Sevilla & Me: A Floridian’s Tale

It has been two weeks since I landed in the beautiful city of Seville. As soon as I landed and was looking for a taxi outside, it slowly settled in that I was in Spain without any parental supervision. When I arrived at my host home, I was greeted with a warm European welcome of hugs and kisses. As I started to have a conversation with my host mom, I realized she didn’t speak any English, and a part of me panicked. In that moment, I knew I was going to learn Spanish one way or another.

On my first day, I visited Maria Luisa Park—one of the most beautiful parks I have ever seen. There were so many gorgeous flowers, trees, horses, and cute baby ducks. Then, there was a Ferrari car show happening in the park. As a car lover, I was so excited to see different Ferrari models!

I got to visit historical landmarks like Plaza de España, the Royal Alcázar of Seville, and even traveled to Córdoba to tour the Great Mosque. My favorite trip so far has been to the beach in Bolonia, Spain. The weather was perfect, the water was clear, and the seashells were beautiful. As a Florida native, I love the beaches in Spain! But you didn’t hear that from me.

Don’t get me started on the amazing flamenco dance show put on by the Flamenco Dance Museum. I was this close to hopping on stage and dancing with them.

Now, the real question some might be curious about is: How has your experience been as an African American in Spain? I have not experienced any negative situations where I felt out of place or that I didn’t belong. I’m aware that I look different from the majority here, but that doesn’t stop me from making new friends or exploring a foreign city on my own.

As I reflect on these two weeks out of four, I can’t help but feel grateful for this opportunity and the support from my family, friends, coworkers, faculty at Broward College, and the International College of Seville. Spain already feels like a second home.