La Torre de Oro, an old tower that was a prison during the Middle Ages that overlooks the Guadalquivir River. We were also able to take a walk around La Catedral de Santa María de la Sede, a beautiful Gothic cathedral that happens to be the third largest church and the largest cathedral with a sitting bishop in the world. Pride for España was evident from the many flags and other patriotic symbols we saw, including numerous statues of famous matadores and toreros, or bullfighters.

                With only one more week in Sevilla until we travel to Valencia for the remaining two weeks, we are eager to continue experiencing all that Sevilla has to offer. There are more sights to be seen, more pictures to be taken, more fun to be had, and more cuisine to enjoy. ¡Adiós!

- Kaiya Narayan, Senior, Criminal Justice & Modern Languages major, Band Company

One of the places that I visited while in Seville was the Cathedral. It was one of the most magnificent things that I have ever seen. The Cathedral in Seville was one of the largest structures that I have seen in person, and one of the most detailed. I saw the Cathedral while on a small tour of Seville and it took my breath away. Not only is the Cathedral a work of art, but it also a piece of history. One interesting fact that I learned since I have been here in Seville is that Christopher Columbus is buried within the Cathedral, and if you go inside you are able to see his tomb and where he was laid to rest.  Another interesting fact about the Cathedral that I learned is that looking at the Cathedral you are able to notice that there are there different types of architecture that makeup the tremendous structure. The three different architect types that can be seen on the Cathedral are Roman, Arabic, and Gothic. I know that I have stressed the fact that the Cathedral is an absolutely mind rattling structure in the terms of beauty and history, but if I had to recommend you see one thing while you are in Seville it would be the Cathedral. It was one of my favorite things that I encountered on my adventure to Seville.

- Josh Terry, Junior, Computer Science major, Kilo Company