Essential information for your stay abroad in Seville!!!

If you want to have a stay abroad without any difficulties, be well-prepared. Here you have some important information before coming to Seville which may help you during your stay abroad:

Essentials to pack for your stay in Seville

There are a few documents which you should bring to Seville: Your National ID Card, European Health Insurance Card, Student ID Card and Drivers License (just in case you have one).

Clothing

First of all, you should know that in Seville you mostly walk, so don’t forget to bring comfortable shoes. Don’t forget that Seville is one of the warmest cities in Spain, so think of appropriate clothes. Even if it depends on the season because in winter, the average temperature is about 15 degrees, but in summer there can be temperatures over 40 degrees. The weather isn’t the same as in your home country.

Money

Always take enough money with you, but be careful-don’t take large sums with you or you might lose it. A credit card for emergencies may also be useful.

Adjusting to the Spanish culture

The Spanish culture is a culture of respect and compassion. People help out each other. They talk to strangers and get to know their neighbors. The Spanish people are very open-minded, soft-hearted, approachable and hospitable.  I have never met an unfriendly person during my stay in Seville.

Don’t forget that the Spanish people have a different understanding of time, which means that they have dinner very late. The breakfast consists of a small meal in contrast to the lunch which is very substantial and is usually taken at 15-16h. The dinner at the evening is usually smaller than the lunch and it is taken from 20pm until 22:30pm. Besides, the Siesta is done in Spain mostly from 15h until 18h where the shops are closed and the people stay at home and take a nap.

One of the most popular traditions in Spain is the Flamenco Dance. This traditional Andalusian dance has become part of the Spanish culture. Flamenco shows can be enjoyed not only in dedicated cafes or theaters, but also in restaurants, pubs or simply walking in the streets, since it's obviously become part of the touristic attractions as well.    

                                                            

 

Another tradition of Spain and especially in Andalusia, is the Bullfighting. In Spain it is defined as a form of art. Sevillanos rave about bullfights. However, the younger generation considers bullfighting barbaric and is many times protesting against these happenings in front of the bullring. So, what do you think? Would you like to see one of  these shows? The opinions break up here but I am not a big supporter of that.   

                                                                 

                                                      

5 top places to visit in the city you can’t miss

Seville is a unique city where you can find nightlife, fun activities, places to eat but also a lot of interesting places to visit during your free days. Here you can find the most beautiful and famous ones to discover the beautiful Andalusian Capital!

1)       The Cathedral and the Giralda : Located in the center of Seville. The Giralda is the bell tower of the Cathedral and from the top of the tower you can have the best view over Sevilla!     

 

 

2)       Torre del Oro : The Golden Tower is situaded right along the river, just next to the city center and it’s one of the oldest buildings in town. From the Golden Tower you can have an amazing view over both sides of the city.

                                  

                                                                                                    

3)       Plaza de España and Parque de Maria Luisa : The most important views are a huge semicircular lake, the twin towers and dozens of benches representing all the Spanish provinces in colorful ceramic tiles.Moreover, the square is surrounded by the amazing Parque de Maria Luisa, which is Seville’s primary public park and the main green area of the city. In this unique park you won’t just find trees, but also hidden beautiful buildings, fountains, statues and ceramics.

 

4)       Real Alcázar : This is probably the most representative monument of the city and is today one of the oldest European Royal Palaces still in use. Real Alcázar is situated in the center, right behind the Cathedral, and you can visit it for free every Monday from 6pm to 7pm.

 

  5 ) Casa de Pilatos : It is an Andalusian palace in Sevilla with a mixture of Renaissance Italiana and Mudejar Spanish styles. It is considered the prototype of the Andalusian Palace.

But the most important advice I can give you is to enjoy every moment of your stay in Seville, from the moment you prepare it until you are back at home! Because you are in Spain, enjoy it ;-)

¡Los mejores consejos para visitante de Sevilla!

Una de las cosas más importantes que debería saber un extranjero sobre Sevilla antes de venir  aquí, es que la capital andaluza suele ser llamada una de las ciudades más calurosas en toda España así que se cree que la mejor estación del año para visitar este sitio es la primavera o el otoño.  Aunque el calor pueda llegar a ser insoportable, sin duda vale la pena viajar a Sevilla incluso en el verano.

Aquí te ponemos algunos conejos como disfrutar las maravillas de Sevilla evitando las consecuencias desagradables del calor andaluz :

·         Madrugar para aprovechar más la frescura de las mañanas . 

·         ­  Beber mucho agua - al mínimo 2 litro al día -  además se aconseja que siempre lleves contigo un difusor de agua para refrescarte un poco.         

·          No olvides de poner en tu piel un crema con factor de protección solar, teniendo en cuenta que los precios de este tipo de cosméticos en Andalucía pueden parecer más elevados en comparación con los precios de país de tu origen.                   

·         También pueda resultar beneficioso  llevar una gorra, un gorro o un paraguas para proteger la zona más sensible de tu cuerpo – la cabeza.

·         ­ En las horas de más calor, es decir entre las 13 y las 19 de la tarde,  refugiarte en un buen tinto de verano o toma una caña de cerveza bien fresquita. Aparte de eso, no olvides que la mayoría de las tiendas  entre las 14 y las 18 de la tarde suele estar cerrada debido a la siesta.  La zona más aconsejable para visitar sin sufrir tanto debido al calor insoportable es el barrio de Santa Cruz gracias a sus calles estrechitas y edificios altos que permiten reservar un poco la frescura durante el día.

                                                                             

·         Isla Mágica es una isla en el corazón de Sevilla donde vivirás fantásticas aventuras en un mundo de magia, emoción y diversión asegurada. Es un lugar  impresionante por su naturaleza y arquitectura y también por muchas opciones del ocio que el dicho parque ofrece.  Así, podrás relajarte en la cómoda zona de hamacas, montarte en los grandes toboganes o surcar los mares en la piscina de olas Playa Quetzal. El parque temático sevillano cuenta en los meses de verano con  Agua Mágica, una zona acuática (con coste adicional respecto a la entrada general) que ya se ha convertido en la "playa de Sevilla" gracias, entre otras muchas atracciones, a una gran piscina de olas, juegos acuáticos para niños y zonas de relax.

·         Otra buena opción para refrescarte sin rascarte demasiado el bolsillo es aprovechar la oferta de las piscinas municipales .Una de las grandes paradojas que tiene Sevilla es que siendo una de las ciudades más calurosas de España, donde las playas están a una hora en coche, la oferta de piscinas al aire libre es muy limitada. Aquí te representamos lista de las  instalaciones públicas donde puedes refrescarte a precios asequibles:

-          El Instituto Municipal de Deportes dispone de cuatro centros deportivos con piscinas al aire libre abiertas este verano (Rochelambert, Tiro de Línea, Alcosa y Torreblanca). Todas ellas abrirán a partir del 1 de julio y las tarifas para disfrutar un día de baño es de 5 euros (adultos); niños de primaria y secundaria, mayores de 65 y discapacitados (3 euros); los más pequeños entran gratis.

-          El horario de la piscina de Rochelambert es de martes a viernes de 12:30 a 19:00 horas, mientras que los sábados y domingos abre de 12:00 a 20:00 horas.

-          La del Tiro de Línea, está abierta de lunes a viernes de 12:30 a 19:00 horas y los sábados de 9:00 a 13:00 horas.

-          El horario de Alcosa es de martes a viernes de 12:30 a 19:00 horas y sábados y domingos, de 12:00 a 20:00 horas.

-          Por su parte, la de Torreblanca abre de martes a viernes de 12:30 a 19:00 y de 12:00 a 20:00 horas.

Otro aspecto incorporable de la capital andaluz es su gran cantidad de los museos que sin duda enriquece mucho la oferta cultural de la ciudad.  Abajo te ponemos el enlace con la lista de los museos sevillanos  con sus horarios, vale la pena aprovecharlo J

Museo Arqueológico Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares Museo de BellasArtes Museo de Carruajes Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo Museo Naval (Torre del Oro) Museo Taurino

http://www.sevillaguia.com/sevillaguia/Museos/Museos.htm

·         Otra cuestión que te podría interesar es el aspecto de la oferta gastronómica en Sevilla.  Andalucía es una provincia que se caracteriza por muy buenos precios de fruta y verdura así que te recomendamos aprovecharlo mientras vas a hacer compras.

            

¡Además, si tienes pensado hacer una escapada a la capital andaluza, sería inadmisible olvidarse de dar una ruta a los mejores bares de tapas de Sevilla!  El centro y el barrio Triana se llevan la palma si hablamos de bares de tapas en Sevilla. Son los barrios más habituales para tapear y entre sus calles podremos encontrar los establecimientos con las mejores ofertas gastronómicas en miniatura de la ciudad.

Interesting facts you didn’t know about Spain

·        ·           There is no tooth fairy in Spain

However, a lot of children know the legend about “Ratoncito Perez” who exchanges kid’s teeth for gifts.

·         The Spanish Flag Meaning

The red and yellow colors contained in the Spanish flag represent the colors of the original Spanish kingdoms.                       

·         Spain produces over half of the world’s olive oil

More than some 1.5 million tons and almost all of it comes from the southern region of Andalusia. It’s also the third largest wine producer after France and Italy, making 3.3 million tonnes (metric tons) in 2013.

·         Spain's Christmas lottery has the world's biggest payout 

Spain’s national lottery, El Gordo (‘the fat one’), held just before Christmas has a payout of some EUR 2.24 billion. 

·         There is a Spanish New Year custom called Twelve Grapes

As per this custom, Spaniards celebrate the New Year by eating one grape with their family for each bell strike of the clock (for a total of 12 grapes – hence the name). This custom was originally popularized by Spanish vine growers as a way to sell their excess grapes!  

·         Traditionally, you have two surnames in Spain – 

the first surname from your father, and the second from your mother.

For example, if your name is Juan Martín Lopez, and your wife’s name is Elena González García, your kids’ surname will be Martín González.

However, as per a new gender equality law, this tradition is now being changed to favor the mother’s last name.

·         71% of Spain’s population identifies itself as catholic

However, if you were to ask a Spaniard what the real religion of the country is, you’d get a unanimous answer: fútbol. Football is more than just a game in the country; it is followed with the fervor of a religion.

Two of the world’s biggest football clubs are Spanish (Real Madrid and Barcelona). Spain is also the reigning world champions. In fact, the 2010 football world cup final was watched by 15.6 million people in Spain – roughly 86% of the total audience.

·         Spain has the second highest number of bars per inhabitants

 The only country that has more bars than Spain is Cyprus.

• Spain is home to the world´s largest tomato fight- La Tomatina is celebrated every year  a  village in Valencia.                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                

·                 ·    Seat is the only Spanish car brand

• When meeting someone, it is customary to give one kiss on each cheek.

• There are a lot of holidays and vacation days in Spain and Spaniards really respect their free time and siestas. But nowadays many people don’t really like the siesta as much as in the past, because it takes a lot of their free time.

• Do not be alarmed by a dirty floor in a bar. It is completely acceptable and normal to throw things on the ground in bars. Most of the time a dirty floor means a good bar!

Why you have to do an internship in Spain!

A hugely popular place for tourists, Spain is a beautiful country filled with a rich history and dynamic culture. The influence of the once magnificent Spanish Empire can still be seen through the country’s stunning cathedrals, gourmet food, and brilliant art and music. Now, with the 13th largest economy in the world, Spain has established itself again as a major hub of international business and boasts an extremely well established automobile industry. Interns in Spain will have the opportunity to live and work in a center European business and culture, all the while practicing the third most widely spoken language of the world. Viva España!

Besides the actual work experience, internships in Spain could also be a great chance to practice speaking Spanish. While you might be surrounded by internationals who speak English most the time, many Spaniards speak Spanish as their primary language. While you may have to ask “como se dice…” in the beginning, by the end of the program (and with enough practice), you might be confused for a native speaker! And what a great skill to apply to your future professional endeavors. Being able to list “bilingual” on your resume may help you jumpstart a career in a variety of fields after you graduate.

While the working part of an internship in Spain is important – so is getting to explore the country! Keep reading to find out some of what there is to see and do in España.

Studying abroad may be a great way to get out and see the world, but working abroad as part of internship in Spain might also help you develop skills and knowledge to potentially jumpstart your career! The country’s thriving economy and rich, cultural heritage may help you expand your understanding of your chosen concentration in ways a classroom might not. Hands-on experience in the workforce certainly doesn’t come from a textbook!

My last week at work in Sevilla

My time in Seville is coming to end and I´m not satisfied with it. I could stay here longer but Poland is also waiting for my return. I intend to return here for sure, maybe after high school.

In Sevilla, I was surprised by a lot of positive things. One of them and probably the most important is work. It was true that I didn´t work like any other employee, but I learned in short time a few new things and a lot of new Spanish words  related to my profession, which I´m learning in my country.

 The staff in Carlos V Language School everyday greeted me with a smile at work. Everyone was nice to me and patient.  I hadn´t communication problem if my English isn´t perfect.  I learned some things in the aGora program, translated e mails from English into Polish and sent them, addressed envelopes, get to know the works of my superiors , searched material for social media and worked with Microsoft Word and Excel. I love helping people who are kind and helpful to me so I'm  very happy I could do it for 3 weeks of my practice at Carlos V  Language School in Seville. I was able to develop my skills and I think my trip abroad was very useful.

In my opinion, everyone should try something new and develop their skills in new places.

I think traveling to Spain is one of the best choices because Spain has a lot of interesting traditions, beautiful views, helpful people and you can improve your language or job experience spending time in the most enjoyable way.  Sevilla is waiting also for you!

Blog Entry by Daria from Poland

I am already in Seville for over a week. I come from Poland so Spain is an amazing adventure for me. The first day I noticed a lot of difference.

 I usually live in a hurry. I don´t have time for anything. In Seville I saw that a lot of people are doing everything slowly and without stress.

In Poland a large part of the population lives in stress and has no time for themselves. Maybe that's why so many people in Seville are smiling all the time.  When I look at the smiling people in the morning my day is better. This is one reason why I like Spain so much!

I love palmas!

During the day on the streets of the city there are a few people, but at night the streets of Seville are beginning to live. 

It's amazing how many people can sit in bars,clubs and have fun together in large groups of friends. 

In Poland, people usually go out of the house most comfortably during the day because in Poland at night, even in summer it is cold and residents of the city prefer to spend time in the homes. In Seville I returned to the hostel at 23 in shorts and a T-shirt. This is unbelievable!

Food also surprised me! In my country the most important meal is breakfast. My first breakfast in Spain was strange to me. Cakes and biscuits with coffee for start a day? No way! On the second day I was prepared for it.  In Spain lunch or dinner are the most important meals in the day.  I saw that Spanish never forget eat this meal and they are waiting for all the housemates to eat together. 

I noticed that family for spanish people is very important and time spent with it is the most important thing.

I couldn‘t mention the city which is very beautiful. There are not many new buildings here, but I liked the sights that the city offers.  

I can better understand the history of Seville. Here it is full of palms and other exotic trees and bushes. I had the opportunity to eat strange things such as dates or squids and see interesting things related to local culture such as processions and parades. I'm only here for a week but I love this city! 

I know that for the next 2 weeks I will get to know a lot of new things at work, at home and in the streets of the city. I can´t wait!
I recommend going to Seville! You will be satisfied!