Hoy en Día

Hoy en Día.
I'm done with classes tomorrow. Done with exams this Wednesday. Going to Portugal this weekend. Leaving for home next Thursday night. HOW.
Haven't written a Spain post in a while and this might be one of my last chances, so "hoy en día" basically means nowadays; with 3 of the most interesting things that have happened since coming back from Rome 2 weeks ago.

Semana Santa means Holy Week, and I had the rest of the week off when I got back from Italy to experience how big of a deal it is in Sevilla. But it was also wicked hot and Spring break so I obviously had to go to the beach with my friends Katie and Corinne. We went to Cádiz, which we'd been to before when it was too cold to enjoy it, so this time was absolutely perfect. While there, I realized that I've been living here for 3 months and still I don't understand the Spanish culture at all.
I'm currently wearing gym shorts and a t-shirt because it's 80 degrees today, which is just asking to be shunned here because I don't think I've ever seen anyone walking around in gym shorts EVER. But it's Sunday and I'm studying (....) so I'm over it. Anyway, my point is that anytime I wear shorts or a dress, I get glared at or stared at. But, while at the beach wearing a bikini, not a single person looked at me and it was AWESOME. Also, just because it's not a nude beach, doesn't mean girls won't whip their tops off with no shame. So, there are topless women everywhere, and nobody, including guys, look at them at all. But if I wear a sundress, which covers way more skin than a bathing suit, it's weird?! I DON'T GET ITTT.

The other part of Semana Santa that was cool to see were the "pasos", which are the huge floats carried by the parades of churches that walk for multiple hours from their own church to the cathedral, and back. Some of these walks can be around 10 hours, and every member wears a specific colored outfit that looks like the KKK. Yeah...sounds not okay, and it honestly was scary to see at first. You should totally look up Semana Santa on Google images so you get an idea of what I'm talking about. It has nothing to do with the KKK because it's a very religious tradition, but I did find out that the KKK's outfits came from the Holy Week clothing. At first sight it was a little unsettling, but it was normal after you see it once, and sitting and watching the huge floats of Jesus they carried was a really unique and powerful thing to get to see.
Anyway, one of the funny things I saw were herds of mothers trying to find their specific child (even though they were all dressed in the exact same outfit) in order to give them bocadillos (sandwiches) because they don't get a chance to eat while they're walking. It just proved again that Spain LOVES their bocadillos.

"I wore deodorant just for you Moll," -guess who???
This past Wednesday-Saturday Gretchen came to visit me and it was fun to show her the differences between her city when I was there and mine while she was here. We had the perfect weather and it was good to hang out with someone else from home again! (Brendan you're ok too I guess). We got caught in a huge rain downpour and had to hide under a palm tree forever, had churros con chocolate and felt sick after it, saw the classic Sevilla spots, and went on like a 2 hour hunt for these high platform sneakers that Gretchen just haddddd to have....you better wear those all the time CHICA. Just kidding I didn't care it was good to see you, see ya in the US in a few weeks!

Alright partner in crime, here's your shout out! Ahlia and I talked forever ago about me giving you one of the last shout outs just because it was funny that way heheee sorry! But, since the anniversary of stupidity is approaching, this one's for you. Miss you so much and I'm listening to Birthday by Katy Perry right now and it's reminding me of you listening to that like 129 times on your birthday and dancing every time hahaha. Can't wait to be roomies again in less than a month!!

There'll be one more post while I'm abroad, probably about Portugal sometime next week, and then one more when I get home. Gracias por leer, y por seguir mis aventuras aquí! Les extraño a todos!
~Moll:)