Only 3 days in the country and I am already looking forward to the rest of my time here. Over the past couple of days we have spent considerable time in both Cádiz and Jerez de La Frontera and have been to some of the most important sites and events in these cities, which include the Jerez Horse Festival, the Genovese Park, the Cádiz Cathedral, and the Jerez Alcazar, not as grand as the one in Granada but still worth the visit.
Here are some of the pictures I took while attending the Jerez horse festival.
In this context, some of the most impressive sites and events have involved the religious ones. Being able to experience these events within the larger culture ( and with surprisingly few tourist other than ourselves) has really given myself an opportunity to better understand how the Catholic Church has influenced Spanish culture and where many aspects of the Spanish culture have come from.
This is a short video of a religious procession we ran across in Seville the first evening we arrived.
In addition to these sites, one of the most pleasant aspects of these past couple of days has been the food. Not only has everything tasted fresher here than in the United States, but the food has also been so much cheaper here than in the United States for the quality provided. In addition to this point, another difference that I’ve noted between the American and Spanish culinary culture is the times at which they eat, with lunch regularly starting between 2 and 3 and dinner running regularly until 11 or midnight. Although I have not seen as much of a difference in regards to the size of the respective meals, the differences regarding meal timing has nevertheless proved significant.
Here is one of the many pictures taken while at the Mercado Central, one of Cadiz’s largest produce and fish markets.
Nevertheless, over the past couple of days I have been able to recognize a couple of challenges which will make adjusting to the Spanish culture and work environment difficult. One of these challenges involves the language. Despite the fact that I have a minor in Spanish and have been able to actively apply the language in the classroom, I have faced considerable uneasiness when speaking the language in public situations. Despite the fact that everyone I have spoken to in Spanish while I have been here has said that my Spanish is good, I still hesitate when asked to respond in Spanish or carry on a conversation. Although being able to read the language will undoubtedly help in my internship, working for a museum based tour company will inevitably require verbal usage of the Spanish language.