Basics & Background: the Who, What, and Where(Who)
Hola! Soy Elana. After two years of laying low within US borders, I am venturing out again for the first half of my junior year. The passport has been dusted, bags (almost) packed, and insurance purchased because here I go. This time, I'm making my way across the Atlantic to a new country on a new continent: Spain. (Where) The next four months will be spent in Seville, which is the fourth largest city in Spain and known as the capital of Andalucía in the south. It's just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the Strait of Gibraltar, and it is, I've been told, a center of flamenco dancing, a hub of amazing late-night tapas, and a goldmine of religious history. I'll get back to you on those. (What) In Seville, I will be part of my university's Seville Program. I'll be taking several classes at the University of Seville as an exchange student and a few classes at a Consortium called CASA with other international students. As part of my studies, I am hoping to conduct independent research on conversos and crypto-Jews, Jews who were forcibly converted to Catholicism around the time of the Inquisition but continued practicing Judaism secretly. The whole time, I will be living with a host family, which I will be matched with a few days after arriving. The (Why) of this trip is something that I will be continuously addressing and re-addressing throughout my time in Spain and on my blog. Stay tuned. For now, grab your dancing shoes, a big appetite, and an open mind, and come join me over the next few months! Vamos, amigos! |